Synergism of Zinc Oxide/Organoclay-Loaded Poly(lactic acid) Hybrid Nanocomposite Plasticized by Triacetin for Sustainable Active Food Packaging

The synergistic effect of organoclay(OC)and zinc oxide(ZnO)nanoparticles on the crucial properties of poly(lactic acid)(PLA)nanocompositefilms was systematically investigated herein.After their incorporation into PLA via the solvent casting technique,the water vapor barrier property of the PLA/OC/ZnOfilm improved by a maximum of 86%compared to the neat PLAfilm without the deterioration of Young’s modulus or the tensile strength.Moreover,thefilm’s self-antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens,including gram-negative(Escherichia coli,E.coli)and gram-positive(Staphylococcus aureus,S.aureus)bacteria,was enhanced by a max-imum of approximately 98–99%compared to the neat PLAfilm.Furthermore,SEM images revealed the homo-geneous dispersion of both nano-fillers in the PLA matrix.However,the thermal stability of thefilm decreased slightly after the addition of the OC and ZnO.Thefilm exhibited notable light barrier properties in the UV-Vis range.Moreover,the incorporation of a suitable biodegradable plasticizer significantly decreased the Tg and notably enhanced theflexibility of the nanocompositefilm by increasing the elongation at break approxi-mately 1.5-fold compared to that of the neat PLAfilm.This contributes to its feasibility as an active food packa-ging material.

Diagnostic value of methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1/IKAROS family zinc finger 1 for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of combined methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1(BCAT1)/IKAROS family zinc finger 1(IKZF1)in plasma for colorectal cancer(CRC)has been explored since 2015.Recently,several related studies have published their results and showed its diagnostic efficacy.AIM To analyze the diagnostic value of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for screening and postoperative follow-up of CRC.METHODS The candidate studies were identified by searching the PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,and Wanfang databases from May 31,2003 to June 1,2023.Sensitivity,specificity,and diagnostic accuracy were calculated by merging ratios or means.RESULTS Twelve eligible studies were included in the analysis,involving 6561 participants.The sensitivity of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for CRC diagnosis was 60%[95%confidence interval(CI)53-67]and specificity was 92%(95%CI:90-94).The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 8.0(95%CI:5.8-11.0)and 0.43(95%CI:0.36-0.52),respectively.Diagnostic odds ratio was 19(95%CI:11-30)and area under the curve was 0.88(95%CI:0.85-0.91).The sensitivity and specificity for CRC screening were 64%(95%CI:59-69)and 92%(95%CI:91-93),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity for recurrence detection during follow-up were 54%CONCLUSION The detection of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma,as a non-invasive detection method of circulating tumor DNA,has potential CRC diagnosis,but the clinical application prospect needs to be further explored.

Next Generation Nutrition: Genomic and Molecular Breeding Innovations for Iron and Zinc Biofortification in Rice

Global efforts to address malnutrition and hidden hunger, particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, have intensified, with a focus on enhancing the nutritional content of staple crops like rice. Despite serving as a staple for over half of the world's population, rice falls short in meeting daily nutritional requirements, especially for iron(Fe) and zinc(Zn). Genetic resources, such as wild rice species and specific rice varieties, offer promising avenues for enhancing Fe and Zn content. Additionally, molecular breeding approaches have identified key genes and loci associated with Fe and Zn accumulation in rice grains. This review explores the genetic resources and molecular mechanisms underlying Fe and Zn accumulation in rice grains. The functional genomics involved in Fe uptake, transport, and distribution in rice plants have revealed key genes such as OsFRO1, OsIRT1, and OsNAS3. Similarly, genes associated with Zn uptake and translocation, including OsZIP11 and OsNRAMP1, have been identified. Transgenic approaches, leveraging transporter gene families and genome editing technologies, offer promising avenues for enhancing Fe and Zn content in rice grains. Moreover, strategies for reducing phytic acid(PA) content, a known inhibitor of mineral bioavailability, have been explored, including the identification of low-PA mutants and natural variants. The integration of genomic information, including whole-genome resequencing and pan-genome analyses, provides valuable insights into the genetic basis of micronutrient traits and facilitates targeted breeding efforts. Functional genomics studies have elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying Fe uptake and translocation in rice. Furthermore, transgenic and genome editing techniques have shown promise in enhancing Fe and Zn content in rice grains through the manipulation of key transporter genes. Overall, the integration of multi-omics approaches holds significant promise for addressing global malnutrition and hidden hunger by enhancing the nutritional quality of rice, thereby contributing to improved food and nutritional security worldwide.

Regulating interfacial behavior of zinc metal anode via metal-organic framework functionalized separator

Aqueous zinc ion batteries(AZIBs)are one of the promising energy storage devices.However,uncontrolled dendrite and side reactions have seriously hindered its further application.In this study,the metal-organic framework(MOF)functionalized glass fiber separator(GF-PFC-31)was used to regulate interfacial behavior of zinc metal anode,enabling the development of high-performance AZIBs.In PFC-31,there areπ-πinteractions between two adjacent benzene rings with a spacing of 3.199 A.This spacing can block the passage of[Zn(H_(2)O)_6]^(2+)(8.6 A in diameter)through the GF-PFC-31 separator to a certain extent,which promotes the deposition process of Zn ions.In addition,the sulfonic acid group(-S03H)contained in GF-PFC-31 can form a hydrogen bonding network with H_(2)O,which can provide a desolvation effect and reduce the side reaction.Consequently,GF-PFC-31 separator achieves uniform deposition of Zn ions.The Zn‖GF-PFC-31‖Zn symmetric cell exhibits stable cycle life(3000 h at 1.2 mA cm^(-2),2000 h at 0.3 mA cm^(-2),and 2000 h at 5.0 mA cm^(-2)),and Zn‖GF-PFC-31‖MnO_(2) full cell with GF-PFC-31 separator can cycle for 1000 cycles at 1.2 A g^(-1)with capacity retention rate of 82.5%.This work provides a promising method to achieve high-performance AZIBs.

Kinetics of Neutralization of Polymetallic Mining Discharges from the Perkoa Zinc Deposit in Central-Western Burkina Faso

Oxidized and acidic mining discharges(pH between 4 and 5)from the Perkoa zinc mine in Burkina Faso consisting of waste rock,crusher rejects and mining tailings were sampled and used for neutralization tests with calcareous dolomite(for six months).The mining discharges and the calcareous dolomite were previously characterized.Columns of 60 cm length and 15 cm diameter were used for the tests.Then,2.62 kg of calcareous dolomite was deposited on the mining discharges in each column.Two liters of deionized water are added every 15 days to each column.Samples were taken at the outlet of the columns at time intervals and then analyzed to assess the evolution of pH,electrical conductivity and contents of PHEs(Potentially Harmful Elements)over time.Following the neutralization tests on solid mining discharges,neutralization tests were also carried out on acid leachates resulting from the oxidation of these same solid mining discharges with calcareous dolomite.The results show that calcareous dolomite is very effective for the neutralization of SR(Sterile Discharges)and the precipitation of PHEs contained therein.It is also effective in buffering acidic effluents from these sterile discharges.As for other mining discharges(crusher rejects and mining residues),although calcareous dolomite is not effective in neutralizing these oxidized and acidic solid discharges,it is however effective in precipitating PHEs such as arsenic and lead.Calcareous dolomite is also effective in buffering acid leachates from these oxidized and acidic mining discharges(crusher rejects and mining tailings).

Acid leaching kinetics of zinc plant purification residue

The leaching processes of zinc plant purification residue in sulfuric acid solution were investigated with respect to the effects of sulfuric acid concentration, reaction temperature, and particle size. A particle size of 75？80 μm was required to leach 99.8%cobalt and 91.97%zinc at 70 °C for 20 min when the sulfuric acid concentration was 100 g/L and the ratio of liquid to solid was 50？1 （mL/g）. The leaching kinetics of zinc plant purification residue in sulfuric acid solution system conformed well to the shrinking core model, and the dissolution rates of cobalt and zinc were found to be controlled by diffusion through a porous product layer. The apparent activation energy values of cobalt and zinc reaction were calculated to be 11.6931 kJ/mol and 6.6894 kJ/mol, respectively, according to the Arrhenius formula equation. The results show that diffusion through the inert particle pores is the leaching kinetics rate-controlling step.

Reductive acid leaching of cadmium from zinc neutral leaching residue using hydrazine sulfate

Zinc neutral leaching residue（ZNLR） from hydrometallurgical zinc smelting processing can be determined as hazardous intermediate containing considerable amounts of Cd and Zn which have great threats to the environment. The ZNLR contained approximately 35.99% Zn, 15.93% Fe and 0.26% Cd, and Cd mainly existed as ferrites in the ZNLR in this research. Reductive acid leaching of ZNLR was investigated. The effects of hydrazine sulfate concentration, initial sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, duration and liquid-to-solid ratio on the extraction of Cd, Zn and Fe were examined. The extraction efficiencies of Cd, Zn and Fe reached 90.81%, 95.83% and 94.19%, respectively when the leaching parameters were fixed as follows： hydrazine sulfate concentration, 33.3 g/L; sulfuric acid concentration, 80 g/L; temperature, 95 °C; duration of leaching, 120 min; liquid-to-solid ratio, 10 m L/g and agitation, 400 r/min. XRD and SEM-EDS analyses of the leaching residue confirmed that lead sulfate（Pb SO4） and hydrazinium zinc sulfate（（N2H5）2Zn（SO4）2） were the main phases remaining in the reductive leaching residue.

Pressure acid leaching of zinc sulfide concentrate

Effects of particle size of the zinc sulfide concentrate,leaching temperature,solid-to-liquid ratio and additive amount on pressure acid leaching process of the zinc sulfide concentrate were studied.The results indicate that the additive can improve the reaction kinetics and the conversion rate.And sulfur can be successfully separated from the zinc sulfide concentrate as elemental sulfur.The reasonable experiment parameters are obtained as follows:the leaching temperature 150℃,oxygen partial pressure 1 MPa,additive amount 1%,solid-to-liquid ratio 1:4,leaching time 2 h,initial sulfuric acid concentration 15%,and particle size less than 44μm.Under the optimum conditions,the leaching rate of the zinc can reach 95%and the reduction rate of the sulfur can reach 90%.

Corrosion Inhibition Synergism between Lanthanum(Ⅲ) Ion and 8-Hydroxyquinoline for Zinc in Hydrochloric Acid

The effects of La 3+ ion and chelate reagent 8 hydroxyquinoline on the corrosion rate of zinc in hydrochloric acid were investigated by using weight loss method and electrochemical method. It is found that in a specific concentration range of La 3+ ion and 8 hydroxyquinoline, the obvious corrosion inhibition synergism is obtained. The mechanism of corrosion inhibition synergism was discussed on basis of adsorption theory.

Pressure leaching of zinc silicate ore in sulfuric acid medium

Zinc silicate ore was characterized mineralogically and the results showed that zinc exists mainly as hemimorphite and smithsonite in the sample.Sulfuric acid pressure leaching of zinc silicate ore was carried out to assess the effect of particle size,sulfuric acid concentration,pressure,reaction time and temperature on the extraction of zinc and the dissolution of silica.Under the optimum conditions employed,up to 99.25% of zinc extraction and 0.20% silica dissolution are obtained.The main minerals in leaching residue are quartz and small amounts of undissolved oxide minerals of iron,lead and aluminum are associated with quartz.

Sulfuric acid leaching of high iron-bearing zinc calcine

Sulfuric acid leaching of high iron-bearing zinc calcine was investigated to assess the effects of sulfuric acid concentration, liquid-to-solid ratio, leaching time, leaching temperature, and the stirring speed on the leaching rates of zinc and iron. The results showed that the sulfuric acid concentration, liquid-to-solid ratio, leaching time, and leaching temperature strongly influenced the leaching of zinc and iron, whereas stirring speed had little influence. Zinc was mainly leached and the leaching rate of iron was low when the sulfuric acid concentration was less than 100 g/L. At sulfuric acid concentrations higher than 100 g/L, the leaching rate of iron increased quickly with increasing sulfuric acid concentration. This behavior is attributed to iron-bearing minerals such as zinc ferrite in zinc calcine dissolving at high temperatures and high sulfuric acid concentrations but not at low temperatures and low sulfuric acid concentrations.

Extraction of metals from a zinc smelting slag using two-step procedure combining acid and ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid disodium

A two-step leaching method in combination of acid and ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid disodium （EDTA-Na2） was applied to extract metals such as Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn from a zinc smelting slag. The results show that the extraction rates of Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn in slag reach 88.3%, 54.1%, 69.6% and 54.7%, respectively, while the extraction rate of Pb is only 0.05% leached with 1.25 mol/L sulfuric acid under the conditions of the ratio of slag to liquid of 100 g/L, 65 ℃ and 120 r/min for 2 h. However, Pb extraction rate from 1.25 mol/L sulfuric acid leached residue reaches as high as 66.5% by using 0.1 mol/L EDTA-Na2 solution. The results indicate that two-step sequential extraction procedure combining 1.25 mol/L sulfuric acid and 0.1 mol/L EDTA-Na2 solution can extensively extract Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn from zinc smelting slag.

Electrodeposition of Zn(O,S)(zinc oxysulfide)thin films:Exploiting its thermodynamic and kinetic processes with incorporation of tartaric acid

Zn（O,S）（zinc oxysulfide） is an important chalcogenide material recently reported to be potentially applied as electrode buffers in thin film solar cells. Both vacuum and solution approaches have enabled the fabrication of Zn（O,S） films. However they either require extreme conditions and high energy consumption for synthesis, or suffer from lack of controllability mainly due to the thermodynamic and kinetic distinction between Zn O and Zn S during film growth. Here we demonstrated an effective electrodeposition route to obtain high-quality Zn（O,S） thin films in a controllable manner. Importantly, tartaric acid was employed as a secondary complexing agent in the electrolyte to improve the film morphology, as well as to adjust other key properties such as composition and absorption. To elucidate the vital role that tartaric acid played, thermodynamic and kinetic processes of electrodeposition was investigated and discussed in detail. The accumulative contribution has shed light on further exploit of Zn（O,S） with tunable properties and optimization of the corresponding electrodeposition process, for the application in thin film solar cells.

Life cycle assessment for waste acid treatment in zinc smelting

Lift cycle assessment(LCA)methodology was applied to evaluating and comparing two waste acid disposal processes in zinc smelting.The results indicate that environmental impacts of gas−liquid vulcanization technologies are human toxicity,abiotic depletion potential,and global warming risk,which are mainly caused in neutralizing−evaporating−crystallization unit and electrodialysis unit.As for traditional lime neutralization method,vulcanization unit is the main factor.In this regard,the total environmental impact of traditional lime neutralization method is much higher than that of gas−liquid vulcanization technologies.Furthermore,the sensitive analysis shows that electricity and sodium sulfide(60%)are sensitive factors in two waste acid disposal technologies.In addition,the total cost of disposing a functional unit waste acid in traditional lime neutralization process is nearly 27 times that of the gas−liquid vulcanization waste acid disposal technologies.

A Benzimidazole-pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic Acid Bridged Zinc(Ⅱ)Coordination Complex–crystal Structure,Quantum Chemistry and Luminescence

The structure of a zinc（Ⅱ） coordination complex（1）, [C14 H10 N3 O5 Zn1.5]n or [Zn1.5（bzim）（pydc）（H2 O）]n（H2 pydc = pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid, Hbzim = benzimidazole）, has been determined by X-ray crystallography and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum and luminescence. Chemical formula： C14 H10 N3 O5 Zn1.5. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/c with a = 12.303（4）, b = 12.052（4）, c = 10.212（3） ？, β = 104.147（4）, V = 1468.3（8） ？3, Z = 4, Mr = 398.30, Dc = 1.802 g/cm3, F（000） = 800, μ = 2.501 mm-1 and S = 1.000. The 2-D network architecture of 1 is constructed from benzimidazole, zinc and pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid. The quantum-chemical calculations have been performed on ‘molecular fragments’ extracted from the crystal structure using the B3 LYP method in Gaussian 09. The luminescence spectrum shows that complex 1 emits blue luminescence.

Two Tetranuclear Zinc(Ⅱ) Coordination Polymers Based on 3,5-Bis(2-carboxylphenoxy)benzoic Acid with Highly Selective Sensing of Nitrobenzene

Two novel zinc（Ⅱ） coordination polymers, [Zn2（BCB）（CH3OH）（μ3-OH）]n（1） and {[Zn2（BCB）（μ3-OH）（H2O）2]·CH3OH}n （2）, have been constructed from 3,5-bis（2-carboxylphenoxy）benzoic acid（H3BCB） and characterized by elemental analysis（EA）, IR, powder X-ray diffraction（PXRD）, and thermogravimetric（TG） analyses. Structural analysis reveals that complexes 1 and 2 are both 1D polymeric chains with unprecedented tetranuclear {Zn4（COO）4（μ3-OH）2} clusters, which were further expanded into a 2D structure. Fluorescence measurements show that 1 and 2 have highly selective and sensitive detection of nitrobenzene.

Theoretical Investigation on the Second-order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Chiral Amino Acid Zinc(Ⅱ) Porphyrins

Static second-order nonlinear optical effects of amino acid zinc(II) porphyrins 1, 2, 3 and 4 were calculated by the TDHF/PM3 method based on the molecular structures optimized at the semiempirical PM3 quantum chemistry level, showing due to the cancellation of symmetric center, these amino acid zinc(II) porphyrins exhibit second order nonlinear optical response. The analysis of β components indicated that these amino acid zinc(II) porphyrins are of multipola- rizabilities, and they may be ascribed as the “mixture” of octupolar and dipoar molecules with ||βJ=3||/||βJ=1|| ≈ 5. It is found that there are no significant differences between the static β values of non-chiral and chiral amino acid zinc(II) porphyrins. However, the βxyz component, which is quite important to quadratic macroscopic χ (2) susceptibility of chiral material, is increased significantly with the increase of side chain group of amino acids.

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New 2D Zinc(Ⅱ) Coordination Polymer with 2-Aminoethanesulfonic Acid

A new 2D Zn（Ⅱ） coordination polymer [Zn（TAU）2]n （1, HTAU=2-aminoethane- sulfonic acid） constructed by 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid ligand has been hydrothermally synthesized by the reaction of Zn（CH3COO）2 and 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid with a 1：2 mole ratio and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Crystal structural analysis reveals it crystallizes in monoclinic, space group P21/c with a=8.672（4）, b=6.523（3）, c=9.134（5） , β=115.441（5）°, V=466.6（4） 3, Mr=313.65, Z=2, Dc=2.232 Mg·m-3, F（000） =320, μ（MoKα）=3.091 mm-1, the final R=0.0358 and wR=0.0919 for 2026 observed reflections with Ⅰ 〉 2σ（Ⅰ）. In the structure, each zinc（Ⅱ） ion is coordinated in a slightly distorted octahedron, and each μ3-TAU– acts as a bridge to bond three neighboring Zn（Ⅱ） ions to form an infinite 2D network structure.

Synthesis,Structure and Photoluminescence of a Binuclear Zinc(Ⅱ) Coordination Polymer Based on 2-Carboxycinnamic Acid and Dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]-phenazine

A binuclear zinc（Ⅱ） complex with 2-carboxycinnamic acid （2-ccm） and dipyrido- [3,2-a：2＇,3＇-c]phenazine （DPPZ）, {[Zn2（2-ccm）2（DPPZ）2]·2H2O}n, was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetry and fluo- rescent emission. It crystallizes in monoclinic, space group P21/c with a = 13.409（4）, b = 25.530（7）, c = 13.952（4） A, β = 99.554（3）°, V= 4710（2） A3, Z= 4, C56H36N8O10Zn2, Mr= 1111.67, Dc = 1.568 g/cm3, μ（MoKα） = 1.093 mm^-1, F（000） = 2272, R = 0.0422 and wR = 0.0895. In the crystal, the basic unit of 1 is a binuclear Zn2 entity which is linked by 2-ccm ligand to form a 1D double chain along the a axis. The O-H...O hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions lead to a 3D supramolecular motif. In addition, thermal and luminescent properties of complex 1 have also been investigated.