SeparationsPub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.3390/separations11080220
Jianqiang Hei, Jianjun Wang, Jin Wang, Daoqi Zhang, Wenting Song, Hang Xun, Xuefeng Guo, Xi Yao
{"title":"Five Significant Phenols from Phyllostachys glauca McClure Leaves Extracted Using Ultrasound-Assisted Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction","authors":"Jianqiang Hei, Jianjun Wang, Jin Wang, Daoqi Zhang, Wenting Song, Hang Xun, Xuefeng Guo, Xi Yao","doi":"10.3390/separations11080220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11080220","url":null,"abstract":"Phyllostachys glauca McClure leaves (PML), as economical natural product material, contain abundant phenols, particularly flavonoids, with significant biological activities that contribute to their widespread applications in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. To study the significant phenols in PML, an ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction method with high efficiency and low toxicity was established for extracting the phenols from PML and the bamboo leaves of 17 other bamboo species. Using the Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) method, the content of phenols in the leaves of the 18 bamboo species was determined. PML were found to contain neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isoorientin, and orientin at contents of 0.793 ± 00.17 mg/g, 0.491 ± 0.0081 mg/g, 0.485 ± 0.0043 mg/g, 0.465 ± 0.0021 mg/g, and 0.044 ± 0.0005 mg/g, respectively, with a total content of 2.278 mg/g. These contents were significantly higher than those found in the leaves of 17 other bamboo species. Additionally, the significant phenols, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid were found simultaneously in the leaves of 15 bamboo species, especially in PML. Therefore, PML can be viewed as the natural product material with considerable application values, owing to its abundant phenols, and can exhibit its importance in utilizing neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid as resources.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"38 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141813327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.3390/separations11080221
Myriam Chems, L. A. González-Fernández, Manuel Sanchez Polo, A. Anouar, Ventura Castillo Ramos
{"title":"Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Triclosan and Methylene Blue by Synthesized Ag-Loaded ZnO under UV Light","authors":"Myriam Chems, L. A. González-Fernández, Manuel Sanchez Polo, A. Anouar, Ventura Castillo Ramos","doi":"10.3390/separations11080221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11080221","url":null,"abstract":"Industrial discharge of hazardous organic and synthetic chemicals, such as antibacterials and dyes, poses severe risks to human health and the environment. This study was conducted to address the urgent need for efficient and stable zinc-oxide-based photocatalysts to degrade such pollutants. A novel approach to synthesizing silver-loaded zinc oxide (Ag@Z) catalysts was introduced by using a simple and efficient combination of hydrothermal and precipitation methods. Comprehensive characterization of Ag@Z photocatalysts was performed using XRD, XPS, Raman, UV–vis adsorption, FTIR, and SEM, revealing an enhancement of structural, optical, and morphological properties in comparison to pure zinc oxide. Notably, the 5%Ag@Z catalyst exhibited the highest degradation efficiency among the other synthesized catalysts under UV-C light irradiation, and enhanced the degradation rate of pure zinc oxide (Z) by 1.14 and 1.64 times, for Triclosan (TCS) and Methylene Blue (MB), respectively. the effect of catalyst dose and initial concentration was studied. A mechanism of degradation was proposed after investigating the effect of major reactive species. The 5%Ag@Z catalyst increased the photostability, which is a major problem of zinc oxide due to photocorrosion after reusability. We found that 50% and 74% of energy consumption for the photocatalytic degradation of TCS and MB by 5%Ag@Z, respectively, was saved in compassion with zinc oxide. The remarkable photocatalytic performance and the good recovery rate of Ag@Z photocatalysts demonstrate their high potential for photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants in water.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"127 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141811644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hydrogen–Water Isotope Catalytic Exchange Process Analysis by Simulation","authors":"Jingwei Hou, Jiamao Li, Chengjian Xiao, Heyi Wang, Shuming Peng","doi":"10.3390/separations11070219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11070219","url":null,"abstract":"The hydrogen–water isotope catalytic exchange process has been widely applied in the tritium-containing water treatment process. It can be compared and analyzed conveniently with process simulation software. In this study, the catalytic exchange process was simulated by Aspen Plus software (V11). According to the simulation results, the main reaction process was that HDO in the liquid phase converts into HD in the gas phase, and the reaction mainly occurred at the bottom of the column, exhibiting a two-orders-of-magnitude-higher reaction amount compared to that observed in the top section. Different side reactions occur at distinct positions along the column, exhibiting a reaction amount that is lower by one to two orders of magnitude compared to the main reaction and aligning in the same direction as the main reaction. The optimum operating temperature is 60~80 °C, with the best performance observed at 70 °C, because of the large reaction equilibrium constant and the suitable ratio of vapor to hydrogen (1:4~1:1.5) in the gas phase. The influence of the residence time was investigated by introducing reaction kinetic equations. The residence time should be more than 1 s to ensure an adequate reaction. The influence of operating conditions on the hydrogen–water isotope catalytic exchange process can be deeply investigated by process simulation, and more mass transfer process quantities can be obtained. It plays a promoting role in guiding the process design and condition optimization.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141817273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparison of Scenedesmus obliquus in CO2 Capture, Biolipid Production and Nutrient Removal","authors":"Wenwen Cao, Hongfei Yu, Wei Dong, Zijia Rong, Dianbao Peng, Fukun Chen, Lixin Li","doi":"10.3390/separations11070218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11070218","url":null,"abstract":"The cultivation of microalgae from municipal wastewater, while simultaneously removing nutrients from the water column, has the potential to aid biodiesel production and carbon dioxide fixation, thereby alleviating the pressure of energy shortages. In this research, different ratios of sodium bicarbonate and glucose were used to prepare simulated municipal wastewater. The results demonstrated that microalgae were most effectively treated under one-stage direct treatment conditions. During direct culture, the most effective treatment was observed for IAA-3, which exhibited a dry weight of 1.4363 g/L and a lipid content of 25.05% after stimulation with 0.0005 M NaHCO3. In contrast, NaHCO3-2 demonstrated optimal performance during the secondary culture, with a dry weight of 1.6844 g/L and a lipid content of 18.05%. Finally, the economic, social and environmental benefits of direct treatment (IAA-3) and secondary treatment NaHCO3-2 were analyzed. The benefits of direct treatment were found to be USD 0.50989/L, while those of secondary treatment were USD 0.43172/L. For each tonne of municipal wastewater treated, the carbon sequestration benefits of IAA-3 during direct treatment and NaHCO3-2 during secondary treatment were USD 0.45645 and USD 0.85725, respectively.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"4 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141816392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-07-19DOI: 10.3390/separations11070217
N. Paucar, Shanae Van Leuven, Karl De Jesus, Srinath Pashikanti, Sameena Mateen, S. Pradhan, Kavita Sharma
{"title":"Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Desacetylmatricarin Derivatives Isolated from Basin Big Sagebrush","authors":"N. Paucar, Shanae Van Leuven, Karl De Jesus, Srinath Pashikanti, Sameena Mateen, S. Pradhan, Kavita Sharma","doi":"10.3390/separations11070217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11070217","url":null,"abstract":"Desacetylmatricarin, a sesquiterpene lactone (SL), is the major component extracted from the aerial parts of basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata). The medicinal benefits of desacetylmatricarin have not been fully exploited; thus, the current study is an exploratory study to assess its biological activity as a potential source for anti-cancer properties. Herein, we have synthesized desacetylmatricarin derivatives using reported methodologies and examined their anti-cancer properties by submitting the synthesized compounds to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Our previous studies on the evaluation of the biological activity of the SLs isolated from the basin big sagebrush against the NCI-60 cancer cell line screening expanded our work on derivatizing desacetylmatricarin. All of the compounds synthesized from desacetylmatricarin, which was isolated and purified from the basin big sagebrush, were obtained in high yields. The structures of the synthesized desacetylmatricarin derivatives were confirmed by NMR experiments. These compounds were then evaluated against the NCI-60 cancer cell line screening. NCI-60 cancer cell line screening revealed that some of the chemically modified desacetylmatricarin derivatives showed greater biological activity as compared to the natural precursor in a one-dose assay.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"123 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141821898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhanced Degradation of Carbamazepine from Constructed Wetlands with a PEC System Based on an Anode of N-TiO2 Nanocrystal-Modified TiO2 Nanotubes and an Activated Carbon Photocathode","authors":"Xiongwei Liang, Shaopeng Yu, Bo Meng, Jia Liu, Chunxue Yang, Chuanqi Shi, Junnan Ding","doi":"10.3390/separations11070216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11070216","url":null,"abstract":"We used the Vienna ab initio Simulation Package (VASP), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and diffuse reflectance (DRS) to optimize anode material for a photoelectric catalytic system. After screening how the doping of TiO2 by N and S affects its photoelectric properties, N-doped TiO2 was selected to fabricate the photoelectron catalytic (PEC) system. TiO2 nanotubes modified by N-doped TiO2 nanocrystals and activated carbon were used as an anode and as a photocathode, respectively, to decompose carbamazepine in water samples from the constructed wetlands. The calculations showed that the N-TiO2 NCs/TNTAs-AC/PTFE system had the highest content of •OH. The highest carbamazepine removal rate under the N-TiO2 NCs/TNTAs-AC/PTFE composite presence was at pH = 8, and 69% of carbamazepine was removed within 180 min of the constructed wetland water treatment at pH = 7.8. The PEC system containing modified (with nano N-TiO2) TiO2 nanotubes as an anode and activated carbon as a photocathode can effectively decompose carbamazepine in the constructed wetlands.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":" 616","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141823826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-06-03DOI: 10.3390/separations11060175
Jing Liu, Aqian Chang, Hu Peng, Xingbin Yin, Xiaoxv Dong, Changhai Qu, Jian Ni
{"title":"Phytochemical Identification and Anti-Oxidative Stress Effects Study of Cimicifugae Rhizoma Extract and Its Major Component Isoferulic Acid","authors":"Jing Liu, Aqian Chang, Hu Peng, Xingbin Yin, Xiaoxv Dong, Changhai Qu, Jian Ni","doi":"10.3390/separations11060175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11060175","url":null,"abstract":"Background and Objectives: Cimicifugae Rhizoma, also known as ‘Sheng ma’ in Madeiran, is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine that has several pharmacological qualities, one of which is its antioxidant activity. Isoferulic acid, a prominent phenolic compound found in Cimicifugae Rhizoma, has potent antioxidant properties. This study was aimed to comprehensively analyze the components in Cimicifugae Rhizoma and rat plasma to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid as potential candidates for developing herbal formulations targeting podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy for further clinical utilization. Materials and Methods: UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and HPLC were utilized as analytical tools to identify components of Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract or rat plasma after administrating it. MPC5 cells were cultured with H2O2 and high glucose and subjected to oxidative stress injury. The CXCL12/CXCR4 system plays a crucial role at certain stages of multiple kidney diseases’ injury. Apoptosis-related and target CXCL12/CXCR4/mTOR/Caspase-3 and Cask protein levels were assessed, and the levels of inflammatory-related factors, motility, morphology, ROS level, and apoptosis in podocytes were tested. Results: A total of 82 and 39 components were identified in the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and plasma, and Isoferulic acid content was determined as 6.52 mg/g in the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract. The Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract (1 μg/mL) and Isoferulic acid (10, 25, 50 μM) considerably decreased high glucose and oxidative-stress-mediated toxicity, impaired mobility and adhesion and apoptotic changes in MPC5 cells, and reversed inflammation response. Moreover, the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid down-regulated Cask, mTOR, and Caspase-3, while significantly blocking the overactivation of CXCL12/CXCR4 in podocytes stimulated by oxidative stress and high glucose. Conclusions: These results indicate that the renal protective mechanism of the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid on simulating H2O2-induced podocyte injury involves mainly the of CXCL12/CXCR4 pathways and the inactivation of oxidative-stress-mediated apoptotic pathways after comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and HPLC. These findings provide an important efficacy and ingredient basis for further study on the clinical utilities of Cimicifugae Rhizoma and Isoferulic acid on podocyte and kidney impairment.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141272959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-06-02DOI: 10.3390/separations11060174
Christiana Mantzourani, Eleni Kakouri, Konstantinos Palikaras, P. Tarantilis, Maroula G. Kokotou
{"title":"Urolithins and Their Precursors Ellagic Acid and Ellagitannins: Natural Sources, Extraction and Methods for Their Determination","authors":"Christiana Mantzourani, Eleni Kakouri, Konstantinos Palikaras, P. Tarantilis, Maroula G. Kokotou","doi":"10.3390/separations11060174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11060174","url":null,"abstract":"In the present review, we discuss the occurrence of ellagitannins (ETs) and ellagic acid (EA) and methods for their isolation from plant materials. We summarize analytical methods, including high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet (HPLC–UV) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), for the determination of ETs, EA and their bioactive metabolites urolithins (Uros) in samples of plant and food origin, as well as in biological samples, such as plasma, urine and feces. In addition, the current interest in the bioactivities of Uros is discussed in brief.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"41 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141273777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-06-02DOI: 10.3390/separations11060173
Sachiko Osada, Seira Takahashi, Kazuto Sazawa, H. Kuramitz, Nozomi Kohama, Takuya Okazaki, Shigeru Taguchi, N. Hata
{"title":"In Situ Formed Organic Ion-Associate Liquid-Phase Microextraction without Centrifugation from Aqueous Solutions Using Thymol Blue and Estrogens","authors":"Sachiko Osada, Seira Takahashi, Kazuto Sazawa, H. Kuramitz, Nozomi Kohama, Takuya Okazaki, Shigeru Taguchi, N. Hata","doi":"10.3390/separations11060173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11060173","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we present a method for ion-associated liquid phase (IALP) separation and concentration of analytes from an aqueous matrix into an IALP formed in situ by the charge neutralization reaction of organic cations and anions, without centrifugation. The effects of various factors on the extraction efficiency and other parameters are investigated, whereas no instrumental stirring, such as vortexing or ultrasonics, is required because the solvent (IALP) is formed in situ. The organic cation and anion used are ethylhexyloxypropylammonium and dodecyl sulfate, respectively. The developed in situ IALP microextraction method for phase separation without centrifugation is tested using the thymol blue dye and several endocrine disruptors. The tested endocrine disruptors (bisphenol A, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and estrone) are analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection, with respective detection limits of 0.02, 0.02, 0.02, and 0.4 μg L−1, and the corresponding enrichment factor ranging from 47 to 71. This IALP microextraction method can be used to separate and concentrate environmental water samples of different matrices. The employed IALP is fast and easy to use, enables an approximately 100-fold analyte concentration, and has a high affinity for estrogens, thus holding promise for the separation, concentration, and quantitation of diverse trace analytes.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"29 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141273569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SeparationsPub Date : 2024-06-01DOI: 10.3390/separations11060171
O. Cioancă, Ionut-Iulian Lungu, Ioana Mita-Baciu, S. Robu, Ana Flavia Burlec, M. Hancianu, F. Crivoi
{"title":"Extraction and Purification of Catechins from Tea Leaves: An Overview of Methods, Advantages, and Disadvantages","authors":"O. Cioancă, Ionut-Iulian Lungu, Ioana Mita-Baciu, S. Robu, Ana Flavia Burlec, M. Hancianu, F. Crivoi","doi":"10.3390/separations11060171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/separations11060171","url":null,"abstract":"This review study explores the complex methods involved in the extraction and purification of polyphenols, specifically catechins, prominent compounds that are bioactive and found in plant-based extracts and foods like tea. This study also addresses the challenges that may arise from the complex chemical structure of catechins and their inherent variability across botanical sources. Despite these shortcomings and obstacles, catechins and catechin derivatives present significant potential, particularly in healthcare but also in the food industry. Their enhanced antioxidant properties have been exhaustively investigated and associated with countless health benefits, making them promising agents with numerous applications, most notably in healthcare against chronic diseases. Furthermore, catechins have numerous applications across various industries, including food and beverage, cosmetics, agriculture, and materials science. This review is a compilation of the most notable and recent research found in the literature and emphasizes the importance of continued research and innovation in catechin separation, extraction, and utilization, which hold promise for advancing human health and technological progress across multiple domains.","PeriodicalId":510456,"journal":{"name":"Separations","volume":"12 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141279594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}