A method and system for use therein for providing O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 gases directly to the soil proximal to the roots of plants via electrolysis is described. The method employs at least one electrolyzer disposed adjacent to, or inline with, the irrigation waterline of the plant grow operation to facilitate the introduction of the gases to the soil. A power source is used to provide the electrolytic conversion, and gases remain in a micro-bubbled form to flow through the waterline more easily to the plants where they are needed the most. A venturi is used to channel the dissolved gases in the waterline from the electrolyzer in embodiments having an external HyGrO unit. The inline embodiment electrolyzes the water without need of a venturi to reintroduce the gases to the waterline.

The present application provides a method for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching, the method comprising providing aqueous solution containing leaching agent precursor, providing one or more source(s) of external energy comprising a source of electric current connected to one or more non-metallic electrode(s) comprising carbon material(s) selected from graphite, graphene and derivatives thereof, and carbon nanomaterial(s) selected from carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanobuds, treating the aqueous solution with the external energy, which is electric current providing electrochemical reactions, to form hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in the aqueous solution, reacting the leaching agent precursor with the formed hydrogen peroxide to form a leaching agent and to obtain a leaching solution, providing metal-containing material, reacting the metal-containing material with the leaching solution to obtain soluble metal complexes, and recovering the soluble metal complexes. The present application also discloses a device for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching.

The present application provides a method for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching, the method comprising providing aqueous solution containing leaching agent precursor, providing one or more source(s) of external energy comprising a source of electric current connected to one or more non-metallic electrode(s) comprising carbon material(s) selected from graphite, graphene and derivatives thereof, and carbon nanomaterial(s) selected from carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanobuds, treating the aqueous solution with the external energy, which is electric current providing electrochemical reactions, to form hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in the aqueous solution, reacting the leaching agent precursor with the formed hydrogen peroxide to form a leaching agent and to obtain a leaching solution, providing metal-containing material, reacting the metal-containing material with the leaching solution to obtain soluble metal complexes, and recovering the soluble metal complexes. The present application also discloses a device for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching.

A flow cell for reducing carbon dioxide may include a first chamber having a gold coated gas diffusion layer working electrode, a reference electrode, and a water-in-salt electrolyte comprising a super concentrated aqueous solution of lithium bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). A second chamber adjacent the first chamber has a gold coated gas diffusion layer counter electrode and the water-in-salt electrolyte. The second chamber being separated from the first chamber by a proton exchange membrane. A reservoir coupled to each of the first and the second chambers with a pump contains a volume of the water-in-salt electrolyte and a head space.

A flow cell for reducing carbon dioxide may include a first chamber having a gold coated gas diffusion layer working electrode, a reference electrode, and a water-in-salt electrolyte comprising a super concentrated aqueous solution of lithium bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). A second chamber adjacent the first chamber has a gold coated gas diffusion layer counter electrode and the water-in-salt electrolyte. The second chamber being separated from the first chamber by a proton exchange membrane. A reservoir coupled to each of the first and the second chambers with a pump contains a volume of the water-in-salt electrolyte and a head space.

Described herein are salt-splitting electrolysis systems, which comprise flow electrodes, and methods of operating such systems. Specifically, the flow electrodes comprise active particles (suspended in a solvent) with catalysts. These catalysts are configured to react with either cations or anions, provided in a feed stream. The flow electrodes allow using the same system for different feed streams, e.g., by flowing different types of electrodes through the system. Furthermore, the flow electrodes allow in-situ catalyst reconditioning. For example, the active particles can be flown from the current collectors to respective recovery devices where the particles are discharged or subjected to a reverse potential. The active particles can be conductive and provide more desirable electrical field distribution between the current collectors resulting in greater ionic mobility. Finally, the active particles concentrate ions around the particles thereby providing a higher concentration gradient through separating structures, which enclose the feed stream.

Described herein are salt-splitting electrolysis systems, which comprise flow electrodes, and methods of operating such systems. Specifically, the flow electrodes comprise active particles (suspended in a solvent) with catalysts. These catalysts are configured to react with either cations or anions, provided in a feed stream. The flow electrodes allow using the same system for different feed streams, e.g., by flowing different types of electrodes through the system. Furthermore, the flow electrodes allow in-situ catalyst reconditioning. For example, the active particles can be flown from the current collectors to respective recovery devices where the particles are discharged or subjected to a reverse potential. The active particles can be conductive and provide more desirable electrical field distribution between the current collectors resulting in greater ionic mobility. Finally, the active particles concentrate ions around the particles thereby providing a higher concentration gradient through separating structures, which enclose the feed stream.

Disclosed are cathodes comprising a conductive support substrate having an electrocatalyst coating containing nickel hosphide nanoparticles and a co-catalyst. The conductive support substrate is capable of incorporating a material to be reduced, such as CO.sub.2 or CO. A cocatalyst, either incorporated into the electrolyte solution, or into the conductive support, or adsorbed to, deposited on, or incorporated into the bulk cathode material, alters the electrocatalyst properties by increasing the carbon product selectivity through interactions with the reaction intermediates. Also disclosed are electrochemical methods for selectively generating hydrocarbon and/or carbohydrate products from CO.sub.2 or CO using water as a source of hydrogen

Disclosed are cathodes comprising a conductive support substrate having an electrocatalyst coating containing nickel hosphide nanoparticles and a co-catalyst. The conductive support substrate is capable of incorporating a material to be reduced, such as CO.sub.2 or CO. A cocatalyst, either incorporated into the electrolyte solution, or into the conductive support, or adsorbed to, deposited on, or incorporated into the bulk cathode material, alters the electrocatalyst properties by increasing the carbon product selectivity through interactions with the reaction intermediates. Also disclosed are electrochemical methods for selectively generating hydrocarbon and/or carbohydrate products from CO.sub.2 or CO using water as a source of hydrogen

The present invention relates to a novel biocatalytic process for the stereoselective preparation of alpha amino amide compounds catalyzed by NHase enzymes. A further aspect of the invention relates to novel NHase enzymes as well as further improved NHase enzyme mutants, nucleic acid molecules encoding these enzymes, recombinant microorganisms suitable for preparing such enzymes and mutants. Another aspect of the invention relates to a chemo-biocatalytic process for the preparation of lactam compounds comprising the new catalytic process for the preparation of alpha amino amide compounds catalyzed by NHase enzymes, as well as the chemical oxidation of the alpha amino amide by applying certain chemical oxidation catalysts suitable for converting the alpha amino amide under retention of its stereochemical configuration to the respective lactam. The novel chemo-biocatalytic process is particularly suited for the synthesis of valuable pharmaceutical compounds, like in particular (S)-Levetiracetam.