Source and accumulation process of Jurassic biodegraded oil in the Eastern Junggar Basin,NW China

Biodegradation usually obscures or even radically alters the original characteristics of oil biomarkers.The mixing of oil from multiple sources makes each source difficult to trace.Identifying the source of biodegraded oil from multiple sources has always been a hard nut to crack.Rising to this challenge,in this study-we carried out a comprehensive investigation of biodegradation impacts,oil-source correlation,and oil charging history to trace the source and reveal the mixing process of biodegraded oil in the Toutunhe Formation(J_(2)t)in the eastern Junggar Basin,NW China.The oil of this area was biodegraded to different extent,consequently,many commonly used biomarker parameters(e.g.Pr/Ph,Pr/n C_(17))became less powerful for oil-source correlation.To address this problem,the resistance of many biomarkers to biodegradation was analyzed,and those of high bio resistance were selected to generate a more reliable oil-source correlation.The results revealed that biodegraded oil was a mixture of oil sourced from Lucaogou Formation(P_(2)l)and Xiaoquangou Formation(T_(2-3)xq).Core sample observation,microscopic fluorescent analysis and fluid inclusion analysis were combined to analyze comprehensively oil charging history.The analysis of accumulation process exhibited that the existing oil in J_(2)t was a mixture originated from the P_(2)l and T_(2-3)xq source rocks in two separate charging stages when it underwent a complicated process of charging,biodegradation,recharging and mixing.

Biodegraded Oil and Its High Molecular Weight (C_(35+)) n-alkanes in the Qianmiqiao Region in the Bohai Bay Basin, Northern China

With a production of 208.2 m3/d, heavy oil was produced by drill stem test (DST) from three shallow reservoirs in Sand Group Nos. Ⅰ and Ⅲ of the Neogene Guantao Formation (NgⅠ and NgⅢ) and the Eogene Dongying Formation (Ed) in an exploratory well Ban-14-1 within the Qianmiqiao region, Bohai Bay Basin, northern China. Based on the GC and GC-MS data of the NgⅠ and NgⅢ heavy oil samples, all n-alkanes and most isoprenoid hydrocarbons are lost and the GC baseline appears as an evident 'hump', implying a large quantity of unresolved complex mixture (UCM), which typically revealed a result of heavy biodegradation. However, there still is a complete series of C14-C73 n-alkanes in the high-temperature gas chromatograms (HTGC) of the heavy oil, among which, the abundance of C30- n-alkanes are drastically reduced. The C35-C55 high molecular weight (HMW) n-alkanes are at high abundance and show a normal distribution pattern with major peak at C43 and an obvious odd-carbon-number predominance with CPI37-55 and OEP45-49 values of 1.17 and 1.16-1.20, respectively. According to GC-MS analysis, the heavy oil is characterized by dual source inputs of aquatic microbes and terrestrial higher plants. Various steranes and tricyclic terpanes indicate an algal origin, and hopane-type triterpanes, C24 tetracyclic terpane and drimane series show the bacterial contribution. With the odd-carbon-number preference, HMW n-alkanes provide significant information not only on higher plant source input and immaturity, but also on the strong resistibility to biodegradation.

Biodegraded and Polyurethane Drape-formed Urea Fertilizer

Natural water absorbent konjac flour participates in synthesizing biodegraded and polyurethane foamed drape, which is used to release urea slowly.The experimental results indicate that the slowly-releasing velocity of urea nitrogen and the degrading velocity of the drape can be controlled by regulating the thicknesses of drapes, the amount of konjac flour and the water content. In addition, the biodegradability of the drape was investigated by burying the specimens in earth afterwards,and results show this drape can be degraded naturally.

A GC×GC-ToFMS Investigation of the Unresolved Complex Mixture and Associated Biomarkers in Biodegraded Petroleum

Heavy biodegraded crude oils have larger numbers of coeluting compounds than nonbiodegraded oils, and they are typically not resolved with conventional gas chromatography（GC）. This unresolved complex mixture（UCM） has been investigated using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry（GC×GC-To FMS） within a set of biodegraded petroleums derived from distinct sedimentary basins, including northwestern Sichuan（Neoproterozoic, marine）, Tarim（Early Paleozoic, marine）, Bohai Bay（Eocene, saline/brackish） and Pearl River Mouth（Eocene, freshwater）. In general, the hydrocarbons that constitute the UCM in petroleum saturate fractions can be classified into three catalogues based on the distributions of resolved compounds on two dimensional chromatograms. Group 1 is composed mainly of normal and branched alkanes, isoprenoid alkanes and monocyclic alkanes; Group 2 comprises primarily terpanes ranging from two to five rings, and Group 3 is dominated by monoaromatic hydrocarbons such as tetralins and monoaromatic steranes. In addition, the UCM is source dependent and varies between oil populations. i.e., the UCM of petroleum derived from Precambrian and Early Paleozoic marine, Eocene saline/brackish and freshwater source rocks is specifically rich in higher homologues of A-norsteranes, series of 1,1,3-trimethyl-2-alkylcyclohexanes（carotenoid-derived alkanes）, and tetralin and indane compounds, respectively.

The effects of biodegradation on the compositions of aromatic hydrocarbons and maturity indicators in biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin

By the aid of GC-MS technique,a series of sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin have been analyzed. The results show that the concentrations and relative compositions of various aromatic compounds in the biodegraded crude oils will change with increasing biodegradation degree. The concentrations of alkyl naphthalenes,alkyl phenanthrenes,alkyl dibenzothiophene are decreased,and the concentration of triaromatic steroids will increase with increasing biodegradation degree in biodegraded oils. Those phenomena indicate that various aromatic compounds are more easily biodegraded by bacteria like other kinds of hydrocarbons such as alkanes,but different series of aromatic compounds have a varied ability to resistant to biodegradation. The ratios of dibenzothiophene to phenenthrene(DBTH/P) and methyl dibenzothiophene to methyl phenanthrene(MDBTH/MP) are related to the features of depositional environment for source rocks such as redox and ancient salinity. However,in biodegraded oils,the two ratios increase quickly with the increase of the biodegradation degree,indicating that they have lost their geochemical significance. In this case,they could not be used to evaluate the features of depositional environment. Methyl phenanthrene index,methyl phenanthrene ratio and methyl dibenzoyhiophene ratio are useful aromatic maturity indicators for the crude oils and the source rocks without vitrinite. But for biodegraded oils,those aromatic maturity indicators will be affected by biodegradation and decrease with the increase of the biodegradation degree. Therefore,those aromatic molecular maturity indicators could not be used for biodegraded oils.

The effects of biodegradation on biomarker maturity indicators in sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin,China

By aid of gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry(GC-MS) ,the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in a set of sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin,China,have been quantitatively analyzed,and it has been found that during the biodegradation process of crude oils,the molecular maturity parameters such as Ts/Tm,homohopane C31 22S/(22S+22R) and sterane C29 20S/(20S+20R) ratios will be affected to different extent. The results show that except homohopane C31 22S/(22S+22R) ratio,Ts/Tm ratio will decrease with increasing biodegradation,but for C29 20S/(20S+20R) ratio,it will almost remain constant in slightly and moderately biodegraded oils,and then will increase quickly in severely biodegraded oils. The main reason is that there are some differences in the ability of resistant biodegradation for different isomer of biomarkers with different stereo configuration,resulting in the fact that destroying rate by bacteria for those biomarkers with weak ability will be higher than those with strong ability in resistant biodegradation. For example,18α(H) -22,29,30-trisnorhopanes(Ts) will be destroyed more quickly than 17α(H) -22,29,30-trisnorshopanres(Tm) ,and 20R isomer is more quickly than 20S isomer for C29 sterane,resulting in the relative ratios changed with increasing biodegradation. Therefore,much more attention should be paid to the biodegradation extent of crude oils and the type of biomarker maturity indicators,when the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in biodegraded oils are used to determine the maturity of biodegraded oils.

A functional tacrolimus-releasing nerve wrap for enhancing nerve regeneration following surgical nerve repair

Axonal regeneration following surgical nerve repair is slow and often incomplete,resulting in poor functional recovery which sometimes contributes to lifelong disability.Currently,there are no FDA-approved therapies available to promote nerve regeneration.Tacrolimus accelerates axonal regeneration,but systemic side effects presently outweigh its potential benefits for peripheral nerve surgery.The authors describe herein a biodegradable polyurethane-based drug delivery system for the sustained local release of tacrolimus at the nerve repair site,with suitable properties for scalable production and clinical application,aiming to promote nerve regeneration and functional recovery with minimal systemic drug exposure.Tacrolimus is encapsulated into co-axially electrospun polycarbonate-urethane nanofibers to generate an implantable nerve wrap that releases therapeutic doses of bioactive tacrolimus over 31 days.Size and drug loading are adjustable for applications in small and large caliber nerves,and the wrap degrades within 120 days into biocompatible byproducts.Tacrolimus released from the nerve wrap promotes axon elongation in vitro and accelerates nerve regeneration and functional recovery in preclinical nerve repair models while off-target systemic drug exposure is reduced by 80%compared with systemic delivery.Given its surgical suitability and preclinical efficacy and safety,this system may provide a readily translatable approach to support axonal regeneration and recovery in patients undergoing nerve surgery.

High molecular weight (C_(35)^+) n-alkanes of Neogene heavily biodegraded oil in the Qianmiqiao region,North China

With wax content of 1.62%, heavy oil has been produced from the sandstone reservoirs of Neogene Guantao Formation (Ng1m). In the GC and GC-MS RIC profiles of its aliphatic fraction, n-alkanes are totally lost, which shows the result of heavy biodegradedation. However, the remaining trace C13-C36 n-alkanes can be still seen from its mlz 85 mass chromatogram. In addition, a complete series of C35-C73 high molecular weight (HMW) n-alkanes was detected by high-temperature gas chromatography (HTGC). The HMW R-alkane series shows a normal distribution pattern, a major peak at nC43, obvious odd-carbon-number predominance, CPI37-55 and OEP45-49 values up to 1.17 and 1.16-1.20 respectively. The present study not only has conformed the strong resistibility of HMW n-alkanes to biodegradation in crude oils as concluded by previous researchers, but also has provided some significant information on source input and maturity for the heavily biodegraded oil in the Qianmiqiao region.

Simulation experiments on secondary thermal stress of biodegraded bituminous sandstones

Secondary variation of reservoir is a hot problem in petroleum geochemistry field. Several kinds of secondary variations have taken place after the formation of bituminous sandstones in the Tarim Basin including biodegra-dation, washing, dissipation and secondary thermal stress. Biodegraded bituminous sandstones were used in the experiment. Pyrolysis experiment has been performed in a closed system, simulating secondary thermal stress with continual burial of Silurian bituminous sandstones which may cause the changes in molecular compositions, carbon isotope and physical properties of bituminous sandstones. The results are as follows: (i) Gases are mainly product during the experiment and carbon isotope of gas is lighter. (ii) Yield of C6+ hydrocarbon is relative smaller, and yielded oil is mainly light oil. (iii) Chromatogram character of biodegraded oil-sand is similar to that of saturated hydrocarbon in extracts from present-day bituminous sandstones, (iv) Porosity of bituminous sandstones gradually

Pool-formation and secondary change of biodegraded viscous oils:Case study of reservoir section in the ZhengjiaWangzhuang Oilfield, Jiyang Depression

It is demonstrated by various geochemical indexes that the Zhengjia-Wangzhuang Oilfield with viscous crude oil in the Jiyang Depression has been sourced from the contribution of matured source rocks in the upper Es4. The principal cause leading to the densification of crude oils would be biodegradation, with the degradation level of crude oils being ranked as 2-8; vertically, the biodegradation level increases from the top to bottom of the oil column, with a distinctive biodegradation gradient occurring. Calculated parameters of sterane, terpane and methyl-phenanthrene have indicated that the source-rock’s maturity of crude oils and asphaltic sands ranges from 0.7 to 0.9, and based on the calculation of Easy Ro model, the temperature of hydrocarbon generation in the source rock would be within 120-140℃, which coincides with the measurements of reservoir inclusions. The measured homogenization temperature would represent the generation temperature of the source rock, and be fairly different from that

In vitro and in vivo study on fine-grained Mg-Zn-RE-Zr alloy as a biodegradeable orthopedic implant produced by friction stir processing

Magnesium alloys containing biocompatible components show tremendous promise for applications as temporary biomedical devices. However, to ensure their safe use as biodegradeable implants, it is essential to control their corrosion rates. In concentrated Mg alloys, a microgalvanic coupling between the α-Mg matrix and secondary precipitates exists which results in increased corrosion rate. To address this challenge, we engineered the microstructure of a biodegradable Mg-Zn-RE-Zr alloy by friction stir processing (FSP), improving its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties simultaneously. The FS processed alloy with refined grains and broken and uniformly distributed secondary precipitates showed a relatively uniform corrosion morphology accompanied with the formation of a stable passive layer on the alloy surface. In vivo corrosion evaluation of the processed alloy in a small animal model showed that the material was well-tolerated with no signs of inflammation or harmful by-products. Remarkably, the processed alloy supported bone until it healed till eight weeks with a low in vivo corrosion rate of 0.7 mm/year. Moreover, we analyzed blood and histology of the critical organs such as liver and kidney, which showed normal functionality and consistent ion and enzyme levels, throughout the 12- week study period. These results demonstrate that the processed Mg-Zn-RE-Zr alloy offers promising potential for osseointegration in bone tissue healing while also exhibiting controlled biodegradability due to its engineered microstructure. The results from the present study will have profound benefit for bone fracture management, particularly in pediatric and elderly patients.

Influence of heat treatment on microstructure,mechanical and corrosion behavior of WE43 alloy fabricated by laser-beam powder bed fusion

Magnesium(Mg)alloys are considered to be a new generation of revolutionary medical metals.Laser-beam powder bed fusion(PBF-LB)is suitable for fabricating metal implants withpersonalized and complicated structures.However,the as-built part usually exhibits undesirable microstructure and unsatisfactory performance.In this work,WE43 parts were firstly fabricated by PBF-LB and then subjected to heat treatment.Although a high densification rate of 99.91%was achieved using suitable processes,the as-built parts exhibited anisotropic and layeredmicrostructure with heterogeneously precipitated Nd-rich intermetallic.After heat treatment,fine and nano-scaled Mg24Y5particles were precipitated.Meanwhile,theα-Mg grainsunderwent recrystallization and turned coarsened slightly,which effectively weakened thetexture intensity and reduced the anisotropy.As a consequence,the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were significantly improved to(250.2±3.5)MPa and(312±3.7)MPa,respectively,while the elongation was still maintained at a high level of 15.2%.Furthermore,the homogenized microstructure reduced the tendency of localized corrosion and favoredthe development of uniform passivation film.Thus,the degradation rate of WE43 parts was decreased by an order of magnitude.Besides,in-vitro cell experiments proved their favorable biocompatibility.

Biomedical rare-earth magnesium alloy:Current status and future prospects

Biomedical magnesium(Mg)alloys have garnered significant attention because of their unique biodegradability,favorable biocompatibility,and suitable mechanical properties.The incorporation of rare earth(RE)elements,with their distinct physical and chemical properties,has greatly contributed to enhancing the mechanical performance,degradation behavior,and biological performance of biomedical Mg alloys.Currently,a series of RE-Mg alloys are being designed and investigated for orthopedic implants and cardiovascular stents,achieving substantial and encouraging research progress.In this work,a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art in biomedical RE-Mg alloys is provided.The physiological effects and design standards of RE elements in biomedical Mg alloys are discussed.Particularly,the degradation behavior and mechanical properties,including their underlying action are studied in-depth.Furthermore,the preparation techniques and current application status of RE-Mg alloys are reviewed.Finally,we address the ongoing challenges and propose future prospects to guide the development of high-performance biomedical Mg-RE alloys.

New insights on the high-corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys tested in a simulated physiological environment

UHP Mg-Ge alloys was recently found to provide excellent corrosion resistance.This paper provides new insights on the mechanism of improved corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys in Hanks’solution.The studied UHP Mg-0.5Ge and UHP Mg-1Ge alloys showed superior corrosion resistance compared to UHP Mg and WE43,with the Mg-1Ge exhibiting the best corrosion performance.The exceptional corrosion resistance of the UHP alloy is attributed to(i)Mg_(2)Ge’s ability to suppress cathodic kinetics,(ii)Ge’s capability to accelerate the formation of a highly passive layer,and the(iii)low amounts of corrosion-accelerating impurities.

Interplay of laser power and pore characteristics in selective laser melting of ZK60 magnesium alloys:A study based on in-situ monitoring and image analysis

This study offers significant insights into the multi-physics phenomena of the SLM process and the subsequent porosity characteristics of ZK60 Magnesium(Mg)alloys.High-speed in-situ monitoring was employed to visualise process signals in real-time,elucidating the dynamics of melt pools and vapour plumes under varying laser power conditions specifically between 40 W and 60 W.Detailed morphological analysis was performed using Scanning-Electron Microscopy(SEM),demonstrating a critical correlation between laser power and pore formation.Lower laser power led to increased pore coverage,whereas a denser structure was observed at higher laser power.This laser power influence on porosity was further confirmed via Optical Microscopy(OM)conducted on both top and cross-sectional surfaces of the samples.An increase in laser power resulted in a decrease in pore coverage and pore size,potentially leading to a denser printed part of Mg alloy.X-ray Computed Tomography(XCT)augmented these findings by providing a 3D volumetric representation of the sample internal structure,revealing an inverse relationship between laser power and overall pore volume.Lower laser power appeared to favour the formation of interconnected pores,while a reduction in interconnected pores and an increase in isolated pores were observed at higher power.The interplay between melt pool size,vapour plume effects,and laser power was found to significantly influence the resulting porosity,indicating a need for effective management of these factors to optimise the SLM process of Mg alloys.

Large-Scale Preparation of Mechanically High-Performance and Biodegradable PLA/PHBV Melt-Blown Nonwovens with Nanofibers

Biodegradable polylactic acid(PLA)melt-blown nonwovens are attractive candidates to replace nondegradable polypropylene melt-blown nonwovens.However,it is still an extremely challenging task to prepare PLA melt-blown nonwovens with sufficient mechanical properties for practical application.Herein,we report a simple strategy for the large-scale preparation of biodegradable PLA/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV)melt-blown nonwovens with high strength and excellent toughness.In this process,a small amount of PHBV is added to PLA to improve the latter’s crystallization rate and crystallinity.In addition,when the PHBV content increases from 0 to 7.5 wt%,the diameters of the PLA/PHBV melt-blown fibers decrease significantly(with the proportion of nanofibers increasing from 7.7%to 42.9%).The resultant PLA/PHBV(5 wt%PHBV)melt-blown nonwovens exhibit the highest mechanical properties.The tensile stress,elongation,and toughness of PLA/PHBV(5 wt%PHBV)melt-blown nonwovens reach 2.5 MPa,45%,and 1.0 MJm3,respectively.More importantly,PLA/PHBV melt-blown nonwovens can be completely degraded into carbon dioxide and water after four months in the soil,making them environmentally friendly.A general tensile-failure model of melt-blown nonwovens is proposed in this study,which may shed light on mechanical performance enhancement for nonwovens.

Recent Developments in Metallic Degradable Micromotors for Biomedical and Environmental Remediation Applications

Synthetic micromotor has gained substantial attention in biomedicine and environmental remediation.Metal-based degradable micromotor composed of magnesium(Mg),zinc(Zn),and iron(Fe)have promise due to their nontoxic fuel-free propulsion,favorable biocompatibility,and safe excretion of degradation products Recent advances in degradable metallic micromotor have shown their fast movement in complex biological media,efficient cargo delivery and favorable biocompatibility.A noteworthy number of degradable metal-based micromotors employ bubble propulsion,utilizing water as fuel to generate hydrogen bubbles.This novel feature has projected degradable metallic micromotors for active in vivo drug delivery applications.In addition,understanding the degradation mechanism of these micromotors is also a key parameter for their design and performance.Its propulsion efficiency and life span govern the overall performance of a degradable metallic micromotor.Here we review the design and recent advancements of metallic degradable micromotors.Furthermore,we describe the controlled degradation,efficient in vivo drug delivery,and built-in acid neutralization capabilities of degradable micromotors with versatile biomedical applications.Moreover,we discuss micromotors’efficacy in detecting and destroying environmental pollutants.Finally,we address the limitations and future research directions of degradable metallic micromotors.

Graphene-calcium carbonate coating to improve the degradation resistance and mechanical integrity of a biodegradable implant

Biodegradable implants are critical for regenerative orthopaedic procedures,but they may suffer from too fast corrosion in human-body environment.This necessitates the synthesis of a suitable coating that may improve the corrosion resistance of these implants without compromising their mechanical integrity.In this study,an AZ91 magnesium alloy,as a representative for a biodegradable Mg implant material,was modified with a thin reduced graphene oxide(RGO)-calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))composite coating.Detailed analytical and in-vitro electrochemical characterization reveals that this coating significantly improves the corrosion resistance and mechanical integrity,and thus has the potential to greatly extend the related application field.

Efficacy of adjuvant mitomycin-C and triamcinoloneimpregnated nasal packing for endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy

●AIM:To compare the success rate and complications of adjuvant use of mitomycin C and triamcinoloneimpregnated biodegradable nasal packing(TABP)in endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy(DCR).And to evaluate the efficacy of combining intraoperative mitomycin C and TABP for endoscopic DCR.●METHODS:A total of 198 eyes of 148 patients who underwent endoscopic DCR for acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction were retrospectively analysed.The patients were randomly divided into three groups:Group A included patients treated without intraoperative mitomycin C but with TABP,Group B included patients treated without triamcinolone but with intraoperative mitomycin C and normal saline-impregnated nasal packing,and Group C included patients treated with intraoperative mitomycin C and TABP.●RESULTS:The results revealed no significant difference in the overall success rates between Groups A(86.8%)and B(89.2%;P=0.377).However,Group C(97.5%)showed a significantly higher overall success rate than Groups A and B.The incidence of granulomas was significantly lower in group C(5%)than in Groups A(20.8%)and B(15.2%;P=0.009).Other complications,such as crust,synechiae,and revision surgery,did not differ significantly among the three groups.●CONCLUSION:The combination of intraoperative mitomycin C and TABP effectively prevents granulomas and enhances surgical success rate.Additionally,there is no statistically significant difference observed between the use of mitomycin C or TABP alone.

Influence of laser parameters on the microstructures and surface properties in laser surface modification of biomedical magnesium alloys

Biodegradable implants from magnesium(Mg)alloys have emerged in the biomedical field especially in the orthopedic and cardiovascular stent applications owing to their low density,high specific strength,excellent machinability,good biocompatibility,and biodegradability.The primary shortcoming of Mg-based implants is their low corrosion resistance in the physiological environment,which results in premature mechanical integrity loss before adequate healing and the production of excessive hydrogen gas,which is harmful to the body tissues and negatively affects the biocompatibility of the implant.Laser surface modification has recently received attention because it can improve the surface properties such as surface chemistry,roughness,topography,corrosion resistance,wear resistance,hydrophilicity,and thus cell response to the surface of the material.The composition and microstructures including textures and phases of laser-treated surfaces depend largely on the laser processing parameters(input laser power,laser scan velocity,frequency,pulse duration,pressure,gas circulation,working time,spot size,beam focal position,and laser track overlap)and the thermophysical properties of the substrate(solubility,melting point,and boiling point).This review investigates the impacts of various laser surface modification techniques including laser surface melting,laser surface alloying,laser cladding,laser surface texturing,and laser shock peening,and highlights their significance in improving the surface properties of biodegradable Mg alloys for implant applications.Additionally,we explore how different laser process parameters affect its composition,microstructure,and surface properties in each laser surface modification technique.