This study aims to comprehensively characterize coal extracted from three active mines in northeastern Kazakhstan: Lenin, Saradyr, and Bogatyr. These mines exploit two Carboniferous coal-bearing formations, Dolyn and Karagandy. Dolyn, extracted by the Lenin underground mine at a depth of 700 m, contrasts with Karagandy, extracted at depths up to 260 m in Saradyr and Bogatyr. Six selected samples from the Lenin, Saradyr, and Bogatyr mines underwent various analyses, including proximate and ultimate analyses, elemental analyses (acid digestions with HCl + HNO₃ + HF, ICP-MS), and determination of mineral matter contents (XRD and SEM-EDS). This research aimed to understand the mode of occurrence of minerals and elements, technological and environmental implications of the coal seams extracted from these mines. Results indicate low sulfur and high ash content in the organic matter of all samples. Quartz and kaolinite dominate, with minor euhedral pyrite present in all samples. Framboidal pyrite, iron oxides, and rare earth element (REE)-bearing minerals are exclusively found in Saradyr and Bogatyr samples. Quartz and kaolinite likely reached the peat swamp through detrital processes, while pyrite formation occurred through both syngenetic and epigenetic processes in the coal samples. Ratios like Ce _n /Ce _n , Eu _n /Eu _n , Y _n /Ho _n , and Gd _n /Gd _n suggest REE deposition in anoxic hydrothermal water environments, possibly indicating a tuffaceous origin for the coal samples. Examining the elements’ mode of occurrence suggests their preferential association with mineral matter. Strong positive correlations among elements like Al, K, Na, Ti, Ba, Be, Ni, Cr, Co, Ga, Sc, V, As, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Zr, along with Eu and Sc of the REEs, suggest association with ash yield, consistent with kaolinite and accessory minerals. Comparative analysis of inorganic geochemical composition of coal worldwide reveals notable depletion of major, trace elements, and REEs in samples from all three mines, suggesting limited economic interest. Furthermore, coal samples containing trace elements pose minimal environmental impact.

The efficient capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) using polymer, supported ionic liquids (ILs) remains challenging due to limited understanding of atomic-scale interaction mechanisms. Here, a polystyrene (PS) oligomer supported by an amidinium chloride-based IL is proposed as a CO₂-absorbing material. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to investigate the structural, electronic, and intermolecular interaction energy characteristics of the PS oligomer, amidinium chloride ILs, CO₂, and their binary and ternary complexes. Molecular electrostatic potential maps (MEPs), reduced density gradient (RDG) plots with non-covalent interaction (NCI) snapshots, quantum theory of atoms in molecules critical point (CP) analysis, and electron localization function (ELF) analysis reveal pronounced hydrogen bonding and dispersion interactions between PS and IL that modulate the electronic environment of the IL anion, which is the primary CO₂ binding site. Interaction energy calculations show that the ternary PS–IL–CO₂ complex exhibits a significantly enhanced binding energy compared to the isolated IL–CO₂ complex, providing quantitative evidence for the cooperative role of the PS support. The results indicate enhanced CO₂ binding in the presence of PS supported by ILs, driven by cooperative electrostatic and dispersion interactions. These findings provide molecular-level insights into CO₂ capture mechanisms in polymer–IL hybrid systems.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery induces profound gut microbiota alterations that may impact metabolic outcomes. This study investigated site-specific effects of a multicomponent bovine colostrum-honey-serviceberry (CHJ) complex on post-RYGB microbiome changes in obese rats. Twenty-nine Wistar rats underwent RYGB surgery with CHJ supplementation, followed by mucosal-associated microbiota analysis from five gastrointestinal segments using 16S rRNA sequencing and serum metabolite profiling. RYGB caused regional-specific changes: decreased alpha diversity, systematic Proteobacteria increases (31.2 ± 5.1% in duodenum), and reductions in SCFA-producing bacteria (Romboutsia, Roseburia). CHJ supplementation exhibited dual effects on the microbiome: restoration of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) in distal segments while concurrently promoting Enterobacteriaceae growth in proximal regions. CHJ also maintained alpha diversity levels of the mucosa-associated microbiota comparable to those observed in the control group. Disconnects emerged between predicted microbial functions and systemic metabolites: thiamine pathway activation accompanied 78.5% serum vitamin B1 reduction, indicating severe absorption deficits. Three distinct patterns emerged: pro-inflammatory (proximal), decolonization (widespread Helicobacteraceae loss), and restorative (selective CHJ-mediated recovery). Results demonstrate that post-RYGB dysbiosis exhibits profound regional heterogeneity requiring segment-specific interventions and highlight complex interactions between nutritional supplementation and surgically altered gut ecology in determining metabolic outcomes.

This study presents a methanol-assisted pathway that converts hydroxyl-containing amidine into a polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) through direct CO₂ fixation, followed by its transformation into a cross-linked ionic polymer (CL-IP). Methanol plays a crucial role in this process, acting as both a structural and electronic mediator. Its strong hydrogen-bonding interactions with amidine activate the molecule toward CO₂ capture and promote the formation of ionic intermediates. Spectroscopic analyses (FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR) revealed the emergence of amidinium and alkyl-carbonate groups, while viscosity and mass measurements indicated progressive polymerization during CO₂ absorption. Density functional theory calculations confirmed the stabilizing effect of methanol and the reduced HOMO–LUMO gap, which facilitates PIL formation. The subsequent condensation of the PIL with glutaraldehyde produced a dense three-dimensional cross-linked network (CL-IP), as verified by FTIR, XPS, SEM, and TGA analyses. These results highlight a straightforward and sustainable strategy for constructing hydrogen-bond-mediated ionic polymers capable of tunable CO₂ capture and potential application in environmentally compatible materials.

This study aimed to create new composite materials based on diatomite—a non-organic porous compound—through its surface modification with bioactive organic compounds, both synthetic and natural. Chloramphenicol, tetrahydroxymethylglycoluril and betulin were used as modifying substances. Composite materials were obtained by covering the diatomite surface with bioactive substance compounds as a solution and material dispersion in it. The materials were characterized by IR spectroscopy, SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For the biocomposites, the hemolytic effect, plasma proteins’ adsorption on the surface and the antibacterial activity of the obtained materials were studied. Results show that the obtained materials are promising for medicine and agriculture.

This research is based on the investigation of the physicochemical properties of adsorbents based on potassium humate. During this study, we evaluated the structure, characteristics, and adsorption capacity of these materials. Potassium humate served as the main starting material, and we used a series of high-temperature carbonization and activation processes to produce the adsorbents we were investigating. We characterized the surface structure, porosity, and elemental composition of the resulting adsorbents using techniques such as cryogenic scanning probe microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We determined the specific surface area of the adsorbents in terms of surface volume using gas absorption techniques, specifically the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The findings reveal a significant improvement in the porosity and adsorption properties of activated adsorbents. Most of these materials have a high specific surface area, which indicates their exceptional adsorption capacity. These porous carbonaceous adsorbents, obtained through the methods described, are well-suited for purifying industrial wastewater and can act as effective gas adsorbents, including for hydrogen storage. Further research and experimentation hold promise for even greater improvements. Based on the results obtained through these methods, potassium Humate-derived adsorbents emerge as a versatile and technologically feasible raw material with wide-ranging applications.