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Gdańsk University of Technology

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Publications from the year 2024

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  • Siedlce nieoczywiste
    • Marta Koperska-Kośmicka
    • Agnieszka Kurkowska
    2024

    Wycieczka dydaktyczna z elementami urban sketchingu, mająca za zadanie przybliżyć uczestnikom historię architektury gdańskiej dzielnicy Siedlce. Szybkie szkice in situ były rodzajem notatnika terenowego, pozwalającego na graficzny zapis poznawanej przestrzeni.

  • Silver nanoparticles incorporated with superior silica nanoparticles-based rice straw to maximize biogas production from anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate
    • Mona T. Al-shemy
    • Filip Gamoń
    • Aly Al-sayed
    • Mohamed S. Hellal
    • Aleksandra Ziembińska-Buczyńska
    • Gamal K. Hassan
    2024 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

    Treating hazardous landfill leachate poses significant environmental challenges due to its complex nature. In this study, we propose a novel approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) conjugated with eco-friendly green silica nanoparticles (Si NPs). The synthesized Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs were characterized using various analytical techniques, including transmission electron micro- scopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The anaerobic digestion performance of Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs was tested by treating landfill leachate samples with 50 mg/L of each NP. The results demonstrated an enhancement in the biogas production rate compared to the control phase without the nano- composite, as the biogas production increased by 14% and 37% using Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs. Ag@Si NPs effectively promoted the degradation of organic pollutants in the leachate, regarding chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile solids (VS) by 58% and 65%. Furthermore, microbial analysis revealed that Ag@Si NPs enhanced the activity of microbial species responsible for the methanogenic process. Overall, incorporating AgNPs conjugated with eco-friendly green Si NPs represents a sustainable and efficient approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate.

  • Simple Measurement Method for Resistive Sensors Based on ADCs of Microcontrollers
    • Zbigniew Czaja
    2024 IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL

    A new, complete measurement method for resistance measurement of resistive sensors for systems based on microcontrollers equipped with analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) is proposed. The interface circuit consists of only four resistors, including a resistive sensor and a reference resistor, connected directly to the microcontroller pins. It is activated only during measurements, which significantly reduces power consumption. The measurement procedure consists of measuring three voltages via the ADC. Thanks to this, the measurement results of the resistance are independent of the supply and reference voltages, the ON-resistance of the microcontroller pin, and also the offset and gain errors of the ADC. The method is illustrated in the example of a system consisting of an Arduino Micro and a Pt1000. Experimental studies have shown that the relative systematic measurement error of the sensor resistance is less than 0.29%, and the relative random error is less than 0.56%. They result solely from the quantization error of the 10-bit ADC. An oversampling method has also been proposed. With 64 times oversampling, the above errors were reduced to 0.27% and 0.11%, respectively.

  • Simple smartphone-based methods for the determination of bioactive compounds in wine
    • Kaja Kalinowska
    • Muhammad Saad Hussain
    • Gerjen Herman Tinnevelt
    • Marek Tobiszewski
    2024 FOOD CHEMISTRY

    A set of simple smartphone-based methods of bioactive compounds determination were developed for wine analysis. Procedures for smartphone-based determination of the total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins and biogenic amines, as well as measurement of antioxidant activity were developed and fully validated. The experimental setup is based on smartphone and 3D-printed device, though it is very simple and can be conveniently applied in lab and in field. The proposed solutions have satisfactory figures of merit with R2 in the range of 0.9860–0.9981 for linear range. The recoveries were in range 98.6–102%, RSDs up to 4.2% and LODs below 2.3 mg/L. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed procedures, wine samples were analysed using spectrophotometry and newly developed methods. The results of application of smartphone and spectrophotometer are comparable, in terms of validation parameters and measured concentrations in real samples.

  • Simulation Model for Application of the SDN Concept in IMS/NGN Network Transport Stratum
    • Sylwester Kaczmarek
    • Maciej Sac
    • Jakub Adrych
    2024

    The paper presents a simulation model allowing examination of cooperation between two currently used telecommunication networks concepts: IP Multimedia Subsystem/Next Generation Network (IMS/NGN) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Application of the SDN architecture elements in IMS/NGN networks will enable unified control and management of transport resources for various transport technologies and equipment manufacturers. However, such a cooperation is a new concept requiring verification, which is the aim of this paper. The structure of the modeled multidomain network and details about the simulator operation are described. Tests proving correctness of its operation are carried out. Selected research results regarding mean Call Set-up Delay and mean Call Disengagement Delay in the considered network are presented demonstrating that the cooperation between IMS/NGN and SDN is possible.

  • Simulations of the Behavior of Granular Bodies Using the Discrete Element Approach
    • Jan Kozicki
    • Andrzej Tejchman-Konarzewski
    2024

    Zachowanie niespójnych ciał ziarnistych opisano metodą elementów dyskretnych (DEM) w warunkach quasi-statycznych dwu- i trójwymiarowych. Do symulacji nieregularnego kształtu granulatu wykorzystano kule z momentami kontaktowymi lub skupiska sztywnych kul. Początkowo badano dwa różne problemy dla zagęszczonego materiału ziarnistego: pasywne przemieszczanie ściany oporowej i ściskanie w płaskim stanie odkształceń pod stałym ciśnieniem bocznym. Skupiono się na lokalizacji ścinania, która jest podstawowym zjawiskiem w ciałach ziarnistych. Lokalizację ścinania zidentyfikowano w DEM na podstawie rotacji ziaren i rosnącego współczynnika pustych przestrzeni. Aby uzyskać lepszy wgląd w początek powstawania lokalizacji ścinania, wyznaczono struktury wirowe za pomocą rozkładu Helmholtza-Hodge'a (HHD) pola wektorowego przemieszczeń uzyskanego za pomocą DEM. Rozkład pola wektorowego przemieszczeń pozwolił na wydzielenie trzech jednoznacznie zdefiniowanych części składowych: wolnej od wirów (związanej ze zmianą objętości), wolnej od dywergencji (związanej z wirami i czystym ścinaniem) i harmonicznej (związanej z czystą translacją). Stwierdzono bezpośrednią korelację pomiędzy lokalizacjami ścinania a strukturami wirowymi. Wiry lokalizowały się wcześniej w miejscach, w których ostatecznie rozwinęły się strefy ścinania.

  • Single-Phase 15-Level Switched-Capacitor Boost Multilevel Inverter Topology for Renewable Energy Applications
    • Ahmed Awadelseed
    • Arkadiusz Lewicki
    • Atif Iqbal
    2024 IEEE Access

    Galvanic isolation is a vital part of a grid-connected solar PV system. With the growth of multilevel inverters for grid-connected applications, the multilevel inverters having isolation are not sufficiently discussed in the literature. In this paper, a 15-level isolated multilevel inverter topology requiring only thirteen switches is proposed. The envisaged configuration includes two cells, designated as upper and lower cells. The upper cell includes a standard H-bridge, and the lower cell is a switched capacitor-based 5level inverter. The outputs of the lower and upper cells are supplied to the load through single-phase isolation transformers. The proposed single-phase isolated inverter requires reduced switches to generate 15-level AC output voltage with a voltage gain of 7. In comparison to the MLIs mentioned in the literature, the switches connected in the proposed inverter experienced less voltage stress. The proposed inverter construction is contrasted with state-of-the-art MLIs described in the literature. PLECS software is used to simulate the inverter under various working environments, the proposed MLI able to maintain capacitor voltage balance and generate good power quality even at low values of modulation index. The experimental results achieved on a low-power laboratory prototype are utilized to validate the proposed inverter’s performance. The claimed efficiency of the inverter calculated using simulation results is found to be 97.1%. However, the efficiency calculated using experimental results is 96.4% at 700W.

  • Singlet oxygen-dominated peroxymonosulfate activation by layered crednerite for organic pollutants degradation in high salinity wastewater
    • Chengji Sui
    • Zixuan Nie
    • Huan Liu
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    • Weizhen Liu
    • Lingshuai Kong
    • Jinhua Zhan
    2024 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-CHINA

    Advanced oxidation processes have been widely studied for organic pollutants treatment in water, but the degradation performance of radical-dominated pathway was severely inhibited by the side reactions between the anions and radicals, especially in high salinity conditions. Here, a singlet oxygen (1O2)-dominated non-radical process was developed for organic pollutants degradation in high salinity wastewater, with layered crednerite (CuMnO2) as catalysts and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) as oxidant. Based on the experiments and density functional theory calculations, 1O2 was the dominating reactive species and the constructed Cu-O-Mn with electron-deficient Mn captured electron from PMS promoting the generation of 1O2. The rapid degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) was achieved by CuMnO2/PMS system, which was 5-fold and 21-fold higher than that in Mn2O3/PMS system and Cu2O/PMS system. The CuMnO2/PMS system shown prominent BPA removal performance under high salinity conditions, prominent PMS utilization efficiency, outstanding total organic carbon removal rate, wide range of applicable pH and good stability. This work unveiled that the 1O2-dominated non-radical process of CuMnO2/PMS system overcame the inhibitory effect of anions in high salinity conditions, which provided a promising technique to remove organic pollutants from high saline wastewater.

  • Sintering Parameter Investigation for Bimetallic Stainless Steel 316L/Inconel 718 Composite Printed by Dual-Nozzle Fused Deposition Modeling
    • Cho-pei Jiang
    • Masrurotin Masrurotin
    • Maziar Ramezani
    • Alvian Toto Wibisono
    • Ehsan Toyserkani
    • Wojciech Macek
    2024 Full text RAPID PROTOTYPING JOURNAL

    Fused deposition modeling (FDM) nowadays offers promising future applications for fabricating not only thermoplastic-based polymers but also composite PLA/Metal alloy materials, this capability bridges the need for metallic components in complex manufacturing processes. The research is to explore the manufacturability of multi-metal parts by printing green bodies of PLA/multi-metal objects, carrying these objects to the debinding process, and varying the sintering parameters. Three different sample types of SS316L part, Inconel 718 part, and bimetallic composite of SS316L/IN718 were effectively printed. After the debinding process, the printed parts (green bodies), were isothermally sintered in non-vacuum chamber to investigate the fusion behavior at four different temperatures in the range of 1270°C -1530°C for 12 hours and slowly cooled in the furnace. All samples was assessed including geometrical assessment to measure the shrinkage, characterization (XRD) to identify the crystallinity of the compound, and microstructural evolution (Optical microscopy and SEM) to explore the porosity and morphology on the surface. The hardness of each sample types was measured and compared. The sintering parameter was optimized according to the microstructural evaluation on the interface of SS316L/IN718 composite. The investigation indicated that the de-binding of all the samples was effectively succeeded through less weight until 16% when the PLA of green bodies was successfully evaporated. The morphology result shows evidence of an effective sintering process to have the grain boundaries in all samples, while multi-metal parts clearly displayed the interface. Furthermore, the result of XRD shows the tendency of lower crystallinity in SS316L parts, whilst IN718 has a high crystallinity. The optimal sintering temperature for SS316L/IN718 parts is 1500 ⁰C. The hardness test concludes that the higher sintering temperature gives a higher hardness result. This study highlights the successful sintering of a bimetallic stainless steel 316L/Inconel 718 composite, fabricated via dual-nozzle fused deposition modeling, in a non-vacuum environment at 1500°C. The resulting material displayed maximum hardness values of 872 HV for SS316L and 755.5 HV for IN718, with both materials exhibiting excellent fusion without any cracks.

  • Sleep alterations in treatment-resistant depression patients undergoing ketamine treatment
    • Aleksander Kwaśny
    • Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
    • Adam Włodarczyk
    • Krzysztof Pastuszak
    2024 Pharmacological Reports

    Background This study examines self-reported sleep alterations in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) inpatients following intravenous ketamine administration. Methods This is a post-hoc analysis of a naturalistic observational study, which enrolled 28 inpatients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and analyzed self-reported sleep changes (items 1–4; ‘insomnia’, ‘nighttime restlessness’, ‘early morning waking’, ‘hypersomnia’) in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology 30-item (IDS SR-30) in responders and non-responders stratified per Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) during short-term ketamine treatment. Results Responders, as well as non-responders, did not experience significant changes in IDS SR-30 sleep items (‘insomnia’, ‘nighttime restlessness’, ‘early morning waking’, ‘hypersomnia’) (p’s > 0.05) at 7-day follow-up after eight intravenous ketamine infusions as compared to baseline. Conclusion Neither responders, nor non-responders reported any significant alterations in sleep patterns during ketamine infusions. These findings are not in line with current literature, as so far modest improvements in sleep during ketamine treatment have been reported. Results should be interpreted with caution, primarily due to the small sample size.

  • Smart Karyotyping Image Selection Based on Commonsense Knowledge Reasoning
    • Yufeng Xu
    • Lei Shi
    • Juan Wang
    • Haoxi Zhang
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    2024 Full text CYBERNETICS AND SYSTEMS

    Karyotyping requires chromosome instances to be segmented and classified from the metaphase images. One of the difficulties in chromosome segmentation is that the chromosomes are randomly positioned in the image, and there is a great chance for chromosomes to be touched or overlap with others. It is always much easier for operators and automatic programs to tackle images without overlapping chromosomes than ones with largely overlapped chromosomes. In order to reduce the processing difficulty, adding a smart image selection procedure ahead of segmentation is practical and necessary. In this paper, we introduce the Smart Karyotyping Image Selection (SKIS) based on Commonsense Knowledge Reasoning. The initial experiment demonstrates that the proposed approach can select the expected images based on reasoning and benefit following karyotyping processes.

  • Smartphone-Assisted and Optical Quantification of Copper and Glucose Using Palm Wine-Tailored Carbon Dots and Their Multiple Logic Gate Application
    • Anisha Mandal
    • Subrahmanyam Sappati
    • Ankita Karmakar
    • Supratim Pradhan
    • Iwona Gabriel
    • Swambabu Varanasi
    2024 ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering

    In this work, potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine self-doped carbon dots (CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using palm wine as a carbon source. The palm wine-derived CDs (PW-CDs) are amorphous in nature and displayed an average particle size of 4.19 ± 0.89 nm. The as-synthesized CDs are used to fabricate a photoluminescent sensing probe to simultaneously detect Cu2+ and glucose via the “Turn ON−OFF−ON” mechanism. The PL quenching mechanism of PW-CDs enables the selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ ions with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.8 ppb (4.7 nM). The sensing probe quantified Cu2+ in tap water, drinking water, and e-waste samples to prove its viability. Using CDs to quantify copper in e-waste leachate samples is a novel approach as no prior instances of such application have been reported. The system’s performance is considered to be highly reproducible due to the relative standard deviation being <6.64%, along with excellent recoveries within the range of 3.24−109.86%. The quenched PL can be recovered by introducing glucose into the PW-CD + Cu2+ system; this strategy is employed to quantify glucose with a LOD of 0.11 ppm (0.61 μM). The feasibility of this sensor was confirmed by the determination of glucose in actual human plasma specimens of diabetic patients. It is to be noted that these samples were neither diluted nor spiked with glucose. The developed PW-CD + Cu2+ sensing system yields satisfactory recoveries of 93.45−107.37%. This probe was also incorporated into a smartphone-based sensing platform to detect Cu2+ and glucose with desirable recoveries. The proposed smartphone-based sensing platform is flexible, reliable, and accurate, making it suitable for resource-constrained areas. Furthermore, based on the effect of Cu2+ ions and glucose on the PL response and absorbance spectra of PW-CDs, four logic gates (YES, IMPLICATION, NOT, and OR) were designed, and PW-CDs were also used for cell imaging applications.

  • Smartphone-based digital image colorimetry for the determination of total capsaicinoid content in chili pepper extracts
    • Khrystyna Vakh
    • Zarina Mallabaeva
    • Marek Tobiszewski
    2024 SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY

    A simple smartphone-based digital image colorimetry was proposed for the determination of total capsaicinoid content and the assessment of chili pepper pungency. The biobased solvent D-limonene was used for the first time to isolate analytes. Capsaicinoids were efficiently separated from chili pepper by solid-liquid extraction with D-limonene followed by partitioning of the analytes into the ammonium hydroxide solution to eliminate the matrix interference effect. For colorimetric detection of total capsaicinoid content, a selective chromogenic reaction was performed using Gibbs reagent (2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide). Measurements were performed using a smartphone-based setup and included image analysis with the program ImageJ. The limit of detection of the proposed procedure was 0.15 mg g-1. The intra-day repeatability did not exceed 10.0%. The inter-day repeatability was less than 16.5 %. The comparison of the smartphone-based procedure with high-performance liquid chromatography showed satisfactory results.

  • Smooth least absolute deviation estimators for outlier-proof identification
    • Janusz Kozłowski
    • Zdzisław Kowalczuk
    2024 Full text MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING

    The paper proposes to identify the parameters of linear dynamic models based on the original implementation of least absolute deviation estimators. It is known that the object estimation procedures synthesized in the sense of the least sum of absolute prediction errors are particularly resistant to occasional outliers and gaps in the analyzed system data series, while the classical least squares procedure unfortunately becomes of little use for reliably identifying systems in the presence of destructive measurement errors. Bearing in mind that the classic task of minimizing the quality functional of absolute deviations encounters fundamental analytical problems, it is proposed to use a dedicated iterative estimator for off-line evaluation of the parameters of the analyzed process. In addition, a simplified recursive version of the absolute deviation estimation procedure was developed, which allows for practical on-line tracking of the evolution of variable parameters of non-stationary systems. Importantly, a novel refinement of the discussed absolute deviation estimators was proposed to effectively overcome some inconvenient numerical effects. We also present an interesting comparison of the improved (by non-linear modification) iterative absolute-deviation estimator with the classical Gauss-Newton gradient algorithm, which leads to constructive conclusions. Finally, using computer simulations, the operation of the developed iterative and recursive estimators minimizing the absolute deviation is illustrated. The work ends with an indication of directions for further research.

  • Social Media in the Fashion Industry. Fundamentals, Strategy and Research Methods
    • SanMiguel Patricia
    • Harley Tekila Nobile
    • Cristina Sánchez-Blanco
    • Nadzeya Sabatini
    2024

    This book introduces social network fundamentals in the fashion domain. It addresses the creation of social media marketing plans, highlighting strategic approaches that allow fashion brands to differentiate themselves in the ephemeral and challenging fashion context. Through a variety of academic and professional sources and by sharing the results of their own research, the authors present research methodologies, including netnography, visual, sentiment, and argumentation analysis, for developing rigorous studies to gain social media insights that can be useful for decision-making and value creation. The book also discusses future trends regarding social media management in the fashion domain via interviews with senior fashion experts. This cutting-edge book that combines theory and practice will appeal to undergraduate and master students across a broad range of fields including fashion studies, marketing, digital marketing, and communication and to young professionals who are starting to work in social media. In addition, this book is also developed for young researchers and PhD students employing social media analysis in their studies.

  • Society 4.0: Issues, Challenges, Approaches, and Enabling Technologies
    • Edward Szczerbicki
    • Ngoc Thanh Nguyen
    2024 Full text CYBERNETICS AND SYSTEMS

    This guest edition of Cybernetics and Systems is a broadening continuation of our last year edition titled “Intelligence Augmentation and Amplification: Approaches, Tools, and Case Studies”. This time we cover research perspective extending towards what is known as Society 4.0. Bob de Vit brought the concept of Society 4.0 to life in his book “Society 4.0 – resolving eight key issues to build a citizens society”. From the Systems Science point of view, one of this concept’s enabling technologies mechanisms would be Semantic Web driven by Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Intelligence, Digital Twin, Platform Economies, Internet of Things, Smart Social Networks, Machine Learning/Deep Learning, and Cyber Physical Systems. With the help and progress in these research themes and technologies, business, commerce, production etc. would become increasingly smarter, and machines talking to machines would handle most of our daily activities, including decision-making, sustainability, wellbeing, and security. The aim of this Guest Edition of Cybernetics and Systems is to address some aspects in this global transformation path of our society

  • Soft Tissue Retraction Maneuver in Cone Beam Computed Tomography Prior to Crown-Lengthening Procedure—A Technical Note
    • Paulina Adamska
    • Marcin Stasiak
    • Wojciech Dąbrowski
    • Dorota Pylińska-Dąbrowska
    • Łukasz Adamski
    • Adam Zedler
    • Ewa Kozłowska
    • Michal Studniarek
    2024 Full text Journal of Clinical Medicine

    Background: An accurate determination of the biological width and the relationship of the cemento-enamel junction with the border of the alveolar bone is crucial during a clinical crown-lengthening (CCL) procedure. The aim of this study was to present a technical note about the retraction techniques in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) prior to CCL, highlighting the significant enhancement in procedural accuracy and predictability that these techniques offer. Methods: Clinical and radiological examinations should be performed before a CCL procedure. It is necessary to determine the length of the tooth crowns, the periodontal pockets’ depth, and the phenotype of the gingiva. The ideal CBCT examination should be performed with soft tissue retraction. This can be achieved using retractors or cotton rolls. Results: Retraction of the lips, cheeks, and tongue allows one to assess the marginal gingiva, the cemento-enamel junction, and the alveolar bone. A detailed plan of the CCL procedure, which involves retraction, ensures both the aesthetic appeal and the achievement of a newly defined gingival zenith, enhancing the overall visual harmony. Conclusions: Compared with conventional radiographic imaging, the soft tissue retraction maneuver in CBCT prior to CCL surgery offers an effective approach to the evaluation and diagnosis of soft and hard tissue. This is because of the detailed planning of the aesthetic CCL procedure. Such an approach leads to superior aesthetic outcomes in dentistry, contributing to the advancement of aesthetic dentistry through a harmonious blend of art and science.

  • Solid and liquid fractionation of sugarcane and Agave bagasse during ozonolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis: Impact on biohydrogen and biogas production
    • Jacobo Pérez-Barragán
    • Octavio García-Depraect
    • Rafael Maya-Yescas
    • Ramiro Vallejo-Rodríguez
    • Hasbleidy Palacios-Hinestroza
    • Mónica Coca
    • Roberto Castro Munoz
    • Elizabeth León-Becerril
    2024 INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS

    Sustainable and cost-efficient lignocellulosic biomass-to-energy bioprocesses require assessing the main components released during biomass fractionation. This study assessed the mesophilic biochemical potential of biohydrogen (BHP) and methane production (BMP) from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and cooked (CAB) and uncooked (UAB) Agave bagasse. A systematic comparative analysis was performed for the liquid and solid fractions derived from classical enzymatic hydrolysis and ozonolysis-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis. Ozonolysis partially delignified the materials tested while preserving most fermentable sugars and avoiding the generation of inhibitors. During hydrolysis, ozonolysis also led to higher sugar yields and organic matter solubilization regardless of the bagasse type. Hydrolysates with ozonated material showed the highest BHP of 135, 94 and 105 NmL-H2/g-VSfed and BMP of 250, 269 and 247 NmL-CH4/g-VSfed, for SCB, CAB, and UAB, respectively. The total amount of energy harvested was dependent on the material tested and the biomass conversion process applied. Compared with raw material, ozonolysis, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, increased both the BHP and BMP by 153–371% and 5–53%, respectively.

  • Solubility enhancement of metronidazole using natural deep eutectic solvents: Physicochemical and thermodynamic studies
    • Adrian Szewczyk
    • Dorota Warmińska
    • Jakub Ruszkowski
    • Michał Szymankiewicz
    • Magdalena Prokopowicz
    2024 JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS

    This research aimed to explore the utility of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) as the co-solvents for slightly water-soluble metronidazole (MNZ). After testing 70 wt% (percentage by weight) aqueous mixtures of seven NADESs, it was found that MNZ had the highest solubility in water solutions of NADES composed of choline chloride (ChCl) and citric acid (CA). The solubility of MNZ (expressed as 103 mol fraction) increased with the concentration of ChCl:CA NADES (from 6.7743 to 26.8518 at 298.5 K, for 30 and 70 wt% NADES-water mixtures, respectively), and it was more effective when compared to aqueous solutions of individual NADES components with wt% corresponding to these in the NADES-water mixtures. The study also found a preferable mixing of MNZ with aqueous solutions of NADES reflected by negative values of standard molar enthalpy change of mixing (approx. − 4.2 kJ·mol−1), compared with positive values in the case of MNZ mixing with water or ChCl aqueous solutions (approx. 7.3 kJ·mol−1). Comparative research conducted on the volume and acoustics of MNZ in water and aqueous solutions of ChCl, CA, and ChCl:CA NADES also confirmed stronger interactions between the drug and NADES and CA. The dominant interactions between MNZ and co-solvent were hydrophilic-hydrophobic and hydrophobic-hydrophobic. This effect increased in the following strength order: ChCl < NADES < CA. In conclusion, the obtained NADES seems to be a promising co-solvent which provides solid grounds for further research to evaluate the full potential in pharmaceutical design of MNZ liquid formulations.

  • Sonocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol A from aquatic matrices over Pd/CeO2 nanoparticles: Kinetics study, transformation products, and toxicity
    • Alexandra A. Ioannidi
    • Georgios Bampos
    • Maria Antonopoulou
    • Paula Oulego
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    • Dionisios Mantzavinos
    • Zacharias Frontistis
    2024 SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

    In this work, different ratios of palladium – cerium oxide (Pd/CeO2) catalyst were synthesized and characterized, while their sonocatalytic activity was evaluated for the degradation of the xenobiotic Bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. Sonocatalytic activity expressed as BPA decomposition exhibited a volcano-type behavior in relation to the Pd loading, and the 0.25Pd/CeO2 catalyst characterized by the maximum Pd dispersion and lower crystallite size demonstrated the higher activity. Using 500 mg/L of 0.25 % Pd/CeO2 increased the kinetic constant for BPA destruction by more than two times compared to sonolysis alone (20 kHz at 71 W/L). Meanwhile, the simultaneous use of ultrasound and a catalyst enhanced the efficiency by 50.1 % compared to the sum of the individual processes, resulting in 95 % BPA degradation in 60 min. The sonocatalytic degradation of BPA followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the apparent kinetic constant was increased with ultrasound power and catalyst loading, while the efficiency was decreased in bottled water and secondary effluent. From the experiments that were conducted using appropriate scavengers, it was revealed that the degradation mainly occurred on the bubble/liquid interface of the formed cavities, while the reactive species produced from the thermal or light excitation of the prepared semiconductor also participated in the reaction. Five first-stage and four late-stage transformation products were identified using UHPLC/TOF-MS, and a pathway for the sonocatalytic degradation of BPA was proposed. According to ECOSAR software prediction, most transformation by-products (TBPs) present lower ecotoxicity than the parent compound, although some remain toxic to the indicators chosen.