-
Current Microbiology Jul 2024Stenotrophomonas species are recognized as rhizobacteria that play a pivotal role in promoting plant growth by making substantial contributions to enhanced soil...
Stenotrophomonas species are recognized as rhizobacteria that play a pivotal role in promoting plant growth by making substantial contributions to enhanced soil fertility, nutrient recycling, and phytopathogen control. Employing them as bioinputs constitutes an environmentally sound strategy, particularly within the rhizospheric community. This study revealed the draft genome sequence of Stenotrophomonas geniculata LGMB417, which was originally isolated from root samples of maize (Zea mays L.). This research assessed the potential of a bacterial strain at the molecular level through genome mining, aiming to identify genes with biotechnological significance for promoting plant growth and protection. The assembly findings indicate that strain LGMB417 possesses a genome size of 4,654,011 bp, with a G + C content of 66.50%. The draft genome sequence revealed the presence of gene clusters responsible for the synthesis of secondary metabolites and carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes), glycoside hydrolases (23), glycosyltransferases (18), carbohydrate esterases (5), polysaccharide lyases (2), carbohydrate-binding modules (2), and auxiliary activities (1). Several genes related to growth promotion were found in the genome, including those associated with phosphate transport and solubilization, nitrogen metabolism, siderophore production and iron transport, hormonal modulation, stress responses (such as to drought, temperature fluctuations, osmotic challenges, and oxidative conditions), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Subsequent phases will encompass investigations utilizing gene expression methodologies, with future explorations concentrating on facets pertinent to agricultural production, including comprehensive field studies.
Topics: Genome, Bacterial; Zea mays; Stenotrophomonas; Biotechnology; Base Composition; Plant Roots; Soil Microbiology; Agriculture; Phylogeny; Multigene Family
PubMed: 38951210
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03784-9 -
Chemosphere Jun 2024Photocatalytic membranes are a promising technology for water and wastewater treatment. Towards circular economy, extending the lifetime of reverse osmosis (RO)...
Photocatalytic membranes are a promising technology for water and wastewater treatment. Towards circular economy, extending the lifetime of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for as long as possible is extremely important, due to the great amount of RO modules discarded every year around the world. Therefore, in the present study, photocatalytic membranes made of recycled post-lifespan RO membrane (polyamide thin-film composite), TiO nanoparticles and graphene oxide are used in the treatment tertiary-treated domestic wastewater to remove trace organic compounds (TrOCs). The inclusion of dopamine throughout the surface modification process enhanced the stability of the membranes to be used as long as 10 months of operation. We investigated TrOCs removal by the membrane itself and in combination with UV-C and visible light by LED. The best results were obtained with integrated membrane UV-C system at pH 9, with considerable reductions of diclofenac (92%) and antipyrine (87%). Changes in effluent pH demonstrated an improvement in the attenuation of TrOCs concentration at higher pHs. By modifying membranes with nanocomposites, an increase in membrane hydrophilicity (4 degrees contact angle reduction) was demonstrated. The effect of the lamp position on the light fluence that reaches the membrane was assessed, and greater values were found in the middle of the membrane, providing parameters for process optimization (0.29 ± 0.10 mW cm at the center of the membrane and 0.07 ± 0.03 mW cm at the right and left extremities). Photocatalytic recycled TiO-GO membranes have shown great performance to remove TrOCs and extend membrane lifespan, as sustainable technology to treat wastewater.
PubMed: 38950742
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142730 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024Salt marsh has an important 'purification' role in coastal ecosystems by removing excess nitrogen that could otherwise harm aquatic life and reduce water quality. Recent...
Salt marsh has an important 'purification' role in coastal ecosystems by removing excess nitrogen that could otherwise harm aquatic life and reduce water quality. Recent studies suggest that salt marsh root exudates might be the 'control centre' for nitrogen transformation, but empirical evidence is lacking. Here we sought to estimate the direction and magnitude of nitrogen purification by salt marsh root exudates and gain a mechanistic understanding of the biogeochemical transformation pathway(s). To achieve this, we used a laboratory incubation to quantify both the root exudates and soil nitrogen purification rates, in addition to the enzyme activities and functional genes under Phragmites australis populations with different nitrogen forms addition (NO, NH and urea). We found that NO and urea addition significantly stimulate P. australis root exudation of total acids, amino acids, total sugars and total organic carbon, while NH addition only significantly increased total acids, amino acids and total phenol exudation. High total sugars, amino acids and total organic carbon concentrations enlarged nitrogen purification potential by stimulating the nitrogen purifying bacterial activities (including enzyme activities and related genes expression). Potential denitrification rates were not significantly elevated under NH addition in comparison to NO and urea addition, which should be ascribed to total phenol self-toxicity and selective inhibition. Further, urea addition stimulated urease and protease activities with providing more NH and NO substrates for elevated anaerobic ammonium oxidation rates among the nitrogen addition treatments. Overall, this study revealed that exogenous nitrogen could increase the nitrogen purification-associated bacterial activity through accelerating the root exudate release, which could stimulate the activity of nitrogen transformation, and then improve the nitrogen removal capacity in salt marsh.
PubMed: 38950634
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174396 -
Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular... Jun 2024Metal-organic gels (MOGs) are a type of metal-organic colloid material with a large specific surface area, loose porous structure, and open metal active sites. In this...
Metal-organic gels (MOGs) are a type of metal-organic colloid material with a large specific surface area, loose porous structure, and open metal active sites. In this work, FeNi-MOGs were synthesized by the simple one-step static method, using Fe(III) and Ni(II) as the central metal ions and terephthalic acid as the organic ligand. The prepared FeNi-MOGs could effectively catalyze the chemiluminescence of luminol without the involvement of HO, which exhibited good catalytic activity. Then, the multifunctional detected platform was constructed for the detection of GSH and Hg, based on the antioxidant capacity of GSH, and the strong affinity between mercury ion (Hg) and GSH which inactivated the antioxidant capacity of GSH. The experimental limits of detection (LOD) for GSH and Hg were 76 nM and 210 nM, and the detection ranges were 2-100 μM and 8-4000 μM, respectively. The as-proposed sensor had good performance in both detection limit and detection range of GSH and Hg, which fully met the needs of daily life. Surprisingly, the sensor had low detection limits and an extremely wide detection range for Hg, spanning five orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the detection of mercury ions in actual lake water and GSH in human serum showed good results, with recovery rates ranging from 90.10 % to 105.37 %, which proved that the method was accurate and reliable. The as-proposed sensor had great potential as the platform for GSH and Hg detection applications.
PubMed: 38950475
DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124696 -
Journal of the American Society For... Jul 2024Peatland fires emit organic carbon-rich particulate matter into the atmosphere. Boreal and Arctic peatlands are becoming more vulnerable to wildfires, resulting in a...
Accessing the Low-Polar Molecular Composition of Boreal and Arctic Peat-Burning Organic Aerosol via Thermal Analysis and Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Structural Motifs and Their Formation.
Peatland fires emit organic carbon-rich particulate matter into the atmosphere. Boreal and Arctic peatlands are becoming more vulnerable to wildfires, resulting in a need for better understanding of the emissions of these special fires. Extractable, nonpolar, and low-polar organic aerosol species emitted from laboratory-based boreal and Arctic peat-burning experiments are analyzed by direct-infusion atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (UHRMS) and compared to time-resolved APPI UHRMS evolved gas analysis from the thermal analysis of peat under inert nitrogen (pyrolysis) and oxidative atmosphere. The chemical composition is characterized on a molecular level, revealing abundant aromatic compounds that partially contain oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur and are formed at characteristic temperatures. Two main structural motifs are identified, single core and multicore, and their temperature-dependent formation is assigned to the thermal degradation of the lignocellulose building blocks and other parts of peat.
PubMed: 38950165
DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00120 -
Nanoscale Jul 2024Possessing excellent electronic properties and high chemical stability, semiconducting n-type two-dimensional (2D) tin dioxide (SnO) nanosheets have been featured in...
Possessing excellent electronic properties and high chemical stability, semiconducting n-type two-dimensional (2D) tin dioxide (SnO) nanosheets have been featured in sensing and electrocatalysis applications recently. Derived from non-layered crystal structures, 2D SnO has abundant unsaturated dangling bonds existing at the surface, providing interfacial activity. How the surface chemistry alters the electronic properties of 2D SnO nanomaterials remains unexplored. In this study, we synthesised ultra-thin 2D SnO nanosheets using a liquid metal (LM) touch printing technique and investigated experimentally and theoretically how the interactions of organic solvents composed of alkyl and hydroxyl groups with the surface of LM-derived 2D SnO modulate the electronic properties. It was found that alkane solvents can physically absorb onto the SnO surface with no impact on the material conductivity. Alcohol-based solvents on the other hand interact with the SnO surface chemical absorptions primarily, in which oxygen atoms of hydroxyl groups in the alcohols form bonds with the surface atoms of SnO. The binding stability is determined by the length and configuration of the hydrocarbon chain in alcohols. As representative long-chain alcohols, 1-octanol and 1-pentanol attach onto the SnO surface strongly, lowering the binding energy of Sn and reducing the electron transfer ability of SnO nanosheets. Consequently, the electronic properties, conductivity and electronic mobility of SnO nanosheet-based electronic devices are decreased significantly.
PubMed: 38949653
DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01841a -
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in... Jul 2024Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D-COFs) have recently emerged as fascinating scaffolds for solar-to-chemical energy conversion because of their...
Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D-COFs) have recently emerged as fascinating scaffolds for solar-to-chemical energy conversion because of their customizable structures and functionalities. Herein, two tris(triazolo)triazine-based COF materials (namely COF-JLU51 and COF-JLU52) featuring large surface area, high crystallinity, excellent stability and photoelectric properties were designed and constructed for the first time. Remarkably, COF-JLU51 gave an outstanding H2O2 production rate of over 4200 µmol g-1 h-1 with excellent reusability in pure water and O2 under one standard sun light, that higher than its isomorphic COF-JLU52 and most of the reported metal-free materials, owing to its superior generation, separation and transport of photogenerated carriers. Experimental and theoretical researches prove that the photocatalytic process undergoes a combination of indirect 2e- O2 reduction reaction (ORR) and 4e- H2O oxidation reaction (WOR). Specifically, an ultrahigh yield of 7624.7 µmol g-1 h-1 with apparent quantum yield of 18.2% for COF-JLU52 was achieved in a 1:1 ratio of benzyl alcohol and water system. This finding contributes novel, nitrogen-rich and high-quality tris(triazolo)triazine-based COF materials, and also designate their bright future in photocatalytic solar transformations.
PubMed: 38949611
DOI: 10.1002/anie.202411546 -
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics :... Jul 2024To date, the potential exploitation of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) in photovoltaic technologies has been significantly hampered by their poor...
To date, the potential exploitation of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) in photovoltaic technologies has been significantly hampered by their poor environmental stability. HOIP degradation can be triggered by conventional operational environments, with excessive heating and exposure to oxygen and moisture significantly reducing the performances of HOIP-based solar cells. An imperative need emerges for a thorough investigation on the impact of these factors on the HOIP stability. In this work, the degradation of methylammonium lead bromide (CHNHPbBr) thin films, deposited spin-coating on indium tin oxide (ITO) and strontium titanate (STO) substrates, was investigated by combining Raman and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, as well as optical and fluorescence microscopy. We assessed the physical and chemical degradation of the films occurring under diverse preservation conditions, shedding light on the byproducts emerging from different degradation pathways and on the optimal HOIP preservation conditions.
PubMed: 38949556
DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01509f -
Soft Matter Jul 2024Bioinspired soft actuators, capable of undergoing shape deformation in response to external triggers, hold great potential in fields such as soft robotics, artificial...
Bioinspired soft actuators, capable of undergoing shape deformation in response to external triggers, hold great potential in fields such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery, and smart switches. However, their widespread application is hindered by limitations in responsiveness, durability, and complex fabrication processes. In this study, we propose a new approach to tackle these challenges by developing a single-layer soft actuator that responds to multiple stimuli using a straightforward solution-casting method. This actuator comprises bio-polymer gelatin, bio-compatible PEDOT:PSS, and iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles. Our actuator exhibits responsiveness to a range of organic solvent vapors, including water vapor, light, and magnetic fields. Notably, it exhibits rapid and reversible bending in distinct directions in response to different vapors, bending upwards in the presence of water vapor and downwards in the presence of alcohol vapor. Moreover, exposure to infrared (IR) light induces a bending toward the light source. The incorporation of magnet-responsive FeO nanoparticles induces multi-functionality in the actuator. The actuation characteristics of the actuator are controlled by leveraging its responsiveness to dual stimuli, such as water vapor and magnetic fields, as well as light and magnetic fields. For the proof of concept, we showcase several potential applications of our multi-stimuli responsive soft actuator, including magnet-triggered electrical switches, cargo transportation, soft grippers, targeted drug delivery, energy harvesting, and bio-mimicry.
PubMed: 38949520
DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00513a -
Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England... Jul 2024A novel lysosome-targeted photosensitizer/photoredox catalyst based on cyclometalated Ir(III) complex IrL has been designed and synthesized, which exhibited excellent...
A novel lysosome-targeted photosensitizer/photoredox catalyst based on cyclometalated Ir(III) complex IrL has been designed and synthesized, which exhibited excellent phosphorescence properties and the ability to generate single oxygen (O) and photocatalytically oxidize 1,4-dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) under light irradiation. Most importantly, the aforementioned activities are significantly enhanced due to protonation under acidic conditions, which makes them highly attractive in light-activated tumor therapy, especially for acidic lysosomes and tumor microenvironments. The photocytotoxicity of IrL and the mechanism of cell death have been investigated. Additionally, the tumor-killing ability of IrL under light irradiation was evaluated using a 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model. This work provides a strategy for the development of lysosome-targeted photosensitizers/photoredox catalysts to overcome hypoxic tumors.
PubMed: 38949269
DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01345j