Enhancing the productivity of pyramid solar still utilizing repurposed finishing pads as cost-effective porous material

The primary objective of the current research is to augment the potable water yield of the solar still (SS). This objective is achieved by integrating a used brushed refinishing pad (BRP) as a porous material (PM) in the absorber basin. This integration maximizes the wet surface area due to the pad's porous nature, thereby enhancing photothermal absorption, which is the process where a material absorbs light and converts it into heat. An experimental investigation was conducted to analyze the effect of porous materials in a rectangular pyramid solar still (RPSS) regarding potable water yield and feasibility. The results were compared with those of the conventional solar still (CSS), revealing a noteworthy enhancement in the production of potable water with RPSS-PM, showing a 47.7 % increase on day one and a 48.1 % increase on the second day with a mere 10 % rise in basin water temperatures. The energy efficiency of RPSS-PM improved significantly by about 9 % on both days compared to CSS. From an economic perspective, this system's payback period (PBP) was 5.2 months, compared to 6.1 months for the CSS. Furthermore, the cost per liter (CPL) of potable water produced by the RPSS-PM was 16.6 % lower than that of the CSS. This innovative approach holds great potential for effectively addressing challenges related to water scarcity

Aconitase B Is Required for Optimal Growth of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria in Pepper Plants

The aerobic plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) colonizes the intercellular spaces of pepper and tomato. One enzyme that might contribute to the successful proliferation of Xcv in the host is the iron-sulfur protein aconitase, which catalyzes the conversion of citrate to isocitrate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and might also sense reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in cellular iron levels. Xcv contains three putative aconitases, two of which, acnA and acnB, are encoded by a single chromosomal locus. The focus of this study is aconitase B (AcnB). acnB is co-transcribed with two genes, XCV1925 and XCV1926, encoding putative nucleic acid-binding proteins. In vitro growth of acnB mutants was like wild type, whereas in planta growth and symptom formation in pepper plants were impaired. While acnA, XCV1925 or XCV1926 mutants showed a wild-type phenotype with respect to bacterial growth and in planta symptom formation, proliferation of the acnB mutant in susceptible pepper plants was significantly impaired. Furthermore, the deletion of acnB led to reduced HR induction in resistant pepper plants and an increased susceptibility to the superoxide-generating compound menadione. As AcnB complemented the growth deficiency of an Escherichia coli aconitase mutant, it is likely to be an active aconitase. We therefore propose that optimal growth and survival of Xcv in pepper plants depends on AcnB, which might be required for the utilization of citrate as carbon source and could also help protect the bacterium against oxidative stress