This study aimed to evaluate the impact of betaine (Bet) and protected calcium butyrate (PCB) supplementation individually and together on the performance, carcass traits, blood biochemistry, and meat quality of growing Japanese quails ( Coturnix coturnix Japonica) from 1 to 42 days old. 144 one-day-old unsexed Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with six replicates each. All birds were fed a maize-soybean meal diet for 42 days. The control group received no feed additives, while the treatment groups received 1.2 g/kg Bet, 1.0 g/kg PCB, or a combination of both in their diets. The results indicated that Bet and PCB supplementation individually and together did not differ performance, relative weights of heart, gizzard, proventriculus, bursa of Fabricius and pancreas, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), blood biochemical values except for glucose and triglyceride. Bet supplementation significantly increased relative liver weights, while PCB supplementation decreased glucose levels in serum. Moreover, carcass yield was increased and triglyceride value in blood serum, malondialdehyde (MDA), and the pH levels of breast meats both on the 1st and 30st day of post-mortem were decreased in all treatment groups. Therefore, based on these results, the combination of betaine and butyrate improves both carcass yield and meat quality in growing Japanese quails. More research is needed to determine the impact of betaine and butyrate on the structure of amino acids in meat, antioxidant enzyme activity, and the immune system in poultry.

An organobentonite modified with an amphoteric surfactant, tallow dihydroxyethyl betaine (TDHEB), was used as an adsorbent to simultaneously remove Cu(II) and phenol from wastewater. The characteristic of the organobentonite (named TDHEB-bentonite) was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectra and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm. Batch tests were conducted to evaluate the adsorption capacities of TDHEB-bentonite for the two contaminants. Experiment results demonstrated that the adsorption of both contaminants is highly pH-dependent under acidic conditions. TDHEB-bentonite had about 2.0 and 5.0 times higher adsorption capacity toward Cu(II) and phenol, respectively, relative to the corresponding raw Na-bentonite. Adsorption isotherm data showed that the adsorption processes of both contaminants were well described by Freundlich model. Kinetic experiment demonstrated that both contaminants adsorption processes correlated well with pseudo-second-order model. Cu(II) had a negative impact on phenol adsorption, but not vice versa. Cu(II) was removed mainly through chelating with the organic groups (-CH2CH2OH and -COO-) of TDHEB. Otherwise, partition into the organic phase derived from the adsorbed surfactant was the primarily mechanism for phenol removal. Overall, TDHEB-bentonite was a promising adsorbent for removing Cu(II) and phenol simultaneously from wastewater.

Nanotechnology has been widely applied in agriculture, and understanding of the mechanisms of plant interaction with nanoparticles (NPs) as environmental contaminants is important. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of foliar application of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) NPs on some morpho-physiological and biochemical changes of canola (Brassica napus L.) leaves. Seeds were sown in plastic pots and grown under controlled conditions. Fourteen-day-old seedlings were sprayed with different concentrations of Co3O4 NPs (0, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg L-1) at weekly intervals for 5 weeks. Growth parameters of the shoot (length, fresh and dry weights) were stimulated by low concentrations of Co3O4 NPs (50 and 100 mg L-1) and repressed by higher concentrations. Similar trends were observed in photosynthetic pigment contents. The results indicated that high concentrations of Co3O4 NPs increased lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and the malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and dehydroascorbate (DHA) contents, but reduced the membrane stability index (MSI), ascorbate (ASC), and glutathione (GSH). Despite the increase of antioxidant capacity (DPPH) and the accumulation of nonenzymatic antioxidants (total flavonoids and flavonols) and osmolytes (proline, glycine betaine (GB) and soluble sugars) at high concentrations of Co3O4 NPs, the growth and photosynthesis were reduced. The defence system activity did not seem to be sufficient to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS). Altogether, high concentrations of Co3O4 NPs showed a phytotoxic potential for canola as an oilseed crop.