Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Possible Genesis of Ovarian Tumors

Background: Prolonged exposure to environmental toxicants like endocrine-disrupting chemicals has been linked to several ovarian pathologies. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may start at any time of life from the fetal stage to adulthood resulting in various health complications The purpose of our study is to compare the concentration levels and association of benzopyrene, bisphenol A and genistein in patients with ovarian tumors and normal control group. We also sort to evaluate the predictive performance of benzopyrene, bisphenol A and genistein in patients with ovarian tumors. Methods: A case-control study was conducted for randomly selected participants involving 30 patients and 30 controls. 30 patients with radiologically diagnosed and histopathological confirmed ovarian tumors were included in the study between January 2022 and December 2022. Urine samples from each group were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Descriptive analysis for normally distributed continuous variables was done accordingly. Concentration levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals were assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. The association of endocrine-disrupting chemicals with pathological ovarian tumors was analyzed using binary logistic regression. Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of endocrine-disrupting chemicals was analyzed using the ROC curve. Results: Overall, patients were significantly (P = 0.000) older than the healthy controls. Mean years (SD) were 36.7 (7.90) and 28.8 years (4.89) for patients and normal women respectively. Endometriomas had the highest incidence of 50%. The level of benzopyrene and bisphenol A in patients was significantly higher than those in the control group, while the level of genistein was significantly higher in normal controls. Benzopyrene and bisphenol A were significantly associated with ovarian cysts, and the incidence of pathological ovarian cysts was positively correlated to these EDCs, with OR value 64.79 (P = 0.005) for benzopyrene and 9.609 (P = 0.001) for bisphenol A. Genistein was significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of pathological ovarian tumors, with OR value of 0.153 (P = 0.007). Diagnostic performance on the AUC for benzopyrene, bisphenol A and genistein&l.

Apoptosis-inducing activity of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in cultured PC12 cells

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are known to exert estrogen-like effects that are similar to those made by naturally produced hormones or by inhibition of the receptors in the cell receiving the hormones. Recently, several reports have indicated that EDCs can affect the developing central nervous system. In our current study, we report that some EDCs induce apoptosis in cultured PC12 cells and can be classified into three groups. Bisphenol A (BPA), p-nonylphenol (NP) and tributyltin chloride (TBT) were found to induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated apoptosis and activate the unfolded protein response (UPR) system, whereas benomyl (beno) induced non-ER stress-associated apoptosis. The half-maximal apoptosis-inducing concentrations (IC50) of these EDCs were 160 μM for BPA, 25.6 μM for NP, 640 nM for TBT and 48 μM for beno. Although these concentrations are higher than those found in the environment, some EDCs may have apoptotic effects on various cells in the body, including neurons, through their accumulation in the body over time or condensation through the food chain. On the other hand, benzopyrene, fenvalerate, styrene monomer and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate did not induce apoptosis in PC12 cells. We analyzed also whether apoptosis-inducing EDCs had an estrogen-like effect on cultured PC12 cells transfected with a luciferase reporter plasmid, the activity of which is dependent on estrogen receptor α. We found that BPA had an estrogen-like effect (EC50 = 5.9 μM) but that NP, TBT and beno did not in transfected PC12 cells. These results suggest that BPA may predomi-nantly exert estrogenic effects, but others may pre-dominantly have apoptosis-inducing effects on cells in the body exposed to a polluted environment.

The silent threat and countermeasures:Navigating the mixture risk of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on pregnancy loss in China

Currently,many countries and regions worldwide face the challenge of declining population growth due to persistently low rates of female reproduction.Since 2017,China's birth rate has hit historic lows and continued to decline,with the death rate now equaling the birth rate.Concerns have emerged regarding the potential impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health,including pregnancy loss.Endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs)like phthalate esters(PAEs),bisphenol A(BPA),triclosan(TCS),and perfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs)have raised attention due to their adverse effects on biological systems.While China's 14th Five-Year Plan(2021–2025)for national economic and social development included the treatment of emerging pollutants,including EDCs,there are currently no national appraisal standards or regulatory frameworks for EDCs and their mixtures.Addressing the risk of EDC mixtures is an urgent matter that needs consideration from China's perspective in the near future.In this Perspective,we delve into the link between EDC mixture exposure and pregnancy loss in China.Our focus areas include establishing a comprehensive national plan targeting reproductive-aged women across diverse urban and rural areas,understanding common EDC combinations in women and their surrounding environment,exploring the relationship between EDCs and pregnancy loss via epidemiology,and reconsidering the safety of EDCs,particularly in mixtures and low-dose scenarios.We envision that this study could aid in creating preventive strategies and interventions to alleviate potential risks induced by EDC exposure during pregnancy in China.

Exposure to Multiple Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Associations with Female Infertility:A Case-Control Study

Parabens(PBs)and their metabolites(MBs),triclocarban(TCC),triclosan(TCS),bisphenols(BPs),benzophenones(BzPs),and phthalate metabolites(mPAEs)are typical endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs)used in industrial production and daily life.Studies have suggested that these EDCs affect the reproductive system and may cause infertility;however,epidemiological evidence linking EDC exposure to infertility is still lacking.Herein,a total of 302 serum samples from women of reproductive age were collected,and six categories of typical EDCs were analyzed.The results revealed that EDCs are ubiquitous in female serum.The geometric mean(GM)concentrations of∑PBs,∑MBs,∑(TCS+TCC),∑BPs,∑BzPs,and∑mPAEs were 3.36,297,3.87,4.39,0.257,and 4.56 ng/mL,respectively.The serum concentrations of∑PBs,∑MBs,∑(TCS+TCC),and∑mPAEs from infertile women(GM:4.16,397,4.01,and 7.33,respectively)were higher than those from fertile women(2.45,192,3.65,and 2.27,respectively)(p<0.05).The results of binary logistic regression and random forest suggest that mPAEs,such as mBP/miBP and mEHP,may contribute to infertility.This study provides insight into the relationship between the EDC exposure and reproductive outcomes.

The autophagy-lysosome pathway:a potential target in the chemical and gene therapeutic strategies for Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease with movement disorders associated with the intracytoplasmic deposition of aggregate proteins such asα-synuclein in neurons.As one of the major intracellular degradation pathways,the autophagy-lysosome pathway plays an important role in eliminating these proteins.Accumulating evidence has shown that upregulation of the autophagy-lysosome pathway may contribute to the clearance ofα-synuclein aggregates and protect against degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease.Moreover,multiple genes associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease are intimately linked to alterations in the autophagy-lysosome pathway.Thus,this pathway appears to be a promising therapeutic target for treatment of Parkinson’s disease.In this review,we briefly introduce the machinery of autophagy.Then,we provide a description of the effects of Parkinson’s disease–related genes on the autophagy-lysosome pathway.Finally,we highlight the potential chemical and genetic therapeutic strategies targeting the autophagy–lysosome pathway and their applications in Parkinson’s disease.

Efficient chemical mechanical polishing of W promoted by Fenton-like reaction between Cu^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)

The Fenton-like reaction between Cu^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)was employed in chemical mechanical polishing to achieve efficient and high-quality processing of tungsten.The microstructure evolution and material removal rate of tungsten during polishing process were investigated via scanning electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,ultraviolet−visible spectrophotometry,and electrochemical experiments.The passivation behavior and material removal mechanism were discussed.Results show that the use of mixed H_(2)O_(2)+Cu(NO_(3))_(2)oxidant can achieve higher polishing efficiency and surface quality compared with the single oxidant Cu(NO_(3))_(2)or H_(2)O_(2).The increase in material removal rate is attributed to the rapid oxidation of W into WO_(3)via the chemical reaction between the substrate and hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton-like reaction.In addition,material removal rate and static etch rate exhibit significantly different dependencies on the concentration of Cu(NO_(3))_(2),while the superior oxidant for achieving the balance between polishing efficiency and surface quality is 0.5 wt.%H_(2)O_(2)+1.0 wt.%Cu(NO_(3))_(2).

The chemical composition, quality control and pharmacological effects of Gualou-Xiebai-Banxia Decoction: a review

Gualou-Xiebai-Banxia Decoction(GXBD)is a traditional Chinese herbal formula including four traditional Chinese medicines:Gualou(Trichosanthis Fructus,TF),Xiebai(Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus,AMB),Banxia(Pinelliae Rhizoma,PR)and yellow wine.It is a classical therapy for chest stuffiness and pain syndrome and is widely used in the clinical treatment of coronary heart disease.It also shows significant therapeutic effects on pulmonary heart disease,hyperlipidemia,and arrhythmia.This study conducted a literature review and collected information on GXBD from databases such as PubMed,Web of Science,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and ScienceDirect.The result indicated that the main active ingredients of GXBD are steroids,flavonoids,terpenoids,alkaloids,amino acids,and organic acids.Trigonelline,macrostemonoside and cucurbitacin B can provide reference for its quality control.GXBD may exert therapeutic effects on coronary heart disease through AMPK,PI3K-AKT,oxLDL,VEGF,and NF-κB signal pathways.This review provides a comprehensive analysis and summary of the chemical composition and in vivo metabolism of three traditional Chinese medicines(TF,AMB,and PR),along with an evaluation of the chemical composition,quality control,pharmacological effects,and clinical application of GXBD.Based on these,areas requiring further research on GXBD have been proposed to provide a reference for its further development and new drug research.

Chemical weathering in Manas River Basin:Driven by sulfuric acid or carbonic acid?

Carbonic acid produced by the dissolution of atmospheric and soil CO_(2)in water is usually the most dominant catalyst for chemical weathering,but a sulfuric aciddriven phenomenon,different from usual,was found in the orogenic belt watersheds dominated by silicate bedrock.This study,rooted in comprehensive field investigations in the Manas River Basin(MRB)north of the Tianshan Mountains,delves into the mechanisms and impacts of sulfuric and carbonic acid as catalysts driving diff erent types of chemical weathering in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.Quantitative analyses elucidate that carbonate weathering constitutes 52.4%of the total chemical weathering,while silicate and evaporite account for 18.6%and 25.3%,respectively,with anthropogenic activities and atmospheric precipitation having little eff ect.The estimated total chemical weathering rate in MRB is approximately 0.075×10^(6)mol/km^(2)/year.Quantitative findings further suggest that,preceding carbonate precipitation(<10^(4)year),chemical weathering can absorb CO_(2).Subsequently,and following carbonate precipitation(10^(4)-10^(7)year),it will release CO_(2).The release significantly surpasses the global average CO_(2)consumption,contributing to a noteworthy climate impact.This study underscores the distinctive weathering mechanisms,wherein sulfuric acid emerges as the predominant catalyst.The quantity of sulfuric acid as a catalyst is approximately three times that of carbonic acid.Sulfuric acid-driven carbonate rock weathering(SCW)is identified as the sole chemical weathering type with a net CO_(2)release eff ect.SCW CO_(2)release flux(5176 mol/km^(2)/year)is roughly 2.5 times the CO_(2)absorption by Ca-Mg silicate weathering,highlighting the pivotal role of chemical weathering in sourcing atmospheric CO_(2)over the timescales of carbonate precipitation and sulfate reduction.Lastly,this study posits that catalyst and transport limitations are the most plausible critical factors in MRB.The interplay between sulfuric acid and dissolved CO_(2)competitively shapes the types and rates of chemical weathering reactions.

Machine Learning for Investigation on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals with Gestational Age and Delivery Time in a Longitudinal Cohort

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs)are widespread environmental chemicals that are often considered as risk factors with weak activity on the hormone-dependent process of pregnancy.However,the adverse effects of EDCs in the body of pregnant women were underestimated.The interaction between dynamic concentration of EDCs and endogenous hormones(EHs)on gestational age and delivery time remains unclear.To define a temporal interaction between the EDCs and EHs during pregnancy,comprehensive,unbiased,and quantitative analyses of 33 EDCs and 14 EHs were performed for a longitudinal cohort with 2317 pregnant women.We developed a machine learning model with the dynamic concentration information of EDCs and EHs to predict gestational age with high accuracy in the longitudinal cohort of pregnant women.The optimal combination of EHs and EDCs can identify when labor occurs(time to delivery within two and four weeks,AUROC of 0.82).Our results revealed that the bisphenols and phthalates are more potent than partial EHs for gestational age or delivery time.This study represents the use of machine learning methods for quantitative analysis of pregnancy-related EDCs and EHs for understanding the EDCs’mixture effect on pregnancy with potential clinical utilities.

Machine Learning for Investigation on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals with Gestational Age and Delivery Time in a Longitudinal Cohort

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs)are widespread environmental chemicals that are often considered as risk factors with weak activity on the hormone-dependent process of pregnancy.However,the adverse effects of EDCs in the body of pregnant women were underestimated.The interaction between dynamic concentration of EDCs and endogenous hormones(EHs)on gestational age and delivery time remains unclear.To define a temporal interaction between the EDCs and EHs during pregnancy,comprehensive,unbiased,and quantitative analyses of 33 EDCs and 14 EHs were performed for a longitudinal cohort with 2317 pregnant women.We developed a machine learning model with the dynamic concentration information of EDCs and EHs to predict gestational age with high accuracy in the longitudinal cohort of pregnant women.The optimal combination of EHs and EDCs can identify when labor occurs(time to delivery within two and four weeks,AUROC of 0.82).Our results revealed that the bisphenols and phthalates are more potent than partial EHs for gestational age or delivery time.This study represents the use of machine learning methods for quantitative analysis of pregnancy-related EDCs and EHs for understanding the EDCs’mixture effect on pregnancy with potential clinical utilities.

Valorization of Camellia oleifera oil processing byproducts to value-added chemicals and biobased materials: A critical review

The C.oleifera oil processing industry generates large amounts of solid wastes,including C.oleifera shell(COS)and C.oleifera cake(COC).Distinct from generally acknowledged lignocellulosic biomass(corn stover,bamboo,birch,etc.),Camellia wastes contain diverse bioactive substances in addition to the abundant lignocellulosic components,and thus,the biorefinery utilization of C.oleifera processing byproducts involves complicated processing technologies.This reviewfirst summarizes various technologies for extracting and converting the main components in C.oleifera oil processing byproducts into value-added chemicals and biobased materials,as well as their potential applications.Microwave,ultrasound,and Soxhlet extractions are compared for the extraction of functional bioactive components(tannin,flavonoid,saponin,etc.),while solvothermal conversion and pyrolysis are discussed for the conversion of lignocellulosic components into value-added chemicals.The application areas of these chemicals according to their properties are introduced in detail,including utilizing antioxidant and anti-in-flammatory properties of the bioactive substances for the specific application,as well as drop-in chemicals for the substitution of unrenewable fossil fuel-derived products.In addition to chemical production,biochar fabricated from COS and its applications in thefields of adsorption,supercapacitor,soil remediation and wood composites are comprehensively reviewed and discussed.Finally,based on the compositions and structural characteristics of C.oleifera byproducts,the development of full-component valorization strategies and the expansion of the appli-cationfields are proposed.

Jet formation and penetration performance of a double-layer charge liner with chemically-deposited tungsten as the inner liner

This paper proposes a type of double-layer charge liner fabricated using chemical vapor deposition(CVD)that has tungsten as its inner liner.The feasibility of this design was evaluated through penetration tests.Double-layer charge liners were fabricated by using CVD to deposit tungsten layers on the inner surfaces of pure T2 copper liners.The microstructures of the tungsten layers were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope(SEM).The feasibility analysis was carried out by pulsed X-rays,slug-retrieval test and static penetration tests.The shaped charge jet forming and penetration law of inner tungsten-coated double-layer liner were studied by numerical simulation method.The results showed that the double-layer liners could form well-shaped jets.The errors between the X-ray test results and the numerical results were within 11.07%.A slug-retrieval test was found that the retrieved slug was similar to a numerically simulated slug.Compared with the traditional pure copper shaped charge jet,the penetration depth of the double-layer shaped charge liner increased by 11.4% and>10.8% respectively.In summary,the test results are good,and the numerical simulation is in good agreement with the test,which verified the feasibility of using the CVD method to fabricate double-layer charge liners with a high-density and high-strength refractory metal as the inner liner.

Rational design of F,N-rich artificial interphase via chemical prelithiation initiation strategy enabling high coulombic efficiency and stable micro-sized SiO anodes

Silicon monoxide(SiO)is regarded as a potential candidate for anode materials of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).Unfortunately,the application of SiO is limited by poor initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)and unsteady solid electrolyte interface(SEI),which induce low energy,short cycling life,and poor rate properties.To address these drawbacks of SiO,we achieve in-situ construction of robust and fast-ion conducting F,N-rich SEI layer on prelithiated micro-sized SiO(P-μSiO)via the simple and continuous treatment ofμSiO in mild lithium 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl solution and nonflammable hexafluorocyclotriphosphazene solution.Chemical prelithiation eliminates irreversible capacity through pre-forming inactive lithium silicates.Meanwhile,the symbiotic F,N-rich SEI with good mechanical stability and fast Li^(+)permeability is conductive to relieve volume expansion ofμSiO and boost the Li+diffusion kinetics.Consequently,the P-μSiO realizes an impressive electrochemical performance with an elevated ICE of 99.57%and a capacity retention of 90.67%after 350 cycles.Additionally,the full cell with P-μSiO anode and commercial LiFePO_(4) cathode displays an ICE of 92.03%and a high reversible capacity of 144.97 mA h g^(-1).This work offers a general construction strategy of robust and ionically conductive SEI for advanced LIBs.

Causal temporal graph attention network for fault diagnosis of chemical processes

Fault detection and diagnosis(FDD)plays a significant role in ensuring the safety and stability of chemical processes.With the development of artificial intelligence(AI)and big data technologies,data-driven approaches with excellent performance are widely used for FDD in chemical processes.However,improved predictive accuracy has often been achieved through increased model complexity,which turns models into black-box methods and causes uncertainty regarding their decisions.In this study,a causal temporal graph attention network(CTGAN)is proposed for fault diagnosis of chemical processes.A chemical causal graph is built by causal inference to represent the propagation path of faults.The attention mechanism and chemical causal graph were combined to help us notice the key variables relating to fault fluctuations.Experiments in the Tennessee Eastman(TE)process and the green ammonia(GA)process showed that CTGAN achieved high performance and good explainability.

A novel method for simulating nuclear explosion with chemical explosion to form an approximate plane wave: Field test and numerical simulation

A nuclear explosion in the rock mass medium can produce strong shock waves,seismic shocks,and other destructive effects,which can cause extreme damage to the underground protection infrastructures.With the increase in nuclear explosion power,underground protection engineering enabled by explosion-proof impact theory and technology ushered in a new challenge.This paper proposes to simulate nuclear explosion tests with on-site chemical explosion tests in the form of multi-hole explosions.First,the mechanism of using multi-hole simultaneous blasting to simulate a nuclear explosion to generate approximate plane waves was analyzed.The plane pressure curve at the vault of the underground protective tunnel under the action of the multi-hole simultaneous blasting was then obtained using the impact test in the rock mass at the site.According to the peak pressure at the vault plane,it was divided into three regions:the stress superposition region,the superposition region after surface reflection,and the approximate plane stress wave zone.A numerical simulation approach was developed using PFC and FLAC to study the peak particle velocity in the surrounding rock of the underground protective cave under the action of multi-hole blasting.The time-history curves of pressure and peak pressure partition obtained by the on-site multi-hole simultaneous blasting test and numerical simulation were compared and analyzed,to verify the correctness and rationality of the formation of an approximate plane wave in the simulated nuclear explosion.This comparison and analysis also provided a theoretical foundation and some research ideas for the ensuing study on the impact of a nuclear explosion.

Chemically bonded BiVO_(4)/Bi_(19)Cl_(3)S_(27) heterojunction with fast hole extraction dynamics for continuous CO_(2) photoreduction

Surface charge localization and inferior charge transfer efficiency seriously restrict the supply of reactive hydrogen and the reaction dynamics of CO_(2) photoreduction performance of photocatalysts.Herein,chemically bonded BiVO_(4)/Bi_(19)Cl_(3)S_(27)(BVO/BCS)S-scheme heterojunction with a strong internal electric field is designed.Experimental and density function theory calculation results confirm that the elaborated heterojunction accelerates the vectorial migration of photogenerated charges from BiVO_(4) to Bi_(19)Cl_(3)S_(27) via the interfacial chemical bonding interactions(i.e.,Bi-O and Bi-S bonds)between Bi atoms of BVO and S atoms of BCS or Bi atoms of BCS and O atoms of BVO under light irradiation,breaking the interfacial barrier and surface charge localization of Bi_(19)Cl_(3)S_(27),and further decreasing the energy of reactive hydrogen generation,CO_(2) absorption and activation.The separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers is much more efficient than that counterpart individual in BVO/BCS S-scheme heterojunction system.As a result,BVO/BCS heterojunction exhibits a significantly improved continuous photocatalytic performance for CO_(2) reduction and the 24 h CO yield reaches 678.27μmol⋅g^(-1).This work provides an atomic-level insight into charge transfer kinetics and CO_(2) reduction mechanism in S-scheme heterojunction.

Integrated Effects of Phosphate Rock and Chemical Fertilizers on the Dynamics of Soil Bacterial in Acidic Rice Paddy Soils of Man (Ivory Coast)

In agricultural soils, phosphorus is often limited, leading farmers to employ artificial supplementation through both inorganic and organic fertilization methods due to its restricted availability. Soil fertilization has the potential to augment both the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities. Our study aimed to assess the effects of phosphate amendments, derived from natural phosphate rock, and chemical fertilizers (TSP, NPK), on the density and diversity of bacterial communities within the study plots. We developed and applied eight phosphate amendments during the initial cultivation cycle. Soil samples were collected post 1st and 2nd cultivation cycles, and the quantification of both total and cultivable phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) was conducted. Additionally, we analyzed bacterial community structure, α-diversity (Shannon Diversity Index, Evenness Index, Chao1 Index). The combination of natural phosphate rock (PR) and chemical fertilizers (TSP, NPK) significantly increased (p 7 bacteria/g dry soil) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (0.01 to 6.8 × 107 PSB/g dry soil) in comparison to unamended control soils. The diversity of bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Halobacterota, Chloroflexia) observed under each treatment remained consistent regardless of the nature of the phosphate amendment applied. However, changes in the abundance of the bacterial phyla populations were observed as a function of the nature of the phosphate amendment or chemical fertilizer. It appears that the addition of excessive natural phosphate rock does not alter the number and the diversity of soil microorganisms population despite successive cultivation cycles. However, the addition of excessive chemical fertilizer reduces soil microorganisms density and structure after the 2nd cultivation cycle.

Experimental investigation into effects of the natural polymer and nanoclay particles on the EOR performance of chemical flooding in carbonate reservoirs

This paper aims to investigate the tragacanth gum potential as a natural polymer combined with natural clay mineral(montmorillonite,kaolinite,and illite)nanoparticles(NPs)to form NP-polymer suspension for enhanced oil recovery(EOR)in carbonate reservoirs.Thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA)tests were conducted initially in order to evaluate the properties of tragacanth gum.Subsequently,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX)tests were used to detect the structure of clay particles.In various scenarios,the effects of natural NPs and polymer on the wettability alteration,interfacial tension(IFT)reduction,viscosity improvement,and oil recovery were investigated through contact angle system,ring method,Anton Paar viscometer,and core flooding tests,respectively.The entire experiment was conducted at 25,50,and 75℃,respectively.According to the experimental results,the clay minerals alone did not have a significant effect on viscosity,but the addition of minerals to the polymer solution leads to the viscosity enhancement remarkably,resulting mobility ratio improvement.Among clay NPs,the combination of natural polymer and kaolinite results in increased viscosity at all temperatures.Considerable wettability alteration was also observed in the case of natural polymer and illite NPs.Illite in combination with natural polymer showed an ability in reducing IFT.Finally,the results of displacement experiments revealed that the combination of natural polymer and kaolinite could be the best option for EOR due to its substantial ability to improve the recovery factor.

Mn-doped SrCoO_(3-δ) Perovskite Oxides for Ethylene Production via Chemical Looping Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane

Chemical looping oxidative dehydrogenation (CL-ODH) is an economically promising method for convertingethane into higher value-added ethylene utilizing lattice oxygen in redox catalysts, also known as oxygen carriers. Inthis study, perovskite-type oxide SrCoO_(3-δ) and B-site Mn ion-doped oxygen carriers (SrCo_(1-x)MnxO_(3-δ), x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3)were prepared and tested for the CL-ODH of ethane. The oxygen-deficient perovskite SrCoO_(3-δ) exhibited high ethyleneselectivity of up to 96.7% due to its unique oxygen vacancies and lattice oxygen migration rates. However, its low ethyleneyield limits its application in the CL-ODH of ethane. Mn doping promoted the reducibility of SrCoO_(3-δ) oxygen carriers,thereby improving ethane conversion and ethylene yield, as demonstrated by characterization and evaluation experiments.X-ray diffraction results confirmed the doping of Mn into the lattice of SrCoO_(3-δ), while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) indicated an increase in lattice oxygen ratio upon incorporation of Mn into the SrCoO_(3-δ) lattice. Additionally, H2temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) tests revealed more peaks at lower temperature reduction zones and a declinein peak positions at higher temperatures. Among the four tested oxygen carriers, SrCo0.8Mn0.2O_(3-δ) exhibited satisfactoryperformance with an ethylene yield of 50% at 710 °C and good stability over 20 redox cycles. The synergistic effect of Mnplays a key role in increasing ethylene yields of SrCoO_(3-δ) oxygen carriers. Accordingly, SrCo0.8Mn0.2O_(3-δ) shows promisingpotential for the efficient production of ethylene from ethane via CL-ODH.

Geochemical characteristics and environmental implications of loess sequences in the Loess Plateau

The major,trace,and rare earth elements of the Duanjiapo(DJP)section in the south of the Loess Plateau,the Jiaxian(JX)section in the north,and the Jiuzhoutai(JZT)section in the west are studied.The results show that the main elemental characteristics of loess in three profiles are consistent with the upper continental crust(UCC).In terms of trace elements,Th,Nb,Zr,Hf,Y,Cs,W,Cr,V,Li,and Pb show relative enrichment compared with UCC;Rb,Ba,Sr and Be exhibit relative depletion.The average ofΣREE is 171.91ppm with a negative anomaly forδEu and essentially no anomaly forδCe.The results of K_(2)O/Na_(2)O,Rb/Sr ratios,as well as the leaching co-efficient from three profiles,indicate DJP>JX>JZT,suggesting that DJP experiences the strongest weathering leaching effect.The chemical index of alteration(CIA)reveals that all three profiles of loess are in the primary stage of Ca and Na depletion.DJP is generally in the early to moderate stage of chemical weathering,while JX and JZT are both in the early stage.