A Novel Approach for Evaluation of Food Functions and Safety Applied in RR GM Soybeans

[Objective] This study aimed to evaluate tbe healthy risk of genetically modified （ GM ） soybeans by using a novel approach for functions and safety of food. [ Me^od] Different from traditional evaluation of substantial equivalence, three great innovations were performed in this study, involving in basic diet, evalu- ation approaches and principle, as well as the clarification of connotation differences between absolute and relative mass of organs. Hence a novel BDI-GS （Bendib Damage Index and General Score） evaluation approach was established and applied in comparative evaluation between RR GM and natural soybeans. Healthy male ICR mice during linear growth were selected; experimental mice were fed with 15% RR GM soybeans and 15% natural soybeans blending maize meal diets, and control mice were fed with single maize meal diet for 13 d; the mice were dissected after collecting blood samples and perfectly obtained nine organs or tissues to re- cord their masses and conduct statistical analyses. [Result] Plenty of matching information was obtained through simple design. The growth performance of treated mice was markedly of individual differences, some mice were thwarted due to regular intake of RR soybeans. Meanwhile, the functions and safety of RR soybeans were markedly lowered in overall nutritional and healthy effects than those of natural soybeans expressed in GS values, and presents some declines in nutrition and health of thymus, pancreas and spermary; especially, it can make thymus immune （P 〈0.05） in markedly lower level than that of natural soybeans. [ Conclusion] Therefore, major troubles and risks of RR soybeans intake are of personal risks in different degrees, in addition, it may increase sub-health and related chronic epi- demics risks, and herein it will presents certain safety issues. The creation of this novel evaluation system provides a simple and available evaluation approach for functions and potential risks revelation of food effects, and will yield far-reaching influences to safety evaluation and healthy development of GM foods, as well as public health.

Nitrogen-doped porous carbons from polyacrylonitrile fiber as effective CO_(2) adsorbents

In this report, nitrogen-doped porous carbons were synthesized from polyacrylonitrile fiber by a facile two-step synthesis process i.e. carbonization followed by KOH activation. Activation temperature and KOH/carbon ratio are two parameters to tune the porosity and surface chemical properties of sorbents. The as-obtained sorbents were carefully characterized.Special attention was paid concerning the change of sorbents’ morphology with respect to synthesis conditions. Under the activation temperatures of this study, the sorbents can still retain their fibrous structure when the KOH/carbon mass ratio is 1. Further increasing the KOH amount will destroy the original morphology of polyacrylonitrile fiber. CO_(2)adsorption performance tests show that a sorbent retaining the fibrous shape possesses the highest CO_(2)uptake of 3.95 mmol/g at 25℃and 1 bar. Comprehensive investigation found that the mutual effect of narrow microporosity and doped N content govern the CO_(2)adsorption capacity of these adsorbents. Furthermore, these polyacrylonitrile fiber-derived carbons present multiple outstanding CO_(2)capture properties such as excellent recyclability, high CO_(2)/N_(2)selectivity, fast adsorption kinetics, suitable heat of adsorption, and good dynamic adsorption capacity. Hence, nitrogen-doped porous carbons with fibrous structure are promising in CO_(2)capture.

Fabrication of coconut shell-derived porous carbons for CO_(2) adsorption application

Biomass-derived porous carbons have been considered as the most potential candidate for effective CO_(2) adsorbent thanks to being widely-available precursor and having highly porous structure and stable chemical/physical features.However,the biomass-derived porous carbons still suffer from the poor optimization process in terms of the synthesis conditions.Herein,we have successfully fabricated coconut shell-derived porous carbon by a simple one-step synthesis process.The as-prepared carbon exhibits advanced textual activity together with well-designed micropore morphology and possesses oxygen-containing functional groups(reached 18.81 wt%)within the carbon matrix.Depending on the different activating temperatures(from 700 to 800℃)and KOH/biomass mass ratios(from 0.3 to 1),the 750℃ and 0.5 mass ratio were found to be enabling the highest CO_(2) capture performance.The optimal adsorbent was achieved a high CO_(2) uptake capacity of 5.92 and 4.15 mmol·g^(−1) at 0 and 25℃(1 bar),respectively.More importantly,as-prepared carbon adsorbent exhibited moderate isosteric heat of adsorption and high CO_(2)/N_(2) selectivity.The results were revealed not only the textural feature but also the surface functional groups critically determine the CO_(2) capture performance,indicating coconut shell-derived porous carbon has a considerable potential as a solid-state adsorbent for the CO_(2) capture.