Abstract
Most of the available techniques for CO2 capture are
solvent-based and suffer inherit limitations and impediments. The existing
technologies are unfavorable due to high raw material cost, severe energy
penalty costs, requirement for several pretreatment steps prior to carbonation
process, corrosiveness, and fast degradation of the sorbent.Researchers at FIU have proposed a new method able to bypass
these limitations for carbon capture by using sorbent, which is readily
accessible at any iron and steel industries. The suggested process is also easy
to retrofit and thus does not require any severe modifications to the
conventional system. The proposed process generates hydrogen and CO2. Carbon
dioxide can either be utilized or sequestered by using the existing
technologies.This process functions by selectively capturing CO2 from the
blast furnace gas. The sorbents that can be used for the capture process can be
utilized for a large number of cycles. Once the capture capacity of the
sorbents degrades, the sorbent can be used in further processing. For example,
the sorbents can be processed in a blast furnace for the production of iron or
steel. Thus, the proposed method can advantageously reduce or even eliminate
the loss of raw materials. This system and method can be more thermodynamically
favorable and thus can save energy.Benefit
Eliminates or reduce the loss of raw materials/sorbents Avoids any chemical pretreatment steps or chemical wastes Reduces transportation, materials and energy costs Requires little or no external energy supply Very minimal CO2 capture costsMarket Application
The present scheme can be used for simultaneous CO2 capture, H2 production and electricity generation. Implementation of the proposed process is not restricted to any particular industry but can be significantly profitable for the iron and steel industries.
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type
1 (HIV-1) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, principally in
developing countries. Although therapeutic agents exist for the treatment of
HIV-AIDS, drug-induced toxicities and pharmacokinetic limitations commonly
result in poor compliance and disease related complications such as, for
example, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). HAND is one of the
most common manifestations of HIV-1 pathogenesis that causes cognitive
impairment and other CNS-related disorders. For treating disorders such as
HAND, delivery of therapeutic agents to the CNS remains a major challenge,
primarily due to the ineffective transmigration of drugs through the
blood-brain barrier (BBB). In recent years, the advent of nanomedicine has
stimulated the development of innovative systems for drug delivery. However,
clinical success has been limited due to problems associated with
biocompatibility, sustainability, and cytotoxicity of the drugs.FIU inventors have developed
pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the delivery of Efavirenz to HIV
reservoir organs. The compositions comprise nanodiamond particles that are
small enough (less than 10 nm in diameter) to penetrate the tight junctions of
the BBB and subsequently migrate to selected treatment areas. The surface of
the ND particles can be electrostatically charged, facilitating the adsorption
of various therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents having positive or negative
charges. Optionally, the surface of the ND particles can be chemically modified
with functionalities such as, for example, carboxylic acid, lactone, ketone,
ether, hydroxyl, and/or amine. Furthermore, biological molecules such as, for
example, amino acids, proteins, cells, hormones, vitamins, DNAs, siRNAs,
antibodies, and RNAs, can be adsorbed or covalently attached to the ND
particles’ surfaces without altering their biological activities. Finally, the
increased drug-loading capacity attributed to ND particles’ large surface area
can lead to more sustained drug release profile and improve drug dosing
regimens.Benefit
Biocompatible and nontoxic to cells Can cross the blood-brain barrier Can adsorb large quantity of drug allowing sustained release of drug over long period of timeMarket Application
Targeted nanodrug delivery of anti-HIV drug to the HIV reservoir organs like the brain, lymphoid tissue, bone marrow, genital tract, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue Sustained release of drug Image guided drug deliveryPublications
Roy, U., Drozd, V., Durygin, A. et al. Characterization of
Nanodiamond-based anti-HIV drug Delivery to the Brain. Sci Rep 8, 1603 (2018).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16703-9
