ALBERT

Description: Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have recently been a point of interest for many researchers due to their properties. However, the studies on the influence of bacteriophages on the synthesis of MNPs seem to be lacking. Furthermore, bacteriophage-modified MNPs have not been combined with n-alkyl quaternary ammonium ionic liquid precursors (QAS). In this study, the aim was to assess the influence of two distinctly different bacteriophages (Escherichia phage P1 and Pseudomonas phage Φ6) on MNPs synthesis in the presence or absence of QAS. Synthesized MNPs have been characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy in terms of changes in the crystallographic structure; scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for changes in the morphology; and ζ-potential. Moreover, the sorption parameters and the loss of viability of bacteria that interacted with MNPs have been determined. The sorption of bacteria differs significantly among the tested samples. Furthermore, the viability of the bacteria adsorbed on MNPs varies in the presence of QAS, depending on the length of the n-alkyl chain. The study has revealed that MNPs can be bound with bacteriophages. Mössbauer spectroscopy has also revealed the probable influence of bacteriophages on the formation of crystals. However, these phenomena require further studies.

Description: Fluorite-rich sludge is the main waste from dicalcium phosphate (DCP) production. This sludge consists of 40–60% of CaF2, which precipitates during the reaction between fluorapatite (the main component of raw phosphorite material) and HCl. In addition, the sludge contains elevated amounts of critical elements such as REEs. In this study, two industrial sites producing DCP in Spain were studied to assess the potential valorization of these sludges. Currently, almost 2 Mt of waste remains landfilled in these sites. The concentrations of Y, La, Nd, Dy, and Gd found within the residues are about 1100 ppm, 450 ppm, 300 ppm, 80 ppm, and 75 ppm, respectively. Fluorite, being the host mineral of the REEs, occurs as very fine-grained spherules (〈5 μm) that are smaller than other minerals in the waste (quartz, gypsum), favoring the options of hydrometallurgical separation. REEs extraction from the fluorite could be an advantageous option, if separated from uranium, which is the main environmental concern of the future valorization of this kind of waste.

Description: Nanostructural hydroxyapatite (HAp) with a uniform rod-like shapes sized in 8 ± 1 nm diameter and 45 ± 9 nm length was prepared within the facile and cost-effective co-precipitation technique as a porous platform for the immobilization and release of an anticancer drug – 5-fluorouracil. The HAp was stabilized with the biologically active curcuminoids directly extracted from Curcuma longa L. rhizome such as curcumin (curcumin I), demethoxycurcumin (curcumin II), bisdemethoxycurcumin (curcumin III). Due to the high surface: volume ratio HAp offered a high intake of biologically active compounds. Turbidimetry results confirmed the stability of the aqueous suspension of the modified HAp. In vitro tests on SKOV-3 and HepG2 model cell lines examined by MTS assay lines revealed the cytotoxicity of nanocomposite loaded with drug and curcuminoids. In addition, Langmuir trough method was used to study the effect of proposed nanocomposite on biomimetic membranes.

Description: The subject of this work was supergene uranium mineralization and the YREE concentrations within. YREE differentiation patterns were used to recreate the prevailing crystallization conditions of abandoned mine dumps in Kromnów, Kopaniec, and Radoniów, located in the Izera Metamorphic Complex, Sudetes Mts. The collected samples were investigated using PXRD, SEM-EDS, and EPMA. YREE concentrations were measured using LA-ICP-MS. The secondary uranium mineralization from these locations consists of phosphates (meta-autunite, meta-torbernite, metauranocircite-I, saleéite, bassetite, phosphuranylite), arsenates (zeunerite), silicates (uranophane, sklodowskite), and uranyl hydroxides (likely becquerelite). Moreover, in Radoniów, phosphuranylite was found; it had not been found in Poland previously. Uranyl mineral assemblages indicate the diversity of chemistry of their mother solutions and suggest their weakly acidic character. The YREE content in secondary uranium minerals also reflects the pore solutions’ chemistry variation. The negative Y anomaly is observed in all uranyl phases. Similar behavior of Sm is also noted, excluding metatorbernite and torbernite. Among the uranyl minerals studied, only metatorbernite from Kromnów showed a positive Nb anomaly, which was probably related to proximity to weathering in YREE-breeding phases. Nevertheless, the YREE and chemical results suggest that this mineralization originated from the oxidizing solutions generated during the weathering of primary hydrothermal mineralization. In order to better understand the weathering zones in these locations, more detailed studies on pore solution chemistry are needed.

Description: Secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to test the d18O and d34S nanogram-scale homogeneity of a suite of candidate sulfate minerals, ultimately selecting three barite, two anhydrite, and two gypsum samples from the Royal Ontario Museum that have repeatabilities for their SIMS measurements of better than 0.39‰ and 0.37‰ (1s) for oxygen and sulfur isotope ratios, respectively. Metrological splits of each of the seven materials were sent to multiple gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometry laboratories in order to establish their absolute 18O/16O and 34S/32S ratios. The inter-laboratory results of GS-IRMS analyses yielded reasonably narrow ranges in d18OVSMOW, whereas larger variations in d34SVCDT values were found between the results from the gas source laboratories. All samples have good reproducibility within laboratories of GS-IRMS 103d18O values of between 0.24‰ and 0.44‰ (1s). The reproducibility within laboratories of GS-IRMS 103d34S values range from 0.07‰ to 0.99‰ (1s). Here we also discuss some of the current analytical limitations affecting these isotope-mineral systems. A total of 256 metrological splits have been prepared from each of these seven materials; these aliquots will be made available to the global geochemical community.

Description: Pit lakes in the ‘anthropogenic lake district’ in the Muskau Arch (western Poland; central Europe) are strongly affected by acid mine drainage (AMD). The studied acidic pit lake, ŁK-61 (pH 〈3), is also exposed to floods due to its location in the flood hazard area, which may significantly influence the geochemical behavior of elements. The elemental compositions of water and lake sediment samples were measured with ICP–OES and ICP–MS. The sediment profile was also examined for 137Cs and 210Po activity concentrations using gamma and alpha spectrometry, respectively. Grain size distribution, mineralogical composition, diatoms, and organic matter content in the collected core were also determined. The key factors responsible for the distribution of selected heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) and radioisotopes (137Cs and 210Po) in the bottom sediments of Lake ŁK-61 are their coprecipitation/precipitation with Fe and Al secondary minerals and their sorption onto authigenic and allogenic phases. These processes are likely driven by the lake tributary, which is an important source of dissolved elements. The data also showed that the physiochemical parameters of Lake ŁK-61 water changed during an episodic depositional event, i.e., the flood of the Nysa Łużycka River in the summer of 2010. The flood caused an increase in the water pH, as interpreted from the subfossil diatom studies. The down-core profiles of the studied heavy metal and radionuclide (HMRs) contents were probably affected by this depositional event, which prevented a detailed age determination of the collected lake sediments with 137Cs and 210Pb dating methods. Geochemical modeling indicates that the flood-related shift in the physicochemical parameters of the lake water could have caused the scavenging of dissolved elements by the precipitation of fresh secondary minerals. Moreover, particles contaminated with HMRs have also possibly been delivered by the river, along with the nutrients (e.g., phosphorus and nitrogen).