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Mitigating microplastic exposure from water consumption in junior high students and teachers

Chow et al. | May 10, 2024

Mitigating microplastic exposure from water consumption in junior high students and teachers
Image credit: Pixabay

Microplastics (MPs) are inorganic material that have been observed within items destined for human consumption, including water, and may pose a potential health hazard. Here we estimated the average amount of MPs junior high students and teachers consumed from different water sources and determined whether promoting awareness of microplastic (MP) exposure influenced choice of water source and potential MPs consumed.

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Developing a neural network to model the mechanical properties of 13-8 PH stainless steel alloy

Zeng et al. | Sep 10, 2023

Developing a neural network to model the mechanical properties of 13-8 PH stainless steel alloy
Image credit: Pixabay

We systematically evaluated the effects of raw material composition, heat treatment, and mechanical properties on 13-8PH stainless steel alloy. The results of the neural network models were in agreement with experimental results and aided in the evaluation of the effects of aging temperature on double shear strength. The data suggests that this model can be used to determine the appropriate 13-8PH alloy aging temperature needed to achieve the desired mechanical properties, eliminating the need for many costly trials and errors through re-heat treatments.

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How CAFOs affect Escherichia coli contents in surrounding water sources

Lieberman et al. | Feb 24, 2023

How CAFOs affect <i>Escherichia coli</i> contents in surrounding water sources
Image credit: CDC

Commercial Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) produce large quantities of waste material from the animals being housed in them. These feedlots found across the United States contain livestock that produce waste that results in hazardous runoff. This study examines how CAFOs affect water sources by testing for Escherichia Coli (E. coli) content in bodies of water near CAFOs.

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Efficacy of Rotten and Fresh Fruit Extracts as the Photosensitive Dye for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Jayasankar et al. | Jan 16, 2019

Efficacy of Rotten and Fresh Fruit Extracts as the Photosensitive Dye for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) use dye as the photoactive material, which capture the incoming photon of light and use the energy to excite electrons. Research in DSSCs has centered around improving the efficacy of photosensitive dyes. A fruit's color is defined by a unique set of molecules, known as a pigment profile, which changes as a fruit progresses from ripe to rotten. This project investigates the use of fresh and rotten fruit extracts as the photoactive dye in a DSSC.

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A Study on the Coagulating Properties of the M. oleifera Seed

Lakshmanan et al. | Feb 14, 2020

A Study on the Coagulating Properties of the <em>M. oleifera</em> Seed

In this study, the authors investigate whether Moringa Oleifera seeds can serve as material to aid in purifying water. M. oleifera seeds have coagulating properties and the authors hypothesized that including it in a water filtration system would reduce particles, specifically bacteria, in water. Their results show that this system removed the largest percent of bacteria. When used in combination with cilantro, it was actually more efficient than the other techniques! These findings have important implications for creating better and more economical water purification systems.

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