Optimization of hydrochemical composition of water in plant growing by structurization method

The aim is to study the change of the main hydrochemical indicators of river water quality during its structuring, regarding the optimization of its composition when used in crop production. Water samples were taken from the Southern Bug River within the Vinnytsia Region. Water structuring was performed before analysis using an Ojas structurizer. Laboratory experiments were performed in the chemical-bacteriological laboratory of KP Vinnytsiaoblvodokanal. Indicators were determined: total rigidity; hydrogen pH; content of chlorides, nitrates, ammonium; electrolytic conductivity, taste and aftertaste. It is established that the hydrochemical composition of water used for irrigation and spraying in crop production and agriculture plays an important role in their efficiency and impact on soils and plants. Among such characteristics of water, the value of water reaction pH, total hardness, concentration of chlorides, nitrates, ammonium and electrical conductivity are paramount. The hydrogen pH of unstructured water was 7.49 pH. Water structuring reduced this figure to 7.17 pH. The total hardness of unstructured water was 4.8 mg/dm3. The structuring reduced the value of its total stiffness to the level of 4.7 mg/dm3. The structuring did not change the concentration of chlorides in water — 45.0 mg/dm3 in both cases. The content of nitrates in unstructured water was 0.50 mg/dm3, and its structuring reduces this figure below the sensitivity of the measuring instrument (less than 0.50 mg/dm3), which is more than 2.0% or more, but this value could not be established reliably due to the technical sensitivity of the device. The ammonium content in unstructured water was 0.07 mg/dm3. During water structuring, the ammonium concentration decreased to 0.05 mg/dm3. The electrolytic conductivity of unstructured water was 563.0 µm cm/cm. During its structuring, it increased to 568.0 µm cm/cm. The taste of unstructured and structured water did not differ and was 1 point. The structuring of river water used in crop production and agriculture causes a decrease in the concentration of ammonium in it by 28.57%; nitrates — by 2.0% or more; reduction of hydrogen pH by 4.27% and total hardness — by 2.08%; increase in water conductivity by 0.88%, which optimizes their characteristics. At the same time, the taste and concentration of chlorides in water do not change during its structuring.

Structured Water: effects on animals

This review focuses on the effects of structured water on animals when it is consumed on a daily basis. Structured water is liquid water that is given altered H-bonding structure by treatment with various forms of energy including magnetic fields and light. While most of the research has been conducted on ‘magnetized’ water, which has structure of short duration, recent research has examined effects of a structured water with stability of at least 3.5 months. A variety of laboratory and farm animals have been studied over the past twenty years. Consistent (three or more studies) responses amongst animals consuming structured water for one month or more include increased rate of growth, reduced markers of oxidative stress, improved glycemic and insulinemic responses in diabetics, improved blood lipid profile, improved semen and spermatozoa quality, and increased tissue conductivity as measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. While it is known that fluids in and around cells and molecules are structured, it remains unknown if this endogenous water structuring is influenced by drinking structured waters. The mechanisms by which structured water affects biological systems are unknown and require investigation. Effects of structured water, when taken up by biological systems, are likely associated with altered water structuring around biological surfaces, such as proteins and membranes.

Characterization of Wetting of Deep Silica Nanoholes by Aqueous Solutions Using ATR-FTIR

In advanced semiconductor manufacturing, deep hydrophilic nanoholes are found in various applications, which require a wet clean after patterning. In this work, we use an in-situ ATR-FTIR spectroscopy technique to characterize the wetting of nanoholes in a silica matrix by UPW and electrolyte solutions. Wetting was much slower than predicted by a numerical model, while temperature cycling evidenced the formation of unexpectedly stable gas pockets in the wetted nanoholes. Water structuring in the nanoholes was characterized by an analysis of the OH stretching peak. Besides, monitoring the dissolution of CO2 in the wetted nanoholes allowed to compare the diffusivity in the nano-confined solutions with that in bulk solutions. Our results strongly suggest that the gas pockets were stabilized by the decreased gas diffusivity resulting from water structuring.

A Theoretical Study on Trehalose + Water Mixtures for Dry Preservation Purposes

The properties of trehalose + water mixtures are studied as a function of mixture composition and temperature using molecular dynamics simulations. As trehalose disaccharide has been proposed for dry preservation purposes, the objective of this work is to analyse the nanoscopic properties of the considered mixtures, in terms of aggregation, clustering, interactions energies, and local dynamics, and their relationships with hydrogen bonding. The reported results allow a detailed characterization of hydrogen bonding and its evolution with mixture composition and thus inferring the effects of trehalose on water structuring providing results to justify the mechanisms of trehalose acting as preservation agent.