Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dong Hoon Lee, Mohammed Kamruzzaman
Summary: An organic compound-based, peroxidase-like nanozyme (OC nanozyme) was synthesized for agricultural applications. It exhibited good kinetic properties, pH stability, and was successfully used for glyphosate detection. The authors believe that this agricultural-friendly nanozyme holds great potential for various agricultural applications.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Simran Kaur Dhilllon, Patit Paban Kundu, Rahul Jain
Summary: This review summarizes the progress in carbon-based materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts and their utilization in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Incorporating transition metals and heteroatoms into carbon can enhance the ORR activity and power generation in MFCs. Nitrogen-doped carbons have abundant active sites and superior conductivity, stability, and catalytic activity. Carbon-based catalysts and biomass-derived carbons show potential to replace expensive Pt catalysts for ORR.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhenxiang Zhu, Zhenxing Wang, Zhaohu Ba, Jie Dong, Qinghua Zhang, Xin Zhao
Summary: A three-dimensional N- and S-doped holey graphene hydrogel was prepared to achieve optimized pore structure and high conductivity for high performance supercapacitor electrodes. The binder-free electrode exhibited excellent gravimetric and volumetric capacitance, retaining a high percentage of original capacitance after numerous cycles, showcasing great potential for practical applications.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wuyong Zhang, Shaoqi Zhan, Qing Qin, Tobias Heil, Xiyu Liu, Jinyeon Hwang, Thimo H. Ferber, Jan P. Hofmann, Martin Oschatz
Summary: This study investigates the method of creating efficient NRR catalytic active sites by electrochemically activating nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalysts, achieving successful nitrogen fixation with high efficiency. The results demonstrate the possibility to purposefully create catalytically active sites by etching labile functional groups.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Rong Sheng Li, Jiahui Liu, Yuan Yan, Chuanyang Su, Tiancheng Lai, Yunwen Liao, Yuan Fang Li, Na Li, Cheng Zhi Huang
Summary: The study introduces an aggregation-enhanced energy transfer strategy to overcome obstacles in effective energy transfer, achieving enhanced FRET efficiency.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Longhua Yao, Xiugang Li, Wenfang Peng, Qilu Yao, Jianhui Xia, Zhang-Hui Lu
Summary: In this study, Co-CeOx/NCNS catalyst with outstanding catalytic activity for the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of NaBH4 was successfully prepared, achieving a high hydrogen generation rate. The superior performance can be attributed to the synergistic effects of various factors, such as the special properties of nanoparticles, the influence of support surface area and defects, among others.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiangwei Chang, Chang Yu, Xuedan Song, Xiaotong Han, Yiwang Ding, Xinyi Tan, Shaofeng Li, Yuanyang Xie, Zongbin Zhao, Jieshan Qiu
Summary: Nitrogen doping in graphene effectively modulates the charge density of carbon atoms, with the activity improving as the N content increases. A proof-of-concept study demonstrates a high nitrogen doping level of up to 12.4 at% in carbon materials through mechanochemistry-driven prelinking. Higher N-doping can induce more carbon atoms to be active for triiodide reduction, leading to a power conversion efficiency of 8.86%.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Damien de Mijolla, Melissa Kay Ness, Serena Viti, Adam Joseph Wheeler
Summary: Modern astronomical surveys are using spectral data from millions of stars to trace the Galaxy's formation and chemical enrichment history, but extracting chemical information from spectra and making accurate abundance measurements is challenging. A data-driven method can isolate chemical factors in stellar spectra and build a spectral projection with parameters removed, using a neural network architecture to learn a disentangled spectral representation. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of data-driven chemical tagging without relying on prior knowledge of elemental abundances.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Bo Wang, Chao Yan, Guangqing Xu, Xia Shu, Jun Lv, Jiewu Cui, Dongbo Yu, Zhiyong Bao, Yucheng Wu
Summary: A FeS2 coupled MoS2 heterostructure was designed for ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions. The optimized nanocomposite showed high ammonia yield rate and good stability.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2022)
News Item
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Weizhi Yu, Jeremy M. Baskin
Summary: Through chemoproteomics technology, the study identified 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol as the first endogenous ligand of the sigma-2 receptor, a drug target for neurodegeneration and neuropathic pain.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jia-Li Liu, Rong Yang, Ya-Qin Chai, Ruo Yuan
Summary: A versatile ECL biosensor was developed for ultrasensitive detection of miRNA-21 from cancer cells. By using Fe@Fe2O3 nanowires, ROS could be generated without the need for a negative potential, narrowing down the detection potential range and favoring practical application in biological systems.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ashwinder Kaur, Vishal Shrivastav, Prashant Dubey, Akash Deep, Isha Mudahar, Shashank Sundriyal, Sunita Mishra
Summary: Activated carbon (AC) is a low-cost porous material with high conductivity and a specific surface area. Waste-derived activated carbons (WDACs) have replaced commercially available AC due to their renewable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly characteristics. By embedding metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the WDAC matrix, a composite electrode is synthesized for energy storage applications. The composite electrode, which combines zinc-based zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-8) with waste paper-derived activated carbon (PAC-800), exhibits significantly enhanced electrochemical performance compared to pristine materials.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chenyang Shu, Chaozhong Guo, Xinru Xu, Lingtao Sun, Yao Liu, Hongdian Chen, Chuanlan Xu, Rong Jin, Yujun Si, Haifeng Chen
Summary: This study presents a new strategy for synthesizing nitrogen-doped carbon sheets and carbon quantum dots with large specific surface area and micro-porosity. The synthesized material exhibits comparable activity and superior stability to the precious metal catalyst Pt/C in the carbon-based oxygen reduction reaction. In zinc-air batteries, the material delivers higher peak power density and gravimetric energy density, as well as outstanding catalytic durability.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tingting Huo, Guiming Ba, Quanhua Deng, Fei Yu, Guoan Wang, Haiping Li, Wanguo Hou
Summary: The study successfully synthesized carbon/defect co-modified PCN porous nanotubes using a dual strategy, enhancing surface area and photoabsorption, leading to improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency. The introduced carbon and defects in cd-PCN exhibited significantly higher H-2 evolution rates, enabling simultaneous photocatalytic water splitting and contaminant degradation under visible light irradiation.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bing Liu, Mengping Liu, Lihong Tian, Fei Guo, Yu Xia, Tianlong Wang, Wei Hu, Rong Guan
Summary: Compared to bulk g-C3N4 synthesized by direct thermopolymerization of urea, N-doping carbon/CN exhibits pronounced nanopores, larger surface area, and increased basic sites, leading to a high CO2 adsorption capacity of about 5.5 times that of bulk g-C3N4. XPS results indicate that N-doping carbon units have been grafted into the g-C3N4 matrix through chemical interactions, enhancing electron transport on N-doping carbon/CN, resulting in significant photocatalytic activity on CO2 reduction with water vapor under visible light. The average CO production rate reaches 15.4 μmol g-1 h-1, about 7.0 times that of bulk g-C3N4.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
J. D. Hosen, K. S. Aho, J. H. Fair, E. D. Kyzivat, S. Matt, J. Morrison, A. Stubbins, L. C. Weber, B. Yoon, P. A. Raymond
Summary: The study suggests that in large temperate rivers, the switch between autochthonous sources of DOM at low flows and terrestrial sources of DOM at high flows maintains the chemostasis of DOM concentrations, which is critical for river ecology during the summer. The dominance of terrigenous DOM during higher flow periods and the significant contribution of annual DOM fluxes to the coast being terrestrial are consistent with the Pulse-Shunt Concept and have implications for both inland waters and coastal ecosystems.
Article
Limnology
Megan I. Behnke, Aron Stubbins, Jason B. Fellman, Eran Hood, Thorsten Dittmar, Robert G. M. Spencer
Summary: Climate change is reducing glacier coverage in Alaska, affecting downstream ecosystems. Research shows that increasing glacial meltwater leads to higher old dissolved organic carbon content in streamwater. By combining isotopic mixing models and mass spectrometry data, we can gain new insights into how changes in landcover impact streamwater DOM source and properties.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Christina J. Codden, Andrew M. Snauffer, Amy V. Mueller, Catherine R. Edwards, Megan Thompson, Zachary Tait, Aron Stubbins
Summary: Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a key factor in aquatic systems, and predicting its dynamics often requires high-resolution data. This study found that machine learning models, coupled with low-to-zero cost predictors, can improve upon the accuracy of linear methods for predicting DOC concentration, while also significantly reducing instrumentation costs. Machine learning was particularly effective at predicting DOC concentration at intertidal timescales compared to linear methods.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY-METHODS
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Jacob D. Hosen, George H. Allen, Giuseppe Amatuli, Sara Breitmeyer, Matthew J. Cohen, Byron C. Crump, YueHan Lu, Jerome P. Payet, Brett A. Poulin, Aron Stubbins, Byungman Yoon, Peter A. Raymond
Summary: Most allochthonous organic matter in river networks comes from headwater streams during high flow events. As this material moves downstream, the composition of dissolved organic matter changes, with autochthonous characteristics becoming more prevalent. The time spent traveling through inland water systems appears to play a key role in determining DOM composition.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ziming Fang, Weifeng Yang, Aron Stubbins, Min Chen, Junjie Li, Renming Jia, Qi Li, Jing Zhu, Bo Wang
Summary: In the Arctic region, the fate and removal process of dissolved black carbon released from river water into the ocean remains unclear. Research findings show that river discharge dominates the spatial distribution of dissolved black carbon in ice-free regions, while sea-ice meltwater dilutes dissolved organic carbon. The removal of riverine dissolved black carbon mainly occurs in shelf regions, playing a crucial role in modulating the delivery of black carbon to the open Arctic Ocean.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin R. Kurek, Aron Stubbins, Travis W. Drake, Jose M. S. Moura, R. Max Holmes, Helena Osterholz, Thorsten Dittmar, Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Miyuki Mitsuya, Robert G. M. Spencer
Summary: The study shows that during the La Nina period, the Amazon River exported 2.77 Tg C yr(-1) more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) than the normal period, which is greater than the annual amount exported by the Mississippi River. Additionally, the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Amazon River was found to be more aromatic during the wet season and following the La Nina event, indicating potential implications for its environmental role.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aron Stubbins, Kara Lavender Law, Samuel E. Munoz, Thomas S. Bianchi, Lixin Zhu
Summary: Plastic pollution has become a global issue, prompting us to consider plastics as emergent geomaterials never before seen in Earth's history. With high carbon content, plastics can rival natural organic carbon in some ecosystems, prompting geochemists to include plastics in their analyses to expedite understanding of plastics in the Earth system. Furthermore, plastics can serve as global-scale tracers to advance Earth system science.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sasha Wagner, Alysha I. Coppola, Aron Stubbins, Thorsten Dittmar, Jutta Niggemann, Travis W. Drake, Michael Seidel, Robert G. M. Spencer, Hongyan Bao
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Taylor Maavara, Laura Logozzo, Aron Stubbins, Kelly Aho, Craig Brinkerhoff, Jacob Hosen, Peter Raymond
Summary: The study focuses on the photomineralization of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in temperate rivers, specifically in the Connecticut River Watershed (CRW). Results show that photomineralization is a minor sink for DOC in temperate rivers, with varied rates across different flow conditions and seasons, but overall negligible compared to DOC fluxes.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sasha Wagner, Elizabeth Harvey, Nicholas Baetge, Heather McNair, Eleanor Arrington, Aron Stubbins
Summary: The Thomas Fire in December 2017 led to increased dissolved black carbon (DBC) concentrations in coastal waters, released by ash and further enhanced by photodissolution. However, the ash-derived contributions were not significant enough to shift the delta C-13 signature, leading to a mismatch between modeled and measured values. This study provides insights into atmospheric contributions of fire-derived DBC to coastal margins.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Chao Wang, Yizhen Li, Yan Li, Hui Zhou, Aron Stubbins, Randy A. Dahlgren, Zhiheng Wang, Weidong Guo
Summary: High-resolution distribution of dissolved organic carbon and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in the tropical Northwest Pacific Ocean were studied in autumn 2017. Physical processes play a key role in regulating the vertical distribution of dissolved organic carbon. The presence of specific optical properties in deeper layers suggests a microbial degradation of biogenic materials.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Christina J. J. Codden, Catherine R. R. Edwards, Aron Stubbins
Summary: This study quantified the net flux of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) through the main creek channel of a salt marsh in Georgia, USA. Results showed periods of non-conservative behavior, indicating significant DOC outwelling during the productive summer months.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amy D. Holt, Anne M. Kellerman, Wenbo Li, Aron Stubbins, Sasha Wagner, Amy McKenna, Jason Fellman, Eran Hood, Robert G. M. Spencer
Summary: This study evaluated photochemistry as a mechanism to explain the compositional differences between allochthonous OM sources and glacier runoff DOM. The results showed that photodegradation could provide a mechanistic pathway for the disconnect between proposed aromatic, aged sources of OM and the aliphatic-rich fingerprint of glacial DOM, indicating molecular level convergence between aromatic-rich leachates and aromatic-poor glacial samples.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin R. Kurek, Aron Stubbins, Travis W. Drake, Thorsten Dittmar, Jose M. S. Moura, R. Max Holmes, Helena Osterholz, Johan Six, Jose N. Wabakanghanzi, Bienvenu Dinga, Miyuki Mitsuya, Robert G. M. Spencer
Summary: The study compares the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Congo and Amazon rivers. The results show that the quality of DOM in the Congo River remains stable across different hydrological conditions, while the composition of DOM in the Amazon River is highly susceptible to changes in hydrology. The DOM in the Congo River is more terrestrial in nature, while the DOM in the Amazon River is more characteristic of aquatic DOM. Additionally, the Congo River is more efficient in exporting specific formulae compared to other rivers.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kevin A. Ryan, Thomas Adler, Ann T. Chalmers, Julia Perdrial, Stephen Sebestyen, James B. Shanley, Aron Stubbins
Summary: Tree-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important carbon flux in forested watersheds. This study assessed the optical properties and factors controlling DOM quality in a temperate deciduous forest. The results showed that throughfall and stemflow had higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and calcium than rainwater. A multiway model was developed to characterize DOM optical properties, and different tree species and seasons were found to influence DOM quality.
