Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Sorting”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Life cycle inventory and mass-balance of municipal food waste management systems: Decision support methods beyond the waste hierarchy

Highlights: • Life cycle inventory of 7 food waste management and treatment systems considered. • Energy balance notably different to a systems energy generation. • Food in-sink maceration shown to have volatiles reduced by 31% before digestion. • Mass-balance identifies recycling efficiency and product utility. • Increased landfill diversion confirmed to be critical for a lower emissions profile. - Abstract: When assessing the environmental and human health impact of a municipal food waste (FW) management system waste managers typically rely on the principles of the waste hierarchy; using metrics such as the mass or rate of waste that is ‘prepared for recycling,’ ‘recovered for energy,’ or ‘sent to landfill.’ These metrics measure the collection and sorting efficiency of a waste system but are incapable of determining the efficiency of a system to turn waste into a valuable resource. In this study a life cycle approach was employed using a system boundary that includes the entire waste service provision from collection to safe end-use or disposal. A life cycle inventory of seven waste management systems was calculated, including the first service wide inventory of FW management through kitchen in-sink disposal (food waste disposer). Results describe the mass, energy and water balance of each system along with key emissions profile. It was demonstrated that the energy balance can differ significantly from its’ energy generation, exemplified by mechanical biological treatment, which was the best system for generating energy from waste but only 5{sup th} best for net-energy generation. Furthermore, the energy balance of kitchen in-sink disposal was shown to be reduced because 31% of volatile solids were lost in pre-treatment. The study also confirmed that higher FW landfill diversion rates were critical for reducing many harmful emissions to air and water. Although, mass-balance analysis showed that the alternative end-use of the FW material may still contain high impact pollutants.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Methods to estimate the transfer of contaminants into recycling products – A case study from Austria

Highlights: • Recycling of waste materials includes the risk of recycling hazardous substances. • Comparison of contaminants in recycling products to primary products and check of compliance with limit values. • Evaluation matrix to quickly scan the environmental and health risks of wastes for recycling. • Optimised sorting and quality control systems prevent transfer of contaminants into product cycles. - Abstract: Recycling of waste materials is desirable to reduce the consumption of limited primary resources, but also includes the risk of recycling unwanted, hazardous substances. In Austria, the legal framework demands secondary products must not present a higher risk than comparable products derived from primary resources. However, the act provides no definition on how to assess this risk potential. This paper describes the development of different quantitative and qualitative methods to estimate the transfer of contaminants in recycling processes. The quantitative methods comprise the comparison of concentrations of harmful substances in recycling products to corresponding primary products and to existing limit values. The developed evaluation matrix, which considers further aspects, allows for the assessment of the qualitative risk potential. The results show that, depending on the assessed waste fraction, particular contaminants can be critical. Their concentrations were higher than in comparable primary materials and did not comply with existing limit values. On the other hand, the results show that a long-term, well-established quality control system can assure compliance with the limit values. The results of the qualitative assessment obtained with the evaluation matrix support the results of the quantitative assessment. Therefore, the evaluation matrix can be suitable to quickly screen waste streams used for recycling to estimate their potential environmental and health risks. To prevent the transfer of contaminants into product cycles, improved data of relevant substances in secondary resources are necessary. In addition, regulations for material recycling are required to assure adequate quality control measures, including limit values.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the United States: Operations, revenue, and the impact of scale

An analysis was conducted using nationwide survey data to evaluate how material recovery facilities (MRFs) operations vary regionally and with scale. The survey characterized materials, processes, and energy use involved with operations, and revenue for recyclables. This is the first nationwide analysis of MRFs in the US that accounts for mass processed, energy consumed, and revenue. Of a population of 521 MRFs, 48 responses representing MRFs from five US regions were received and analyzed (9.2 % response rate). Responses were analyzed by size according to yearly mass of inbound materials (small: <1,000 Mg/year, medium: 1,000–10,000 Mg/year, and large: >10,000 Mg/year). Most MRFs identify as single-stream; source from residences; utilize tipping floors, picking lines, baling and warehousing; and are powered by electricity. Most revenue and inbound mass (>50%) came from fiber (cardboard and paper). Glass had little revenue, and plastics were difficult to transition to market. Percent residue ranged from 1-39%, averaged <20%, and increased as the mass of inbound material increased. Large MRFs reported more sources of material, employed advanced sorting technology, had greater plastics revenue (33% versus 5% for small MRFs), and had more market access for plastics compared to small MRFs. Large MRFs had two orders of magnitude less annual electricity consumption per Mg recyclables than small MRFs (5–90 kWh/Mg versus ∼300–550 kWh/Mg). Results demonstrate environmental and economic benefits of larger-scale MRFs, which could be implemented more broadly in the US through regional hub-and-spoke arrangements for collecting and processing recyclables, lowering energy consumption and increasing revenue for recyclables.

Hub-and-Spoke↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rapid characterization of MSW and RDF feedstocks for waste-to-energy process using LIBS and ML techniques

The heterogeneity in the composition of municipal solid wastes (MSW) poses significant challenges in the production of biofuel and bioproducts. This research aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of waste analysis and characterization by introducing a fast characterization approach for MSW-derived refuse-derived fuels (RDF) by combining Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) with advanced machine learning (ML) techniques. The approach combines data pre-processing of LIBS spectra of RDF, and the development of ML models trained on domain and theory-based spectral features for predicting process parameters. These models are adept at predicting key process parameters like High Heating Value (HHV), carbon content, and volatile matter. This approach can achieve an average RRMSE of 2.13% and R 2 of 0.98 or higher for all considered parameters on testing data. This work demonstrates significant potential for improving waste sorting, processing efficiency, and environmental compliance over traditional labor- and time-intensive laboratory waste analysis and characterization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Activated hepatic stellate cells directly induce pathogenic Th17 cells in chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Th17 cells are involved in liver fibrosis by activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We aimed to investigate whether HSCs are able to regulate the function of Th17 cells and to determine the relevant mechanism. Sixty-five patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were enrolled in this study. To determine the effect of HSCs on T cells, naïve CD4{sup +}T cells and Th17 cells were sorted from CHB patients and cultured with or without activated-HSCs, and cytokine expression and gene transcription were analyzed. In addition, the regulatory mechanism of HSCs was investigated. ELISA and qRT-PCR showed that Th17 cells from CHB patients were more pathogenic, on the basis of the expression of IL-17A, IL-23R, RORC, CCL20 and CCR6, and meanwhile, they could activate the primary HSCs. Co-culture experiments indicated that activated HSCs dramatically promoted proliferation of CD4{sup +}T cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In addition, they could induce naïve CD4{sup +}T cells to become Th17 cells which had a more pathogenic phenotype. Moreover, activated HSCs-mediated induction of Th17 cells might depend on the release of IL-1β and IL-6 as well as on the COX-PGE2 pathway. Th17 cells cooperated with HSCs in a proinflammatory feedback loop might provide a better understanding of the pathogenic role of Th17 cells in the chronicity of HBV infection. - Highlights: • Th17 cells from CHB patients promoted the activation of primary HSCs. • Activated HSCs induced Th17 cells which displayed a pathogenic phenotype. • The induction of Th17 cells by activated HSCs depended on IL-1β and IL-6 release as well as on the COX-PGE2 pathway.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Cancer stem cell-like population is preferentially suppressed by EGFR-TKIs in EGFR-mutated PC-9 tumor models

Highlights: • EGFR-TKIs strongly inhibited the β-catenin signal and decreased CSCs sorted out by SP cells. • The reduction of CSCs significantly reduced the migration capability. • Targeting β-catenin could be a potential strategy for EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Although the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling systems synergistically regulate many essential developmental and regenerative processes in lung cancer, the mechanisms of their crosstalk remain poorly defined. Our study aimed to investigate an interaction between EGFR and the β-catenin signal.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Subpopulations of cancer stem cells found in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Highlights: • Papillary thyroid carcinoma primary cell culture derived spheres behave as cancer stem cells. • Depletion of ALDH{sup +} sphere cells does not eradicate papillary thyroid carcinoma. • ALDH{sup -} sphere cells can also function independently as thyroid carcinoma cancer stem cells. • ALDH{sup -} and ALDH{sup +} sphere cells coordinate in thyroid cancer initiation and progression. • Targeting both ALDH{sup +} and ALDH{sup -} cancer stem cells may effectively treat thyroid cancer. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common form of thyroid cancer and while it has a generally good prognosis, tumor recurrence remains a major clinical challenge. Studying laboratory cell lines as well as clinical specimens indicate that PTC may follow the cancer stem cell (CSC) model. However, CSC characteristics relevant in PTC initiation and progression remain largely unknown. Here we studied a population of sphere-growing tumor cells isolated from primary cultures of clinical PTC. These sphere-growing cells consisted of aldehyde dehydrogenase positive (ALDH{sup +}) and ALDH negative (ALDH{sup -}) cell subpopulations and demonstrated a hierarchical pattern of cell division. Using combinations of selective depletion, specific inhibition and cell sorting, we found that both subpopulations of the sphere cells were able to self-renew and initiate xenograft tumors independently, and fulfilled the definition of CSC. Importantly, when the subpopulations functioned together, the cancer-initiation efficiency and the xenograft tumor progression were significantly enhanced compared to either subpopulation alone. These data revealed crucial roles of ALDH{sup -} CSC in PTC biology and suggested that CSC subpopulations function cooperatively to control PTC initiation and progression. Together, our study indicates that CSC subpopulations isolated from clinical specimens offer unprecedented opportunities for investigating PTC pathogenesis and developing effective therapies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

VEGFR-3 signaling is regulated by a G-protein activator, activator of G-protein signaling 8, in lymphatic endothelial cells

Highlights: • AGS8 knockdown inhibited VEGFC-mediated tube formation, growth, and migration of LECs. • AGS8 knockdown inhibited phosphorylation of VEGFR-3 and its downstream molecules. • VEGFR-3 formed a complex including AGS8 and Gβγ in cells. • AGS8 regulated the trafficking of VEGFR-3 to the plasma membrane. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and its cognate receptor VEGFR-3 play a key role in lymphangiogenesis. We previously reported that an ischemia-inducible Gβγ signal regulator, activator of G-protein signaling 8 (AGS8), regulated the subcellular distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and influenced VEGFA-induced signaling in vascular endothelial cells. Here, we report that AGS8 regulates VEGFR-3, which is another subtype of the VEGF receptor family, and mediates VEGFC signaling in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs). VEGFC stimulated the proliferation of HDLECs and tube formation by HDLECs, which were inhibited by knocking down AGS8 by small interfering RNA (siRNA). AGS8 siRNA inhibited VEGFC-mediated phosphorylation of VEGFR-3 and its downstream molecules, including ERK1/2 and AKT. Analysis of fluorescence-activated cell sorting and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that AGS8 knockdown was associated with a reduction of VEGFR-3 at the cell surface. Endocytosis inhibitors did not rescue the decrease of cell-surface VEGFR-3, suggesting that AGS8 regulated the trafficking of VEGFR-3 to the plasma membrane. An immunoprecipitation assay indicated that VEGFR-3 formed a complex including AGS8 and Gβγ in cells. These data suggest the novel regulation of VEGFC-VEGFR-3 by AGS8 in HDLECs and a potential role for AGS8 in lymphangiogenesis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Heterogeneity of adult masseter muscle satellite cells with cardiomyocyte differentiation potential

Highlights: • Sca1{sup +} MMSCs with cardiogenic signature originate from mesodermal progenitors. • Sca1{sup -} MMSCs maintain skeletal myogenic capacity. • Sca1{sup +} MMSCs can be stably converted into CMs using growth factors. Although resident cardiac stem cells have been reported, regeneration of functional cardiomyocytes (CMs) remains a challenge. The present study identifies an alternative progenitor source for CM regeneration without the need for genetic manipulation or invasive heart biopsy procedures. Unlike limb skeletal muscles, masseter muscles (MM) in the mouse head are developed from Nkx2–5 mesodermal progenitors. Adult masseter muscle satellite cells (MMSCs) display heterogeneity in developmental origin and cell phenotypes. The heterogeneous MMSCs that can be characterized by cell sorting based on stem cell antigen-1 (Sca1) show different lineage potential. While cardiogenic potential is preserved in Sca1{sup +} MMSCs as shown by expression of cardiac progenitor genes (including Nkx2–5), skeletal myogenic capacity is maintained in Sca1{sup -} MMSCs with Pax7 expression. Sca1{sup +} MMSC-derived beating cells express cardiac genes and exhibit CM-like morphology. Electrophysiological properties of MMSC-derived CMs are demonstrated by calcium transients and action potentials. These findings show that MMSCs could serve as a novel cell source for cardiomyocyte replacement.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

RNA interference screening identifies clathrin-B and cofilin-1 as mediators of MT1-MMP in endometrial cancer

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis. Given their multiple tumor promoting roles, MMPs are promising targets for the treatment of metastatic cancer. Using a siRNA library screen of 140 membrane trafficking genes, we identified 41 genes in HEC-1B and 36 in Ishikawa cancer cells that decreased metalloproteinases activity. The 16 genes common in both cancer cell lines that decreased MMPs activity are involved in cargo sorting, vesicle formation and vesicle recycling. The top two genes clathrin-B and cofilin-1 were chosen for post hoc functional studies. Higher expression of both genes was confirmed in cancer cells and knockdown with respective siRNAs inhibited their invasive potential and matrix metalloproteinases activity. Membrane Type 1- Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a master switch proteinase and regulator of invasion and metastasis. A marked decrease in MT1-MMP expression and activity was seen in clathrin-B and cofilin-1 knockdown cancer cells which was associated with a marked decreased expression of invadopodia formation proteins. Our results suggest that the decreased expression of clathrin-B and cofilin-1 decreases the expression of MT1-MMP and results in attenuation of MT1-MMP at the cell surface, thus inhibiting tumor cell invasion and metastasis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Heterogeneous response of cancer-associated fibroblasts to the glucose deprivation through mitochondrial calcium uniporter

Highlights: • CAFs from a tumor mass are heterogeneous under the glucose deficient condition. • CAFs survive under glucose deficient condition by activation of TGF-β and calcium. • Calcium influx to mitochondria is critical for survival of glucose-deficient CAFs. • MCU in CAFs could be a feasible target for the development of anticancer drugs. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an abundant component of the tumor microenvironment and have distinct features from normal fibroblasts (NFs). However, the discriminative nature of heterogeneous CAFs under glucose starvation remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the changes in the mitochondrial calcium concentration and relevant intracellular machinery in CAFs under glucose-deficient conditions. Xenografted tumor masses were dissected into multiple pieces and subjected to the CAF isolation using magnetically activated cell sorting (MACS). NFs were separated from the normal lung and skin. Under glucose starvation, CAFs from the tumor mass exhibited heterogeneity in cell proliferation, ATP production and calcium concentration. Compared to NFs, mitochondrial calcium concentration was significantly higher in glucose-starved CAFs with upregulation of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) that led to enhancement of ATP production and cell growth. Intriguingly, treatment of glucose-starved CAFs with oligomycin increased apoptosis by disrupted calcium homeostasis following overactivation of the mPTP. Moreover, oligomycin-induced apoptosis was mitigated by calcium chelation. This study demonstrated that the discriminative calcium influx to mitochondria through MCU coordinated cell growth and apoptosis in glucose-starved CAFs but not in NFs.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Role of climate goals and clean-air policies on reducing future air pollution deaths in China: a modelling study

Over 3 million people still die every year from diseases caused by exposure to outdoor PM 2.5 air pollution, and more than a quarter of these premature deaths occur in China. In addition to clean air policies that target pollution emissions, climate policies aimed at reducing fossil-fuel CO 2 emissions (e.g., to avoid 1.5°C of warming) may also dramatically improve air quality and public health. Yet there has been no comprehensive accounting of public health outcomes under different energy pathways and local clean air management decisions in China. In particular, further research is needed to understand the relationships among climate and clean air polices and future health burdens in China, where an aging population will further exacerbate the impacts of air pollution. Using a China-focused integrated assessment model (GCAM-China) and a dynamic emission projection model (DPEC), we project future Chinese air quality in scenarios spanning a range of global climate targets (i.e. 1.5°0C, 2°C, NDC, unambitious, baseline, and 4.5°C) as well as national clean air actions (i.e. 2015-pollution, current-pollution, and ambitious-pollution). We then evaluate the health impacts of PM2·5 air pollution of scenario matrix using the chemical transport model WRF-CMAQ and the latest epidemiological concentration–response (C-R) functions (i.e. GBD2019). We find that, without ambitious climate mitigation (e.g., under current NDC pledges), Chinese deaths related the PM2.5 air pollution do not substantially decrease—and often grow—by mid-century, regardless of clean air policies and air quality improvements. For example, in scenarios that track China’s current NDC pledge and deploy best-available pollution control technologies, PM 2.5 -related deaths in China decrease slightly by 2030 (to 1.2 million per year) but no further by mid-century (Ambitious-pollution-NDC-goals; 1.2 million deaths in 2050) despite substantial and continuous improvements in population-weighted air quality (27.2 to 16.0 µg/m 3 from 2030 to 2050). The contrary trends of improving air quality and increasing PM 2·5 -related deaths in many of our scenarios reveals the extent to which extra efforts are needed to compensate for the established fact of increasing age of China’s population in future. Substantial decreases in China’s PM 2.5 -related deaths and age-standardized death rates (e.g., decreasing by 0.3–0.5 million deaths and 10.2–14.2 per 100,000 population age-standardized death rates per year) thus require the sort of large-scale transition in energy sources entailed by scenarios that meet international climate goals to avoid 1.5°C and 2°C of warming (Ambitious-pollution-2°C- and 1.5°C-goals).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Diffusiophoresis in narrow channel flows

We report that flows containing suspended colloidal particles and dissolved solutes are found in a multitude of natural and man-made systems including hydraulic fractures, water filtration systems and microfluidic devices, e.g. those designed for biological or medical applications. In these types of systems, unexpected particle dynamics such as rapid particle transport and focusing has been observed in the presence of local solute gradients due to the cooperating or competing effects of fluid advection and particle diffusiophoresis, the latter driven by local chemical gradients. We develop analytical expressions for the fluid, solute and particle dynamics in long, narrow channels due to the combined influence of pressure-driven channel flow with diffusiophoretic and diffusioosmotic effects. The results confirm a rapid particle focusing effect that can be controlled by manipulating the particle, solute and flow properties, as well as the channel’s geometry and surface chemistry. Thus, we propose a new approach for performing microfluidic zeta potentiometry, as well as techniques for sorting, concentrating and/or capturing particles based on their sizes or zeta potentials. Lastly, we demonstrate that diffusioosmotic effects can be used to pump fluid against a pressure gradient.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

VPS26 Moonlights as a β-Arrestin-like Adapter for a 7-Transmembrane RGS Protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

Extracellular signals perceived by 7-transmembrane (7TM)-spanning receptors initiate desensitization that involves the removal of these receptors from the plasma membrane. Agonist binding often evokes phosphorylation in the flexible C-terminal region and/or intracellular loop 3 of many 7TM G-protein-coupled receptors in animal cells, which consequently recruits a cytoplasmic intermediate adaptor, β-arrestin, resulting in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and downstream signaling such as transcriptional changes. Some 7TM receptors undergo CME without recruiting β-arrestin, but it is not clear how. Arrestins are not encoded in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, yet Arabidopsis cells have a well-characterized signal-induced CME of a 7TM protein, designated Regulator of G Signaling 1 (AtRGS1). Here we show that a component of the retromer complex, Vacuolar Protein Sorting-Associated 26 (VPS26), binds the phosphorylated C-terminal region of AtRGS1 as a VPS26A/B heterodimer to form a complex that is required for downstream signaling. We propose that VPS26 moonlights as an arrestin-like adaptor in the CME of AtRGS1.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Advancing Biocapture Substrates via Chemical Lift-Off Lithography

Creating small-molecule-functionalized platforms for high-throughput screening or biosensing applications requires precise placement of probes on solid substrates and the ability to capture and to sort targets from multicomponent samples. Here, chemical lift-off lithography was used to fabricate large-area, high-fidelity patterns of small-molecule probes. Lift-off lithography enables biotin–streptavidin patterned recognition with feature sizes ranging from micrometers to below 30 nm. Subtractive patterning via lift-off facilitated insertion of a different type of molecule and, thus, multiplexed side-by-side placement of small-molecule probes such that binding partners were directed to cognate probes from solution. Small molecules mimicking endogenous neurotransmitters were patterned using lift-off lithography to capture native membrane-associated receptors. Here, we characterized patterning of alkanethiols that self-assemble on Au having different terminal functional groups to expand the library of molecules amenable to lift-off lithography enabling a wide range of functionalization chemistries for use with this simple and versatile patterning method.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Formation Mechanisms and Defect Engineering of Imine-Based Porous Organic Cages

The syntheses of porous organic cages (POCs) represent an important synthetic puzzle in dynamic covalent chemistry based self-sorting. Improved understanding of the formation mechanisms of POCs can lead to control and rational design of cages with desired functionality. Herein, we explore the formation mechanisms of imine-based POCs using time-resolved electrospray mass spectrometry, and electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory and correlated molecular orbital theory levels. We find that the synthesis of the [4+6] cycloimine cage CC3-R and the [2+3] cycloimine cage CC-pentane both proceed through similar intermediates via a series of consecutive reactions. The proposed reaction mechanisms are supported by electronic structure calculations. Based on our observations from both experiments and calculations, we propose a comprehensive method for designing and predicting new POC species. In addition, the observation of stable incomplete cages during CC3-R synthesis inspired us to design intentionally defective cages. These “missing-linker” type molecular defects are installed into CC3-R via non-solvent induced crystallization. The defective CC3-R materials are found to have enhanced CO2 interaction and improved CO 2 uptake capacity due to the additional functional groups present within the CC3 crystals.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Review on Preprocessing Strategies, Deactivation, Thermal Safety, and Future Perspectives in Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling

The rapid growth in the use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and renewable energy storage has made effective end-of-life management essential. Recycling LIBs is critical not only for resource recovery and environmental protection but also for ensuring safety and economic viability. This review focuses on the preprocessing technologies that precede typical recovery processes, including disassembly, sorting, discharging, electrolyte removal, dismantling, thermal treatment, separation, and flotation. These steps play a foundational role in determining the efficiency, safety, and environmental impact of LIB recycling. LIBs pose substantial fire and explosion risks due to residual charge, flammable electrolytes, and reactive materials. The conditions and successive progression of the exothermic reactions which lead to thermal runaway has been discussed. It also explores secure deactivation techniques such as external circuit discharge, saline immersion, and thermomechanical methods, alongside fire prevention strategies including the use of flame retardants, elimination of oxidants, and reduction of heat generation and accumulation. Challenges and future directions are outlined, highlighting the need for standardized designs, automation, and safer, more sustainable recycling infrastructure. Furthermore, this review is distinguished by its focused analysis of preprocessing and deactivation steps, with particular attention to the thermal safety engineering aspects of LIB recycling.

Battery deactivation↗
DOE OSTI2021

X-ray Spectroscopic Quantification of Phosphorus Transformation in Saharan Dust during Trans-Atlantic Dust Transport

Saharan dust is an important phosphorus (P) supply to remote and oligotrophic parts of the oceans and American lowland tropical rainforests. Phosphorus speciation in aeolian dust ultimately controls the release and bioavailability of P after dust deposition, but the speciation in Saharan dust and its change during the trans-Atlantic transport remains unclear. Here, using P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, we showed that with increasing dust traveling distance from the Sahara Desert to Cape Verde and to Puerto Rico, about 570 and 4000 km, respectively, the proportion of Ca-bound P (Ca-P), including both apatite and non-apatite forms, decreased from 68–73% to 50–71% and to 21–37%. The changes were accompanied by increased iron/aluminum-bound P proportion from 14–25% to 23–46% and to 44–73%, correspondingly. Laboratory simulation experiments suggest that the changes in P speciation can be ascribed to increasing degrees of particle sorting and atmospheric acidification during dust transport. The presence of relatively soluble non-apatite Ca-P in the Cape Verde dust but not in the Puerto Rico dust is consistent with the higher P water solubility of the former than the latter. Our findings provide insights into the controls of atmospheric processes on P speciation, solubility, and stability in Saharan dust.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗