Potassium chlorate powder

Longan ( Dimocarpus longan L.) is one of the most important tropical and subtropical fruits in the world. Longan fruit has high nutritional and medical value, and is regarded as a treasure among fruits. Since it was first reported that potassium chlorate (KClO 3 ) could be successfully applied to promote flowering in longan, this compound has been widely used in the production of on-season and off-season longan fruits. KClO 3 has thus played a great role in promoting the development of the longan industry. In this review, we summarize the application methods, influencing factors, and physiological and molecular mechanisms associated with KClO 3 -mediated induction of longan flowering. It can be deduced that leaves may play a crucial role in the transport of and response to KClO 3 . Leaves supply carbon and nitrogen nutrition, and hormone and signaling molecules needed for the differentiation of apical buds. Moreover, cytokinins may be crucial for KClO 3 -mediated induction of longan flowering. More effort should be focused on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. This will not only help us to better understand floral induction by KClO 3 in longan but also enrich our understanding of flowering regulation mechanisms in woody plants.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids bearing a homologous series of oxychlorine anions—1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorite, chlorate, and perchlorate—were synthesized and characterized to relate anion oxygenation to density, thermal expansivity, viscosity, electrical and molar conductivity, ionicity, and antimicrobial performance. Temperature-dependent measurements were carried out from 293.15 to 323.15 K: density and viscosity were recorded and modeled to obtain thermal expansion coefficients; electrical and molar conductivities were measured under identical conditions; and activation parameters were extracted by Arrhenius analysis for viscous flow and for conductivity. Ionicity was assessed from Walden plots and quantified by vertical deviation from the potassium-chloride reference (Angell approach). Complementary DFT calculations provided optimized ion-pair geometries, noncovalent contact patterns, molecular electrostatic potential maps, and frontier-orbital descriptors. In silico ADMET properties were computed to contextualize pharmacokinetic and safety flags. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by broth microdilution against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Candida quilliermondii; [Bmim]Cl was included as a comparator to isolate the effect of anion oxygenation. The combined experimental–computational workflow delineates how chlorite, chlorate, and perchlorate shape physicochemical behavior, ionicity, and bioactivity in [Bmim] ionic liquids, providing design guidance for future applications.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Interpretation and evaluation of trace explosives evidence requires practitioner understanding of factors including transfer, persistence, and environmental prevalence. This study builds on previous work and studies the contemporary prevalence of organic high explosives and inorganic ions of explosives significance in public places. 450 swab and vacuum samples were collected from across Great Britain. Analysis was conducted using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and ion chromatography-mass spectrometry to screen for a wider number of explosives analytes with a higher degree of selectivity and with lower limits of detection than previous studies. Analytes screened for included military high explosives, organic peroxide explosives, and inorganic ions of explosives significance. Only eight low nanogram level traces of organic explosives (HMX, NG, PETN, and RDX) were detected. The results indicate that high explosives traces remain uncommon in the public environment and transport network. Due to the low prevalence, these results strengthen the association between the detection of a trace and explosives activity, and assist the practitioner in assigning significance. Many inorganic ions (ammonium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, nitrate, nitrite, potassium, sodium, and sulfate) were detected at milligram or sub-milligram quantities. They are common in the environment, naturally occurring, and used commercially. Interpreting the general significance when detecting traces of common inorganic species is challenging. Barium, chlorate, perchlorate, strontium, and thiocyanate were not detected and are therefore more uncommon, strengthening the association between detection and explosives activity.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Dimocarpus longan is an economically important fruit tree primarily cultivated in various Asian countries and the Indochina region encompassing Thailand, China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Here, we report an extensive dataset of 606.72 Gb of the whole-genome resequencing data obtained from 31 Dimocarpus longan and 1 Dimocarpus obtusus samples performed on Illumina HiSeq PE150, providing the coverage over 30-fold of the reference genome (averaging 15 Gb per sample) with an addition of 12 longan accessions from China. A phylogenomic tree inferred from this analyzed dataset (19,270,513 SNPs) was constructed and results indicated that there are three separate monophyletic clades of China-USA (1), Thai (2) and Vietnam longan (3). Interestingly, however, Thai and Vietnam clades appear to be closely linked in genetic relationship based on analyses of karyotype, genomic data and certain morphological characteristics. De novo transcriptome assembly further revealed variations in gene sequences, divergent gene expression and candidate genes associated with different flowering behaviors. The greatest change in differential gene expression (51.87 %) observed between natural independent and seasonal flowering implied the microevolutionary shift observed in longan is influenced by artificial selection, resulting in gradual changes in flowering behaviors from natural independent flowering to artificial flowering induction using potassium chlorate (KClO 3 ). In summary, the data obtained from this study serves as the essential evidence for elucidating the microevolution of longan and shedding new light on an agronomical application of artificial flowering induction via modulation of KClO 3 responsive genes in longan or other fruits in the future. • Phylogenomic and karyotype data support that Thai longan is genetically closer to Vietnam longan than to China and USA longan. • The selection of Thai commercial longan affects changes in flowering behavior. • Genes associated with different flowering behaviors will pave the way for inducing flowering in longan.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC

Abstract Flowering in off-season longan ( Dimocarpus longan L.) can be induced effectively by the application of potassium chlorate (KClO 3 ), but the mechanism of the physiological induction is largely unknown to decipher its mechanism and identify genes potentially regulating the process, and comparative analysis via RNA-Seq was performed between vegetative and KClO 3 -induced floral buds. A total of 18,649 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between control and treated samples. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that DEGs related to plant hormone signal transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were enriched in our data. A total of 29 flowering-related DEGs were identified in our study, such as APETALA1 ( AP1 ), APETALA2 ( AP2 ), AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 3/ETTIN ( ARF3 ), SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE 8 ( SPL8 ), AGAMOUS ( AG ), and others. The upregulation of AP2 and SPL genes indicates that the age-related pathway is activated and influences the floral induction in KClO 3 -induced longan floral buds by coordinated regulation of genes related to AP1 , AG , and ARF3 . This study provides a valuable resource for studying molecular mechanisms underlying chlorate-induced floral transition in off-season longan, which may benefit the development and production of off-season tropical/subtropical fruit trees.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Chlorine plays an essential role in various industries, such as wastewater treatment, disinfection, plastics, and pharmaceuticals, contributing to a significant global demand. Traditional methods of chlorine production, including chemical reactions involving manganese dioxide, potassium chlorate, and potassium permanganate, as well as the electrolysis of saturated salt solutions, are associated with safety and efficiency concerns. This study introduces a novel approach for the photoelectrocatalytic production of chlorine gas through the oxidation of chloride ions in potassium chloride solutions using a dual semiconductor photoelectrode system composed of TiO2 and Cu2O. By harnessing solar energy, this system enables the concurrent, safe, and efficient production of both chlorine and hydrogen gases. The TiO2 photoelectrode is employed for chlorine production, while Cu2O is used for hydrogen generation. The dual photoelectrode system mimics the process of electrolytic seawater electrolysis, offering a promising alternative to conventional methods. Through linear sweep voltammetry, current–time tests, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, supported by a detailed analysis of the energy band structure. Additionally, the material’s characteristics were verified using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This work not only provides a safer and more efficient method for chlorine production but also highlights the potential of solar-powered photoelectrocatalysis in large-scale applications. These findings point toward a sustainable and environmentally friendly direction for chlorine production under simulated seawater conditions, with significant implications for renewable energy-driven industrial processes.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Understanding the properties of explosives is the basis for investigating and analyzing explosion cases. To date, due to the strict legal control of standard explosives and initiators, homemade pyrotechnics composed of oxidizers and fuels have become popular explosive sources of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) threatening greatly social stability and personal safety. The reactivity of pyrotechnics strongly depends on their intrinsic characteristics and operating conditions, which determine the efficiencies of heat and mass transfer between the reaction zone and the unreacted zone. Herein, the tests of thermodynamics, pressurization characteristics, and combustion propagation behaviors are conducted to explore the effects of oxidizer species, particle size, and loading density on the reactivity of homemade binary aluminum-based pyrotechnics. The results show that the pyrotechnics with potassium chlorate (KClO3) have the strongest reactivity with the highest pressurization rate (dp/dt) and the shortest combustion duration. Compared with their counterparts based on aluminum microparticles(mAl), pyrotechnics consisting of Al nanoparticles (nAl) possess superior reactivity as expected, which results from the relatively short heat and mass transfer distances. The nAl-based pyrotechnics have a low reaction exothermic peak temperature, great heat release, great aluminothermic reaction completeness, and high produced peak pressure with several orders of magnitude higher pressurization rate. Increasing the loading density of the pyrotechnics over a certain value can change the dominant mode of heat transfer from convective to conduction, sharply decreasing the pressurization characteristics and combustion front propagation velocities (vp). The results of theoretical calculations using the NASA-CEA codes show that loading density can alter the reaction process of the pyrotechnics, leading to a decrease in the predicted pressure per unit mass for Al/KNO3 or Al/AP, and an increase for Al/KClO3. For nAl/potassium nitrate (KNO3), the density is between 1.0 and 1.25 g cm−3, across which dp/dt decreases by one order of magnitude from 0.148 to 0.014 MPa ms−1. In addition, vp decreases by three orders of magnitude from 0.040 to 0.078 m s−1. Distinct pressurization behaviors of nAl/AP are observed at a density of 1.5 g cm−3, while the variation in nAl/KClO3 reactivity fluctuates. These results are beneficial for the damage assessment of scenes caused by an explosion and for inversely calculating charge parameters.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

)) on the explosive properties of such mixtures. The impact sensitivity was highest at a motor oil ratio of 5%. The friction sensitivity increased with an increasing oil ratio, reaching a maximum at an oil ratio of ~22.5%, and was close to those of primary explosives. The motor oil mixtures exhibited higher sensitivity than the cooking oil mixtures at oil ratios of 25.0% or less. A 10% oil mixture, which was close to the ratio of oxygen balance equal to zero, detonated in weak confinement, such as a paper cylinder. The highest detonation velocities in a polypropylene tube were ~2 300 and 2 550 m/s at a 10% ratio of motor oil and cooking oil, respectively. The velocities of the metal case wall, measured by photonic Doppler velocimetry, reached ~1 100 m/s near the end of acceleration. These results show that homemade chlorate and oil mixtures are capable of detonation and quite sensitive over a wide range of oil ratios, with sufficient power to cause damage in the vicinity. Key points: Simple mixtures of potassium chlorate and oil can be used as a homemade explosives.Oil types and ratios considerably affect the sensitivity and detonation velocity.Mixtures are sufficiently potent to generate hazardous fragments.Long-term storage causes an internal oil gradient.Mixtures with wide-ranging oil ratios can have highly sensitive points.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC

Fuel-oxidizer mixtures are popular energetics in homemade explosive devices composed of an oxidizer and a fuel. To date, detection canines remain one of the most successful tools for detecting the illicit usage of these materials. However, some popular inorganic oxidizers, such as potassium chlorate, have little to no anticipated vapors due to their negligible vapor pressures. There is subsequently an ongoing question in the detection canine discipline regarding what chemical(s) are enabling odor recognition. The goal of this study is to help improve our understanding of the chemical signatures that may be involved, focusing on measuring headspace particles to complement the existing knowledge on vapor. Measurements were collected on both bulk (grams to pound) and trace (micrograms) sample quantities. Nanometer- to micrometer-diameter particles were observed to be liberated, including those that could deposit in the nasal olfactory region. Aerosol mass spectrometry analysis observed signals for potassium, chlorine, hypochlorite, and chlorite. Vapor analysis observed signals for other volatile organic compounds. Vapor analysis results are consistent with expectations that potassium chlorate has a negligible vapor pressure and contributes minimally to the overall vapor composition. Headspace particulate analysis results suggest a possible event chain for odor perception, starting from surface particles to liberation into the headspace and then deposition in the nasal cavity for sensing. The implications of such events for canine odor recognition training for inorganic oxidizer detection are discussed.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND