New optimization strategy boosts water quality, decreases diversion costs

CHINESE SOCIETY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

 

IMAGE: GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT. view more 

CREDIT: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY

Lakes worldwide are grappling with the effects of eutrophication, such as algal blooms, primarily due to excessive nitrogen and phosphorus. The detrimental environmental effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change further aggravate the situation, thereby necessitating improved and effective measures. Inter-basin water diversion has emerged as a prominent solution, with projects like the South-North Water Diversion Project and the Niulan River–Dianchi Water Diversion Project in China. These projects aim to enhance the lake water quality by augmenting available water resources and accelerating water circulation. However, traditional water diversion measures have struggled with the conundrum of enhancing water quality while minimizing the volume of diverted water.

In a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, researchers from Peking University developed an innovative strategy, called Dynamic Water Diversion Optimization (DWDO), to underscores the pressing need to address the persistent challenge of improving water quality in eutrophic lakes. This innovative strategy, which couples deep reinforcement learning with a complex water quality model, was tested in Lake Dianchi, China's largest eutrophic freshwater lake. The DWDO model significantly reduced total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations by 7% and 6%, respectively, while annual water diversion saw a staggering drop of 75%.

Highlights

1. Dynamic water diversion optimization (DWDO) is proposed.
2. DWDO couples deep reinforcement learning and a complex water quality model.
3. DWDO improves water quality and reduces diversion costs simultaneously.
4. DWDO is efficient and robust under various model parameter uncertainty.

DWDO integrates deep reinforcement learning into a comprehensive water quality model. This ground-breaking method identifies the impacts of various factors, such as meteorological indicators and the water quality of both the source and the lake, on optimal water diversion. It demonstrates the adaptability of water diversion in response to a single input variable's specific value and multiple factors influencing real-time adjustment of water diversion. DWDO's efficacy lies in its robustness under different uncertainties and shorter theoretical training time compared to traditional simulation-optimization algorithms. This robustness allows it to support effective decision-making in water quality management, thereby expanding its potential for broader application. The researchers were also able to extract key insights from DWDO through interpretable machine learning. They uncovered the significant drivers behind the optimal diversion decisions and their contributions to water quality improvement. DWDO was also rigorously tested under diverse sets of hyperparameters, confirming its robustness and flexibility.

Overall, the DWDO strategy provides a promising tool for eutrophication control. By ensuring a dynamic balance between water quality improvement and operational costs, DWDO could become an essential part of future water quality management and restoration strategies. This innovative approach marks a significant advance in tackling the global challenge of improving water quality in eutrophic lakes. As we continue to face the twin threats of increasing anthropogenic activities and climate change, the demand for such adaptive and robust solutions will only intensify.

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References

Funding information

National Social Science Foundation of China (21AZD060)

National Natural Science Foundation of China (51721006)

High-Performance Computing Platform of Peking University

DOI

10.1016/j.ese.2023.100298

About Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (ISSN 2666-4984) is an international, peer-reviewed, and open-access journal published by Elsevier. The journal publishes significant views and research across the full spectrum of ecology and environmental sciences, such as climate change, sustainability, biodiversity conservation, environment & health, green catalysis/processing for pollution control, and AI-driven environmental engineering. The latest impact factor of ESE is 12.6, according to the Journal Citation ReportTM 2022.

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JOURNAL

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

DOI

10.1016/j.ese.2023.100298 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Deep-reinforcement-learning-based water diversion strategy

 

Rio Pará contributes high trace metal concentrations to the Amazon estuary

Overlooked riverine inputs of dissolved neodymium and hafnium to the ocean

Peer-Reviewed Publication

HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL (GEOMAR)

The Amazon River is the largest river in the world. It discharges about one fifth of global freshwater runoff, resulting in a freshwater plume rich in nutrients and trace elements entering the Atlantic Ocean. Until now, it was assumed that the suspended solids partially dissolve in the water plume of the estuary and thus represent an important source of trace metals, but latest results refute this theory. Isotopes of the elements neodymium (Nd) and hafnium (Hf) were examined. These can serve as tracers or origin, i.e. their analysis can be used to determine where water masses come from. Each river has its own isotopic signature that represents the source rock in the hinterland.

"A previous study had found an increase in the dissolved concentration and variability of neodymium isotopes in the Amazon estuary and concluded that these are dissolved from particles carried by the river on its way to the open ocean," says the study's first author Antao Xu. He is a PhD student in the Chemical Paleoceanography group headed by Professor Dr Martin Frank at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, who was co-chief scientist of the METEOR expedition M147 (official GEOTRACES process study GApr11) in the Amazon estuary (chief scientist was Prof. Dr Andrea Koschinsky, Constructor University Bremen). "We have now disproved this conclusion," says Martin Frank. "We can show that the changes in isotope composition are a result of the admixture of freshwater from the nearby Pará River."

The input of the neighboring Pará River south of the Amazon mouth shows significantly elevated dissolved neodymium and hafnium concentrations. At the same time, it has a low pH value. This led to another important finding. Co-author Ed Hathorne says: "We looked at the relationship between neodymium concentration and pH in rivers around the world." It turned out that neodymium concentration can be directly inferred from pH. This allowed a revised estimate of the global dissolved riverine neodymium flux, which is at least three times higher than previously thought, according to co-author Georgi Laukert of Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA.

The study is part of the international long-term project GEOTRACES, which aims to map the global distribution of trace metals dissolved in seawater and their isotopes in order to gain a better understanding of their sources, sinks and distribution pathways. As paleo-oceanographer, Martin Frank and his working group are actually interested in trace metals in their function as indicators of past climate history and ocean processes. "The isotopic composition serves us as a proxy for the ocean circulation of the past," says Frank. "However, we still need a better understanding of the controlling processes in today's ocean to be able to apply these proxies more reliably." This is in line with the transdisciplinary approach of integrating research at GEOMAR, for which "metals in the ocean" is a thematic focus. Frank: "In order to be able to develop reliable models for the entire ocean-atmosphere-climate system, we need to better understand the global ocean circulation and the distribution of trace metals coupled to it, for which we need to know the inputs of trace elements from land."

About GEOTRACES:

GEOTRACES is a global programme which aims to improve the understanding of biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and their isotopes in the marine environment. Much of what is known about ocean conditions in the past and, therefore, about the ocean’s role in climate variability, is derived from trace element and isotope patterns recorded in marine archives (sediments, corals, etc.). Improved knowledge of the processes governing the distribution these tracers in the modern ocean can improve our understanding of past ocean conditions recorded by marine archives, based on which predictions of future changes can be made more reliably.

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-023-39922-3 

ARTICLE TITLE

Overlooked riverine contributions of dissolved neodymium and hafnium to the Amazon estuary and oceans

 

School meals would be even healthier if compliant with US nutrition standards, study finds

Aligning student meals to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans would further support children’s well-being and cut healthcare costs into adulthood, say Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy researchers

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TUFTS UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: FULLY SYNCHRONIZING SCHOOL MEALS WITH THE DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS, 2020-2025 COULD POSITIVELY IMPACT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN INTO THEIR ADULTHOOD, WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF SAVING BILLIONS IN LIFETIME MEDICAL COSTS view more 

CREDIT: ALONSO NICHOLS/TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Today’s school meals are much healthier than they were for the parents of American kids, but still 1 in 4 school meals are of poor nutritional quality. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), in place for 2020-25, call for meals with less sugar and salt and with more whole grains.

Fully synchronizing school meals with these new standards could positively impact hundreds of thousands of children into their adulthood, with the added benefit of saving billions in lifetime medical costs, investigators from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University report July 31 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. By modeling the national implementation of updated school lunch guidelines, the research team found even incomplete compliance by schools would lead to overall reductions in short- and long-term health issues for participating K-12 students.

“On average, school meals are healthier than the food American children consume from any other source including at home, but we’re at a critical time to further strengthen their nutrition,” says senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School. “Our findings suggest a real positive impact on long-term health and healthcare costs with even modest updates to the current school meal nutrition standards.”

The researchers utilized a simulation model to derive a data-driven estimate of three changes to the school meal program, including limiting percent of energy from added sugar to lower than 10% of total energy per meal, requiring all grain foods to be whole grain, and lowering sodium content to the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction amount for sodium intake in the 2020-2025 DGA. A portion (35%) of these dietary changes were estimated to continue into adulthood. If all schools fully complied with the new standards, these were estimated to prevent more than 10,600 deaths per year due to fewer diet-related diseases, saving over $19 billion annually in healthcare-related costs during later adulthood. The worst-case estimate, in which schools remained with their current food offerings, saved a little over half as many lives and healthcare dollars.

School meals aligning to new dietary guidelines for added sugars, sodium, and whole grains would have modest, but important, short-term health benefits for children. For example, these changes were estimated to reduce elementary and middle school students’ body mass index (BMI) by 0.14 and systolic blood pressure by 0.13 mm Hg. Benefits were about half as large for high school students because fewer older students eat school-provided meals.

“Using a comparative risk assessment model, our estimations are based on the best available, nationally representative data on children and adults and the best available evidence on how dietary changes in childhood relate to BMI and blood pressure, how dietary changes persist into adulthood, and how diet influences disease in adulthood,” says first author Lu Wang, a postdoctoral fellow at the Friedman School. “Our new results indicate that even small changes to strengthen school nutrition policies can help students live longer, healthier lives.”

The study’s findings, which cannot prove the outcomes they describe but are derived from a mathematical model based on the best available demographic and health data, are timely given the United States Department of Agriculture’s recent commitment to updating the school meal nutrition standards to align with the 2020-2025 dietary guidelines. The price to fully implement new school meal standards is yet to be determined, but previous alignments suggest it would add at least another $1 billion nationally to the cost of these programs, or only about 5 percent of the total predicted annual long-term healthcare savings this change would yield.

Research reported in this article was supported by an award from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL115189) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Complete information on authors, funders, methodology, and conflicts of interest is available in the published paper. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

DOI

10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.031 

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

31-Jul-2023

The rise of bio-concrete (video)

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

 

IMAGE: CONCRETE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDING MATERIAL ON EARTH, BUT ITS PRODUCTION CAUSES A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF GLOBAL CARBON EMISSIONS. JOIN GEORGE AS HE DISCOVERS HOW A SURPRISING DISCOVERY IN 1973 COULD DRAMATICALLY CHANGE HOW WE MAKE CONCRETE FOREVER. HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/FET92F1C730 view more 

CREDIT: THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 — Concrete is the most important building material on Earth, but its production causes a MASSIVE amount of global carbon emissions. Join George as he discovers how a surprising discovery in 1973 could dramatically change how we make concrete forever. https://youtu.be/fEt92F1c730

Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on Twitter @ACSReactions.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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Plans to plant billions of trees threatened by massive undersupply of seedlings

US efforts to fight climate change with tree planting at risk from lack of stock and species diversity, new research shows

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

 

IMAGE: THIS MAP OF RED OAK SEED SOURCES PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE OF A MAJOR THREAT TO AN IMPORTANT EFFORT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE: MAJOR GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE FUNDING IS BEING INVESTED IN PLANTING TREES AS A POWERFUL TOOL TO FIGHT LOCAL AND GLOBAL WARMING. BUT NEW RESEARCH IN THE JOURNAL BIOSCIENCE, FROM WHICH THIS MAP IS ADAPTED, SHOWS A TROUBLING BOTTLENECK THAT COULD THREATEN THESE EFFORTS: U.S. TREE NURSERIES DON’T GROW CLOSE TO ENOUGH TREES—NOR HAVE THE SPECIES DIVERSITY NEEDED—TO MEET AMBITIOUS PLANTING GOALS. view more 

CREDIT: ADAPTED FROM PETER CLARK/BIOSCIENCE

The REPLANT Act provides money for the US Forest Service to plant more than a billion trees in the next nine years. The World Economic Forum aims to help plant a trillion trees around the world by 2030. Many US cities have plans to shade their streets with millions of trees. Major government and private funding is being invested in planting trees as a powerful tool to fight climate change, protect water, clean air, and cool cities. In short, trees are hot.

But new research shows a troubling bottleneck that could threaten these efforts: U.S. tree nurseries don’t grow close to enough trees—nor have the species diversity needed—to meet ambitious plans.

The study was published in the journal Bioscience on July 31, 2023.

Seedling Scarcity

“Trees are this amazing natural solution to a lot of our challenges, including climate change. We urgently need to plant many millions of them,” says University of Vermont scientist Tony D’Amato who co-led the new research. “But what this paper points out is that we are woefully underserved by any kind of regional or national scale inventory of seedlings to get the job done.”

A team of 13 scientists, led by D’Amato and UVM post-doctoral scientist Peter Clark, studied 605 plant nurseries across twenty northern states. Only 56 of these grow and sell seedlings in the volumes needed for conservation and reforestation and only 14 of them were government-operated, they report. The team was more dismayed to discover an “overwhelming scarcity of seedlings,” they write, from different species and “seed collection zones”—trees adapted to local conditions and climate. In essence, forest nurseries tended to maintain a limited inventory of a select few species, electing to prioritize those valued for commercial timber production over species required for conservation, ecological restoration, or climate adaptation. Moreover, many areas had no locally adapted tree stock available. (See map for example.) And within the seedlings available, there were not enough types of trees and “future-climate-suitable” genetics to meet goals for conservation and forest restoration in a hot future.

“The world is thinking about a warming climate—can we plant towards that warming climate? We know we’re losing ecologically important species across North America and around the world. So, the goal is: can we restore these trees or replace them with similar species? It’s a powerful idea,” says UVM’s Peter Clark, the lead author on the new study. “But—despite the excitement and novelty of that idea in many policy and philanthropy circles—when push comes to shove, it's very challenging on the ground to actually find either the species or the seed sources needed.”

“The number of seedlings is a challenge,” Clark says, “but finding the diversity we need to restore ecologically complex forests—not just a few industrial workhorse species commonly used for commercial timber operations, like white pine—is an even bigger bottleneck.”

One extreme example is red spruce. This ecologically important species along hundreds of miles of eastern North America has been under stress for decades from climate change, pests, and land clearing. Yet, in their 20-state survey, the team only found two tree nurseries that had inventory of red spruce, a species from which many millions of seedlings are needed to meet restoration goals. “Remarkably, only 800 red spruce seedlings were commercially available for purchase in 2022,” the team reports in their new Bioscience study, “—enough to reforest less than one hectare.”
 

“It really points to just how bare the cupboard is when it comes to the diversity of options,” says Tony D’Amato, director of the Forestry Program in UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, “but also the quantity that's needed to make any meaningful impact.”

Increased Investment

The team argues that dramatic increases in both seedling production and diversity at many regional nurseries will be central to any successful campaign to address climate change with tree planting. However, the novelty and risk involved, “likely generates uncertainty among forest nurseries, hampering investment,” they write. This appears to be especially true in regions, like the Northeast, where nurseries have declined over recent decades, the study reports, and where speculative investment—in growing new, future-climate-adapted, non-timber species and seedlots—may carry high financial risk.

Additionally, seedlings brought in from outside a region may be less likely to succeed. The new study reports that the vast majority (80%) of seedlings in the northern states, where the study was conducted, are produced in the North Central states—and very few in the Northeastern states. “Such concentration of production will hinder tree planting efforts,” they write, “because species and seed sources likely originate from similar geographic or bioclimatic zones.” On top of this challenge, seedlings are sensitive to stress. A misalignment between when seedlings are available—say in a southern nursery months before northern soils are frost free—and when they are needed, may doom their chances.

The team of researchers—including scientists from UVM; the USDA’s Northern Forest Research Stations in Minnesota, Michigan and New Hampshire; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Michigan Department of Natural Resources; University of Minnesota; the USDA’s Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science; and The Nature Conservancy (Albany, NY)—recommend a series of improvements from improved policy and financing to better training and expanded research.

For example, today government agencies, such as the US Forest Service and many US state governments, lack clear policies about the movement of tree species and tree genetics. They often rely on seed zones established in the 1970s based on historical climate conditions, not future ones—even though up-to-date guidelines for moving species under a warming climate are becoming available. Additionally, much forest policy and research has been framed around species important for timber production—rather than efforts to diversify species and climate-adapted seed-sourcing.

The team of scientists suggest that expanded federal and state investment will be needed to boost both public tree nurseries and seed collection efforts. “This strategy may stimulate production from private nurseries once a stable demand is apparent,” they write. In 2023, the federal government made an investment of $35 million in expanding federal nursery capacity. “However, given the existing (and growing) reforestation backlog, declines in nursery infrastructure, and complex needs for diverse seeds and seedlings, it is likely that substantially more public investment in the form of grants, loans, and cost-share programs will be needed to reinvigorate, diversify, and expand forest nurseries,” they write.

“People want trillions of trees,” says the University of Vermont’s Peter Clark, “but often, on the ground, it’s one old farmer walking around to collect acorns. There’s a massive disconnect.”

University of Vermont forest scientists Peter Clark and Tony D'Amato at an experimental forest in Vemont. They led new research showing a troubling bottleneck that could threaten efforts to fight climate change with tree planting: U.S. tree nurseries don’t grow close to enough trees—nor have the species diversity needed—to meet ambitious planting goals.

CREDIT

Joshua Brown/UVM

JOURNAL

BioScience

DOI

10.1093/biosci/biad049 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A lack of ecological diversity in forest nurseries limits the achievement of tree-planting objectives in response to global change

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

31-Jul-2023

How heat treatment affects a milk alternative made from rice and coconut water

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

 

IMAGE: THIS BEVERAGE WITH 5% RICE FLOUR IN COCONUT WATER (LEFT) BECAME SLIGHTLY DARKER AND STICKIER AFTER BEING TREATED WITH HEAT (RIGHT). view more 

CREDIT: DIANA C. CASTRO-RODRÍGUEZ

Whether they’re made from soybeans, almonds, oats, or just sourced straight from the cow, milk products must go through heat treatment to prevent harmful bacterial growth and keep them safe. But understanding how these processes affect new, plant-based milk formulations could make the beverages more pleasant to drink as well. Researchers reporting in ACS Omega have discovered how pasteurization and sterilization affects the look and feel of one such drink made from coconut and rice.

Despite the ubiquity of dairy-based foods, many people have some form of lactose intolerance — up to 36% of Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. As a result, many turn to lactose-free, plant-based alternatives, some of which have added health benefits. For example, one drink under development combines rice flour and coconut water: Rice is hypoallergenic and high in fiber, and coconut water is hydrating and low in calories. To understand how heat treatment might alter this beverage, Jorge Yáñez-Fernández, Diana Castro-Rodríguez and colleagues wanted to test the formulation against two different high-temperature processing steps.

The team used three versions of the beverage, containing either 2%, 5% or 8% rice flour, with coconut water comprising the rest. These were heated either by pasteurization in a water bath at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or by sterilization in an autoclave at almost 250 degrees Fahrenheit. After these treatments, the team found that the starches in the rice flour gelatinized and underwent the Maillard reaction, producing a slightly darkened color and stickier fluid for all three versions. Additionally, the drinks’ acidities increased, and there were fewer sugars, which may alter the way they taste. The team plans to use these results to inform future research into similar, dairy-free, “functional beverages,” including those that could one day contain probiotic, lactic-acid bacteria.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Instituto Politecnico Nacional of Mexico.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

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JOURNAL

ACS Omega

DOI

10.1021/acsomega.3c01761 

ARTICLE TITLE

“Role of Thermal Process on the Physicochemical and Rheological Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of a New Functional Beverage Based on Coconut Water and Rice Flour”

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

28-Jul-2023

Plant-based protein intake may reduce kidney disease risk

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION

 

IMAGE: VISUAL ABSTRACT FOR "ASSOCIATION OF PLANT PROTEIN INTAKE WITH RISK OF INCIDENT CKD: A UK BIOBANK STUDY" BY GA YOUNG HEO ET AL: HTTPS://WWW.AJKD.ORG/ARTICLE/S0272-63862300742-4/FULLTEXT IN THIS LARGE, PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY, GREATER DIETARY PLANT PROTEIN INTAKE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A LOWER RISK OF INCIDENT CKD. FURTHER, INTERVENTIONAL STUDIES DEMONSTRATING KIDNEY PROTECTIVE BENEFITS OF PLANT PROTEIN INTAKE ARE WARRANTED. view more 

CREDIT: AJKD 2023

Plant-based diets confer various health benefits, including lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. However, the relationship between plant protein intake and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. This study led by Ga Young Heo aimed to investigate the association between plant protein intake and the development of CKD. Using the UK biobank study data, the researchers found that participants with a higher plant protein intake had a lower risk of developing CKD. This finding suggests that a higher dietary intake of plant-based protein may be beneficial for kidney health and provide insight into dietary interventions to prevent CKD in primary care settings.

ARTICLE TITLE: Association of Plant Protein Intake With Risk of Incident CKD: A UK Biobank Study

AUTHORS: Ga Young Heo, MD, Hee Byung Koh, MD, Hyo Jeong Kim, MD, Kyung Won Kim, MD, Chan-Young Jung, MD, Hyung Woo Kim, MD, Tae Ik Chang, MD, PhD, Jung Tak Park, MD, PhD, Tae-Hyun Yoo, MD, PhD, Shin-Wook Kang, MD, PhD, and Seung Hyeok Han, MD, PhD

DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2023.05.007

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Kidney Diseases

DOI

10.1053/j.ajkd.2023.05.007 

ARTICLE TITLE

Association of Plant Protein Intake With Risk of Incident CKD: A UK Biobank Study

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

28-Jul-2023

 

Lignin separation method could make renewable material profitable

Peer-Reviewed Publication

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

RICHLAND, Wash. – A novel method to extract lignin could help spin wheat straw into gold. Lignin produced using the new method was color-neutral, odorless and homogenous, an advance that could make this carbon-neutral material a more viable candidate for development of high-value products.

Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Washington State University researchers extracted up to 93% lignin with up to 98% purity from wheat straw, producing a significant amount of material in a uniform way that could make it more attractive for industry use.

“This method allows us to extract lignin from plant material in its native form and at a high yield,” said Xiao Zhang, professor in WSU’s Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, who led the work. “We were able to demonstrate to industry that it is possible to make color-neutral and odorless lignin, and we can make quite a bit of the material to begin evaluating its applications.”

Lignin is the second most abundant renewable carbon source, making up about 30% of the non-fossil fuel-based carbon on Earth. It is in all vascular plants, where it forms cell walls and provides plants with rigidity. Lignin allows trees to stand, gives vegetables their firmness and makes up about 20%-35% of the weight of wood. The material holds great promise as a precursor for biobased materials and fuels, but it is also notoriously difficult to extract from plants.

The material is usually separated during papermaking and biorefining, but these processes often contaminate and significantly alter lignin’s chemical and physical properties, decreasing its value. So most lignin is either burned to produce fuel and electricity or used in low-value products, such as for cement additives or as a binder in animal feed. Producing a more homogenous lignin provides the opportunity to pursue high-value material development to replace petroleum-derived plastics and polymers.

“Because of its heterogeneity, lignin can’t be used as a valuable material despite centuries of effort,” said Zhang, who holds a joint appointment with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. “The saying has been that ‘you can make anything out of lignin, except money.’ There’s so much heterogeneity in the molecules that nobody can reliably make things out of it.”

In their work, the researchers used a solvent to separate the lignin from wheat straw and were able to preserve and control its key properties, producing a more uniform molecule with a consistent molecular weight that makes it more useful for industry. The lignin extracted was light-colored, which is more like the lignin that exists in nature.

Because it is an electron-rich compound, the lignin had a strong affinity for the solvent, and the electron interactions allowed the researchers to extract it with minimal chemical reactions, which protected its natural molecular structure that is so often easily damaged in chemical separations.

WSU’s Office of Commercialization has filed a provisional patent and will assist the researchers for the scale-up and eventual commercialization of this technology. To make it more viable for industry applications, the research team is working to decrease the lengthy processing time and the amount of purification chemicals needed.

The work was done in collaboration with Edoardo Apra, a computational scientist from PNNL, and Professor Art Ragauskas from University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It was supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture as well as WSU’s Commercialization Gap fund.

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2307323120 

ARTICLE TITLE

Lignin with controlled structural properties by N-heterocycle-based deep eutectic solvent extraction

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

4-Aug-2023