Impact of particle concentration and out-of-range sizes on the measurements of the LISST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Lin; Boufadel, Michel C.; King, Thomas; Robinson, Brian; Conmy, Robyn; Lee, Kenneth

2018-05-01

The instrument LISST (laser in situ scattering and transmissiometry) has been widely used for measuring the size of oil droplets in relation to oil spills and sediment particles. Major concerns associated with using the instrument include the impact of high concentrations and/or out-of-range particle (droplet) sizes on the LISST reading. These were evaluated experimentally in this study using monosized microsphere particles. The key findings include: (1) When high particle concentration reduced the optical transmission (OT) to below 30%, the measured peak value tended to underestimate the true peak value, and the accuracy of the LISST decreased by ~8% to ~28%. The maximum concentration to reach the 30% OT was about 50% of the theoretical values, suggesting a lower concentration level should be considered during the instrument deployment. (2) The out-of-range sizes of particles affected the LISST measurements when the sizes were close to the LISST measurement range. Fine below-range sizes primarily affected the data in the lowest two bins of the LISST with  >75% of the volume at the smallest bin. Large out-of-range particles affected the sizes of the largest 8–10 bins only when very high concentration was present. The out-of-range particles slightly changed the size distribution of the in-range particles, but their concentration was conserved. An approach to interpret and quantify the effects of the out-of-range particles on the LISST measurement was proposed.

The Research on the Impact of Maca Polypeptide on Sport Fatigue.

PubMed

Miao, Hua

2015-01-01

In order to study the effect of maca polypeptide on sport fatigue, this paper selected 40 male mice, and they were randomly divided into group A, B, C and D. group A, B and C were fed food with different concentrations of maca polypeptide, and group D was control group. After two weeks of feeding, measured physiological indexes of mice, including blood glucose, urea nitrogen and creatinine. At last gived the experimental results, as well as the analysis. Experimental results show that maca polypeptide can improve the ability of anti-fatigue mice, and in a certain concentration range, the higher the concentration, the better the resistance to fatigue.

An analytical and experimental evaluation of a Fresnel lens solar concentrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hastings, L. J.; Allums, S. A.; Cosby, R. M.

1976-01-01

An analytical and experimental evaluation of line focusing Fresnel lenses with application potential in the 200 to 370 C range was studied. Analytical techniques were formulated to assess the solar transmission and imaging properties of a grooves down lens. Experimentation was based on a 56 cm wide, f/1.0 lens. A Sun tracking heliostat provided a nonmoving solar source. Measured data indicated more spreading at the profile base than analytically predicted, resulting in a peak concentration 18 percent lower than the computed peak of 57. The measured and computed transmittances were 85 and 87 percent, respectively. Preliminary testing with a subsequent lens indicated that modified manufacturing techniques corrected the profile spreading problem and should enable improved analytical experimental correlation.

Dietary fish oil alters the lysophospholipid metabolomic profile and decreases urinary 11-dehydro thromboxane B₂ concentration in healthy Beagles.

PubMed

Hall, Jean A; Brockman, Jeffrey A; Jewell, Dennis E

2011-12-15

Increased concentrations of dietary fish oil and antioxidants have been shown previously to change circulating concentrations of individual fatty acids (FAs) and vitamin E. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the effects of vitamins E and C, in combination with dietary fish oil, on selected blood and urinary biomarkers. Fifty adult Beagle dogs (mean age 5.3 years, range 1.4-14.2 years) were randomized into five dietary treatment groups for 90 days. All foods were complete and balanced and met the nutrient profiles of AAFCO for adult dogs. For 60 days before study initiation, dogs consumed a pretrial food that contained 74 IU/kg vitaminE and 0mg/kg vitaminC. The five experimental foods were confirmed by analytical methods to contain ≥ 640 IU/kg vitaminE and 130 mg/kg vitaminC (as fed). Experimental foods ranged from low levels of EPA and DHA (pretrial food and lowest experimental food had 0.01% EPA and no detectable DHA) to the highest experimental food with 0.25% EPA and 0.17% DHA. Serum was analyzed for FAs, vitamin E, and cholesterol concentrations; urine was analyzed for 11-dehydro thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)). Serum was also used for metabolomic analysis. FA intake ranged from 0.02 g/day EPA and 0.02 g/day DHA to 0.58 g/day EPA and 0.39 g/day DHA. Increasing dietary concentrations of EPA and DHA resulted in increased serum concentrations of EPA and DHA in a dose-dependent fashion. Greater dietary vitamin E intake resulted in increased serum vitamin E concentrations (P<0.01). Higher serum cholesterol was also associated with higher serum vitamin E concentrations (P<0.01). In turn, changes in serum cholesterol concentration were associated with diet-induced changes in serum FA concentrations (all P<0.01). At the beginning of the dietary treatment period the most significant predictor of urine 11-dehydro TXB(2) concentration was age, followed by lean-body mass. After dietary treatment with different amounts of fish oil, age (increases 11-dehydro TXB(2)) was followed by EPA concentration as a significant negative predictor of urine 11-dehydro TXB(2) concentration (increasing serum concentrations of EPA decrease 11-dehydro TXB(2)), and then lean-body mass (decreases 11-dehydro TXB(2)). Serum docosahexaenoyl-glycerophosphocholine concentration was increased by feeding fish oil in a dose-response manner. In summary, serum vitamin E concentration is enhanced primarily by feeding vitamin E and secondarily by serum cholesterol concentration. When feeding diets enriched with fish oil, the major negative predictor of urinary 11-dehydro TXB(2) concentration is serum EPA concentration. Plasma lysophospholipids can be dynamically regulated by dietary fish oil supplementation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a mathematical model for the dissolution of uranium dioxide. II. Statistical model for the dissolution of uranium dioxide tablets in nitric acid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhukovskii, Yu.M.; Luksha, O.P.; Nenarokomov, E.A.

1988-03-01

We have derived a statistical model for the dissolution of uranium dioxide tablets for the 6 to 12 M concentration range and temperatures from 80/sup 0/C to the boiling point. The model differs qualitatively from the dissolution model for ground uranium dioxide. In the indicated range of experimental conditions, the mean-square deviation of the curves for the model from the experimental curves is not greater than 6%.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bunkin, N F; Shkirin, A V; Burkhanov, I S

Aqueous NaCl solutions with different concentrations have been investigated by dynamic scattering of laser radiation. It is experimentally shown that these solutions contain scattering particles with a wide size distribution in a range of ∼10 – 100 nm. The experimental results indirectly confirm the existence of quasi-stable gas nanobubbles in the bulk of aqueous ionic solutions. (light scattering)

Spatial Statistics of atmospheric particulate matter in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yongxiang; Wang, Yangjun; Liu, Yulu

2017-04-01

In this work, the spatial dynamics of the atmospheric particulate matters (resp. PM10 and PM2.5) are studied using turbulence methodologies. The hourly concentrations of particulate matter were released by the Chinese government (http://www.cnemc.cn). We first processed these data into daily average concentrations. Totally, there are 305 monitor stations with an observations period of 425 days. It is found experimentally that the spatial correlation function ρ(r) shows a log-law on the mesoscale range, i.e., 50 ≤ r ≤ 500 km, with an experimental scaling exponent β = 0.45. The spatial structure function shows a power-law behavior on the mesoscale range 90 ≤ r ≤ 500 km. The experimental scaling exponent ζ(q) is convex, showing that the intermittent correction is relevant in characterizing the spatial dynamics of particulate matter. The measured singularity spectrum f(α) also shows its multifractal nature. Experimentally, the particulate matter is more intermittent than the passive scalar, which could be partially due to the mesoscale movements of the atmosphere, and also due to local sources, such as local industry activities.

Silica Gel Coated Spherical Micro resonator for Ultra-High Sensitivity Detection of Ammonia Gas Concentration in Air.

PubMed

Mallik, Arun Kumar; Farrell, Gerald; Liu, Dejun; Kavungal, Vishnu; Wu, Qiang; Semenova, Yuliya

2018-01-26

A silica gel coated microsphere resonator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for measurements of ammonia (NH 3 ) concentration in air with ultra-high sensitivity. The optical properties of the porous silica gel layer change when it is exposed to low (parts per million (ppm)) and even ultra-low (parts per billion (ppb)) concentrations of ammonia vapor, leading to a spectral shift of the WGM resonances in the transmission spectrum of the fiber taper. The experimentally demonstrated sensitivity of the proposed sensor to ammonia is estimated as 34.46 pm/ppm in the low ammonia concentrations range from 4 ppm to 30 ppm using an optical spectrum analyser (OSA), and as 800 pm/ppm in the ultra-low range of ammonia concentrations from 2.5 ppb to 12 ppb using the frequency detuning method, resulting in the lowest detection limit (by two orders of magnitude) reported to date equal to 0.16 ppb of ammonia in air. In addition, the sensor exhibits excellent selectivity to ammonia and very fast response and recovery times measured at 1.5 and 3.6 seconds, respectively. Other attractive features of the proposed sensor are its compact nature, simplicity of fabrication.

Nonequilibrium Concentration Fluctuations in Binary Liquid Systems Induced by the Soret Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengers, Jan V.; Ortiz de Zárate, José M.

When a binary liquid system is brought into a stationary thermal nonequilibrium state by the imposition of a temperature gradient, the Soret effect induces long-range concentration fluctuations even in the absence of any convective instability. The physical origin of the nonequilibrium concentration fluctuations is elucidated and it is shown how the intensity of these concentration fluctuations can be derived from the linearized random Boussinesq equations. Relevant experimental inform ation is also discussed.

Study of the adsorption of Cd and Zn onto an activated carbon: Influence of pH, cation concentration, and adsorbent concentration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seco, A.; Marzal, P.; Gabaldon, C.

1999-06-01

The single adsorption of Cd and Zn from aqueous solutions has been investigated on Scharlau Ca 346 granular activated carbon in a wide range of experimental conditions: pH, metal concentration, and carbon concentration. The results showed the efficiency of the activated carbon as sorbent for both metals. Metal removals increase on raising the pH and carbon concentration, and decrease on raising the initial metal concentration. The adsorption processes have been modeled using the surface complex formation (SCF) Triple Layer Model (TLM). The adsorbent TLM parameters were determined. Modeling has been performed assuming a single surface bidentate species or an overallmore » surface species with fractional stoichiometry. The bidentate stoichiometry successfully predicted cadmium and zinc removals in all the experimental conditions. The Freundlich isotherm has been also checked.« less

Effects of temperature and particles concentration on the dynamic viscosity of MgO-MWCNT/ethylene glycol hybrid nanofluid: Experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltani, Omid; Akbari, Mohammad

2016-10-01

In this paper, the effects of temperature and particles concentration on the dynamic viscosity of MgO-MWCNT/ethylene glycol hybrid nanofluid is examined. The experiments carried out in the solid volume fraction range of 0 to 1.0% under the temperature ranging from 30 °C to 60 °C. The results showed that the hybrid nanofluid behaves as a Newtonian fluid for all solid volume fractions and temperatures considered. The measurements also indicated that the dynamic viscosity increases with increasing the solid volume fraction and decreases with the temperature rising. The relative viscosity revealed that when the solid volume fraction enhances from 0.1 to 1%, the dynamic viscosity increases up to 168%. Finally, using experimental data, in order to predict the dynamic viscosity of MgO-MWCNT/ethylene glycol hybrid nanofluids, a new correlation has been suggested. The comparisons between the correlation outputs and experimental results showed that the suggested correlation has an acceptable accuracy.

Concentration-Dependent Multiple Binding Sites on Saliva-Treated Hydroxyapatite for Streptococcus sanguis

PubMed Central

Gibbons, R. J.; Moreno, E. C.; Etherden, I.

1983-01-01

The influence of bacterial cell concentration on estimates of the number of binding sites and the affinity for the adsorption of a strain of Streptococcus sanguis to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite was determined, and the possible presence of multiple binding sites for this organism was tested. The range of concentrations of available bacteria varied from 4.7 × 106 to 5,960 × 106 cells per ml. The numbers of adsorbed bacteria increased over the entire range tested, but a suggestion of a break in an otherwise smooth adsorption isotherm was evident. Values for the number of binding sites and the affinity varied considerably depending upon the range of available bacterial concentrations used to estimate them; high correlation coefficients were obtained in all cases. The use of low bacterial cell concentrations yielded lower values for the number of sites and much higher values for the affinity constant than did the use of high bacterial cell concentrations. When data covering the entire range of bacterial concentrations were employed, values for the number of sites and the affinity were similar to those obtained by using only high bacterial cell concentrations. The simplest explanation for these results is that there are multiple binding sites for S. sanguis on saliva-treated hydroxyapatite surfaces. When present in low concentration, the streptococci evidently attach to more specific high-affinity sites which become saturated when higher bacterial concentrations are employed. The possibility of multiple binding sites was substantiated by comparing estimates of the adsorption parameters from a computer-simulated isotherm with those derived from the experimentally generated isotherm. A mathematical model describing bacterial adsorption to binary binding sites was further evidence for the existence of at least two classes of binding sites for S. sanguis. Far fewer streptococci adsorbed to experimental pellicles prepared from saliva depleted of bacterial aggregating activity when low numbers of streptococci were used, but the magnitude of this difference was considerably less when high streptococcal concentrations were employed. This suggests an association between salivary components which possess bacterial-aggregating activity and bacterial adsorption to high-affinity specific binding sites on saliva-treated hydroxyapatite surfaces. PMID:6822416

The effect of solute concentration on hindered gradient diffusion in polymeric gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buck, Kristan K. S.; Dungan, Stephanie R.; Phillips, Ronald J.

1999-10-01

The effect of solute concentration on hindered diffusion of sphere-like colloidal solutes in stiff polymer hydrogels is examined theoretically and experimentally. In the theoretical development, it is shown that the presence of the gel fibres enhances the effect of concentration on the thermodynamic driving force for gradient diffusion, while simultaneously reducing the effect of concentration on the hydrodynamic drag. The result is that gradient diffusion depends more strongly on solute concentration in gels than it does in pure solution, by an amount that depends on the partition coefficient and hydraulic permeability of the gel solute system. Quantitative calculations are made to determine the concentration-dependent diffusivity correct to first order in solute concentration. In order to compare the theoretical predictions with experimental data, rates of diffusion have been measured for nonionic micelles and globular proteins in solution and agarose hydrogels at two gel concentrations. The measurements were performed by using holographic interferometry, through which one monitors changes in refractive index as gradient diffusion takes place within a transparent gel. If the solutes are modelled as spheres with short-range repulsive interactions, then the experimentally measured concentration dependence of the diffusivities of both the protein and micelles is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Space photovoltaic modules based on reflective optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andreev, V. M.; Larionov, V. R.; Rumyantsev, V. D.; Shvarts, M. Z.

1995-01-01

The conceptual design and experimental results for two types of space application concentrator photovoltaic modules, employing reflective optical elements, are presented. The first type is based on the use of compound parabolic concentrators, the second type is based on the use of line-focus parabolic troughs. Lightweight concentrators are formed with nickel foil coated silver with a diamond-like carbon layer protection. Secondary optical elements, including lenses and cones, are introduced for a better matching of concentrators and solar cells. Both types of modules are characterized by concentration ratios in the range 20x to 30x, depending on the chosen range of misorientation angles. The estimated specific parameters of these modules operating with single junction AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells are 240 W/sq m and 3 kg/sq m.

Dielectric and electrical study of PPy doped PVA-PVP films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Sushma; Tripathi, Deepti

2018-05-01

Dielectric parameters of free standing films of pure PVA (PolyvinylAlcohol) and PVA with varying concentrations of PVP(Polyvinylpyrrolidone) and Polypyrrole were prepared and studied in low frequency range (100Hz - 2MHz). The results show that dielectric constant, loss tangent and conductivity increase sharply on increasing the concentration of PVP above 50wt% in polymer matrix. PVA-PVP film with low concentration of PPy showed improvement in the values of complex permittivity, loss tangent and ac conductivity within the experimental frequency range. This eco - friendly polymeric material will be studied for its probable application for RFI/EMI shielding, biosensors, capacitors & insulation purposes.

Double 90 Degrees Counterrotated End-to-End-Anastomosis: An Experimental Study of an Intestinal Anastomosis Technique.

PubMed

Holzner, Philipp; Kulemann, Birte; Seifert, Gabriel; Glatz, Torben; Chikhladze, Sophia; Höppner, Jens; Hopt, Ulrich; Timme, Sylvia; Bronsert, Peter; Sick, Olivia; Zhou, Cheng; Marjanovic, Goran

2015-06-01

The aim of the article is to investigate a new anastomotic technique compared with standardized intestinal anastomotic procedures. A total of 32 male Wistar rats were randomized to three groups. In the Experimental Group (n = 10), the new double 90 degrees inversely rotated anastomosis was used, in the End Group (n = 10) a single-layer end-to-end anastomosis, and in the Side Group (n = 12) a single-layer side-to-side anastomosis. All anastomoses were done using interrupted sutures. On postoperative day 4, rats were relaparotomized. Bursting pressure, hydroxyproline concentration, a semiquantitative adhesion score and two histological anastomotic healing scores (mucosal healing according to Chiu and overall anastomotic healing according to Verhofstad) were collected. Most data are presented as median (range). p < 0.05 was considered significant. Anastomotic insufficiency occurred only in one rat of the Side Group. Median bursting pressure in the Experimental Group was 105 mm Hg (range = 72-161 mm Hg), significantly higher in the End Group (164 mm Hg; range = 99-210 mm Hg; p = 0.021) and lower in the Side Group by trend (81 mm Hg; range = 59-122 mm Hg; p = 0.093). Hydroxyproline concentration did not differ significantly in between the groups. The adhesion score was 2.5 (range = 1-3) in the Experimental Group, 2 (range = 1-2) in the End Group, but there were significantly more adhesions in the Side Group (range = 3-4); p = 0.020 versus Experimental Group, p < 0.001 versus End Group. The Chiu Score showed the worst mucosal healing in the Experimental Group. The overall Verhofstad Score was significantly worse (mean = 2.032; standard deviation [SD] = 0.842) p = 0.031 and p = 0.002 in the Experimental Group, compared with the Side Group (mean = 1.729; SD = 0.682) and the End Group (mean = 1.571; SD = 0.612). The new anastomotic technique is feasible and did not show any relevant complication. Even though it was superior to the side-to-side anastomosis by trend with respect to functional stability, mucosal healing surprisingly showed the worst results. Classical end-to-end anastomosis still seems to be the best choice regarding structural and functional anastomotic stability. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The aluminum-in-olivine thermometer for mantle peridotites - Experimental versus empirical calibration and potential applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussweiler, Y.; Brey, G. P.; Pearson, D. G.; Stachel, T.; Stern, R. A.; Hardman, M. F.; Kjarsgaard, B. A.; Jackson, S. E.

2017-02-01

This study provides an experimental calibration of the empirical Al-in-olivine thermometer for mantle peridotites proposed by De Hoog et al. (2010). We report Al concentrations measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) in olivines produced in the original high-pressure, high-temperature, four-phase lherzolite experiments by Brey et al. (1990). These reversed experiments were used for the calibration of the two-pyroxene thermometer and Al-in-orthopyroxene barometer by Brey and Köhler (1990). The experimental conditions of the runs investigated here range from 28 to 60 kbar and 1000 to 1300 °C. Olivine compositions from this range of experiments have Al concentrations that are consistent, within analytical uncertainties, with those predicted by the empirical calibration of the Al-in-olivine thermometer for mantle peridotites. Fitting the experimental data to a thermometer equation, using the least squares method, results in the expression: This version of the Al-in-olivine thermometer appears to be applicable to garnet peridotites (lherzolites and harzburgites) well outside the range of experimental conditions investigated here. However, the thermometer is not applicable to spinel-bearing peridotites. We provide new trace element criteria to distinguish between olivine from garnet-, garnet-spinel-, and spinel-facies peridotites. The estimated accuracy of the thermometer is ± 20 °C. Thus, the thermometer could serve as a useful tool in settings where two-pyroxene thermometry cannot be applied, such as garnet harzburgites and single inclusions in diamond.

A Semi-Empirical Formula of the Dependence of the Fluorescence Intensity of Naphthalene on Temperature and the Oxygen Concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, B.; Wang, Z.-G.; Yang, L.-C.; Li, X.-P.

2017-09-01

Two-ring aromatics, such as naphthalene, are important fluorescent components of kerosene in the planar laser-induced fluorescent (PLIF) technique. Quantifying measurements of kerosene vapor concentrations by PLIF require a prior knowledge of the fluorescence intensity of naphthalene over a wide temperature and oxygen concentration range. To promote the application of PLIF, a semi-empirical formula based on the collision theory and experimental data at the laser wavelength of 266 nm and a pressure of 0.1 MPa is established to predict the fluorescence intensity of naphthalene at different temperatures and oxygen concentrations. This formula takes vibrational states, temperature, and oxygen quenching into account. Verified by published experimental data, the formula can predict the fluorescence intensity of naphthalene with an error less than 9%.

Experimental study of iron-chloride complexing in hydrothermal fluids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fein, J.B.; Hemley, J.J.; d'Angelo, W. M.; Komninou, A.; Sverjensky, D.A.

1992-01-01

Mineral assemblage solubilities were measured in cold-seal pressure vessels as a function of pressure, temperature, and potassium chloride concentration in order to determine the nature and thermodynamic properties of iron-chloride complexes under hydrothermal conditions. The assemblage pyritepyrrhotite-magnetite was used to buffer f{hook}S2 and f{hook}O2, and K+ H+ ratios were buffered at reasonable geologic values using the assemblage potassium feldspar-muscovite (or andalusite)-quartz. The pressure-temperature ranges were 0.5-2.0 kbar and 300-600??C, and initial fluid compositions ranged from 0.01-2.0 molal KCl. With all other factors constant, the concentration of iron in solution increases with increasing temperature, with decreasing pressure, and with increasing total potassium chloride concentration. Changes in iron concentrations as a function of KCl concentration, in conjunction with charge balance, mass action, and mass balance constraints on the system, place constraints on the stoichiometry of the important iron-chloride complexes under each of the experimental conditions. Using least-squared linear regression fits to determine these slopes, the calculations yield values for the average ligand numbers that are in the range 1.2-1.9, with uncertainties ranging from ??0.1-0.6 at the several PT conditions considered. The slopes of the regressed fits to the data suggest that both FeCl+ and FeCl20 are important in the experimental fluids, with FeCl20 becoming dominant at the higher temperatures. Theoretical calculations, however, indicate that FeCl+ does not contribute significantly to the solubility. Because of the large uncertainties associated with some of the calculated average ligand numbers, we base our data analysis on the theoretical calculations. A statistical analysis is applied to the solubility data in order to determine the values and uncertainties of the dissociation constant for FeCl20 that best fit the data at each of the experimental pressures and temperatures. The calculated stability of FeCl20 increases with increasing temperature and total chloride concentration, and with decreasing pressure. The values of the dissociation constant of FeCl20that are calculated in this study are in moderately good agreement with FeCl20dissociation constants from other studies of iron-chloride complexing in supercritical fluids. Differences are likely due to different assumptions made concerning activity coefficients of aqueous species. Log kd values for full dissociation of FeCl20 at 0.5 kbar-300??C-and at 1 kbar-400, 500, and 600??C, respectively-are -3.75 ?? 0.40, -6.25 ?? 0.10, -9.19 ?? 0.44, and -13.29 ?? 0.09. ?? 1992.

Combined experimental and numerical kinetic characterization of NR vulcanized with sulphur, N terbutyl, 2 benzothiazylsulphenamide and N,N diphenyl guanidine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milani, G.; Hanel, T.; Donetti, R.; Milani, F.

2016-06-01

The paper presents the final results of a comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis aimed at deeply investigating the behavior of Natural Rubber (NR) vulcanized with sulphur in presence of different accelerators during standard rheometer tests. NR in presence of sulphur and two different accelerators (DPG and TBBS) in various concentrations is investigated, changing the curing temperature in the range 150-180°C and obtaining rheometer curves with a step of 10°C. Sulphur-TBBS concentrations considered are 1-1, 1-3, 3-3 and 3-1, with DPG at 1-4 phr respectively. A total of 48 experimental rheometer curves is so obtained. To fit experimental data, the general reaction scheme proposed by Han and co-workers for vulcanized sulphur NR is re-adapted and suitably modified taking into account the single contributions of the different accelerators. Chain reactions initiated by the formation of macro-compounds responsible for the formation of the unmatured crosslinked polymer are accounted for. In presence of two accelerators, reactions are assumed to proceed in parallel, making the practically effective hypothesis that there is no interaction between the two accelerators. From the simplified kinetic scheme adopted, a closed form solution is found for the crosslink density, with the only limitation that the induction period is excluded from computations. For each experimented case on the same blend, reaction kinetic constants provided by the model are utilized to deduce their trend in the Arrhenius space, also outside the temperature range inspected. Rather close linearity is found in the majority of the cases. A comparative analysis is carefully conducted among the constants at the different concentrations of S, TBBS and DPG investigated, allowing a prediction of curing behavior at any vulcanization temperature and with concentrations not experimentally tested, without the need of addition costly experimentation.

Combined experimental and numerical kinetic characterization of NR vulcanized with sulphur, N terbutyl, 2 benzothiazylsulphenamide and N,N diphenyl guanidine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milani, G., E-mail: gabriele.milani@polimi.it; Hanel, T.; Donetti, R.

2016-06-08

The paper presents the final results of a comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis aimed at deeply investigating the behavior of Natural Rubber (NR) vulcanized with sulphur in presence of different accelerators during standard rheometer tests. NR in presence of sulphur and two different accelerators (DPG and TBBS) in various concentrations is investigated, changing the curing temperature in the range 150-180°C and obtaining rheometer curves with a step of 10°C. Sulphur-TBBS concentrations considered are 1-1, 1-3, 3-3 and 3-1, with DPG at 1-4 phr respectively. A total of 48 experimental rheometer curves is so obtained. To fit experimental data, the generalmore » reaction scheme proposed by Han and co-workers for vulcanized sulphur NR is re-adapted and suitably modified taking into account the single contributions of the different accelerators. Chain reactions initiated by the formation of macro-compounds responsible for the formation of the unmatured crosslinked polymer are accounted for. In presence of two accelerators, reactions are assumed to proceed in parallel, making the practically effective hypothesis that there is no interaction between the two accelerators. From the simplified kinetic scheme adopted, a closed form solution is found for the crosslink density, with the only limitation that the induction period is excluded from computations. For each experimented case on the same blend, reaction kinetic constants provided by the model are utilized to deduce their trend in the Arrhenius space, also outside the temperature range inspected. Rather close linearity is found in the majority of the cases. A comparative analysis is carefully conducted among the constants at the different concentrations of S, TBBS and DPG investigated, allowing a prediction of curing behavior at any vulcanization temperature and with concentrations not experimentally tested, without the need of addition costly experimentation.« less

Electrokinetics of the silica and aqueous electrolyte solution interface: Viscoelectric effects.

PubMed

Hsu, Wei-Lun; Daiguji, Hirofumi; Dunstan, David E; Davidson, Malcolm R; Harvie, Dalton J E

2016-08-01

The manipulation of biomolecules, fluid and ionic current in a new breed of integrated nanofluidic devices requires a quantitative understanding of electrokinetics at the silica/water interface. The conventional capacitor-based electrokinetic Electric Double Layer (EDL) models for this interface have some known shortcomings, as evidenced by a lack of consistency within the literature for the (i) equilibrium constants of surface silanol groups, (ii) Stern layer capacitance, (iii) zeta (ζ) potential measured by various electrokinetic methods, and (iv) surface conductivity. In this study, we consider how the experimentally observable viscoelectric effect - that is, the increase of the local viscosity due to the polarisation of polar solvents - affects electrokinetcs at the silica/water interface. Specifically we consider how a model that considers viscoelectric effects (the VE model) performs against two conventional electrokinetic models, namely the Gouy-Chapman (GC) and Basic Stern capacitance (BS) models, in predicting four fundamental electrokinetic phenomena: electrophoresis, electroosmosis, streaming current and streaming potential. It is found that at moderate to high salt concentrations (>5×10(-3)M) predictions from the VE model are in quantitative agreement with experimental electrokinetic measurements when the sole additional adjustable parameter, the viscoelectric coefficient, is set equal to a value given by a previous independent measurement. In contrast neither the GS nor BS models is able to reproduce all experimental data over the same concentration range using a single, robust set of parameters. Significantly, we also show that the streaming current and potential in the moderate to high surface charge range are insensitive to surface charge behaviour (including capacitances) when viscoelectric effects are considered, in difference to models that do not consider these effects. This strongly questions the validity of using pressure based electrokinetic experiments to measure surface charge characteristics within this experimentally relevant high pH and moderate to high salt concentration range. At low salt concentrations (<5×10(-3)M) we find that there is a lack of consistency in previously measured channel conductivities conducted under similar solution conditions (pH, salt concentration), preventing a conclusive assessment of any model suitability in this regime. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly sensitive in-line microfluidic sensor based on microfiber-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer for glucose sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Nanjie; Zhang, Hao; Liu, Bo; Wu, Jixuan; Song, Binbin; Han, Tingting

2017-11-01

A highly sensitive microfluidic sensor based on a microfiber-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MAMZI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for the detection of low-concentration glucose solution. A segment of microfiber tapered from standard single-mode fiber (SMF) is spliced between two SMFs with pre-designed lateral offset to constitute the miniaturized MAMZI probe. The transmission spectral response to environmental refractive index variation has been experimentally investigated for glucose concentration ranges of 300 mg dL-1 to 3000 mg dL-1 and 0 to 270 mg dL-1 and the glucose concentration detection limit is 3 mg dL-1, and the experimentally observed transmission spectral responses are in accordance with our theoretical simulation results. Owing to its high sensitivity, non-enzymatic operation method, ease of fabrication and compact size, our proposed MAMZI for glucose sensing is anticipated to be employed in biomedical applications.

Optimization of free ammonia concentration for nitrite accumulation in shortcut biological nitrogen removal process.

PubMed

Chung, Jinwook; Shim, Hojae; Park, Seong-Jun; Kim, Seung-Jin; Bae, Wookeun

2006-03-01

A shortcut biological nitrogen removal (SBNR) utilizes the concept of a direct conversion of ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrogen gas. A successful SBNR requires accumulation of nitrite in the system and inhibition of the activity of nitrite oxidizers. A high concentration of free ammonia (FA) inhibits nitrite oxidizers, but unfortunately decreases the ammonium removal rate as well. Therefore, the optimal range of FA concentration is necessary not only to stabilize nitrite accumulation but also to achieve maximum ammonium removal. In order to derive such optimal FA concentrations, the specific substrate utilization rates of ammonium and nitrite oxidizers were measured. The optimal FA concentration range appeared to be 5-10 mg/L for the adapted sludge. The simulated results from the modified inhibition model expressed by FA and ammonium/nitrite concentrations were shown very similar to the experimental results.

An analytical and experimental evaluation of the plano-cylindrical Fresnel lens solar concentrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hastings, L. J.; Allums, S. L.; Cosby, R. M.

1976-01-01

Plastic Fresnel lenses for solar concentration are attractive because of potential for low-cost mass production. An analytical and experimental evaluation of line-focusing Fresnel lenses with application potential in the 200 to 370 C range is reported. Analytical techniques were formulated to assess the solar transmission and imaging properties of a grooves-down lens. Experimentation was based primarily on a 56 cm-wide lens with f-number 1.0. A sun-tracking heliostat provided a non-moving solar source. Measured data indicated more spreading at the profile base than analytically predicted. The measured and computed transmittances were 85 and 87% respectively. Preliminary testing with a second lens (1.85 m) indicated that modified manufacturing techniques corrected the profile spreading problem.

The effect of nanoparticles aggregation on the thermal conductivity of nanofluids at very low concentrations: Experimental and theoretical evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motevasel, Mohsen; Nazar, Ali Reza Solaimany; Jamialahmadi, Mohammad

2018-01-01

Nanoparticles suspended in a base fluid yield increased thermal conductivity, which in turn increases convection heat transfer rate. Prediction of suitable relations for determination of thermal conductivity results in heightened accuracy in the calculation of convection heat transfer coefficient and reduced costs. In the majority of studies performed on the prediction of thermal conductivity, some relations and models were used in which the effect of aggregation of particles, especially at low concentrations was ignored. In this research, the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid is measured experimentally at low volumetric concentrations, within the range of 0.02-0.2% for the nanoparticles of Al2O3, MgO, CuO, and SiC in the base fluid of distilled water. The results obtained from the models are compared by the available models considering and neglecting the effect of aggregation of particles. Within the range of the applied concentrations, the relative absolute average deviation ratio of the thermal conductivity models without considering the aggregation effect in relation with the models considering the aggregate, is observed to be between 2 and 6 times. Therefore, it is recommended that even at low concentrations, the effect of aggregation should be considered in the prediction of thermal conductivity.

Aquatic Toxicity Screening of Fire Fighting Agents; 2003 Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-02

Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ), the reference toxicant. The aquatic toxicity screening consisted of an acute, static, range-finding...five concentrations of 3M Light Water Brand Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ), the reference toxicant. The aquatic toxicity screening consisted of an...experimental foam concentrates against current Military Specification MIL-F-24385F Fire Extinguishing Agent, Aqueous Film Forming Foam

Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study of Refractive Indices of Water-Acetonitrile-Salt Systems.

PubMed

An, Ni; Zhuang, Bilin; Li, Minglun; Lu, Yuyuan; Wang, Zhen-Gang

2015-08-20

We propose a simple theoretical formula for describing the refractive indices in binary liquid mixtures containing salt ions. Our theory is based on the Clausius-Mossotti equation; it gives the refractive index of the mixture in terms of the refractive indices of the pure liquids and the polarizability of the ionic species, by properly accounting for the volume change upon mixing. The theoretical predictions are tested by extensive experimental measurements of the refractive indices for water-acetonitrile-salt systems for several liquid compositions, different salt species, and a range of salt concentrations. Excellent agreement is obtained in all cases, especially at low salt concentrations, with no fitting parameters. A simplified expression of the refractive index for low salt concentration is also given, which can be the theoretical basis for determination of salt concentration using refractive index measurements.

Evaluation of the source area of rooftop scalar measurements in London, UK using wind tunnel and modelling approaches.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocklehurst, Aidan; Boon, Alex; Barlow, Janet; Hayden, Paul; Robins, Alan

2014-05-01

The source area of an instrument is an estimate of the area of ground over which the measurement is generated. Quantification of the source area of a measurement site provides crucial context for analysis and interpretation of the data. A range of computational models exists to calculate the source area of an instrument, but these are usually based on assumptions which do not hold for instruments positioned very close to the surface, particularly those surrounded by heterogeneous terrain i.e. urban areas. Although positioning instrumentation at higher elevation (i.e. on masts) is ideal in urban areas, this can be costly in terms of installation and maintenance costs and logistically difficult to position instruments in the ideal geographical location. Therefore, in many studies, experimentalists turn to rooftops to position instrumentation. Experimental validations of source area models for these situations are very limited. In this study, a controlled tracer gas experiment was conducted in a wind tunnel based on a 1:200 scale model of a measurement site used in previous experimental work in central London. The detector was set at the location of the rooftop site as the tracer was released at a range of locations within the surrounding streets and rooftops. Concentration measurements are presented for a range of wind angles, with the spread of concentration measurements indicative of the source area distribution. Clear evidence of wind channeling by streets is seen with the shape of the source area strongly influenced by buildings upwind of the measurement point. The results of the wind tunnel study are compared to scalar concentration source areas generated by modelling approaches based on meteorological data from the central London experimental site and used in the interpretation of continuous carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration data. Initial conclusions will be drawn as to how to apply scalar concentration source area models to rooftop measurement sites and suggestions for their improvement to incorporate effects such as channeling.

Phosphorus-defect interactions during thermal annealing of ion implanted silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keys, Patrick Henry

Ion implantation of dopant atoms into silicon generates nonequilibrium levels of crystal defects that can lead to the detrimental effects of transient enhanced diffusion (TED), incomplete dopant activation, and p-n junction leakage. In order to control these effects, it is vital to have a clear understanding of dopant-defect interactions and develop models that account for these interactions. This research focuses on experimentally investigating and modeling the clustering of phosphorus dopant atoms with silicon interstitials. Damage recovery of 40keV Si+ implants in phosphorus doped wells is experimentally analyzed. The effects of background phosphorus concentration, self implant dose, and anneal temperature are investigated. Phosphorus concentrations ranging from 2.0 x 1017 to 4.0 x 1019 cm-3 and Si+ doses ranging from 5.0 x 1013 cm-2 to 2.0 x 1014 cm-2 are studied during 650-800°C anneals. A dramatic reduction in the number of interstitials bound in {311} defects with increasing phosphorus background concentration is observed. It is suggested that the reduction of interstitials in {311} defects at high phosphorus concentrations is due to the formation of phosphorus-interstitial clusters (PICs). The critical concentration for clustering (approximately 1.0 x 1019 cm-3 at 750°C) is strongly temperature dependent and in close agreement with the kink concentration of phosphorus diffusion. Information gained from these "well experiments" is applied to the study of direct phosphorus implantation. An experimental study is conducted on 40keV phosphorus implanted to a dose of 1.0 x 1014 cm-2 during 650-800°C anneals. Electrically inactive PICs are shown to form at concentrations below the solid solubility limit due to high interstitial supersaturations. Data useful for developing a model to accurately predict phosphorus diffusion under nonequilibrium conditions are extracted from the experimental results. A cluster-mediated diffusion model is developed using the Florida Object Oriented Process Simulator (FLOOPS). The nucleation of defects is controlled by the diffusion-limited competition for excess interstitials between PICs and {311} clusters. The release of interstitials is driven by cluster dissolution. Modeling results show a strong correlation to those experimentally observed over a wide temporal and thermal domain using a single set of parameters. Improvements in process simulator accuracy are demonstrated with respect to dopant activation, TED, and dose loss.

Optimization of photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue using silver ion doped titanium dioxide by combination of experimental design and response surface approach.

PubMed

Sahoo, C; Gupta, A K

2012-05-15

Photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue (MYB) was studied using Ag(+) doped TiO(2) under UV irradiation in a batch reactor. Catalytic dose, initial concentration of dye and pH of the reaction mixture were found to influence the degradation process most. The degradation was found to be effective in the range catalytic dose (0.5-1.5g/L), initial dye concentration (25-100ppm) and pH of reaction mixture (5-9). Using the three factors three levels Box-Behnken design of experiment technique 15 sets of experiments were designed considering the effective ranges of the influential parameters. The results of the experiments were fitted to two quadratic polynomial models developed using response surface methodology (RSM), representing functional relationship between the decolorization and mineralization of MYB and the experimental parameters. Design Expert software version 8.0.6.1 was used to optimize the effects of the experimental parameters on the responses. The optimum values of the parameters were dose of Ag(+) doped TiO(2) 0.99g/L, initial concentration of MYB 57.68ppm and pH of reaction mixture 7.76. Under the optimal condition the predicted decolorization and mineralization rate of MYB were 95.97% and 80.33%, respectively. Regression analysis with R(2) values >0.99 showed goodness of fit of the experimental results with predicted values. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of water presence on the photocatalytic oxidation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene in the gas-phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korologos, Christos A.; Philippopoulos, Constantine J.; Poulopoulos, Stavros G.

2011-12-01

In the present work, the gas-solid heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene (BTEX) over UV-irradiated titanium dioxide was studied in an annular reactor operated in the CSTR (continuous stirred-tank reactor) mode. GC-FID and GC-MS were used for analysing reactor inlet and outlet streams. Initial BTEX concentrations were in the low parts per million (ppmv) range, whereas the water concentration was in the range of 0-35,230 ppmv and the residence time varied from 50 to 210 s. The effect of water addition on the photocatalytic process showed strong dependence on the type of the BTEX and the water vapour concentration. The increase in residence time resulted in a considerable increase in the conversion achieved for all compounds and experimental conditions. There was a clear interaction between residence time and water presence regarding the effect on conversions achieved. It was established that conversions over 95% could be achieved by adjusting appropriately the experimental conditions and especially the water concentration in the reactor. In all cases, no by-products were detected above the detection limit and carbon dioxide was the only compound detected. Finally, various Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic models have been tested in the analysis of the experimental data obtained. The kinetic data obtained confirmed that water had an active participation in the photocatalytic reactions of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene since the model involving reaction of BTEX and water adsorbed on different active sites yielded the most successful fitting to the experimental results for the first three compounds, whereas the kinetic model based on the assumption that reaction between VOC and water dissociatively adsorbed on the photocatalyst takes place was the most appropriate in the case of m-xylene.

Experimental investigation of a nanofluid absorber employed in a low-profile, concentrated solar thermal collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiyuan; Zheng, Cheng; Mesgari, Sara; Hewakuruppu, Yasitha L.; Hjerrild, Natasha; Crisostomo, Felipe; Morrison, Karl; Woffenden, Albert; Rosengarten, Gary; Scott, Jason A.; Taylor, Robert A.

2015-12-01

Recent studies [1-3] have demonstrated that nanotechnology, in the form of nanoparticles suspended in water and organic liquids, can be employed to enhance solar collection via direct volumetric absorbers. However, current nanofluid solar collector experimental studies are either relevant to low-temperature flat plate solar collectors (<100 °C) [4] or higher temperature (>100 °C) indoor laboratory-scale concentrating solar collectors [1, 5]. Moreover, many of these studies involve in thermal properties of nanofluid (such as thermal conductivity) enhancement in solar collectors by using conventional selective coated steel/copper tube receivers [6], and no full-scale concentrating collector has been tested at outdoor condition by employing nanofluid absorber [2, 6]. Thus, there is a need of experimental researches to evaluate the exact performance of full-scale concentrating solar collector by employing nanofluids absorber at outdoor condition. As reported previously [7-9], a low profile (<10 cm height) solar thermal concentrating collector was designed and analysed which can potentially supply thermal energy in the 100-250 °C range (an application currently met by gas and electricity). The present study focuses on the design and experimental investigation of a nanofluid absorber employed in this newly designed collector. The nanofluid absorber consists of glass tubes used to contain chemically functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dispersed in DI water. MWCNTs (average diameter of 6-13 nm and average length of 2.5-20 μm) were functionalized by potassium persulfate as an oxidant. The nanofluids were prepared with a MCWNT concentration of 50 +/- 0.1 mg/L to form a balance between solar absorption depth and viscosity (e.g. pumping power). Moreover, experimentally comparison of the thermal efficiency between two receivers (a black chrome-coated copper tube versus a MWCNT nanofluid contained within a glass tubetube) is investigated. Thermal experimentation reveals that while the collector efficiency reduced from 73% to 54% when operating temperature increased from ambient to 80 °C by employing a MWCNT nanofluid receiver, the efficiency decreased from 85% to 68% with same operating temperature range by employing black chrome-coated copper tube receiver. This difference can mainly be explained by the reflection optical loss off and higher thermal emission heat loss the front surface of the glass tube, yielding a 90% of transmittance to the MWCNT fluid and a 0.9 emissivity of glass pipe. Overall, an experimental investigation of the performance of a low profile solar collector with a direct volumetric absorber and conventional surface absorber is presented. In order to bring nanotechnology into industrial and commercial heating applications,

Experimental and analytical study of nitric oxide formation during combustion of propane in a jet-stirred combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakelyn, N. T.; Jachimowski, C. J.; Wilson, C. H.

1978-01-01

A jet-stirred combustor, constructed of castable zirconia and with an Inconel injector, was used to study nitric oxide formation in propane-air combustion with residence times in the range from 3.2 to 3.3 msec and equivalence ratios varying from 0.7 to 1.4. Measurements were made of combustor operating temperature and of nitric oxide concentration. Maximum nitric oxide concentrations of the order of 55 ppm were found in the range of equivalence ratio from 1.0 to 1.1. A finite-rate chemical kinetic mechanism for propane combustion and nitric oxide formation was assembled by coupling an existing propane oxidation mechanism with the Zeldovich reactions and reactions of molecular nitrogen with hydrocarbon fragments. Analytical studies using this mechanism in a computer simulation of the experimental conditions revealed that the hydrocarbon-fragment-nitrogen reactions play a significant role in nitric oxide formation during fuel-rich combustion.

Oxidation kinetics of model compounds of metabolic waste in supercritical water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webley, Paul A.; Holgate, Henry R.; Stevenson, David M.; Tester, Jefferson W.

1990-01-01

In this NASA-funded study, the oxidation kinetics of methanol and ammonia in supercritical water have been experimentally determined in an isothermal plug flow reactor. Theoretical studies have also been carried out to characterize key reaction pathways. Methanol oxidation rates were found to be proportional to the first power of methanol concentration and independent of oxygen concentration and were highly activated with an activation energy of approximately 98 kcal/mole over the temperature range 480 to 540 C at 246 bar. The oxidation of ammonia was found to be catalytic with an activation energy of 38 kcal/mole over temperatures ranging from 640 to 700 C. An elementary reaction model for methanol oxidation was applied after correction for the effect of high pressure on the rate constants. The conversion of methanol predicted by the model was in good agreement with experimental data.

Cadmium toxicity at low concentration on rabbit spermatozoa motility, morphology and membrane integrity in vitro.

PubMed

Roychoudhury, Shubhadeep; Massanyi, Peter; Bulla, Jozef; Choudhury, Manabendra Dutta; Lukac, Norbert; Filipejova, Terezia; Trandzik, Jozef; Toman, Robert; Almasiova, Viera

2010-09-01

In this study the effect of cadmium on various parameters of spermatozoa motility, morphology as well as on the spermatozoa membrane integrity in rabbits was analyzed in vitro, experimental concentrations ranging from 0.62 to 0.98 micro g CdCl(2)/mL. Pooled rabbit (n = 5) semen was cultured in vitro with cadmium and subsequently diluted to various experimental concentrations apart from control which received no cadmium exposure. Using computer assisted semen analysis method (CASA) we detected decrease of total motility with in the higher concentration range at Time 0. However, with increasing time (after 1 and 2 h of culture), cadmium exerted deleterious effect leading to significant motility reduction in comparison to control. A similar trend was exhibited in case of progressive motility, too. Most of the spermatozoa distance and velocity parameters detected no significant change in comparison to control at the beginning of culture (Time 0), although the toxic effect became significant (P < 0.05) with the passage of culture time (Times 1 and 2 h) in all concentrations. Analysis of spermatozoa morphology detected significant (P < 0.05) alterations at higher concentrations. At higher concentrations acrosomal changes, head without flagellum/separated flagellum, broken flagellum and other abnormalities were significantly higher (P < 0.05), while knob-twisted flagellum and small heads differed significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison to control at all concentrations. In regards to flagellum torso, flagellum ball and retention of cytoplasmic drop statistically higher values (P < 0.05) were noted at the maxium experimental concentration only. Annexin analysis for detection of spermatozoa with disordered membranes revealed higher occurrence of positive spermatozoa in cadmium exposed groups. Annexin-positive reactions suggested alterations in anterior part of head (acrosome) and in flagellum (mitochondrial segment) of spermatozoa. This paper underlines that cadmium is highly toxic for rabbit spermatozoa, as visualized by the toxic effects on parameters of spermatozoa motility, morphology and membrane integrity. The toxic effect is more drastic at higher concentrations. This study also indicates that cadmium requires a minimum one hour incubation time to exert its deletorious effects on various parameters of spermatozoa, particularly at low concentrations.

Tuning direct current streaming dielectrophoresis of proteins

PubMed Central

Nakano, Asuka; Camacho-Alanis, Fernanda; Chao, Tzu-Chiao; Ros, Alexandra

2012-01-01

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) of biomolecules has large potential to serve as a novel selectivity parameter for bioanalytical methods such as (pre)concentration, fractionation, and separation. However, in contrast to well-characterized biological cells and (nano)particles, the mechanism of protein DEP is poorly understood, limiting bioanalytical applications for proteins. Here, we demonstrate a detailed investigation of factors influencing DEP of diagnostically relevant immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules using insulator-based DEP (iDEP) under DC conditions. We found that the pH range in which concentration of IgG due to streaming iDEP occurs without aggregate formation matches the pH range suitable for immunoreactions. Numerical simulations of the electrokinetic factors pertaining to DEP streaming in this range further suggested that the protein charge and electroosmotic flow significantly influence iDEP streaming. These predictions are in accordance with the experimentally observed pH-dependent iDEP streaming profiles as well as the determined IgG molecular properties. Moreover, we observed a transition in the streaming behavior caused by a change from positive to negative DEP induced through micelle formation for the first time experimentally, which is in excellent qualitative agreement with numerical simulations. Our study thus relates molecular immunoglobulin properties to observed iDEP, which will be useful for the future development of protein (pre)concentration or separation methods based on DEP. PMID:23908679

Antimicrobial Activity of a Neem Cake Extract in a Broth Model Meat System

PubMed Central

Del Serrone, Paola; Nicoletti, Marcello

2013-01-01

This work reports on the antimicrobial activity of an ethyl acetate extract of neem (Azadirachta indica) cake (NCE) against bacteria affecting the quality of retail fresh meat in a broth model meat system. NCE (100 µg) was also tested by the agar disc diffusion method. It inhibited the growth of all tested microorganisms. The NCE growth inhibition zone (IZ) ranged 11.33–22.67 mm while the ciprofloxacin (10 µg) IZ ranged from 23.41–32.67 mm. There was no significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between the antimicrobial activity of NCE and ciprofloxacin vs. C. jejuni and Leuconostoc spp. The NCE antibacterial activity was moreover determined at lower concentrations (1:10–1:100,000) in micro-assays. The percent growth reduction ranged from 61 ± 2.08–92 ± 3.21. The higher bacterial growth reduction was obtained at 10 µg concentration of NCE. Species-specific PCR and multiplex PCR with the DNA dye propidium monoazide were used to directly detect viable bacterial cells from experimentally contaminated meat samples. The numbers of bacterial cells never significantly (p ≤ 0.05) exceeded the inocula concentration used to experimentally contaminate the NCE treated meat. This report represents a screening methodology to evaluate the antimicrobial capability of a herbal extract to preserve meat. PMID:23917814

Ignition delay times of benzene and toluene with oxygen in argon mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcat, A.; Snyder, C.; Brabbs, T.

1985-01-01

The ignition delay times of benzene and toluene with oxygen diluted in argon were investigated over a wide range of conditions. For benzene the concentration ranges were 0.42 to 1.69 percent fuel and 3.78 to 20.3 percent oxygen. The temperature range was 1212 to 1748 K and the reflected shock pressures were 1.7 to 7.89 atm. Statistical evaluation of the benzene experiments provided an overall equation which is given. For toluene the concentration ranges were 0.5 to 1.5 percent fuel and 4.48 to 13.45 percent oxygen. The temperature range was 1339 to 1797 K and the reflected shock pressures were 1.95 to 8.85 atm. The overall ignition delay equation for toluene after a statistical evaluation is also given. Detailed experimental information is provided.

The Electrostatic Screening Length in Concentrated Electrolytes Increases with Concentration.

PubMed

Smith, Alexander M; Lee, Alpha A; Perkin, Susan

2016-06-16

According to classical electrolyte theories interactions in dilute (low ion density) electrolytes decay exponentially with distance, with the Debye screening length the characteristic length scale. This decay length decreases monotonically with increasing ion concentration due to effective screening of charges over short distances. Thus, within the Debye model no long-range forces are expected in concentrated electrolytes. Here we reveal, using experimental detection of the interaction between two planar charged surfaces across a wide range of electrolytes, that beyond the dilute (Debye-Hückel) regime the screening length increases with increasing concentration. The screening lengths for all electrolytes studied-including aqueous NaCl solutions, ionic liquids diluted with propylene carbonate, and pure ionic liquids-collapse onto a single curve when scaled by the dielectric constant. This nonmonotonic variation of the screening length with concentration, and its generality across ionic liquids and aqueous salt solutions, demonstrates an important characteristic of concentrated electrolytes of substantial relevance from biology to energy storage.

Effective thermal conductivity of isotropic polymer composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tavman, I.H.

1998-07-01

The effective thermal conductivity of tin powder filled high density polyethylene composites is investigated experimentally as a function of filler concentration and the measured values are compared with the existing theoretical and empirical models. Samples are prepared by compression molding process, up to 16% volumetric concentration of tin particles. The thermal conductivity is measured by a modified hot wire technique in a temperature range from about 0 to 70 C. Experimental results show a region of low particle content, up to about 10% volume concentration, where the increase in thermal conductivity is rather slow. The filler particles are dispersed inmore » the matrix material in this region, the thermal conductivity is best predicted by Maxwell`s model and Nielsen`s model with A = 1.5, {phi}{sub m} = 0.637. Whereas, at high filler concentrations, the filler particles tend to form agglomerates and conductive chains in the direction of heat flow resulting in a rapid increase in thermal conductivity. A model developed by Agari and Uno estimates the thermal conductivity in this region, using two experimentally determined constants.« less

Experimental study of transient paths to the extinction in sonoluminescence.

PubMed

Urteaga, Raúl; Dellavale, Damián; Puente, Gabriela F; Bonetto, Fabián J

2008-09-01

An experimental study of the extinction threshold of single bubble sonoluminescence in an air-water system is presented. Different runs from 5% to 100% of air concentrations were performed at room pressure and temperature. The intensity of sonoluminescence (SL) and time of collapse (t(c)) with respect to the driving were measured while the acoustic pressure was linearly increased from the onset of SL until the bubble extinction. The experimental data were compared with theoretical predictions for shape and position instability thresholds. It was found that the extinction of the bubble is determined by different mechanisms depending on the air concentration. For concentrations greater than approximately 30%-40% with respect to the saturation, the parametric instability limits the maximum value of R(0) that can be reached. On the other hand, for lower concentrations, the extinction appears as a limitation in the time of collapse. Two different mechanisms emerge in this range, i.e., the Bjerknes force and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The bubble acoustic emission produces backreaction on the bubble itself. This effect occurs in both mechanisms and is essential for the correct prediction of the extinction threshold in the case of low air dissolved concentration.

An inverse radiation model for optical determination of temperature and species concentration: Development and validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Tao; Modest, Michael F.; Fateev, Alexander; Clausen, Sønnik

2015-01-01

In this study, we present an inverse calculation model based on the Levenberg-Marquardt optimization method to reconstruct temperature and species concentration from measured line-of-sight spectral transmissivity data for homogeneous gaseous media. The high temperature gas property database HITEMP 2010 (Rothman et al. (2010) [1]), which contains line-by-line (LBL) information for several combustion gas species, such as CO2 and H2O, was used to predict gas spectral transmissivities. The model was validated by retrieving temperatures and species concentrations from experimental CO2 and H2O transmissivity measurements. Optimal wavenumber ranges for CO2 and H2O transmissivity measured across a wide range of temperatures and concentrations were determined according to the performance of inverse calculations. Results indicate that the inverse radiation model shows good feasibility for measurements of temperature and gas concentration.

Diffusiophoresis of charged colloidal particles in the limit of very high salinity.

PubMed

Prieve, Dennis C; Malone, Stephanie M; Khair, Aditya S; Stout, Robert F; Kanj, Mazen Y

2018-06-13

Diffusiophoresis is the migration of a colloidal particle through a viscous fluid, caused by a gradient in concentration of some molecular solute; a long-range physical interaction between the particle and solute molecules is required. In the case of a charged particle and an ionic solute (e.g., table salt, NaCl), previous studies have predicted and experimentally verified the speed for very low salt concentrations at which the salt solution behaves ideally. The current study presents a study of diffusiophoresis at much higher salt concentrations (approaching the solubility limit). At such large salt concentrations, electrostatic interactions are almost completely screened, thus eliminating the long-range interaction required for diffusiophoresis; moreover, the high volume fraction occupied by ions makes the solution highly nonideal. Diffusiophoretic speeds were found to be measurable, albeit much smaller than for the same gradient at low salt concentrations.

Experimental study of the density of the helium-nitrogen gas system at low temperatures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milyutin, V. A.

2017-11-01

At the Department of TOT, an experimental setup was created to measure the density of a binary gas system from 100 to 300 K and pressures up to 16 MPa and with any mixture compositions. Experimental density for the helium-nitrogen system were determined by the piezometer of constant volume method. The amount of substance in the piezometer was measured by volumetric method. In this setup, the mixture of He - N2 was prepared in a special mixer for a series of p-v-T experiments, the concentration was determined by calculation using the equations of state of pure components. In the experiment, mixtures were prepared with molar concentrations, lying close to the range: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8.

Desorption of CO{sub 2} from MDEA and activated MDEA solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, G.W.; Zhang, C.F.; Qin, S.J.

1995-03-01

A packed column was used for investigating the desorption rate of CO{sub 2} from aqueous methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and activated MDEA solutions. Experiments were conducted within the temperature range 30--70 C, the concentration of MDEA was 4.28 kmol/m{sup 3}, and the concentration of piperazine (PZ) was 0.10 kmol/m{sup 3} for aqueous activated MDEA solutions. Experimental data confirmed that the kinetics model of absorption CO{sub 2} into aqueous MDEA and activated MDEA solutions can be applicable to the situations in which desorption occurs, and the desorption rate of model predictions agree well with that of experimental determination.

Equilibrium and kinetic modelling of chromium(III) sorption by animal bones.

PubMed

Chojnacka, Katarzyna

2005-04-01

The paper discusses sorption of Cr(III) ions from aqueous solutions by animal bones. Animal bones were found to be an efficient sorbent with the maximum experimentally determined sorption capacity in the range 29-194 mg g(-1) that depended on pH and temperature. The maximum experimentally determined sorption capacity was obtained at 50 degrees C, pH 5. Batch kinetics and equilibrium experiments were performed in order to investigate the influence of contact time, initial concentration of sorbate and sorbent, temperature and pH. It was found that sorption capacity increased with increase of Cr(III) concentration, temperature and initial pH of metal solution. Mathematical models describing kinetics and statics of sorption were proposed. It was found that process kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order pattern. The influence of sorbent concentration was described with Langmuir-type equation and the influence of sorbate concentration was described with empirical dependence. The models were positively verified.

Experimental study of gravitation effects in the flow of a particle-laden thin film on an inclined plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Thomas; Wey, Chi; Glidden, Robert; Hosoi, A. E.; Bertozzi, A. L.

2009-08-01

The flow of viscous, particle-laden wetting thin films on an inclined plane is studied experimentally as the particle concentration is increased to the maximum packing limit. The slurry is a non-neutrally buoyant mixture of silicone oil and either solid glass beads or glass bubbles. At low concentrations (ϕ <0.45), the elapsed time versus average front position scales with the exponent predicted by Huppert [Nature (London) 300, 427 (1982)]. At higher concentrations, the average front position still scales with the exponent predicted by Huppert on some time interval, but there are observable deviations due to internal motion of the particles. At the larger concentration values and at later times, the departure from Huppert is seen to strongly depend on total slurry volume VT, inclination angle α, density difference, and particle size range.

Atomistic Modeling of Quaternary Alloys: Ti and Cu in NiAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Mosca, Hugo O.; Wilson, Allen W.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Garces, Jorge E.

2002-01-01

The change in site preference in NiAl(Ti,Cu) alloys with concentration is examined experimentally via ALCHEMI and theoretically using the Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for alloys. Results for the site occupancy of Ti and Cu additions as a function of concentration are determined experimentally for five alloys. These results are reproduced with large-scale BFS-based Monte Carlo atomistic simulations. The original set of five alloys is extended to 25 concentrations, which are modeled by means of the BFS method for alloys, showing in more detail the compositional range over which major changes in behavior occur. A simple but powerful approach based on the definition of atomic local environments also is introduced to describe energetically the interactions between the various elements and therefore to explain the observed behavior.

Turbulent heat transfer and nanofluid flow in a protruded ribbed square passage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sunil; Kothiyal, Alok Darshan; Bisht, Mangal Singh; Kumar, Anil

In this article, turbulent heat transfer of nanofluid flow in square passage with protruded rib shape is numerically and experimentally studied over Reynolds number ranges of 4000-18000. Different nanoparticles (Al2O3, CuO, and ZnO), with different concentration (φ) range of 1-4% and different nanoparticle diameter (dnp) range of 30-45 nm are disperse in water (base fluid). Several parameters such as stream wise distance (Xs /dp) range of 1.4-2.6, span wise distance (Ys /dp) range of 1.4-2.6, ratio of protruded height to print diameter (ep /dp) range of 0.83-1.67 also studied to find the consequence on thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics. Simulations were carried out to obtain heat and fluid flow behaviour of smooth and ribbed square channel using commercial CFD software, ANSYS 15.0 (Fluent). Renormalization k - ε model was employed to assess the influence of protruded ribs on turbulent flow and velocity field. The outcome indicates that Al2O3 nanofluid has the highest value of average Nusselt number as compare to other nanofluids. The average Nusselt number increases as the concentration increases and it decreases as nanoparticle diameter increases. The thermal hydrodynamic performance parameter based on equal pumping power, average Nusselt number and average friction factor were found to be highest for Al2O3, φ = 0.04, dnp = 30 nm, Xs /dp = 1.8, Ys /dp = 1.8 and ep /dp = 1.0 . The numerical data are compared with the corresponding experimental data. Comparison between CFD and experimental analysis results showed that good agreement as the data fell within ±7.0% error band.

Initial susceptibility and viscosity properties of low concentration ɛ-Fe3 N based magnetic fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Wu, Jianmin; Guo, Wei; Li, Rong; Cui, Liya

2007-03-01

In this paper, the initial susceptibility of ɛ-Fe3N magnetic fluid at volume concentrations in the range Φ = 0.0 ˜ 0.0446 are measured. Compared with the experimental initial susceptibility, the Langevin, Weiss and Onsager susceptibility were calculated using the data obtained from the low concentration ɛ-Fe3N magnetic fluid samples. The viscosity of the ɛ-Fe3N magnetic fluid at the same concentrations is measured. The result shows that, the initial susceptibility of the low concentration ɛ-Fe3N magnetic fluid is proportional to the concentration. A linear relationship between relative viscosity and the volume fraction is observed when the concentration Φ < 0.02.

Optimization of tocopherol concentration process from soybean oil deodorized distillate using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Ito, Vanessa Mayumi; Batistella, César Benedito; Maciel, Maria Regina Wolf; Maciel Filho, Rubens

2007-04-01

Soybean oil deodorized distillate is a product derived from the refining process and it is rich in high value-added products. The recovery of these unsaponifiable fractions is of great commercial interest, because of the fact that in many cases, the "valuable products" have vitamin activities such as tocopherols (vitamin E), as well as anticarcinogenic properties such as sterols. Molecular distillation has large potential to be used in order to concentrate tocopherols, as it uses very low temperatures owing to the high vacuum and short operating time for separation, and also, it does not use solvents. Then, it can be used to separate and to purify thermosensitive material such as vitamins. In this work, the molecular distillation process was applied for tocopherol concentration, and the response surface methodology was used to optimize free fatty acids (FFA) elimination and tocopherol concentration in the residue and in the distillate streams, both of which are the products of the molecular distiller. The independent variables studied were feed flow rate (F) and evaporator temperature (T) because they are the very important process variables according to previous experience. The experimental range was 4-12 mL/min for F and 130-200 degrees C for T. It can be noted that feed flow rate and evaporator temperature are important operating variables in the FFA elimination. For decreasing the loss of FFA, in the residue stream, the operating range should be changed, increasing the evaporator temperature and decreasing the feed flow rate; D/F ratio increases, increasing evaporator temperature and decreasing feed flow rate. High concentration of tocopherols was obtained in the residue stream at low values of feed flow rate and high evaporator temperature. These results were obtained through experimental results based on experimental design.

Total carbon and nitrogen in mineral soil after 26 years of prescribed fire: Long Valley and Fort Valley Experimental Forests

Treesearch

Daniel G. Neary; Sally M. Haase; Steven T. Overby

2008-01-01

Prescribed fire was introduced to high density ponderosa pine stands at Fort Valley and Long Valley Experimental Forests in 1976. This paper reports on mineral soil total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at Long Valley. Total soil C and N levels were highly variable and exhibited an increasing, but inconsistent, concentration trend related to burn interval. Total N ranged...

Particle nonuniformity effects on particle cloud flames in low gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berlad, A. L.; Tangirala, V.; Seshadri, K.; Facca, L. T.; Ogrin, J.; Ross, H.

1991-01-01

Experimental and analytical studies of particle cloud combustion at reduced gravity reveal the substantial roles that particle cloud nonuniformities may play in particle cloud combustion. Macroscopically uniform, quiescent particle cloud systems (at very low gravitational levels and above) sustain processes which can render them nonuniform on both macroscopic and microscopic scales. It is found that a given macroscopically uniform, quiescent particle cloud flame system can display a range of microscopically nonuniform features which lead to a range of combustion features. Microscopically nonuniform particle cloud distributions are difficult experimentally to detect and characterize. A uniformly distributed lycopodium cloud of particle-enriched microscopic nonuniformities in reduced gravity displays a range of burning velocities for any given overall stoichiometry. The range of observed and calculated burning velocities corresponds to the range of particle enriched concentrations within a characteristic microscopic nonuniformity. Sedimentation effects (even in reduced gravity) are also examined.

Conversion of municipal solid wastes to carboxylic acids by thermophilic fermentation.

PubMed

Chan, Wen Ning; Holtzapple, Mark T

2003-11-01

The purpose of this research is to generate carboxylic acids from the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) and municipal sewage sludge (MSS) by using a thermophilic (55 degrees C), anaerobic, high-solid fermentation. With terrestrial inocula, the highest total carboxylic acid concentration achieved was 20.5 g/L, the highest conversion obtained was 69%, and the highest acetic acid selectivity was 86.4%. Marine inocula were also used to compare against terrestrial sources. Continuum particle distribution modeling (CPDM) was used to predict the final acid product concentrations and substrate conversions at a wide range of liquid residence times (LRT) and volatile solid loading rates (VSLR). "Maps" showing the product concentration and conversion for various LRT and VSLR were generated from CPDM. The predictions were compared to the experimental results. On average, the difference between the predicted and experimental values were 13% for acid concentration and 10% for conversion. CPDM "maps" show that marine inocula produce higher concentrations than terrestrial inocula.

Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chai, A. T.; Sun, D. J.

1988-01-01

The transport process in the fluid phase during the growth of a crystal has a profound influence on the structure and quality of the solid phase. In vertical growth techniques the fluid phase is often subjected to vertical temperature and concentration gradients. The main objective is to obtain more experimental data on convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients. Among actual crystal systems the parameters vary widely. The parametric ranges studied for mass transfer are mainly dictated by the electrochemical system employed to impose concentration gradients. Temperature or concentration difference are maintained between two horizontal end walls. The other walls are kept insulated. Experimental measurements and observations were made of the heat transfer or mass transfer, flow patterns, and the mean and fluctuating temperature distribution. The method used to visualize the flow pattern in the thermal cases is an electrochemical pH-indicator method. Laser shadowgraphs are employed to visualize flow patterns in the solutal cases.

Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chai, A. T.; Sun, D. J.

1989-01-01

The transport process in the fluid phase during the growth of a crystal has a profound influence on the structure and quality of the solid phase. In vertical growth techniques the fluid phase is often subjected to vertical temperature and concentration gradients. The main objective is to obtain more experimental data on convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients. Among actual crystal systems the parameters vary widely. The parametric ranges studied for mass transfer are mainly dictated by the electrochemical system employed to impose concentration gradients. Temperature or concentration difference are maintained between two horizontal end walls. The other walls are kept insulated. Experimental measurements and observations were made of the heat transfer or mass transfer, flow patterns, and the mean and fluctuating temperature distribution. The method used to visualize the flow pattern in the thermal cases is an electrochemical pH-indicator method. Laser shadowgraphs are employed to visualize flow patterns in the solutal cases.

Alleviating Luminescence Concentration Quenching in Upconversion Nanoparticles through Organic Dye Sensitization.

PubMed

Wei, Wei; Chen, Guanying; Baev, Alexander; He, Guang S; Shao, Wei; Damasco, Jossana; Prasad, Paras N

2016-11-23

The phenomenon of luminescence concentration quenching exists widely in lanthanide-based luminescent materials, setting a limit on the content of lanthanide emitter that can be used to hold the brightness. Here, we introduce a concept involving energy harvesting by a strong absorber and subsequent energy transfer to a lanthanide that largely alleviates concentration quenching. We apply this concept to Nd 3+ emitters, and we show both experimentally and theoretically that the optimal doping concentration of Nd 3+ in colloidal NaYF 4 :Nd upconverting nanoparticles is increased from 2 to 20 mol% when an energy harvestor organic dye (indocyanine green, ICG) is anchored onto the nanoparticle surface, resulting in ∼10 times upconversion brightness. Theoretical analysis indicated that a combination of efficient photon harvesting due to the large absorption cross section of ICG (∼30 000 times higher than that of Nd 3+ ), non-radiative energy transfer (efficiency ∼57%) from ICG to the surface bound Nd 3+ ions, and energy migration among the Nd 3+ ions was able to activate Nd 3+ ions inside the nanoparticle at a rate comparable with that of the pronounced short-range quenching interaction at elevated Nd 3+ concentrations. This resulted in the optimal concentration increase to produce significantly enhanced brightness. Theoretical modeling shows a good agreement with the experimental observation. This strategy can be utilized for a wide range of other lanthanide-doped nanomaterials being utilized for bioimaging and solar cell applications.

Experimental ion mobility measurements in Xe-CF4 mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortez, A. F. V.; Kaja, M. A.; Escada, J.; Santos, M. A. G.; Veenhof, R.; Neves, P. N. B.; Santos, F. P.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Conde, C. A. N.

2018-04-01

In this paper we present the results of the ion mobility measurements made in gaseous mixtures of xenon with carbon tetrafluoride (Xe-CF4) for pressures ranging from 6 to 10 Torr (8-10.6 mbar) and for low reduced electric fields in the 10 to 25 Td range (2.4-6.1 kVṡcm‑1ṡbar‑1), at room temperature. The time-of-arrival spectra revealed one or two peaks depending on the gas relative abundances, which were attributed to CF3+ and to Xe2+ ions. However, for Xe concentrations above 60%, only one peak remains (Xe2+). The reduced mobilities obtained from the peak centroid of the time-of-arrival spectra are presented for Xe concentrations in the 5%-95% range.

An Improved Method of Predicting Extinction Coefficients for the Determination of Protein Concentration.

PubMed

Hilario, Eric C; Stern, Alan; Wang, Charlie H; Vargas, Yenny W; Morgan, Charles J; Swartz, Trevor E; Patapoff, Thomas W

2017-01-01

Concentration determination is an important method of protein characterization required in the development of protein therapeutics. There are many known methods for determining the concentration of a protein solution, but the easiest to implement in a manufacturing setting is absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet region. For typical proteins composed of the standard amino acids, absorption at wavelengths near 280 nm is due to the three amino acid chromophores tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine in addition to a contribution from disulfide bonds. According to the Beer-Lambert law, absorbance is proportional to concentration and path length, with the proportionality constant being the extinction coefficient. Typically the extinction coefficient of proteins is experimentally determined by measuring a solution absorbance then experimentally determining the concentration, a measurement with some inherent variability depending on the method used. In this study, extinction coefficients were calculated based on the measured absorbance of model compounds of the four amino acid chromophores. These calculated values for an unfolded protein were then compared with an experimental concentration determination based on enzymatic digestion of proteins. The experimentally determined extinction coefficient for the native proteins was consistently found to be 1.05 times the calculated value for the unfolded proteins for a wide range of proteins with good accuracy and precision under well-controlled experimental conditions. The value of 1.05 times the calculated value was termed the predicted extinction coefficient. Statistical analysis shows that the differences between predicted and experimentally determined coefficients are scattered randomly, indicating no systematic bias between the values among the proteins measured. The predicted extinction coefficient was found to be accurate and not subject to the inherent variability of experimental methods. We propose the use of a predicted extinction coefficient for determining the protein concentration of therapeutic proteins starting from early development through the lifecycle of the product. LAY ABSTRACT: Knowing the concentration of a protein in a pharmaceutical solution is important to the drug's development and posology. There are many ways to determine the concentration, but the easiest one to use in a testing lab employs absorption spectroscopy. Absorbance of ultraviolet light by a protein solution is proportional to its concentration and path length; the proportionality constant is the extinction coefficient. The extinction coefficient of a protein therapeutic is usually determined experimentally during early product development and has some inherent method variability. In this study, extinction coefficients of several proteins were calculated based on the measured absorbance of model compounds. These calculated values for an unfolded protein were then compared with experimental concentration determinations based on enzymatic digestion of the proteins. The experimentally determined extinction coefficient for the native protein was 1.05 times the calculated value for the unfolded protein with good accuracy and precision under controlled experimental conditions, so the value of 1.05 times the calculated coefficient was called the predicted extinction coefficient. Comparison of predicted and measured extinction coefficients indicated that the predicted value was very close to the experimentally determined values for the proteins. The predicted extinction coefficient was accurate and removed the variability inherent in experimental methods. © PDA, Inc. 2017.

Concentration of solar radiation by white backed photovoltaic panels.

PubMed

Smestad, G; Hamill, P

1984-12-01

In this paper, we present an analysis of the concentration achieved by white backed photovoltaic panels. Concentration is due to the trapping by light scattered in the refractive plate to which the solar cell is bonded. Using the reciprocity relation and assuming the ideal case of a Lambertian distribution, a detailed model is formulated that includes the effects of the thickness and walls of the concentrator. This model converges to the thermodynamic limit and is found to be consistent with experimental results for a wide range of cell sizes. Finally, the model is generalized to multiple-cell photovoltaic panels.

Trends in the short-term release of fission products and actinides to aqueous solution from used CANDU fuels at elevated temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroes-Gascoyne, S.

1992-08-01

A large number of short-term leaching experiments has been performed to determine fission product and actinide release from used CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) fuels and to establish which factors affect release. Results are reported after30 ± 10 d leaching at 100-150°C under oxidizing (air) or reducing (Ar-3% H 2 or Ar) conditions, in various synthetic groundwaters. Cesium-137 release (0.007-6%) was positively correlated with increases in fuel power, leachant temperature and ionic strength. Strontium-90 release (0.0003-0.3%) generally increased with ionic strength, higher temperature and redox conditions. Actinide and Tc concentrations were compared to ranges calculated with a thermodynamic equilibrium model, that accounts for the uncertain geochemical parameters of a nuclear waste vault by calculating concentration ranges based on 40000 hypothetical cases. Experimental U concentrations (10 -8.5 to 10 -3 mol/kg) were higher than the model range, probably because of higher redox potentials in the experiments. Measured Pu concentrations (10 -12.5 to 10 -7 mol/kg) were at the low end of the calculated range. Americium and Cm concentrations (10 -12.5 to 10 -7 and 10 -15 to 10 -9 mol/kg, respectively) were highest under oxidizing conditions and higher temperatures. Technetium-99 concentrations (10 -5.5 to 10 -10.5 mol/kg) covered a much narrower range than calculated by the model.

Influence of the chlorine concentration on the radiation efficiency of a XeCl exciplex lamp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avtaeva, S. V.; Sosnin, E. A.; Saghi, B.; Panarin, V. A.; Rahmani, B.

2013-09-01

The influence of the chlorine concentration on the radiation efficiency of coaxial exciplex lamps (excilamps) excited by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in binary Xe-Cl2 mixtures at pressures of 240-250 Torr is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiments were carried out at Cl2 concentrations in the range of 0.01-1%. The DBD characteristics were calculated in the framework of a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model at Cl2 concentrations in the range of 0.1-5%. It is found that the radiation intensities of the emission bands of Xe*2(172 nm) and XeCl* (308 nm) are comparable when the chlorine concentration in the mixture is in the range of 0.01-0.1%. In this case, in the mixture, the radiation intensity of the Xe*2 molecule rapidly decreases with increasing Cl2 concentration and, at a chlorine concentration of ≥0.2%, the radiation of the B → X band of XeCl* molecules with a peak at 308 nm dominates in the discharge radiation. The radiation efficiency of this band reaches its maximum value at chlorine concentrations in the range of 0.4-0.5%. The calculated efficiencies of DBD radiation exceed those obtained experimentally. This is due to limitations of the one-dimensional model, which assumes the discharge to be uniform in the transverse direction, whereas the actual excilamp discharge is highly inhomogeneous. The influence of the chlorine concentration on the properties of the DBD plasma in binary Xe-Cl2 mixtures is studied numerically. It is shown that an increase in the Cl2 concentration in the mixture leads to the attachment of electrons to chlorine atoms and a decrease in the electron density and discharge conductivity. As a result, the electric field and the voltage drop across the discharge gap increase, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the average electron energy and the probability of dissociation of Cl2 molecules and ionization of Xe atoms and Cl2 molecules. The total energy deposited in the discharge rises with increasing chlorine concentration due to an increase in the power spent on the heating of positive and negative ions. The power dissipated by electrons decreases with increasing chlorine concentration in the working mixture. Recommendations on the choice of the chlorine content in the mixture for reducing the intensity of VUV radiation of the second continuum of the Xe*2 excimer without a substantial decrease in the excilamp efficiency are formulated.

An experimental and modeling study of humic acid concentration effect on H(+) binding: Application of the NICA-Donnan model.

PubMed

Vidali, Roza; Remoundaki, Emmanouela; Tsezos, Marios

2009-11-15

Humic substances are the most abundant components of the colloidal and the dissolved fraction of natural organic matter (NOM) and they are characterized by a strong binding capacity for both metals and organic pollutants, affecting their mobility and bioavailability. The understanding of the humic acidic character is the first necessary step for the study of the mechanisms of binding of other positively charged soluble metal species by humic molecules. The present work, which constitutes part of the Ph.D. thesis of Roza Vidali, reports results on the influence of the concentration of humic acids on the binding of protons obtained through both an experimental and a modeling approach. A reference purified peat humic acid (PPHA) isolated by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) and a humic acid from a Greek soil (GHA) were experimentally studied at various humic acid concentrations, ranging from 20 to 200mgL(-1). The proton binding isotherms obtained at different humic acid concentrations have shown that proton binding is dependent on the concentration of both humic acids. Proton binding experimental data were fitted to the NICA-Donnan model and the model parameter values were calculated for humic acid concentrations of 20 and >or=100mgL(-1). The results obtained for the NICA-Donnan parameters at humic acid concentrations >or=100mgL(-1) are in excellent agreement with those reported in the literature. However, these model parameter values cannot be used for modeling and predicting cation binding in natural aquatic systems, where humic acid concentrations are much lower. Two sets of the NICA-Donnan parameters are reported: one for humic acid concentrations of >or=100mgL(-1) and one for humic acid concentration of 20mgL(-1). The significance of the parameters values for each concentration level is also discussed.

Spectral evolution of distributed feedback laser of gold nanoparticles doped solid-state dye laser medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, N. T. M.; Lien, N. T. H.; Hoang, N. D.; Nghia, N. T.; Hoa, D. Q.

2017-10-01

Characteristics of suppressed relaxation oscillation of a distributed feedback dye laser (DFDL) based on the energy transfer process in a mixture of spherical gold nanoparticles-doped solid-state polymethylmetacrylate dissolved 4-(Dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran dye was theoretically and experimentally studied. Single pulse generation regime of the DFDL can be obtained with a suitable gold nanoparticle concentration and ratio of pump power over lasing threshold. Numerical analysis and experimental approach showed that in this regime, the first-pulse laser pulsewidth is rather unchanged while varying the gold nanoparticles concentration in the range of 2.0 × 109-2.0 × 1010 par cm-3. The enhancement of first pulse and the suppression of the secondary pulses by bi-direction energy transfer of spherical gold nanoparticles were experimentally observed.

Total carbon and nitrogen in mineral soil after 26 years of prescribed fire: Long Valley and Fort Valley Experimental Forests (P-53)

Treesearch

Daniel G. Neary; Sally M. Haase; Steven T. Overby

2008-01-01

Prescribed fire was introduced to high density ponderosa pine stands at Fort Valley and Long Valley Experimental Forests in 1976. This paper reports on mineral soil total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at Long Valley. Total soil C and N levels were highly variable and exhibited an increasing, but inconsistent, concentration trend related to burn interval. Total N ranged...

Experimental aspects of the thermochemical conversion of solar energy - Decarbonation of CaCO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flamant, G.; Hernandez, D.; Bonet, C.; Traverse, J.-P.

1980-01-01

The feasibility of thermochemical conversion of concentrated solar energy is investigated. Consideration is given to heterogeneous systems in the range 500-1500 C. A reaction volume is on a laboratory scale about 30 cu cm. An experimental set-up selected is a fluid bed and a rotary kiln. An endothermal reaction, namely, decarbonation of CaCO3, is selected as a possible application for solar power plants.

Au nanoparticle-based sensor for apomorphine detection in plasma

PubMed Central

Lucotti, Andrea; Tommasini, Matteo; Trusso, Sebastiano; de Grazia, Ugo; Ciusani, Emilio; Ossi, Paolo M

2015-01-01

Summary Artificially roughened gold surfaces with controlled nanostructure produced by pulsed laser deposition have been investigated as sensors for apomorphine detection aiming at clinical application. The use of such gold surfaces has been optimized using aqueous solutions of apomorphine in the concentration range between 3.3 × 10−4 M and 3.3 × 10−7 M. The experimental parameters have been investigated and the dynamic concentration range of the sensor has been assessed by the selection of two apomorphine surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) peaks. The sensor behavior used to detect apomorphine in unfiltered human blood plasma is presented and discussed. PMID:26734514

Surface tension of binary mixtures of water + N-methyldiethanolamine and ternary mixtures of this amine and water with monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol from 25 to 50 C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarez, E.; Rendo, R.; Sanjurjo, B.

1998-11-01

The surface tension of aqueous solutions of N-methyldiethanolamine and diethanolamine + N-methyldiethanolamine, monoethanolamine + N-methyldiethanolamine and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol + N-methyldiethanolamine was measured at temperatures from 25 C to 50 C. For binary mixtures the concentration range was 0--50 mass % N-methyldiethanolamine, and for the tertiary mixtures the concentration range for each amine was 0--50 mass %. The experimental values were correlated with temperature and mole fraction. The maximum deviation in both cases was always less than 0.5%.

Computational Study of the Malonic Acid Tautomerization Products in Highly Concentrated Particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dick-Pérez, Marilú; Windus, Theresa L.

Knowing the tautomeric form of malonic acid (MA) in concentrated particles is critical to understanding its effect on the atmosphere. Energies and vibrational modes of hydrated MA particles were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level and the effective fragment potential (EFP) method. Visualization of the keto and enol isomer vibrational modes enabled the assignment of keto isomer peaks in the 1710–1750 cm –1 range, and previously unidentified experimental IR peaks in the 1690–1710 cm –1 can now be attributed to the enol isomer. Furthermore, a comparison of calculated spectra of pure hydrated enol or keto isomersmore » confirm recent experimental evidence, of a shift in the keto–enol tautomer equilibrium when MA exists as concentrated particles.« less

Computational Study of the Malonic Acid Tautomerization Products in Highly Concentrated Particles

DOE PAGES

Dick-Pérez, Marilú; Windus, Theresa L.

2017-03-09

Knowing the tautomeric form of malonic acid (MA) in concentrated particles is critical to understanding its effect on the atmosphere. Energies and vibrational modes of hydrated MA particles were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level and the effective fragment potential (EFP) method. Visualization of the keto and enol isomer vibrational modes enabled the assignment of keto isomer peaks in the 1710–1750 cm –1 range, and previously unidentified experimental IR peaks in the 1690–1710 cm –1 can now be attributed to the enol isomer. Furthermore, a comparison of calculated spectra of pure hydrated enol or keto isomersmore » confirm recent experimental evidence, of a shift in the keto–enol tautomer equilibrium when MA exists as concentrated particles.« less

Experimental verification of nanofluid shear-wave reconversion in ultrasonic fields.

PubMed

Forrester, Derek Michael; Huang, Jinrui; Pinfield, Valerie J; Luppé, Francine

2016-03-14

Here we present the verification of shear-mediated contributions to multiple scattering of ultrasound in suspensions. Acoustic spectroscopy was carried out with suspensions of silica of differing particle sizes and concentrations in water to find the attenuation at a broad range of frequencies. As the particle sizes approach the nanoscale, commonly used multiple scattering models fail to match experimental results. We develop a new model, taking into account shear mediated contributions, and find excellent agreement with the attenuation spectra obtained using two types of spectrometer. The results determine that shear-wave phenomena must be considered in ultrasound characterisation of nanofluids at even relatively low concentrations of scatterers that are smaller than one micrometre in diameter.

Evaporative cooling by a pulsed jet spray of binary ethanol-water mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpov, P. N.; Nazarov, A. D.; Serov, A. F.; Terekhov, V. I.

2015-07-01

We have experimentally studied the heat transfer under conditions of pulsed multinozzle jet spray impact onto a vertical surface. The working coolant fluid was aqueous ethanol solution in a range of concentrations K 1 = 0-96%. The duration of spray pulses was τ = 2, 4, and 10 ms at a repetition frequency of 10 Hz. The maximum heat transfer coefficient was achieved at an ethanol solution concentration within 50-60%. The thermal efficiency of pulsed spray cooling grows with increasing ethanol concentration and decreasing jet spray pulse duration.

Echographic detectability of optoacoustic signals from low-concentration PEG-coated gold nanorods

PubMed Central

Conversano, Francesco; Soloperto, Giulia; Greco, Antonio; Ragusa, Andrea; Casciaro, Ernesto; Chiriacò, Fernanda; Demitri, Christian; Gigli, Giuseppe; Maffezzoli, Alfonso; Casciaro, Sergio

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of gold nanorod (GNR)-enhanced optoacoustic imaging employing a conventional echographic device and to determine the most effective operative configuration in order to assure optoacoustic effectiveness, nanoparticle stability, and imaging procedure safety. Methods: The most suitable laser parameters were experimentally determined in order to assure nanoparticle stability during the optoacoustic imaging procedures. The selected configuration was then applied to a novel tissue-mimicking phantom, in which GNR solutions covering a wide range of low concentrations (25–200 pM) and different sample volumes (50–200 μL) were exposed to pulsed laser irradiation. GNR-emitted optoacoustic signals were acquired either by a couple of single-element ultrasound probes or by an echographic transducer. Off-line analysis included: (a) quantitative evaluation of the relationships between GNR concentration, sample volume, phantom geometry, and amplitude of optoacoustic signals propagating along different directions; (b) echographic detection of “optoacoustic spots,” analyzing their intensity, spatial distribution, and clinical exploitability. MTT measurements performed on two different cell lines were also used to quantify biocompatibility of the synthesized GNRs in the adopted doses. Results: Laser irradiation at 30 mJ/cm2 for 20 seconds resulted in the best compromise among the requirements of effectiveness, safety, and nanoparticle stability. Amplitude of GNR-emitted optoacoustic pulses was proportional to both sample volume and concentration along each considered propagation direction for all the tested boundary conditions, providing an experimental confirmation of isotropic optoacoustic emission. Average intensity of echographically detected spots showed similar behavior, emphasizing the presence of an “ideal” GNR concentration (100 pM) that optimized optoacoustic effectiveness. The tested GNRs also exhibited high biocompatibility over the entire considered concentration range. Conclusion: An optimal configuration for GNR-enhanced optoacoustic imaging was experimentally determined, demonstrating in particular its feasibility with a conventional echographic device. The proposed approach can be easily extended to quantitative performance evaluation of different contrast agents for optoacoustic imaging. PMID:22927756

INFLUENCE OF ANESTHESIA ON EXPERIMENTAL NEUROTROPIC VIRUS INFECTIONS

PubMed Central

Sulkin, S. Edward; Zarafonetis, Christine

1947-01-01

1. Experimental neurotropic virus infections previously shown to be altered by ether anesthesia are caused by viruses destroyed in vitro by anesthetic ether; this group includes the viruses of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis, and St. Louis encephalitis. 2. Experimental neurotropic virus infections which were not altered by ether anesthesia are caused by viruses which are refractory to the in vitro virucidal activity of even large amounts of anesthetic ether; this group includes the viruses of poliomyelitis (Lansing) and rabies. 3. Quantitative studies of the in vitro virucidal activity of ether indicate that concentrations of this anesthetic within the range found in central nervous system tissues of anesthetized animals possess no virucidal activity. 4. The lowest concentration of ether possessing significant virucidal capacity is more than fifteen times the maximum concentration of the anesthetic tolerated by the experimental animal. 5. Concentrations of ether 50 to 100 times the maximum amount tolerated by the anesthetized animal are capable of destroying large amounts of susceptible viruses, the average lethal dose (LD50) being reduced more than 5 log units. 6. On the basis of the studies presented in this report, it cannot be concluded that direct virucidal activity of ether is not the underlying mechanism of the inhibition by anesthesia of certain experimental neurotropic virus infections. Indirect inhibition of the virus by the anesthetic through an alteration in the metabolism of either the host cell or the host animal as a whole appears at this point to be a more likely possibility. PMID:19871636

Solvent, Temperature And Concentration Effects on the Optical Activity of Chiral FIVE-And-SIX Membered Ring Ketones Conformers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Basheer, Watheq

2017-06-01

Chiral five-and-six membered ring ketones are important molecules that are found in many biological systems and can exist in many possible conformers. In this talk, experimental and computational investigation of solvent, temperature and concentration effects on the circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotation (OR) of (R)-3 -methylcyclohexanone (R3MCH), (R)-3-methylcyclopentanone (R3MCP) and carvone conformers will be discussed. CD and OR measurements of these ketones gaseous samples and in ten common solvents of wide polarity range for different concentrations and sample temperatures were recorded and related to molecular conformation. Density functional theoretical calculations were performed using Gaussian09 at B3LYP functions with aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. Also, CD and OR spectra for the optimized geometries of the ketones dominant conformers were computed over the ultraviolet and visible region in the gas phase as well as in ten solvents of varying polarity range, and under the umbrella of the polarizable continuum model (PCM). By comparing theoretical and experimental results, few thermodynamic parameters were deduced for the individual equatorial and axial conformers of each molecule in gas phase and in solvation.

Interactions between calcium precipitation and the polyphosphate-accumulating bacteria metabolism.

PubMed

Barat, R; Montoya, T; Borrás, L; Ferrer, J; Seco, A

2008-07-01

A sequencing batch reactor that is operated for biological phosphorus removal has been operated under different influent calcium concentrations to study the precipitation process and the possible effects of phosphorus precipitation in the biological phosphorus removal process. Four experiments were carried out under different influent calcium concentrations ranging from 10 to 90 g Ca m(-3). The experimental results and the equilibrium study, which are based on the saturation index calculation, confirm that the process controlling the calcium behaviour is the calcium phosphate precipitation. This precipitation takes place at two stages: initially, precipitation of the amorphous calcium phosphate, and later crystallization of hydroxyapatite. Also the accumulation of phosphorus precipitated was observed when the influent calcium concentration was increased. In all the experiments, the influent wastewater ratio P/COD was kept constant. It has been observed that, at high calcium concentration, the ratio between phosphate release and acetate uptake (P(rel)/Ac(uptake)) decreases. Changes in the polyphosphate-accumulating organism (PAO) population and in the glycogen-accumulating organism (GAO) population during the experimental period were ruled out by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization. These results could suggest that PAO are able to change their metabolic pathways based on external conditions, such as influent calcium concentration. The accumulation of phosphorus precipitated as calcium phosphate at high influent calcium concentration throughout the experimental period confirmed that phosphate precipitation is a process that can affect the PAO metabolism.

Comparison of actual vs synthesized ternary phase diagrams for solutes of cryobiological interest☆

PubMed Central

Kleinhans, F.W.; Mazur, Peter

2009-01-01

Phase diagrams are of great utility in cryobiology, especially those consisting of a cryoprotective agent (CPA) dissolved in a physiological salt solution. These ternary phase diagrams consist of plots of the freezing points of increasing concentrations of solutions of cryoprotective agents (CPA) plus NaCl. Because they are time-consuming to generate, ternary diagrams are only available for a small number of CPA's. We wanted to determine whether accurate ternary phase diagrams could be synthesized by adding together the freezing point depressions of binary solutions of CPA/water and NaCl/water which match the corresponding solute molality concentrations in the ternary solution. We begin with a low concentration of a solution of CPA + salt of given R (CPA/salt) weight ratio. Ice formation in that solution is mimicked by withdrawing water from it which increases the concentrations of both the CPA and the NaCl. We compute the individual solute concentrations, determine their freezing points from published binary phase diagrams, and sum the freezing points. These yield the synthesized ternary phase diagram for a solution of given R. They were compared with published experimental ternary phase diagrams for glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), sucrose, and ethylene glycol (EG) plus NaCl in water. For the first three, the synthesized and experimental phase diagrams agreed closely, with some divergence occurring as wt % concentrations exceeded 30% for DMSO and 55% for glycerol and sucrose. However, in the case of EG there were substantial differences over nearly the entire range of concentrations which we attribute to systematic errors in the experimental EG data. New experimental EG work will be required to resolve this issue. PMID:17350609

Comparison of actual vs. synthesized ternary phase diagrams for solutes of cryobiological interest.

PubMed

Kleinhans, F W; Mazur, Peter

2007-04-01

Phase diagrams are of great utility in cryobiology, especially, those consisting of a cryoprotective agent (CPA) dissolved in a physiological salt solution. These ternary phase diagrams consist of plots of the freezing points of increasing concentrations of solutions of cryoprotective agents (CPA) plus NaCl. Because they are time-consuming to generate, ternary diagrams are only available for a small number of CPAs. We wanted to determine whether accurate ternary phase diagrams could be synthesized by adding together the freezing point depressions of binary solutions of CPA/water and NaCl/water which match the corresponding solute molality concentrations in the ternary solution. We begin with a low concentration of a solution of CPA+salt of given R (CPA/salt) weight ratio. Ice formation in that solution is mimicked by withdrawing water from it which increases the concentrations of both the CPA and the NaCl. We compute the individual solute concentrations, determine their freezing points from published binary phase diagrams, and sum the freezing points. These yield the synthesized ternary phase diagram for a solution of given R. They were compared with published experimental ternary phase diagrams for glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), sucrose, and ethylene glycol (EG) plus NaCl in water. For the first three, the synthesized and experimental phase diagrams agreed closely, with some divergence occurring as wt% concentrations exceeded 30% for DMSO and 55% for glycerol, and sucrose. However, in the case of EG there were substantial differences over nearly the entire range of concentrations which we attribute to systematic errors in the experimental EG data. New experimental EG work will be required to resolve this issue.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avtaeva, S. V., E-mail: s_avtaeva@mail.ru; Sosnin, E. A.; Saghi, B.

The influence of the chlorine concentration on the radiation efficiency of coaxial exciplex lamps (excilamps) excited by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in binary Xe-Cl{sub 2} mixtures at pressures of 240–250 Torr is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiments were carried out at Cl{sub 2} concentrations in the range of 0.01–1%. The DBD characteristics were calculated in the framework of a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model at Cl{sub 2} concentrations in the range of 0.1–5%. It is found that the radiation intensities of the emission bands of Xe*{sub 2}(172 nm) and XeCl* (308 nm) are comparable when the chlorine concentration in themore » mixture is in the range of 0.01–0.1%. In this case, in the mixture, the radiation intensity of the Xe*{sub 2} molecule rapidly decreases with increasing Cl{sub 2} concentration and, at a chlorine concentration of ≥0.2%, the radiation of the B → X band of XeCl* molecules with a peak at 308 nm dominates in the discharge radiation. The radiation efficiency of this band reaches its maximum value at chlorine concentrations in the range of 0.4–0.5%. The calculated efficiencies of DBD radiation exceed those obtained experimentally. This is due to limitations of the one-dimensional model, which assumes the discharge to be uniform in the transverse direction, whereas the actual excilamp discharge is highly inhomogeneous. The influence of the chlorine concentration on the properties of the DBD plasma in binary Xe-Cl{sub 2} mixtures is studied numerically. It is shown that an increase in the Cl{sub 2} concentration in the mixture leads to the attachment of electrons to chlorine atoms and a decrease in the electron density and discharge conductivity. As a result, the electric field and the voltage drop across the discharge gap increase, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the average electron energy and the probability of dissociation of Cl{sub 2} molecules and ionization of Xe atoms and Cl{sub 2} molecules. The total energy deposited in the discharge rises with increasing chlorine concentration due to an increase in the power spent on the heating of positive and negative ions. The power dissipated by electrons decreases with increasing chlorine concentration in the working mixture. Recommendations on the choice of the chlorine content in the mixture for reducing the intensity of VUV radiation of the second continuum of the Xe*{sub 2} excimer without a substantial decrease in the excilamp efficiency are formulated.« less

NMR Water Self–Diffusion and Relaxation Studies on Sodium Polyacrylate Solutions and Gels in Physiologic Ionic Solutions

PubMed Central

Bai, Ruiliang; Basser, Peter J.; Briber, Robert M.; Horkay, Ferenc

2013-01-01

Water self-diffusion coefficients and longitudinal relaxation rates in sodium polyacrylate solutions and gels were measured by NMR, as a function of polymer content and structure in a physiological concentration range of monovalent and divalent cations, Ca2+ and Na+. Several physical models describing the self-diffusion of the solvent were applied and compared. A free-volume model was found to be in good agreement with the experimental results over a wide range of polymer concentrations. The longitudinal relaxation rate exhibited linear dependence on polymer concentration below a critical concentration and showed non-linear behavior at higher concentrations. Both the water self-diffusion and relaxation were less influenced by the polymer in the gel state than in the uncrosslinked polymer solutions. The effect of Na+ on the mobility of water molecules was practically undetectable. By contrast, addition of Ca2+ strongly increased the longitudinal relaxation rate while its effect on the self-diffusion coefficient was much less pronounced. PMID:24409001

NMR Water Self-Diffusion and Relaxation Studies on Sodium Polyacrylate Solutions and Gels in Physiologic Ionic Solutions.

PubMed

Bai, Ruiliang; Basser, Peter J; Briber, Robert M; Horkay, Ferenc

2014-03-15

Water self-diffusion coefficients and longitudinal relaxation rates in sodium polyacrylate solutions and gels were measured by NMR, as a function of polymer content and structure in a physiological concentration range of monovalent and divalent cations, Ca 2+ and Na + . Several physical models describing the self-diffusion of the solvent were applied and compared. A free-volume model was found to be in good agreement with the experimental results over a wide range of polymer concentrations. The longitudinal relaxation rate exhibited linear dependence on polymer concentration below a critical concentration and showed non-linear behavior at higher concentrations. Both the water self-diffusion and relaxation were less influenced by the polymer in the gel state than in the uncrosslinked polymer solutions. The effect of Na + on the mobility of water molecules was practically undetectable. By contrast, addition of Ca 2+ strongly increased the longitudinal relaxation rate while its effect on the self-diffusion coefficient was much less pronounced.

Division of labor by dual feedback regulators controls JAK2/STAT5 signaling over broad ligand range.

PubMed

Bachmann, Julie; Raue, Andreas; Schilling, Marcel; Böhm, Martin E; Kreutz, Clemens; Kaschek, Daniel; Busch, Hauke; Gretz, Norbert; Lehmann, Wolf D; Timmer, Jens; Klingmüller, Ursula

2011-07-19

Cellular signal transduction is governed by multiple feedback mechanisms to elicit robust cellular decisions. The specific contributions of individual feedback regulators, however, remain unclear. Based on extensive time-resolved data sets in primary erythroid progenitor cells, we established a dynamic pathway model to dissect the roles of the two transcriptional negative feedback regulators of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, CIS and SOCS3, in JAK2/STAT5 signaling. Facilitated by the model, we calculated the STAT5 response for experimentally unobservable Epo concentrations and provide a quantitative link between cell survival and the integrated response of STAT5 in the nucleus. Model predictions show that the two feedbacks CIS and SOCS3 are most effective at different ligand concentration ranges due to their distinct inhibitory mechanisms. This divided function of dual feedback regulation enables control of STAT5 responses for Epo concentrations that can vary 1000-fold in vivo. Our modeling approach reveals dose-dependent feedback control as key property to regulate STAT5-mediated survival decisions over a broad range of ligand concentrations.

Setting up a mobile Lidar (DIAL) system for detecting chemical warfare agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavosh Tehrani, M.; Mohammad, M. Malek; Jaafari, E.; Mobashery, A.

2015-03-01

The mobile light detection and ranging DIAL system of Malek Ashtar University of Technology has been developed for the detection of chemical warfare agents whose absorption wavelengths are in the range of 9.2-10.8 μm tunable CO2 lasers of the system. In this paper, this system is first described and then ammonia detection is analyzed experimentally. Also, experimental results of detecting a sarin agent simulant, dimethyl-methyl phosphonate (DMMP), are presented. The power levels received from different ranges to detect specific concentrations of NH3 and DMMP have been measured and debated. The primary test results with a 150 ns clipped pulse width by passive pinhole plasma shutter indicate that the system is capable of monitoring several species of pollutants in the range of about 1 km, with a 20 m spatial and 2 min temporal resolution.

Solubility of Carbon Dioxide in Secondary Butyl Alcohol at High Pressures: Experimental and Modeling with CPA.

PubMed

Raeissi, Sona; Haghbakhsh, Reza; Florusse, Louw J; Peters, Cor J

Mixtures of carbon dioxide and secondary butyl alcohol at high pressures are interesting for a range of industrial applications. Therefore, it is important to have trustworthy experimental data on the high-pressure phase behavior of this mixture over a wide range of temperatures. In addition, an accurate thermodynamic model is necessary for the optimal design and operation of processes. In this study, bubble points of binary mixtures of CO 2 + secondary butyl alcohol were measured using a synthetic method. Measurements covered a CO 2 molar concentration range of (0.10-0.57) % and temperatures from (293 to 370) K, with pressures reaching up to 11 MPa. The experimental data were modelled by the cubic plus association (CPA) equation of state (EoS), as well as the more simple Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) EoS. Predictive and correlative modes were considered for both models. In the predictive mode, the CPA performs better than the SRK because it also considers associations.

Concentration of ofloxacin in canine prostate tissue and prostate fluid after intraprostatic injection of biodegradable sustained-releasing microspheres containing ofloxacin.

PubMed

Bahk, J Y; Hyun, J S; Lee, J Y; Kim, J; Cho, Y H; Lee, J H; Park, J S; Kim, M O

2000-05-01

Excellent treatment results in chronic prostatitis by direct intra-prostatic injection of antibiotic were reported several decades ago with only minimal scientific background. We examined the distribution, in prostatic tissue and fluid, of the antibiotic in canines after intra-prostatic injection of biodegradable sustained-releasing microspheres containing 12 mg. of ofloxacin. A total of 36 male dogs, 12 controls and 24 experimental, older than 2 years, were used. Experimental dogs were given biodegradable sustained releasing microspheres containing ofloxacin 12 mg. and poly(D,L-lactic) acid 28 mg., designed to release over more than a 4 week period. The 12 control animals were divided into 2 groups, and oral ofloxacin 100 mg. was given twice a day for 2 and 4 weeks. The 24 experimental animals were divided into 4 subgroups of 6 dogs each, 4 for prostatic tissue and 2 for prostatic fluid level of ofloxacin determination. Anesthesia was initiated with ketamine HCl and xylazine, and maintained with intermittent ketamine HCl. In the experimental groups, 1 ml. of resolved formula was injected into one lobe of surgically exposed prostates. The concentration of ofloxacin was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of blood, prostatic tissue and prostatic fluid. Pilocarpine 0.5 mg./kg. was used for the collection of the prostatic fluid. The total ofloxacin of controls were 2,800 (2 weeks) and 5,600 (4 weeks) mg. In control groups, tissue concentrations of ofloxacin were relatively even at all segments of prostate, 7.4 +/- 0.8 (2 weeks) and 9.2 +/- 1.1 microg./ml. (4 weeks). The blood level ranged between 3.6 to 5.1 microg./ml. The prostatic fluid level ranged from 3.1 to 5.7 microg. /ml. In the experimental groups, the tissue levels of ofloxacin were 10.5 +/- 3.0 (1 week), 13.8 +/- 4.5 (2 weeks), 7.1 +/- 0.9 (3 weeks) and 7.7 +/- 3.0 microg./ml. (4 weeks) in the injected lobe. The opposite lobes were 8.0 +/- 1.1 (1 week), 10.2 +/- 4.2 (2 weeks), 5. 1 +/- 1.4 (3 weeks) and 7.6 +/- 0.8 (4 weeks) microg./ml. The blood level in the experimental groups ranged between 0.16 to 0.59 microg./ml. The prostate fluid level ranged from 2.9 to 6.1 microg./ml. in 8 dogs. Upon pathologic examination, the microspheres were interposed between prostate stroma and their size was reduced over time. Our study indicates that there is communication between the right and left prostate lobes. Direct injection of biodegradable sustained releasing ofloxacin formula into the prostate may be a substitute for long term antibiotic medication in humans for chronic prostatitis in the future without hurting the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC)90.

Experimental characterization of Fresnel-Köhler concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamora, Pablo; Benítez, Pablo; Mohedano, Rubén; Cvetković, Aleksandra; Vilaplana, Juan; Li, Yang; Hernández, Maikel; Chaves, Julio; Miñano, Juan C.

2012-01-01

Most cost-effective concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) systems are based on an optical train comprising two stages, the first being a Fresnel lens. Among them, the Fresnel-Köhler (FK) concentrator stands out owing to both performance and practical reasons. We describe the experimental measurements procedure for FK concentrator modules. This procedure includes three main types of measurements: electrical efficiency, acceptance angle, and irradiance uniformity at the solar cell plane. We have collected here the performance features of two different FK prototypes (ranging different f-numbers, concentration ratios, and cell sizes). The electrical efficiencies measured in both prototypes are high and fit well with the models, achieving values up to 32.7% (temperature corrected, and with no antireflective coating on SOE or POE surfaces) in the best case. The measured angular transmission curves show large acceptance angles, again perfectly matching the expected values [measured concentration acceptance product (CAP) values over 0.56]. The irradiance pattern on the cell (obtained with a digital camera) shows an almost perfectly uniform distribution, as predicted by raytrace simulations. All these excellent on-sun results confirm the FK concentrator as a potentially cost-effective solution for the CPV market.

Analytical modeling and experimental characterization of chemotaxis in Serratia marcescens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Jiang; Wei, Guopeng; Wright Carlsen, Rika; Edwards, Matthew R.; Marculescu, Radu; Bogdan, Paul; Sitti, Metin

2014-05-01

This paper presents a modeling and experimental framework to characterize the chemotaxis of Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) relying on two-dimensional and three-dimensional tracking of individual bacteria. Previous studies mainly characterized bacterial chemotaxis based on population density analysis. Instead, this study focuses on single-cell tracking and measuring the chemotactic drift velocity VC from the biased tumble rate of individual bacteria on exposure to a concentration gradient of l-aspartate. The chemotactic response of S. marcescens is quantified over a range of concentration gradients (10-3 to 5 mM/mm) and average concentrations (0.5×10-3 to 2.5 mM). Through the analysis of a large number of bacterial swimming trajectories, the tumble rate is found to have a significant bias with respect to the swimming direction. We also verify the relative gradient sensing mechanism in the chemotaxis of S. marcescens by measuring the change of VC with the average concentration and the gradient. The applied full pathway model with fitted parameters matches the experimental data. Finally, we show that our measurements based on individual bacteria lead to the determination of the motility coefficient μ (7.25×10-6 cm2/s) of a population. The experimental characterization and simulation results for the chemotaxis of this bacterial species contribute towards using S. marcescens in chemically controlled biohybrid systems.

Experimental analysis for heat transfer of nanofluid with wire coil turbulators in a concentric tube heat exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akyürek, Eda Feyza; Geliş, Kadir; Şahin, Bayram; Manay, Eyüphan

2018-06-01

Nanofluids are a novel class of heat transfer suspensions of metallic or nonmetallic nanopowders with a size of less than 100 nm in base fluids and they can increase heat transfer potential of the base fluids in various applications. In the last decade, nanofluids have become an intensive research topic because of their improved thermal properties and possible heat transfer applications. For comparison, an experiment using water as the working fluid in the heat exchanger without wire coils was also performed. Turbulent forced convection heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of Al2O3-water nanofluids in a concentric tube heat exchanger with and without wire coil turbulators were experimentally investigated in this research. Experiments effected particle volume concentrations of 0.4-0.8 to 1.2-1.6 vol% in the Reynolds number range from 4000 to 20,000. Two turbulators with the pitches of 25 mm and 39 mm were used. The average Nusselt number increased with increasing the Reynolds number and particle concentrations. Moreover, the pressure drop of the Al2O3-water nanofluid showed nearly equal to that of pure water at the same Reynolds number range. As a result, nanofluids with lower particle concentrations did not show an important influence on pressure drop change. Nonetheless, when the wire coils used in the heat exchanger, it increased pressure drop as well as the heat transfer coefficient.

Combined Molecular Dynamics Simulation-Molecular-Thermodynamic Theory Framework for Predicting Surface Tensions.

PubMed

Sresht, Vishnu; Lewandowski, Eric P; Blankschtein, Daniel; Jusufi, Arben

2017-08-22

A molecular modeling approach is presented with a focus on quantitative predictions of the surface tension of aqueous surfactant solutions. The approach combines classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations with a molecular-thermodynamic theory (MTT) [ Y. J. Nikas, S. Puvvada, D. Blankschtein, Langmuir 1992 , 8 , 2680 ]. The MD component is used to calculate thermodynamic and molecular parameters that are needed in the MTT model to determine the surface tension isotherm. The MD/MTT approach provides the important link between the surfactant bulk concentration, the experimental control parameter, and the surfactant surface concentration, the MD control parameter. We demonstrate the capability of the MD/MTT modeling approach on nonionic alkyl polyethylene glycol surfactants at the air-water interface and observe reasonable agreement of the predicted surface tensions and the experimental surface tension data over a wide range of surfactant concentrations below the critical micelle concentration. Our modeling approach can be extended to ionic surfactants and their mixtures with both ionic and nonionic surfactants at liquid-liquid interfaces.

Analysis of albumin Raman scattering in visible and near-infrared ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lykina, Anastasia A.; Artemyev, Dmitry N.

2018-04-01

In this work the analysis of the shape and intensity of albumin Raman signals in visible and near-IR ranges was carried out. The experimental setup using lasers from the visible region first of all excites the fluorescence of the albumin solution, the main contribution to which is produced by sodium chloride, which is a component of the tested sample. At the same time, lasers from the near-infrared range excited the Raman signal of albumin most effectively. It was found that the highest ratio of Raman scattering to autofluorescence intensities in the detected signal was obtained using a laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm. To determine the albumin solution concentration by type of spectrum, a regression approach with the projection to latent structures method was applied. The lowest predicted error of albumin concentration of 2-3 g/l was obtained by using the near-infrared range lasers.

Experimental ion mobility measurements for the LCTPC collaboration—Ar-CF4 mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, M. A. G.; Kaja, M. A.; Cortez, A. F. V.; Veenhof, R.; Neves, P. N. B.; Santos, F. P.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Conde, C. A. N.

2018-04-01

In this paper we present the results of the ion mobility measurements made in pure carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) and gaseous mixtures of argon with carbon tetrafluoride (Ar-CF4) for pressures ranging from 6 to 10 Torr (8–10.6 mbar) and for low reduced electric fields in the 10 Td to 25 Td range (2.4-6.1 kVṡcm‑1ṡbar‑1), at room temperature. The time of arrival spectra revealed only one peak throughout the entire range studied which was attributed to CF3+. However, for Ar concentrations above 70%, a bump starts to appear at the left side of the main peak for reduced electric fields higher than 15 Td, which was attributed to impurities. The reduced mobilities obtained from the peak centroid of the time-of-arrival spectra are presented for Ar concentrations in the 5%–95% range.

The short range anion-H interaction is the driving force for crystal formation of ions in water.

PubMed

Alejandre, José; Chapela, Gustavo A; Bresme, Fernando; Hansen, Jean-Pierre

2009-05-07

The crystal formation of NaCl in water is studied by extensive molecular dynamics simulations. Ionic solutions at room temperature and various concentrations are studied using the SPC/E and TIP4P/2005 water models and seven force fields of NaCl. Most force fields of pure NaCl fail to reproduce the experimental density of the crystal, and in solution some favor dissociation at saturated conditions, while others favor crystal formation at low concentration. A new force field of NaCl is proposed, which reproduces the experimental phase diagram in the solid, liquid, and vapor regions. This force field overestimates the solubility of NaCl in water at saturation conditions when used with standard Lorentz-Berthelot combining rules for the ion-water pair potentials. It is shown that precipitation of ions is driven by the short range interaction between Cl-H pairs, a term which is generally missing in the simulation of ionic solutions. The effects of intramolecular flexibility of water on the solubility of NaCl ions are analyzed and is found to be small compared to rigid models. A flexible water model, extending the rigid SPC/E, is proposed, which incorporates Lennard-Jones interactions centered on the hydrogen atoms. This force field gives liquid-vapor coexisting densities and surface tensions in better agreement with experimental data than the rigid SPC/E model. The Cl-H, Na-O, and Cl-O pair distribution functions of the rigid and flexible models agree well with experiment. The predicted concentration dependence of the electric conductivity is in fair agreement with available experimental data.

Direct and quantitative AFM measurements of the concentration and temperature dependence of the hydrophobic force law at nanoscopic contacts.

PubMed

Stock, Philipp; Utzig, Thomas; Valtiner, Markus

2015-05-15

By virtue of its importance for self-organization of biological matter the hydrophobic force law and the range of hydrophobic interactions (HI) have been debated extensively over the last 40 years. Here, we directly measure and quantify the hydrophobic force-distance law over large temperature and concentration ranges. In particular, we study the HI between molecularly smooth hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers, and similarly modified gold-coated AFM tips (radii∼8-50 nm). We present quantitative and direct evidence that the hydrophobic force is both long-ranged and exponential down to distances of about 1-2 nm. Therefore, we introduce a self-consistent radius-normalization for atomic force microscopy data. This approach allows quantitative data fitting of AFM-based experimental data to the recently proposed Hydra-model. With a statistical significance of r(2)⩾0.96 our fitting and data directly reveal an exponential HI decay length of 7.2±1.2 Å that is independent of the salt concentration up to 750 mM. As such, electrostatic screening does not have a significant influence on the HI in electrolyte concentrations ranging from 1 mM to 750 mM. In 1 M solutions the observed instability during approach shifts to longer distances, indicating ion correlation/adsorption effects at high salt concentrations. With increasing temperature the magnitude of HI decreases monotonically, while the range increases slightly. We compare our results to the large body of available literature, and shed new light into range and magnitude of hydrophobic interactions at very close distances and over wide temperature and concentration regimes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual Mode NOx Sensor: Measuring Both the Accumulated Amount and Instantaneous Level at Low Concentrations

PubMed Central

Groß, Andrea; Beulertz, Gregor; Marr, Isabella; Kubinski, David J.; Visser, Jaco H.; Moos, Ralf

2012-01-01

The accumulating-type (or integrating-type) NOx sensor principle offers two operation modes to measure low levels of NOx: The direct signal gives the total amount dosed over a time interval and its derivative the instantaneous concentration. With a linear sensor response, no baseline drift, and both response times and recovery times in the range of the gas exchange time of the test bench (5 to 7 s), the integrating sensor is well suited to reliably detect low levels of NOx. Experimental results are presented demonstrating the sensor’s integrating properties for the total amount detection and its sensitivity to both NO and to NO2. We also show the correlation between the derivative of the sensor signal and the known gas concentration. The long-term detection of NOx in the sub-ppm range (e.g., for air quality measurements) is discussed. Additionally, a self-adaption of the measurement range taking advantage of the temperature dependency of the sensitivity is addressed. PMID:22736980

Comparison of aldehyde emissions simulation with FTIR measurements in the exhaust of a spark ignition engine fueled by ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarante, Paola Helena Barros; Sodré, José Ricardo

2018-07-01

This work presents a numerical simulation model for aldehyde formation and exhaust emissions from ethanol-fueled spark ignition engines. The aldehyde simulation model was developed using FORTRAN software, with the input data obtained from the dedicated engine cycle simulation software AVL BOOST. The model calculates formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations from post-flame partial oxidation of methane, ethane and unburned ethanol. The calculated values were compared with experimental data obtained from a mid-size sedan powered by a 1.4-l spark ignition engine, tested on a chassis dynamometer. Exhaust aldehyde concentrations were determined using a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy analyzer. In general, the results demonstrate that the concentrations of aldehydes and the source elements increased with engine speed and exhaust gas temperature. The measured acetaldehyde concentrations showed values from 3 to 6 times higher than formaldehyde in the range studied. The model could predict reasonably well the qualitative experimental trends, with the quantitative results showing a maximum discrepancy of 39% for acetaldehyde concentration and 21 ppm for exhaust formaldehyde.

Comparison of aldehyde emissions simulation with FTIR measurements in the exhaust of a spark ignition engine fueled by ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarante, Paola Helena Barros; Sodré, José Ricardo

2018-02-01

This work presents a numerical simulation model for aldehyde formation and exhaust emissions from ethanol-fueled spark ignition engines. The aldehyde simulation model was developed using FORTRAN software, with the input data obtained from the dedicated engine cycle simulation software AVL BOOST. The model calculates formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations from post-flame partial oxidation of methane, ethane and unburned ethanol. The calculated values were compared with experimental data obtained from a mid-size sedan powered by a 1.4-l spark ignition engine, tested on a chassis dynamometer. Exhaust aldehyde concentrations were determined using a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy analyzer. In general, the results demonstrate that the concentrations of aldehydes and the source elements increased with engine speed and exhaust gas temperature. The measured acetaldehyde concentrations showed values from 3 to 6 times higher than formaldehyde in the range studied. The model could predict reasonably well the qualitative experimental trends, with the quantitative results showing a maximum discrepancy of 39% for acetaldehyde concentration and 21 ppm for exhaust formaldehyde.

Contaminant degradation by irradiated semiconducting silver chloride particles: kinetics and modelling.

PubMed

Ma, Tian; Garg, Shikha; Miller, Christopher J; Waite, T David

2015-05-15

The kinetics and mechanism of light-mediated formic acid (HCOO(-)) degradation in the presence of semiconducting silver chloride particles are investigated in this study. Our experimental results show that visible-light irradiation of AgCl(s) results in generation of holes and electrons with the photo-generated holes and its initial oxidation product carbonate radical, oxidizing HCOO(-) to form CO2. The HCOO(-) degradation rate increases with increase in silver concentration due to increase in rate of photo-generation of holes while the increase in chloride concentration decreases the degradation rate of HCOO(-) as a result of the scavenging of holes by Cl(-), thereby resulting in decreased holes and carbonate radical concentration. The results obtained indicate that a variety of other solution conditions including dioxygen concentration, bicarbonate concentration and pH influence the availability of holes and hence the HCOO(-) degradation rate in a manner consistent with our understanding of key processes. Based on our experimental results, we have developed a kinetic model capable of predicting AgCl(s)-mediated HCOO(-) photo-degradation over a wide range of conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrical signatures of ethanol-liquid mixtures: implications for monitoring biofuels migration in the subsurface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Personna, Yves Robert; Slater, Lee; Ntarlagiannis, Dimitrios; Werkema, Dale D.; Szabo, Zoltan

2013-01-01

Ethanol (EtOH), an emerging contaminant with potential direct and indirect environmental effects, poses threats to water supplies when spilled in large volumes. A series of experiments was directed at understanding the electrical geophysical signatures arising from groundwater contamination by ethanol. Conductivity measurements were performed at the laboratory scale on EtOH–water mixtures (0 to 0.97 v/v EtOH) and EtOH–salt solution mixtures (0 to 0.99 v/v EtOH) with and without a sand matrix using a conductivity probe and a four-electrode electrical measurement over the low frequency range (1–1000 Hz). A Lichtenecker–Rother (L–R) type mixing model was used to simulate electrical conductivity as a function of EtOH concentration in the mixture. For all three experimental treatments increasing EtOH concentration resulted in a decrease in measured conductivity magnitude (|σ|). The applied L–R model fitted the experimental data at concentration ≤ 0.4 v/v EtOH, presumably due to predominant and symmetric intermolecular (EtOH–water) interaction in the mixture. The deviation of the experimental |σ| data from the model prediction at higher EtOH concentrations may be associated with hydrophobic effects of EtOH–EtOH interactions in the mixture. The |σ| data presumably reflected changes in relative strength of the three types of interactions (water–water, EtOH–water, and EtOH–EtOH) occurring simultaneously in EtOH–water mixtures as the ratio of EtOH to water changed. No evidence of measurable polarization effects at the EtOH–water and EtOH–water–mineral interfaces over the investigated frequency range was found. Our results indicate the potential for using electrical measurements to characterize and monitor EtOH spills in the subsurface.

Mixed convection heat transfer: an experimental study on Cu/heat transfer oil nanofluids inside annular tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasian Arani, Ali Akbar; Aberoumand, Hossein; Jafarimoghaddam, Amin; Aberoumand, Sadegh

2017-09-01

The heat transfer and flow characteristics of Cu-heat transfer oil nanofluid during mixed convection through horizontal annular tubes under uniform heat flux as boundary condition are investigated experimentally. Data were acquired at low Reynolds number ranged from about 26 to 252. The applied nanofluid prepared by Electrical Explosion of Wire technique with no nanoparticles agglomeration during nanofluid preparation process and experiments. Pure heat transfer oil and nanofluids with nanoparticles weight concentrations of 0.12, 0.36 and 0.72% were used as the working fluids. Based on these results, Effects of nanoparticles concentration, heat flux and free convection on the thermal field development are studied under buoyancy assisted flow condition for Grashof number, Richardson number between 2820 and 12,686, and 0.1-10, respectively. Results show that Nusselt number increases with an increase of nanoparticles weight concentrations from 0 to 0.72% under certain Richardson numbers.

Spectral radiance measurements and calculated soot concentrations along the length of an experimental combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norgren, C. T.; Ingebo, R. D.

1976-01-01

Radiometric data were obtained over a range of parametric test conditions at three positions along the length of an experimental combustor segment corresponding to the primary, intermediate, and dilution zones. The concentration of soot entrained in the combustion gases was calculated by a technique using spectral radiance measurements. Tests were conducted primarily with Jet A fuel, although limited data were taken with two fuels having higher aromatic content, diesel oil number 2 and a blend of 40 percent tetralin in Jet A fuel. Radiometric observation of the combustion gases indicated that the maximum total radiance peaked at the intermediate zone, which was located immediately upstream of the dilution holes. Soot concentrations calculated from optical measurements in the dilution zone compared favorably with those obtained by in situ gas sampling at the exhaust. The total radiance increased with the higher aromatic content fuels.

Application of mass spectrometer-inverse gas chromatography to study polymer-solvent diffusivity and solubility.

PubMed

Galdámez, J Román; Danner, Ronald P; Duda, J Larry

2007-07-20

The application of a mass spectrometer detector in capillary column inverse gas chromatography is shown to be a valuable tool in the measurement of diffusion and solubility in polymer-solvent systems. The component specific detector provides excellent results for binary polymer-solvent systems, but it is particularly valuable because it can be readily applied to multicomponent systems. Results for a number of infinitely dilute solvents in poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) are reported over a range of temperature from 60 to 150 degrees C. Results are also reported for finite concentrations of toluene and methanol in PVAc from 60 to 110 degrees C. Finally, the technique was applied to study the effect of finite concentrations of toluene on the diffusion coefficients of THF and cyclohexane in PVAc. The experimental data compare well with literature values for both infinite and finite concentrations, indicating that the experimental protocol described in this work is sound.

Polarimetry as a tool for the study of solutions of chiral solutes.

PubMed

Orlova, Anna V; Andrade, Renato R; da Silva, Clarissa O; Zinin, Alexander I; Kononov, Leonid O

2014-01-13

Optical rotation of aqueous solutions of D-levoglucosan was studied experimentally in the 0.03-4.0 mol L(-1) concentration range and a nonlinear concentration dependence of specific optical rotation (SR) was revealed. Discontinuities observed in the concentration plot of SR (at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mol L(-1)) are well correlated with those found by static and dynamic light scattering and identify concentration ranges in which different solution domains (supramers) may exist. The average SR experimental value for a D-levoglucosan aqueous solution ([α]D(28) -58.5±8.7 deg dm(-1) cm(-3) g(-1)) was found to be in good agreement with values obtained by theoretical calculation (TD-DFT/GIAO) of SR for 15 different conformers revealed by conformational sampling at the PCM/B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level, which were shown to be strongly affected by the solvation microenvironment (0, 1, 2, and 3 explicit solvent molecules considered) due to local geometrical changes induced in the solute molecule. This exceptionally high sensitivity of SR makes polarimetry a unique method capable of sensing changes in the structure of supramers detected in this study. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Indoor particle dynamics in a school office: determination of particle concentrations, deposition rates and penetration factors under naturally ventilated conditions.

PubMed

Cong, X C; Zhao, J J; Jing, Z; Wang, Q G; Ni, P F

2018-05-09

Recently, the problem of indoor particulate matter pollution has received much attention. An increasing number of epidemiological studies show that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on human health, even at very low concentrations. Most of these investigations have relied upon outdoor particle concentrations as surrogates of human exposures. However, considering that the concentration distribution of the indoor particulate matter is largely dependent on the extent to which these particles penetrate the building and on the degree of suspension in the indoor air, human exposures to particles of outdoor origin may not be equal to outdoor particle concentration levels. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between the particle concentrations found outdoors and those found in indoor micro-environments. In this study, experiments were conducted using a naturally ventilated office located in Qingdao, China. The indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured at the same time using an optical counter with four size ranges. The particle size distribution ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 μm, and the experimental period was from April to September, 2016. Based on the experimental data, the dynamic and mass balance model based on time was used to estimate the penetration rate and deposition rate at air exchange rates of 0.03-0.25 h -1 . The values of the penetration rate and deposition velocity of indoor particles were determined to range from 0.45 to 0.82 h -1 and 1.71 to 2.82 m/h, respectively. In addition, the particulate pollution exposure in the indoor environment was analyzed to estimate the exposure hazard from indoor particulate matter pollution, which is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The conclusions from this study can serve to provide a better understanding the dynamics and behaviors of airborne particle entering into buildings. And they will also highlight effective methods to reduce exposure to particles in office buildings.

Concentrations and characteristics of amphibole fibres in the lungs of workers exposed to crocidolite in the British gas-mask factories, and elsewhere, during the second world war.

PubMed

Morgan, A; Holmes, A

1982-02-01

Concentrations and length distributions of uncoated and coated amphibole fibres in the lungs of 27 workers at the Leyland, Nottingham, and Blackburn gas-mask factories were measured after death with the light microscope using the membrane filter technique. Measurements were also made on a worker exposed to crocidolite at the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton, and on three miners from the Wittenoom mine in Western Australia where the crocidolite used in the manufacture of military respirators is reputed to have originated. In selected cases, fibre concentrations and dimensions were also measured with the electron microscope. All but two subjects died with a mesothelial tumour. Fibre concentrations ranged from 7 x 10(4) to almost 10(9) fibres/g dry weight. There appeared to be no relation between latent period and fibre concentration. The significance of the wide range of fibre concentrations which was associated with the development of mesothelial tumours is discussed and also the relation between the relative frequency and dimensions of uncoated and coated fibres.

Effect of gold nanoparticles on the fluorescence excitation spectrum of α-fetoprotein: Local environment dependent fluorescence quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian-jun; Chen, Yu; Wang, A.-qing; Zhu, Jian; Zhao, Jun-wu

2011-01-01

The effect of colloid gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the fluorescence excitation spectrum of α-fetoprotein (AFP) has been investigated experimentally. The excitation spectral peaks of AFP with low concentration from 0.01 ng ml -1 to 12 ng ml -1 increase monotonically with increasing of AFP concentration. When some gold colloids were added to the AFP solution, the excitation peak at 285 nm decreases distinctly. By comparing the excitation peak intensity of AFP solution with gold colloids and without gold colloids at different AFP concentrations, the quenching effect from gold nanoparticle was more effective at lower AFP concentration. So the range of concentration from 0.01 ng ml -1 to 0.09 ng ml -1 will be the potential range of applications because of the higher sensitivity. The physical origin based on local field effect was investigated to illuminate this local environment dependent fluorescence quenching. The changing extent of quenching with different AFP concentrations can be attributed to the nonlinear decreasing of the local field factor of gold nanoparticles as a function of environmental dielectric constant.

Spectral data of specular reflectance, narrow-angle transmittance and angle-resolved surface scattering of materials for solar concentrators.

PubMed

Good, Philipp; Cooper, Thomas; Querci, Marco; Wiik, Nicolay; Ambrosetti, Gianluca; Steinfeld, Aldo

2016-03-01

The spectral specular reflectance of conventional and novel reflective materials for solar concentrators is measured with an acceptance angle of 17.5 mrad over the wavelength range 300-2500 nm at incidence angles 15-60° using a spectroscopic goniometry system. The same experimental setup is used to determine the spectral narrow-angle transmittance of semi-transparent materials for solar collector covers at incidence angles 0-60°. In addition, the angle-resolved surface scattering of reflective materials is recorded by an area-scan CCD detector over the spectral range 350-1050 nm. A comprehensive summary, discussion, and interpretation of the results are included in the associated research article "Spectral reflectance, transmittance, and angular scattering of materials for solar concentrators" in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells.

Dissolution of Uranium Oxides Under Alkaline Oxidizing Conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Steven C.; Peper, Shane M.; Douglas, Matthew

2009-11-01

Bench scale experiments were conducted to determine the dissolution characteristics of uranium oxide powders (UO2, U3O8, and UO3) in aqueous peroxide-carbonate solutions. Experimental parameters included H2O2 concentration, carbonate counter cation (NH4+, Na+, K+, and Rb+), and pH. Results indicate the dissolution rate of UO2 in 1 M (NH4)2CO3 increases linearly with peroxide concentration ranging from 0.05 – 2 M. The three uranium oxide powders exhibited different dissolution patterns however, UO3 exhibited prompt complete dissolution. Carbonate counter cation affected the dissolution kinetics. There is minimal impact of solution pH, over the range 8.8 to 10.6, on initial dissolution rate.

Anion dependent ion pairing in concentrated ytterbium halide solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinkhammer, Christina; Böhm, Fabian; Sharma, Vinay; Schwaab, Gerhard; Seitz, Michael; Havenith, Martina

2018-06-01

We have studied ion pairing of ytterbium halide solutions. THz spectra (30-400 cm-1) of aqueous YbCl3 and YbBr3 solutions reveal fundamental differences in the hydration structures of YbCl3 and YbBr3 at high salt concentrations: While for YbBr3 no indications for a changing local hydration environment of the ions were experimentally observed within the measured concentration range, the spectra of YbCl3 pointed towards formation of weak contact ion pairs. The proposed anion specificity for ion pairing was confirmed by supplementary Raman measurements.

Electrical and Mechanical Behavior of Nano-Filled Polymers through Molecular Dynamics Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-27

that case. The length of the fibers can be fixed or vary within a specified range; in the later case, every time a new fiber is going to be added to...trends and values of the simulation are similar to the experimental ones. The experimental values refer to MWCNT /PVDF composites with an average aspect...concentrations disagree with the multi wall carbon nanotube/poly(vinylidene fluoride) - MWCNT /PVDF - composite study by Wang and Dang [17] (0.0161), and

Comparison of Spectrophotometric Methods for the Determination of Copper in Sugar Cane Spirit.

PubMed

Soares, Sarah Adriana R; Costa, Silvânio Silvério L; Araujo, Rennan Geovanny O; Teixeira, Leonardo Sena Gomes; Dantas, Alailson Falcão

2018-05-01

Three spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of copper (Cu) in sugar cane spirit using the chromogenic reagents neocuproine, cuprizone, and bathocuproine. Experimental conditions, such as reagent concentration, reducer concentration, pH, buffer concentration, the order of addition of reagents, and the stability of the complexes, were optimized. The work range was established from 1.0 to 10.0 µg/mL, with correlation coefficients of >0.999 for all three optimized methods. The methods were evaluated regarding accuracy by addition and recovery tests at five concentration levels, and the obtained recoveries ranged from 91 to 105% (n = 3). Precision was expressed as RSD (relative standard deviation), with values ranging from 0.01 to 0.17% (n = 10). The method using the chromogenic reagent cuprizone presented the greatest molar absorptivity, followed by bathocuproine and neocuproine. The methods were applied for the determination of Cu in sugar cane spirit, and the results were compared with a reference method by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Calibration curve solutions for FAAS analysis were prepared in a 40% (v/v) alcohol medium in a range of concentrations from 0.5 up to 5 µg/mL. Measurements for Cu determination were carried out at a wavelength of 324.7 nm. The concentrations obtained for Cu in sugar cane spirit samples from Brazil were between 1.99 and 12.63 µg/mL, and about 75% of the samples presented Cu concentrations above the limit established by Brazilian legislation (5.0 µg/mL or 5.0 mg/L).

Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of Scintillation Processes in NaI(Tl)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerisit, Sebastien; Wang, Zhiguo; Williams, Richard T.; Grim, Joel Q.; Gao, Fei

2014-04-01

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the processes that govern the scintillation behavior of inorganic scintillators provides a pathway to optimize current scintillators and allows for the science-driven search for new scintillator materials. Recent experimental data on the excitation density dependence of the light yield of inorganic scintillators presents an opportunity to incorporate parameterized interactions between excitations in scintillation models and thus enable more realistic simulations of the nonproportionality of inorganic scintillators. Therefore, a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model of elementary scintillation processes in NaI(Tl) is developed in this paper to simulate the kinetics of scintillation for a range of temperatures and Tl concentrations as well as the scintillation efficiency as a function of excitation density. The ability of the KMC model to reproduce available experimental data allows for elucidating the elementary processes that give rise to the kinetics and efficiency of scintillation observed experimentally for a range of conditions.

The calculation of band gap energy in zinc oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arif, Ali; Belahssen, Okba; Gareh, Salim; Benramache, Said

2015-01-01

We investigated the optical properties of undoped zinc oxide thin films as the n-type semiconductor; the thin films were deposited at different precursor molarities by ultrasonic spray and spray pyrolysis techniques. The thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures ranging between 200 and 500 °C. In this paper, we present a new approach to control the optical gap energy of ZnO thin films by concentration of the ZnO solution and substrate temperatures from experimental data, which were published in international journals. The model proposed to calculate the band gap energy with the Urbach energy was investigated. The relation between the experimental data and theoretical calculation suggests that the band gap energies are predominantly estimated by the Urbach energies, film transparency, and concentration of the ZnO solution and substrate temperatures. The measurements by these proposal models are in qualitative agreements with the experimental data; the correlation coefficient values were varied in the range 0.96-0.99999, indicating high quality representation of data based on Equation (2), so that the relative errors of all calculation are smaller than 4%. Thus, one can suppose that the undoped ZnO thin films are chemically purer and have many fewer defects and less disorder owing to an almost complete chemical decomposition and contained higher optical band gap energy.

Sulfates as chromophores for multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging phantoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, Martina; An, Lu; Beard, Paul; Cox, Ben

2017-12-01

As multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging becomes increasingly widely used to obtain quantitative estimates, the need for validation studies conducted on well-characterized experimental phantoms becomes ever more pressing. One challenge that such studies face is the design of stable, well-characterized phantoms and absorbers with properties in a physiologically realistic range. This paper performs a full experimental characterization of aqueous solutions of copper and nickel sulfate, whose properties make them close to ideal as chromophores in multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging phantoms. Their absorption varies linearly with concentration, and they mix linearly. The concentrations needed to yield absorption values within the physiological range are below the saturation limit. The shape of their absorption spectra makes them useful analogs for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin. They display long-term photostability (no indication of bleaching) as well as resistance to transient effects (no saturable absorption phenomena), and are therefore suitable for exposure to typical pulsed photoacoustic light sources, even when exposed to the high number of pulses required in scanning photoacoustic imaging systems. In addition, solutions with tissue-realistic, predictable, and stable scattering can be prepared by mixing sulfates and Intralipid, as long as an appropriate emulsifier is used. Finally, the Grüneisen parameter of the sulfates was found to be larger than that of water and increased linearly with concentration.

Effect of Oils on Kinematic Viscosity of R134a

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Tomoaki; Takaishi, Yoshinori; Oguchi, Kosei

The kinematic viscosity defined as a ratio of viscosity to density is one of the key properties in producing technically important dimensionless numbers such as Prandtl and Reynolds numbers. We measured both viscosity and density of R134a/POE and R134a/PAG mixtures at saturation in the range of relatively low oilconcentrations. The density measurements for oil-concentrations up to 50 mass% were conducted with a densimeter making use of glass buoys within overall uncertainty of ±1.0%, and the viscosity measurements for oil-concentrations up to 16 mass% were carried out with an oscillating-cup viscometer making use of polarizer with overall uncertainty less than ±3.5%. The kinematic viscosities obtained from the experimental viscosity and density data are presented for both R134a/POE and R134a/PAG mixtures in the range of temperatures from 278 K to 288 K for oil-concentrations up to 15 mass%. The oil-concentration dependence of the kinematic viscosity for both mixtures is also reported.

Experimental investigation of cephapirin adsorption to quartz filter sands and dune sands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Jonathan W.; O'Meara, Theresa A.; Seymour, Michael D.

2008-08-01

Batch experiments were performed to investigate cephapirin (a widely used veterinary antibiotic) adsorption on various size sands of low total organic carbon content (0.08-0.36 wt%). In the aqueous concentration range investigated (11-112 μmol/L cephapirin), adsorption to nearly pure quartz filter sands (0.50-3.35 mm diameter) is low. Isotherms are S-shaped and most display a region of minimum adsorption, where decreased adsorption occurs with increasing solution concentration, followed by increased adsorption at higher concentrations. Cephapirin adsorption to quartz-rich, feldspar-bearing dune sands (0.06-0.35 mm diameter), and the smallest quartz filter sand investigated (0.43-0.50 mm), can be described by linear sorption isotherms over the range of concentrations investigated. Distribution coefficients ( K d) range from 0.94 to 3.45 L/kg. No systematic relationship exists between grain size and amount of adsorption for any of the sands investigated. Cephapirin adsorption is positively correlated to the feldspar ratio (K-feldspar/(albite + Ca-plagioclase). Feldspar-ratio normalization of distribution coefficients was more effective than organic carbon normalization at reducing variability of K d values in the dune sands investigated.

[The Influence of Different Ionic Concentration in Cell Physiological Solution on Temperature Measurement by Near Infrared].

PubMed

Zheng, Yu; Chen, Xiong; Zhou, Mei; Wang, Meng-jun; Wang, Jin-hai; Li, Gang; Cui, Jun

2015-10-01

It is important to real-timely monitor and control the temperature of cell physiological solution in patch clamp experiments, which can eliminate the uncertainty due to temperature and improve the measurement accuracy. This paper studies the influence of different ions at different concentrations in the physiological solution on precision of a temperature model by using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics method. Firstly, we prepared twelve sample solutions respectively with the solutes of CaCl2, KCl and NaCl at four kinds of concentrations, and collected the spectra of different solutions at the setting temperature range 20-40 degrees C, the range of the spectra is 9 615-5 714 cm(-1). Then we divided the spectra of each solution at different temperatures into two parts (a training set and a prediction set) by three methods. Interval partial least squares method was used to select an effective wavelength range and develop calibration models between the spectra in the selected range and temperature velues. The experimental results show that RMSEP of CaCl2 solution with 0.25 g x mL(-1) is maximum, the result of the three tests are 0.386 3, 0.303 7 and 0.337 2 degrees C, RMSEP of NaCl with 0.005 g x mL(-1) solution is minimum, the result of the three tests are 0.220 8, 0.155 3 and 0.145 2 degrees C. The experimental results indicate that Ca2+ has the greatest influence on the accuracy of the temperature model of the cell physiological solution, then K+, and Na+ has the least influence. And with the ionic concentration increasing, the model accuracy decreases. Therefore; when we build the temperature model of cell physiological solution, it is necessary to change the proportion of the three kinds of main ions in cell physiological solution reasonably in order to correct the effects of different ionic concentrations in physiological solution and improve the accuracy of temperature measurements by near infrared spectroscopy.

Real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentration by electromagnetic sensing.

PubMed

Harnsoongnoen, Supakorn; Wanthong, Anuwat

2017-10-01

Magnetic sensing at microwave frequencies for real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentrations is reported. The sensing element was designed based on a coplanar waveguide (CPW) loaded with a split ring resonator (SRR), which was fabricated on a DiClad 880 substrate with a thickness of 1.6mm and relative permittivity (ε r ) of 2.2. The magnetic sensor was connected to a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and the electromagnetic interaction between the samples and sensor was analyzed. The magnitude of the transmission coefficient (S 21 ) was used as an indicator to detect the solution sample concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 0.20g/ml. The experimental results confirmed that the developed system using microwaves for the real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentrations gave unique results for each solution type and concentration. Moreover, the proposed sensor has a wide dynamic range, high linearity, fast operation and low-cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bubble production using a Non-Newtonian fluid in microfluidic flow focusing device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yi-Lin; Ward, Thomas; Grant, Christine

2012-02-01

We experimentally study the production of micrometer-sized bubbles using microfluidic technology and a flow-focusing geometry. Bubbles are produced by using a mixture containing aqueous polyacrylamide of concentrations ranging from 0.01-0.10% by weight and several solution also containing a sodium-lauryl-sulfate (SLS) surfactant at concentrations ranging 0.01-0.1% by weight. The fluids are driven by controlling the static pressure above a hydrostatic head of the liquid while the disperse phase fluid static pressure is held constant (air). In the absence of surfactant the bubble production is discontinuous. The addition of surfactant stabilizes the bubble production. In each type of experiment, the bubble length l, velocity U and production frequency φ are measured and compared as a function of the inlet pressure ratio. The bubbles exhibit a contraction in their downstream length as a function of the polymer concentration which is investigated.

Analysis of the Glass-Forming Ability of Fe-Er Alloys, Based on Thermodynamic Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arutyunyan, N. A.; Zaitsev, A. I.; Dunaev, S. F.; Kalmykov, K. B.; El'nyakov, D. D.; Shaposhnikov, N. G.

2018-05-01

The Fe-Er phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of all its phases are assessed by means of self-consistent analysis. To refine the data on phase equilibria in the Fe-Er system, an investigation is performed in the 10-40 at % range of Er concentrations. The temperature-concentration dependences of the thermodynamic properties of a melt are presented using the model of ideal associated solutions. Thermodynamic parameters of each phase are obtained, and the calculated results are in agreement with available experimental data. The correlation between the thermodynamic properties of liquid Fe-Er alloys and their tendency toward amorphization are studied. It is shown that compositions of amorphous alloys prepared by melt quenching coincide with the ranges of concentration with the predominance of Fe3Er and FeEr2 associative groups that have large negative entropies of formation.

Atom-efficient regioselective 1,2-dearomatization of functionalized pyridines by an earth-abundant organolanthanide catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudnik, Alexander S.; Weidner, Victoria L.; Motta, Alessandro; Delferro, Massimiliano; Marks, Tobin J.

2014-12-01

Developing earth-abundant, non-platinum metal catalysts for high-value chemical transformations is a critical challenge to contemporary chemical synthesis. Dearomatization of pyridine derivatives is an important transformation to access a wide range of valuable nitrogenous natural products, pharmaceuticals and materials. Here, we report an efficient 1,2-regioselective organolanthanide-catalysed pyridine dearomatization process using pinacolborane, which is compatible with a broad range of pyridines and functional groups and employs equimolar reagent stoichiometry. Regarding the mechanism, derivation of the rate law from NMR spectroscopic and kinetic measurements suggests first order in catalyst concentration, fractional order in pyridine concentration and inverse first order in pinacolborane concentration, with C=N insertion into the La-H bond as turnover-determining. An energetic span analysis affords a more detailed understanding of experimental activity trends and the unusual kinetic behaviour, and proposes the catalyst ‘resting’ state and potential deactivation pathways.

Tailored Algorithm for Sensitivity Enhancement of Gas Concentration Sensors Based on Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Vargas-Rodriguez, Everardo; Guzman-Chavez, Ana Dinora; Baeza-Serrato, Roberto

2018-06-04

In this work, a novel tailored algorithm to enhance the overall sensitivity of gas concentration sensors based on the Direct Absorption Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (DA-ATLAS) method is presented. By using this algorithm, the sensor sensitivity can be custom-designed to be quasi constant over a much larger dynamic range compared with that obtained by typical methods based on a single statistics feature of the sensor signal output (peak amplitude, area under the curve, mean or RMS). Additionally, it is shown that with our algorithm, an optimal function can be tailored to get a quasi linear relationship between the concentration and some specific statistics features over a wider dynamic range. In order to test the viability of our algorithm, a basic C 2 H 2 sensor based on DA-ATLAS was implemented, and its experimental measurements support the simulated results provided by our algorithm.

Triple nitrate isotopes indicate differing nitrate source contributions to streams across a nitrogen saturation gradient

Treesearch

Lucy A. Rose; Emily M. Elliott; Mary Beth. Adams

2015-01-01

Nitrogen (N) deposition affects forest biogeochemical cycles worldwide, often contributing to N saturation. Using long-term (>30-year) records of stream nitrate (NO3-) concentrations at Fernow Experimental Forest (West Virginia, USA), we classified four watersheds into N saturation stages ranging from Stage 0 (N-...

Malachite Green Adsorption by Spent Coffee Grounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamimie Atirah Mat, Siti; Zati Hanani Syed Zuber, Sharifah; Rahim, Siti Kartini Enche Ab; Sohaimi, Khairunissa Syairah Ahmad; Halim, Noor Amirah Abdul; Fauziah Zainudin, Nor; Aida Yusoff, Nor; Munirah Rohaizad, Nor; Hidayah Ishak, Noor; Anuar, Adilah; Sarip, Mohd Sharizan Md

2018-03-01

In this work, the ability of spent coffee grounds (SCG) as a low-cost adsorbent to remove malachite green (MG) from aqueous solutions was studied. Batch adsorption tests were carried out to observe the effect of various experimental parameters such as contact time, initial concentration of malachite green and adsorbent dosage on the removal of dye. The results obtained show that the percentage of dye removal will decreased with the increased of initial concentration of dye in the range of 50 mg/L to 250 mg/L. Besides, percentage removal of dye was also found to be increased as the contact time increased until it reached equilibrium condition. The results also showed that the adsorbent dosage in range of 0.2 g to 1.0 g is proportional to the percentage removal of malachite green dye. Study on the kinetic adsorption and isotherm adsorption has also been investigated. The adsorption isotherm data were described by Langmuir isotherm with high-correlation coefficients while the experimental data showed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model was the best model for the adsorption of MG by SCG with the coefficients of correlation R2 > 0.9978.

How comparable are size-resolved particle number concentrations from different instruments?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornsby, K. E.; Pryor, S. C.

2012-12-01

The need for comparability of particle size resolved measurements originates from multiple drivers including: (i) Recent suggestions that air quality standards for particulate matter should migrate from being mass-based to incorporating number concentrations. This move would necessarily be predicated on measurement comparability which is absolutely critical to compliance determination. (ii) The need to quantify and diagnose causes of variability in nucleation and growth rates in nano-particle experiments conducted in different locations. (iii) Epidemiological research designed to identify key parameters in human health responses to fine particle exposure. Here we present results from a detailed controlled laboratory instrument inter-comparison experiment designed to investigate data comparability in the size range of 2.01-523.3 nm across a range of particle composition, modal diameter and absolute concentration. Particle size distributions were generated using a TSI model 3940 Aerosol Generation System (AGS) diluted using zero air, and sampled using four TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Spectrometer (SMPS) configurations and a TSI model 3091 Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS). The SMPS configurations used two Electrostatic Classifiers (EC) (model 3080) attached to either a Long DMA (LDMA) (model 3081) or a Nano DMA (NDMA) (model 3085) plumbed to either a TSI model 3025A Butanol Condensed Particle Counting (CPC) or a TSI model 3788 Water CPC. All four systems were run using both high and low flow conditions, and were operated with both the internal diffusion loss and multiple charge corrections turned on. The particle compositions tested were sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate and olive oil diluted in ethanol. Particles of all three were generated at three peak concentration levels (spanning the range observed at our experimental site), and three modal particle diameters. Experimental conditions were maintained for a period of 20 minutes to ensure experimental stationarity and in the data analysis only the middle 18 minutes of data are analyzed. Because of variations in the discretization of the different instrumental configurations, the data are analyzed both after being transformed onto a common size resolution and in terms of a fitted modal distribution. Diagnostic analysis are conducted to assess the impact of SMPS configuration on total number concentration, model geometric mean diameter and distribution dispersion. Preliminary results indicate that selection of DMA exerts the larger control over instrument response.

Experimental Procedure for Determination of the Dielectric Properties of Biological Samples in the 2-50 GHz Range

PubMed Central

Odelstad, Elias; Raman, Sujith; Rydberg, Anders

2014-01-01

The objective of this paper was to test and evaluate an experimental procedure for providing data on the complex permittivity of different cell lines in the 2–50-GHz range at room temperature, for the purpose of future dosimetric studies. The complex permittivity measurements were performed on cells suspended in culture medium using an open-ended coaxial probe. Maxwell’s mixture equation then allows the calculation of the permittivity profiles of the cells from the difference in permittivity between the cell suspensions and pure culture medium. The open-ended coaxial probe turned out to be very sensitive to disturbances affecting the measurements, resulting in poor precision. Permittivity differences were not large in relation to the spread of the measurements and repeated measurements were performed to improve statistics. The 95% confidence intervals were computed for the arithmetic means of the measured permittivity differences in order to test the statistical significance. The results showed that for bone cells at the lowest tested concentration (33 500/ml), there were significance in the real part of the permittivity at frequencies above 30 GHz, and no significance in the imaginary part. For the second lowest concentration (67 000/ml) there was no significance at all. For a medium concentration of bone cells (135 000/ml) there was no significance in the real part, but there was significance in the imaginary part at frequencies below about 25 GHz. The cell suspension with a concentration of 1 350 000/ml had significance in the real part for both high (above 30 GHz) and low (below 15 GHz) frequencies. The imaginary part showed significance for frequencies below 25 GHz. In the case of an osteosarcoma cell line with a concentration of 2 700 000/ml, only the imaginary part showed significance, and only for frequencies below 15 GHz. For muscle cells at a concentration of 743 450/ml, there was only significance in the imaginary part for frequencies below 5 GHz. The experimental data indicated that the complex permittivity of the culture medium may be used for modeling of cell suspensions. PMID:27170886

Multiscale spectroscopy using a monolithic liquid core waveguide with laterally attached fiber ports.

PubMed

Kröckel, Lars; Frosch, Torsten; Schmidt, Markus A

2015-05-22

In conventional absorption spectrometers, the range of accessible concentrations of analytes in aqueous solution is significantly limited by the dynamic range of the measurement system. Here we introduce the concept of multiscale spectroscopy allowing extending that range by orders of magnitude within one single device. The concept relies on using multiple light-sample interaction lengths, boosting the accessible concentration range by a particular extension factor. We experimentally implement our concept by a liquid core waveguide having multiple fiber ports side-wise attached to the waveguide, thus probing the light propagating inside the core at predefined distances from the input. This configuration provides three orders of magnitude of interaction length in one device. To verify the concept we exemplarily determine the concentrations of nitrate and of Rhodamine 6G in water, showing one hundred times improved measurement capabilities. The multiscale spectrometer uses the entire sample volume and allows the simultaneous measurement of fluorescence and attenuance. Due to its integrated design and the extended measurements capabilities, we anticipate application of our device in many application-relevant areas such as water quality analysis or environmental science. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vertical Phase Segregation Induced by Dipolar Interactions in Planar Polymer Brushes

DOE PAGES

Mahalik, Jyoti P.; Sumpter, Bobby G.; Kumar, Rajeev

2016-09-13

In this paper, we present a generalized theory for studying structural properties of a planar dipolar polymer brush immersed in a polar solvent. We show that an explicit treatment of the dipolar interactions yields a macroscopic concentration dependent effective “chi” (the Flory–Huggins-like interaction) parameter. Furthermore, it is shown that the concentration dependent chi parameter promotes phase segregation in polymer solutions and brushes so that the polymer-poor phase consists of a finite/nonzero polymer concentration. Such a destabilization of the homogeneous phase by the dipolar interactions appears as vertical phase segregation in a planar polymer brush. In a vertically phase segregated polymermore » brush, the polymer-rich phase near the grafting surface coexists with the polymer-poor phase at the other end. Predictions of the theory are directly compared with prior reported experimental results for dipolar polymers in polar solvents. Excellent agreements with the experimental results are found, hinting that the dipolar interactions play a significant role in vertical phase segregation of planar polymer brushes. We also compare our field theoretical approach with the two-state and other models invoking ad hoc concentration dependence of the chi parameter. Interplay between the short-ranged excluded volume interactions and long-ranged dipolar interactions is shown to play an important role in affecting the vertical phase separation. Finally, effects of mismatch between the dipole moments of the polymer segments and the solvent molecules are investigated in detail.« less

A modified impulse-response representation of the global near-surface air temperature and atmospheric concentration response to carbon dioxide emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millar, Richard J.; Nicholls, Zebedee R.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Allen, Myles R.

2017-06-01

Projections of the response to anthropogenic emission scenarios, evaluation of some greenhouse gas metrics, and estimates of the social cost of carbon often require a simple model that links emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to atmospheric concentrations and global temperature changes. An essential requirement of such a model is to reproduce typical global surface temperature and atmospheric CO2 responses displayed by more complex Earth system models (ESMs) under a range of emission scenarios, as well as an ability to sample the range of ESM response in a transparent, accessible and reproducible form. Here we adapt the simple model of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 5th Assessment Report (IPCC AR5) to explicitly represent the state dependence of the CO2 airborne fraction. Our adapted model (FAIR) reproduces the range of behaviour shown in full and intermediate complexity ESMs under several idealised carbon pulse and exponential concentration increase experiments. We find that the inclusion of a linear increase in 100-year integrated airborne fraction with cumulative carbon uptake and global temperature change substantially improves the representation of the response of the climate system to CO2 on a range of timescales and under a range of experimental designs.

Uptake and effects of americium-241 on a brackishwater amphipod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoppenheit, M.; Murray, C. N.; Woodhead, D. S.

1980-03-01

The present paper reports the results of experimental work undertaken using the brackish-water amphipod Gammarus duebeni duebeni and the transuranium nuclide americium-241. Data on the accumulation of this actinide showed that the larger fraction of the total body burden is associated with the exoskeleton. It was found that the body burden remained constant in the range pH 8.0 6.5 even though the water concentrations changed markedly. It would thus appear that the concept of a concentration factor should be re-examined and it is proposed that a factor should be defined in terms of environmental and chemical parameters which represent the bioavailable fraction of the actinide. The effect of americium on survival and moulting was studied at two activity concentrations; the dose rates and absorbed doses under the experimental conditions employed have been estimated. The differences in survival rates between the control and irradiated groups were statistically analyzed and the significant difference at the higher concentration is believed to be due to a synergism between physiological stress and radiotoxicity of americium rather than the chemical toxicity of the element.

The effects of temperature and salinity on phosphate levels in two euryhaline crustacean species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaargaren, D. H.; Richard, P.; Ceccaldi, H. J.

Total phoshate, inorganic phosphate and organic (phospholipid) phosphate concentrations were determined in the blood of Carcinus maenas and in whole-animal homogenates of Penaeus japonicus acclimatized to various salinities and a high or a low temperature. In the blood of Carcinus, total and inorganic P concentrations range between 1.0 and 4.5 mmol · l -1; the amount of phospholipids is negligeable. The higher values were found at more extreme salinities. Low temperature is associated with low phosphate concentrations, particularly at intermediate salinities. Total P concentrations in Penaeus homogenates range between 10 and 60 mmol · 1 -1; phospholipid concentrations range between zero and 50 mmol · 1 -1. The higher values are again found at the extreme salinities. Inorganic P concentrations are almost constant — ca 10 mmol · 1 -1. No apparent effect of temperature on phosphate concentrations was observed. The results show clearly that osmotic stress influences severely the phosphate metabolism of the two species studied. Both species are able to accumulate phosphate at all experimental temperature/salinity combinations used, even when deprived of food. At extreme salinities, large quantities of phosphate are accumulated and converted to organic P compounds, most likely as phospholipids associated with the cell membranes. These effects of osmotic conditions in phosphate metabolism may offer an explanation for the effect of Ca ++ on membrane permeability as the regulation of both ions may be strongly interrelated, often under hormonal control.

Underground and ground-level particulate matter concentrations in an Italian metro system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartenì, Armando; Cascetta, Furio; Campana, Stefano

2015-01-01

All around the world, many studies and experimental results have assessed elevated concentrations of Particulate Matter (PM) in underground metro systems, with non-negligible implications for human health due to protracted exposure to fine particles. Starting from this consideration, an intensive particulate sampling campaign was carried out in January 2014 measuring the PM concentrations in the Naples (Italy) Metro Line 1, both at station platforms and inside trains. Naples Metro Line 1 is about 18 km long, with 17 stations (3 ground-level and 14 below-ground ones). Experimental results show that the average PM10 concentrations measured in the underground station platforms range between 172 and 262 μg/m3 whilst the average PM2.5 concentrations range between 45 and 60 μg/m3. By contrast, in ground-level stations no significant difference between stations platforms and urban environment measurements was observed. Furthermore, a direct correlation between trains passage and PM concentrations was observed, with an increase up to 42% above the average value. This correlation is possibly caused by the re-suspension of the particles due to the turbulence induced by trains. The main original finding was the real-time estimations of PM levels inside the trains travelling both in ground-level and underground sections of Line 1. The results show that high concentrations of both PM10 (average values between 58 μg/m3 and 138 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (average values between 18 μg/m3 and 36 μg/m3) were also measured inside trains. Furthermore, measurements show that windows left open on trains caused the increase in PM concentrations inside trains in the underground section, while in the ground-level section the clean air entering the trains produced an environmental "washing effect". Finally, it was estimated that every passenger spends on average about 70 min per day exposed to high levels of PM.

The exploration of the characteristics of the hyperglycemia serum fluorescence spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lexin; Zhao, Zhimin; Chen, Hui; Li, Peng; Xin, Yujun

2008-12-01

Now, spectra technology is widely used in the biomedicine research,so this study investigates variation of the fluorescence spectra in different excitation wavelength, and the spectra of serum with different glucose concentration is tested in the excitation wavelength of 240nm to 280nm. The experimental result shows that the correlation between the serum fluorescence intensity and the excitation light is very close, when the excitation light is in the ultraviolet wave band, the fluorescence of serum is intensive. There is a violent fluorescence emission wavelength, which is 300nm to 410nm, while the excitation wavelength ranges from 220nm to 290nm, and the peaks wavelength are 330nm and 370nm. From 240nm to 280nm, the serum fluorescence intensity increases synchronously with the glucose concentration, and the relationship between the fluorescence peak wavelength and the glucose concentration is almost in line. In this way the blood sugar concentration can be estimated by the fluorescence spectra peak wavelength when the excitation wavelength is from 240nm to 280nm, which is effective. It provides experimental foundation for the wide use of spectra technology in medical diagnose, and the effectiv method to test the blood sugar concentration.

High-Q terahertz Fano resonance with extraordinary transmission in concentric ring apertures.

PubMed

Shu, Jie; Gao, Weilu; Reichel, Kimberly; Nickel, Daniel; Dominguez, Jason; Brener, Igal; Mittleman, Daniel M; Xu, Qianfan

2014-02-24

We experimentally demonstrate a polarization-independent terahertz Fano resonance with extraordinary transmission when light passes through two concentric subwavelength ring apertures in the metal film. The Fano resonance is enabled by the coupling between a high-Q dark mode and a low-Q bright mode. We find the Q factor of the dark mode ranges from 23 to 40, which is 3~6 times higher than Q of bright mode. We show the Fano resonance can be tuned by varying the geometry and dimension of the structures. We also demonstrate a polarization dependent Fano resonance in a modified structure of concentric ring apertures.

In-line bulk supersaturation measurement by electrical conductometry in KDP crystal growth from aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordui, P. F.; Loiacono, G. M.

1984-07-01

A method is presented for in-line bulk supersaturation measurement in crystal growth from aqueous solution. The method is based on a computer-controlled concentration measurement exploiting an experimentally predetermined cross-correlation between the concentration, electrical conductivity, and temperature of the growth solution. The method was applied to Holden crystallization of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP). An extensive conductivity-temperature-concentration data base was generated for this system over a temperature range of 31 to 41°C. The method yielded continous, automated bulk supersaturation output accurate to within ±0.05 g KDP100 g water (±0.15% relative supersaturation).

The effect of oxygen concentration on the boundary lubricating characteristics of an unformulated C-ether to 300 C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. R., Jr.

1973-01-01

The effect of oxygen concentration on the boundary lubricating characteristics of an unformulated C-ether was studied with the use of a ball-on disk sliding-friction apparatus. Results were compared with those obtained with a polyphenyl ether. Experimental conditions included oxygen concentrations ranging from 20 percent (air) to 0.001 percent (nitrogen), a load of 1 kilogram, a sliding speed of 17 meters per minute, and disk temperatures ranging from 20 to 300 C (77 to 572 F). The C-ether yielded better boundary lubricating characteristics than did the polyphenyl ether in air and nitrogen over most of the temperature range. The C-ether exhibited lower wear at high oxygen levels (10 to 20 percent O2) from 25 to 200 C (77 to 392 F) and at low oxygen levels (0.001 to 1.0 percent O2) from 200 to 300 C (392 to 572 F). Friction polymer was observed around the wear scars of most test specimens. Friction polymer generation and its effect on wear are discussed in light of current theories.

A new insight on the dynamics of sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous micellar solutions by dielectric spectroscopy.

PubMed

Lanzi, Leandro; Carlà, Marcello; Lanzi, Leonardo; Gambi, Cecilia M C

2009-02-01

Aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate micellar solutions were investigated by a recently developed double-differential dielectric spectroscopy technique in the frequency range 100 MHz-3 GHz at 22 degrees C, in the surfactant concentration range 29.8-524 mM, explored for the first time above 104 mM. The micellar contribution to dielectric spectra was analyzed according to three models containing, respectively, a single Debye relaxation, a Cole-Cole relaxation and a double Debye relaxation. The single Debye model is not accurate enough. Both Cole-Cole and double Debye models fit well the experimental dielectric spectra. With the double Debye model, two characteristic relaxation times were identified: the slower one, in the range 400-900 ps, is due to the motion of counterions bound to the micellar surface (lateral motion); the faster one, in the range 100-130 ps, is due to interfacial bound water. Time constants and amplitudes of both processes are in fair agreement with Grosse's theoretical model, except at the largest concentration values, where interactions between micelles increase. For each sample, the volume fraction of bulk water and the effect of bound water as well as the conductivity in the low frequency limit were computed. The bound water increases as the surfactant concentration increases, in quantitative agreement with the micellar properties. The number of water molecules per surfactant molecule was also computed. The conductivity values are in agreement with Kallay's model over the whole surfactant concentration range.

Thermal conductivity and viscosity measurements of ethylene glycol-based Al2O3 nanofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pastoriza-Gallego, María José; Lugo, Luis; Legido, José Luis; Piñeiro, Manuel M.

2011-12-01

The dispersion and stability of nanofluids obtained by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles in ethylene glycol have been analyzed at several concentrations up to 25% in mass fraction. The thermal conductivity and viscosity were experimentally determined at temperatures ranging from 283.15 K to 323.15 K using an apparatus based on the hot-wire method and a rotational viscometer, respectively. It has been found that both thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the concentration of nanoparticles, whereas when the temperature increases the viscosity diminishes and the thermal conductivity rises. Measured enhancements on thermal conductivity (up to 19%) compare well with literature values when available. New viscosity experimental data yield values more than twice larger than the base fluid. The influence of particle size on viscosity has been also studied, finding large differences that must be taken into account for any practical application. These experimental results were compared with some theoretical models, as those of Maxwell-Hamilton and Crosser for thermal conductivity and Krieger and Dougherty for viscosity.

High-Performance Piezoresistive MEMS Strain Sensor with Low Thermal Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Ahmed A. S.; Moussa, Walied A.; Lou, Edmond

2011-01-01

This paper presents the experimental evaluation of a new piezoresistive MEMS strain sensor. Geometric characteristics of the sensor silicon carrier have been employed to improve the sensor sensitivity. Surface features or trenches have been introduced in the vicinity of the sensing elements. These features create stress concentration regions (SCRs) and as a result, the strain/stress field was altered. The improved sensing sensitivity compensated for the signal loss. The feasibility of this methodology was proved in a previous work using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). This paper provides the experimental part of the previous study. The experiments covered a temperature range from −50 °C to +50 °C. The MEMS sensors are fabricated using five different doping concentrations. FEA is also utilized to investigate the effect of material properties and layer thickness of the bonding adhesive on the sensor response. The experimental findings are compared to the simulation results to guide selection of bonding adhesive and installation procedure. Finally, FEA was used to analyze the effect of rotational/alignment errors. PMID:22319384

DISTRIBUTION OF URANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, NIOBIUM, RUTHENIUM AND CERIUM BETWEEN NITRIC ACID SOLUTIONS AND 10% TLA-5% OCTYL ALCOHOL/SHELL SOL-T

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopez-Menchero, E.; Centeno, J.; Magni, G.

1962-03-01

The extraction of traces of Ru, Zr, Nb, Ce, and U at low concentrations (5 mg/l in aqueous solution) from nitric acid solutions using trilauryl amine (TLA) has been experimentally studied. TLA will eventually be used for final purification of plutonium. Room-temperature data on plutonium contaminant distribution between aqueous solutions of varying nitric acid concentrations and a Shellsol-T solution containing l0% TlA and 5% octyl alcohol are presented. Within the temperature and nitric acid concentration ranges tested, the extractability of uranium increased with increased acid concentrations, although acid concentration in the aqueous phase had no effect on the decontamination factorsmore » for the main fission products. (H.G.G.)« less

Laboratory Study of Air Turbulence-Particle Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, A.; Baker, L.; Coletti, F.

2017-12-01

Inertial particles suspended in a turbulent flow are unable to follow the fluid's rapid velocity fluctuations, leading to high concentrations in regions where fluid strain dominates vorticity. This phenomenon is known as preferential concentration or clustering and is thought to affect natural processes ranging from the collisional growth of raindrops to the formation of planetesimals in proto-planetary nebulas. In the present study, we use a large jet-stirred chamber to generate homogeneous air turbulence into which we drop particles with an aerodynamic response time comparable to the flow time scales. Using laser imaging we find that turbulence can lead to a multi-fold increase of settling velocity compared to still-air conditions. We then employ Voronoi tessellation to examine the particle spatial distribution, finding strong evidence of turbulence-driven particle clustering over a wide range of experimental conditions. We observe individual clusters of a larger size range than seen previously, sometimes beyond the integral length scale of the turbulence. We also investigate cluster topology and find that they (i) exhibit a fractal structure, (ii) have a nearly constant particle concentration over their entire size range, and (iii) are most often vertically oriented. Furthermore, clustered particles tend to fall faster than those outside clusters, and larger clusters fall faster on average than smaller ones. Finally, by simultaneous measurement of particle and air velocity fields, we provide the first experimental evidence of preferential sweeping, a mechanism previously proposed to explain the increase in particle settling velocity found in numerical simulations, and find it especially effective for clustered particles. These results are significant for the micro-scale physics of atmospheric clouds. The large cluster size range has implications for how droplets will influence the local environment through condensation, evaporation, drag and latent heat effects. Our results also suggest that large collections of droplets will interact due to differential settling, possibly enhancing raindrop formation.

Detailed mechanism of benzene oxidation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bittker, David A.

1987-01-01

A detailed quantitative mechanism for the oxidation of benzene in both argon and nitrogen diluted systems is presented. Computed ignition delay time for argon diluted mixtures are in satisfactory agreement with experimental results for a wide range of initial conditions. An experimental temperature versus time profile for a nitrogen diluted oxidation was accurately matched and several concentration profiles were matched qualitatively. Application of sensitivity analysis has given approximate rate constant expressions for the two dominant heat release reactions, the oxidation of C6H5 and C5H5 radicals by molecular oxygen.

Short-Time Glassy Dynamics in Viscous Protein Solutions with Competing Interactions

DOE PAGES

Godfrin, P. Douglas; Hudson, Steven; Hong, Kunlun; ...

2015-11-24

Although there have been numerous investigations of the glass transition for colloidal dispersions with only a short-ranged attraction, less is understood for systems interacting with a long-ranged repulsion in addition to this attraction, which is ubiquitous in aqueous protein solutions at low ionic strength. Highly puri ed concentrated lysozyme solutions are used as a model system and investigated over a large range of protein concentrations at very low ionic strength. Newtonian liquid behavior is observed at all concentrations, even up to 480 mg/mL, where the zero shear viscosity increases by more than three orders of magnitude with increasing concentration. Remarkably,more » despite this macroscopic liquid-like behavior, the measurements of the dynamics in the short-time limit shows features typical of glassy colloidal systems. Investigation of the inter-protein structure indicates that the reduced short-time mobility of the protein is caused by localized regions of high density within a heterogeneous density distribution. This structural heterogeneity occurs on intermediate range length scale, driven by the competing potential features, and is distinct from commonly studied colloidal gel systems in which a heterogeneous density distribution tends to extend to the whole system. The presence of long-ranged repulsion also allows for more mobility over large length and long time scales resulting in the macroscopic relaxation of the structure. The experimental results provide evidence for the need to explicitly include intermediate range order in theories for the macroscopic properties of protein solutions interacting via competing potential features.« less

Comparison of simulation and experimental results for a model aqueous tert-butanol solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overduin, S. D.; Patey, G. N.

2017-07-01

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the behavior of aqueous tert-butanol (TBA) solutions for a range of temperatures, using the CHARMM generalized force field (CGenFF) to model TBA and the TIP4P/2005 or TIP4P-Ew water model. Simulation results for the density, isothermal compressibility, constant pressure heat capacity, and self-diffusion coefficients are in good accord with experimental measurements. Agreement with the experiment is particularly good at low TBA concentration, where experiments have revealed anomalies in a number of thermodynamic properties. Importantly, the CGenFF model does not exhibit liquid-liquid demixing at temperatures between 290 and 320 K (for systems of 32 000 molecules), in contrast with the situation for several other common TBA models [R. Gupta and G. N. Patey, J. Chem. Phys. 137, 034509 (2012)]. However, whereas real water and TBA are miscible at all temperatures where the liquid is stable, we observe some evidence of demixing at 340 K and above. To evaluate the structural properties at low concentrations, we compare with both neutron scattering and recent spectroscopic measurements. This reveals that while the CGenFF model is a definite improvement over other models that have been considered, the TBA molecules still exhibit a tendency to associate at low concentrations that is somewhat stronger than that indicated by experiments. Finally, we discuss the range and decay times of the long-range correlations, providing an indication of the system size and simulation times that are necessary in order to obtain reliable results for certain properties.

A batch adsorption study on bentonite clay Pertinence to transport modeling?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

BOURG, I.; BOURG, A. C.; SPOSITO, G.

2001-12-01

Bentonite clay is often used as a component of engineered barriers for the isolation of high-level toxic wastes. This swelling clay is used for its physical (impermeability, self-healing) but also for its chemical properties, mostly a high cation exchange capacity (CEC). The adsorbed cations being temporarily immobilized, this should slow down the release of cations from the waste to the surrounding environment. In order to assess the performance of the engineered barrier, the partitioning of solutes between the liquid and solid phases needs to be quantified for use in transport models. The usual method for characterizing the adsorption is through batch adsorption experiments on dispersed suspensions of the solid, yielding an adsorption isotherm (adsorbed concentration vs. dissolved concentration). This isotherm however should be a function of various environmental variables (e.g., pH, ionic strength, concentrations of various ligands and competing adsorbents), so that extrapolation of lab data to performance assessment in the field is problematic. We present results from a study of the adsorption of cesium, strontium, cadmium and lead on dispersed suspensions of the standard BX-80 bentonite. Through a wide range of experimental parameters (pH, ionic strength, reaction time, reactor open or closed to the atmosphere, study of a range of cations of differing properties), we seek a mechanistic interpretation of the results instead of an empirical determination of adsorption parameters. Depending on the mechanisms that control the adsorption in different experimental ranges, we discuss the degree to which the partitioning coefficient (Kd) obtained in the lab can be extrapolated to a transport model through compacted bentonite in a natural environment.

Positive direct current corona discharges in single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yehia, Ashraf, E-mail: yehia30161@yahoo.com; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Arab Republic of Egypt; Abdel-Fattah, E.

This paper is aimed to study the characteristics of the positive dc corona discharges in single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators. Therefore, the corona discharges were formed inside dry air fed single wire-duct reactor under positive dc voltage at the normal atmospheric conditions. The corona current-voltage characteristics curves have been measured in parallel with the ozone concentration generated inside the reactor under different discharge conditions. The corona current-voltage characteristics curves have agreed with a semi empirical equation derived from the previous studies. The experimental results of the ozone concentration generated inside the reactor were formulated in the form of an empirical equationmore » included the different parameters that were studied experimentally. The obtained equations are valid to expect both the current-voltage characteristics curves and the corresponding ozone concentration that generates with the positive dc corona discharges inside single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators under any operating conditions in the same range of the present study.« less

An experimental study of adsorption interference in binary mixtures flowing through activated carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madey, R.; Photinos, P. J.

1983-01-01

The isothermal transmission through activated carbon adsorber beds at 25 C of acetaldehyde-propane and acetylene-ethane mixtures in a helium carrier gas was measured. The inlet concentration of each component was in the range between 10 ppm and 500 ppm. The constant inlet volumetric flow rate was controlled at 200 cc (STP)/min in the acetaldehyde-propane experiments and at 50 cc (STP)/min in the acetaldehyde-ethane experiments. Comparison of experimental results with the corresponding single-component experiments under similar conditions reveals interference phenomena between the components of the mixtures as evidenced by changes in both the adsorption capacity and the dispersion number. Propane was found to displace acetaldehyde from the adsorbed state. The outlet concentration profiles of propane in the binary mixtures tend to become more diffuse than the corresponding concentration profiles of the one-component experiments. Similar features were observed with mixtures of acetylene and ethane; however, the displacement of acetylene by ethane is less pronounced.

High-throughput investigation of single and binary protein adsorption isotherms in anion exchange chromatography employing multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Field, Nicholas; Konstantinidis, Spyridon; Velayudhan, Ajoy

2017-08-11

The combination of multi-well plates and automated liquid handling is well suited to the rapid measurement of the adsorption isotherms of proteins. Here, single and binary adsorption isotherms are reported for BSA, ovalbumin and conalbumin on a strong anion exchanger over a range of pH and salt levels. The impact of the main experimental factors at play on the accuracy and precision of the adsorbed protein concentrations is quantified theoretically and experimentally. In addition to the standard measurement of liquid concentrations before and after adsorption, the amounts eluted from the wells are measured directly. This additional measurement corroborates the calculation based on liquid concentration data, and improves precision especially under conditions of weak or moderate interaction strength. The traditional measurement of multicomponent isotherms is limited by the speed of HPLC analysis; this analytical bottleneck is alleviated by careful multivariate analysis of UV spectra. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Measurement of the para-hydrogen concentration in the ISIS moderators using neutron transmission and thermal conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, Giovanni; Rudić, Svemir; Zanetti, Matteo; Andreani, Carla; Fernandez-Alonso, Felix; Gorini, Giuseppe; Krzystyniak, Maciej; Škoro, Goran

2018-04-01

We present an experimental study to determine the para-hydrogen concentration in the hydrogen moderators at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source. The experimental characterisation is based on neutron transmission experiments performed on the VESUVIO spectrometer, and thermal conductivity measurements using the TOSCA para-hydrogen rig. A reliable estimation of the level of para-hydrogen concentration in the hydrogen moderators is of crucial importance in the framework of a current project to completely refurbish the first target station at ISIS. Moreover, we report a new measurement of the total neutron cross section for normal hydrogen at 15 K on the broad energy range 3 meV -10 eV suggesting a revision of the most recent nuclear libraries for incident neutron energies lower than 10 meV. Finally, we characterise systematic errors affecting the para-hydrogen level estimation due to conversion from para to ortho hydrogen, as a function of the time a batch of gas spends in every component of our gas panel and apparatus.

Micro solar concentrators: Design and fabrication for microcells arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jutteau, Sébastien; Paire, Myriam; Proise, Florian; Lombez, Laurent; Guillemoles, Jean-François

2015-09-01

In this work we look at a micro-concentrating system adapted to a new type of concentrator photovoltaic material, well known for flate-plate applications, Cu(In,Ga)Se2. Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells are polycrystalline thin film devices that can be deposited by a variety of techniques. We proposed to use a microcell architecture [1], [2], with lateral dimensions varying from a few μm to hundreds of μm, to adapt the film cell to concentration conditions. A 5% absolute efficiency increase on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 microcells at 475 suns has been observed for a final efficiency of 21.3%[3]. We study micro-concentrating systems adapted to the low and middle concentration range, where thin film concentrator cells will lean to substrate fabrication simplification and cost savings. Our study includes optical design, fabrication and experimental tests of prototypes.

Charge trapping in detector grade thallium bromide and cadmium zinc telluride: Measurement and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshazly, Ezzat S.; Tepper, Gary; Burger, Arnold

2010-08-01

Carrier trapping times were measured in detector grade thallium bromide (TlBr) and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) from 300 to 110 K and the experimental data were analyzed using a trapping model. In CZT, because the majority carrier concentration is close to the intrinsic carrier concentration, the trapping time increases exponentially as the temperature decreases below about 160 K. In TlBr, the majority carrier concentration is many orders of magnitude greater than the intrinsic carrier concentration and the trapping time followed a (1/ T) 1/2 temperature dependence over the range of temperatures studied. The results of the model suggest that a moderately deep compensation center could be used to significantly increase the room temperature trapping time in TlBr.

Precipitation of coherent Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) superlattice in an Ni–Cr–W superalloy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Xiangyu; Hu, Rui, E-mail: rhu@nwpu.edu.cn; Zhang, Tiebang

2016-01-15

It is demonstrated that a nanometer-sized Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) superlattice with a Pt{sub 2}Mo-type structure can precipitate in an Ni–Cr–W alloy by means of a simple aging treatment at 550 °C. The dark-field image of short-range order domains has been found for the first time experimentally. The mechanism of short-range order to long-range order transformation has been revealed based on transmission electron microscopy result and static concentration waves theory and found to be continuous ordering. The randomness of the transformation of static concentration waves leads to equiprobable occurrence of the different variants. The transformation of short-range order to long-range ordermore » gives rise to the Pt{sub 2}Mo-type Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) superlattice. The interfaces between Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) and Ni-based matrix and the different variants of Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) have been investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that the interfaces between Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) and surrounding matrix are coherent at the atomic scale. - Highlights: • The DF image of SRO cluster has been found for the first time experimentally. • The transformation of SRO to LRO gives rise to the Pt{sub 2}Mo-type Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W). • Variants of Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) occur equiprobably. • The interfaces between Ni{sub 2}(Cr, W) and matrix are coherent at the atomic scale.« less

Home Range, Habitat Selection, and Population Dynamics of Southern Flying Squirrels in Managed Forests in Arkansas

Treesearch

James F. Taulman; Kimberly G. Smith

2004-01-01

Abstract After experimental harvests on 18 mature pine-hardwood stands in 6 replicated groups, flying squirrels changed from uniform pre-harvest patterns of nest box use to concentrating on protected greenbelt (GB) areas on harvested stands. Squirrel densities declined on all harvested stands as densities increased on three control stands. Fifty...

[Monitoring of the concentration of lithium and heavy metals in drinking water by the method of stripping voltammetry].

PubMed

Khakhanina, T I; Kovaleva, A Iu; Gurskaia, A A

2007-01-01

A method for monitoring of the concentration of lithium, zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper in drinking water is suggested. Monitoring can be performed within the range of 1.5(10(-8) - 2.0(10(-6) mg/dm3. A new design of the electrochemical cell is suggested. Analysis is performed against the background of 0.02 M dimethylformamide solution of (C4H9)4NCIO4. The time and potential of electrolysis are determined experimentally. The method can be used in medical research.

Spontaneous ignition characteristics of gaseous hydrocarbon-air mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, G.; Lefebvre, A. H.

1984-01-01

Experiments are conducted to determine the spontaneous ignition delay times of gaseous propane, kerosine vapor, and n-heptane vapor in mixtures with air, and oxygen-enriched air, at atmospheric pressure. Over a range of equivalence ratios from 0.2 to 0.8 it is found that ignition delay times are sensibly independent of fuel concentration. However, the results indicate a strong dependence of delay times on oxygen concentration. The experimental data for kerosine and propane demonstrate very close agreement with the results obtained previously by Mullins and Lezberg respectively.

Impact-induced solidlike behavior and elasticity in concentrated colloidal suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Baojin; Salem, David R.

2017-10-01

Modified drop weight impact tests were performed on Si O2 -ethylene glycol concentrated suspensions. Counterintuitive impact-induced solidlike behavior and elasticity, causing significant deceleration and rebound of the impactor, were observed. We provide evidence that the observed large deceleration force on the impactor mainly originates from the hydrodynamic force, and that the elasticity arises from the short-range repulsive force of a solvation layer on the particle surface. This study presents key experimental results to help understand the mechanisms underlying various stress-induced solidification phenomena.

Two color holographic interferometry for microgravity application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trolinger, James D.; Weber, David C.

1995-01-01

Holographic interferometry is a primary candidate for determining temperature and concentration in crystal growth experiments designed for space. The method measures refractive index changes within the fluid of an experimental test cell resulting from temperature and/or concentration changes. When the refractive index changes are caused by simultaneous temperature and concentration changes, the contributions of the two effects cannot be separated by single wavelength interferometry. By using two wavelengths, however, two independent interferograms can provide the additional independent equation required to determine the two unknowns. There is no other technique available that provides this type of information. The primary objectives of this effort were to experimentally verify the mathematical theory of two color holographic interferometry (TCHI) and to determine the practical value of this technique for space application. In the foregoing study, the theory of TCHI has been tested experimentally over a range of interest for materials processing in space where measurements of temperature and concentration in a solution are required. New techniques were developed and applied to stretch the limits beyond what could be done with existing procedures. The study resulted in the production of one of the most advanced, enhanced sensitivity holographic interferometers in existence. The interferometric measurements made at MSFC represent what is believed to be the most accurate holographic interferometric measurements made in a fluid to date. The tests have provided an understanding of the limitations of the technique in practical use.

Stream water chemistry in watersheds receiving different atmospheric inputs of H+, NH4+, NO3-, and SO42-1

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stottlemyer, R.

1997-01-01

Weekly precipitation and stream water samples were collected from small watersheds in Denali National Park, Alaska, the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado, Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, and the Calumet watershed on the south shore of Lake Superior, Michigan. The objective was to determine if stream water chemistry at the mouth and upstream stations reflected precipitation chemistry across a range of atmospheric inputs of H+, NH4+, NO3-, and SO42-. Volume-weighted precipitation H+, NH4+, NO3-, and SO42- concentrations varied 4 to 8 fold with concentrations highest at Calumet and lowest in Denali. Stream water chemistry varied among sites, but did not reflect precipitation chemistry. The Denali watershed, Rock Creek, had the lowest precipitation NO3- and SO42- concentrations, but the highest stream water NO3and SO42- concentrations. Among sites, the ratio of mean monthly upstream NO3- concentration to precipitation NO3- concentration declined (p 90 percent inputs) across inputs ranging from 0.12 to > 6 kg N ha-1 y-1. Factors possibly accounting for the weak or non-existent signal between stream water and precipitation ion concentrations include rapid modification of meltwater and precipitation chemistry by soil processes, and the presence of unfrozen soils which permits winter mineralization and nitrification to occur.

Density functional theory and experimental study of the electronic structure and transport properties of La, V, Nb, and Ta doped SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baniecki, J. D.; Ishii, M.; Aso, H.; Kurihara, K.; Ricinschi, Dan

2013-01-01

The electronic structure and transport properties of donor doped SrTiO3 are studied using density functional theory with spin-orbit coupling and conductivity, Hall, and Seebeck effect measurements over a wide temperature range (100 K to 600 K). Split-off energies ΔSO are tunable through the dopant SO interaction strength and concentration varying from 28.1 meV for pure STO to 70.93 meV for SrTi0.5Nb0.5O3. At lower carrier concentrations and temperatures, SO coupling has a marked effect on both the filling dependence of the density-of-states mass as well as the temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient, with quantitative theoretical predictions based on DFT calculations that include the SO interaction in closer agreement to the experimental data. Moreover, the results suggest that the predictive power of the current theory is not unlimited, with less accuracy for the calculated S predicting the magnitude of the experimental S data at lower dopant concentrations than for degenerately doped systems. A concentration dependent mass enhancement of ˜2-5, relative to the density-of-states mass in the local density approximation, possibly due to the influence of electronic screening of the electron-phonon interaction, would bring the theoretical S in accord with the experimental S data. This additional carrier-dependent enhancement mechanism for S may give an additional degree of freedom in terms of designing new higher efficiency thermoelectric energy materials.

Viscothermal Coupling Effects on Sound Attenuation in Concentrated Colloidal Dispersions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Wei

1995-11-01

This thesis describes a Unified Coupled Phase Continuum (UCPC) model to analyze sound propagation through aerosols, emulsions and suspensions in terms of frequency dependent attenuation coefficient and sound speed. Expressions for the viscous and thermal coupling coefficients explicitly account for the effects of particle size, shape factor, orientation as well as concentration and the sound frequency. The UCPC model also takes into account the intrinsic acoustic absorption within the fluid medium due to its viscosity and heat conductivity. The effective complex wave number as a function of frequency is derived. A frequency- and concentration-dependent complex Nusselt number for the interfacial thermal coupling coefficient is derived using an approximate similarity between the 'viscous skin drag' and 'heat conduction flux' associated with the discontinuous suspended phase, on the basis of a cell model. The theoretical predictions of attenuation spectra provide satisfactory agreement with reported experimental data on two concentrated suspensions (polystyrene latex and kaolin pigment), two concentrated emulsions (toluene -in-water, n-hexadecane-in-water), and two aerosols (oleic acid droplets-in-nitrogen, alumina-in-air), covering a wide range of relative magnitudes (from 10^ {-3} to 10^{3}) of thermal versus viscous contributions, for dispersed phase volume fractions as high as 50%. The relative differences between the additive result of separate viscous and thermal loss estimates and combined viscothermal absorption results are also presented. Effects of particle shape on viscous attenuation of sound in concentrated suspensions of non-spherical clay particles are studied. Attenuation spectra for 18 frequencies from 3 to 100 MHz are measured and analyzed for eleven kaolin clay slurries with solid concentrations ranging from 0.6% to 35% (w/w). A modified viscous drag coefficient that considers frequency, concentration, particle size, shape and orientation of spheroids, is developed and applied to estimate the viscous attenuation coefficients. With incorporation of particle size and shape distributions (PSSD), predictions agree quantitatively with observed attenuation coefficients. The effects of particle aspect ratio and orientation become more evident as particle concentrations and frequencies are increased. The UCPC model combined with the ultrasonic spectroscopy techniques can provide for theoretical and experimental frameworks in characterization of concentrated colloidal dispersions.

Study on acute toxicity of amoxicillin wastewater to Zebrafish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Weifang; Shen, Hongyan

2017-12-01

The main research in this paper is to obtain the effect of pharmaceutical wastewater on the acute toxicity of Zebrafish. The experimental method of exposure is used in this research. Experiments were carried out with different groups of pharmaceutical wastewater. Zebrafish was cultivated in a five liter fish tank. In the experiment, according to mortality, initially a 96h preliminary test was carried out at exposure concentrations to determine if the amoxicillin wastewater was toxic and to define the concentration range (24h LC100, 96h LC0) to be employed in the definitive tests. Based on the half lethal concentration of Zebrafish, the acute toxicity of amoxicillin wastewater to Zebrafish was calculated and the toxicity grade of wastewater was determined. In the experiment, the Zebrafish was exposed with amoxicillin wastewater during 96h. The 24h, 48h, 72h and 96h LC50 of amoxicillin wastewater on the Zebrafish were 63.10%, 53.70%, 41.69% and 40.74%, respectively. At 96h, the test time is the longest, and the value of LC50 is the smallest. In the observation period of 96 hours, the LC50 of amoxicillin wastewater were in the range of 40% ~ 60% and the value of Tua is 1 ~ 2. It indicates amoxicillin wastewater is low toxic wastewater when the experimental time is shorter than 48h, amoxicillin wastewater is moderate toxicity wastewater when the experimental time is higher than 48h. According to the experimental data, with the exposure time and the volume percentage of amoxicillin wastewater increases, the mortality rate of Zebrafish is gradually increased and the toxicity of amoxicillin wastewater increases. It indicates that the toxicity of amoxicillin wastewater is the biggest and the effect of wastewater on Zebrafish is greatest. In some ways, the toxicity of amoxicillin wastewater can be affected by the test time.

Chronic aquatic effect assessment for the fungicide azoxystrobin.

PubMed

van Wijngaarden, Rene P A; Belgers, Dick J M; Zafar, Mazhar I; Matser, Arrienne M; Boerwinkel, Marie-Claire; Arts, Gertie H P

2014-12-01

The present study examined the ecological effects of a range of chronic exposure concentrations of the fungicide azoxystrobin in freshwater experimental systems (1270-L outdoor microcosms). Intended and environmentally relevant test concentrations of azoxystrobin were 0 µg active ingredient (a.i.)/L, 0.33 µg a.i./L, 1 µg a.i./L, 3.3 µg a.i./L, 10 µg a.i./L, and 33 µg a.i./L, kept at constant values. Responses of freshwater populations and community parameters were studied. During the 42-d experimental period, the time-weighted average concentrations of azoxystrobin ranged from 93.5% to 99.3% of intended values. Zooplankton, especially copepods and the Daphnia longispina group, were the most sensitive groups. At the population level, a consistent no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) of 1 µg a.i./L was calculated for Copepoda. The NOEC at the zooplankton community level was 10 µg azoxystrobin/L. The principle of the European Union pesticide directive is that lower-tier regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs) are protective of higher-tier RACs. This was tested for chronic risks from azoxystrobin. With the exception of the microcosm community chronic RAC (highest tier), all other chronic RAC values were similar to each other (0.5-1 µg a.i./L). The new and stricter first-tier species requirements of the European Union pesticide regulation (1107/2009/EC) are not protective for the most sensitive populations in the microcosm study, when based on the higher tier population RAC. In comparison, the Water Framework Directive generates environmental quality standards that are 5 to 10 times lower than the derived chronic RACs. © 2014 SETAC.

Development of a Efficient and Sensitive Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction Technique for Extraction and Preconcentration of 10 β2-Agonists in Animal Urine

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the extraction and determination of 10 β2-agonists in animal urine. Some experimental parameters, such as the type and volume of the extraction solvent, the concentration of the dispersant, the salt concentration, the pH value of the sample solution, the extraction time and the speed of centrifugation, were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, a good enrichment factors (4.8 to 32.3) were obtained for the extraction. The enrichment factor show that the concentration rate of DLLME is significantly higher than other pretreatment methods, and the detection sensitivity has been greatly improved. The calibration curves were linear, the correlation coefficient ranged from 0.9928 to 0.9999 for the concentration range of 0.05 to 50 ngmL-1 and 0.1 to 50 ngmL-1, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 15, intra and inter-day precision) at a concentration of 5 ngmL-1 were in the range of 1.8 to 14.6%. The limits of detection (LODs) for the 10 β2-agonists, based on a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3, were in the range of 0.01 to 0.03 ngmL-1. The proposed method was used to identify β2-agonists in three types of animal urine (swine, cattle, sheep), and the relative recoveries from each matrix were in the range of 89.2 to 106.8%, 90.0 to 109.8% and 89.2 to 107.2%, respectively. PMID:26348922

Development of techniques for advanced optical contamination measurement with internal reflection spectroscopy, phase 1, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, J. D.

1972-01-01

The feasibility of monitoring volatile contaminants in a large space simulation chamber using techniques of internal reflection spectroscopy was demonstrated analytically and experimentally. The infrared spectral region was selected as the operational spectral range in order to provide unique identification of the contaminants along with sufficient sensitivity to detect trace contaminant concentrations. It was determined theoretically that a monolayer of the contaminants could be detected and identified using optimized experimental procedures. This ability was verified experimentally. Procedures were developed to correct the attenuated total reflectance spectra for thick sample distortion. However, by using two different element designs the need for such correction can be avoided.

Cluster formation and percolation in ethanol-water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gereben, Orsolya; Pusztai, László

2017-10-01

Results of systematic molecular dynamics studies of ethanol-water mixtures, over the entire concentration range, were reported previously that agree with experimental X-ray diffraction data. These simulated systems are analyzed in this work to examine cluster formation and percolation, using four different hydrogen bond definitions. Percolation analyses revealed that each mixture (even the one containing 80 mol% ethanol) is above the 3D percolation threshold, with fractal dimensions, df, between 2.6 and 2.9, depending on concentration. Monotype water cluster formation was also studied in the mixtures: 3D water percolation can be found in systems with less than 40 mol% ethanol, with fractal dimensions between 2.53 and 2.84. These observations can be put in parallel with experimental data on some thermodynamic quantities, such as the excess partial molar enthalpy and entropy.

Distribution of soap molecules in flowing soap films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ildoo; Sane, Aakash; Mandre, Shreyas

Flowing soap films are useful tools to simulate two-dimensional flows. The Marangoni elasticity due to the presence of soap molecules not only stabilizes the soap film but also imparts it compressibility to the two-dimensional flow in the soap film. Therefore, it is desirable to measure the surface concentration cs of soap molecules to understand the physics flowing soap films. In this study, we present an indirect measurement of cs, by making a direct measurement of the surface tension and the Marangoni elasticity. Using a two-stage model for soap distribution in the flows, the range of cs is calculated for different thickness and the soap solution concentration. Our model shows that the soap film will have the same cs for the range of parameters in popular use and in agreements with experimental data.

Rare earths recovery and gypsum upgrade from Florida phosphogypsum

DOE PAGES

Liang, Haijun; Zhang, Patrick; Jin, Zhen; ...

2017-11-01

Phosphogypsum is a byproduct created during the production of industrial wet-process phosphoric acid. This study focused on recovering rare earth elements (REEs) from a Florida phosphogypsum sample and investigated the effects of removing detrimental impurities such as phosphorus pentoxide (P 2O 5), uranium (U) and fluorine (F) during the leaching process. Experimental results indicated that REE leaching efficiency increased rapidly, reached a maximum and then began to decrease with sulfuric acid concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 percent and temperatures ranging from 20 to 70 °C. At a sulfuric acid concentration of 5 percent and leaching temperature of 50 °C,more » REE leaching efficiency obtained a maximum value of approximately 43 percent. Increasing the leaching time or liquid/solid ratio increased the leaching efficiency. The leaching efficiencies of P 2O 5, U and F consistently increased with sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, leaching time and liquid/solid ratio within the testing ranges. A fine-grain gypsum concentrate, sized smaller than 40 μm, was separated from leached phosphogypsum through elutriation, in which the P 2O 5, U and F content levels were reduced by 99, 70 and 83 percent, respectively, from their content levels in fresh phosphogypsum.« less

Quantitative analysis of lead in aqueous solutions by ultrasonic nebulizer assisted laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Shi-Lei; Lu, Yuan; Kong, Wei-Jin; Cheng, Kai; Zheng, Ronger

2016-08-01

In this study, an ultrasonic nebulizer unit was established to improve the quantitative analysis ability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for liquid samples detection, using solutions of the heavy metal element Pb as an example. An analytical procedure was designed to guarantee the stability and repeatability of the LIBS signal. A series of experiments were carried out strictly according to the procedure. The experimental parameters were optimized based on studies of the pulse energy influence and temporal evolution of the emission features. The plasma temperature and electron density were calculated to confirm the LTE state of the plasma. Normalizing the intensities by background was demonstrated to be an appropriate method in this work. The linear range of this system for Pb analysis was confirmed over a concentration range of 0-4,150ppm by measuring 12 samples with different concentrations. The correlation coefficient of the fitted calibration curve was as high as 99.94% in the linear range, and the LOD of Pb was confirmed as 2.93ppm. Concentration prediction experiments were performed on a further six samples. The excellent quantitative ability of the system was demonstrated by comparison of the real and predicted concentrations of the samples. The lowest relative error was 0.043% and the highest was no more than 7.1%.

Rare earths recovery and gypsum upgrade from Florida phosphogypsum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liang, Haijun; Zhang, Patrick; Jin, Zhen

Phosphogypsum is a byproduct created during the production of industrial wet-process phosphoric acid. This study focused on recovering rare earth elements (REEs) from a Florida phosphogypsum sample and investigated the effects of removing detrimental impurities such as phosphorus pentoxide (P 2O 5), uranium (U) and fluorine (F) during the leaching process. Experimental results indicated that REE leaching efficiency increased rapidly, reached a maximum and then began to decrease with sulfuric acid concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 percent and temperatures ranging from 20 to 70 °C. At a sulfuric acid concentration of 5 percent and leaching temperature of 50 °C,more » REE leaching efficiency obtained a maximum value of approximately 43 percent. Increasing the leaching time or liquid/solid ratio increased the leaching efficiency. The leaching efficiencies of P 2O 5, U and F consistently increased with sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, leaching time and liquid/solid ratio within the testing ranges. A fine-grain gypsum concentrate, sized smaller than 40 μm, was separated from leached phosphogypsum through elutriation, in which the P 2O 5, U and F content levels were reduced by 99, 70 and 83 percent, respectively, from their content levels in fresh phosphogypsum.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bai, Xian-Xu, E-mail: bai@hfut.edu.cn; Wereley, Norman M.; Hu, Wei

A single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) semi-active vibration control system based on a magnetorheological (MR) damper with an inner bypass is investigated in this paper. The MR damper employing a pair of concentric tubes, between which the key structure, i.e., the inner bypass, is formed and MR fluids are energized, is designed to provide large dynamic range (i.e., ratio of field-on damping force to field-off damping force) and damping force range. The damping force performance of the MR damper is modeled using phenomenological model and verified by the experimental tests. In order to assess its feasibility and capability in vibration control systems, themore » mathematical model of a SDOF semi-active vibration control system based on the MR damper and skyhook control strategy is established. Using an MTS 244 hydraulic vibration exciter system and a dSPACE DS1103 real-time simulation system, experimental study for the SDOF semi-active vibration control system is also conducted. Simulation results are compared to experimental measurements.« less

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of scintillation processes in NaI(Tl)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kerisit, Sebastien N.; Wang, Zhiguo; Williams, Richard

2014-04-26

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the processes that govern the scintillation behavior of inorganic scintillators provides a pathway to optimize current scintillators and allows for the science-driven search for new scintillator materials. Recent experimental data on the excitation density dependence of the light yield of inorganic scintillators presents an opportunity to incorporate parameterized interactions between excitations in scintillation models and thus enable more realistic simulations of the nonproportionality of inorganic scintillators. Therefore, a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model of elementary scintillation processes in NaI(Tl) is developed in this work to simulate the kinetics of scintillation for a range of temperaturesmore » and Tl concentrations as well as the scintillation efficiency as a function of excitation density. The ability of the KMC model to reproduce available experimental data allows for elucidating the elementary processes that give rise to the kinetics and efficiency of scintillation observed experimentally for a range of conditions.« less

Influence of nitromethane concentration on ignition energy and explosion parameters in gaseous nitromethane/air mixtures.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Li, Wei; Lin, Da-Chao; He, Ning; Duan, Yun

2011-01-30

The aim of this paper is to provide new experimental data of the minimum ignition energy (MIE) of gaseous nitromethane/air mixtures to discuss the explosion pressure and the flame temperature as a function of nitromethane concentration. Observations on the influence of nitromethane concentration on combustion pressure and temperature through the pressure and temperature measure system show that peak temperature (the peak of combustion temperature wave) is always behind peak pressure (the peak of the combustion pressure wave) in arrival time, the peak combustion pressure of nitromethane increases in the range of its volume fraction 10-40% as the concentration of nitromethane increases, and it slightly decreases in the range of 40-50%. The maximum peak pressure is equal to 0.94 MPa and the minimum peak pressure 0.58 MPa. Somewhat similar to the peak pressure, the peak combustion temperature increases with the volume fraction of nitromethane in the range of 10-40%, and slightly decreases in 40-50%. The maximum peak temperature is 1340 °C and the minimum 860 °C. The combustion temperature rise rate increases with the concentration of nitromethane in 10-30%, while decreases in 30-50% and its maximum value of combustion temperature rise rate in 10-50% is 4200 °C/s at the volume fraction of 30%. Influence of the concentration of nitromethane on the combustion pressure rise rate is relatively complicated, and the maximum value of rise rate of combustion pressure wave in 10-50% is 11 MPa/s at the concentration 20%. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The thermal stability of the nanograin structure in a weak solute segregation system.

PubMed

Tang, Fawei; Song, Xiaoyan; Wang, Haibin; Liu, Xuemei; Nie, Zuoren

2017-02-08

A hybrid model that combines first principles calculations and thermodynamic evaluation was developed to describe the thermal stability of a nanocrystalline solid solution with weak segregation. The dependence of the solute segregation behavior on the electronic structure, solute concentration, grain size and temperature was demonstrated, using the nanocrystalline Cu-Zn system as an example. The modeling results show that the segregation energy changes with the solute concentration in a form of nonmonotonic function. The change in the total Gibbs free energy indicates that at a constant solute concentration and a given temperature, a nanocrystalline structure can remain stable when the initial grain size is controlled in a critical range. In experiments, dense nanocrystalline Cu-Zn alloy bulk was prepared, and a series of annealing experiments were performed to examine the thermal stability of the nanograins. The experimental measurements confirmed the model predictions that with a certain solute concentration, a state of steady nanograin growth can be achieved at high temperatures when the initial grain size is controlled in a critical range. The present work proposes that in weak solute segregation systems, the nanograin structure can be kept thermally stable by adjusting the solute concentration and initial grain size.

Unusual concentration-dependent microscopic dynamics of dendrimers in aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Kaikin; Wu, Chin Ming; Lam, Hak Fai; Chathoth, Suresh M.

2016-05-01

Dendrimers are novel three-dimensional, hyperbranched globular nanopolymeric macromolecules. The nanoscopic size, narrow polydispersity index, excellent control over molecular structure, availability of multiple functional groups at the periphery, and cavities in the interior made them very attractive candidate for drug delivery. In this communication, we have studied the microscopic dynamics of tetra-acid and pentaerythritol glycidyl ether dendrimers dissolved in aqueous solution with different concentrations. The effects of concentration and temperature to their long-range diffusion process are investigated by dynamic light scattering. Experimental results show a huge variation in the translational diffusion coefficient for the two dendrimers samples. Besides, the dependence of diffusion coefficients on concentration is unusually different in these dendrimer samples. Although the diffusion process follows Arrhenius relation with the temperature in both systems, the activation energy for the diffusion process has a distinct concentration dependence.

Cross-validation of the osmotic pressure based on Pitzer model with air humidity osmometry at high concentration of ammonium sulfate solutions.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Lan; Zhan, Ting-Ting; Zhan, Xian-Cheng; Tan, Xiao-Ying; Qu, Xiao-You; Wang, Xin-Yue; Li, Cheng-Rong

2014-01-01

The osmotic pressure of ammonium sulfate solutions has been measured by the well-established freezing point osmometry in dilute solutions and we recently reported air humidity osmometry in a much wider range of concentration. Air humidity osmometry cross-validated the theoretical calculations of osmotic pressure based on the Pitzer model at high concentrations by two one-sided test (TOST) of equivalence with multiple testing corrections, where no other experimental method could serve as a reference for comparison. Although more strict equivalence criteria were established between the measurements of freezing point osmometry and the calculations based on the Pitzer model at low concentration, air humidity osmometry is the only currently available osmometry applicable to high concentration, serves as an economic addition to standard osmometry.

Effect of tellurium concentration on the structural, electronic and mechanical properties of beryllium sulphide: A DFT approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyorzor, B. E.; Babalola, M. I.; Adetunji, B. I.; Bakare, F. O.

2018-05-01

The structural, electronic and mechanical properties of Be{S}1-xT{e}x are studied within the concentration range of 0≤slant x≤slant 1 using first-principles plane–wave Pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT) approach. We have used generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to treat the exchange-correlation potentials. The elastic constants, bulk, shear and Young’s moduli, Poisson’s ratio, and Zener’s anisotropic factors are calculated. The results were found to be in agreement with other available theoretical and experimental values. It was also observed that the existence and increase of Tellurium concentration decreases the hardness of the alloy.

Unusual properties of aqueous solutions of L-proline: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Civera, Monica; Sironi, Maurizio; Fornili, Sandro L.

2005-11-01

Aqueous solutions of the bioprotectant proline are simulated for solute molar fractions ranging from 2.0 × 10 -3 to 2.3 × 10 -1. Statistical analyses show that proline affects the water structure more strongly than glycine betaine and trimethylamine- N-oxide, two of the most effective bioprotectants widely diffuse in nature, and as strongly as tert-butyl alcohol, a protein denaturant which at high concentration self-aggregates. No evidence is found, however, that proline self-aggregates as it has been previously suggested to explain experimental findings on concentrated proline solutions. Nevertheless, the behavior of the diffusion coefficients of proline and water vs. solute concentration qualitatively agrees with such results.

Concentration Dependent Electrical Transport Properties of Ni-Cr Binary Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suthar, P. H.; Khambholja, S. G.; Thakore, B. Y.; Gajjar, P. N.; Jani, A. R.

2011-07-01

The concentration dependent electrical transport properties viz. electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of liquid Ni-Cr alloys are computed at 1400 K temperature. The electrical resistivity has been studied according to Faber-Ziman model in wide range of Cr concentration. In the present work, the electron-ion interaction is incorporated through our well tested local model potential with screening function due to Sarkar et al.. [S] along with the Hartree [H] dielectric function. Good agreement is achieved between the presently calculated results of resistivity as well as thermal conductivity with the experimental data found in the literature, confirming the applicability of model potential and Faber-Ziman model for such a study.

The effect of temperature on experimental and natural chemical weathering rates of granitoid rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, A.F.; Blum, A.E.; Bullen, T.D.; Vivit, D.V.; Schulz, M.; Fitzpatrick, J.

1999-01-01

The effects of climatic temperature variations (5-35??C) on chemical weathering are investigated both experimentally using flow-through columns containing fresh and weathered granitoid rocks and for natural granitoid weathering in watersheds based on annual solute discharge. Although experimental Na and Si effluent concentrations are significantly higher in the fresh relative to the weathered granitoids, the proportional increases in concentration with increasing temperature are similar. Si and Na exhibit comparable average apparent activation energies (E(a)) of 56 and 61 kJ/mol, respectively, which are similar to those reported for experimental feldspar dissolution measured over larger temperature ranges. A coupled temperature-precipitation model, using an expanded database for solute discharge fluxes from a global distribution of 86 granitoid watersheds, produces an apparent activation energy for Si (51 kJ/mol), which is also comparable to those derived from the experimental study. This correlation reinforces evidence that temperature does significantly impact natural silicate weathering rates. Effluent K concentrations in the column study are elevated with respect to other cations compared to watershed discharge due to the rapid oxidation/dissolution of biotite. K concentrations are less sensitive to temperature, resulting in a lower average E(a) value (27 kJ/mol) indicative of K loss from lower energy interlayer sites in biotite. At lower temperatures, initial cation release from biotite is significantly faster than cation release from plagioclase. This agrees with reported higher K/Na ratios in cold glacial watersheds relative to warmer temperate environments. Increased release of less radiogenic Sr from plagioclase relative to biotite at increasing temperature produces corresponding decreases in 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the column effluents. A simple mixing calculation using effluent K/Na ratios, Sr concentrations and 87Sr/86Sr ratios for biotite and plagioclase approximates stoichiometric cation ratios from biotite/plagioclase dissolution at warmer temperatures (35??C), but progressively overestimates the relative proportion of biotite with decreasing temperature. Ca, Mg, and Sr concentrations closely correlate, exhibit no consistent trends with temperature, and are controlled by trace amounts of calcite or exchange within weathered biotite. The inability of the watershed model to differentiate a climate signal for such species correlates with the lower temperature dependence observed in the experimental studies.

High-Flux Solar Furnace Facility | Concentrating Solar Power | NREL

Science.gov Websites

High-Flux Solar Furnace Facility High-Flux Solar Furnace Facility NREL's High-Flux Solar Furnace (HFSF) is a 10-kW optical furnace for testing high-temperature processes or applications requiring high range of technologies with a diverse set of experimental requirements. The high heating rates create the

Using a Cell Phone to Investigate the Skin Depth Effect in Salt Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rayner, John

2017-02-01

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the skin depth effect for electromagnetic waves in salt water using a cell phone that is immersed to a critical depth where it no longer responds when called. We show that this critical depth is directly proportional to the theoretical skin depth for a range of salt concentrations.

Using a Cell Phone to Investigate the Skin Depth Effect in Salt Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rayner, John

2017-01-01

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the skin depth effect for electromagnetic waves in salt water using a cell phone that is immersed to a critical depth where it no longer responds when called. We show that this critical depth is directly proportional to the theoretical skin depth for a range of salt concentrations.

Flume experimental evaluation of the effect of rill flow path tortuosity on rill roughness based on the Manning–Strickler equation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Numerous soil erosion models compute concentrated flow hydraulics based on the Manning–Strickler equation (v = kSt R2/3 I1/2) even though the range of the application on rill flow is unclear. Unconfined rill morphologies generate local friction effects and consequently spatially variable rill roughn...

Validation of a rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy model for carbon dioxide using high-resolution detection in the temperature range 294-1143 K.

PubMed

Vestin, Fredrik; Nilsson, Kristin; Bengtsson, Per-Erik

2008-04-10

Experiments were performed in the temperature range of 294-1143 K in pure CO(2) using high-resolution rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS), in the dual-broadband approach. Experimental single-shot spectra were recorded with high spectral resolution using a single-mode Nd:YAG laser and a relay imaging lens system on the exit of a 1 m spectrometer. A theoretical rotational CARS model for CO(2) was developed for evaluation of the experimental spectra. The evaluated mean temperatures of the recorded single-shot dual-broadband rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (DB-RCARS) spectra using this model showed good agreement with thermocouple temperatures, and the relative standard deviation of evaluated single-shot temperatures was generally 2-3%. Simultaneous thermometry and relative CO(2)/N(2)-concentration measurements were demonstrated in the product gas of premixed laminar CO/air flames at atmospheric pressure. Although the model proved to be accurate for thermometry up to 1143 K, limitations were observed at flame temperatures where temperatures were overestimated and relative CO(2)/N(2) concentrations were underestimated. Potential sources for these discrepancies are discussed.

Comparison of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol adsorption on single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The adsorption characteristics of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP) onto single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) from aqueous solution were investigated with respect to the changes in the contact time, pH of solution, carbon nanotubes dosage and initial 4C2NP concentration. Experimental results showed that the adsorption efficiency of 4C2NP by carbon nanotubes (both of SWCNTs and MWCNTs) increased with increasing the initial 4C2NP concentration. The maximum adsorption took place in the pH range of 2–6. The linear correlation coefficients of different isotherm models were obtained. Results revealed that the Langmuir isotherm fitted the experimental data better than the others and based on the Langmuir model equation, maximum adsorption capacity of 4C2NP onto SWCNTs and MWCNTs were 1.44 and 4.42 mg/g, respectively. The observed changes in the standard Gibbs free energy, standard enthalpy and standard entropy showed that the adsorption of 4C2NP onto SWCNTs and MWCNTs is spontaneous and exothermic in the temperature range of 298–328 K. PMID:23369489

Experimental and modelling study of the effect of airflow orientation with respect to strip electrode on ozone production of surface dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikeš, J.; Pekárek, S.; Soukup, I.

2016-11-01

This study examines the effect of airflow orientation with respect to the strip active electrode on concentration of ozone and nitrogen dioxide produced in a planar generator based on the surface dielectric barrier discharge. The orientation of the airflow was tested in parallel and perpendicular with respect to the strips. It was found that in the investigated range of average discharge power, the ozone concentration increases approximately by 25% when airflow was oriented in parallel with respect to the strips in comparison with perpendicular orientation of the airflow. Similarly the increase of nitrogen dioxide concentration was observed for parallel orientation of the airflow with respect to the strips in comparison with the perpendicular orientation of the airflow. Within the range of wavelengths from 250 to 1100 nm, the changes of intensities of spectral lines associated with airflow orientation have been observed. A 3D numerical model describing ion trajectories and airflow patterns have also been developed.

Effect of concentration and molecular weight of chitosan and its derivative on the free radical scavenging ability.

PubMed

Li, Huili; Xu, Qing; Chen, Yun; Wan, Ajun

2014-03-01

Chitosan is a biodegradable and biocompatible natural scaffold material, which has numerous applications in biomedical sciences. In this study, the in vitro antioxidant activity of chitosan scaffold material was investigated by the chemiluminescence signal generated from the hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging assay. The scavenging mechanism was also discussed. The results indicated that the free radical scavenging ability of chitosan scaffold material significantly depends on the chitosan concentration and shows interesting kinetic change. Within the experimental concentration range, the optimal concentration of chitosan was 0.2 mg/mL. The molecular weight of chitosan also attributed to the free radical scavenging ability. Comparison between chitosan and its derivative found that carboxymethyl chitosan possessed higher scavenging ability. Copyright © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers.

Comparing Measures of Estuarine Ecosystem Production in a ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichments and concerted efforts at nutrient reductions, compounded with the influences of climate change, are likely changing the net ecosystem production (NEP) of our coastal systems. To quantify these changes, scientists monitor a range of physical, chemical, and biological parameters sampled at various frequencies. Water column chlorophyll concentrations are arguably the most commonly used indicator of net phytoplankton production, as well as a coarse indicator of NEP. We compared parameters that estimate production, including chlorophyll, across an experimental nutrient gradient and in situ in both well-mixed and stratified estuarine environments. Data from an experiment conducted in the early 1980s in mesocosms designed to replicate a well-mixed mid-Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) water column were used to correlate changes in chlorophyll concentrations, pH, dissolved oxygen (O2), dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, and silicate concentrations, cell counts, and 14C carbon uptake measurements across a range of nutrient enrichments. The pH, O2, nutrient, and cell count measurements reflected seasonal cycles of spring blooms followed by late summer/early fall respiration periods across nutrient enrichments. Chlorophyll concentrations were more variable and rates of 14C productivity were inconsistent with observed trends in nutrient concentrations, pH, and O2 concentrations. Similar comparisons were made using data from a well-mixe

Calibration-free wavelength modulation spectroscopy for gas concentration measurements using a quantum cascade laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Min; Kan, RuiFeng; Chen, Bing; Xu, ZhenYu; Yang, ChenGuang; Chen, Xiang; Xia, HuiHui; Hu, Mai; He, Yabai; Liu, JianGuo; Fan, XueLi; Wang, Wei

2017-05-01

We report the development of an accurate calibration-free wavelength-scanned wavelength modulation spectroscopy system based on the temporal wavelength response of a current-modulated quantum cascade laser (QCL) for gas concentration detections. Accurate measurements and determination of the QCL output intensity and wavelength response to current modulation enabled calculations of 1f-normalized 2f signal to obtain spectroscopic information with and without gas absorption in the beam path. The gas concentration was retrieved by fitting a simulation spectrum based on spectral line parameters to the background-subtracted 1f-normalized 2f signal based on measurements. In this paper, we demonstrate the performance of the developed system for the CH4 detection by applying an infrared QCL (at 7.84 µm or 1275 cm-1) to probe its two infrared transition lines at 1275.042 cm-1 and 1275.387 cm-1. The experimental results indicated very good agreements between measurements and modeling, for integrated absorbance ranging from 0.0057 cm-1 to 0.11 cm-1 (or absorbance ranging from 0.029 to 0.57). The extracted integrated absorbance was highly linear ( R = 0.99996) to the gas sample concentration. Deviations between the nominal sample gas concentrations and the extracted gas concentrations calculated based on HITRAN spectroscopic parameters were within 3.5%.

Automatic Echographic Detection of Halloysite Clay Nanotubes in a Low Concentration Range.

PubMed

Conversano, Francesco; Pisani, Paola; Casciaro, Ernesto; Di Paola, Marco; Leporatti, Stefano; Franchini, Roberto; Quarta, Alessandra; Gigli, Giuseppe; Casciaro, Sergio

2016-04-11

Aim of this work was to investigate the automatic echographic detection of an experimental drug delivery agent, halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs), by employing an innovative method based on advanced spectral analysis of the corresponding "raw" radiofrequency backscatter signals. Different HNT concentrations in a low range (5.5-66 × 10 10 part/mL, equivalent to 0.25-3.00 mg/mL) were dispersed in custom-designed tissue-mimicking phantoms and imaged through a clinically-available echographic device at a conventional ultrasound diagnostic frequency (10 MHz). The most effective response (sensitivity = 60%, specificity = 95%), was found at a concentration of 33 × 10 10 part/mL (1.5 mg/mL), representing a kind of best compromise between the need of enough particles to introduce detectable spectral modifications in the backscattered signal and the necessity to avoid the losses of spectral peculiarity associated to higher HNT concentrations. Based on theoretical considerations and quantitative comparisons with literature-available results, this concentration could also represent an optimal concentration level for the automatic echographic detection of different solid nanoparticles when employing a similar ultrasound frequency. Future dedicated studies will assess the actual clinical usefulness of the proposed approach and the potential of HNTs for effective theranostic applications.

Hazardous gases and oxygen depletion in a wet paddy pile: an experimental study in a simulating underground rice mill pit, Thailand.

PubMed

Yenjai, Pornthip; Chaiear, Naesinee; Charerntanyarak, Lertchai; Boonmee, Mallika

2012-01-01

During the rice harvesting season in Thailand, large amounts of fresh paddy are sent to rice mills immediately after harvesting due to a lack of proper farm storage space. At certain levels of moisture content, rice grains may generate hazardous gases, which can replace oxygen (O(2)) in the confined spaces of underground rice mill pits. This phenomenon has been observed in a fatal accident in Thailand. Our study aimed to investigate the type of gases and their air concentrations emitted from the paddy piles at different levels of moisture content and duration of piling time. Four levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were investigated, including dry paddy group (< 14% wet basis (wb)), wet paddy groups (22-24, 25-27 and 28-30%wb). Our measurements were conducted in 16 experimental concrete pits 80 × 80 cm wide by 60 cm high. Gases emitted were measured with an infrared spectrophotometer and a multi-gas detector every 12 h for 5 days throughout the experiment. The results revealed high levels of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (range 5,864-8,419 ppm) in all wet paddy groups, which gradually increased over time. The concentration of carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH(4)), nitromethane (CH(3)NO(2)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) in all wet paddy groups increased with piling time and with moisture content, with ranges of 11-289; 2-8; 36-374; and 4-26 ppm, respectively. The highest levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were in the range 28-30%wb. Nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) concentrations were low in all paddy groups. The percentage of O(2) in the wet paddy groups decreased with piling time and moisture content (from 18.7% to 4.1%). This study suggested that hazardous gases could be emitted in moist paddy piles, and their concentrations could increase with increasing moisture content and piling time period.

Analyses of exergy efficiency for forced convection heat transfer in a tube with CNT nanofluid under laminar flow conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazbehian, Mohammad; Mohammadiun, Mohammad; Maddah, Heydar; Alizadeh, Mostafa

2017-05-01

In the present study, the theoretical and experimental results of the second law analysis on the performance of a uniform heat flux tube using are presented in the laminar flow regime. For this purpose, carbon nanotube/water nanofluids is considered as the base fluid. The experimental investigations were undertaken in the Reynolds number range from 800 to 2600, volume concentrations of 0.1-1 %. Results are verified with well-known correlations. The focus will be on the entrance region under the laminar flow conditions for SWCNT nanofluid. The results showed that the Nu number increased about 90-270 % with the enhancement of nanoparticles volume concentration compared to water. The enhancement was particularly significant in the entrance region. Based on the exergy analysis, the results show that exergetic heat transfer effectiveness is increased by 22-67 % employing nanofluids. The exergetic efficiency is increase with increase in nanoparticles concentration. On the other hand, exergy loss was reduced by 23-43 % employing nanofluids as a heat transfer medium with comparing to conventional fluid. In addition, the empirical correlation for exergetic efficiency has also been developed. The consequential results obtained from the correlation are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results within ±5 % variation.

Chemical kinetic modeling of propene oxidation at low and intermediate temperatures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilk, R.D.; Cernansky, N.P.; Pitz, W.J.

1986-01-13

A detailed chemical kinetic mechanism for propene oxidation is developed and used to model reactions in a static reactor at temperatures of 590 to 740/sup 0/K, equivalence ratios of 0.8 to 2.0, and a pressure of 600 torr. Modeling of hydrocarbon oxidation in this temperature range is important for the validation of detailed models to be used for performing calculations related to automotive engine knock. The model predicted induction periods and species concentrations for all the species measured experimentally in a static reactor by Wilk, Cernansky, and Cohen. The detailed model predicted a temperature region of approximately constant induction periodmore » which corresponded very closely to the region of negative temperature coefficient behavior found in the experiment. Overall, the calculated concentrations of acetaldehyde, ethene, and methane were somewhat low compared to the experimental measurements, and the calculated concentrations of formaldehyde and methanol were high. The characteristic s-shape of the fuel concentration history was well predicted. The importance of OH+C/sub 3/H/sub 6/ and related rections in determining product distributions and the importance of consumption reactions for allyl radicals was demonstrated by the modeling calculations. 18 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Experimental Investigations of Boron, Lithium, and Halogens During High-Temperature Water-Rock Interaction: Insights into the Yellowstone Hydrothermal System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cullen, J. T.; Hurwitz, S.; Thordsen, J. J.; Barnes, J.

2017-12-01

B, Li, and halogens (Cl, F, Br) are used extensively in studies of thermal waters to infer fluid equilibrium conditions with the host reservoir lithology, and quantify the possible fraction of a magmatic component in thermal waters. Apart from fluorine, the limited number of minerals that incorporate these elements support the notion that they preferentially partition into an aqueous fluid during high temperature water-rock interaction. Although limited experimental work is largely consistent with these observations, a rigorous experimental investigation is required to quantify the mobility of these elements under conditions emulating a silicic hydrothermal system. Here we present the results from water-rhyolite interaction batch experiments conducted over a range of temperatures between 150 °C and 350 °C and 250 bar. Powdered obsidian from Yellowstone was reacted with MiliQ water and sampled intermittently throughout the duration of the 90 day experiment. The experimental data show that at temperatures ≤ 200 °C, B, Cl, Br, and Li are not readily leached from the rhyolite, whereas aqueous F- concentration increases by a factor of 3.5 when the temperature was increased from 150 °C to 200 °C. Between 200 °C and 250 °C, B concentration increased by more than an order of magnitude and Cl- concentration increased by a factor of 5. F- concentration increased by a factor of 3. Between 250 °C and 300 °C the opposite trend was observed, in which F- concentration decreased by 60%, Br- concentration increased by a factor of 5, and Cl- and B concentrations increased by more than an order of magnitude. The progressive decrease of aqueous F- at T ≥ 300 °C is likely controlled by precipitation into a fluorine bearing secondary mineral(s). Our experimental results demonstrate that leaching of B, Li, Cl, F, and Br from rhyolite is highly temperature-dependent between 150 °C and 350 °C. These results can provide context to infer the sources of solutes discharged at thermal springs and the subsurface water-rhyolite equilibrium temperatures in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system. Work to characterize the alteration mineralogy and the temperature-dependent stable Cl, Li, and B isotope fractionation is currently ongoing. Keywords: Yellowstone, hydrothermal, halogens, experiments, water-rock interaction

Experimental Investigations of Boron, Lithium, and Halogens During High-Temperature Water-Rock Interaction: Insights into the Yellowstone Hydrothermal System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cullen, J. T.; Hurwitz, S.; Thordsen, J. J.; Barnes, J.

2016-12-01

B, Li, and halogens (Cl, F, Br) are used extensively in studies of thermal waters to infer fluid equilibrium conditions with the host reservoir lithology, and quantify the possible fraction of a magmatic component in thermal waters. Apart from fluorine, the limited number of minerals that incorporate these elements support the notion that they preferentially partition into an aqueous fluid during high temperature water-rock interaction. Although limited experimental work is largely consistent with these observations, a rigorous experimental investigation is required to quantify the mobility of these elements under conditions emulating a silicic hydrothermal system. Here we present the results from water-rhyolite interaction batch experiments conducted over a range of temperatures between 150 °C and 350 °C and 250 bar. Powdered obsidian from Yellowstone was reacted with MiliQ water and sampled intermittently throughout the duration of the 90 day experiment. The experimental data show that at temperatures ≤ 200 °C, B, Cl, Br, and Li are not readily leached from the rhyolite, whereas aqueous F- concentration increases by a factor of 3.5 when the temperature was increased from 150 °C to 200 °C. Between 200 °C and 250 °C, B concentration increased by more than an order of magnitude and Cl- concentration increased by a factor of 5. F- concentration increased by a factor of 3. Between 250 °C and 300 °C the opposite trend was observed, in which F- concentration decreased by 60%, Br- concentration increased by a factor of 5, and Cl- and B concentrations increased by more than an order of magnitude. The progressive decrease of aqueous F- at T ≥ 300 °C is likely controlled by precipitation into a fluorine bearing secondary mineral(s). Our experimental results demonstrate that leaching of B, Li, Cl, F, and Br from rhyolite is highly temperature-dependent between 150 °C and 350 °C. These results can provide context to infer the sources of solutes discharged at thermal springs and the subsurface water-rhyolite equilibrium temperatures in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system. Work to characterize the alteration mineralogy and the temperature-dependent stable Cl, Li, and B isotope fractionation is currently ongoing. Keywords: Yellowstone, hydrothermal, halogens, experiments, water-rock interaction

Rate of strontium sorption and the effects of variable aqueous concentrations of sodium and potassium on strontium distribution coefficients of a surficial sediment at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bunde, R.L.; Rosentreter, J.J.; Liszewski, M.J.

1998-01-01

The rate of strontium sorption and the effects of variable aqueous concentrations of sodium and potassium on strontium sorption were measured as part of an investigation to determine strontium chemical transport properties of a surficial sediment at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Idaho. Batch experimental techniques were used to determine the rate of strontium sorption and strontium distribution coefficients (K(d)s) between aqueous and solid phases. Rate experiments indicate that strontium in solution reached an apparent equilibrium with the sediment in 26 h. K(d)s were derived using the linear isotherm model at initial sodium concentrations from 100 to 5,000 mg/l and initial potassium concentrations from 2 to 150 mg/l. K(d)s ranged from 56 ?? 2 to 62 ?? 3 ml/g at initial aqueous concentrations of sodium and potassium equal to or less than 300 and 150 mg/l, respectively. K(d)s hinged from 4.7 ?? 0.2 to 19 ?? 1 ml/g with initial aqueous concentrations of sodium between 1,000 and 5,000 mg/l. These data indicate that sodium concentrations greater than 300 mg/l in wastewater increase the availability of strontium for transport beneath waste disposal ponds at the INEL by decreasing strontium sorption on the surficial sediment. Wastewater concentrations of sodium and potassium less than 300 and 150 mg/l, respectively, have little effect on the availability of strontium for transport.The rate of strontium sorption and the effects of variable aqueous concentrations of sodium and potassium on strontium sorption were measured as part of an investigation to determine strontium chemical transport properties of a surficial sediment at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Idaho. Batch experimental techniques were used to determine the rate of strontium sorption and strontium distribution coefficients (Kds) between aqueous and solid phases. Rate experiments indicate that strontium in solution reached an apparent equilibrium with the sediment in 26 h. Kds were derived using the linear isotherm model at initial sodium concentrations from 100 to 5,000 mg/l and initial potassium concentrations from 2 to 150 mg/l. Kds ranged from 56??2 to 62??3 ml/g at initial aqueous concentrations of sodium and potassium equal to or less than 300 and 150 mg/l, respectively. Kds ranged from 4.7??0.2 to 19??1 ml/g with initial aqueous concentrations of sodium between 1,000 and 5,000 mg/l. These data indicate that sodium concentrations greater than 300 mg/l in wastewater increase the availability of strontium for transport beneath waste disposal ponds at the INEL by decreasing strontium sorption on the surficial sediment. Wastewater concentrations of sodium and potassium less than 300 and 150 mg/l, respectively, have little effect on the availability of strontium for transport.

Size exclusion deep bed filtration: Experimental and modelling uncertainties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Badalyan, Alexander, E-mail: alexander.badalyan@adelaide.edu.au; You, Zhenjiang; Aji, Kaiser

A detailed uncertainty analysis associated with carboxyl-modified latex particle capture in glass bead-formed porous media enabled verification of the two theoretical stochastic models for prediction of particle retention due to size exclusion. At the beginning of this analysis it is established that size exclusion is a dominant particle capture mechanism in the present study: calculated significant repulsive Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek potential between latex particles and glass beads is an indication of their mutual repulsion, thus, fulfilling the necessary condition for size exclusion. Applying linear uncertainty propagation method in the form of truncated Taylor's series expansion, combined standard uncertainties (CSUs) in normalised suspendedmore » particle concentrations are calculated using CSUs in experimentally determined parameters such as: an inlet volumetric flowrate of suspension, particle number in suspensions, particle concentrations in inlet and outlet streams, particle and pore throat size distributions. Weathering of glass beads in high alkaline solutions does not appreciably change particle size distribution, and, therefore, is not considered as an additional contributor to the weighted mean particle radius and corresponded weighted mean standard deviation. Weighted mean particle radius and LogNormal mean pore throat radius are characterised by the highest CSUs among all experimental parameters translating to high CSU in the jamming ratio factor (dimensionless particle size). Normalised suspended particle concentrations calculated via two theoretical models are characterised by higher CSUs than those for experimental data. The model accounting the fraction of inaccessible flow as a function of latex particle radius excellently predicts normalised suspended particle concentrations for the whole range of jamming ratios. The presented uncertainty analysis can be also used for comparison of intra- and inter-laboratory particle size exclusion data.« less

Sorption of Cm(III) and Eu(III) onto clay minerals under saline conditions: Batch adsorption, laser-fluorescence spectroscopy and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnurr, Andreas; Marsac, Rémi; Rabung, Thomas; Lützenkirchen, Johannes; Geckeis, Horst

2015-02-01

The present work reports experimental data for trivalent metal cation (Cm/Eu) sorption onto illite (Illite du Puy) and montmorillonite (Na-SWy-2) in NaCl solutions up to 4.37 molal (m) in the absence of carbonate. Batch sorption experiments were carried out for a given ionic strength at fixed metal concentration (mEu = 2 × 10-7 m, labeled with 152Eu for γ-counting) and at a constant solid to liquid ratio (S:L = 2 g/L) for 3 < pHm < 12 (pHm = -log mH+). The amount of clay sorbed Eu approaches almost 100% (with log KD > 5) for pHm > 8, irrespective of the NaCl concentration. Variations in Eu uptake are minor at elevated NaCl concentrations. Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) studies on Cm sorption covering a wide range of NaCl concentrations reveal nearly identical fluorescence emission spectra after peak deconvolution, i.e. no significant variation of Cm surface speciation with salinity. Beyond the three surface complexes already found in previous studies an additional inner-sphere surface species with a fluorescence peak maximum at higher wavelength (λ ∼ 610 nm) could be resolved. This new surface species appears in the high pH range and is assumed to correspond to a clay/curium/silicate complex as already postulated in the literature for kaolinite. The 2 site protolysis non-electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange sorption model (2SPNE SC/CE) was applied to describe Eu sorption data by involving the Pitzer and SIT (specific ion interaction) formalism in the calculation of the activities of dissolved aqueous species. Good agreement of model and experiment is achieved for sorption data at pHm < 6 without the need of adjusting surface complexation constants. For pHm > 6 in case of illite and pHm > 8 in case of montmorillonite calculated sorption data systematically fall below experimental data with increasing ionic strength. Under those conditions sorption is almost quantitative and deviations must be discussed considering uncertainties of measured Eu concentrations in the range of analytical detection limits.

REMOTE SENSING OF CH4 BY COMBINING LIDAR AND OPTICAL CORRELATION SPECTROSCOPY : FIRST EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS B. Thomas1, A. Miffre1, G. David1, J.P. Cariou2, P. Rairoux1 1Laboratoire de Spectrométrie Ionique et Moléculaire, CNRS, UMR 5579 Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Ada Byron, 69622 Villeurbanne, France, patrick.rairoux@univ-lyon1.fr 2Leosphere France, 14-16 rue Jean Rostand, 91400 Orsay, France, jpcariou@leosphere.fr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, B.; Miffre, A.; David, G.; Cariou, J.; Rairoux, P.

2012-12-01

In this contribution, we present a new methodology, called OCS-lidar, to remotely evaluate trace gas concentrations in the atmosphere (B. Thomas et al, 2012), as well as the first methane concentration measurements using this methodology. It is based on combining the Optical Correlation Spectroscopy (OCS) method with laser remote sensing technique (lidar). As displayed on figure 1, an Acoustic Optical Programmable Dispersive Filter is coupled with spectrally broadened femtosecond laser pulses to achieve the optical correlation between the emitted laser pulse and the methane absorption cross-section. In a first time, statistical and systematical errors of the OCS-lidar methodology have been evaluated thanks to a numerical model. The detection noise, interfering trace gases, temperature and pressure variations as well as laser pulse-to-pulse fluctuations have been considered. OCS-lidar simulations for methane concentration measurements have been achieved for background concentration (1.5 to 3 ppm), low (tens of ppm) and high sources (hundreds of ppm). Results show that background measurements are possible in the hour range while sources assessment and localization can be achieved in 10 minutes range up to 3 km range. Then, first methane concentration experimental measurements by using the OCS-lidar methodology will be presented. The laser source is an Oscillator Parametric Amplifier with emitting wavelength from 1.1 to 2 μm with 0.2 mJ at 1 kHz repetition rate. An AOPDF is used to generate correlated and non-correlated (or reference) signal. Experimental results on background methane concentration and on remote point source measurements will be presented, showing the achieved sensitivity and accuracy in both geophysical conditions.igure 1. Scheme of the OCS-Lidar principle. A broadened laser source centered on λ0-wavelength, with power spectral density P0, is used to create spectrally shaped power density P0M1 and P0M2, which are respectively correlated and anti-correlated to the target gas absorption cross-section σ(λ), (M1 and M2 are the wavelength dependent AOPDF-transmissions). In the atmosphere, these two emitted laser pulses, which undergo different absorptions due to the target gas presence, methane in our case, give rise to the output OCS-Lidar signals P1 and P2, after collection by a Lidar receiver and detection on an optical detector D.

How do PDMS-coated stir bars used as passive samplers integrate concentration peaks of pesticides in freshwater?

PubMed

Assoumani, A; Margoum, C; Lombard, A; Guillemain, C; Coquery, M

2017-03-01

Passive samplers are theoretically capable of integrating variations of concentrations of micropollutants in freshwater and providing accurate average values. However, this property is rarely verified and quantified experimentally. In this study, we investigated, in controlled conditions, how the polydimethylsiloxane-coated stir bars (passive Twisters) can integrate fluctuating concentrations of 20 moderately hydrophilic to hydrophobic pesticides (2.18 < Log K ow  < 5.51). In the first two experiments, we studied the pesticide accumulation in the passive Twisters during high concentration peaks of various durations in tap water. We then followed their elimination from the passive Twisters placed in non-contaminated water (experiment no. 1) or in water spiked at low concentrations (experiment no. 2) for 1 week. In the third experiment, we assessed the accuracy of the time-weighted average concentrations (TWAC) obtained from the passive Twisters exposed for 4 days to several concentration variation scenarios. We observed little to no elimination of hydrophobic pesticides from the passive Twisters placed in non-contaminated water and additional accumulation when placed in water spiked at low concentrations. Moreover, passive Twisters allowed determining accurate TWAC (accuracy, determined by TWAC-average measured concentrations ratios, ranged from 82 to 127 %) for the pesticides with Log K ow higher than 4.2. In contrast, fast and large elimination was observed for the pesticides with Log K ow lower than 4.2 and poorer TWAC accuracy (ranging from 32 to 123 %) was obtained.

Experimental transition probabilities for Mn II spectral lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manrique, J.; Aguilera, J. A.; Aragón, C.

2018-06-01

Transition probabilities for 46 spectral lines of Mn II with wavelengths in the range 2000-3500 Å have been measured by CSigma laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (Cσ-LIBS). For 28 of the lines, experimental data had not been reported previously. The Cσ-LIBS method, based in the construction of generalized curves of growth called Cσ graphs, avoids the error due to self-absorption. The samples used to generate the laser-induced plasmas are fused glass disks prepared from pure MnO. The Mn concentrations in the samples and the lines included in the study are selected to ensure the validity of the model of homogeneous plasma used. The results are compared to experimental and theoretical values available in the literature.

Remote sensing of temperature and concentration profiles of a gas jet by coupling infrared emission spectroscopy and LIDAR for characterization of aircraft engine exhaust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Offret, J.-P.; Lebedinsky, J.; Navello, L.; Pina, V.; Serio, B.; Bailly, Y.; Hervé, P.

2015-05-01

Temperature data play an important role in the combustion chamber since it determines both the efficiency and the rate of pollutants emission of engines. Air pollution problem concerns the emissions of gases such as CO, CO2, NO, NO2, SO2 and also aerosols, soot and volatile organic compounds. Flame combustion occurs in hostile environments where temperature and concentration profiles are often not easy to measure. In this study, a temperature and CO2 concentration profiles optical measurement method, suitable for combustion analysis, is discussed and presented. The proposed optical metrology method presents numerous advantages when compared to intrusive methods. The experimental setup comprises a passive radiative emission measurement method combined with an active laser-measurement method. The passive method is based on the use of gas emission spectroscopy. The experimental spectrometer device is coupled with an active method. The active method is used to investigate and correct complex flame profiles. This method similar to a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) device is based on the measurement of Rayleigh scattering of a short laser pulse recorded using a high-speed streak camera. The whole experimental system of this new method is presented. Results obtained on a small-scale turbojet are shown and discussed in order to illustrate the potentials deliver by the sophisticated method. Both temperature and concentration profiles of the gas jet are presented and discussed.

Thermal conductivity and viscosity measurements of ethylene glycol-based Al2O3 nanofluids

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The dispersion and stability of nanofluids obtained by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles in ethylene glycol have been analyzed at several concentrations up to 25% in mass fraction. The thermal conductivity and viscosity were experimentally determined at temperatures ranging from 283.15 K to 323.15 K using an apparatus based on the hot-wire method and a rotational viscometer, respectively. It has been found that both thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the concentration of nanoparticles, whereas when the temperature increases the viscosity diminishes and the thermal conductivity rises. Measured enhancements on thermal conductivity (up to 19%) compare well with literature values when available. New viscosity experimental data yield values more than twice larger than the base fluid. The influence of particle size on viscosity has been also studied, finding large differences that must be taken into account for any practical application. These experimental results were compared with some theoretical models, as those of Maxwell-Hamilton and Crosser for thermal conductivity and Krieger and Dougherty for viscosity. PMID:21711737

Fast Synthesis of Gibbsite Nanoplates and Process Optimization using Box-Behnken Experimental Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Xianwen; Graham, Trent R.

Developing the ability to synthesize compositionally and morphologically well-defined gibbsite particles at the nanoscale with high yield is an ongoing need that has not yet achieved the level of rational design. Here we report optimization of a clean inorganic synthesis route based on statistical experimental design examining the influence of Al(OH)3 gel precursor concentration, pH, and aging time at temperature. At 80 oC, the optimum synthesis conditions of gel concentration at 0.5 M, pH at 9.2, and time at 72 h maximized the reaction yield up to ~87%. The resulting gibbsite product is composed of highly uniform euhedral hexagonal nanoplatesmore » within a basal plane diameter range of 200-400 nm. The independent roles of key system variables in the growth mechanism are considered. On the basis of these optimized experimental conditions, the synthesis procedure, which is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly, has the potential for mass production scale-up of high quality gibbsite material for various fundamental research and industrial applications.« less

Label-free and pH-sensitive colorimetric materials for the sensing of urea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lu; Long, Yue; Gao, Jin-Ming; Song, Kai; Yang, Guoqiang

2016-02-01

This communication demonstrates a facile method for naked-eye detection of urea based on the structure color change of pH-sensitive photonic crystals. The insertion of urease provides excellent selectivity over other molecules. The detection of urea in different concentration ranges could be realized by changing the molar ratio between the functional monomer and cross-linker.This communication demonstrates a facile method for naked-eye detection of urea based on the structure color change of pH-sensitive photonic crystals. The insertion of urease provides excellent selectivity over other molecules. The detection of urea in different concentration ranges could be realized by changing the molar ratio between the functional monomer and cross-linker. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Materials and chemicals, characterization, experimental details, and SEM images. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07690k

Photoassisted physical vapor epitaxial growth of semiconductors: a review of light-induced modifications to growth processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alberi, Kirstin; Scarpulla, Michael A.

Herein, we review the remarkable range of modifications to materials properties associated with photoexcitation of the growth surface during physical vapor epitaxy of semiconductors. We concentrate on mechanisms producing measureable, utilizable changes in crystalline perfection, phase, composition, doping, and defect distribution. We outline the relevant physics of different mechanisms, concentrating on those yielding effects orthogonal to the primary growth variables of temperature and atomic or molecular fluxes and document the phenomenological effects reported. Based on experimental observations from a range of semiconductor systems and growth conditions, the primary effects include enhanced anion desorption, molecular dissociation, increased doping efficiency, modification tomore » defect populations and improvements to the crystalline quality of epilayers grown at low temperatures. Future research directions and technological applications are also discussed.« less

Caffeine content of beverages as consumed.

PubMed Central

Gilbert, R. M.; Marshman, J. A.; Schwieder, M.; Berg, R.

1976-01-01

Quantitative analysis of beverages prepared at home by staff of the Addiction Research Foundation revealed a lower and much more variable caffeine content of both tea and coffee than had been reported in earlier studies, most of which were based on analysis of laboratory-prepared beverages. Median caffeine concentration of 37 home-prepared samples of tea was 27 mg per cup (range, 8 to 91 mg); for 46 coffee samples the median concentration was 74 mg per cup (range, 29 to 176 mg). If tea and coffee as drunk contain less caffeine than generally supposed, the potency of caffeine may be greater than commonly realized, as may the relative caffeine content of certain commercial preparations, including chocolate and colas. The substantial variation in caffeine content emphasizes the need to establish actual caffeine intake in clinical, epidemiologic and experimental investigations of caffeine effects. PMID:1032351

Photoassisted physical vapor epitaxial growth of semiconductors: a review of light-induced modifications to growth processes

DOE PAGES

Alberi, Kirstin; Scarpulla, Michael A.

2017-11-22

Herein, we review the remarkable range of modifications to materials properties associated with photoexcitation of the growth surface during physical vapor epitaxy of semiconductors. We concentrate on mechanisms producing measureable, utilizable changes in crystalline perfection, phase, composition, doping, and defect distribution. We outline the relevant physics of different mechanisms, concentrating on those yielding effects orthogonal to the primary growth variables of temperature and atomic or molecular fluxes and document the phenomenological effects reported. Based on experimental observations from a range of semiconductor systems and growth conditions, the primary effects include enhanced anion desorption, molecular dissociation, increased doping efficiency, modification tomore » defect populations and improvements to the crystalline quality of epilayers grown at low temperatures. Future research directions and technological applications are also discussed.« less

Quantum cascade laser photoacoustic detection of nitrous oxide released from soils for biofuel production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couto, F. M.; Sthel, M. S.; Castro, M. P. P.; da Silva, M. G.; Rocha, M. V.; Tavares, J. R.; Veiga, C. F. M.; Vargas, H.

2014-12-01

In order to investigate the generation of greenhouse gases in sugarcane ethanol production chain, a comparative study of N2O emission in artificially fertilized soils and soils free from fertilizers was carried out. Photoacoustic spectroscopy using quantum cascade laser with an emission ranging from 7.71 to 7.88 µm and differential photoacoustic cell were applied to detect nitrous oxide (N2O), an important greenhouse gas emitted from soils cultivated with sugar cane. Owing to calibrate the experimental setup, an initial N2O concentration was diluted with pure nitrogen and detection limit of 50 ppbv was achieved. The proposed methodology was selective and sensitive enough to detect N2O from no fertilized and artificially fertilized soils. The measured N2O concentration ranged from ppmv to ppbv.

Competitive sorption of carbonate and arsenic to hematite: combined ATR-FTIR and batch experiments.

PubMed

Brechbühl, Yves; Christl, Iso; Elzinga, Evert J; Kretzschmar, Ruben

2012-07-01

The competitive sorption of carbonate and arsenic to hematite was investigated in closed-system batch experiments. The experimental conditions covered a pH range of 3-7, arsenate concentrations of 3-300 μM, and arsenite concentrations of 3-200 μM. Dissolved carbonate concentrations were varied by fixing the CO(2) partial pressure at 0.39 (atmospheric), 10, or 100 hPa. Sorption data were modeled with a one-site three plane model considering carbonate and arsenate surface complexes derived from ATR-FTIR spectroscopy analyses. Macroscopic sorption data revealed that in the pH range 3-7, carbonate was a weak competitor for both arsenite and arsenate. The competitive effect of carbonate increased with increasing CO(2) partial pressure and decreasing arsenic concentrations. For arsenate, sorption was reduced by carbonate only at slightly acidic to neutral pH values, whereas arsenite sorption was decreased across the entire pH range. ATR-FTIR spectra indicated the predominant formation of bidentate binuclear inner-sphere surface complexes for both sorbed arsenate and sorbed carbonate. Surface complexation modeling based on the dominant arsenate and carbonate surface complexes indicated by ATR-FTIR and assuming inner-sphere complexation of arsenite successfully described the macroscopic sorption data. Our results imply that in natural arsenic-contaminated systems where iron oxide minerals are important sorbents, dissolved carbonate may increase aqueous arsenite concentrations, but will affect dissolved arsenate concentrations only at neutral to alkaline pH and at very high CO(2) partial pressures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tuning the electrocaloric effect by varying Sr concentration in ferroelectric Ba1 -xSrxTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisenkov, S.; Ponomareva, I.

2018-05-01

The electrocaloric effect is investigated systematically in Ba1 -xSrxTiO3 ferroelectrics using a semiclassical direct computational approach. The data are reported for the technologically important range of Sr concentrations of 0.0-0.6, electric fields up to 1000 kV/cm, and temperatures ranging from 5 to 600 K. A detailed comparison of computational data with experimental data from the literature reveals semiquantitative agreement and suggests the origin of discrepancies. The electrocaloric change in temperature Δ T shows strong dependence on Sr concentration which offers a way to tune electrocaloric response. In particular, the maximum electrocaloric Δ T is found to decrease with the increase in Sr concentration, whereas the location of the maximum shifts towards lower temperatures following the Curie point of the ferroelectric. Surprisingly, the width of the peak in the dependence of Δ T on the initial temperature is independent of the Sr concentration but shows a strong dependence on the applied electric field. Computational data are used to propose a compositionally graded ferroelectric Ba0.70Sr0.30TiO3/Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3/Ba0.50Sr0.50TiO3/Ba0.45Sr0.55TiO3 whose Δ T shows almost no temperature dependence in the technologically important range of temperatures and electric fields. Such a desirable feature could potentially lead to the enhancement of relative cooling power.

Plantar-flexor Static Stretch Training Effect on Eccentric and Concentric Peak Torque – A comparative Study of Trained versus Untrained Subjects

PubMed Central

Abdel-aziem, Amr Almaz; Mohammad, Walaa Sayed

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the long-term effects of static stretching of the plantar-flexor muscles on eccentric and concentric torque and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in healthy subjects. Seventy five healthy male volunteers, with no previous history of trauma to the calf that required surgery, absence of knee flexion contracture and no history of neurologic dysfunction or disease, systemic disease affecting the lower extremities were selected for this study. The participants were divided into three equal groups. The control group did not stretch the plantar-flexor muscles. Two Experimental groups (trained and untrained) were instructed to perform static stretching exercise of 30 second duration and 5 repetitions twice daily. The stretching sessions were carried out 5 days a week for 6 weeks. The dorsiflexion range of motion was measured in all subjects. Also measured was the eccentric and concentric torque of plantar-flexors at angular velocities of 30 and 120°/s pre and post stretching. Analysis of variance showed a significant increase in plantar-flexor eccentric and concentric torque (p < 0.05) of trained and untrained groups, and an increase in dorsiflexion range of motion (p < 0.05) at both angular velocities for the untrained group only. The static stretching program of plantar-flexors was effective in increasing the concentric and eccentric plantarflexion torque at angular velocities of 30 and 120°/s. Increases in plantar-flexors flexibility were observed in untrained subjects. PMID:23486840

Revisiting the Aqueous Solutions of Dimethyl Sulfoxide by Spectroscopy in the Mid- and Near-Infrared: Experiments and Car-Parrinello Simulations.

PubMed

Wallace, Victoria M; Dhumal, Nilesh R; Zehentbauer, Florian M; Kim, Hyung J; Kiefer, Johannes

2015-11-19

The infrared and near-infrared spectra of the aqueous solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide are revisited. Experimental and computational vibrational spectra are analyzed and compared. The latter are determined as the Fourier transformation of the velocity autocorrelation function of data obtained from Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. The experimental absorption spectra are deconvolved, and the excess spectra are determined. The two-dimensional excess contour plot provides a means of visualizing and identifying spectral regions and concentration ranges exhibiting nonideal behavior. In the binary mixtures, the analysis of the SO stretching band provides a semiquantitative picture of the formation and dissociation of hydrogen-bonded DMSO-water complexes. A maximum concentration of these clusters is found in the equimolar mixture. At high DMSO concentration, the formation of rather stable 3DMSO:1water complexes is suggested. The formation of 1DMSO:2water clusters, in which the water oxygen atoms interact with the sulfoxide methyl groups, is proposed as a possible reason for the marked depression of the freezing temperature at the eutectic point.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Malinowski, K.; Sadowski, M. J.

The paper concerns the monitoring of high-current pulse discharges and the determination of the plasma concentration within the dense magnetized plasma by means of optical spectroscopy methods. In experiments with the large PF-1000 facility operated at IPPLM in Warsaw, Poland, attention was paid to the determination of the operational mode and electron concentration under different experimental conditions. To measure the visible radiation (VR) the use was made of the MECHELLE registered 900-spectrometer equipped with the CCD readout. The VR emission, observed at 65 deg. to the z-axis, originated from a part of the electrode surfaces, the collapsing current-sheath layer andmore » the dense plasma pinch-region (40-50 mm from the electrode ends). Considerable differences were found in the optical spectra recorded for so-called 'good shots' and for cases of some failures. Estimates of the electron concentration, which were performed with different spectroscopic techniques, showed that it ranged from 5.56x1018 cm-3 to 4.8x1019 cm-3, depending on experimental conditions. The correlation of the fusion-neutron yield and the plasma density was proved.« less

Spectrophotometric determination of triclosan based on diazotization reaction: response surface optimization using Box-Behnken design.

PubMed

Kaur, Inderpreet; Gaba, Sonal; Kaur, Sukhraj; Kumar, Rajeev; Chawla, Jyoti

2018-05-01

A spectrophotometric method based on diazotization of aniline with triclosan has been developed for the determination of triclosan in water samples. The diazotization process involves two steps: (1) reaction of aniline with sodium nitrite in an acidic medium to form diazonium ion and (2) reaction of diazonium ion with triclosan to form a yellowish-orange azo compound in an alkaline medium. The resulting yellowish-orange product has a maximum absorption at 352 nm which allows the determination of triclosan in aqueous solution in the linear concentration range of 0.1-3.0 μM with R 2 = 0.998. The concentration of hydrochloric acid, sodium nitrite, and aniline was optimized for diazotization reaction to achieve good spectrophotometric determination of triclosan. The optimization of experimental conditions for spectrophotometric determination of triclosan in terms of concentration of sodium nitrite, hydrogen chloride and aniline was also carried out by using Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology and results obtained were in agreement with the experimentally optimized values. The proposed method was then successfully applied for analyses of triclosan content in water samples.

Effects of erectable glossal hairs on a honeybee's nectar-drinking strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Heng; Wu, Jianing; Yan, Shaoze

2014-06-01

With the use of a scanning electron microscope, we observe specific microstructures of the mouthpart of the Italian bee (Apis mellifera ligustica), especially the distribution and dimensions of hairs on its glossa. Considering the erection of glossal hairs for trapping nectar modifies the viscous dipping model in analyzing the drinking strategy of a honeybee. Theoretical estimations of volume intake rates with respect to sucrose solutions of different concentrations agree with experimental data, which indicates that erectable hairs can significantly increase the ability of a bee to acquire nectar efficiently. The comparison with experimental results also indicates that a honeybee may continuously augment its pumping power, rather than keep it constant, to drink nectar with sharply increasing viscosity. Under the modified assumption of increasing working power, we introduce the rate at which working power increases with viscosity and discuss the nature-preferred nectar concentration of 35% by theoretically calculating optimal concentration maximizing energetic intake rates under varying increasing rates. Finally, the ability of the mouthparts of the honeybee to transfer viscous nectar may inspire a concept for transporting microfluidics with a wide range of viscosities.

Electrostatic model for protein adsorption in ion-exchange chromatography and application to monoclonal antibodies, lysozyme and chymotrypsinogen A.

PubMed

Guélat, Bertrand; Ströhlein, Guido; Lattuada, Marco; Morbidelli, Massimo

2010-08-27

A model for the adsorption equilibrium of proteins in ion-exchange chromatography explicitly accounting for the effect of pH and salt concentration in the limit of highly diluted systems was developed. It is based on the use of DLVO theory to estimate the electrostatic interactions between the charged surface of the ion-exchanger and the proteins. The corresponding charge distributions were evaluated as a function of pH and salt concentration using a molecular approach. The model was verified for the adsorption equilibrium of lysozyme, chymotrypsinogen A and four industrial monoclonal antibodies on two strong cation-exchangers. The adsorption equilibrium constants of these proteins were determined experimentally at various pH values and salt concentrations and the model was fitted with a good agreement using three adjustable parameters for each protein in the whole range of experimental conditions. Despite the simplifications of the model regarding the geometry of the protein-ion-exchanger system, the physical meaning of the parameters was retained. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-time cavitation threshold of silica water mixture under acoustic drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussonniére, Adrien; Liu, Qingxia; Tsai, Peichun Amy

2017-11-01

The low cavitation threshold of water observed experimentally has been attributed to the presence of pre-existing tiny bubbles stabilized by impurities. However, the origin and stability of these cavitation nuclei remain unresolved. We therefore investigate the long-time cavitation evolution of water seeded with micron-sized silica particles under the influences of several parameters. Experimentally, cavitation is induced by a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound and subsequently detected by monitoring the backscattered sound. Degassed or aerated solutions of different concentrations are subjected to acoustic pulses (with the amplitude ranging from 0.1 to 1.7 MPa and a fixed repetition frequency between 0.1 and 6.5 Hz). The cavitation threshold was measured by fitting the cavitation probability curve, averaged over 1000 pulses. Surprisingly, our results shown that the cavitation threshold stabilizes at a reproducible value after a few thousand pulses. Moreover, this long-time threshold was found to decrease with increasing particle concentration, pulse period, and initial oxygen level. In contrast to the depletion of nuclei expected under long acoustic cavitation, the results suggest stabilized nuclei population depending on concentration, oxygen level, and driving period.

Electrocoagulation efficiency of the tannery effluent treatment using aluminium electrodes.

PubMed

Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando R; Fornari, Marilda M T; Módenes, Aparecido N; Palácio, Soraya M; Trigueros, Daniela E G; Borba, Fernando H; Kroumov, Alexander D

2009-01-01

An electro-coagulation laboratory scale system using aluminium plates electrodes was studied for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants as a by-product from leather finishing industrial process. A fractional factorial 2(3) experimental design was applied in order to obtain optimal values of the system state variables. The electro-coagulation (EC) process efficiency was based on the chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, total suspended solid, total fixed solid, total volatile solid, and chemical element concentration values. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for final pH, total fixed solid (TFS), turbidity and Ca concentration have confirmed the predicted models by the experimental design within a 95% confidence level. The reactor working conditions close to real effluent pH (7.6) and electrolysis time in the range 30-45 min were enough to achieve the cost effective reduction factors of organic and inorganic pollutants' concentrations. An appreciable improvement in COD removal efficiency was obtained for electro-coagulation treatment. Finally, the technical-economical analysis results have clearly shown that the electro-coagulation method is very promising for industrial application.

Environmental contamination due to shale gas development.

PubMed

Annevelink, M P J A; Meesters, J A J; Hendriks, A J

2016-04-15

Shale gas development potentially contaminates both air and water compartments. To assist in governmental decision-making on future explorations, we reviewed scattered information on activities, emissions and concentrations related to shale gas development. We compared concentrations from monitoring programmes to quality standards as a first indication of environmental risks. Emissions could not be estimated accurately because of incomparable and insufficient data. Air and water concentrations range widely. Poor wastewater treatment posed the highest risk with concentrations exceeding both Natural Background Values (NBVs) by a factor 1000-10,000 and Lowest Quality Standards (LQSs) by a factor 10-100. Concentrations of salts, metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbons exceeded aquatic ecotoxicological water standards. Future research must focus on measuring aerial and aquatic emissions of toxic chemicals, generalisation of experimental setups and measurement technics and further human and ecological risk assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parameters and kinetics of olive mill wastewater dephenolization by immobilized Rhodotorula glutinis cells.

PubMed

Bozkoyunlu, Gaye; Takaç, Serpil

2014-01-01

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) with total phenol (TP) concentration range of 300-1200 mg/L was treated with alginate-immobilized Rhodotorula glutinis cells in batch system. The effects of pellet properties (diameter, alginate concentration and cell loading (CL)) and operational parameters (initial TP concentration, agitation rate and reusability of pellets) on dephenolization of OMW were studied. Up to 87% dephenolization was obtained after 120 h biodegradations. The utilization number of pellets increased with the addition of calcium ions into the biodegradation medium. The overall effectiveness factors calculated for different conditions showed that diffusional limitations arising from pellet size and pellet composition could be neglected. Mass transfer limitations appeared to be more effective at high substrate concentrations and low agitation rates. The parameters of logistic model for growth kinetics of R. glutinis in OMW were estimated at different initial phenol concentrations of OMW by curve-fitting of experimental data with the model.

Retrospective on 30 years of nonimaging optics development for solar energy at the University of Chicago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Gallagher, Joseph J.

2016-09-01

As the field of nonimaging optics has developed over the last 50 years, among its many applications, the best known and recognized is probably in solar energy. In particular, the approach provides the formalism that allows the design of devices that approach the maximum physically attainable geometric concentration for a given set of optical tolerances. This means that it has the potential to revolutionize the design of solar concentrators. Much of the experimental development and early testing of these concepts was carried out at the University of Chicago by Roland Winston and his colleagues and students. In this presentation, some of many embodiments and variations of the basic Compound Parabolic Concentrator that were developed and tested over a thirty-year period at Chicago are reviewed. Practical and economic aspects of concentrator design for both thermal and photovoltaic applications are discussed. Examples covering the whole range of concentrator applications from simple low-concentration non-tracking designs to ultrahigh-concentration multistage configurations are covered.

Concentrated dispersions of equilibrium protein nanoclusters that reversibly dissociate into active monomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truskett, Thomas M.; Johnston, Keith; Maynard, Jennifer; Borwankar, Ameya; Miller, Maria; Wilson, Brian; Dinin, Aileen; Khan, Tarik; Kaczorowski, Kevin

2012-02-01

Stabilizing concentrated protein solutions is of wide interest in drug delivery. However, a major challenge is how to reliably formulate concentrated, low viscosity (i.e., syringeable) solutions of biologically active proteins. Unfortunately, proteins typically undergo irreversible aggregation at intermediate concentrations of 100-200 mg/ml. In this talk, I describe how they can effectively avoid these intermediate concentrations by reversibly assembling into nanoclusters. Nanocluster assembly is achieved by balancing short-ranged, cosolute-induced attractions with weak, longer-ranger electrostatic repulsions near the isoelectric point. Theory predicts that native proteins are stabilized by a self-crowding mechanism within the concentrated environment of the nanoclusters, while weak cluster-cluster interactions can result in colloidally-stable dispersions with moderate viscosities. I present experimental results where this strategy is used to create concentrated antibody dispersions (up to 260 mg/ml) comprising nanoclusters of proteins [monoclonal antibody 1B7, polyclonal sheep Immunoglobin G and bovine serum albumin], which upon dilution in vitro or administration in vivo, are conformationally stable and retain activity.

Modeling of experimental treatment of acetaldehyde-laden air and phenol-containing water using corona discharge technique.

PubMed

Faungnawakij, Kajornsak; Sano, Noriaki; Charinpanitkul, Tawatchai; Tanthapanichakoon, Wiwut

2006-03-01

Acetaldehyde-laden air and phenol-contaminated water were experimentally treated using corona discharge reactions and gas absorption in a single water-film column. Mathematical modeling of the combined treatment was developed in this work. Efficient removal of the gaseous acetaldehyde was achieved while the corona discharge reactions produced short-lived species such as O and O- as well as ozone. Direct contact of the radicals and ions with water was known to produce aqueous OH radical, which contributes to the decomposition of organic contaminants: phenol, absorbed acetaldehyde, and intermediate byproducts in the water. The influence of initial phenol concentration ranging from 15 to 50 mg L(-1) and that of influent acetaldehyde ranging from 0 to 200 ppm were experimentally investigated and used to build the math model. The maximum energetic efficiency of TOC, phenol, and acetaldehyde were obtained at 25.6 x 10(-9) mol carbon J(-1), 25.0 x 10(-9) mol phenol J(-1), and 2.0 x 10(-9) mol acetaldehyde J(-1), respectively. The predictions for the decomposition of acetaldehyde, phenol, and their intermediates were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results.

Microbial community dynamics and methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrous oxide concentrations in upland forest and riparian soils across a seasonal gradient of fully saturated soils to completely dried soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, R. T.; McGlynn, B. L.; McDermott, T.; Dore, J. E.

2015-12-01

Gas concentrations (CH4, CO2, N2O, and O2), soil properties (soil water content and pH), and microbial community composition were measured from soils at 32 sites across the Stringer Creek Watershed in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest 7 times between June 3, 2013 and September 20, 2013. Soils were fully saturated during the initial sampling period and dried down over the course of the summer. Soils and gas were sampled from 5cm and 20cm at each site and also at 50cm at eight riparian sites. In total, 496 individual soil samples were collected. Soil moisture ranged from 3.7% to fully saturated; soil pH ranged from 3.60 to 6.68. Methane concentrations in soils ranged from 0.426 ppm to 218 ppm; Carbon dioxide concentrations ranged from 550 ppm to 42,990 ppm; Nitrous oxide concentrations ranged from 0.220 ppm to 2.111 ppm; Oxygen concentrations ranged from 10.2% to 21.5%. Soil microbial communities were characterized by DNA sequences covering the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. DNA sequences were generated (~30,000,000 sequences) from the 496 soil samples using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Operational Taxonomic Units were generated using USEARCH, and representative sequences were taxonomically classified according the Ribosomal Database Project's taxonomy scheme. Analysis of similarity revealed that microbial communities found within a landscape type (high upland forest, low upland forest, riparian) were more similar than among landscape types (R = 0.600; p<0.001). Similarly, communities from unique site x depths were similar across the 7 collection periods (R = 0.646; p<0.001) despite changes in soil moisture. Euclidean distances of soil properties and gas concentrations were compared to Bray-Curtis community dissimilarity matrices using Mantel tests to determine how community structure co-varies with the soil environment and gas concentrations. All variables measured significantly co-varied with microbial community membership (pH: R = 0.712, p < 0.001; CO2: R = 0.578, p < 0.001; O2: R = 0.517, p < 0.001; Soil moisture: R = 0.408, p < 0.001; N2O: R = 0.218, p = 0.003; CH4: R = 0.195, p = 0.008). Despite the rather low co-variation between methane concentrations and microbial community composition, relative abundances of methanotrophic and methanogenic lineages did co-vary strongly with methane concentrations.

Remote sensing of methane with OSAS-lidar on the 2ν3 band Q-branch: Experimental proof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galtier, Sandrine; Anselmo, Christophe; Welschinger, Jean-Yves; Sivignon, J. F.; Cariou, Jean-Pierre; Miffre, Alain; Rairoux, Patrick

2018-06-01

Optical sensors based on absorption spectroscopy play a central role in the detection and monitoring of atmospheric trace gases. We here present for the first time the experimental demonstration of OSAS-Lidar on the remote sensing of CH4 in the atmosphere. This new methodology, the OSAS-Lidar, couples the Optical Similitude Absorption Spectroscopy (OSAS) methodology with a light detection and ranging device. It is based on the differential absorption of spectrally integrated signals following Beer Lambert-Bouguer law, which are range-resolved. Its novelty originates from the use of broadband laser spectroscopy and from the mathematical approach used to retrieve the trace gas concentration. We previously applied the OSAS methodology in laboratory on the 2ν3 methane absorption band, centered at the 1665 nm wavelength and demonstrated that the OSAS-methodology is almost independent from atmospheric temperature and pressure. In this paper, we achieve an OSAS-Lidar device capable of observing large concentrations of CH4 released from a methane source directly into the atmosphere. Comparison with a standard in-situ measurement device shows that the path-integrated concentrations retrieved from OSAS-Lidar methodology exhibit sufficient sensitivity (2 000 ppm m) and observational time resolution (1 s) to remotely sense methane leaks in the atmosphere. The coupling of OSAS-lidar with a wind measurement device opens the way to monitor time-resolved methane flux emissions, which is important in regards to future climate mitigation involving regional reduction of CH4 flux emissions.

Modification of PBDEs (BDE-15, BDE-47, BDE-85 and BDE-126) biological toxicity, bio-concentration, persistence and atmospheric long-range transport potential based on the pharmacophore modeling assistant with the full factor experimental design.

PubMed

Jiang, Long; Li, Yu

2016-04-15

In this study, the properties of AhR binding affinity, bio-concentration factor, half-life and vapor pressure were selected as the typical indicators of biological toxicity, bio-concentration, persistence and atmospheric long-range transport potential for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), respectively. A three-dimensional pharmacophore modeling assistant with a full factor experimental design for each property was used to reveal the significant pharmacophore features and the substituent effects to obtain reasonable modified schemes for the selected target PBDEs. Finally, the performances of the persistent organic pollutant (POP) properties, the synthesis feasibility and the fire resistance of the modified compounds were evaluated. The most influential pharmacophore feature for all POP properties was the hydrophobic group, especially the vinyl and propyl groups. Modified compounds with two additional hydrophobic groups exhibited a better regulatory performance. The average reduction in the proportions of the four POP properties for the modified compounds (except for 3-phenyl-BDE-15) was 70.60%, 52.44%, 47.04% and 70.88%. In addition, the energy and the C-Br bond dissociation enthalpy of the four typical PBDEs were higher than those of the modified compounds (except for 3-phenyl-BDE-15), indicating the synthesis feasibility and the lower energy barrier of the modified compounds to release Br free radicals to provide fire resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Properties of water vapor relevant to its measurement in the stratosphere and mesosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longbothum, R. L.

1974-01-01

The literature on the concentrations of water vapor in the stratosphere and mesosphere was studied. It is estimated that the concentrations in these lie in the range from 0.1 ppm to 10 ppm. A survey was made of the scattering and radiative transfer properties of water vapor and the background constituents to determine the physical properties of importance to measurements of concentrations. It was determined that absorption and emission properties provide significant increases in sensitivity compared with the various scattering phenomena considered. Microwave absorption in the region of 22 GHz and 183 GHz and infrared absorption in the vibrational rotational band systems seem to be the most attractive techniques. Various experimental configurations are analyzed and compared.

Rapid, Time-Division Multiplexed, Direct Absorption- and Wavelength Modulation-Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Klein, Alexander; Witzel, Oliver; Ebert, Volker

2014-01-01

We present a tunable diode laser spectrometer with a novel, rapid time multiplexed direct absorption- and wavelength modulation-spectroscopy operation mode. The new technique allows enhancing the precision and dynamic range of a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer without sacrificing accuracy. The spectroscopic technique combines the benefits of absolute concentration measurements using calibration-free direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (dTDLAS) with the enhanced noise rejection of wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). In this work we demonstrate for the first time a 125 Hz time division multiplexed (TDM-dTDLAS-WMS) spectroscopic scheme by alternating the modulation of a DFB-laser between a triangle-ramp (dTDLAS) and an additional 20 kHz sinusoidal modulation (WMS). The absolute concentration measurement via the dTDLAS-technique allows one to simultaneously calibrate the normalized 2f/1f-signal of the WMS-technique. A dTDLAS/WMS-spectrometer at 1.37 μm for H2O detection was built for experimental validation of the multiplexing scheme over a concentration range from 50 to 3000 ppmV (0.1 MPa, 293 K). A precision of 190 ppbV was achieved with an absorption length of 12.7 cm and an averaging time of two seconds. Our results show a five-fold improvement in precision over the entire concentration range and a significantly decreased averaging time of the spectrometer. PMID:25405508

Frequency Selection for Multi-frequency Acoustic Measurement of Suspended Sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; HO, H.; Fu, X.

2017-12-01

Multi-frequency acoustic measurement of suspended sediment has found successful applications in marine and fluvial environments. Difficult challenges remain in regard to improving its effectiveness and efficiency when applied to high concentrations and wide size distributions in rivers. We performed a multi-frequency acoustic scattering experiment in a cylindrical tank with a suspension of natural sands. The sands range from 50 to 600 μm in diameter with a lognormal size distribution. The bulk concentration of suspended sediment varied from 1.0 to 12.0 g/L. We found that the commonly used linear relationship between the intensity of acoustic backscatter and suspended sediment concentration holds only at sufficiently low concentrations, for instance below 3.0 g/L. It fails at a critical value of concentration that depends on measurement frequency and the distance between the transducer and the target point. Instead, an exponential relationship was found to work satisfactorily throughout the entire range of concentration. The coefficient and exponent of the exponential function changed, however, with the measuring frequency and distance. Considering the increased complexity of inverting the concentration values when an exponential relationship prevails, we further analyzed the relationship between measurement error and measuring frequency. It was also found that the inversion error may be effectively controlled within 5% if the frequency is properly set. Compared with concentration, grain size was found to heavily affect the selection of optimum frequency. A regression relationship for optimum frequency versus grain size was developed based on the experimental results.

Evaluating the antimicrobial activity of Nisin, Lysozyme and Ethylenediaminetetraacetate incorporated in starch based active food packaging film.

PubMed

Bhatia, Sugandha; Bharti, Anoop

2015-06-01

The pleothera of micro organisms obtained from contaminated food cultured in a starch broth was effectively tested against antibacterial agents, i.e. nisin, lysozyme and chelating agent EDTA. A variety of combination treatments of these antimicrobial agents and their incorporation in Starch based active packaging film according to their permissibility standards was done. 4 variables of Nisin concentration (ranging from 0 to 750 IU/ml), 3 variables of lysozyme concentration (ranging from 0 to 500 IU/ml) and 3 variables of EDTA concentration from (0 to 20 μM) were chosen. Bacterial inhibition by combination of different levels of different factors without antimicrobial films was evaluated using a liquid incubation method. The samples were assayed for turbidity at interval of 2, 4 and 24 h to check effectiveness of combined effects of antimicrobial agents which proved a transitory bactericidal effect for short incubation times. Zone of Inhibition was observed in the antimicrobial films prepared by agar diffusion method. Statistical analysis of experimental data for their antimicrobial spectrum was carried out by multi regression analysis and ANOVA using Design-Expert software to plot the final equation in terms of coded factors as antimicrobial agents. The experimental data indicated that the model was highly significant. Results were also evaluated graphically using response surface showing interactions between two factors, keeping other factor fixed at values at the center of domain. Synergy was also determined among antibacterial agents using the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index which was observed to be 0.56 supporting the hypothesis that nisin and EDTA function as partial synergistically. The presented work aimed to screen in quick fashion the combinatorial effect of three antimicrobial agents and evaluating their efficacy in anti microbial film development.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of salivary cortisol measurement in domestic canines.

PubMed

Cobb, M L; Iskandarani, K; Chinchilli, V M; Dreschel, N A

2016-10-01

Salivary cortisol is widely used as an indicator of stress and welfare in canine research. However, much remains unclear about the basic features of this hormone marker in domestic dogs. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine a reference range for cortisol concentration in the saliva of dogs and examine how canine characteristics, environmental effects and experimental considerations relate to salivary cortisol concentrations. A systematic review of literature databases and conference proceedings from 1992 to 2012 identified 61 peer-reviewed studies using domestic dog salivary cortisol. Researchers were contacted via email, and 31 raw data sets representing a total of 5,153 samples from 1,205 dogs were shared. Meta-analysis provided a cortisol concentration range of 0 to 33.79 μg/dL (mean 0.45 μg/dL, SEM 0.13). Significant effects (P < 0.05) were found for sex and neuter status, age, regular living environment, time in environment before testing, testing environment, owner presence during testing, and collection media. Significant effects were not found for dog breed, body weight, dog type, coat color, assay type, exercise, eating, or use of salivary stimulant. Care should be taken when using cortisol studies for dogs at a group or population level as there is a large amount of intraindividual and interindividual variability and external variables could influence salivary cortisol concentration. This analysis highlights the importance of carefully controlling experimental design to compare samples within and between individual dogs, as well as establishing and using best practices for saliva collection. Caution should be exercised in comparing different studies, as the results could be the reflection of a plethora of factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fossil bryophytes as recorders of ancient CO2 levels: Experimental evidence and a Cretaceous case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Benjamin J.; Beerling, David J.; Brentnall, Stuart J.; Royer, Dana L.

2005-09-01

Biological and geochemical CO2 proxies provide critical constraints on understanding the role of atmospheric CO2 in driving climate change during Earth history. As no single existing CO2 proxy is without its limitations, there is a clear need for new approaches to reconstructing past CO2 concentrations. Here we develop a new pre-Quaternary CO2 proxy based on the stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of astomatous land plants. In a series of CO2-controlled laboratory experiments, we show that the carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) of a range of bryophyte (liverwort and moss) species increases with atmospheric CO2 across the range 375 to 6000 ppm. Separate experiments establish that variations in growth temperature, water content and substrate type have minor impacts on the Δ13C of liverworts but not mosses, indicating the greater potential of liverworts to faithfully record past variations in CO2. A mechanistic model for calculating past CO2 concentrations from bryophyte Δ13C (White et al., 1994) is extended and calibrated using our experimental results. The potential for fossil liverworts to record past CO2 changes is investigated by analyzing the δ13C of specimens collected from Alexander Island, Antarctica dating to the "greenhouse" world of the mid-Cretaceous. Our analysis and isotopic model yield mid-Cretaceous CO2 concentrations of 1000-1400 ppm, in general agreement with independent proxy data and long-term carbon cycle models. The exceptionally long evolutionary history of bryophytes offers the possibility of reconstructing CO2 concentrations back to the mid-Ordovician, pre-dating all currently used quantitative CO2 proxies.

Measurement and modeling of indoor air pollution in rural households with multiple stove interventions in Yunnan, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Zohir; Campanella, Luke; Gray, Christen; Al Masud, Abdullah; Marter-Kenyon, Jessica; Pennise, David; Charron, Dana; Zuzhang, Xia

2013-03-01

In the developing world, indoor air pollution (IAP) created from solid fuel used in traditional biomass cook stoves is a leading contributor of poor respiratory health, global burden of disease, and greenhouse pollutant emissions. In the present study, we piloted an experimental cross-sectional monitoring and evaluation design with 30 households in rural Lijiang and Deqin counties in northwest Yunnan province, China. This approach offers the ability to examine the effectiveness of improved cook stove (ICS) programs with a much smaller sample size than the typical population based pre- and post-intervention study that requires a large sample representative of the population. Continuous PM2.5 was measured with the UCB (currently known as UCB-PATS) and the TSI DustTrak and continuous CO was measured with the HOBO CO logger. Using the traditional method of cooking and heating, mean 24-h PM2.5 and CO concentrations in the kitchen were measured in the range of 0.15-0.71 mg m-3 for PM2.5 and 3.0-11 ppm for CO. These concentrations were compared to using a combination of improved stoves in the kitchen where PM2.5 and CO concentrations were measured in the range of 0.08-0.18 mg m-3 for PM2.5 and 0.7-5.5 ppm for CO. These concentrations yielded statistically significant reduction in IAP when replacing the traditional fireplace or traditional stove with an improved stove combination. Finally, we show a strong correlation between CO and PM2.5 (R2 = 0.72-0.76). The combination of this experimental design along with the monitoring and evaluation protocol presented here may provide a robust framework to rapidly assess the effectiveness of ICS interventions in progress.

Distribution and grain-size partitioning of metals in bovfom sediments of an experimentally acidified Wisconsin lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, John F.

2007-01-01

A study of concentrations and distribution of major and trace elements in surficial bottom sediments of Little Rock Lake in northern Wisconsin included examination of spatial variation and grain-size effects. No significant differences with respect to metal distribution in sediments were observed between the two basins of the lake, despite the experimental acidification of one of the basins from pH 6.1 to 4.6. The concentrations of most elements in the lake sediments were generally similar to soil concentrations in the area and were well below sediment quality criteria. Two exceptions were lead and zinc, whose concentrations in July 1990 exceeded the criteria of 50 μg/g and 100 μg/g, respectively, in both littoral and pelagic sediments. Concentrations of some elements, particularly Cu, Pb, and Zn, increased along transects from nearshore to midlake, following a similar gradient of sedimentary organic carbon. In contrast, Mn, Fe, and alkali/alkaline-earth elements were at maximum concentrations in nearshore sediments. These elements are less likely to partition to organic particles, and their distribution is more dependent on mineralogical composition, grain size, and other factors. Element concentrations varied among different sediment grain-size fractions, although a simple inverse relation to grain size was not observed. Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were more concentrated in a grain-size range 20–60 tm than in either the very fine or the coarse fractions, possibly because of the aggregation of smaller particles cemented together by organic and Fe/Mn hydrous-oxide coatings.

Determination of uptake kinetics (sampling rates) by lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huckins, J.N.; Petty, J.D.; Orazio, C.E.; Lebo, J.A.; Clark, R.C.; Gibson, V.L.; Gala, W.R.; Echols, K.R.

1999-01-01

The use of lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) is becoming commonplace, but very little sampling rate data are available for the estimation of ambient contaminant concentrations from analyte levels in exposed SPMDs. We determined the aqueous sampling rates (R(s)s; expressed as effective volumes of water extracted daily) of the standard (commercially available design) 1-g triolein SPMD for 15 of the priority pollutant (PP) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at multiple temperatures and concentrations. Under the experimental conditions of this study, recovery- corrected R(s) values for PP PAHs ranged from ???1.0 to 8.0 L/d. These values would be expected to be influenced by significant changes (relative to this study) in water temperature, degree of biofouling, and current velocity- turbulence. Included in this paper is a discussion of the effects of temperature and octanol-water partition coefficient (K(ow)); the impacts of biofouling and hydrodynamics are reported separately. Overall, SPMDs responded proportionally to aqueous PAH concentrations; i.e., SPMD R(s) values and SPMD-water concentration factors were independent of aqueous concentrations. Temperature effects (10, 18, and 26 ??C) on Rs values appeared to be complex but were relatively small.The use of lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) is becoming commonplace, but very little sampling rate data are available for the estimation of ambient contaminant concentrations from analyte levels in exposed SPMDs. We determined the aqueous sampling rates (Rss; expressed as effective volumes of water extracted daily) of the standard (commercially available design) 1-g triolein SPMD for 15 of the priority pollutant (PP) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at multiple temperatures and concentrations. Under the experimental conditions of this study, recovery-corrected Rs values for PP PAHs ranged from ???1.0 to 8.0 L/d. These values would be expected to be influenced by significant changes (relative to this study) in water temperature, degree of biofouling, and current velocity-turbulence. Included in this paper is a discussion of the effects of temperature and octanol-water partition coefficient (KOW); the impacts of biofouling and hydrodynamics are reported separately. Overall, SPMDs responded proportionally to aqueous PAH concentrations; i.e., SPMD RS values and SPMD-water concentration factors were independent of aqueous concentrations. Temperature effects (10, 18, and 26??C) on RS values appeared to be complex but were relatively small.

An Electrochemical Gas Biosensor Based on Enzymes Immobilized on Chromatography Paper for Ethanol Vapor Detection.

PubMed

Kuretake, Tatsumi; Kawahara, Shogo; Motooka, Masanobu; Uno, Shigeyasu

2017-02-01

This paper presents a novel method of fabricating an enzymatic biosensor for breath analysis using chromatography paper as enzyme supporting layer and a liquid phase layer on top of screen printed carbon electrodes. We evaluated the performance with ethanol vapor being one of the breathing ingredients. The experimental results show that our sensor is able to measure the concentration of ethanol vapor within the range of 50 to 500 ppm. These results suggest the ability of detecting breath ethanol, and it can possibly be applied as a generic vapor biosensor to a wide range of diseases.

Long-Range Self-Assembly via the Mutual Lorentz Force of Plasmon Radiation.

PubMed

Ji, Haojie; Trevino, Jacob; Tu, Raymond; Knapp, Ellen; McQuade, James; Yurkiv, Vitaliy; Mashayek, Farzad; Vuong, Luat T

2018-04-11

Long-range interactions often proceed as a sequence of hopping through intermediate, statistically favored events. Here, we demonstrate predictable mechanical dynamics of particles that arise from the Lorentz force between plasmons. Even if the radiation is weak, the nonconservative Lorentz force produces stable locations perpendicular to the plasmon oscillation; over time, distinct patterns emerge. Experimentally, linearly polarized light illumination leads to the formation of 80 nm diameter Au nanoparticle chains, perpendicularly aligned, with lengths that are orders of magnitude greater than their plasmon near-field interaction. There is a critical intensity threshold and optimal concentration for observing self-assembly.

Novel glucose fiber sensor combining ThFBG with GOD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mengmeng; Zhou, Ciming; Fan, Dian; Ou, Yiwen

2016-10-01

We propose a novel glucose fiber optic sensor combining a thinned cladding fiber Bragg grating (ThFBG) with glucose oxidase (GOD). By immobilizing GOD on the surface of a ThFBG, the fabricated sensor can obtain a high specificity to glucose. Because of the evanescent field, the sensor is very sensitive to the ambient refractive index change arising from the catalytic reaction between glucose and GOD. A four-level fiber model was simulated and verified the precision of the sensing principle. Two methods, glutaraldehyde crosslinking method (GCM) and 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane covalent coupling method (ATCCM), were experimentally utilized to immobilize GOD. And sensor fabricated with the method ATCCM shows a measurement range of 0-0.82 mg/mL which is better than the sensor fabricated with the method GCM with measurement range of 0-0.67 mg/mL under the same condition. By using ATCCM to immobilize GOD with different concentrations, three sensors were fabricated and used for glucose measurement by monitoring the Bragg wavelength (λb) shifts, the results indicate a good linear relationship between wavelength shift and glucose concentration within a specific range, and the measurement range increases as GOD concentration increases. The highest sensitivity of sensor reaches up to 0.0549 nm/(mg.mL-1). The proposed sensor has distinct advantages in sensing structure, cost and specificity.

Structure and dynamics of propylammonium nitrate-acetonitrile mixtures: An intricate multi-scale system probed with experimental and theoretical techniques.

PubMed

Campetella, Marco; Mariani, Alessandro; Sadun, Claudia; Wu, Boning; Castner, Edward W; Gontrani, Lorenzo

2018-04-07

In this article, we report the study of structural and dynamical properties for a series of acetonitrile/propylammonium nitrate mixtures as a function of their composition. These systems display an unusual increase in intensity in their X-ray diffraction patterns in the low-q regime, and their 1 H-NMR diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) spectra display unusual diffusivities. However, the magnitude of both phenomena for mixtures of propylammonium nitrate is smaller than those observed for ethylammonium nitrate mixtures with the same cosolvent, suggesting that the cation alkyl tail plays an important role in these observations. The experimental X-ray scattering data are compared with the results of molecular dynamics simulations, including both ab initio studies used to interpret short-range interactions and classical simulations to describe longer range interactions. The higher level calculations highlight the presence of a strong hydrogen bond network within the ionic liquid, only slightly perturbed even at high acetonitrile concentration. These strong interactions lead to the symmetry breaking of the NO 3 - vibrations, with a splitting of about 88 cm -1 in the ν 3 antisymmetric stretch. The classical force field simulations use a greater number of ion pairs, but are not capable of fully describing the longest range interactions, although they do successfully account for the observed concentration trend, and the analysis of the models confirms the nano-inhomogeneity of these kinds of samples.

Structure and dynamics of propylammonium nitrate-acetonitrile mixtures: An intricate multi-scale system probed with experimental and theoretical techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campetella, Marco; Mariani, Alessandro; Sadun, Claudia; Wu, Boning; Castner, Edward W.; Gontrani, Lorenzo

2018-04-01

In this article, we report the study of structural and dynamical properties for a series of acetonitrile/propylammonium nitrate mixtures as a function of their composition. These systems display an unusual increase in intensity in their X-ray diffraction patterns in the low-q regime, and their 1H-NMR diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) spectra display unusual diffusivities. However, the magnitude of both phenomena for mixtures of propylammonium nitrate is smaller than those observed for ethylammonium nitrate mixtures with the same cosolvent, suggesting that the cation alkyl tail plays an important role in these observations. The experimental X-ray scattering data are compared with the results of molecular dynamics simulations, including both ab initio studies used to interpret short-range interactions and classical simulations to describe longer range interactions. The higher level calculations highlight the presence of a strong hydrogen bond network within the ionic liquid, only slightly perturbed even at high acetonitrile concentration. These strong interactions lead to the symmetry breaking of the NO3 - vibrations, with a splitting of about 88 cm-1 in the ν3 antisymmetric stretch. The classical force field simulations use a greater number of ion pairs, but are not capable of fully describing the longest range interactions, although they do successfully account for the observed concentration trend, and the analysis of the models confirms the nano-inhomogeneity of these kinds of samples.

[Blood detoxification using superparamagnetic nanoparticles (magnetic hemodialysis)].

PubMed

Ciochină, Al D; Untu, Alina; Iacob, Gh

2010-01-01

The authors present an experimental study realized in order to simulate blood detoxification with the help of supermagnetic nanoparticles. The particles used are red oxide nanoparticles which are considered to be equivalent from a magnetic susceptibility and dynamic diameter point of view to the complex structures of magnetite nanoparticles. Two types of custom HGMS matrices have been used--a threaded one and a micro-spheres one. For testing red oxide particles have been purposefully created to have a lower magnetic susceptibility than magnetite or iron-carbon particles used in other experimental studies. Different concentrations of iron oxide, glycerine and water have been prepared, creating a 3.5 cP viscosity (equivalent to the one of the blood); the concentrations of the prepared solutions varied between 0.16 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL, with the background magnetic field value ranging from 0.25 T to 0.9 T, in order to observer the effectiveness of filtering at different intensities. The efficiency of HGMS filtering in experimental conditions was almost completely successful (99.99%) in all experimental conditions, both with the threaded and micro-spheres matrices. The high gradient magnetic separation system of nanoparticles has maximum efficiency and has the potential of being implemented in a medical blood detoxification device.

Flat plate solar collector for water pre-heating using concentrated solar power (CSP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peris, Leonard Sunny; Shekh, Md. Al Amin; Sarker, Imran

2017-12-01

Numerous attempt and experimental conduction on different methods to harness energy from renewable sources are being conducted. This study is a contribution to the purpose of harnessing solar energy as a renewable source by using flat plate solar collector medium to preheat water. Basic theory of solar radiation and heat convection in water (working fluid) has been combined with heat conduction process by using copper tubes and aluminum absorber plate in a closed conduit, covered with a glazed through glass medium. By this experimental conduction, a temperature elevation of 35°C in 10 minutes duration which is of 61.58% efficiency range (maximum) has been achieved. The obtained data and experimental findings are validated with the theoretical formulation and an experimental demonstration model. A cost effective and simple form of heat energy extraction method for space heating/power generation has been thoroughly discussed with possible industrial implementation possibilities. Under-developed and developing countries can take this work as an illustration for renewable energy utilization for sustainable energy prospect. Also a full structure based data to derive concentrated solar energy in any geographical location of Bangladesh has been outlined in this study. These research findings can contribute to a large extent for setting up any solar based power plant in Bangladesh irrespective of its installation type.

Vortex-assisted surfactant-enhanced emulsification microextraction combined with LC-MS/MS for the determination of glucocorticoids in water with the aid of experimental design.

PubMed

Asati, Ankita; Satyanarayana, G N V; Patel, Devendra K

2017-04-01

An efficient and inexpensive method using vortex-assisted surfactant-enhanced emulsification microextraction (VASEME) based on solidification of floating organic droplet coupled with ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry is proposed for the analysis of glucocorticoids in water samples (river water and hospital wastewater). VASEME was optimized by the experimental validation of Plackett-Burman design and central composite design, which has been co-related to experimental design. Plackett-Burman design showed that factors such as vortex time, surfactant concentration, and pH significantly affect the extraction efficiency of the method. Method validation was characterized by an acceptable calibration range of 1-1000 ng L -1 , and the limit of detection was in the range from 2.20 to 8.12 ng L -1 for glucocorticoids. The proposed method was applied to determine glucocorticoids in river water and hospital wastewater in Lucknow, India. It is reliable and rapid and has potential application for analysis of glucocorticoids in environmental aqueous samples. Graphical Abstract Low density based extraction of gluococorticoids by using design of experiment.

Performance and heat transfer characteristics of a carbon monoxide/oxygen rocket engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane L.

1993-01-01

The combustion and heat transfer characteristics of a carbon monoxide and oxygen rocket engine were evaluated. The test hardware consisted of a calorimeter combustion chamber with a heat sink nozzle and an eighteen element concentric tube injector. Experimental results are given at chamber pressures of 1070 and 3070 kPa, and over a mixture ratio range of 0.3 to 1.0. Experimental C efficiency was between 95 and 96.5 percent. Heat transfer results are discussed both as a function of mixture ratio and axial distance in the chamber. They are also compared to a Nusselt number correlation for fully developed turbulent flow.

Size dependence of the propulsion velocity for catalytic Janus-sphere swimmers.

PubMed

Ebbens, Stephen; Tu, Mei-Hsien; Howse, Jonathan R; Golestanian, Ramin

2012-02-01

The propulsion velocity of active colloids that asymmetrically catalyze a chemical reaction is probed experimentally as a function of their sizes. It is found that over the experimentally accessible range, the velocity decays as a function of size, with a rate that is compatible with an inverse size dependence. A diffusion-reaction model for the concentrations of the fuel and waste molecules that takes into account a two-step process for the asymmetric catalytic activity on the surface of the colloid is shown to predict a similar behavior for colloids at the large size limit, with a saturation for smaller sizes. © 2012 American Physical Society

Clinical concentrations of chemically diverse general anesthetics minimally affect lipid bilayer properties.

PubMed

Herold, Karl F; Sanford, R Lea; Lee, William; Andersen, Olaf S; Hemmings, Hugh C

2017-03-21

General anesthetics have revolutionized medicine by facilitating invasive procedures, and have thus become essential drugs. However, detailed understanding of their molecular mechanisms remains elusive. A mechanism proposed over a century ago involving unspecified interactions with the lipid bilayer known as the unitary lipid-based hypothesis of anesthetic action, has been challenged by evidence for direct anesthetic interactions with a range of proteins, including transmembrane ion channels. Anesthetic concentrations in the membrane are high (10-100 mM), however, and there is no experimental evidence ruling out a role for the lipid bilayer in their ion channel effects. A recent hypothesis proposes that anesthetic-induced changes in ion channel function result from changes in bilayer lateral pressure that arise from partitioning of anesthetics into the bilayer. We examined the effects of a broad range of chemically diverse general anesthetics and related nonanesthetics on lipid bilayer properties using an established fluorescence assay that senses drug-induced changes in lipid bilayer properties. None of the compounds tested altered bilayer properties sufficiently to produce meaningful changes in ion channel function at clinically relevant concentrations. Even supra-anesthetic concentrations caused minimal bilayer effects, although much higher (toxic) concentrations of certain anesthetic agents did alter lipid bilayer properties. We conclude that general anesthetics have minimal effects on bilayer properties at clinically relevant concentrations, indicating that anesthetic effects on ion channel function are not bilayer-mediated but rather involve direct protein interactions.

Adsorption and Depletion Regimes of a Nonionic Surfactant in Hydrophilic Mesopores: An Experimental and Simulation Study

DOE PAGES

Müter, Dirk; Rother, Gernot; Bock, Henry; ...

2017-08-15

Adsorption and aggregation of nonionic surfactants at oxide surfaces has been studied extensively in the past, but only for concentrations below and near the critical micelle concentration. In this paper, we report an adsorption study of a short-chain surfactant (C 6E 3) in porous silica glass of different pore sizes (7.5 to 50 nm), covering a wide composition range up to 50 wt % in a temperature range from 20 °C to the LCST. Aggregative adsorption is observed at low concentrations, but the excess concentration of C 6E 3 in the pores decreases and approaches zero at higher bulk concentrations.more » Strong depletion of surfactant (corresponding to enrichment of water in the pores) is observed in materials with wide pores at high bulk concentrations. We propose an explanation for the observed pore-size dependence of the azeotropic point. Mesoscale simulations based on dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) were performed to reveal the structural origin of this transition from the adsorption to the depletion regime. The simulated adsorption isotherms reproduce the behavior found in the 7.5 nm pores. Finally, the calculated bead density profiles indicate that the repulsive interaction of surfactant head groups causes a depletion of surfactant in the region around the corona of the surface micelles.« less

Toxicity profiling of water contextual zinc oxide, silver, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in human oral and gastrointestinal cell systems.

PubMed

Giovanni, Marcella; Tay, Chor Yong; Setyawati, Magdiel Inggrid; Xie, Jianping; Ong, Choon Nam; Fan, Rongli; Yue, Junqi; Zhang, Lifeng; Leong, David Tai

2015-12-01

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are increasingly detected in water supply due to environmental release of ENPs as the by-products contained within the effluent of domestic and industrial run-off. The partial recycling of water laden with ENPs, albeit at ultra-low concentrations, may pose an uncharacterized threat to human health. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of three prevalent ENPs: zinc oxide, silver, and titanium dioxide over a wide range of concentrations that encompasses drinking water-relevant concentrations, to cellular systems representing oral and gastrointestinal tissues. Based on published in silico-predicted water-relevant ENPs concentration range from 100 pg/L to 100 µg/L, we detected no cytotoxicity to all the cellular systems. Significant cytotoxicity due to the NPs set in around 100 mg/L with decreasing extent of toxicity from zinc oxide to silver to titanium dioxide NPs. We also found that noncytotoxic zinc oxide NPs level of 10 mg/L could elevate the intracellular oxidative stress. The threshold concentrations of NPs that induced cytotoxic effect are at least two to five orders of magnitude higher than the permissible concentrations of the respective metals and metal oxides in drinking water. Based on these findings, the current estimated levels of NPs in potable water pose little cytotoxic threat to the human oral and gastrointestinal systems within our experimental boundaries. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of pH and nitrite concentration on nitrite oxidation rate.

PubMed

Jiménez, E; Giménez, J B; Ruano, M V; Ferrer, J; Serralta, J

2011-10-01

The effect of pH and nitrite concentration on the activity of the nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in an activated sludge reactor has been determined by means of laboratory batch experiments based on respirometric techniques. The bacterial activity was measured at different pH and at different total nitrite concentrations (TNO₂). The experimental results showed that the nitrite oxidation rate (NOR) depends on the TNO₂ concentration independently of the free nitrous acid (FNA) concentration, so FNA cannot be considered as the real substrate for NOB. NOB were strongly affected by low pH values (no activity was detected at pH 6.5) but no inhibition was observed at high pH values (activity was nearly the same for the pH range 7.5-9.95). A kinetic expression for nitrite oxidation process including switch functions to model the effect of TNO₂ concentration and pH inhibition is proposed. Substrate half saturation constant and pH inhibition constants have been obtained. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of egg yolk antibody (IgY) as an immunoanalytical tool in the detection of Indian cobra (Naja naja naja) venom in biological samples of forensic origin.

PubMed

Brunda, G; Sashidhar, R B; Sarin, R K

2006-08-01

An immunoglobulin Y (IgY) based indirect double antibody sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of Indian cobra (Naja naja naja) venom in the biological samples of forensic origin. Polyclonal antibodies were raised and purified from chick egg yolk and rabbit serum. The cobra venom was sandwiched between immobilized affinity purified IgY and the rabbit IgG. The detection concentration of cobra venom was in the range of 0.1 to 300ng. The calibration plot was based on linear regression analysis (y=0.2581x+0.4375, r(2)=0.9886). The limit of detection of the assay was found to be 0.1ng. The coefficient of variation (CV) of different concentrations of working range in inter (n=6) and intra-assay (n=6) was observed to be less than 10%. The recovery of venom was found to be in the range of 80-99%, when different concentrations (0.002, 0.1, 0.2, 1, and 2microg) of cobra venom were spiked to pooled normal human serum (ml(-1)). No cross reactivity was observed with krait and viper venom in the immunoassay system in the concentration range of 0.1-1000ng. The method was initially, validated by analyzing specimens (autopsy) of experimental rats injected with cobra venom (1.2mgkg(-1) body mass). Further, human specimens (autopsy and biopsy) of snake bite victims of forensic origin were also analyzed. The methodology developed may find diagnostic application in forensic laboratories.

Design and Initial Characterization of the SC-200 Proteomics Standard Mixture

PubMed Central

Bauman, Andrew; Higdon, Roger; Rapson, Sean; Loiue, Brenton; Hogan, Jason; Stacy, Robin; Napuli, Alberto; Guo, Wenjin; van Voorhis, Wesley; Roach, Jared; Lu, Vincent; Landorf, Elizabeth; Stewart, Elizabeth; Kolker, Natali; Collart, Frank; Myler, Peter; van Belle, Gerald

2011-01-01

Abstract High-throughput (HTP) proteomics studies generate large amounts of data. Interpretation of these data requires effective approaches to distinguish noise from biological signal, particularly as instrument and computational capacity increase and studies become more complex. Resolving this issue requires validated and reproducible methods and models, which in turn requires complex experimental and computational standards. The absence of appropriate standards and data sets for validating experimental and computational workflows hinders the development of HTP proteomics methods. Most protein standards are simple mixtures of proteins or peptides, or undercharacterized reference standards in which the identity and concentration of the constituent proteins is unknown. The Seattle Children's 200 (SC-200) proposed proteomics standard mixture is the next step toward developing realistic, fully characterized HTP proteomics standards. The SC-200 exhibits a unique modular design to extend its functionality, and consists of 200 proteins of known identities and molar concentrations from 6 microbial genomes, distributed into 10 molar concentration tiers spanning a 1,000-fold range. We describe the SC-200's design, potential uses, and initial characterization. We identified 84% of SC-200 proteins with an LTQ-Orbitrap and 65% with an LTQ-Velos (false discovery rate = 1% for both). There were obvious trends in success rate, sequence coverage, and spectral counts with protein concentration; however, protein identification, sequence coverage, and spectral counts vary greatly within concentration levels. PMID:21250827

Design and initial characterization of the SC-200 proteomics standard mixture.

PubMed

Bauman, Andrew; Higdon, Roger; Rapson, Sean; Loiue, Brenton; Hogan, Jason; Stacy, Robin; Napuli, Alberto; Guo, Wenjin; van Voorhis, Wesley; Roach, Jared; Lu, Vincent; Landorf, Elizabeth; Stewart, Elizabeth; Kolker, Natali; Collart, Frank; Myler, Peter; van Belle, Gerald; Kolker, Eugene

2011-01-01

High-throughput (HTP) proteomics studies generate large amounts of data. Interpretation of these data requires effective approaches to distinguish noise from biological signal, particularly as instrument and computational capacity increase and studies become more complex. Resolving this issue requires validated and reproducible methods and models, which in turn requires complex experimental and computational standards. The absence of appropriate standards and data sets for validating experimental and computational workflows hinders the development of HTP proteomics methods. Most protein standards are simple mixtures of proteins or peptides, or undercharacterized reference standards in which the identity and concentration of the constituent proteins is unknown. The Seattle Children's 200 (SC-200) proposed proteomics standard mixture is the next step toward developing realistic, fully characterized HTP proteomics standards. The SC-200 exhibits a unique modular design to extend its functionality, and consists of 200 proteins of known identities and molar concentrations from 6 microbial genomes, distributed into 10 molar concentration tiers spanning a 1,000-fold range. We describe the SC-200's design, potential uses, and initial characterization. We identified 84% of SC-200 proteins with an LTQ-Orbitrap and 65% with an LTQ-Velos (false discovery rate = 1% for both). There were obvious trends in success rate, sequence coverage, and spectral counts with protein concentration; however, protein identification, sequence coverage, and spectral counts vary greatly within concentration levels.

Partitioning of Re and Os between liquid metal and magnesiowüstite at high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortenfant, S. S.; Rubie, D. C.; Reid, J.; Dalpé, C.; Capmas, F.; Gessmann, C. K.

2003-09-01

In order to study the partitioning of Re and Os between liquid iron-rich alloy and magnesiowüstite at high pressure, multi-anvil experiments have been performed on samples of Fe-Ni-Os-Re-O (4-8 wt.% Os and 4-12 wt.% Re) metal contained in MgO single crystal capsules. The range of pressure-temperature conditions was 5-10 GPa and 1900-2200 °C with experimental run durations of 6-30 min. During the experiments, the MgO reacted with the liquid metal to form magnesiowüstite. Compositions of the quenched liquid metal and the FeO, MgO and NiO contents of magnesiowüstite were determined by electron microprobe. Re and Os concentrations in magnesiowüstite were determined by LA-ICP-MS using a Re-Os-doped silicate glass standard. Based on the experimental results and assuming a valence of +2 for both Re and Os in magnesiowüstite, liquid metal-magnesiowüstite distribution coefficients ( KDmet/mw) are 60-240 for Re and 1.3×10 4 to 3.1×10 4 for Os. Within the uncertainties, there is no observable effect of either temperature or pressure on the partitioning of Re and Os over the range of experimental conditions. However, the values are very low compare to metal-silicate KDmet/mw values determined at 1 bar and 1400 °C (3×10 9 for Re and 7×10 6 for Os [Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 65 (2001) 2161; Am. Mineral. 85 (2000) 912]). KDmet/mw values, assuming core-mantle equilibrium, are estimated to be ˜68 for both elements. Thus, although mantle concentrations of Re may be explained by core-mantle equilibration at high pressure and temperature, the experimentally determined distribution coefficients for Os are several orders of magnitude too high. Our results are therefore consistent with the "late veneer" hypothesis as an explanation for the mantle concentrations of highly siderophile elements. However, a consequence of the late veneer would be domains in the deep mantle with suprachondritic Re/Os ratios.

Risk analysis of the thermal sterilization process. Analysis of factors affecting the thermal resistance of microorganisms.

PubMed

Akterian, S G; Fernandez, P S; Hendrickx, M E; Tobback, P P; Periago, P M; Martinez, A

1999-03-01

A risk analysis was applied to experimental heat resistance data. This analysis is an approach for processing experimental thermobacteriological data in order to study the variability of D and z values of target microorganisms depending on the deviations range of environmental factors, to determine the critical factors and to specify their critical tolerance. This analysis is based on sets of sensitivity functions applied to a specific case of experimental data related to the thermoresistance of Clostridium sporogenes and Bacillus stearothermophilus spores. The effect of the following factors was analyzed: the type of target microorganism; nature of the heating substrate; pH, temperature; type of acid employed and NaCl concentration. The type of target microorganism to be inactivated, the nature of the substrate (reference or real food) and the heating temperature were identified as critical factors, determining about 90% of the alteration of the microbiological risk. The effect of the type of acid used for the acidification of products and the concentration of NaCl can be assumed to be negligible factors for the purposes of engineering calculations. The critical non-uniformity in temperature during thermobacteriological studies was set as 0.5% and the critical tolerances of pH value and NaCl concentration were 5%. These results are related to a specific case study, for that reason their direct generalization is not correct.

The ferromagnetic-spin glass transition in PdMn alloys: symmetry breaking of ferromagnetism and spin glass studied by a multicanonical method.

PubMed

Kato, Tomohiko; Saita, Takahiro

2011-03-16

The magnetism of Pd(1-x)Mn(x) is investigated theoretically. A localized spin model for Mn spins that interact with short-range antiferromagnetic interactions and long-range ferromagnetic interactions via itinerant d electrons is set up, with no adjustable parameters. A multicanonical Monte Carlo simulation, combined with a procedure of symmetry breaking, is employed to discriminate between the ferromagnetic and spin glass orders. The transition temperature and the low-temperature phase are determined from the temperature variation of the specific heat and the probability distributions of the ferromagnetic order parameter and the spin glass order parameter at different concentrations. The calculation results reveal that only the ferromagnetic phase exists at x < 0.02, that only the spin glass phase exists at x > 0.04, and that the two phases coexist at intermediate concentrations. This result agrees semi-quantitatively with experimental results.

Development and application of a method for Cr(III) determination in dairy products by HPLC-ICP-MS.

PubMed

Hernandez, Fanny; Jitaru, Petru; Cormant, Florence; Noël, Laurent; Guérin, Thierry

2018-02-01

This study describes the development of an analytical approach for the determination of Cr(III) in dairy products by microwave assisted extraction, complexation in situ by ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). The extraction step was optimised by using an experimental design. A limit of quantification of 38µgkg -1 dry weight (d.w.) was obtained whereas the bias (%) measured ranged from 10 to 18%. The repeatability and intermediate precision varied between 1.2-5.0% and 7.5-13.5%, respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of several dairy samples beforehand characterized in terms of Cr(VI) and total chromium (Cr total ). Cr(III) concentrations ranged from <13 to 255µgkg -1 d.w. The results showed a good agreement between Cr(III) and Cr total concentration levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Properties and Thermal Decomposition of Aqueous Solutions of 2-Amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1, 3-propanediol (AHPD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murshid, Ghulam; Shariff, Azmi Mohd; Lau, K. K.; Bustam, Mohammad Azmi; Ahmad, Faizan

2011-10-01

Physical properties such as density, viscosity, refractive index, surface tension, and thermal stability of 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol (AHPD) were experimentally measured. All the experimental measurements were made over a wide range of temperatures from (298.15 to 333.15) K and AHPD concentrations of (1, 7, 13, 19, and 25) mass%. An overall decrease in all the measured physical properties was observed with increasing temperature. The experimental results are presented as a function of temperature and AHPD mass fraction. All the measured physical properties were correlated as a function of temperature. Thermal decomposition of pure and aqueous solutions of AHPD was investigated using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) at a heating rate of 10 K · min-1.

In Situ Groundwater Denitrification in the Riparian Zone of a Short-Rotation Woody Crop Experimental Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffers, J. B.; Jackson, C. R.; Rau, B.; Pringle, C. M.; Matteson, C.

2017-12-01

The southeastern United States has potential to become a major producer of short rotation woody crops (SRWC) for the production of biofuels, but this will require converting to more intensive forest management practices that will increase nitrate (NO3-) loading and alter nitrogen cycling in nearby freshwater ecosystems. Water quality monitoring in an experimental short-rotation woody crop watershed in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina has shown increased concentrations of NO3- in groundwater but no evidence of increased NO3- in riparian groundwater or surface waters. Forested riparian areas established as streamside management zones (SMZ) are known to act as buffers to surface water bodies by mitigating nutrients. The objectives of this study were to quantify denitrification by measuring dinitrogen (N2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations along groundwater flow paths and analyze relationships between denitrification estimates, nutrients, and water chemistry parameters. A network of piezometers has been established in the Fourmile Experimental Watershed at the Department of Energy - Savannah River Site. Water samples were collected monthly and were analyzed for concentrations of nutrients (temperature, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, dissolved organic carbon) and dissolved gases (N2, Ar, N2O). Preliminary data showed greater dissolved N2O concentrations than dissolved N2 concentrations in groundwater. The ratios of N2O to combined end products of denitrification (N2O / N2O+N2) ranged from 0.33 to 0.99. Mean N2O+N2 concentrations were greater in groundwater samples in the SRWC plot and along the SMZ boundary than along the ephemeral stream within the riparian zone. Correlations between water chemistry parameters and N2 concentrations are indicative of known biogeochemical driving factors of denitrification. Continued monthly sampling will be coupled with analysis of nutrient concentrations (NO3-, NH4+, TN) to help determine transport and processing of NO3- and production of dissolved gases within the groundwater system. Use of hydrologic models combined with dissolved gas concentrations will provide estimates of denitrification rates and indirect gaseous emissions.

Effects of organic matter removal, soil compaction and vegetation control on 10th year biomass and foliar nutrition: LTSP continent-wide comparisons

Treesearch

Felix Ponder Jr.; Robert L. Fleming; Shannon Berch; Matt D. Busse; John D. Elioff; Paul W. Hazlett; Richard D. Kabzems; J. Marty Kranabetter; David M. Morris; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Brian J. Palik; Robert F. Powers; Felipe G. Sanchez; D. Andrew Scott; Richard H. Stagg; Douglas M. Stone; David H. Young; Jianwei Zhang; Kim H. Ludovici; Daniel W. McKenney; Debbie S Mossa; Paul T. Sanborn; Richard A. Voldseth

2012-01-01

We examined 10th year above-ground planted tree and total stand biomass, and planted tree foliar N and P concentrations across gradients in soil disturbance at 45 North American Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) installations. While ranging across several climate regions, these installations all share a common experimental design with similar measurement protocols....

Statistical optimization of culture conditions for bacterial cellulose production using Box-Behnken design.

PubMed

Bae, Sangok; Shoda, Makoto

2005-04-05

Culture conditions in a jar fermentor for bacterial cellulose (BC) production from A. xylinum BPR2001 were optimized by statistical analysis using Box-Behnken design. Response surface methodology was used to predict the levels of the factors, fructose (X1), corn steep liquor (CSL) (X2), dissolved oxygen (DO) (X3), and agar concentration (X4). Total 27 experimental runs by combination of each factor were carried out in a 10-L jar fermentor, and a three-dimensional response surface was generated to determine the effect of the factors and to find out the optimum concentration of each factor for maximum BC production and BC yield. The fructose and agar concentration highly influenced the BC production and BC yield. However, the optimum conditions according to changes in CSL and DO concentrations were predicted at almost central values of tested ranges. The predicted results showed that BC production was 14.3 g/L under the condition of 4.99% fructose, 2.85% CSL, 28.33% DO, and 0.38% agar concentration. On the other hand, BC yield was predicted in 0.34 g/g under the condition of 3.63% fructose, 2.90% CSL, 31.14% DO, and 0.42% agar concentration. Under optimized culture conditions, improvement of BC production and BC yield were experimentally confirmed, which increased 76% and 57%, respectively, compared to BC production and BC yield before optimizing the culture conditions. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Instrumentation and signal processing for the detection of heavy water using off axis-integrated cavity output spectroscopy technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, A.; Singh, P. J.; Gaikwad, D. Y.; Udupa, D. V.; Topkar, A.; Sahoo, N. K.

2018-02-01

An experimental setup is developed for the trace level detection of heavy water (HDO) using the off axis-integrated cavity output spectroscopy technique. The absorption spectrum of water samples is recorded in the spectral range of 7190.7 cm-1-7191.5 cm-1 with the diode laser as the light source. From the recorded water vapor absorption spectrum, the heavy water concentration is determined from the HDO and water line. The effect of cavity gain nonlinearity with per pass absorption is studied. The signal processing and data fitting procedure is devised to obtain linear calibration curves by including nonlinear cavity gain effects into the calculation. Initial calibration of mirror reflectivity is performed by measurements on the natural water sample. The signal processing and data fitting method has been validated by the measurement of the HDO concentration in water samples over a wide range from 20 ppm to 2280 ppm showing a linear calibration curve. The average measurement time is about 30 s. The experimental technique presented in this paper could be applied for the development of a portable instrument for the fast measurement of water isotopic composition in heavy water plants and for the detection of heavy water leak in pressurized heavy water reactors.

A highly selective electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polypyrrole-modified gold electrode for the determination of glyphosate in cucumber and tap water.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; She, Yongxin; Li, Tengfei; Zhao, Fengnian; Jin, Maojun; Guo, Yirong; Zheng, Lufei; Wang, Shanshan; Jin, Fen; Shao, Hua; Liu, Haijin; Wang, Jing

2017-12-01

An electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polypyrrole (MIPPy) was developed for selective and sensitive detection of the herbicide glyphosate (Gly) in cucumber and tap water samples. The sensor was prepared via synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers on a gold electrode in the presence of Gly as the template molecule and pyrrole as the functional monomer by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The sensor preparation conditions including the ratio of template to functional monomers, number of CV cycles in the electropolymerization process, the method of template removal, incubation time, and pH were optimized. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the DPV peak currents of hexacyanoferrate/hexacyanoferrite changed linearly with Gly concentration in the range from 5 to 800 ng mL -1 , with a detection limit of 0.27 ng mL -1 (S/N = 3). The sensor was used to detect the concentration of Gly in cucumber and tap water samples, with recoveries ranging from 72.70 to 98.96%. The proposed sensor showed excellent selectivity, good stability and reversibility, and could detect the Gly in real samples rapidly and sensitively. Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of the experimental procedure to detect Gly using the MIPPy electrode.

The effect of commonly used anticoccidials and antibiotics in a subclinical necrotic enteritis model.

PubMed

Lanckriet, A; Timbermont, L; De Gussem, M; Marien, M; Vancraeynest, D; Haesebrouck, F; Ducatelle, R; Van Immerseel, F

2010-02-01

Necrotic enteritis poses an important health risk to broilers. The ionophore anticoccidials lasalocid, salinomycin, maduramicin, narasin and a combination of narasin and nicarbazin were tested in feed for their prophylactic effect on the incidence of necrotic enteritis in a subclinical experimental infection model that uses coccidia as a predisposing factor. In addition, drinking water medication with the antibiotics amoxicillin, tylosin and lincomycin was evaluated as curative treatment in the same experimental model. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all antibiotics and anticoccidials were determined in vitro against 51 Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from broilers. The strains examined appeared uniformly susceptible to lasalocid, maduramicin, narasin, salinomycin, amoxicillin and tylosin, whereas an extended frequency distribution range of MICs for lincomycin was seen, indicating acquired resistance in 36 isolates in the higher range of MICs. Nicarbazin did not inhibit the in vitro growth of the C. perfringens strains even at a concentration of 128 microg/ml. Supplementation of the diet from day 1 onwards with lasalocid, salinomycin, narasin or maduramicin led to a reduction in birds with necrotic enteritis lesions as compared with the non-medicated infected control group. A combination product of narasin and nicarbazin had no significant protective effect. Treatment with amoxicillin, lincomycin and tylosin completely stopped the development of necrotic lesions.

Role of Er3+ concentration in high-resolution spectra of BaY2 F8 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baraldi, A.; Capelletti, R.; Mazzera, M.; Ponzoni, A.; Amoretti, G.; Magnani, N.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.

2005-08-01

Fourier transform absorption spectroscopy with a resolution as fine as 0.02cm-1 was applied to Er3+ -doped monoclinic BaY2F8 laser crystals in a wide wave number range (500-24000cm-1) and in the temperature range 9-300 K. The careful analysis of the complex narrow line spectra induced by Er3+ allowed us to determine with high accuracy the crystal field splitting of the fundamental I15/24 and of the excited I13/24 , I11/24 , I9/24 , F9/24 , S3/24 , H11/22 , F7/24 , F5/24 , and F3/24 manifolds. On the basis of the experimental data, the crystal-field parameters were determined and Newman’s superposition model was applied: in this way a slight displacement of Er3+ with respect to the Y3+ position was foreseen. The Judd-Ofelt parameters were evaluated: the lifetime values deduced from them were compared to the experimental ones and discussed. The effects caused by increasing Er3+ concentrations (0.5%, 2%, 12%, and 20% atomic fraction) were studied in detail. The new lines, the line broadening, and the line-shape changes were explained in terms of Er3+-Er3+ interaction.

Experimental investigation of TiO2/water nanofluid laminar forced convective heat transfer through helical coiled tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahani, M.; Zeinali Heris, S.; Mousavi, S. M.

2014-05-01

Coiled tubes and nanofludics are two significant techniques to enhance the heat transfer ability of thermal equipments. The forced convective heat transfer and the pressure drop of nanofluid inside straight tube and helical coiled one with a constant wall heat flux were studied experimentally. Distilled water was used as a host fluid and Nanofluids of aqueous TiO2 nanoparticles (50 nm) suspensions were prepared in various volume concentrations of 0.25-2 %. The heat transfer coefficient of nanofluids is obtained for different nanoparticle concentrations as well as various Reynolds numbers. The experiments covered a range of Reynolds number of 500-4,500. The results show the considerable enhancement of heat transfer rate, which is due to the nanoparticles present in the fluid. Heat transfer coefficient increases by increasing the volume concentration of nanoparticles as well as Reynolds number. Moreover, due to the curvature of the tube when fluid flows inside helical coiled tube instead of straight one, both convective heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop of fluid grow considerably. Also, the thermal performance factors for tested nanofluids are greater than unity and the maximum thermal performance factor of 3.72 is found with the use of 2.0 % volume concentration of nanofluid at Reynolds number of 1,750.

A comparison of simple rheological parameters and simulation data for Zymomonas mobilis fermentation broths with high substrate loading in a 3-L bioreactor.

PubMed

Um, Byung-Hwan; Hanley, Thomas R

2008-03-01

Traditionally, as much as 80% or more of an ethanol fermentation broth is water that must be removed. This mixture is not only costly to separate but also produces a large aqueous stream that must then be disposed of or recycled. Integrative approaches to water reduction include increasing the biomass concentration during fermentation. In this paper, experimental results are presented for the rheological behavior of high-solids enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation for biomass conversion using Solka Floc as the model feedstock. The experimental determination of the viscosity, shear stress, and shear rate relationships of the 10 to 20% slurry concentrations with constant enzyme concentrations are performed with a variable speed rotational viscometer (2.0 to 200 rpm) at 40 degrees C. The viscosities of enzymatic suspension observed were in range of 0.0418 to 0.0144, 0.233 to 0.0348, and 0.292 to 0.0447 Pa s for shear rates up to 100 reciprocal seconds at 10, 15, and 20% initial solids (w/v), respectively. Computational fluid dynamics analysis of bioreactor mixing demonstrates the change in bioreactor mixing with increasing biomass concentration. The portion-loading method is shown to be effective for processing high-solids slurries.

A Comparison of Simple Rheological Parameters and Simulation Data for Zymomonas mobilis Fermentation Broths with High Substrate Loading in a 3-L Bioreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Um, Byung-Hwan; Hanley, Thomas R.

Traditionally, as much as 80% or more of an ethanol fermentation broth is water that must be removed. This mixture is not only costly to separate but also produces a large aqueous stream that must then be disposed of or recycled. Integrative approaches to water reduction include increasing the biomass concentration during fermentation. In this paper, experimental results are presented for the rheological behavior of high-solids enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation for biomass conversion using Solka Floc as the model feedstock. The experimental determination of the viscosity, shear stress, and shear rate relationships of the 10 to 20% slurry concentrations with constant enzyme concentrations are performed with a variable speed rotational viscometer (2.0 to 200 rpm) at 40 °C. The viscosities of enzymatic suspension observed were in range of 0.0418 to 0.0144, 0.233 to 0.0348, and 0.292 to 0.0447 Pa s for shear rates up to 100 reciprocal seconds at 10, 15, and 20% initial solids (w/v), respectively. Computational fluid dynamics analysis of bioreactor mixing demonstrates the change in bioreactor mixing with increasing biomass concentration. The portion-loading method is shown to be effective for processing highsolids slurries.

Concentration of small ring structures in vitreous silica from a first-principles analysis of the Raman spectrum.

PubMed

Umari, P; Gonze, Xavier; Pasquarello, Alfredo

2003-01-17

Using a first-principles approach, we calculate Raman spectra for a model structure of vitreous silica. We develop a perturbational method for calculating the dielectric tensor in an ultrasoft pseudopotential scheme and obtain Raman coupling tensors by finite differences with respect to atomic displacements. For frequencies below 1000 cm(-1), the parallel-polarized Raman spectrum of vitreous silica is dominated by oxygen bending motions, showing a strong sensitivity to the intermediate range structure. By modeling the Raman coupling, we derive estimates for the concentrations of three- and four-membered rings from the experimental intensities of the Raman defect lines.

One-to-one comparison of sunscreen efficacy, aesthetics and potential nanotoxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, Amanda S.

2010-04-01

Numerous reports have described the superior properties of nanoparticles and their diverse range of applications. Issues of toxicity, workplace safety and environmental impact have also been a concern. Here we show a theoretical comparison of how the size of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and their concentration in sunscreens can affect efficacy, aesthetics and potential toxicity from free radical production. The simulation results reveal that, unless very small nanoparticles can be shown to be safe, there is no combination of particle size and concentration that will deliver optimal performance in terms of sun protection and aesthetics. Such a theoretical method complements well the experimental approach for identifying these characteristics.

Ultrasensitive spectroscopy based on photonic waveguides on Al2O3/SiO2 platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidari, Elham; Xu, Xiaochuan; Tang, Naimei; Mokhtari-Koushyar, Farzad; Dalir, Hamed; Chen, Ray T.

2018-02-01

Here a photonic waveguide on Al2O3/SiO2 platform is proposed to cover the 240 320 nm wavelength-range, which is of paramount significance in protein and nuclei acid quantification. Our optical waveguide increases path-length and overlap integration for light-matter interaction with proteins. The proposed system detects one order less proteins concentration as low as 12.5 μg/ml compared with NanoDropTM that detects <125 μg/ml. Also, a linear absorbance change up to protein concentration of 7500 μg/ml is experimentally attained which is based on the Beer-Lambert-law.

Rheological properties of the product slurry of the Nitrate to Ammonia and Ceramic (NAC) process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muguercia, I.; Yang, G.; Ebadian, M.A.

The Nitrate to Ammonia and Ceramic (NAC) process is an innovative technology for immobilizing the liquid from Low Level radioactive Waste (LLW). An experimental study was conducted to measure the rheological properties of the pipe flow of the NAC product slurry. Test results indicate that the NAC product slurry has a profound rheological behavior. At low solids concentration, the slurry exhibits a typical dilatant fluid (or shear thinning)fluid. The transition from dilatant fluid to pseudo-plastic fluid will occur at between 25% to 30% solids concentration in temperature ranges of 50--80{degree}C. Correlation equations are developed based on the test data.

Gaseous emissions from the combustion of a waste mixture containing a high concentration of N2O.

PubMed

Dong, Changqing; Yang, Yongping; Zhang, Junjiao; Lu, Xuefeng

2009-01-01

This paper is focused on reducing the emissions from the combustion of a waste mixture containing a high concentration of N2O. A rate model and an equilibrium model were used to predict gaseous emissions from the combustion of the mixture. The influences of temperature and methane were considered, and the experimental research was carried out in a tabular reactor and a pilot combustion furnace. The results showed that for the waste mixture, the combustion temperature should be in the range of 950-1100 degrees C and the gas residence time should be 2s or higher to reduce emissions.

Simultaneous Measurements of Temperature and Major Species Concentration in a Hydrocarbon-Fueled Dual Mode Scramjet Using WIDECARS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, Emanuela Carolina Angela

Width increased dual-pump enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (WIDECARS) measurements were conducted in a McKenna air-ethylene premixed burner, at nominal equivalence ratio range between 0.55 and 2.50 to provide quantitative measurements of six major combustion species (C2H 4, N2, O2, H2, CO, CO2) concentration and temperature simultaneously. The purpose of this test was to investigate the uncertainties in the experimental and spectral modeling methods in preparation for an subsequent scramjet C2H4/air combustion test at the University of Virginia-Aerospace Research Laboratory. A broadband Pyrromethene (PM) PM597 and PM650 dye laser mixture and optical cavity were studied and optimized to excite the Raman shift of all the target species. Two hundred single shot recorded spectra were processed, theoretically fitted and then compared to computational models, to verify where chemical equilibrium or adiabatic condition occurred, providing experimental flame location and formation, species concentrations, temperature, and heat losses inputs to computational kinetic models. The Stark effect, temperature, and concentration errors are discussed. Subsequently, WIDECARS measurements of a premixed air-ethylene flame were successfully acquired in a direct connect small-scale dual-mode scramjet combustor, at University of Virginia Supersonic Combustion Facility (UVaSCF). A nominal Mach 5 flight condition was simulated (stagnation pressure p0 = 300 kPa, temperature T0 = 1200 K, equivalence ratio range ER = 0.3 -- 0.4). The purpose of this test was to provide quantitative measurements of the six major combustion species concentration and temperature. Point-wise measurements were taken by mapping four two-dimensional orthogonal planes (before, within, and two planes after the cavity flame holder) with respect to the combustor freestream direction. Two hundred single shot recorded spectra were processed and theoretically fitted. Mean flow and standard deviation are provided for each investigated case. Within the flame limits tested, WIDECARS data were analyzed and compared with CFD simulations and OH-PLIF measurements.

Monitoring Stream Nutrient Concentration Trends in a Mixed-Land-Use Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeiger, S. J.; Hubbart, J. A.

2014-12-01

Mixed-land use watersheds are often a complex patchwork of forested, agricultural, and urban land-uses where differential land-use mediated non-point source pollution can significantly impact water quality. Stream nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations serve as important variables for quantifying land use effects on non-point source pollution in receiving waters and relative impacts on aquatic biota. The Hinkson Creek Watershed (HCW) is a representative mixed land use urbanizing catchment (231 km2) located in central Missouri, USA. A nested-scale experimental watershed study including five permanent hydroclimate stations was established in 2009 to provide quantitative understanding of multiple land use impacts on nutrient loading. Spectrophotometric analysis was used to quantify total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and total phosphorus (TP as PO4) regimes. Results (2010 - 2013) indicate average nitrate (NO3-) concentration (mg/l) range of 0.28 to 0.46 mg/l, nitrite (NO2-) range of 0.02 to 0.03 mg/l, ammonia (NH3) ranged from 0.04 to 0.08 mg/l, and TP range of 0.26 to 0.39 mg/l. With n=858, NO3-, NO2-, NH3, and TP concentrations were significantly (CI=95%, p=0.00) higher in the subbasin with the greatest percent cumulative agricultural land use (57%). NH3 and TP concentrations were significantly (CI=95%, p=0.00) higher (with the exception of the agricultural subbasin) in the subbasin with the greatest percent cumulative urban land use (26%). Results from multiple regression analyses showed percent cumulative agricultural and urban land uses accounted for 85% and 96% of the explained variance in TIN loading (CI=95%, p=0.08) and TP loading (CI=95%, p=0.02), respectively, between gauging sites. These results improve understanding of agricultural and urban land use impacts on nutrient concentrations in mixed use watersheds of the Midwest and have implications for nutrient reduction programs in the Mississippi River Basin and hypoxia reductions in the Gulf of Mexico, USA.

Larvicidal, ovicidal and pupicidal activities of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) (Leguminosae) against the malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston (Culicidae: Diptera).

PubMed

Krishnappa, Kaliyamoorthy; Dhanasekaran, Shanmugam; Elumalai, Kuppusamy

2012-08-01

To investigate the potentiality of mosquitocidal activity of Gliricidia sepium (G. sepium) (Jacq.) (Leguminosae). Twenty five early third instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi) were exposed to various concentrations (50-250 ppm) and the 24 h LC(50) values of the G. sepium extract was determined by probit analysis. The ovicidal activity was determined against An. stephensi to various concentrations ranging from 25-100 ppm under laboratory conditions. The eggs hatchability was assessed 48 h post treatment. The pupicidal activity was determined against An. stephensi to various concentrations ranging from 25-100 ppm. Mortality of each pupa was recorded after 24 h of exposure to the extract. Results pertaining to the experiment clearly revealed that ethanol extract showed significant larvicidal, ovicidal and pupicidal activity against the An. stephensi. Larvicidal activity of ethanol extracts of G. sepium showed maximum mortality in 250 ppm concentration (96.0±2.4)%. Furthermore, the LC(50) was found to be 121.79 and the LC(90) value was recorded to be 231.98 ppm. Ovicidal activity of ethanol extract was assessed by assessing the egg hatchability. Highest concentration of both solvent extracts exhibited 100% ovicidal activity. Similarly, pupae exposed to different concentrations of ethanol extract were found dead with 58.10% adult emergence when it was treated with 25 ppm concentration. Similarly, 18.36 (n=30; 61.20%); 21.28(70.93) and 27.33(91.10) pupal mortality was recorded from the experimental pupae treated with 50, 75 and 100 ppm concentration of extracts. Three fractions have been tested for their larvicidal activity of which the Fraction 3 showed the LC(50) and LC(90) values of 23.23 and 40.39 ppm. With regard to the ovicidal effect fraction 3 showed highest ovicidal activities than the other two fractions. Furthermore, there were no hatchability was recorded above 50 ppm (100% egg mortality) in the experimental group. Statistically significant pupicidal activity was recorded from 75 ppm concentration. From the results it can be concluded the crude extract of G. sepium is an excellent potential for controlling An. stephensi mosquito. It is apparent that, fraction 3 possess a novel and active principle which could be responsible for those biological activities. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Helically Coiled Tube with Al2O3/WATER Nanofluid Under Laminar Flow Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, P. C. Mukesh; Kumar, J.; Suresh, S.; Babu, K. Praveen

2012-10-01

In this experimental investigation, the heat transfer coefficients of a shell and helically coiled tube heat exchanger using Al2O3/water nanofluid under laminar flow condition were studied. The Al2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD). The Al2O3/water nanofluid at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% particle volume concentration were prepared by using two step method. The prepared nanofluid was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It is observed that the overall heat transfer coefficient, inner heat transfer coefficient and experimental inner Nusselt number increase while increasing particle volume concentration and increasing inner Dean number. The enhancement of overall heat transfer coefficient was found to be 7%, 16.9% and 24.2% at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% Al2O3/water nanofluid respectively when compared with water. The enhancement of tube side experimental Nusselt number was found to be 17%, 22.9% and 28% at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% particle volume concentration of Al2O3/water nanofluid respectively when compared with water at fixed Dean number. The tests were conducted in the range of 1600 < De < 2700, and 5200 < Re < 8600 under laminar flow condition and counter flow configuration. These enhancements are due to higher thermal conductivity of nanofluid while increasing particle volume concentration and Brownian motion of nanoparticles. It is studied that there is no negative impact on formation of secondary flow and mixing of fluid when nanofluid passes through the helically coiled tube.

Experiment study on sediment erosion of Pelton turbine flow passage component material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Lu, L.; Zhu, L.

2012-11-01

A rotating and jet experiment system with high flow velocity is designed to study the anti-erosion performance of materials. The resultant velocity of the experiment system is high to 120 m/s. The anti-erosion performance of materials used in needle and nozzle and bucket of Pelton turbine, which is widely used in power station with high head and little discharge, was studied in detail by this experiment system. The experimental studies were carried with different resultant velocities and sediment concentrations. Multiple linear regression analysis method was applied to get the exponents of velocity and sediment concentration. The exponents for different materials are different. The exponents of velocity ranged from 3 to 3.5 for three kinds of material. And the exponents of sediment concentration ranged from 0.97 to 1.03 in this experiment. The SEM analysis on the erosion surface of different materials was also carried. On the erosion condition with high resultant impact velocity, the selective cutting loss of material is the mainly erosion mechanism for metal material.

A reference aerosol for a radon reference chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Annette; Keyser, Uwe

1996-02-01

The measurement of radon and radon progenies and the calibration of their detection systems require the production and measurement of aerosols well-defined in size and concentration. In the German radon reference chamber, because of its unique chemical and physical properties, carnauba wax is used to produce standard aerosols. The aerosol size spectra are measured on-line by an aerosol measurement system in the range of 10 nm to 1 μm aerodynamic diameter. The experimental set-ups for the study of adsorption of radioactive ions on aerosols as function of their size and concentration will be described, the results presented and further adaptations for an aerosol jet introduced (for example, for the measurement of short-lived neutron-rich isotopes). Data on the dependence of aerosol radius, ion concentration and element selectivity is collected by using a 252Cf-sf source. The fission products of this source range widely in elements, isotopes and charges. Adsorption and the transport of radioactive ions on aerosols have therefore been studied for various ions for the first time, simultaneously with the aerosol size on-line spectrometry.

Behavioral bioassays of termite trail pheromones : Recruitment and orientation effects of cembrene-A inNasutitermes costalis (Isoptera: Termitidae) and discussion of factors affecting termite response in experimental contexts.

PubMed

Hall, P; Traniello, J F

1985-11-01

The monocyclic 14-membered ring diterpene, cembrene-A, previously identified as a nasutitermitine trail pheromone, was tested for its effectiveness as a trail pheromone inNasutitermes costalis. Artificial trails prepared from serial dilutions of racemic cembrene-A over a concentration range of 10(-1)-10(-6) mg/ml were ineffective in recruiting termites. Serial dilutions of racemic cembrene-A ranging in concentration from 10(-1) to 10(-5) mg/ml produced an orientation effect. Chiral cembrene-A produced recruitment in soldiers at 10(-1) and 10(-3) mg/ml and was less ineffective in recruiting workers. Soldiers always showed a lower and more variable recruitment response to chiral cembrene-A than to sternal gland extracts. The behavioral response to both chiral and racemic cembrene-A was different in quantity and quality from that observed for sternal gland extract. Based on the results of these behavioral tests, cembrene-A appears to be a generalized nasute orientation pheromone which may show recruitment properties at unnaturally high concentrations.

Natural radioactivity and radon exhalation rates in man-made tiles used as building materials in Japan.

PubMed

Iwaoka, K; Hosoda, M; Suwankot, N; Omori, Y; Ishikawa, T; Yonehara, H; Tokonami, S

2015-11-01

Man-made tiles frequently used in Japan were collected, and activity concentrations and radon ((222)Rn) exhalation rates in these tiles were measured. Dose estimations for inhabitants living in houses built using these tiles were also carried out. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (228)Ra and (40)K in the man-made tiles were 31-170, 35-110 and 260-980 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The (222)Rn exhalation rates in the tiles were 8.8-21 μBq m(-2) s(-1). The ranges of experimental activity concentrations and (222)Rn exhalation rates were almost identical to those of natural rocks used as typical building materials in Japan. The maximum value of effective dose to inhabitants living in houses built with the man-made tiles was 0.14 mSv y(-1), which is lower than the reference level range (1-20 mSv y(-1)) for abnormally high levels of natural background radiation published in the ICRP Publication 103. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of the efficiency of an experimental biocover to reduce BTEX emissions from landfill biogas.

PubMed

Lakhouit, Abderrahim; Schirmer, Waldir N; Johnson, Terry R; Cabana, Hubert; Cabral, Alexandre R

2014-02-01

Landfill emissions include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and, particularly, benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene isomers (collectively called BTEX). The latter are the most common VOCs found in landfill biogas. BTEX affect air quality and may be harmful to human health. In conjunction with a study aiming to evaluate the efficiency of passive methane oxidizing biocovers, a complementary project was developed with the specific goal of evaluating the reduction in VOC emissions due to the installation of a biocover. One of the biocovers constructed at the Saint-Nicéphore (Quebec, Canada) landfill site was instrumented for this purpose. The total BTEX concentration in the raw biogas ranged from 28.7 to 65.4ppmv, and the measured concentration of BTEX in biogas emitted through the biocover ranged from below the limit of detection (BLD) to 2.1ppmv. The other volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) concentration varied from 18.8 to 40.4ppmv and from 0.8 to 1.2ppmv in the raw biogas and in the emitted biogas, respectively. The results obtained showed that the biocover effectiveness ranged from 67% to 100% and from 96% to 97% for BTEX and OVOC, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modification of pH Conferring Virucidal Activity on Dental Alginates

PubMed Central

Nallamuthu, Navina; Braden, Michael; Oxford, John; Williams, David; Patel, Mangala

2015-01-01

To formulate an alginate dental impression material with virucidal properties, experimental alginate dental impression materials were developed and the formulations adjusted in order to study the effect on pH profiles during setting. Commercially available materials served as a comparison. Eight experimental materials were tested for antiviral activity against Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1). Changing the amount of magnesium oxide (MgO) used in the experimental formulations had a marked effect on pH. Increasing MgO concentration corresponded with increased pH values. All experimental materials brought about viral log reductions ranging between 0.5 and 4.0 over a period of 4 h. The material with the lowest pH was the most effective. The current work highlights the very important role of MgO in controlling pH profiles. This knowledge has been applied to the formulation of experimental alginates; where materials with pH values of approximately 4.2–4.4 are able to achieve a significant log reduction when assayed against HSV-1. PMID:28788042

The mobility of Nb in rutile-saturated NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids from 1–6.5 GPa and 300–800 °C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanis, Elizabeth A.; Simon, Adam; Tschauner, Oliver

Rutile (TiO 2) is an important host phase for high field strength elements (HFSE) such as Nb in metamorphic and subduction zone environments. The observed depletion of Nb in arc rocks is often explained by the hypothesis that rutile sequesters HFSE in the subducted slab and overlying sediment, and is chemically inert with respect to aqueous fluids evolved during prograde metamorphism in the forearc to subarc environment. However, field observations of exhumed terranes, and experimental studies, indicate that HFSE may be soluble in complex aqueous fluids at high pressure (i.e., >0.5 GPa) and moderate to high temperature (i.e., >300 °C).more » In this study, we investigated experimentally the mobility of Nb in NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids in equilibrium with Nb-bearing rutile at pressure-temperature conditions applicable to fluid evolution in arc environments. Niobium concentrations in aqueous fluid at rutile saturation were measured directly by using a hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC) and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) at 2.1 to 6.5 GPa and 300-500 °C, and indirectly by performing mass loss experiments in a piston-cylinder (PC) apparatus at similar to 1 GPa and 700-800 °C. The concentration of Nb in a 10 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid increases from 6 to 11 mu g/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 2.1 to 2.8 GPa, consistent with a positive temperature dependence. The concentration of Nb in a 20 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid varies from 55 to 150 mu g/g at 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 1.8 to 6.4 GPa; however, there is no discernible temperature or pressure dependence. Here, the Nb concentration in a 4 wt% NaF-bearing aqueous fluid increases from 180 to 910 mu g/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C over the pressure range 2.1 to 6.5 GPa. The data for the F-bearing fluid indicate that the Nb content of the fluid exhibits a dependence on temperature between 300 and 500 °C at ≥ 2 GPa, but there is no observed dependence on pressure. Together, the data demonstrate that the hydrothermal mobility of Nb is strongly controlled by the composition of the fluid, consistent with published data for Ti. At all experimental conditions, however, the concentration of Nb in the fluid is always lower than coexisting rutile, consistent with a role for rutile in moderating the Nb budget of arc rocks.« less

The mobility of Nb in rutile-saturated NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids from 1–6.5 GPa and 300–800 °C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanis, Elizabeth A.; Simon, Adam; Tschauner, Oliver

Rutile (TiO₂) is an important host phase for high field strength elements (HFSE) such as Nb in metamorphic and subduction zone environments. The observed depletion of Nb in arc rocks is often explained by the hypothesis that rutile sequesters HFSE in the subducted slab and overlying sediment, and is chemically inert with respect to aqueous fluids evolved during prograde metamorphism in the forearc to subarc environment. However, field observations of exhumed terranes, and experimental studies, indicate that HFSE may be soluble in complex aqueous fluids at high pressure (i.e., >0.5 GPa) and moderate to high temperature (i.e., >300 °C). Inmore » this study, we investigated experimentally the mobility of Nb in NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids in equilibrium with Nb-bearing rutile at pressure-temperature conditions applicable to fluid evolution in arc environments. Niobium concentrations in aqueous fluid at rutile saturation were measured directly by using a hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC) and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) at 2.1 to 6.5 GPa and 300–500 °C, and indirectly by performing mass loss experiments in a piston-cylinder (PC) apparatus at ~1 GPa and 700–800 °C. The concentration of Nb in a 10 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid increases from 6 to 11 μg/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 2.1 to 2.8 GPa, consistent with a positive temperature dependence. The concentration of Nb in a 20 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid varies from 55 to 150 μg/g at 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 1.8 to 6.4 GPa; however, there is no discernible temperature or pressure dependence. The Nb concentration in a 4 wt% NaF-bearing aqueous fluid increases from 180 to 910 μg/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C over the pressure range 2.1 to 6.5 GPa. The data for the F-bearing fluid indicate that the Nb content of the fluid exhibits a dependence on temperature between 300 and 500 °C at ≥2 GPa, but there is no observed dependence on pressure. Together, the data demonstrate that the hydrothermal mobility of Nb is strongly controlled by the composition of the fluid, consistent with published data for Ti. At all experimental conditions, however, the concentration of Nb in the fluid is always lower than coexisting rutile, consistent with a role for rutile in moderating the Nb budget of arc rocks.« less

The mobility of Nb in rutile-saturated NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids from 1–6.5 GPa and 300–800 °C

DOE PAGES

Tanis, Elizabeth A.; Simon, Adam; Tschauner, Oliver; ...

2015-07-01

Rutile (TiO 2) is an important host phase for high field strength elements (HFSE) such as Nb in metamorphic and subduction zone environments. The observed depletion of Nb in arc rocks is often explained by the hypothesis that rutile sequesters HFSE in the subducted slab and overlying sediment, and is chemically inert with respect to aqueous fluids evolved during prograde metamorphism in the forearc to subarc environment. However, field observations of exhumed terranes, and experimental studies, indicate that HFSE may be soluble in complex aqueous fluids at high pressure (i.e., >0.5 GPa) and moderate to high temperature (i.e., >300 °C).more » In this study, we investigated experimentally the mobility of Nb in NaCl- and NaF-bearing aqueous fluids in equilibrium with Nb-bearing rutile at pressure-temperature conditions applicable to fluid evolution in arc environments. Niobium concentrations in aqueous fluid at rutile saturation were measured directly by using a hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC) and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) at 2.1 to 6.5 GPa and 300-500 °C, and indirectly by performing mass loss experiments in a piston-cylinder (PC) apparatus at similar to 1 GPa and 700-800 °C. The concentration of Nb in a 10 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid increases from 6 to 11 mu g/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 2.1 to 2.8 GPa, consistent with a positive temperature dependence. The concentration of Nb in a 20 wt% NaCl aqueous fluid varies from 55 to 150 mu g/g at 300 to 500 °C, over a pressure range from 1.8 to 6.4 GPa; however, there is no discernible temperature or pressure dependence. Here, the Nb concentration in a 4 wt% NaF-bearing aqueous fluid increases from 180 to 910 mu g/g as temperature increases from 300 to 500 °C over the pressure range 2.1 to 6.5 GPa. The data for the F-bearing fluid indicate that the Nb content of the fluid exhibits a dependence on temperature between 300 and 500 °C at ≥ 2 GPa, but there is no observed dependence on pressure. Together, the data demonstrate that the hydrothermal mobility of Nb is strongly controlled by the composition of the fluid, consistent with published data for Ti. At all experimental conditions, however, the concentration of Nb in the fluid is always lower than coexisting rutile, consistent with a role for rutile in moderating the Nb budget of arc rocks.« less

Validation of methodology for determination of the mercury methylation potential in sediments using radiotracers.

PubMed

Zizek, Suzana; Ribeiro Guevara, Sergio; Horvat, Milena

2008-04-01

Experiments to determine the mercury methylation potential were performed on sediments from two locations on the river Idrijca (Slovenia), differing in ambient mercury concentrations. The tracer used was the radioactive isotope (197)Hg. The benefit of using this tracer is its high specific activity, which enables spikes as low as 0.02 ng Hg(2+) g(-1) of sample to be used. It was therefore possible to compare the efficiency of the methylation potential experiments over a range of spike concentrations from picogram to microgram levels. The first part of the work aimed to validate the experimental blanks and the second part consisted of several series of incubation experiments on two different river sediments using a range of tracer additions. The results showed high variability in the obtained methylation potentials. Increasing Hg(2+) additions gave a decrease in the percentage of the tracer methylated during incubation; in absolute terms, the spikes that spanned four orders of magnitude (0.019-190 pg g(-1) of sediment slurry) resulted in MeHg formation between 0.01 and 0.1 ng MeHg g(-1) in Podroteja and Kozarska Grapa. Higher spikes resulted in slightly elevated MeHg production (up to a maximum of 0.27 ng g(-1)). The values of methylation potential were similar in both sediments. The results imply that the experimental determination of mercury methylation potential strongly depends on the experimental setup itself and the amount of tracer added to the system under study. It is therefore recommended to use different concentrations of tracer and perform the experiments in several replicates. The amount of mercury available for methylation in nature is usually very small. Therefore, adding very low amounts of tracer in the methylation potential studies probably gives results that have a higher environmental relevance. It is also suggested to express the results obtained in absolute amounts of MeHg produced and not just as the percentage of the added tracer.

Hydration and ion pair formation in aqueous Y(3+)-salt solutions.

PubMed

Rudolph, Wolfram W; Irmer, Gert

2015-11-14

Raman spectra of aqueous yttrium perchlorate, triflate (trifluoromethanesulfonate), chloride and nitrate solutions were measured over a broad concentration range (0.198-3.252 mol L(-1)). The spectra range from low wavenumbers to 4200 cm(-1). A very weak mode at 384 cm(-1) with a full width at half height at 50 cm(-1) in the isotropic spectrum suggests that the Y(3+)- octa-aqua ion is thermodynamically stable in dilute perchlorate solutions (∼0.5 mol L(-1)) while in concentrated perchlorate solutions outer-sphere ion pairs and contact ion pairs are formed. The octa-hydrate, [Y(OH2)8](3+) was also detected in a 1.10 mol L(-1) aqueous Y(CF3SO3)3 solution. Furthermore, very weak and broad depolarized modes could be detected which are assigned to [Y(OH2)8](3+)(aq) at 100, 166, 234 and 320 cm(-1) confirming that a hexa-hydrate is not compatible with the hydrated species in solution. In yttrium chloride solutions contact ion pair formation was detected over the measured concentration range from 0.479-3.212 mol L(-1). The contact ion pairs in YCl3(aq) are fairly weak and disappear with dilution. At a concentration <0.2 mol L(-1) almost all complexes have disappeared. In YCl3 solutions, with additional HCl, chloro-complexes of the type [Y(OH2)8-nCln](+3-n) (n = 1,2) are formed. The Y(NO3)3(aq) spectra were compared with a spectrum of a dilute NaNO3 solution and it was concluded that in Y(NO3)3(aq) over the concentration range from 2.035-0.198 mol L(-1) nitrato-complexes [Y(OH2)8-n(NO3)ln](+3-n) (n = 1,2) are formed. The nitrato-complexes are weak and disappear with dilution <0.1 mol L(-1). DFT geometry optimizations and frequency calculations are reported for both the yttrium-water cluster in the gas phase and the cluster within a polarizable continuum model in order to implicitly describe the presence of the bulk solvent. The bond distance and angle for the square antiprismatic cluster geometry of [Y(OH2)8](3+) with the polarizable dielectric continuum is in good agreement with data from recent structural experimental measurements. The DFT frequency of the Y-O stretching mode of the [Y(OH2)8](3+) cluster, in a polarizable continuum, is at 372 cm(-1) in satisfactory agreement with the experimental value.

A Silver Nanoparticle-Modified Evanescent Field Optical Fiber Sensor for Methylene Blue Detection

PubMed Central

Luo, Ji; Yao, Jun; Lu, Yonggang; Ma, Wenying; Zhuang, Xuye

2013-01-01

A silver nanoparticle-modified evanescent field optical fiber sensor based on a MEMS microchannel chip has been successfully fabricated. Experimental results show that the sensor response decreases linearly with increasing concentration of analyte. Over a range of methylene blue concentrations from 0 to 0.4 μmol/mL, the sensor response is linear (R = 0.9496). A concentration variation of 0.1 μmol/mL can cause an absorbance change of 0.402 dB. Moreover, the optical responses of the same sensing fiber without decoration and modified with silver nanoparticles have also been compared. It can be observed that the output intensity of the Ag nanoparticle-modified sensor is enhanced and the sensitivity is higher. Meanwhile, the absorbance spectra are found to be more sensitive to concentration changes compared to the spectra of the peak wavelength. PMID:23519353

Photodynamic actions of indocyanine green and trypan blue on human lens epithelial cells in vitro.

PubMed

Melendez, Robert F; Kumar, Neeru; Maswadi, Saher M; Zaslow, Kenneth; Glickmank, Randolph D

2005-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity and photodynamic activity of indocyanine green (ICG) and trypan blue (TryB) on cultured human lensepithelial cells (LECs). Experimental study. Lens epithelial cell viability was assessed after treatment with ICG and TryB concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 5.0 mg/ml, and exposure to 806 nm diode laser. At ICG concentrations below 0.5 mg/ml, there was > or =75% cell viability; at higher ICG concentrations there was dose-dependent cytotoxicity in addition to loss of cellular viability due to ICG photosensitization. TryB had little cytotoxicity to the LECs: >80% cells were viable irrespective of the dye concentration or laser treatment. These data indicate that ICG may have application as a photosensitizer in the selective eradication of residual LECs after cataract surgery to reduce the incidence of posterior capsule opacification.

Dielectric and microstructure properties of polymer carbon black composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosseau, C.; Boulic, F.; Queffelec, P.; Bourbigot, C.; Le Mest, Y.; Loaec, J.; Beroual, A.

1997-01-01

Dielectric and physicochemical properties of a composite material prepared by incorporating carbon black particles into a polymer matrix were investigated. Two types of carbon blacks, having very different structures of aggregates, were used. The volume fraction of the carbon blacks ranged from 0.2% to 7%, i.e. below and above the percolation threshold concentration observed from the measurements of dc conductivity. The composite samples were characterized in terms of: swelling by a compatible solvent, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) response, and frequency variation of permittivity. First, the article attempts to evaluate the diffusion coefficient of an appropriate solvent in these materials. Sorption kinetics experiments with toluene indicate that the initial uptake of solvent exhibits a square root dependence in time as a consequence of Fick's law and permit to evaluate the effective diffusion coefficient in the range 10-11-10-12 m2 s-1 depending on the volume fraction of the carbon black in the sample. Second, the analysis of the carbon black concentration dependence of the intensity and linewidth of the EPR signals indicates that EPR is an important experimental probe of the structure of the elasticity network. The most notable feature of the present work is that we find a correlation of the percolation threshold concentration which is detected from the dc electrical conductivity with moments of the EPR lines. The conclusions on the elasticity networks deduced from swelling measurements are confirmed by EPR data carried out on swollen samples. On qualitative grounds the role of the specific surface of carbon black is further analyzed. It is suggested that the elasticity network is mainly controlled by secondary (respectively primary) aggregates for samples containing low (respectively high) specific surface carbon blacks. Last, the article reports precise experimental data on the permittivity of these composite materials as a function of frequency. Thanks to a sensitive measurement technique using an impedance analyzer, we are able to measure the complex permittivity and permeability values of the samples in the frequency range from 108 to 1010 Hz. It is found that the real part of the permittivity is a function of frequency f, via a power law expression ɛ'=af-b, where a and b are two parameters depending upon carbon black concentration, in the range of frequency investigated. The data analysis reaffirms the result that percolation threshold is a key parameter for characterizing the topological arrangement in these structures.

Aluminium chloride promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis in normal murine mammary gland epithelial cells

PubMed Central

Tenan, Mirna; Ferrari, Paolo; Sappino, André‐Pascal

2016-01-01

Aluminium salts, present in many industrial products of frequent use like antiperspirants, anti‐acid drugs, food additives and vaccines, have been incriminated in contributing to the rise in breast cancer incidence in Western societies. However, current experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited. For example, no experimental evidence that aluminium promotes tumorigenesis in cultured mammary epithelial cells exists. We report here that long‐term exposure to concentrations of aluminium—in the form of aluminium chloride (AlCl3)—in the range of those measured in the human breast, transform normal murine mammary gland (NMuMG) epithelial cells in vitro as revealed by the soft agar assay. Subcutaneous injections into three different mouse strains with decreasing immunodeficiency, namely, NOD SCID gamma (NSG), NOD SCID or nude mice, revealed that untreated NMuMG cells form tumors and metastasize, to a limited extent, in the highly immunodeficient and natural killer (NK) cell deficient NSG strain, but not in the less permissive and NK cell competent NOD SCID or nude strains. In contrast, NMuMG cells transformed in vitro by AlCl3 form large tumors and metastasize in all three mouse models. These effects correlate with a mutagenic activity of AlCl3. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that concentrations of aluminium in the range of those measured in the human breast fully transform cultured mammary epithelial cells, thus enabling them to form tumors and metastasize in well‐established mouse cancer models. Our observations provide experimental evidence that aluminium salts could be environmental breast carcinogens. PMID:27541736

Synthetic fuel for imitation of municipal solid waste in experimental studies of waste incineration.

PubMed

Thipse, S S; Sheng, C; Booty, M R; Magee, R S; Dreizin, E L

2001-08-01

Synthetic fuel is prepared to imitate municipal solid waste (MSW) in experimental studies of incineration processes. The fuel is composed based on the Environmental Protection Agency reports on the materials contained in MSW. Uniform synthetic fuel pellets are prepared using available and inexpensive components including newsprint, hardwood mulch, low density polyethylene, iron, animal feed, sand, and water to imitate paperbound, wood, yard trimming, plastic, metal, food wastes, and other materials in MSW. The synthetic fuel preparation procedure enables one to reproduce and modify the fuel for a wide range of experiments in which the mechanisms of waste incineration are addressed. The fuel is characterized using standard ASTM tests and it is shown that its parameters, such as combustion enthalpy, density, as well as moisture, ash and fixed carbon contents are adequate for the representation of municipal solid waste. In addition, chlorine, nitrogen, and sulfur contents of the fuel are shown to be similar to those of MSW. Experiments are conducted in which the synthetic fuel is used for operation of a pilot-scale incinerator research facility. Steady-state temperature operation regimes are achieved and reproduced in these experiments. Thermodynamic equilibrium flame conditions are computed using an isentropic one-dimensional equilibrium code for a wide range of fuel/air ratios. The molecular species used to represent the fuel composition included cellulose, water, iron, polyethylene, methanamine, and silica. The predicted concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitric oxides, and oxygen in the combustion products are compared with the respective experimental concentrations in the pilot-scale incinerator exhaust.

Modelling and validation of diffuse reflectance of the adult human head for fNIRS: scalp sub-layers definition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera-Vega, Javier; Montero-Hernández, Samuel; Tachtsidis, Ilias; Treviño-Palacios, Carlos G.; Orihuela-Espina, Felipe

2017-11-01

Accurate estimation of brain haemodynamics parameters such as cerebral blood flow and volume as well as oxygen consumption i.e. metabolic rate of oxygen, with funcional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) requires precise characterization of light propagation through head tissues. An anatomically realistic forward model of the human adult head with unprecedented detailed specification of the 5 scalp sublayers to account for blood irrigation in the connective tissue layer is introduced. The full model consists of 9 layers, accounts for optical properties ranging from 750nm to 950nm and has a voxel size of 0.5mm. The whole model is validated comparing the predicted remitted spectra, using Monte Carlo simulations of radiation propagation with 108 photons, against continuous wave (CW) broadband fNIRS experimental data. As the true oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations during acquisition are unknown, a genetic algorithm searched for the vector of parameters that generates a modelled spectrum that optimally fits the experimental spectrum. Differences between experimental and model predicted spectra was quantified using the Root mean square error (RMSE). RMSE was 0.071 +/- 0.004, 0.108 +/- 0.018 and 0.235+/-0.015 at 1, 2 and 3cm interoptode distance respectively. The parameter vector of absolute concentrations of haemoglobin species in scalp and cortex retrieved with the genetic algorithm was within histologically plausible ranges. The new model capability to estimate the contribution of the scalp blood flow shall permit incorporating this information to the regularization of the inverse problem for a cleaner reconstruction of brain hemodynamics.

Benchmarks of simple, generic, shaped plates for validation of low-frequency electromagnetic computational codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, M. D.; Cockrell, C. R.; Beck, F. B.; Nguyen, T. X.

1993-01-01

The validation of low-frequency measurements and electromagnetic (EM) scattering computations for several simple, generic shapes, such as an equilateral-triangular plate, an equilateral-triangular plate with a concentric equilateral-triangular hole, and diamond- and hexagonal-shaped plates, is discussed. The plates were constructed from a thin aluminum sheet with a thickness of 0.08 cm. EM scattering by the planar plates was measured in the experimental test range (ETR) facility of NASA Langley Research Center. The dimensions of the plates were selected such that, over the frequency range of interest, the dimensions were in the range of lambda0 to 3(lambda0). In addition, the triangular plate with a triangular hole was selected to study internal-hole resonances.

Control of Growth Rate by Initial Substrate Concentration at Values Below Maximum Rate

PubMed Central

Gaudy, Anthony F.; Obayashi, Alan; Gaudy, Elizabeth T.

1971-01-01

The hyperbolic relationship between specific growth rate, μ, and substrate concentration, proposed by Monod and used since as the basis for the theory of steady-state growth in continuous-flow systems, was tested experimentally in batch cultures. Use of a Flavobacterium sp. exhibiting a high saturation constant for growth in glucose minimal medium allowed direct measurement of growth rate and substrate concentration throughout the growth cycle in medium containing a rate-limiting initial concentration of glucose. Specific growth rates were also measured for a wide range of initial glucose concentrations. A plot of specific growth rate versus initial substrate concentration was found to fit the hyperbolic equation. However, the instantaneous relationship between specific growth rate and substrate concentration during growth, which is stated by the equation, was not observed. Well defined exponential growth phases were developed at initial substrate concentrations below that required for support of the maximum exponential growth rate and a constant doubling time was maintained until 50% of the substrate had been used. It is suggested that the external substrate concentration initially present “sets” the specific growth rate by establishing a steady-state internal concentration of substrate, possibly through control of the number of permeation sites. PMID:5137579

Behaviour and biodegradation of sulfonamides (p-TSA, o-TSA, BSA) during drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Richter, Doreen; Massmann, Gudrun; Dünnbier, Uwe

2008-04-01

Three sulfonamides -para-toluenesulfonamide (p-TSA), ortho-toluenesulfonamide (o-TSA) and benzenesulfonamide (BSA) - have recently been detected in groundwater within a catchment area of one drinking water treatment plant (DWTP), which is located downstream of a former sewage farm. The degradation pathways of p-TSA, o-TSA and BSA were investigated during drinking water treatment with incubation experiments and an experimental filter. Incubation experiments showed that p-TSA is removed during the treatment by microbiological processes. Removal of p-TSA is performed by adapted microorganisms only present in polluted groundwater. The elimination in an experimental filter of 1.6m length applying filtration velocities from 2 to 6 m h(-1) was approximately 93% of p-TSA. The microbial degradation rates in the incubation experiment were approximately 0.029 microg l(-1) h(-1) (zero order reaction). In the experimental filter, the reaction rate constants were around 0.0063 s(-1) for all filtration velocities (1st order reaction). Drinking water treatment does not reduce the concentration of o-TSA and BSA under conditions encountered in Berlin. p-TSA, o-TSA and BSA were only measured in the low microg l(-1) concentrations range in the purified water.

The Impact of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Epinephrine.

PubMed

Beasley, Heather; Ng, Pearlly; Wheeler, Albert; Smith, William R; McIntosh, Scott E

2015-12-01

Epinephrine is the first-line medical treatment for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic syndrome. To treat anaphylaxis, backcountry recreationalists and guides commonly carry epinephrine autoinjectors. Epinephrine may be exposed to cold temperatures and freezing during expeditions. An epinephrine solution must contain 90% to 115% of the labeled epinephrine amount to meet United States Pharmacopeia standards. The purpose of this study was to determine whether freeze-thaw cycles alter epinephrine concentrations in autoinjectors labeled to contain 1.0 mg/mL epinephrine. A further objective was to determine whether samples continued to meet United States Pharmacopeia concentration standards after freeze-thaw cycles. Epinephrine from 6 autoinjectors was extracted and divided into experimental and control samples. The experimental samples underwent 7 consecutive 12-hour freeze cycles followed by 7 12-hour thaw cycles. The control samples remained at an average temperature of 23.1°C for the duration of the study. After the seventh thaw cycle, epinephrine concentrations were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography assay with mass spectrometry detection. The mean epinephrine concentration of the freeze-thaw samples demonstrated a statistically significant increase compared with the control samples: 1.07 mg/mL (SD ± 8.78; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.11) versus 0.96 mg/mL (SD ± 6.81; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.99), respectively. The maximal mean epinephrine concentration in the experimental freeze-thaw group was 1.12 mg/mL, which still fell within the range of United States Pharmacopeia standards for injectables (0.90 to 1.15 mg/mL). Although every attempt should be made to prevent freezing of autoinjectors, this preliminary study demonstrates that epinephrine concentrations remain within 90% to 115% of 1.0 mg/mL after multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Copyright © 2015 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship of otolith strontium-to-calcium ratios and salinity: Experimental validation for juvenile salmonids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, C.E.

2005-01-01

Analysis of otolith strontium (Sr) or strontium-to-calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios provides a powerful tool to reconstruct the chronology of migration among salinity environments for diadromous salmonids. Although use of this method has been validated by examination of known individuals and translocation experiments, it has never been validated under controlled experimental conditions. In this study, incorporation of otolith Sr was tested across a range of salinities and resulting levels of ambient Sr and Ca concentrations in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus rnykiss), and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Experimental water was mixed, using stream water and seawater as end members, to create experimental salinities of 0.1, 6.3, 12.7, 18.6, 25.5, and 33.0 psu. Otolith Sr and Sr:Ca ratios were significantly related to salinity for all species (r2 range: 0.80-0.91) but provide only enough predictive resolution to discriminate among fresh water, brackish water, and saltwater residency. These results validate the use of otolith Sr:Ca ratios to broadly discriminate salinity histories encountered by salmonids but highlight the need for further research concerning the influence of osmoregulation and physiological changes associated with smoking on otolith microchemistry.

Spectroscopic characterization of the coordination chemistry and hydrolysis of gallium(III) in the presence of aquatic organic matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagvall, Kristoffer; Persson, Per; Karlsson, Torbjörn

2014-12-01

Interactions between metals and natural organic matter (NOM) are of great environmental importance and one of the key factors influencing hydrolysis, solubility, and speciation of the metals. However, studying geochemically relevant metals like Al, Fe, and Cu is sometimes associated with analytical problems; for example Fe and Cu are both redox active. Gallium (Ga) is a non-redox active metal that usually occurs at very low concentrations in environmental samples and therefore a wide concentration range of metal(III)-NOM species can be explored by adding Ga(III) to such samples. This makes Ga(III) a good probe and analogue for other metal ions, in particular Al. In addition, due to the increased usage of Ga in society, a better understanding of how Ga interacts with NOM is of importance but such studies are scarce. In this work, Ga(III) interactions with two different organic materials (Suwannee River natural organic matter and Suwannee River fulvic acid) were studied using infrared (IR) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy in a large experimental range (101-84,076 μg Ga g-1 dry weight; pH 3-8). Our IR spectroscopic results showed that Ga(III) is bonded mainly to carboxylic functional groups and suggested that only a fraction of the total number of carboxylic sites in the samples was actively involved in the bonding. Modeling of the EXAFS data revealed that Ga(III) formed mononuclear chelate complexes with NOM that strongly suppressed the hydrolysis and polymerization of Ga(III). At low Ga(III) concentrations (1675-16,649 μg g-1) organic complexes, consisting of 1-3 chelate ring structures, were the dominating species in the entire pH range while at higher concentrations (67,673-84,076 μg g-1, pH 3.0-7.0) we detected mixtures of mononuclear organic Ga(III) complexes, Ga(III) (hydr)oxide, and free Ga(III) (here defined as the hydrated Ga(III) ion and its soluble hydrolysis products). Moreover, the EXAFS results showed significantly higher contribution from second-shell C atoms (9-11) for the Ga(III)-organic complexes at the lowest concentration (101-125 μg g-1, pH 4.9-5.1), indicating formation of cage-like structures similar to Ga(III)-EDTA. Our combined results showed that Ga(III)-NOM interactions can be of importance for the solubility and speciation of Ga in environmental systems. Furthermore, the similarities between Ga(III) and previous Fe(III) results demonstrate that Ga(III) can be utilized as a probe for metal(III)-NOM interactions over an extended experimental range (e.g., pH and metal concentration) and thereby improve our knowledge about these interactions in general.

Development and Optimization of HPLC Analysis of Metronidazole, Diloxanide, Spiramycin and Cliquinol in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms Using Experimental Design.

PubMed

Elkhoudary, Mahmoud M; Abdel Salam, Randa A; Hadad, Ghada M

2016-11-01

A new simple, sensitive, rapid and accurate gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD) was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of Metronidazole (MNZ), Spiramycin (SPY), Diloxanidefuroate (DIX) and Cliquinol (CLQ) using statistical experimental design. Initially, a resolution V fractional factorial design was used in order to screen five independent factors: the column temperature (°C), pH, phosphate buffer concentration (mM), flow rate (ml/min) and the initial fraction of mobile phase B (%). pH, flow rate and initial fraction of mobile phase B were identified as significant, using analysis of variance. The optimum conditions of separation determined with the aid of central composite design were: (1) initial mobile phase concentration: phosphate buffer/methanol (50/50, v/v), (2) phosphate buffer concentration (50 mM), (3) pH (4.72), (4) column temperature 30°C and (5) mobile phase flow rate (0.8 ml min -1 ). Excellent linearity was observed for all of the standard calibration curves, and the correlation coefficients were above 0.9999. Limits of detection for all of the analyzed compounds ranged between 0.02 and 0.11 μg ml -1 ; limits of quantitation ranged between 0.06 and 0.33 μg ml -1 The proposed method showed good prediction ability. The optimized method was validated according to ICH guidelines. Three commercially available tablets were analyzed showing good % recovery and %RSD. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Experimental evaluation of the pressure and temperature dependence of ion-induced nucleation.

PubMed

Munir, Muhammad Miftahul; Suhendi, Asep; Ogi, Takashi; Iskandar, Ferry; Okuyama, Kikuo

2010-09-28

An experimental system for the study of ion-induced nucleation in a SO(2)/H(2)O/N(2) gas mixture was developed, employing a soft x-ray at different pressure and temperature levels. The difficulties associated with these experiments included the changes in physical properties of the gas mixture when temperature and pressure were varied. Changes in the relative humidity (RH) as a function of pressure and temperature also had a significant effect on the different behaviors of the mobility distributions of particles. In order to accomplish reliable measurement and minimize uncertainties, an integrated on-line control system was utilized. As the pressure decreased in a range of 500-980 hPa, the peak concentration of both ions and nanometer-sized particles decreased, which suggests that higher pressure tended to enhance the growth of particles nucleated by ion-induced nucleation. Moreover, the modal diameters of the measured particle size distributions showed a systematic shift to larger sizes with increasing pressure. However, in the temperature range of 5-20 °C, temperature increases had no significant effects on the mobility distribution of particles. The effects of residence time, RH (7%-70%), and SO(2) concentration (0.08-6.7 ppm) on ion-induced nucleation were also systematically investigated. The results show that the nucleation and growth were significantly dependent on the residence time, RH, and SO(2) concentration, which is in agreement with both a previous model and previous observations. This research will be inevitable for a better understanding of the role of ions in an atmospheric nucleation mechanism.

Dynamics in dense hard-sphere colloidal suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orsi, Davide; Fluerasu, Andrei; Moussaïd, Abdellatif; Zontone, Federico; Cristofolini, Luigi; Madsen, Anders

2012-01-01

The dynamic behavior of a hard-sphere colloidal suspension was studied by x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy and small-angle x-ray scattering over a wide range of particle volume fractions. The short-time mobility of the particles was found to be smaller than that of free particles even at relatively low concentrations, showing the importance of indirect hydrodynamic interactions. Hydrodynamic functions were derived from the data, and for moderate particle volume fractions (Φ≤ 0.40) there is good agreement with earlier many-body theory calculations by Beenakker and Mazur [Physica A0378-437110.1016/0378-4371(84)90206-1 120, 349 (1984)]. Important discrepancies appear at higher concentrations, above Φ≈ 0.40, where the hydrodynamic effects are overestimated by the Beenakker-Mazur theory, but predicted accurately by an accelerated Stokesian dynamics algorithm developed by Banchio and Brady [J. Chem. Phys.0021-960610.1063/1.1571819 118, 10323 (2003)]. For the relaxation rates, good agreement was also found between the experimental data and a scaling form predicted by the mode coupling theory. In the high concentration range, with the fluid suspensions approaching the glass transition, the long-time diffusion coefficient was compared with the short-time collective diffusion coefficient to verify a scaling relation previously proposed by Segrè and Pusey [Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.77.771 77, 771 (1996)]. We discuss our results in view of previous experimental attempts to validate this scaling law [L. Lurio , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.84.785 84, 785 (2000)].

Allosteric Control of Icosahedral Capsid Assembly

PubMed Central

Lazaro, Guillermo R.

2017-01-01

During the lifecycle of a virus, viral proteins and other components self-assemble to form an ordered protein shell called a capsid. This assembly process is subject to multiple competing constraints, including the need to form a thermostable shell while avoiding kinetic traps. It has been proposed that viral assembly satisfies these constraints through allosteric regulation, including the interconversion of capsid proteins among conformations with different propensities for assembly. In this article we use computational and theoretical modeling to explore how such allostery affects the assembly of icosahedral shells. We simulate assembly under a wide range of protein concentrations, protein binding affinities, and two different mechanisms of allosteric control. We find that, above a threshold strength of allosteric control, assembly becomes robust over a broad range of subunit binding affinities and concentrations, allowing the formation of highly thermostable capsids. Our results suggest that allostery can significantly shift the range of protein binding affinities that lead to successful assembly, and thus should be accounted for in models that are used to estimate interaction parameters from experimental data. PMID:27117092

Photochemistry of PAHs in cosmic water ice. The effect of concentration on UV-VIS spectroscopy and ionization efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuylle, Steven H.; Allamandola, Louis J.; Linnartz, Harold

2014-02-01

Context. Observations and models show that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the interstellar medium. Like other molecules in dense clouds, PAHs accrete onto interstellar dust grains, where they are embedded in an ice matrix dominated by water. In the laboratory, mixed molecular ices (not containing PAHs) have been extensively studied using Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. Experiments including PAHs in ices have started, however, the concentrations used are typically much higher than the concentrations expected for interstellar ices. Optical spectroscopy offers a sensitive alternative. Aims: We report an experimental study of the effect PAH concentration has on the electronic spectra and the vacuum UV (VUV) driven processes of PAHs in water-rich ices. The goal is to apply the outcome to cosmic ices. Methods: Optical spectroscopic studies allow us to obtain in-situ and quasi real-time electronic solid state spectra of two prototypical PAHs (pyrene and coronene) embedded in water ice under VUV photoprocessing. The study is carried out on PAH:H2O concentrations in the range of 1:30 000 to pure PAH, covering the temperature range from 12 to 125 K. Results: PAH concentration strongly influences the efficiency of PAH cation formation. At low concentrations, ionization efficiencies are over 60% dropping to about 15% at 1:1000. Increasing the PAH concentration reveals spectral broadening in neutral and cation PAH spectra attributed to PAH clustering inside the ice. At the PAH concentrations expected for interstellar ices, some 10 to 20% may be present as cations. The presence of PAHs in neutral and ion form will add distinctive absorption bands to cosmic ice optical spectra and this may serve as a tool to determine PAH concentrations.

Structural changes induced by high-pressure processing in micellar casein and milk protein concentrates.

PubMed

Cadesky, Lee; Walkling-Ribeiro, Markus; Kriner, Kyle T; Karwe, Mukund V; Moraru, Carmen I

2017-09-01

Reconstituted micellar casein concentrates and milk protein concentrates of 2.5 and 10% (wt/vol) protein concentration were subjected to high-pressure processing at pressures from 150 to 450 MPa, for 15 min, at ambient temperature. The structural changes induced in milk proteins by high-pressure processing were investigated using a range of physical, physicochemical, and chemical methods, including dynamic light scattering, rheology, mid-infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, proteomics, and soluble mineral analyses. The experimental data clearly indicate pressure-induced changes of casein micelles, as well as denaturation of serum proteins. Calcium-binding α S1 - and α S2 -casein levels increased in the soluble phase after all pressure treatments. Pressurization up to 350 MPa also increased levels of soluble calcium and phosphorus, in all samples and concentrations, whereas treatment at 450 MPa reduced the levels of soluble Ca and P. Experimental data suggest dissociation of calcium phosphate and subsequent casein micelle destabilization as a result of pressure treatment. Treatment of 10% micellar casein concentrate and 10% milk protein concentrate samples at 450 MPa resulted in weak, physical gels, which featured aggregates of uniformly distributed, casein substructures of 15 to 20 nm in diameter. Serum proteins were significantly denatured by pressures above 250 MPa. These results provide information on pressure-induced changes in high-concentration protein systems, and may inform the development on new milk protein-based foods with novel textures and potentially high nutritional quality, of particular interest being the soft gel structures formed at high pressure levels. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Dispersion of odorants in natural gas distribution networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, R.; Fontana, E.; Silva, A.; Quadri, M. B.; Souza, S. M. A. G. U.

2018-03-01

A numerical modeling analysis of a pulse train diffusion, representing an odorant injection in a natural gas pipeline, was carried out and compared with experimental data from a real pipeline. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate how the odorant dispersion occurs along the pipe. Due to technical limitations, the odorant is injected in the line as a pulse and it is important to find out the point in the pipeline where the oscillating concentration of odorant fits into a range of values that meet both the legislation and the interests of customers who may have the quality of their products affected by this oscillation. Since the natural gas pipelines do not have strong streamline curvatures and the flow is always turbulent, it is relatively easy to determine the velocity and concentration fields using the Computational Fluid Dynamics techniques. In this study the RANS (Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes) equations with the k - ɛ turbulence model was used to build the mathematical model. Comparisons of the experimental data and numerical results show a strong agreement for the studied cases. Based on the results, it was possible to know the minimum and maximum values of odorant concentration along the pipelines.

Heat transfer analysis of radiator using graphene oxide nanofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao Ponangi, Babu; Sumanth, S.; Krishna, V.; Seetharam, T. R.; Seetharamu, K. N.

2018-04-01

As the technology is developing day by day, there is a requirement for enhancement in performance of automobile radiator to have a better performance of the IC Engine and fuel effectiveness. One of the major and recent approach to upgrade the performance of a radiator is that nanoparticles must be suspended in the general coolant (Ethylene Glycol – Water) which form nanofluids. Present work has been carried out by suspending graphene oxide nanoparticles in 50:50 Ethylene Glycol and RO-Water as base fluid. Experimentation is carried out by using three volume concentrations of the nanofluid (0.02%, 0.03% and 0.04%) and at different volumetric flow rates ranging from 3 to 6 LPM. Effect of volume concentration, inlet temperature and flow rate on Effectiveness, pressure drop and friction factor has been studied experimentally. Effectiveness versus NTU curves are plotted for further design calculations. The results show that the nanofluids will enhance the performance of an automobile radiator when compared with base fluid. Results also shows a maximum of 56.45% and 41.47% improvement in effectiveness for 0.03% volume concentration and 5 LPM flow rate at 40°C and 50°C inlet temperatures respectively.

Phytotoxic Effects of (±)-Catechin In vitro, in Soil, and in the Field

PubMed Central

Inderjit; Pollock, Jarrod L.; Callaway, Ragan M.; Holben, William

2008-01-01

Background Exploring the residence time of allelochemicals released by plants into different soils, episodic exposure of plants to allelochemicals, and the effects of allelochemicals in the field has the potential to improve our understanding of interactions among plants. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted experiments in India and the USA to understand the dynamics of soil concentrations and phytotoxicity of (±)-catechin, an allelopathic compound exuded from the roots of Centaurea maculosa, to other plants in vitro and in soil. Experiments with single and pulsed applications into soil were conducted in the field. Experimental application of (±)-catechin to soils always resulted in concentrations that were far lower than the amounts added but within the range of reported natural soil concentrations. Pulses replenished (±)-catechin levels in soils, but consistently at concentrations much lower than were applied, and even pulsed concentrations declined rapidly. Different natural soils varied substantially in the retention of (±)-catechin after application but consistent rapid decreases in concentrations over time suggested that applied experimental concentrations may overestimate concentrations necessary for phytotoxicity by over an order of magnitude. (±)-Catechin was not phytotoxic to Bambusa arundinacea in natural Indian soil in a single pulse, but soil concentrations at the time of planting seeds were either undetectable or very low. However, a single dose of (±)-catechin suppressed the growth of bamboo in sand, in soil mixed with organic matter, and Koeleria macrantha in soils from Montana and Romania, and in field applications at 40 µg l−1. Multiple pulses of (±)-catechin were inhibitory at very low concentrations in Indian soil. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that (±)-catechin is highly dynamic in natural soils, but is phytotoxic well below natural concentrations measured in some soils and applied at low concentrations in the field. However, there is substantial conditionality in the effects of the allelochemical. PMID:18648546

Measurement of rheology of distiller's grain slurries using a helical impeller viscometer.

PubMed

Houchin, Tiffany L; Hanley, Thomas R

2004-01-01

Current research is focused on developing a process to convert the cellulose and hemicellulose in distiller's grains into fermentable sugars, increasing both ethanol yield and the amount of protein in the remaining solid product. The rheologic properties of distiller's grain slurries were determined for concentrations of 21, 23, and 25%. Distiller's grain slurries are non-Newtonian, heterogeneous fluids subject to particle settling. Traditional methods of viscosity measurement, such as cone-and-plate and concentric cylinder viscometers, are not adequate for these fluids. A helical impeller viscometer was employed to measure impeller torque over a range of rotational speeds. Newtonian and non-Newtonian calibration fluids were utilized to obtain constants that relate shear stresses and shear rates to the experimental data. The Newtonian impeller constant, c, was 151; the non-Newtonian shear rate constant, k, was 10.30. Regression analysis of experimental data was utilized for comparison to power law, Herschel-Bulkley, and Casson viscosity models with regression coefficients exceeding 0.99 in all cases.

Layer-by-Layer Epitaxial Growth of Defect-Engineered Strontium Cobaltites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersen, Tassie K.; Cook, Seyoung; Wan, Gang

Control over structure and composition of (ABO(3)) perovskite oxides offers exciting opportunities since these materials possess unique, tunable properties. Perovskite oxides with cobalt B-site cations are particularly promising, as the range of the cations stable oxidation states leads to many possible structural frameworks. Here, we report growth of strontium cobalt oxide thin films by molecular beam epitaxy, and conditions necessary to stabilize different defect concentration phases. In situ X-ray scattering is used to monitor structural evolution during growth, while in situ X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy is used to probe oxidation state and measure changes to oxygen vacancy concentration as amore » function of film thickness. Experimental results are compared to kinetically limited thermodynamic predictions, in particular, solute trapping, with semiquantitative agreement. Agreement between observations of dependence of cobaltite phase on oxidation activity and deposition rate, and predictions indicates that a combined experimental/theoretical approach is key to understanding phase behavior in the strontium cobalt oxide system.« less

Prebiotic chemistry in eutectic solutions at the water-ice matrix.

PubMed

Menor-Salván, César; Marín-Yaseli, Margarita R

2012-08-21

A crystalline ice matrix at subzero temperatures can maintain a liquid phase where organic solutes and salts concentrate to form eutectic solutions. This concentration effect converts the confined reactant solutions in the ice matrix, sometimes making condensation and polymerisation reactions occur more favourably. These reactions occur at significantly high rates from a prebiotic chemistry standpoint, and the labile products can be protected from degradation. The experimental study of the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles at the ice-water system showed the efficiency of this scenario and could explain the origin of nucleobases in the inner Solar System bodies, including meteorites and extra-terrestrial ices, and on the early Earth. The same conditions can also favour the condensation of monomers to form ribonucleic acid and peptides. Together with the synthesis of these monomers, the ice world (i.e., the chemical evolution in the range between the freezing point of water and the limit of stability of liquid brines, 273 to 210 K) is an under-explored experimental model in prebiotic chemistry.

Thermodynamic Equilibrium Solubility of Diethanolamine – N-Butyl-1-Methylpyrrolidinium Dicyanamide [DEABMPYRR DCA] Mixtures for Carbon Dioxide Capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salleh, R. M.; Jamaludin, S. N.

2018-05-01

Solubility data of carbon dioxide (CO2) in aqueous Diethanolamine (DEA) blended with pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquid: N-Butyl-1-Methylpyrrolidinium Dıcyanamıde [Bmpyrr][DCA] are presented at various temperatures (313.15K-333.15K) and pressure up to about 700 psi. The concentration of [Bmpyrr][DCA] ranges from 0-10wt% and 30-40wt% for DEA. The solubility of CO2 was evaluated by measuring the pressure drop in high pressure stirred absorption cell reactor. The CO2 loading in all studied mixtures increases with an increase in CO2 partial pressure and decreases with temperature. It was also found that the CO2 loading capacity decrease as the concentration of [Bmpyrr][DCA] increases. The experimental data were correlated as a function of temperature and CO2 partial pressure to predict the solubility of CO2 in the mixtures. It was found that the model predicted results in a good agreement with experimental value.

Identifying atmospheric monitoring needs for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casserly, Dennis M.

1989-01-01

The atmospheric monitoring needs for Space Station Freedom were identified by examining the following from an industrial hygiene perspective: the experiences of past missions; ground based tests of proposed life support systems; the unique experimental and manufacturing facilities; the contaminant load model; metabolic production; and a fire. A target list of compounds to be monitored is presented and information is provided relative to the frequency of analysis, concentration ranges, and locations for monitoring probes.

Study of excitation transfer in laser dye mixtures by direct measurement of fluorescence lifetime

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, C.; Dienes, A.

1973-01-01

By directly measuring the donor fluorescence lifetime as a function of acceptor concentration in the laser dye mixture Rhodamine 6G-Cresyl violet, we found that the Stern-Volmer relation is obeyed, from which the rate of excitation transfer is determined. The experimental results indicate that the dominant mechanism responsible for the efficient excitation transfer is that of resonance transfer due to long range dipole-dipole interaction.

Variations in Ti coordination and concentration in garnet in response to temperature, pressure and composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerson, M. R.; Tailby, N.; Watson, E. B.; Spear, F. S.

2013-12-01

Titanium concentrations in garnet vary over several orders of magnitude in natural systems-- from trace-element levels in continental metamorphic systems to several weight percent in garnets from mantle xenoliths. Broadly speaking the wide range of concentrations is due to crystallization from diverse environments. Understanding the crystallographic site and Ti-substitution mechanism in garnet is crucial to deciphering concentration trends and how these relate to the petrogenetic history. This study uses XANES spectroscopy to measure Ti coordination in natural and synthetic garnets known to crystallize over a wide range of conditions to investigate whether changes in Ti coordination and concentration correlate with changes T, P and bulk composition. Ti XANES spectroscopy utilizes shifts in the 1s-3d pre-edge feature, which shows systematic shifts in intensity and energy with coordination. Natural and synthetic garnets grown at >800 oC and >1 GPa incorporate Ti almost entirely on the octahedral site in garnet. It is possible that a small amount of Ti substitutes on the tetrahedral site in these garnets, but the concentration is too low to be observed in the spectra. The most feasible mechanism for octahedral substitution involves charge-balanced coupled substitution with an M2+ cation (where M2+=Mg, Fe, Ca, or Mn) resulting in a net loss of two Al for every Ti gained. Substitution of Al onto the tetrahedral site and Ti on the octahedral site is an other feasible mechanism, although the stoichiometric deficit of Al in experimental garnets suggests this mechanism could only account for a small percentage of Ti. Increases in Ti concentration correlate best with increasing Ca content in experimental garnets. Ti solubility also changes in response to T and P. These observations suggest that Ti incorporation on the octahedral site is dependent on the activities of Ti, Al and other M2+ cation system components. This helps to explain some of the differences in Ti concentration observed in garnets reported over a range of petrogenetic conditions. Garnets from sub-eclogite continental metamorphic systems-- in contrast to high P and T systems-- incorporate Ti onto both the octahedral and tetrahedral sites and display substantial coordination mixing (up to 75% tetrahedral Ti). This work is the first to directly observe significant Ti site mixing in garnet in response to the crystallization environment. Site mixing of Ti between octahedral and tetrahedral coordination reflects broad changes in T, P and composition. The behavior of Ti ions during garnet growth, which may show changes in both coordination and saturation, makes Ti-in-garnet a potentially powerful indicator of crystallization conditions.

The Paradox of a Wet (High H2O) and Dry (Low H2O/Ce) Mantle: High Water Concentrations in Mantle Garnet Pyroxenites from Hawaii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peslier, Anne H.; Bizimis, Michael

2013-01-01

Water dissolved as trace amounts in anhydrous minerals has a large influence on the melting behavior and physical properties of the mantle. The water concentration of the oceanic mantle is inferred from the analyses of Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Oceanic Island Basalt (OIB). but there is little data from actual mantle samples. Moreover, enriched mineralogies (pyroxenites, eclogites) are thought as important sources of heterogeneity in the mantle, but their water concentrations and their effect on the water budget and cycling in the mantle are virtually unknown. Here, we analyzed by FTIR water in garnet clinopyroxenite xenoliths from Salt Lake Crater, Oahu, Hawaii. These pyroxenites are high-pressure (>20kb) crystal fractionates from alkalic melts. The clinopyroxenes (cpx) have 260 to 576 ppm wt H2O, with the least differentiated samples (Mg#>0.8) in the 400-500 ppm range. Orthopyroxene (opx) contain 117-265 ppm H2O, about half of that of cpx, consistent with other natural sample studies, but lower than cpx/opx equilibrium from experimental data. The pyroxenite cpx and opx H2O concentrations are at the high-end of on-and off-craton peridotite xenolith concentrations and those of Hawaiian spinel peridotites. In contrast, garnet has extremely low water contents (<5ppm H2O). There is no correlation between H2O in cpx and lithophile element concentrations. Phlogopite is present in some samples, and its modal abundance shows a positive correlation in Mg# with cpx, implying equilibrium. However, there is no correlation between H2O concentrations and or the presence of phlogopite. These data imply that cpx and opx may be at water saturation, far lower than experimental data suggest. Reconstructed bulk rock pyroxenite H2O ranges from 200-460 ppm (average 331 +/- 75 ppm), 2 to 8 times higher than H2O estimates for the MORB source (50-200 ppm), but in the range of E-MORB, OIB and the source of rejuvenated Hawaiian magmas. The average bulk rock pyroxenite H2O/Ce is 69 +/-35, lower than estimates of the MORB source (approx 150) or FOZO, C (200-250) mantle component, but consistent with "dry" EM sources (<100). These data suggest that a metasomatized, refertilized oceanic lithosphere that contains pyroxenitic veins (e.g. the lower part of an oceanic plate, where ascending melts can become trapped and crystallize), will have both higher water concentrations and low H2O/Ce, and may contribute to EM-type OIB sources, like that of Samoa basalts. Therefore, a low H2O/Ce mantle source may not necessarily be "dry".

[Experimental and clinical evaluation latamoxef in newborn and premature infants].

PubMed

Toyonaga, Y; Kurosu, Y; Sugita, M; Kitagawa, M; Hori, M

1983-09-01

Basic and clinical studies of latamoxef (LMOX) were carried out in neonates. In basic study, these neonates consisted of 16 mature babies and 12 premature babies. LMOX was administered at dose of 10 and 20 mg/kg, either as a single intravenous injection or as a 60 minutes intravenous drip infusion. Both the mature babies and the premature babies were divided into 3 subgroups as a function of the number of days after birth (0--3, 4--7 and 8--25 days). A clinical study of LMOX was performed in 12 neonates aged between 0--35 days, consisting 6 males and 6 females. (Purulent meningitis 4 cases, septicemia 1 case, bronchopneumonia 5 cases, pertussis pneumonia 1 case, urinary tract infection 1 case). Serum concentration and urinary excretion 10 mg/kg, one shot intravenous injection In the 3 subgroups of neonates the peak serum concentrations of LMOX were found to range from 14.6 to 28.9 micrograms/ml. Although there was no significant difference, the half-life of the drug became shorter as the age of the neonates increased, these values were 4.46, 3.85 and 3.30 hours, respectively. 10 mg/kg, 60 minutes intravenous drip infusion. As above, the peak LMOX serum concentrations were found to range from 23.7 to 38.9 micrograms/ml, the half-lives of the 3 subgroups were 4.83, 2.48 and 3.01 hours, respectively. And urinary excretions were ranged from 46.0 to 56.5% for 6 hours. 20 mg/kg, one shot intravenous injection The peak serum concentrations were found to range from 31.0--82.5 micrograms/ml, and it was found out 3.29--15.9 micrograms/ml at 8 hours after the injection. There was a tendency for the half-life to be shorter in more mature subjects in 3 subgroups. 20 mg/kg, 60 minutes intravenous drip infusion In the 3 subgroups, the peak concentration was the level existing at the end of the intravenous drip infusion, and that showed a range of 41.8--58.6 micrograms/ml. Half-lives were found out the significant difference to their age, these showed 4.08, 2.31 and 2.52 hours. Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of LMOX Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of LMOX were studied in 2 cases at the dose about 50 mg/kg. In 1 case, that's meningitis estimated E. coli organism, the cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of LMOX were found to range from 29.0 to 49.9 micrograms/ml in that acute state. In another case from N. meningitidis, that values were found to range 12.1 to 21.3 micrograms/ml. These cerebrospinal levels were superior value at it's penetration ratio. Clinical studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effect of Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycete), Cypermethrin, and D-Limonene, Alone and Combined, on Larval Mortality of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Prado-Rebolledo, Omar Francisco; Molina-Ochoa, Jaime; Lezama-Gutiérrez, Roberto; García-Márquez, Luis Jorge; Minchaca-Llerenas, Yureida B; Morales-Barrera, Eduardo; Tellez, Guillermo; Hargis, Billy; Skoda, Steven R; Foster, John E

2017-09-01

The effect of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae Ma14 strain, D-limonene, and cypermethrin, alone and combined, on the mortality of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille larvae was evaluated. Eight separate groups with 25 tick larvae were inoculated with the fungus, cypermethrin, and D-limonene, and four groups were used as untreated controls. The groups were inoculated with serial dilutions of each treatment material: for example, conidial concentrations were 1 × 101, 1 × 102, 1 × 103, 1 × 104, 1 × 105, 1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108. A complete randomized experimental design was used. Significant differences were obtained between fungal concentrations, with larval mortalities ranging from 29 to 100%; the D-limonene concentrations showed significant differences, with mortalities that ranged from 47.9 to 82.6%, and cypermethrin mortalities ranged from 69.9 to 89.9% when each was applied alone. In the combined application, the serial dilution of the Ma14 fungus plus cypermethrin at 0.1% concentration caused mortalities ranging from 92.9 to 100%; the mix of serially diluted Ma14 plus D-limonene at 0.1% caused mortalities from 10.3 to 100%; and the mix consisting of serially diluted D-limonene plus cypermethrin at 0.1% caused mortalities from 7.4 to 35.9%. Further laboratory and field research could show that these materials, alone and in combinations, are useful in future tick management and control programs. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Detailed mechanism for oxidation of benzene

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bittker, David A.

1990-01-01

A detailed mechanism for the oxidation of benzene is presented and used to compute experimentally obtained concentration profiles and ignition delay times over a wide range of equivalence ratio and temperature. The computed results agree qualitatively with all the experimental trends. Quantitative agreement is obtained with several of the composition profiles and for the temperature dependence of the ignition delay times. There are indications, however, that some important reactions are as yet undiscovered in this mechanism. Recent literature expressions have been used for the rate coefficients of most important reactions, except for some involving phenol. The discrepancy between the phenol pyrolysis rate coefficient used in this work and a recent literature expression remains to be explained.

Experimental study of THz electro-optical sampling crystals ZnSe, ZnTe and GaP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhukova, M.; Makarov, E.; Putilin, S.; Tsypkin, A.; Chegnov, V.; Chegnova, O.; Bespalov, V.

2017-11-01

The application of optoelectronic techniques to the generation and detection of THz radiation is now well established. Wide gap semiconductor crystals of groups II-VI, III-V and III-VI are abundantly used. However, some limitations are occurred while using powerful laser systems. In this paper we introduce experimental results of two-photon absorption (2PA) in ZnSe, ZnTe and GaP studied with femtosecond pump-probe supercontinuum spectroscopy. Using of supercontinuum helps us to measure 2PA absorption dynamics and nonlinear index of refraction in wide frequency ranges. Besides influence of Fe concentration in ZnSe:Fe crystals on transmitted THz radiation is described.

Concentrations of tilmicosin in mammary gland secretions of dairy cows following subcutaneous administration of one or two doses of an experimental preparation of tilmicosin and its efficacy against intramammary infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Mendoza, Jesus; Martínez-Cortés, Ismael; López-Ordaz, Reyes; Gutiérrez, Lilia; Sumano, Hector

2016-09-01

OBJECTIVE To determine the concentration of tilmicosin in mammary gland secretions of dairy cows following administration of an experimental preparation once or twice during the dry period (45-day period immediately prior to calving during which cows are not milked) and to evaluate its efficacy for the treatment of cows with intramammary infections (IMIs) caused by Staphylococcus aureus at dry off (cessation of milking; first day of dry period), compared with that of an intramammary infusion of ceftiofur. ANIMALS 172 cows. PROCEDURES Milk samples were collected for microbiological culture 5 days before dry off and at calving and 15 and 30 days after calving. Cows with Staphylococcus IMIs were randomly assigned to receive an experimental preparation of tilmicosin (20 mg/kg, SC) once at dry off (n = 58) or at dry off and again 20 days later (56) or receive a long-acting intramammary preparation of ceftiofur (500 mg/mammary gland; 56) at dry off. Mammary gland secretions were collected from 5 cows in the tilmicosin-treated groups every 5 days after dry off until calving for determination of tilmicosin concentration. RESULTS Mean maximum concentration of tilmicosin in mammary gland secretions ranged from 14.4 to 20.9 μg/mL after the first dose and was 17.1 μg/mL after the second dose. The bacteriologic cure rate was 100% for all 3 treatments. Tilmicosin was detectable for 0 and 18 days after calving in the milk of cows treated with 1 and 2 doses of tilmicosin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Administration of an experimental preparation of tilmicosin (20 mg/kg, SC) once to dairy cows at dry off might be useful for the treatment of S aureus IMIs.

Preferential flow in municipal solid waste and implications for long-term leachate quality: valuation of laboratory-scale experiments.

PubMed

Rosqvist, N H; Dollar, L H; Fourie, A B

2005-08-01

In this paper, we study and quantify pollutant concentrations after long-term leaching at relatively low flow rates and residual concentrations after heavy flushing of a 0.14 m3 municipal solid waste sample. Moreover, water flow and solute transport through preferential flow paths are studied by model interpretation of experimental break-through curves (BTCs), generated by tracer tests. In the study it was found that high concentrations of chloride remain after several pore volumes of water have percolated through the waste sample. The residual concentration was found to be considerably higher than can be predicted by degradation models. For model interpretations of the experimental BTCs, two probabilistic model approaches were applied, the transfer function model and the Lagrangian transport formulation. The experimental BTCs indicated the presence of preferential flow through the waste mass and the model interpretation of the BTCs suggested that between 19 and 41% of the total water content participated in the transport of solute through preferential flow paths. In the study, the occurrence of preferential flow was found to be dependent on the flow rate in the sense that a high flow rate enhances the preferential flow. However, to fully quantify the possible dependence between flow rate and preferential flow, experiments on a broader range of experimental conditions are suggested. The chloride washout curve obtained over the 4-year study period shows that as a consequence of the water flow in favoured flow paths, bypassing other parts of the solid waste body, the leachate quality may reflect only the flow paths and their surroundings. The results in this study thus show that in order to improve long-term prediction of the leachate quality and quantity the magnitude of the preferential water flow through a landfill must be taken into account.

Visible-light OCT to quantify retinal oxygen metabolism (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hao F.; Yi, Ji; Chen, Siyu; Liu, Wenzhong; Soetikno, Brian T.

2016-03-01

We explored, both numerically and experimentally, whether OCT can be a good candidate to accurately measure retinal oxygen metabolism. We first used statistical methods to numerically simulate photon transport in the retina to mimic OCT working under different spectral ranges. Then we analyze accuracy of OCT oximetry subject to parameter variations such as vessel size, pigmentation, and oxygenation. We further developed an experimental OCT system based on the spectral range identified by our simulation work. We applied the newly developed OCT to measure both retinal hemoglobin oxygen saturation (sO2) and retinal retinal flow. After obtaining the retinal sO2 and blood velocity, we further measured retinal vessel diameter and calculated the retinal oxygen metabolism rate (MRO2). To test the capability of our OCT, we imaged wild-type Long-Evans rats ventilated with both normal air and air mixtures with various oxygen concentrations. Our simulation suggested that OCT working within visible spectral range is able to provide accurate measurement of retinal MRO2 using inverse Fourier transform spectral reconstruction. We called this newly developed technology vis-OCT, and showed that vis-OCT was able to measure the sO2 value in every single major retinal vessel around the optical disk as well as in micro retinal vessels. When breathing normal air, the averaged sO2 in arterial and venous blood in Long-Evans rats was measured to be 95% and 72%, respectively. When we challenge the rats using air mixtures with different oxygen concentrations, vis-OCT measurement followed analytical models of retinal oxygen diffusion and pulse oximeter well.

Stability of urea in solution and pharmaceutical preparations.

PubMed

Panyachariwat, Nattakan; Steckel, Hartwig

2014-01-01

The stability of urea in solution and pharmaceutical preparations was analyzed as a function of temperature (25°-60°C), pH (3.11-9.67), and initial urea concentration (2.5%-20%). This study was undertaken to (i) obtain more extensive, quantitative information relative to the degradation of urea in both aqueous and non-aqueous solutions and in pharmaceutical preparations, and (ii) test the effects of initial urea concentration, pH, buffer, and temperature values on urea degradation. The stability analysis shows that urea is more stable at the pH range of 4-8 and the stability of urea decreases by increase in temperature for all pH values. Within the experimental range of temperature and initial urea concentration values, the lowest urea degradation was found with lactate buffer pH 6.0. The urea decomposition rate in solution and pharmaceutical preparations shows the dependence of the initial urea concentrations. At higher initial urea concentrations, the rate of degradation is a decreasing function with time. This suggests that the reverse reaction is a factor in the degradation of concentrated urea solution. For non-aqueous solvents, isopropanol showed the best effort in retarding the decomposition of urea. Since the losses in urea is directly influenced by its stability at a given temperature and pH, the stability analysis of urea by the proposed model can be used to prevent the loss and optimize the operating condition for urea-containing pharmaceutical preparations.

Clinical concentrations of chemically diverse general anesthetics minimally affect lipid bilayer properties

PubMed Central

Herold, Karl F.; Sanford, R. Lea; Lee, William; Andersen, Olaf S.; Hemmings, Hugh C.

2017-01-01

General anesthetics have revolutionized medicine by facilitating invasive procedures, and have thus become essential drugs. However, detailed understanding of their molecular mechanisms remains elusive. A mechanism proposed over a century ago involving unspecified interactions with the lipid bilayer known as the unitary lipid-based hypothesis of anesthetic action, has been challenged by evidence for direct anesthetic interactions with a range of proteins, including transmembrane ion channels. Anesthetic concentrations in the membrane are high (10–100 mM), however, and there is no experimental evidence ruling out a role for the lipid bilayer in their ion channel effects. A recent hypothesis proposes that anesthetic-induced changes in ion channel function result from changes in bilayer lateral pressure that arise from partitioning of anesthetics into the bilayer. We examined the effects of a broad range of chemically diverse general anesthetics and related nonanesthetics on lipid bilayer properties using an established fluorescence assay that senses drug-induced changes in lipid bilayer properties. None of the compounds tested altered bilayer properties sufficiently to produce meaningful changes in ion channel function at clinically relevant concentrations. Even supra-anesthetic concentrations caused minimal bilayer effects, although much higher (toxic) concentrations of certain anesthetic agents did alter lipid bilayer properties. We conclude that general anesthetics have minimal effects on bilayer properties at clinically relevant concentrations, indicating that anesthetic effects on ion channel function are not bilayer-mediated but rather involve direct protein interactions. PMID:28265069

Fate and bioaccumulation of isoproturon in outdoor aquatic microcosms.

PubMed

Merlin, Gerard; Vuillod, Maryline; Lissolo, Thierry; Clement, Bernard

2002-06-01

To gain information concerning the ecotoxicity of isoproturon (IPU) on aquatic ecosystems, six experimental ponds of 5 m3 each were studied. All the experiments were conducted during the summer over two years. Three different types of ecosystems were tested in 1994 and one type of ecosystem was selected and repeated in 1995 with three replicates. In each case, the initial concentration of IPU contamination was set at 10 microg/L. The IPU concentration was determined in the water column and in different species (mainly plants) of the microcosms. A first-order kinetic decrease in IPU concentration was observed in 1994, with half-life ranging from 15 to 35 d, depending on the microcosms. This relatively fast decrease was also confirmed in 1995, but it reached a constant value after two months. A high variability of the IPU concentration was observed in exposed plants, with bioconcentration factors ranging from 100 to 1,200 with large coefficients of variation. The observed plant bioconcentration factors are higher than those predicted by usual numerical models, probably due to the specific binding of IPU on one protein of the photosynthetic apparatus. Our data show that bioconcentration does not occur in mollusks but is important in photosynthetic organisms. Plant bioconcentration and microbial biodegradation are the main processes involved in the IPU decay in our outdoor aquatic microcosms.

Suspended sediment assessment by combining sound attenuation and backscatter measurements - analytical method and experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, Massimo; Di Federico, Vittorio

2018-03-01

The use of acoustic techniques has become common for estimating suspended sediment in water environments. An emitted beam propagates into water producing backscatter and attenuation, which depend on scattering particles concentration and size distribution. Unfortunately, the actual particles size distribution (PSD) may largely affect the accuracy of concentration quantification through the unknown coefficients of backscattering strength, ks2, and normalized attenuation, ζs. This issue was partially solved by applying the multi-frequency approach. Despite this possibility, a relevant scientific and practical question remains regarding the possibility of using acoustic methods to investigate poorly sorted sediment in the spectrum ranging from clay to fine sand. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of combining the measurement of sound attenuation and backscatter to determine ζs for the suspended particles and the corresponding concentration. The proposed method is moderately dependent from actual PSD, thus relaxing the need of frequent calibrations to account for changes in ks2 and ζs coefficients. Laboratory tests were conducted under controlled conditions to validate this measurement technique. With respect to existing approaches, the developed method more accurately estimates the concentration of suspended particles ranging from clay to fine sand and, at the same time, gives an indication on their actual PSD.

Effects of laser ablated silver nanoparticles on Lemna minor.

PubMed

Üçüncü, Esra; Özkan, Alper D; Kurşungöz, Canan; Ülger, Zeynep E; Ölmez, Tolga T; Tekinay, Turgay; Ortaç, Bülend; Tunca, Evren

2014-08-01

The present study investigates and models the effect of laser ablated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the development of the aquatic macrophyte Lemna minor. Toxic effects of five different AgNP concentrations (8, 16, 32, 96 and 128 μg L(-1)) on L. minor were recorded over seven days under simulated natural conditions. Biosorption of AgNPs by L. minor was modeled using four sorption isotherms, and the sorption behavior was found to agree most closely with the Langmuir-Freundlich model (R(2)=0.997). While toxic effects of AgNPs could be observed in all models and concentrations, the greatest increase in toxicity was in the 8-32 μg L(-1) range. Dry weight- and frond number-based inhibition experiments suggest that growth inhibition does not necessarily scale with AgNP concentration, and that slight fluctuations in inhibition rates exist over certain concentration ranges. Very close fits (R(2)=0.999) were obtained for all removal models, suggesting that the fluctuations are not caused by experimental variation. In addition, L. minor was found to be a successful bioremediation agent for AgNPs, and displayed higher removal rates for increasing AgNP doses. FT-IR spectroscopy suggests that carbonyl groups are involved in AgNP remediation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at the air/water interface: targeting the sulfate headgroup using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy.

PubMed

Johnson, C Magnus; Tyrode, Eric

2005-07-07

The surface sensitive technique vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS), has been used to study the adsorption behaviour of SDS to the liquid/vapour interface of aqueous solutions, specifically targeting the sulfate headgroup stretches. In the spectral region extending from 980 to 1850 cm(-1), only the vibrations due to the SO(3) group were detectable. The fitted amplitudes for the symmetric SO(3) stretch observed at 1070 cm(-1) for the polarization combinations ssp and ppp, were seen to follow the adsorption isotherm calculated from surface tension measurements. The orientation of the sulfate headgroup in the concentration range spanning from 1.0 mM to above the critical micellar concentration (c.m.c.) was observed to remain constant within experimental error, with the pseudo-C(3) axis close to the surface normal. Furthermore, the effect of increasing amounts of sodium chloride at SDS concentrations above c.m.c. was also studied, showing an increase of approximately 12% in the fitted amplitude for the symmetric SO(3) stretch when increasing the ionic strength from 0 to 300 mM NaCl. Interestingly, the orientation of the SDS headgroup was also observed to remain constant within this concentration range and identical to the case without NaCl.

Environmentally-relevant concentrations of atrazine induce non-monotonic acceleration of developmental rate and increased size at metamorphosis in Rhinella arenarum tadpoles.

PubMed

Brodeur, Julie C; Sassone, Alina; Hermida, Gladys N; Codugnello, Nadia

2013-06-01

Despite of the various studies reporting on the subject, anticipating the impacts of the widely-used herbicide atrazine on anuran tadpoles metamorphosis remains complex as increases or decreases of larval period duration are almost as frequently reported as an absence of effect. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of atrazine (0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000μg/L) on the timings of metamorphosis and body size at metamorphosis in the common South American toad, Rhinella arenarum (Anura: bufonidae). None of the atrazine concentrations tested significantly altered survival. Low atrazine concentrations in the range of 1-100μg/L were found to accelerate developmental rate in a non-monotonic U-shaped concentration-response relationship. This observed acceleration of the metamorphic process occurred entirely between stages 25 and 39; treated tadpoles proceeding through metamorphosis as control animals beyond this point. Together with proceeding through metamorphosis at a faster rate, tadpoles exposed to atrazine concentrations in the range of 1-100μg/L furthermore transformed into significantly larger metamorphs than controls, the concentration-response curve taking the form of an inverted U in this case. The no observed effect concentration (NOEC) was 0.1μg atrazine/L for both size at metamorphosis and timings of metamorphosis. Tadpoles exposed to 100μg/L 17β-estradiol presented the exact same alterations of developmental rate and body size as those treated with 1, 10 and 100μg/L of atrazine. Elements of the experimental design that facilitated the detection of alterations of metamorphosis at low concentrations of atrazine are discussed, together with the ecological significance of those findings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct gravimetric determination of aerosol mass concentration in central antarctica.

PubMed

Annibaldi, Anna; Truzzi, Cristina; Illuminati, Silvia; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2011-01-01

In Antarctica, experimental difficulties due to extreme conditions have meant that aerosol mass has rarely been measured directly by gravimetry, and only in coastal areas where concentrations were in the range of 1-7 μg m(-3). The present work reports on a careful differential weighing methodology carried out for the first time on the plateau of central Antarctica (Dome C, East Antarctica). To solve problems of accurate aerosol mass measurements, a climatic room was used for conditioning and weighing filters. Measurements were carried out in long stages of several hours of readings with automatic recording of temperature/humidity and mass. This experimental scheme allowed us to sample from all the measurements (up to 2000) carried out before and after exposure, those which were recorded under the most stable humidity conditions and, even more importantly, as close to each other as possible. The automatic reading of the mass allowed us in any case to obtain hundreds of measurements from which to calculate average values with uncertainties sufficiently low to meet the requirements of the differential weighing procedure (±0.2 mg in filter weighing, between ±7% and ±16% both in aerosol mass and concentration measurements). The results show that the average summer aerosol mass concentration (aerodynamic size ≤10 μm) in central Antarctica is about 0.1 μg m(-3), i.e., about 1/10 of that of coastal Antarctic areas. The concentration increases by about 4-5 times at a site very close to the station.

Theoretical study on the sound absorption of electrolytic solutions. II. Assignments of relaxations.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, T; Matsuoka, T; Koda, S

2007-08-14

The theory on the ultrasonic absorption spectrum of electrolytic solutions recently proposed by us is applied to the model system that resembles to the aqueous solution of MgSO4. The charges on ions are reduced to +/-1.5e in order to obtain the equilibrium structure by the integral equation theory. The theory reproduces the existence of two relaxations around 100 kHz and 1 GHz. The physical origin of the relaxation is analyzed based on the theoretical expression. The slower relaxation is shown to originate in the formation of contact ion pair, in harmony with the conventional assignment. The amplitude of this relaxation agrees with the experimental one fairly well. The absorption cross section is a weakly increasing function of the concentration of the salt in theory, whereas it depends little on the concentration in experiment, which is ascribed to the weaker association of the pair in the theory. The deviation from the Debye relaxation is found for the faster process, and the concentration dependence is small. The analysis shows that this relaxation stems from the coupling between the pressure and the long-range concentration fluctuation, and the concentration independence and the non-Debye relaxation are explained based on the theoretical analysis. In particular, the theory demonstrates that this process has the t(-3/2) tail in the time domain, which is confirmed by numerical calculation. The deviation of the theoretical relaxation amplitude from the experimental one is elucidated in terms of the theoretical expression of the coefficient.

Lethal and sublethal effects of azadirachtin on the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Barbosa, Wagner Faria; De Meyer, Laurens; Guedes, Raul Narciso C; Smagghe, Guy

2015-01-01

Azadirachtin is a biorational insecticide commonly reported as selective to a range of beneficial insects. Nonetheless, only few studies have been carried out with pollinators, usually emphasizing the honeybee Apis mellifera and neglecting other important pollinator species such as the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Here, lethal and sublethal effects of azadirachtin were studied on B. terrestris via oral exposure in the laboratory to bring out the potential risks of the compound to this important pollinator. The compound was tested at different concentrations above and below the maximum concentration that is used in the field (32 mg L(-1)). As most important results, azadirachtin repelled bumblebee workers in a concentration-dependent manner. The median repellence concentration (RC50) was estimated as 504 mg L(-1). Microcolonies chronically exposed to azadirachtin via treated sugar water during 11 weeks in the laboratory exhibited a high mortality ranging from 32 to 100 % with a range of concentrations between 3.2 and 320 mg L(-1). Moreover, no reproduction was scored when concentrations were higher than 3.2 mg L(-1). At 3.2 mg L(-1), azadirachtin significantly inhibited the egg-laying and, consequently, the production of drones during 6 weeks. Ovarian length decreased with the increase of the azadirachtin concentration. When azadirachtin was tested under an experimental setup in the laboratory where bumblebees need to forage for food, the sublethal effects were stronger as the numbers of drones were reduced already with a concentration of 0.64 mg L(-1). Besides, a negative correlation was found between the body mass of male offspring and azadirachtin concentration. In conclusion, our results as performed in the laboratory demonstrated that azadirachtin can affect B. terrestris with a range of sublethal effects. Taking into account that sublethal effects are as important as lethal effects for the development and survival of the colonies of B. terrestris, this study confirms the need to test compounds on their safety, especially when they have to perform complex tasks such as foraging. The latter agrees with the recent European Food Safety Authority guidelines to assess 'potentially deleterious' compounds for sublethal effects on behavior.

Scaling Properties of Particle Density Fields Formed in Simulated Turbulent Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hogan, Robert C.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Dobrovolskis, Anthony R.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of particle concentrations in fully developed 3D turbulence were carried out in order to study the nonuniform structure of the particle density field. Three steady-state turbulent fluid fields with Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers (Re(sub lambda)) of 40, 80 and 140 were generated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with pseudospectral methods. Large scale forcing was used to drive the turbulence and maintain temporal stationarity. The response of the particles to the fluid was parameterized by the particle Stokes number St, defined as the ratio of the particle's stopping time to the mean period of eddies on the Kolmogorov scale (eta). In this paper, we consider only passive particles optimally coupled to these eddies (St approx. = 1) because of their tendency to concentrate more than particles with lesser or greater St values. The trajectories of up to 70 million particles were tracked in the equilibrated turbulent flows until the particle concentration field reached a statistically stationary state. The nonuniform structure of the concentration fields was characterized by the multifractal singularity spectrum, f(alpha), derived from measures obtained after binning particles into cells ranging from 2(eta) to 15(eta) in size. We observed strong systematic variations of f(alpha) across this scale range in all three simulations and conclude that the particle concentration field is not statistically self similar across the scale range explored. However, spectra obtained at the 2(eta), 4(eta), and 8(eta) scales of each flow case were found to be qualitatively similar. This result suggests that the local structure of the particle concentration field may be flow-Independent. The singularity spectra found for 2n-sized cells were used to predict concentration distributions in good agreement with those obtained directly from the particle data. This Singularity spectrum has a shape similar to the analogous spectrum derived for the inertial-range energy dissipation fields of experimental turbulent flows at Re(sub lambda) = 110 and 1100. Based on this agreement, and the expectation that both dissipation and particle concentration are controlled by the same cascade process, we hypothesize that singularity spectra similar to the ones found in this work provide a good characterization of the spatially averaged statistical properties of preferentially concentrated particles in higher Re(sub lambda) turbulent flows.

Roadmap to clinical use of gold nanoparticles for radiosensitization

PubMed Central

Schuemann, J.; Berbeco, R.; Chithrani, B. D.; Cho, S.; Kumar, R.; McMahon, S.; Sridhar, S.; Krishnan, S.

2015-01-01

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in interest in the use of Gold Nanoparticles (GNPs) as radiation sensitizers for radiotherapy. This interest was initially driven by their strong absorption of ionizing radiation and the resulting ability to increase dose deposited within target volumes even at relatively low concentrations. These early observations are supported by extensive experimental validation, showing GNPs’ efficacy at sensitizing tumors in both in vitro and in vivo systems to a range of types of ionizing radiation, including kilovoltage and megavoltage X-rays as well as charged particles. Despite this experimental validation, there has been limited translation of GNP-mediated radiosensitization to a clinical setting. One of the key challenges in this area is the wide range of experimental systems that have been investigated, spanning a range of particle sizes, shapes and preparations. As a result, mechanisms of uptake and radiosensitization have remained difficult to clearly identify. This has proven a significant impediment to the identification of optimal GNP formulations which strike a balance among their radiosensitizing properties, their specificity to the tumors, their biocompatibility, and their imageability in vivo. This white paper reviews the current state of knowledge in each of the areas concerning the use of GNPs as radiosensitizers, and outlines the steps which will be required to advance GNP-enhanced radiation therapy from their current pre-clinical setting to clinical trials and eventual routine usage. PMID:26700713

Magma transport and olivine crystallization depths in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone inferred from experimentally rehomogenized melt inclusions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuohy, Robin M; Wallace, Paul J.; Loewen, Matthew W; Swanson, Don; Kent, Adam J R

2016-01-01

Concentrations of H2O and CO2 in olivine-hosted melt inclusions can be used to estimate crystallization depths for the olivine host. However, the original dissolved CO2concentration of melt inclusions at the time of trapping can be difficult to measure directly because in many cases substantial CO2 is transferred to shrinkage bubbles that form during post-entrapment cooling and crystallization. To investigate this problem, we heated olivine from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki and 1960 Kapoho (Hawai‘i) eruptions in a 1-atm furnace to temperatures above the melt inclusion trapping temperature to redissolve the CO2 in shrinkage bubbles. The measured CO2 concentrations of the experimentally rehomogenized inclusions (⩽590 ppm for Kīlauea Iki [n=10]; ⩽880 ppm for Kapoho, with one inclusion at 1863 ppm [n=38]) overlap with values for naturally quenched inclusions from the same samples, but experimentally rehomogenized inclusions have higher within-sample median CO2 values than naturally quenched inclusions, indicating at least partial dissolution of CO2 from the vapor bubble during heating. Comparison of our data with predictions from modeling of vapor bubble formation and published Raman data on the density of CO2 in the vapor bubbles suggests that 55-85% of the dissolved CO2 in the melt inclusions at the time of trapping was lost to post-entrapment shrinkage bubbles. Our results combined with the Raman data demonstrate that olivine from the early part of the Kīlauea Iki eruption crystallized at <6 km depth, with the majority of olivine in the 1-3 km depth range. These depths are consistent with the interpretation that the Kīlauea Iki magma was supplied from Kīlauea’s summit magma reservoir (∼2-5 km depth). In contrast, olivine from Kapoho, which was the rift zone extension of the Kīlauea Iki eruption, crystallized over a much wider range of depths (∼1-16 km). The wider depth range requires magma transport during the Kapoho eruption from deep beneath the summit region and/or from deep beneath Kīlauea’s east rift zone. The deeply derived olivine crystals and their host magma mixed with stored, more evolved magma in the rift zone, and the mixture was later erupted at Kapoho.

Magma transport and olivine crystallization depths in Kīlauea's east rift zone inferred from experimentally rehomogenized melt inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuohy, Robin M.; Wallace, Paul J.; Loewen, Matthew W.; Swanson, Donald A.; Kent, Adam J. R.

2016-07-01

Concentrations of H2O and CO2 in olivine-hosted melt inclusions can be used to estimate crystallization depths for the olivine host. However, the original dissolved CO2 concentration of melt inclusions at the time of trapping can be difficult to measure directly because in many cases substantial CO2 is transferred to shrinkage bubbles that form during post-entrapment cooling and crystallization. To investigate this problem, we heated olivine from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki and 1960 Kapoho (Hawai'i) eruptions in a 1-atm furnace to temperatures above the melt inclusion trapping temperature to redissolve the CO2 in shrinkage bubbles. The measured CO2 concentrations of the experimentally rehomogenized inclusions (⩽590 ppm for Kīlauea Iki [n = 10]; ⩽880 ppm for Kapoho, with one inclusion at 1863 ppm [n = 38]) overlap with values for naturally quenched inclusions from the same samples, but experimentally rehomogenized inclusions have higher within-sample median CO2 values than naturally quenched inclusions, indicating at least partial dissolution of CO2 from the vapor bubble during heating. Comparison of our data with predictions from modeling of vapor bubble formation and published Raman data on the density of CO2 in the vapor bubbles suggests that 55-85% of the dissolved CO2 in the melt inclusions at the time of trapping was lost to post-entrapment shrinkage bubbles. Our results combined with the Raman data demonstrate that olivine from the early part of the Kīlauea Iki eruption crystallized at <6 km depth, with the majority of olivine in the 1-3 km depth range. These depths are consistent with the interpretation that the Kīlauea Iki magma was supplied from Kīlauea's summit magma reservoir (∼2-5 km depth). In contrast, olivine from Kapoho, which was the rift zone extension of the Kīlauea Iki eruption, crystallized over a much wider range of depths (∼1-16 km). The wider depth range requires magma transport during the Kapoho eruption from deep beneath the summit region and/or from deep beneath Kīlauea's east rift zone. The deeply derived olivine crystals and their host magma mixed with stored, more evolved magma in the rift zone, and the mixture was later erupted at Kapoho.

Effects of Reproductive Hormones on Experimental Vaginal Candidiasis

PubMed Central

Fidel, Paul L.; Cutright, Jessica; Steele, Chad

2000-01-01

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an opportunistic mucosal infection caused by Candida albicans that affects large numbers of otherwise healthy women of childbearing age. Acute episodes of VVC often occur during pregnancy and during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, when levels of progesterone and estrogen are elevated. Although estrogen-dependent experimental rodent models of C. albicans vaginal infection are used for many applications, the role of reproductive hormones and/or their limits in the acquisition of vaginal candidiasis remain unclear. This study examined the effects of estrogen and progesterone on several aspects of an experimental infection together with relative cell-mediated immune responses. Results showed that while decreasing estrogen concentrations eventually influenced infection-induced vaginal titers of C. albicans and rates of infection in inoculated animals, the experimental infection could not be achieved in mice treated with various concentrations of progesterone alone. Furthermore, progesterone had no effect on (i) the induction and persistence of the infection in the presence of estrogen, (ii) delayed-type hypersensitivity in primary-infected mice, or (iii) the partial protection from a secondary vaginal infection under pseudoestrus conditions. Other results with estrogen showed that a persistent infection could be established with a wide range of C. albicans inocula under supraphysiologic and near-physiologic (at estrus) concentrations of estrogen and that vaginal fungus titers or rates of infection were similar if pseudoestrus was initiated several days before or after inoculation. However, the pseudoestrus state had to be maintained for the infection to persist. Finally, estrogen was found to reduce the ability of vaginal epithelial cells to inhibit the growth of C. albicans. These results suggest that estrogen, but not progesterone, is an important factor in hormone-associated susceptibility to C. albicans vaginitis. PMID:10639429

Passivation of phosphorus diffused silicon surfaces with Al2O3: Influence of surface doping concentration and thermal activation treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Armin; Benick, Jan; Kimmerle, Achim; Hermle, Martin; Glunz, Stefan W.

2014-12-01

Thin layers of Al2O3 are well known for the excellent passivation of p-type c-Si surfaces including highly doped p+ emitters, due to a high density of fixed negative charges. Recent results indicate that Al2O3 can also provide a good passivation of certain phosphorus-diffused n+ c-Si surfaces. In this work, we studied the recombination at Al2O3 passivated n+ surfaces theoretically with device simulations and experimentally for Al2O3 deposited with atomic layer deposition. The simulation results indicate that there is a certain surface doping concentration, where the recombination is maximal due to depletion or weak inversion of the charge carriers at the c-Si/Al2O3 interface. This pronounced maximum was also observed experimentally for n+ surfaces passivated either with Al2O3 single layers or stacks of Al2O3 capped by SiNx, when activated with a low temperature anneal (425 °C). In contrast, for Al2O3/SiNx stacks activated with a short high-temperature firing process (800 °C) a significant lower surface recombination was observed for most n+ diffusion profiles without such a pronounced maximum. Based on experimentally determined interface properties and simulation results, we attribute this superior passivation quality after firing to a better chemical surface passivation, quantified by a lower interface defect density, in combination with a lower density of negative fixed charges. These experimental results reveal that Al2O3/SiNx stacks can provide not only excellent passivation on p+ surfaces but also on n+ surfaces for a wide range of surface doping concentrations when activated with short high-temperature treatments.

Measuring the stopping power of α particles in compact bone for BNCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provenzano, L.; Rodríguez, L. M.; Fregenal, D.; Bernardi, G.; Olivares, C.; Altieri, S.; Bortolussi, S.; González, S. J.

2015-01-01

The stopping power of α particles in thin films of decalcified sheep femur, in the range of 1.5 to 5.0 MeV incident energy, was measured by transmission of a backscattered beam from a heavy target. Additionally, the film elemental composition was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). These data will be used to measure boron concentration in thin films of bone using a spectrometry technique developed by the University of Pavia, since the concentration ratio between healthy tissue and tumor is of fundamental importance in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). The present experimental data are compared with numerical simulation results and with tabulated stopping power data of non-decalcified human bone.

Dielectric spectroscopy of PMMA-LiClO4 based polymer electrolyte plasticized with ethylene carbonate EC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2018-04-01

Dielectric spectroscopy covering the frequency range 0.01 Hz - 2 MHz for PMMA-LiClO4 based polymer electrolyte embedded with different concentration of ethylene carbonate (x = 0, 20 and 40 wt%) has been analyzed using Havrilliak-Negami formalism. The reciprocal temperature dependence of inverse relaxation time obtained from the analysis of dielectric spectra follows Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher behaviour. The shape parameters obtained from this analysis change with ethylene carbonate concentrations. From the fits of the experimental result using Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts function. We have obtained stretched exponent β which indicates that the relaxation is highly non-exponential. The decay function obtained from electric modulus data is highly asymmetric.

Emitted radiation characteristics of plutonium dioxide radioisotope thermoelectric generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gingo, P. J.; Steyn, J. J.

1971-01-01

The nuclear and emitted radiation characteristics of the radioisotope elements and impurities in commercial grade plutonium dioxide are presented in detail. The development of the methods of analysis are presented. Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) of 1575, 3468 and 5679 thermal watts are characterized with respect to neutron and gamma photon source strength as well as spatial and number flux distribution. The results are presented as a function of detector position and light element contamination concentration for fuel age ranging from 'fresh' to 18 years. The data may be used to obtain results for given O-18 and Pu-236 concentrations. The neutron and gamma photon flux and dose calculations compare favorably with reported experimental values for SNAP-27.

Safety of gardening on lead- and arsenic-contaminated urban brownfields.

PubMed

Defoe, Phillip P; Hettiarachchi, Ganga M; Benedict, Christopher; Martin, Sabine

2014-11-01

Elevated levels of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) are not uncommon for urban soils. Test plots were established at urban gardens in Tacoma and Seattle, WA. The Tacoma site was contaminated with Pb (51-312 mg kg) and As (39-146 mg kg), and the Seattle site had high Pb soil concentrations ranging from 506 to 2022 mg kg and As concentrations of <20 mg kg. The efficacy of biosolids mix and compost amendment in reducing Pb and As concentrations in three vegetables (carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes) and the bioaccessibility of soil Pb and As were evaluated. Food-chain transfer of Pb and As were evaluated by measuring plant Pb and As concentrations after kitchen-style washing, a laboratory cleaning procedure, or peeling. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a split-plot arrangement. Tacoma site treatments included a Class A biosolids mix (TAGRO) with dolomite, and soil at the Seattle site was amended with Cedar-Grove compost (CGC) plus dolomite. TAGRO amendment diluted soil Pb by 10 to 23% and As by 12 to 25% at the Tacoma site, and CGC + dolomite resulted in 20 to 50% dilution in soil Pb at the Seattle site. Both amendments reduced Pb concentrations in vegetables by 50 to 71%, and As reductions ranged from 46 to 80%. At the Tacoma site, Pb concentrations (dry weight basis) in carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes ranged from 8.89 to 25.0, from 0.37 to 3.83, and from 0.54 to 1.24 mg kg, respectively. Plant As concentrations were below 703 μg kg (dry weight) for the vegetables and followed the order lettuce > carrot > tomato. Food-chain transfer of Pb and As in vegetables grown in contaminated urban soils were reduced by laboratory cleaning. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Anidulafungin (LY303366): Reappraisal of Its Efficacy in Neutropenic Animal Models of Opportunistic Mycoses Using Optimal Plasma Sampling

PubMed Central

Groll, Andreas H.; Mickiene, Diana; Petraitiene, Ruta; Petraitis, Vidmantas; Lyman, Caron A.; Bacher, John S.; Piscitelli, Stephen C.; Walsh, Thomas J.

2001-01-01

The compartmental pharmacokinetics of anidulafungin (VER-002; formerly LY303366) in plasma were characterized with normal rabbits, and the relationships between drug concentrations and antifungal efficacy were assessed in clinically applicable infection models in persistently neutropenic animals. At intravenous dosages ranging from 0.1 to 20 mg/kg of body weight, anidulafungin demonstrated linear plasma pharmacokinetics that fitted best to a three-compartment open pharmacokinetic model. Following administration over 7 days, the mean (± standard error of the mean) peak plasma concentration (Cmax) increased from 0.46 ± 0.02 μg/ml at 0.1 mg/kg to 63.02 ± 2.93 μg/ml at 20 mg/kg, and the mean area under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity (AUC0–∞) rose from 0.71 ± 0.04 to 208.80 ± 24.21 μg · h/ml. The mean apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) ranged from 0.953 ± 0.05 to 1.636 ± 0.22 liter/kg (nonsignificant [NS]), and clearance ranged from 0.107 ± 0.01 to 0.149 ± 0.00 liter/kg/h (NS). Except for a significant prolongation of the terminal half-life and a trend toward an increased Vss at the higher end of the dosage range after multiple doses, no significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were noted in comparison to single-dose administration. Concentrations in tissue at trough after multiple dosing (0.1 to 10 mg/kg/day) were highest in lung and liver (0.85 ± 0.16 to 32.64 ± 2.03 and 0.32 ± 0.05 to 43.76 ± 1.62 μg/g, respectively), followed by spleen and kidney (0.24 ± 0.65 to 21.74 ± 1.86 and <0.20 to 16.92 ± 0.56, respectively). Measurable concentrations in brain tissue were found at dosages of ≥0.5 mg/kg (0.24 ± 0.02 to 3.90 ± 0.25). Implementation of optimal plasma sampling in persistently neutropenic rabbit infection models of disseminated candidiasis and pulmonary aspergillosis based on the Bayesian approach and model parameters from normal animals as priors revealed a significantly slower clearance (P < 0.05 for all dosage groups) with a trend toward higher AUC0–24 values, higher plasma concentrations at the end of the dosing interval, and a smaller volume of distribution (P < 0.05 to 0.193 for the various comparisons among dosage groups). Pharmacodynamic modeling using the residual fungal tissue burden in the main target sites as the primary endpoint and Cmax, AUC0–24, time during the dosing interval of 24 h with plasma drug concentration equaling or exceeding the MIC or the minimum fungicidal concentration for the isolate, and tissue concentrations as pharmacodynamic parameters showed predictable pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships in experimental disseminated candidiasis that fitted well with an inhibitory sigmoid maximum effect pharmacodynamic model (r2, 0.492 to 0.819). However, no concentration-effect relationships were observed in experimental pulmonary aspergillosis using the residual fungal burden in lung tissue and survival as parameters of antifungal efficacy. Implementation of optimal plasma sampling in discriminative animal models of invasive fungal infections and pharmacodynamic modeling is a novel approach that holds promise of improving and accelerating our understanding of the action of antifungal compounds in vivo. PMID:11557479

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) as explosives detectors: exploring proboscis extension reflex conditioned response to trinitrotolulene (TNT)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor-mccabe, Kirsten J; Wingo, Robert M; Haarmann, Timothy K

We examined honey bee's associative learning response to conditioning with trinitrotolulene (TNT) vapor concentrations generated at three temperatures and their ability to be reconditioned after a 24 h period. We used classical conditioning of the proboscis extension (PER) in honey bees using TNT vapors as the conditioned stimulus and sucrose as the unconditioned stimulus. We conducted fifteen experimental trials with an explosives vapor generator set at 43 C, 25 C and 5 C, producing three concentrations of explosives (1070 ppt, 57 ppt, and 11 ppt). Our objective was to test the honey bee's ability to exhibit a conditioned response tomore » TNT vapors at all three concentrations by comparing the mean percentage of honey bees successfully exhibiting a conditioned response within each temperature group. Furthermore, we conducted eight experimental trials to test the honey bee's ability to retain their ability to exhibit a conditioned response to TNT after 24h period by comparing the mean percentage of honey bees with a conditioned response TNT on the first day compared to the percentage of honey bees with a conditioned response to TNT on the second day. Results indicate that there was no significant difference between the mean percentage of honey bees with a conditioned response to TNT vapors between three temperature groups. There was a significant difference between the percentage of honey bees exhibiting conditioned response on the first day of training compared to the percentage of honey bees exhibiting conditioned response 24 h after training. Our experimental results indicate that honey bees can be trained to exhibit a conditioned response to a range of TNT concentrations via PER However, it appears that the honey bee's ability to retain the conditioned response to TNT vapors after 24h significantly decreases.« less

Transport of sulfacetamide and levofloxacin in granular porous media under various conditions: Experimental observations and model simulations.

PubMed

Dong, Shunan; Gao, Bin; Sun, Yuanyuan; Shi, Xiaoqing; Xu, Hongxia; Wu, Jianfeng; Wu, Jichun

2016-12-15

Understanding the fate and transport of antibiotics in porous media can help reduce their contamination risks to soil and groundwater systems. In this work, batch and column experiments were conducted to determine the interactions between two representative antibiotics, sulfacetamide (SA) and levofloxacin (LEV), and sand porous media under various solution pH, humic acid (HA) concentration, grain size, and moisture content conditions. Batch sorption experimental results indicated that the sand had relatively strong bonding affinity to LEV, but little sorption of SA under different pH, HA concentration, grain size conditions. Results from the packed sand column experiments showed that SA had extremely high mobility in the porous media for all combinations of pH, HA concentration, grain size, and moisture content. The mass recovery of SA was higher than 98.5% in all the columns with the exception of the one packed with fine sand (97.2%). The retention of LEV in the columns was much higher and the recovery rates ranged from 0% to 71.1%. Decreases in solution pH, HA concentration, grain size, or moisture content reduced the mobility of LEV in the columns under the tested conditions. These results indicated that type of antibiotics and environmental conditions also played an important role in controlling their fate and transport in porous media. Mathematical models were applied to simulate and interpret experimental data, and model simulations described the interactions between the two antibiotics and sand porous media very well. Findings from this study elucidated the key factors and processes controlling the fate of SA and LEV in porous media, which can inform the prediction and assessment of the environmental risks of antibiotics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fischer-Tropsch Slurry Reactor modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soong, Y.; Gamwo, I.K.; Harke, F.W.

1995-12-31

This paper reports experimental and theoretical results on hydrodynamic studies. The experiments were conducted in a hot-pressurized Slurry-Bubble Column Reactor (SBCR). It includes experimental results of Drakeol-10 oil/nitrogen/glass beads hydrodynamic study and the development of an ultrasonic technique for measuring solids concentration. A model to describe the flow behavior in reactors was developed. The hydrodynamic properties in a 10.16 cm diameter bubble column with a perforated-plate gas distributor were studied at pressures ranging from 0.1 to 1.36 MPa, and at temperatures from 20 to 200{degrees}C, using a dual hot-wire probe with nitrogen, glass beads, and Drakeol-10 oil as the gas,more » solid, and liquid phase, respectively. It was found that the addition of 20 oil wt% glass beads in the system has a slight effect on the average gas holdup and bubble size. A well-posed three-dimensional model for bed dynamics was developed from an ill-posed model. The new model has computed solid holdup distributions consistent with experimental observations with no artificial {open_quotes}fountain{close_quotes} as predicted by the earlier model. The model can be applied to a variety of multiphase flows of practical interest. An ultrasonic technique is being developed to measure solids concentration in a three-phase slurry reactor. Preliminary measurements have been made on slurries consisting of molten paraffin wax, glass beads, and nitrogen bubbles at 180 {degrees}C and 0.1 MPa. The data show that both the sound speed and attenuation are well-defined functions of both the solid and gas concentrations in the slurries. The results suggest possibilities to directly measure solids concentration during the operation of an autoclave reactor containing molten wax.« less

Using integrating spheres with wavelength modulation spectroscopy: effect of pathlength distribution on 2nd harmonic signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgkinson, J.; Masiyano, D.; Tatam, R. P.

2013-02-01

We have studied the effect on 2nd harmonic wavelength modulation spectroscopy of the use of integrating spheres as multipass gas cells. The gas lineshape becomes distorted at high concentrations, as a consequence of the exponential pathlength distribution of the sphere, introducing nonlinearity beyond that expected from the Beer-Lambert law. We have modelled this numerically for methane absorption at 1.651 μm, with gas concentrations in the range of 0-2.5 %vol in air. The results of this model compare well with experimental measurements. The nonlinearity for the 2 fWMS measurements is larger than that for direct scan measurements; if this additional effect were not accounted for, the resulting error would be approximately 20 % of the reading at a concentration of 2.5 %vol methane.

Heterogeneous hydrogen distribution in orthopyroxene from veined mantle peridotite (San Carlos, Arizona): Impact of melt-rock interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, Carole M. M.; Demouchy, Sylvie; Alard, Olivier

2018-03-01

Experimental studies have shown that hydrogen embedded as a trace element in mantle mineral structures affects the physical properties of mantle minerals and rocks. Nevertheless, hydrogen concentrations in mantle minerals are much lower than predicted by hydrogen solubilities obtained experimentally at high pressure and temperature. Here, we report textural analyses and major and trace element concentrations (including hydrogen) in upper mantle minerals from a spinel-bearing composite xenolith (dunite and pyroxenite) transported by silica-undersaturated mafic alkaline lavas from the San Carlos volcanic field (Arizona, USA). Our results suggest that the composite xenolith results from the percolation-reaction of a basaltic liquid within dunite channels, and is equilibrated with respect to trace elements. Equilibrium temperatures range between 1011 and 1023 °C. Hydrogen concentrations (expressed in ppm H2O by weight) obtained from unpolarized and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are low, with average values <2 ppm H2O, 24 ppm H2O, and 53 ppm H2O for olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene, respectively; hydrogen concentrations in olivine are below the detection limit. These low hydrogen concentrations are consistent with depletion by high melt-rock ratio interactions. Clinopyroxene hydrogen concentrations are homogeneous, whereas polarized infrared profile measurements across single-crystals of orthopyroxene reveal hydrogen-depleted rims, which are interpreted as the result of dehydration by ionic diffusion, possibly triggered by melt-rock interactions. We conclude that pyroxenes, like olivine, are unreliable hydrogen proxies, and that the remaining hydrogen concentrations observed in peridotites might only represent the 'tip of the iceberg' of the water stored in the Earth's upper mantle.

Impact of ocean acidification on Arctic phytoplankton blooms and dimethyl sulfide concentration under simulated ice-free and under-ice conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussherr, Rachel; Levasseur, Maurice; Lizotte, Martine; Tremblay, Jean-Éric; Mol, Jacoba; Thomas, Helmuth; Gosselin, Michel; Starr, Michel; Miller, Lisa A.; Jarniková, Tereza; Schuback, Nina; Mucci, Alfonso

2017-05-01

In an experimental assessment of the potential impact of Arctic Ocean acidification on seasonal phytoplankton blooms and associated dimethyl sulfide (DMS) dynamics, we incubated water from Baffin Bay under conditions representing an acidified Arctic Ocean. Using two light regimes simulating under-ice or subsurface chlorophyll maxima (low light; low PAR and no UVB) and ice-free (high light; high PAR + UVA + UVB) conditions, water collected at 38 m was exposed over 9 days to 6 levels of decreasing pH from 8.1 to 7.2. A phytoplankton bloom dominated by the centric diatoms Chaetoceros spp. reaching up to 7.5 µg chlorophyll a L-1 took place in all experimental bags. Total dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSPT) and DMS concentrations reached 155 and 19 nmol L-1, respectively. The sharp increase in DMSPT and DMS concentrations coincided with the exhaustion of NO3- in most microcosms, suggesting that nutrient stress stimulated DMS(P) synthesis by the diatom community. Under both light regimes, chlorophyll a and DMS concentrations decreased linearly with increasing proton concentration at all pH levels tested. Concentrations of DMSPT also decreased but only under high light and over a smaller pH range (from 8.1 to 7.6). In contrast to nano-phytoplankton (2-20 µm), pico-phytoplankton ( ≤ 2 µm) was stimulated by the decreasing pH. We furthermore observed no significant difference between the two light regimes tested in term of chlorophyll a, phytoplankton abundance and taxonomy, and DMSP and DMS net concentrations. These results show that ocean acidification could significantly decrease the algal biomass and inhibit DMS production during the seasonal phytoplankton bloom in the Arctic, with possible consequences for the regional climate.

Field experiment of 800× off-axis XR-Köhler concentrator module on a carousel tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Noboru; Okamoto, Kazuya; Ijiro, Toshikazu; Suzuki, Takao; Maemura, Toshihiko; Kawaguchi, Takashi; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Sato, Takashi; Hernandez, Maikel; Benitez, Pablo; Chaves, Julio; Cvetkovic, Aleksandra; Vilaplana, Juan; Mohedano, Ruben; Mendes-Lopes, Joao; Miñano, Juan Carlos

2013-09-01

This paper presents the design and preliminary experimental results of a concentrator-type photovoltaic module based on a free-form off-axis 800×XR-Köhler concentrator. The off-axis XR-Köhler concentrator is one of the advanced concentrators that perform high concentration with a large acceptance angle and excellent irradiance uniformity on a solar cell. As a result of on-sun characterization of the unglazed single-cell unit test rig, the temperature-corrected DC module efficiency was 32.2% at 25 °C without an anti-reflective (AR) coating on the secondary optics, and the acceptance angle was more than ±1.0°. In addition, the non-corrected DC efficiency of an individual cell in a glazed 8-cell unit module mounted on a carousel tracking system was measured. The individual efficiency deviated in the range of 24.3-27.4%, owing to the mirror shape and alignment errors. The resultant series-connected efficiency was approximately 25% at direct normal irradiation (DNI) of 770 W/m2.

Natural mixtures of persistent organic pollutants (POP) increase weight gain, advance puberty, and induce changes in gene expression associated with steroid hormones and obesity in female zebrafish.

PubMed

Lyche, Jan L; Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, Rasoul; Almaas, Camilla; Stavik, Benedicte; Berg, Vidar; Skåre, Janneche Utne; Alestrøm, Peter; Ropstad, Erik

2010-01-01

In the present study, developmental and reproductive effects of lifelong exposure to environmental relevant concentrations of two natural mixtures of persistent organic pollutants (POP) were investigated using classical and molecular methods in a controlled zebrafish model. The mixtures used were extracted from burbot (Lota lota) liver originating from freshwater systems in Norway: one mixture with high levels and one mixture with background levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane metabolites (DDT). The concentration of POP measured in the zebrafish ranged from levels detected in wild fish from Lake Mjøsa to concentrations reported in human and wildlife populations, indicating that the experimental fish were exposed to concentrations comparable with wild fish. Phenotypic effects observed in both exposure groups included earlier onset of puberty, increased male/female sex ratio, and differences in body weight at 5 mo of age. Interestingly, genome-wide transcription profiling showed changes in regulation of genes involved in endocrine signaling and growth. The transcriptomics changes include key regulator genes for steroid hormone functions (ncoa3), and growth (c/ebp, ncoa3). The effects observed in the experimental zebrafish model raise the question whether chemical pollution represents a risk to reproductive health of wild fish inhabitating the freshwater system.

Mathematical modeling of the ethanol fermentation of cashew apple juice by a flocculent yeast: the effect of initial substrate concentration and temperature.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Álvaro Daniel Teles; da Silva Pereira, Andréa; Barros, Emanuel Meneses; Antonini, Sandra Regina Ceccato; Cartaxo, Samuel Jorge Marques; Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte; Gonçalves, Luciana Rocha B

2017-08-01

In this work, the effect of initial sugar concentration and temperature on the production of ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCA008, a flocculent yeast, using cashew apple juice in a 1L-bioreactor was studied. The experimental results were used to develop a kinetic model relating biomass, ethanol production and total reducing sugar consumption. Monod, Andrews, Levenspiel and Ghose and Tyagi models were investigated to represent the specific growth rate without inhibition, with inhibition by substrate and with inhibition by product, respectively. Model validation was performed using a new set of experimental data obtained at 34 °C and using 100 g L -1 of initial substrate concentration. The model proposed by Ghose and Tyagi was able to accurately describe the dynamics of ethanol production by S. cerevisiae CCA008 growing on cashew apple juice, containing an initial reducing sugar concentration ranging from 70 to 170 g L -1 and temperature, from 26 to 42 °C. The model optimization was also accomplished based on the following parameters: percentage volume of ethanol per volume of solution (%V ethanol /V solution ), efficiency and reaction productivity. The optimal operational conditions were determined using response surface graphs constructed with simulated data, reaching an efficiency and a productivity of 93.5% and 5.45 g L -1  h -1 , respectively.

Experimental rheological procedure adapted to pasty dewatered sludge up to 45 % dry matter.

PubMed

Mouzaoui, M; Baudez, J C; Sauceau, M; Arlabosse, P

2018-04-15

Wastewater sludge are characterized by complex rheological properties, strongly dependent on solids concentration and temperature. These properties are required for process hydrodynamic modelling but their correct measurement is often challenging at high solids concentrations. This is especially true to model the hydrodynamic of dewatered sludge during drying process where solids content (TS) increases with residence time. Indeed, until now, the literature mostly focused on the rheological characterization of sludge at low and moderate TS (between 4 and 8%). Limited attention was paid to pasty and highly concentrated sludge mainly because of the difficulties to carry out the measurements. Results reproducibility appeared to be poor and thus may not be always fully representative of the effective material properties. This work demonstrates that reproducible results can be obtained by controlling cracks and fractures which always take place in classical rotational rheometry. In that purpose, a well-controlled experimental procedure has been developed, allowing the exact determination of the surface effectively sheared. This surface is calculated by scattering a classical stress sweep with measurements at a reference strain value. The implementation of this procedure allows the correct determination of solid-like characteristics from 20 to 45% TS but also shows that pasty and highly concentrated sludge highlight normal forces caused by dilatancy. Moreover the surface correction appears to be independent of TS in the studied range. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas-assisted dispersive liquid-phase microextraction using ionic liquid as extracting solvent for spectrophotometric speciation of copper.

PubMed

Akhond, Morteza; Absalan, Ghodratollah; Pourshamsi, Tayebe; Ramezani, Amir M

2016-07-01

Gas-assisted dispersive liquid-phase microextraction (GA-DLPME) has been developed for preconcentration and spectrophotometric determination of copper ion in different water samples. The ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and argon gas, respectively, were used as the extracting solvent and disperser. The procedure was based on direct reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, followed by extracting Cu(I) into ionic liquid phase by using neocuproine as the chelating agent. Several experimental variables that affected the GA-DLPME efficiency were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum experimental conditions (IL volume, 50µL; pH, 6.0; acetate buffer, 1.5molL(-1); reducing agent concentration, 0.2molL(-1); NC concentration, 120µgmL(-1); Ar gas bubbling time, 6min; argon flow rate, 1Lmin(-1); NaCl concentration, 6% w/w; and centrifugation time, 3min), the calibration graph was linear over the concentration range of 0.30-2.00µgmL(-1) copper ion with a limit of detection of 0.07µgmL(-1). Relative standard deviation for five replicate determinations of 1.0µgmL(-1) copper ion was found to be 3.9%. The developed method was successfully applied to determination of both Cu(I) and Cu(II) species in water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noninvasive monitoring of intraocular pharmacokinetics of daunorubicin using fluorophotometry.

PubMed

Kizhakkethara, I; Li, X; el-Sayed, S; Khoobehi, B; Moshfeghi, D M; Rahimy, M; Peyman, G A

Daunorubicin is a cytotoxic drug, which, in nontoxic doses, is effective in preventing cellular proliferation in experimental vitreoretinopathy. We studied dose and clearance of daunorubicin in various ocular tissues using fluorophotometry techniques. In vitro tests: The emission of fluorescence from the daunorubicin solution having a concentration range of 0.1 to 10 micrograms/mL in phosphate buffer was measured using an excitation wavelength range of 489 +/- 10 nm. The emission of fluorescence was measured at 514 nm; the linearity of the response was determined using linear regression analysis. There is a fluorescence peak of daunorubicin at 485 nm. The validity and reproducibility of the method were examined. In vivo tests: The rabbits were randomized into three groups and daunorubicin concentrations of 4, 6, or 8 micrograms/mL were injected into the vitreous. Fluorophotometry scanning from the retina to the anterior chamber was performed with a commercially available fluorophotometer at various times up to 48 hours after injection to quantify fluorescence emission of daunorubicin. The standard curve of fluorescence versus concentration of daunorubicin was linear in the range of 0.1 to 8 micrograms/mL. It was sensitive up to 0.1 microgram. The daunorubicin time concentration profile showed a dose response relationship over the 48-hour period studied. The half-life of daunorubicin in the vitreous was about 5 hours. We performed fluorophotometry using a fluorophotometer whose exciter emits light at 489 nm, which is very close to an absorption peak of daunorubicin. These two values are close enough to obviate the need for modifying the commercial fluorophotometer. Therefore the concentration of daunorubicin in the vitreous cavity can be measured noninvasively.

Long-range forces affecting equilibrium inertial focusing behavior in straight high aspect ratio microfluidic channels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reece, Amy E.; Oakey, John, E-mail: joakey@uwyo.edu

2016-04-15

The controlled and directed focusing of particles within flowing fluids is a problem of fundamental and technological significance. Microfluidic inertial focusing provides passive and precise lateral and longitudinal alignment of small particles without the need for external actuation or sheath fluid. The benefits of inertial focusing have quickly enabled the development of miniaturized flow cytometers, size-selective sorting devices, and other high-throughput particle screening tools. Straight channel inertial focusing device design requires knowledge of fluid properties and particle-channel size ratio. Equilibrium behavior of inertially focused particles has been extensively characterized and the constitutive phenomena described by scaling relationships for straight channelsmore » of square and rectangular cross section. In concentrated particle suspensions, however, long-range hydrodynamic repulsions give rise to complex particle ordering that, while interesting and potentially useful, can also dramatically diminish the technique’s effectiveness for high-throughput particle handling applications. We have empirically investigated particle focusing behavior within channels of increasing aspect ratio and have identified three scaling regimes that produce varying degrees of geometrical ordering between focused particles. To explore the limits of inertial particle focusing and identify the origins of these long-range interparticle forces, we have explored equilibrium focusing behavior as a function of channel geometry and particle concentration. Experimental results for highly concentrated particle solutions identify equilibrium thresholds for focusing that scale weakly with concentration and strongly with channel geometry. Balancing geometry mediated inertial forces with estimates for interparticle repulsive forces now provide a complete picture of pattern formation among concentrated inertially focused particles and enhance our understanding of the fundamental limits of inertial focusing for technological applications.« less

[Selective catalytic reduction of NOx over Pd/CeZr/TiO2/Al2O3 wire-mesh honeycomb catalysts].

PubMed

Sun, Hong; Quan, Xie; Zhang, Yao-bin; Zhao, Ya-zhi

2008-06-01

Pd/CeZr/TiO2/Al2O3 wire-mesh honeycomb catalyst was prepared by sol-gel and impregnation. Furthermore, selective catalytic reduction of NOx over Pd/CeZr/TiO2/Al2O3 wire-mesh honeycomb catalyst with propylene under lean burn condition was studied. The effects of the concentration of tetra-n-butyl titanate and dipcoat cycles on TiO2 washcoat were studied by SEM, and the effects of Pd concentration, O2 concentration and gas velocity on catalytic activity were investigated. The experimental results showed that the TiO2 washcoat on wire-mesh support is even and crack-free when the support is impregnated in 20.0% tetra- n-butyl titanate sol for 2 cycles. The NOx conversion decreases with Pd concentration increase. When Pd concentration is 0.23%, NOx conversion is highest. NOx conversion increases with oxygen concentration increase in the range of 1.5%-6.0%. However, when oxygen concentration is higher than 6.0%, NOx conversion decreases with increasing oxygen concentration. The NOx conversion decreases with gas velocity increase and its effect is severer at high temperature than low temperature.

Feasibility Studies on Pipeline Disposal of Concentrated Copper Tailings Slurry for Waste Minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senapati, Pradipta Kumar; Mishra, Barada Kanta

2017-06-01

The conventional lean phase copper tailings slurry disposal systems create pollution all around the disposal area through seepage and flooding of waste slurry water. In order to reduce water consumption and minimize pollution, the pipeline disposal of these waste slurries at high solids concentrations may be considered as a viable option. The paper presents the rheological and pipeline flow characteristics of copper tailings samples in the solids concentration range of 65-72 % by weight. The tailings slurry indicated non-Newtonian behaviour at these solids concentrations and the rheological data were best fitted by Bingham plastic model. The influence of solids concentration on yield stress and plastic viscosity for the copper tailings samples were discussed. Using a high concentration test loop, pipeline experiments were conducted in a 50 mm nominal bore (NB) pipe by varying the pipe flow velocity from 1.5 to 3.5 m/s. A non-Newtonian Bingham plastic pressure drop model predicted the experimental data reasonably well for the concentrated tailings slurry. The pressure drop model was used for higher size pipes and the operating conditions for pipeline disposal of concentrated copper tailings slurry in a 200 mm NB pipe with respect to specific power consumption were discussed.

Steam gasification of waste tyre: influence of process temperature on yield and product composition.

PubMed

Portofino, Sabrina; Donatelli, Antonio; Iovane, Pierpaolo; Innella, Carolina; Civita, Rocco; Martino, Maria; Matera, Domenico Antonio; Russo, Antonio; Cornacchia, Giacinto; Galvagno, Sergio

2013-03-01

An experimental survey of waste tyre gasification with steam as oxidizing agent has been conducted in a continuous bench scale reactor, with the aim of studying the influence of the process temperature on the yield and the composition of the products; the tests have been performed at three different temperatures, in the range of 850-1000°C, holding all the other operational parameters (pressure, carrier gas flow, solid residence time). The experimental results show that the process seems promising in view of obtaining a good quality syngas, indicating that a higher temperature results in a higher syngas production (86 wt%) and a lower char yield, due to an enhancement of the solid-gas phase reactions with the temperature. Higher temperatures clearly result in higher hydrogen concentrations: the hydrogen content rapidly increases, attaining values higher than 65% v/v, while methane and ethylene gradually decrease over the range of the temperatures; carbon monoxide and dioxide instead, after an initial increase, show a nearly constant concentration at 1000°C. Furthermore, in regards to the elemental composition of the synthesis gas, as the temperature increases, the carbon content continuously decreases, while the oxygen content increases; the hydrogen, being the main component of the gas fraction and having a small atomic weight, is responsible for the progressive reduction of the gas density at higher temperature. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An in-line Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Using Thin-core Fiber for Ammonia Gas Sensing With High Sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xinyue; Li, Xueming; Yang, Jianchun; Tao, Chuanyi; Guo, Xiaogang; Bao, Hebin; Yin, Yanjun; Chen, Huifei; Zhu, Yuhua

2017-04-01

Ammonia is an important indicator among environmental monitoring parameters. In this work, thin-core fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer deposited with poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), poly (allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-COOH) sensing film for the detection of ammonia gas has been presented. The thin-core fiber modal interferometer was made by fusion splicing a small section of thin-core fiber (TCF) between two standard single mode fibers (SMF). A beam propagation method (BPM) is employed for the design of proposed interferometer and numerical simulation. Based on the simulation results, interferometer with a length of 2 cm of thin-core fiber is fabricated and experimentally studied. (PAH/PAA)2 + [PAH/(PAA + SWCNTs-COOH)]8 film is deposited on the outer surface of thin-core fiber via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. The gas sensor coated with (PAH/PAA)2 + [PAH/(PAA + SWCNTs-COOH)]8 film towards NH3 gas exposure at concentrations range from 1 to 960 ppm are analyzed and the sensing capability is demonstrated by optical spectrum analyzer (OSA). Experimental results show that the characteristic wavelength shift has an approximately linear relationship in the range 1-20 ppm, which is in accordance with the numerical simulation. Thus, this paper reveals the potential application of this sensor in monitoring low concentration NH3 gas.

Optimizing indomethacin-loaded chitosan nanoparticle size, encapsulation, and release using Box-Behnken experimental design.

PubMed

Abul Kalam, Mohd; Khan, Abdul Arif; Khan, Shahanavaj; Almalik, Abdulaziz; Alshamsan, Aws

2016-06-01

Indomethacin chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were developed by ionotropic gelation and optimized by concentrations of chitosan and tripolyphosphate (TPP) and stirring time by 3-factor 3-level Box-Behnken experimental design. Optimal concentration of chitosan (A) and TPP (B) were found 0.6mg/mL and 0.4mg/mL with 120min stirring time (C), with applied constraints of minimizing particle size (R1) and maximizing encapsulation efficiency (R2) and drug release (R3). Based on obtained 3D response surface plots, factors A, B and C were found to give synergistic effect on R1, while factor A has a negative impact on R2 and R3. Interaction of AB was negative on R1 and R2 but positive on R3. The factor AC was having synergistic effect on R1 and on R3, while the same combination had a negative effect on R2. The interaction BC was positive on the all responses. NPs were found in the size range of 321-675nm with zeta potentials (+25 to +32mV) after 6 months storage. Encapsulation, drug release, and content were in the range of 56-79%, 48-73% and 98-99%, respectively. In vitro drug release data were fitted in different kinetic models and pattern of drug release followed Higuchi-matrix type. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rotational cars application to simultaneous and multiple-point temperature and concentration determination in a turbulent flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, J. B.; Murphy, D. V.; Chang, R. K.

1984-01-01

Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) from the pure rotational Raman lines of N2 is employed to measure the instantaneous rotational temperature of N2 gas at room temperature and below with good spatial resolution. A broad-bandwidth dye laser is used to obtain the entire rotational spectrum from a signal laser pulse; the CARS signal is then dispersed by a spectrograph and recorded on an optical multichannel analyzer. A best-fit temperature is found in several seconds with the aid of a computer for each experimental spectrum by a least squares comparison with calculated spectra. The model used to calculate the theoretical spectra incorporates the temperature and pressure dependence of the pressure-broadened rotational Raman lines, includes the nonresonant background susceptibility, and assumes that the pump laser has a finite linewidth. Temperatures are fit to experimental spectra recorded over the temperature range of 135 to 296K, and over the pressure range of 0.13 to 15.3 atm. In addition to the spatially resolved single point work, we have used multipoint CARS to obtain information from many spatially resolved volume elements along a cylindrical line (0.1 x 0.1 x 2.0 mm). We also obtained qualitative information on the instantaneous species concentration and temperature at 20 spatially resolved volume elements (0.1 x 0.1 x 0.1 mm) along a line.

Brownian motion in non-equilibrium systems and the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic process.

PubMed

Donado, F; Moctezuma, R E; López-Flores, L; Medina-Noyola, M; Arauz-Lara, J L

2017-10-03

The Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic process is an exact mathematical model providing accurate representations of many real dynamic processes in systems in a stationary state. When applied to the description of random motion of particles such as that of Brownian particles, it provides exact predictions coinciding with those of the Langevin equation but not restricted to systems in thermal equilibrium but only conditioned to be stationary. Here, we investigate experimentally single particle motion in a two-dimensional granular system in a stationary state, consisting of 1 mm stainless balls on a plane circular surface. The motion of the particles is produced by an alternating magnetic field applied perpendicular to the surface of the container. The mean square displacement of the particles is measured for a range of low concentrations and it is found that following an appropriate scaling of length and time, the short-time experimental curves conform a master curve covering the range of particle motion from ballistic to diffusive in accordance with the description of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model.

Thermal conductivity of hybrid short fiber composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, M.L.; Taya, M.; Hatta, H.

1993-01-01

A combined analytical/experimental study has been undertaken to investigate the effective thermal conductivity of hybrid composite materials. The analysis utilizes the equivalent inclusion approach for steady state heat conduction (Hatta and Taya, 1986) through which the interaction between the various reinforcing phases at finite concentrations is approximated by the Mori-Tanaka (1973) mean field approach. The multiple reinforcing phases of the composite are modeled as ellipsoidal in shape and thus can simulate a wide range of microstructural geometries ranging from thin platelet to continuous fiber reinforcement. The case when one phase of the composite is penny-shaped microcracks is studied in detail.more » Multiphase composites consisting of a Kerimid matrix and Al2O3 short fibers and Si3N4 whiskers were fabricated and, after a careful study of their microstructure, their thermal conductivities were measured. Analytical predictions are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results obtained for the Al2O3/Si3N4/Kerimid short fiber composites. 26 refs.« less

Sensitive flow-injection spectrophotometric analysis of bromopride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Liliane Spazzapam; Weinert, Patrícia Los; Pezza, Leonardo; Pezza, Helena Redigolo

2014-12-01

A flow injection spectrophotometric procedure employing merging zones is proposed for direct bromopride determination in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids. The proposed method is based on the reaction between bromopride and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC) in acid medium, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), resulting in formation of a violet product (λmax = 565 nm). Experimental design methodologies were used to optimize the experimental conditions. The Beer-Lambert law was obeyed in a bromopride concentration range of 3.63 × 10-7 to 2.90 × 10-5 mol L-1, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9999. The limits of detection and quantification were 1.07 × 10-7 and 3.57 × 10-7 mol L-1, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of bromopride in pharmaceuticals and human urine, and recoveries of the drug from these media were in the ranges 99.6-101.2% and 98.6-102.1%, respectively. This new flow injection procedure does not require any sample pretreatment steps.

From theory to field experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vos, Bram

2016-04-01

Peter Raats' achievements in Haren (NL) 1986-1997 were based on a solid theoretical insight in hydrology and transport process in soil. However, Peter was also the driving force behind many experimental studies and applied research. This will be illustrated by a broad range of examples ranging from the dynamics of composting processes of organic material; modelling and monitoring nutrient leaching at field-scale; wind erosion; water and nutrient dynamics in horticultural production systems; oxygen diffusion in soils; and processes of water and nutrient uptake by plant roots. Peter's leadership led to may new approaches and the introduction of innovative measurement techniques in Dutch research; ranging from TDR to nutrient concentration measurements in closed fertigation systems. This presentation will give a brief overview how Peter's theoretical and mathematical insights accelerated this applied research.

Ozone formation in pulsed SDBD in a wide pressure range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starikovskiy, Andrey; Nudnova, Maryia; mipt Team

2011-10-01

Ozone concentration in surface anode-directed DBD for wide pressure range (150 - 1300 torr) was experimentally measured. Voltage and pressure effect were investigated. Reduced electric field was measured for anode-directed and cathode-directed SDBD. E/n values in cathode-directed SDBD is higher than in cathode-directed on 50 percent at atmospheric pressure. E/n value increase leads to decrease the rate of oxygen dissociation and Ozone formation at lower pressures. Radiating region thickness of sliding discharge was measured. Typical thickness of radiating zone is 0.4-1.0 mm within pressure range 220-740 torr. It was shown that high-voltage pulsed nanosecond discharge due to high E/n value produces less Ozone with compare to other discharges. Kinetic model was proposed to describe Ozone formation in the pulsed nanosecond SDBD.

Experimental study and thermodynamic modeling of the phase relation in the Fe-S-Si system with implications for the distribution of S and Si in a partially solidified core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, R.; Fei, Y.

2017-12-01

Planetary cooling leads to solidification of any initially molten metallic core. Some terrestrial cores (e.g. Mercury) are formed and differentiated under relatively reduced conditions, and they are thought to be composed of Fe-S-Si. However, there are limited understanding of the phase relations in the Fe-S-Si system at high pressure and temperature. In this study, we conducted high-pressure experiments to investigate the phase relations in the Fe-S-Si system up to 25 GPa. Experimental results show that the liquidus and solidus in this study are slightly lower than those in the Fe-S binary system for the same S concentration in liquid at same pressure. The Fe3S, which is supposed to be the stable sub-solidus S-bearing phase in the Fe-S binary system above 17 GPa, is not observed in the Fe-S-Si system at 21 GPa. Almost all S prefers to partition into liquid, while the distribution of Si between solid and liquid depends on experimental P and T conditions. We obtained the partition coefficient log(KDSi) by fitting the experimental data as a function of P, T and S concentration in liquid. At a constant pressure, the log(KDSi) linearly decreases with 1/T(K). With increase of pressure, the slopes of linear correlation between log(KDSi) and 1/T(K) decreases, indicating that more Si partitions into solid at higher pressure. In order to interpolate and extrapolate the phase relations over a wide pressure and temperature range, we established a comprehensive thermodynamic model in the Fe-S-Si system. The results will be used to constrain the distribution of S and Si between solid inner core and liquid outer core for a range of planet sizes. A Si-rich solid inner core and a S-rich liquid outer core are suggested for an iron-rich core.

A comparative study of Sm networks in Al-10 at.%Sm glass and associated crystalline phases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lv, Xiaobao; Ye, Zhuo; Sun, Yang

Here, the Al–Sm system is selected as a model system to study the transition process from liquid and amorphous to crystalline states. In recent work, we have shown that, in addition to long-range translational periodicity, crystal structures display well-defined short-range local atomic packing motifs that transcends liquid, amorphous and crystalline states. In this paper, we investigate the longer range spatial packing of these short-range motifs by studying the interconnections of Sm–Sm networks in different amorphous and crystalline samples obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. In our analysis, we concentrate on Sm–Sm distances in the range ~5.0–7.2 Å, corresponding to Sm atomsmore » in the second and third shells of Sm-centred clusters. We discover a number of empirical rules characterising the evolution of Sm networks from the liquid and amorphous states to associated metastable crystalline phases experimentally observed in the initial stages of devitrification of different amorphous samples. As direct simulation of glass formation is difficult because of the vast difference between experimental quench rates and what is achievable on the computer, we hope these rules will be helpful in building a better picture of structural evolution during glass formation as well as a more detailed description of phase selection and growth during devitrification.« less

A comparative study of Sm networks in Al-10 at.%Sm glass and associated crystalline phases

DOE PAGES

Lv, Xiaobao; Ye, Zhuo; Sun, Yang; ...

2018-04-03

Here, the Al–Sm system is selected as a model system to study the transition process from liquid and amorphous to crystalline states. In recent work, we have shown that, in addition to long-range translational periodicity, crystal structures display well-defined short-range local atomic packing motifs that transcends liquid, amorphous and crystalline states. In this paper, we investigate the longer range spatial packing of these short-range motifs by studying the interconnections of Sm–Sm networks in different amorphous and crystalline samples obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. In our analysis, we concentrate on Sm–Sm distances in the range ~5.0–7.2 Å, corresponding to Sm atomsmore » in the second and third shells of Sm-centred clusters. We discover a number of empirical rules characterising the evolution of Sm networks from the liquid and amorphous states to associated metastable crystalline phases experimentally observed in the initial stages of devitrification of different amorphous samples. As direct simulation of glass formation is difficult because of the vast difference between experimental quench rates and what is achievable on the computer, we hope these rules will be helpful in building a better picture of structural evolution during glass formation as well as a more detailed description of phase selection and growth during devitrification.« less

Experimental ion mobility measurements in Xe-C2H6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdigoto, J. M. C.; Cortez, A. F. V.; Veenhof, R.; Neves, P. N. B.; Santos, F. P.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Conde, C. A. N.

2017-10-01

In this paper we present the results of the ion mobility measurements made in gaseous mixtures of xenon (Xe) with ethane (C2H6) for pressures ranging from 6 to 10 Torr (8-10.6 mbar) and for low reduced electric fields in the 10 Td to 25 Td range (2.4-6.1 kVṡcm-1ṡ bar-1), at room temperature. The time of arrival spectra revealed two peaks throughout the entire range studied which were attributed to ion species with 3-carbons (C3H5+, C3H6+ C3H8+ and C3H9+) and with 4-carbons (C4H7+, C4H9+ and C4H10+). Besides these, and for Xe concentrations above 70%, a bump starts to appear at the right side of the main peak for reduced electric fields higher than 20 Td, which was attributed to the resonant charge transfer of C2H6+ to C2H6 that affects the mobility of its ion products (C3H8+ and C3H9+). The time of arrival spectra for Xe concentrations of 20%, 50%, 70% and 90% are presented, together with the reduced mobilities as a function of the Xe concentration calculated from the peaks observed for the low reduced electric fields and pressures studied.

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization in Samarium Doped Lanthanum Magnesium Nitrate. Ph.D. Thesis - Va. Polytechnic Inst.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byvik, C. E.

1971-01-01

The dynamic nuclear polarization of hydrogen nuclei by the solid effect in single crystals of samarium doped lanthanum magnesium nitrate (Sm:LMN) was studied theoretically and experimentally. The equations of evolution governing the dynamic nuclear polarization by the solid effect were derived in detail using the spin temperature theory and the complete expression for the steady state enhancement of the nuclear polarization was calculated. Experimental enhancements of the proton polarization were obtained for eight crystals at 9.2 GHz and liquid helium temperatures. The samarium concentration ranged from 0.1 percent to 1.1 percent as determined by X-ray fluorescence. A peak enhancement of 181 was measured for a 1.1 percent Sm:LMN crystal at 3.0 K. The maximum enhancements extrapolated with the theory using the experimental data for peak enhancement versus microwave power and correcting for leakage, agree with the ideal enhancement (240 in this experiment) within experimental error for three of the crystals.

Effects of pressure and fuel dilution on coflow laminar methane-air diffusion flames: A computational and experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Su; Ma, Bin; Giassi, Davide; Bennett, Beth Anne V.; Long, Marshall B.; Smooke, Mitchell D.

2018-03-01

In this study, the influence of pressure and fuel dilution on the structure and geometry of coflow laminar methane-air diffusion flames is examined. A series of methane-fuelled, nitrogen-diluted flames has been investigated both computationally and experimentally, with pressure ranging from 1.0 to 2.7 atm and CH4 mole fraction ranging from 0.50 to 0.65. Computationally, the MC-Smooth vorticity-velocity formulation was employed to describe the reactive gaseous mixture, and soot evolution was modelled by sectional aerosol equations. The governing equations and boundary conditions were discretised on a two-dimensional computational domain by finite differences, and the resulting set of fully coupled, strongly nonlinear equations was solved simultaneously at all points using a damped, modified Newton's method. Experimentally, chemiluminescence measurements of CH* were taken to determine its relative concentration profile and the structure of the flame front. A thin-filament ratio pyrometry method using a colour digital camera was employed to determine the temperature profiles of the non-sooty, atmospheric pressure flames, while soot volume fraction was quantified, after evaluation of soot temperature, through an absolute light calibration using a thermocouple. For a broad spectrum of flames in atmospheric and elevated pressures, the computed and measured flame quantities were examined to characterise the influence of pressure and fuel dilution, and the major conclusions were as follows: (1) maximum temperature increases with increasing pressure or CH4 concentration; (2) lift-off height decreases significantly with increasing pressure, modified flame length is roughly independent of pressure, and flame radius decreases with pressure approximately as P-1/2; and (3) pressure and fuel stream dilution significantly affect the spatial distribution and the peak value of the soot volume fraction.

Assessing the environmental hazard of individual and combined pharmaceuticals: acute and chronic toxicity of fluoxetine and propranolol in the crustacean Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Varano, Valentina; Fabbri, Elena; Pasteris, Andrea

2017-08-01

Pharmaceuticals are widespread emerging contaminants and, like all pollutants, are present in combination with others in the ecosystems. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the toxic response of the crustacean Daphnia magna exposed to individual and combined pharmaceuticals. Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor widely prescribed as antidepressant, and propranolol, a non-selective β-adrenergic receptor-blocking agent used to treat hypertension, were tested. Several experimental trials of an acute immobilization test and a chronic reproduction test were performed. Single chemicals were first tested separately. Toxicity of binary mixtures was then assessed using a fixed ratio experimental design. Five concentrations and 5 percentages of each substance in the mixture (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) were tested. The MIXTOX model was applied to analyze the experimental results. This tool is a stepwise statistical procedure that evaluates if and how observed data deviate from a reference model, either concentration addition (CA) or independent action (IA), and provides significance testing for synergism, antagonism, or more complex interactions. Acute EC50 values ranged from 6.4 to 7.8 mg/L for propranolol and from 6.4 to 9.1 mg/L for fluoxetine. Chronic EC50 values ranged from 0.59 to 1.00 mg/L for propranolol and from 0.23 to 0.24 mg/L for fluoxetine. Results showed a significant antagonism between chemicals in both the acute and the chronic mixture tests when CA was adopted as the reference model, while absence of interactive effects when IA was used.

Determination of 210Pb concentration in NORM waste - An application of the transmission method for self-attenuation corrections for gamma-ray spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonczyk, Michal

2018-07-01

This article deals with the problem of the self-attenuation of low-energy gamma-rays from the isotope of lead 210Pb (46.5 keV) in industrial waste. The 167 samples of industrial waste, belonging to nine categories, were tested by means of gamma spectrometry in order to determine 210Pb activity concentration. The experimental method for self-attenuation corrections for gamma rays emitted by lead isotope was applied. Mass attenuation coefficients were determined for energy of 46.5 keV. Correction factors were calculated based on mass attenuation coefficients, sample density and thickness. A mathematical formula for correction calculation was evaluated. The 210Pb activity concentration obtained varied in the range from several Bq·kg-1 up to 19,810 Bq kg-1. The mass attenuation coefficients varied across the range of 0.19-4.42 cm2·g-1. However, the variation of mass attenuation coefficient within some categories of waste was relatively small. The calculated corrections for self-attenuation were 0.98 - 6.97. The high value of correction factors must not be neglect in radiation risk assessment.

Uranium removal from aqueous solution by coir pith: equilibrium and kinetic studies.

PubMed

Parab, Harshala; Joshi, Shreeram; Shenoy, Niyoti; Verma, Rakesh; Lali, Arvind; Sudersanan, M

2005-07-01

Basic aspects of uranium adsorption by coir pith have been investigated by batch equilibration. The influence of different experimental parameters such as final solution pH, adsorbent dosage, sorption time, temperature and various concentrations of uranium on uptake were evaluated. Maximum uranium adsorption was observed in the pH range 4.0-6.0. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models were used for the mathematical description of the adsorption equilibrium. The equilibrium data fitted well to both the equilibrium models in the studied concentration range of uranium (200-800 mg/l) and temperatures (305-336 K). The coir pith exhibited the highest uptake capacity for uranium at 317 K, at the final solution pH value of 4.3 and at the initial uranium concentration of 800 mg/l. The kinetics of the adsorption process followed a second-order adsorption. The adsorbent used proved to be suitable for removal of uranium from aqueous solutions. 0.2 N HCl was effective in uranium desorption. The results indicated that the naturally abundant coir pith of otherwise nuisance value exhibited considerable potential for application in removal of uranium from aqueous solution.

Effects of pH2O, pH2 and fO2 on the Diffusion of H-Bearing Species in Lunar Basalt and an Iron-Free Basaltic Analog at 1 atm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newcombe, M. E.; Beckett, J. R.; Baker, M. B.; Newman, S.; Guan, Y.; Eiler, J. M.; Stolper, E. M.

2016-12-01

We have conducted water diffusion experiments in synthetic Apollo 15 "yellow glass" (LG) and an iron-free basaltic analog melt (AD) at 1 atm and 1350 °C over a range of fO2 conditions from IW-2.2 to IW+6.7 and over a range of pH2/pH2O from nominally zero to 10. The water concentrations measured in our quenched experimental glasses by SIMS and FTIR vary from a few ppm to 430 ppm. Many studies of water diffusion at higher water concentrations indicate that the apparent diffusivity of total water (D*water; see [1]) in silicate melts is highly concentration dependent at water contents >0.1 wt% (e.g., [1]). However, water concentration gradients in each of our AD and LG experiments are well described by models in which D*water is assumed to be constant. Best-fit values of D*water obtained for our AD and LG experiments are consistent with a modified speciation model [2] in which both molecular water and hydroxyl are allowed to diffuse, and in which hydroxyl is the dominant diffusing species at the low total water concentrations of our experiments. Water concentration gradients generated during hydration and dehydration experiments conducted simultaneously propagate approximately equal distances into the melt and have the same concentration of water dissolved in the melt at the melt-vapor interface, suggesting that hydration and dehydration are symmetric under the conditions of our experiments. Best-fit values of D*water for our LG experiments vary within a factor of 2 over a range of pH2/pH2O from 0.007 to 9.7 (a range of ƒO2 from IW-2.2 to IW+4.9) and a water concentration range from 80 ppm to 280 ppm. The relative insensitivity of D*water to variations in pH2 suggests that loss of H during the degassing of the lunar melts described by [3] was not primarily by loss of dissolved H2. The value of D*water chosen by [3] for modeling diffusive degassing of lunar volcanic glasses is within a factor of three of our measured value in LG melt at 1350 °C. [1] Zhang et al. (1991) GCA 55, 441-456; [2] Ni et al. (2013) GCA 103, 36-48; [3] Saal et al. (2008) Nature 454, 192-195.

Foam imbibition in a Hele-Shaw cell via laminated microfluidic ``T-junction'' device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Dina; Ward, Thomas

2013-11-01

In this talk we analyze experimental results of a novel microfluidic ``T-junction'' device, made from laminated plastic, that is used to produce foam in porous media. The fluids, both Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids and air, are driven using constant-static pressure fluid pumping. For the T-junction geometry studied there are novel observations with this type of pumping: 1) at low pressure ratios there is an increase in the liquid and total flow rates and 2) at higher pressure ratios there is a decrease in the liquid flow rate. To understand this phenomenon we visualize the drop production process near the T-junction. Furthermore, flow rates for the liquid and total volume are estimated by imbibing the foam into a Hele-Shaw cell. Foam is produced by using a mixture containing aqueous polyacrylamide of concentrations ranging from 0.01-0.10% by weight and several solution also containing a sodium-lauryl-sulfate (SLS) surfactant at concentrations ranging 0.01-0.1% by weight.

Hybrid micro-scale photovoltaics for enhanced energy conversion across all irradiation conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Gautam

A novel hybrid photovoltaics (HPV) architecture is presented that integrates high-performance micro-optics-based concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) array technology with a 1-sun photovoltaic (PV) cell within a low-profile panel structure. The approach simultaneously captures the direct solar radiation components with arrayed high-efficiency CPV cells and the diffuse solar components with an underlying wide-area PV cell. Performance analyses predict that the hybrid approach will significantly enhance the average energy produced per unit area for the full range of diffuse/direct radiation patterns across the USA. Furthermore, cost analyses indicate that the hybrid concept may be financially attractive for a wide range of locations. Indoor and outdoor experimental evaluation of a micro-optical system designed for use in a hybrid architecture verified that a large proportion of the direct radiation component was concentrated onto emulated micro-cell regions while most of the diffuse radiation and the remaining direct radiation was collected in the 1-sun cell area.

On the modeling of irradiation-induced homogeneous precipitation in proton-bombarded Ni-Si solid solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Nghi Q.; Janghorban, K.; Ardell, A. J.

1981-10-01

Irradiation-induced solute redistribution leading to precipitation of coherent γ' particles in undersaturated Ni-based solid solutions containing 6 and 8 at.% Si during 400-keV proton bombardment was modeled, based on the concept of solute segregation in concentrated alloys under spatially-dependent defect production conditions. The combined effects of (i) an extremely large difference between the defect production rates in the peak-damage and mid-range regions during irradiation and (ii) a preferential coupling between the interstitial and solute fluxes generate a net transient flux of Si atoms into the mid-range region, which is much larger than the solute flux out of this location. As a result, the Si concentration exceeds the solubility limit and homogeneous precipitation of the γ' phase occurs in this particular region of the irradiated samples. The spatial, compositional and temperature dependences of irradiation-induced homogeneous precipitation derived from the present theoretical calculations are in good qualitative agreement with experimental observations

Optimal stretching in the reacting wake of a bluff body.

PubMed

Wang, Jinge; Tithof, Jeffrey; Nevins, Thomas D; Colón, Rony O; Kelley, Douglas H

2017-12-01

We experimentally study spreading of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction behind a bluff body in a laminar flow. Locations of reacted regions (i.e., regions with high product concentration) correlate with a moderate range of Lagrangian stretching and that range is close to the range of optimal stretching previously observed in topologically different flows [T. D. Nevins and D. H. Kelley, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 164502 (2016)]. The previous work found optimal stretching in a closed, vortex dominated flow, but this article uses an open flow and only a small area of appreciable vorticity. We hypothesize that optimal stretching is common in advection-reaction-diffusion systems with an excitation threshold, including excitable and bistable systems, and that the optimal range depends on reaction chemistry and not on flow shape or characteristic speed. Our results may also give insight into plankton blooms behind islands in ocean currents.

Low Density Solvent-Based Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction for the Determination of Synthetic Antioxidants in Beverages by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

PubMed Central

Çabuk, Hasan; Köktürk, Mustafa

2013-01-01

A simple and efficient method was established for the determination of synthetic antioxidants in beverages by using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Butylated hydroxy toluene, butylated hydroxy anisole, and tert-butylhydroquinone were the antioxidants evaluated. Experimental parameters including extraction solvent, dispersive solvent, pH of sample solution, salt concentration, and extraction time were optimized. Under optimal conditions, the extraction recoveries ranged from 53 to 96%. Good linearity was observed by the square of correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9975 to 0.9997. The relative standard deviations ranged from 1.0 to 5.2% for all of the analytes. Limits of detection ranged from 0.85 to 2.73 ng mL−1. The method was successfully applied for determination of synthetic antioxidants in undiluted beverage samples with satisfactory recoveries. PMID:23853535

Vapor pressures and calculated heats of vaporization of concentrated nitric acid solutions in the composition range 71 to 89 percent nitrogen dioxide, 1 to 10 percent water, and in the temperature range 10 to 60 degrees C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckeown, A B; Belles, Frank E

1954-01-01

Total vapor pressures were measured for 16 acid mixtures of the ternary system nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, and water within the temperature range 10 degrees to 60 degrees Celsius, and with the composition range 71 to 89 weight percent nitric acid, 7 to 20 weight percent nitrogen dioxide, and 1 to 10 weight percent water. Heats of vaporization were calculated from the vapor pressure measurements for each sample for the temperatures 25, 40, and 60 degrees Celsius. The ullage of the apparatus used for the measurements was 0.46. Ternary diagrams showing isobars as a function of composition of the system were constructed from experimental and interpolated data for the temperatures 25, 40, 45, and 60 degrees C and are presented herein.

Experimental Investigation of Gas/Slag/Matte/Tridymite Equilibria in the Cu-Fe-O-S-Si System in Controlled Gas Atmospheres: Experimental Results at 1473 K (1200 °C) and P(SO2) = 0.25 atm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fallah-Mehrjardi, Ata; Hidayat, Taufiq; Hayes, Peter C.; Jak, Evgueni

2017-12-01

Experimental studies were undertaken to determine the gas/slag/matte/tridymite equilibria in the Cu-Fe-O-S-Si system at 1473 K (1200 °C), P(SO2) = 0.25 atm, and a range of P(O2)'s. The experimental methodology involved high-temperature equilibration using a substrate support technique in controlled gas atmospheres (CO/CO2/SO2/Ar), rapid quenching of equilibrium phases, followed by direct measurement of the chemical compositions of the phases with Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis (EPMA). The experimental data for slag and matte were presented as a function of copper concentration in matte (matte grade). The data provided are essential for the evaluation of the effect of oxygen potential under controlled atmosphere on the matte grade, liquidus composition of slag and chemically dissolved copper in slag. The new data provide important accurate and reliable quantitative foundation for improvement of the thermodynamic databases for copper-containing systems.

Macro-kinetic investigation on phenol uptake from air by biofiltration: Influence of superficial gas flow rate and inlet pollutant concentration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zilli, M.; Fabiano, B.; Ferraiolo, A.

1996-02-20

The macro-kinetic behavior of phenol removal from a synthetic exhaust gas was investigated theoretically as well as experimentally by means of two identical continuously operating laboratory-scale biological filter bed columns. A mixture of peat and glass beads was used as filter material. After sterilization it was inoculated with a pure strain of Pseudomonas putida, as employed in previous experimental studies. To determine the influence of the superficial gas flow rate on biofilter performance and to evaluate the phenol concentration profiles along the column, two series of continuous tests were carried out varying either the inlet phenol concentration, up to 1,650more » mg {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3}, or the superficial gas flow rate, from 30 to 460 m{sup 3} {center_dot} m{sup {minus}2} {center_dot} h{sup {minus}1}. The elimination capacity of the biofilter is proved by a maximum volumetric phenol removal rate of 0.73 kg {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3} {center_dot} h{sup {minus}1}. The experimental results are consistent with a biofilm model incorporating first-order substrate elimination kinetics. The model may be considered a useful tool in scaling-up a biofiltration system. Furthermore, the deodorization capacity of the biofilter was investigated, at inlet phenol concentrations up to 280 mg {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3} and superficial gas flow rates ranging from 30 to 92 m{sup 3} {center_dot} m{sup {minus}2} {center_dot} h{sup {minus}1}. The deodorization of the gas was achieved at a maximum inlet phenol concentration of about 255 mg {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3}, operating at a superficial gas flow rate of 30 m{sup 3} {center_dot} m{sup {minus}2} {center_dot} h{sup {minus}1}.« less

Preliminary screening oxidative degradation methyl orange using ozone/ persulfate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aqilah Razali, Nur; Zulzikrami Azner Abidin, Che; An, Ong Soon; Ridwan, Fahmi Muhammad; Haqi Ibrahim, Abdul; Nasuha Sabri, Siti; Huan Kow, Su

2018-03-01

The present study focusing on the performances of advanced oxidation process by using ozonation method towards Methyl Orange based on the efficiency of colour removal and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal. Factorial design with response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the interaction between operational conditions, such as pH, initial concentration, contact time and persulfate dosage to obtain the optimum range conditions using a semi-batch reactor. The range of independent variables investigated were pH (3-11), initial concentration (100-500mg/L), contact time (10-50min) and persulfate dosage (20-100mM) while the response variables were colour removal and COD removal of Methyl Orange. The experimental results and statistical analysis showed all the parameters were significant. Thus, from this findings, optimization of operational conditions that had been suggested from the ozone/persulfate RSM analysis were (pH 3, 100 mg/L, 50min, 60mM) that would be produced 99% Colour Removal and 80% COD Removal and help in promoting an efficient ozonation process. The effect list data that showed the most contributed effects to increase the percentages of colour removal were pH and persulfate dosage whereas the contact time and initial concentration had the highest positive effects on the COD removal. Other than that, the interaction between pH, contact time and persulfate dosage were found to be the most influencing interaction. Therefore the least influencing interaction was interaction between persulfate dosage and pH. In this study, the correlation coefficient value R2 for colour removal and COD removal of Methyl Orange were R2= 0.9976 and R2= 0.9924 which suggested a good fit of the first-order regression model with the experimental data.

Miniature Dual-Corona Ionizer for Bipolar Charging of Aerosol

PubMed Central

Qi, Chaolong; Kulkarni, Pramod

2015-01-01

A corona-based bipolar charger has been developed for use in compact, field-portable mobility size spectrometers. The charger employs an aerosol flow cavity exposed to two corona ionizers producing ions of opposite polarity. Each corona ionizer houses two electrodes in parallel needle-mesh configuration and is operated at the same magnitude of corona current. Experimental measurement of detailed charge distribution of near-monodisperse particles of different diameter in the submicrometer size range showed that the charger is capable of producing well-defined, consistent bipolar charge distributions for flow rates up to 1.5 L/min and aerosol concentration up to 107 per cm3. For particles with preexisting charge of +1, 0, and −1, the measured charge distributions agreed well with the theoretical distributions within the range of experimental and theoretical uncertainties. The transmission efficiency of the charger was measured to be 80% for 10 nm particles (at 0.3 L/min and 5 μA corona current) and increased with increasing diameter beyond this size. Measurement of uncharged fractions at various combinations of positive and negative corona currents showed the charger performance to be insensitive to fluctuations in corona current. Ion concentrations under positive and negative unipolar operation were estimated to be 8.2 × 107 and 3.37 × 108 cm−3 for positive and negative ions; the n·t product value under positive corona operation was independently estimated to be 8.5 × 105 s/cm3. The ion concentration estimates indicate the charger to be capable of “neutralizing” typical atmospheric and industrial aerosols in most measurement applications. The miniature size, simple and robust operation makes the charger suitable for portable mobility spectrometers. PMID:26512158

Steady-state voltammetry of hydroxide ion oxidation in aqueous solutions containing ammonia.

PubMed

Daniele, Salvatore; Baldo, M Antonietta; Bragato, Carlo; Abdelsalam, Mamdouh Elsayed; Denuault, Guy

2002-07-15

An oxidation process observed in dilute aqueous solutions of ammonia was investigated under steady-state conditions with gold microelectrodes with radii in the range 2.5-30 microm. Over the ammonia concentration range 0.1-10 mM, a well-defined voltammetric wave was observed at approximately 1.4 V versus Ag/AgCl. It was attributed to the oxidation of hydroxide ions that arise from the dissociation of the weak base. The steady-state limiting current was found to depend on the concentration of supporting electrolyte, and in solution with low electrolyte, it was enhanced by migration contribution, as expected for a negatively charged species that oxidizes on a positively charged electrode. In addition, the steady-state limiting current was proportional to both the ammonia concentration and the electrode radius. The overall electrode process was analyzed in terms of a CE mechanism (homogeneous chemical reaction preceding the heterogeneous electron transfer) with a fast chemical reaction when measurements were carried out in solutions containing NH3 at < or = 5 mM and with electrodes having a radius of > or = 5 microm. This was ascertained by comparing experimental and theoretical data obtained by simulation. The formation of the soluble complex species Au(NH3)2+ was also considered as a possible alternative to explain the presence of the oxidation wave. This process however was ruled out, as the experimental data did not fit theoretical predictions in any of the conditions employed in the investigation. Instead, the direct oxidation of NH3, probably to N2O, was invoked to explain the anomalous currents found when the CE process was strongly kinetically hindered. Throughout this study, a parallel was made between the CE mechanism investigated here and that known to occur during the hydrogen evolution reaction from weak acids.

Sorption and degradation of chlorophenols, nitrophenols and organophosphorus pesticides in the subsoil under landfills — laboratory studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kjeldsen, Peter; Kjølholt, Jesper; Schultz, Birgit; Christensen, Thomas H.; Tjell, Jens Christian

1990-09-01

Landfills and old industrial plant sites have been identified in an increasing number of cases as point sources of groundwater pollution, dissipating a wide range of industrial chemicals and pesticides. To study the fate of co-disposed chemicals in the subsoil of landfills, anaerobic soil columns loaded with anaerobic leachate from a municipal landfill were set up. The leachate was spiked with eleven compounds representing three groups of chemicals: chlorophenols, nitrophenols and organophosphates. Two subsoils were used in the study. The columns were maintained at Danish groundwater temperature (8-10°C), and were run for a period of 10 months. Analysis of the influent leachate concentrations of the spiked compounds showed that the concentrations were constant during the entire experimental period. Many of the compounds showed delayed breakthrough (compared to chloride breakthrough) in both soils, followed by a constant effluent concentration ratio of less than unity indicating that degradation was occuring. The velocities for the chloro- and nitrophenols were in the range of 10-100% of the water velocity in the two subsoils. The distribution coefficient for the specific phenol, the acidity and the pH of the soil apparently governed the retardation of the phenolic compounds. Degradation of most of the phenols was observed with half-like values of 30-150 days. The four organophosphorus pesticides, Dimethoate ®, Malathion ®, Sulfotep ® and Fenitrothion ®, showed relative velocities from < 10% to ≈ 100%. Malathion ® and Sulfotep ® were degraded with half-life values of 10-20 days, while Dimethoate ® was not significantly degraded in the two soil columns. Fenitrothion ® did not appear in the effluent from the columns within the experimental period of time, probably due to high retardation.

Miniature Dual-Corona Ionizer for Bipolar Charging of Aerosol.

PubMed

Qi, Chaolong; Kulkarni, Pramod

2013-01-01

A corona-based bipolar charger has been developed for use in compact, field-portable mobility size spectrometers. The charger employs an aerosol flow cavity exposed to two corona ionizers producing ions of opposite polarity. Each corona ionizer houses two electrodes in parallel needle-mesh configuration and is operated at the same magnitude of corona current. Experimental measurement of detailed charge distribution of near-monodisperse particles of different diameter in the submicrometer size range showed that the charger is capable of producing well-defined, consistent bipolar charge distributions for flow rates up to 1.5 L/min and aerosol concentration up to 10 7 per cm 3 . For particles with preexisting charge of +1, 0, and -1, the measured charge distributions agreed well with the theoretical distributions within the range of experimental and theoretical uncertainties. The transmission efficiency of the charger was measured to be 80% for 10 nm particles (at 0.3 L/min and 5 μ A corona current) and increased with increasing diameter beyond this size. Measurement of uncharged fractions at various combinations of positive and negative corona currents showed the charger performance to be insensitive to fluctuations in corona current. Ion concentrations under positive and negative unipolar operation were estimated to be 8.2 × 10 7 and 3.37 × 10 8 cm -3 for positive and negative ions; the n · t product value under positive corona operation was independently estimated to be 8.5 × 10 5 s/cm 3 . The ion concentration estimates indicate the charger to be capable of "neutralizing" typical atmospheric and industrial aerosols in most measurement applications. The miniature size, simple and robust operation makes the charger suitable for portable mobility spectrometers.

Experimental studies and model analysis of noble gas fractionation in porous media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ding, Xin; Kennedy, B. Mack.; Evans, William C.; Stonestrom, David A.

2016-01-01

The noble gases, which are chemically inert under normal terrestrial conditions but vary systematically across a wide range of atomic mass and diffusivity, offer a multicomponent approach to investigating gas dynamics in unsaturated soil horizons, including transfer of gas between saturated zones, unsaturated zones, and the atmosphere. To evaluate the degree to which fractionation of noble gases in the presence of an advective–diffusive flux agrees with existing theory, a simple laboratory sand column experiment was conducted. Pure CO2 was injected at the base of the column, providing a series of constant CO2 fluxes through the column. At five fixed sampling depths within the system, samples were collected for CO2 and noble gas analyses, and ambient pressures were measured. Both the advection–diffusion and dusty gas models were used to simulate the behavior of CO2 and noble gases under the experimental conditions, and the simulations were compared with the measured depth-dependent concentration profiles of the gases. Given the relatively high permeability of the sand column (5 ´ 10−11 m2), Knudsen diffusion terms were small, and both the dusty gas model and the advection–diffusion model accurately predicted the concentration profiles of the CO2 and atmospheric noble gases across a range of CO2 flux from ?700 to 10,000 g m−2 d−1. The agreement between predicted and measured gas concentrations demonstrated that, when applied to natural systems, the multi-component capability provided by the noble gases can be exploited to constrain component and total gas fluxes of non-conserved (CO2) and conserved (noble gas) species or attributes of the soil column relevant to gas transport, such as porosity, tortuosity, and gas saturation.

Solvent, temperature and concentration effects on the optical rotatory dispersion of (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alenaizan, Asem; Al-Basheer, Watheq; Musa, Musa M.

2017-02-01

Optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectra are reported for isolated and solvated (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone (R-3MCH) in 10 solvents, of wide polarity range, and over the spectral range 350-650 nm. Sample concentration effects on ORD spectra of R-3MCH were also recorded and investigated over widely varying concentrations from 2.5 × 10-3 to 2.5 × 10-1 g/mL where an observed sensitivity of optical rotation (OR) to incident light wavelength at low concentrations is correlated to solvent effects. Temperature effects were also studied by recording ORD spectra over the temperature range 0-65 °C in toluene. Recorded specific OR was plotted against various solvent parameters, namely, dipole moment, polarity, refractive index and polarizability to probe solvent effects. Furthermore, solvent effects were studied by incorporating Kamlet's and Taft's solvent parameters in the multi-parametric linear fitting. Theoretically, ORD spectra and populations of optimized geometries of equatorial and axial conformers of R-3MCH were calculated in the gas and solvated phases. All theoretical calculations were performed employing the polarizable continuum model using density functional theoretical and composite scheme (G4) methods with aug-cc-pVTZ and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets. Net ORD spectra of R-3MCH were generated by the Boltzmann-weighted sum of the contributions of the dominant conformers. Upon comparing theoretical and experimental ORD spectra, a very good agreement is observed for the ORD spectra in the gas phase and high polarity solvents compared to relatively lesser agreement in low polarity solvents.

Experimental Spectroscopic Studies of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Fluorescence at High Temperatures and Pressures.

PubMed

Carrivain, Olivier; Orain, Mikael; Dorval, Nelly; Morin, Celine; Legros, Guillaume

2017-10-01

Two-photon excitation laser-induced fluorescence of carbon monoxide (CO-LIF) is investigated experimentally in order to determine the applicability of this technique for imaging CO concentration in aeronautical combustors. Experiments are carried out in a high temperature, high-pressure test cell, and in a laminar premixed CH 4 /air flame. Influence of temperature and pressure on CO-LIF spectra intensity and shape is reported. The experimental results show that as pressure increases, the CO-LIF excitation spectrum becomes asymmetric. Additionally, the spectrum strongly shifts to the red with a quadratic dependence of the collisional shift upon pressure, which is different from the classical behavior where the collisional shift is proportional to pressure. Moreover, pressure line broadening cannot be reproduced by a Lorenztian profile in the temperature range investigated here (300-1750 K) and, therefore, an alternative line shape is suggested.

Mixing characterization of highly underexpanded fluid jets with real gas expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Felix J.; Baab, Steffen; Steinhausen, Christoph; Lamanna, Grazia; Ewart, Paul; Weigand, Bernhard

2018-03-01

We report a comprehensive speed of sound database for multi-component mixing of underexpanded fuel jets with real gas expansion. The paper presents several reference test cases with well-defined experimental conditions providing quantitative data for validation of computational simulations. Two injectant fluids, fundamentally different with respect to their critical properties, are brought to supercritical state and discharged into cold nitrogen at different pressures. The database features a wide range of nozzle pressure ratios covering the regimes that are generally classified as highly and extremely highly underexpanded jets. Further variation is introduced by investigating different injection temperatures. Measurements are obtained along the centerline at different axial positions. In addition, an adiabatic mixing model based on non-ideal thermodynamic mixture properties is used to extract mixture compositions from the experimental speed of sound data. The concentration data obtained are complemented by existing experimental data and represented by an empirical fit.

Wavelength-modulated differential photothermal radiometry: Theory and experimental applications to glucose detection in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandelis, Andreas; Guo, Xinxin

2011-10-01

A differential photothermal radiometry method, wavelength-modulated differential photothermal radiometry (WM-DPTR), has been developed theoretically and experimentally for noninvasive, noncontact biological analyte detection, such as blood glucose monitoring. WM-DPTR features analyte specificity and sensitivity by combining laser excitation by two out-of-phase modulated beams at wavelengths near the peak and the base line of a prominent and isolated mid-IR analyte absorption band (here the carbon-oxygen-carbon bond in the pyran ring of the glucose molecule). A theoretical photothermal model of WM-DPTR signal generation and detection has been developed. Simulation results on water-glucose phantoms with the human blood range (0-300 mg/dl) glucose concentration demonstrated high sensitivity and resolution to meet wide clinical detection requirements. The model has also been validated by experimental data of the glucose-water system obtained using WM-DPTR.

Absolute backscatter coefficient estimates of tissue-mimicking phantoms in the 5–50 MHz frequency range

PubMed Central

McCormick, Matthew M.; Madsen, Ernest L.; Deaner, Meagan E.; Varghese, Tomy

2011-01-01

Absolute backscatter coefficients in tissue-mimicking phantoms were experimentally determined in the 5–50 MHz frequency range using a broadband technique. A focused broadband transducer from a commercial research system, the VisualSonics Vevo 770, was used with two tissue-mimicking phantoms. The phantoms differed regarding the thin layers covering their surfaces to prevent desiccation and regarding glass bead concentrations and diameter distributions. Ultrasound scanning of these phantoms was performed through the thin layer. To avoid signal saturation, the power spectra obtained from the backscattered radio frequency signals were calibrated by using the signal from a liquid planar reflector, a water-brominated hydrocarbon interface with acoustic impedance close to that of water. Experimental values of absolute backscatter coefficients were compared with those predicted by the Faran scattering model over the frequency range 5–50 MHz. The mean percent difference and standard deviation was 54% ± 45% for the phantom with a mean glass bead diameter of 5.40 μm and was 47% ± 28% for the phantom with 5.16 μm mean diameter beads. PMID:21877789

Quantifying differences in the impact of variable chemistry on equilibrium uranium(VI) adsorption properties of aquifer sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoliker, Deborah L.; Kent, Douglas B.; Zachara, John M.

2011-01-01

Uranium adsorption-desorption on sediment samples collected from the Hanford 300-Area, Richland, WA varied extensively over a range of field-relevant chemical conditions, complicating assessment of possible differences in equilibrium adsorption properties. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved in 500-1000 h although dissolved uranium concentrations increased over thousands of hours owing to changes in aqueous chemical composition driven by sediment-water reactions. A nonelectrostatic surface complexation reaction, >SOH + UO22+ + 2CO32- = >SOUO2(CO3HCO3)2-, provided the best fit to experimental data for each sediment sample resulting in a range of conditional equilibrium constants (logKc) from 21.49 to 21.76. Potential differences in uranium adsorption properties could be assessed in plots based on the generalized mass-action expressions yielding linear trends displaced vertically by differences in logKc values. Using this approach, logKc values for seven sediment samples were not significantly different. However, a significant difference in adsorption properties between one sediment sample and the fines (Kc uncertainty were improved by capturing all data points within experimental errors. The mass-action expression plots demonstrate that applying models outside the range of conditions used in model calibration greatly increases potential errors.

Phase Equilibria Studies in the System ZnO-``FeO''-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2 Relevant to Imperial Smelting Furnace Slags: Part I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Baojun; Hayes, Peter C.; Jak, Evgueni

2010-04-01

The phase equilibria and liquidus temperatures in the system ZnO-“FeO”-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2 in equilibrium with metallic iron have been determined experimentally in the temperature range of 1423 K to 1553 K. The experimental conditions were focused on the composition range relevant to Imperial Smelting Furnace slags. The results are presented in the form of a pseudo-ternary section ZnO-“FeO”-(CaO + SiO2 + Al2O3) in which CaO/SiO2 = 0.93 and (CaO + SiO2)/Al2O3 = 7.0. It was found that wustite and spinel are the major primary phases and that zincite and melilite are also present in the composition range investigated. Wustite (Fe2+,Zn)O and spinel (Fe2+,Zn)O (A1,Fe3+)2O3 solid solutions are formed in this system, and the ZnO concentration in the spinel phase is found to be much greater than in the liquid phase.

Measurement of the incorporation rates of four amino acids into proteins for estimating bacterial production.

PubMed

Servais, P

1995-03-01

In aquatic ecosystems, [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into bacterial DNA and [(3)H]leucine incorporation into proteins are usually used to estimate bacterial production. The incorporation rates of four amino acids (leucine, tyrosine, lysine, alanine) into proteins of bacteria were measured in parallel on natural freshwater samples from the basin of the river Meuse (Belgium). Comparison of the incorporation into proteins and into the total macromolecular fraction showed that these different amino acids were incorporated at more than 90% into proteins. From incorporation measurements at four subsaturated concentrations (range, 2-77 nm), the maximum incorporation rates were determined. Strong correlations (r > 0.91 for all the calculated correlations) were found between the maximum incorporation rates of the different tested amino acids over a range of two orders of magnitude of bacterial activity. Bacterial production estimates were calculated using theoretical and experimental conversion factors. The productions calculated from the incorporation rates of the four amino acids were in good concordance, especially when the experimental conversion factors were used (slope range, 0.91-1.11, and r > 0.91). This study suggests that the incorporation of various amino acids into proteins can be used to estimate bacterial production.

Rheometry of natural sediment slurries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Major, Jon J.; ,

1993-01-01

Recent experimental analyses of natural sediment slurries yield diverse results yet exhibit broad commonality of rheological responses under a range of conditions and shear rates. Results show that the relation between shear stress and shear rate is primarily nonlinear, that the relation can display marked hysteresis, that minimum shear stress can occur following yield, that physical properties of slurries are extremely sensitive to sediment concentration, and the concept of slurry yield strength is still debated. New rheometric analyses have probed viscoelastic behavior of sediment slurries. Results show that slurries composed of particles ??? 125 ?? m exhibit viscoelastic responses, and that shear stresses are relaxed over a range of time scales rather than by a single response time.

Formulation of wax oxybenzone microparticles using a factorial approach.

PubMed

Gomaa, Y A; Darwish, I A; Boraei, N A; El-Khordagui, L K

2010-01-01

Oxybenzone wax microparticles (MPs) were prepared by the hydrophobic congealable disperse phase method. The formulation of oxybenzone-loaded MPs was optimized using a 2⁴ experimental design. Factorial analysis indicated that the main MP characteristics were influenced by initial drug loading, emulsification speed, emulsifier concentration and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. MPs were spherical with 50.5–88.1 μm size range, 17.8–38.9 drug content in mg/100 mg MPs and 33.1–87.2% oxybenzone release in 1 h. A wide range of sunscreen delivery systems suitable for different formulation purposes were generated which may contribute to the advanced formulation of sunscreen products with improved performance.

Hydrodynamic force characteristics in the splash zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daliri, M.R.; Haritos, N.

1996-12-31

A comprehensive experimental study concerned with the hydrodynamic force characteristics of both rigid and compliant surface piercing cylinders, with a major focus on the local nature of these characteristics as realized in the splash zone and in the fully submerged zone immediately below this region, has been in progress at the University of Melbourne for the last three years. This paper concentrates on a portion of this study associated with uni-directional regular wave inputs with wave steepness (H/{lambda}) in the range 0.0005--0.1580 and Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) numbers in the range 2--15 which encompasses inertia force dominant (KC<5) to drag force significantmore » conditions (5« less

H2O activity in concentrated NaCl solutions at high pressures and temperatures measured by the brucite-periclase equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranovich, L. Y.; Newton, R. C.

1996-10-01

H2O activities in concentrated NaCl solutions were measured in the ranges 600° 900° C and 2 15 kbar and at NaCl concentrations up to halite saturation by depression of the brucite (Mg(OH)2) periclase (MgO) dehydration equilibrium. Experiments were made in internally heated Ar pressure apparatus at 2 and 4.2 kbar and in 1.91-cm-diameter piston-cylinder apparatus with NaCl pressure medium at 4.2, 7, 10 and 15 kbar. Fluid compositions in equilibrium with brucite and periclase were reversed to closures of less than 2 mol% by measuring weight changes after drying of punctured Pt capsules. Brucite-periclase equilibrium in the binary system was redetermined using coarsely crystalline synthetic brucite and periclase to inhibit back-reaction in quenching. These data lead to a linear expression for the standard Gibbs free energy of the brucite dehydration reaction in the experimental temperature range: ΔG° (±120J)=73418 134.95 T(K). Using this function as a baseline, the experimental dehydration points in the system MgO-H2O-NaCl lead to a simple systematic relationship of high-temperature H2O activity in NaCl solution. At low pressure and low fluid densities near 2 kbar the H2O activity is closely approximated by its mole fraction. At pressures of 10 kbar and greater, with fluid densities approaching those of condensed H2O, the H2O activity becomes nearly equal to the square of its mole fraction. Isobaric halite saturation points terminating the univariant brucite-periclase curves were determined at each experimental pressure. The five temperature-composition points in the system NaCl-H2O are in close agreement with the halite saturation curves (liquidus curves) given by existing data from differential thermal analysis to 6 kbar. Solubility of MgO in the vapor phase near halite saturation is much less than one mole percent and could not have influenced our determinations. Activity concentration relations in the experimental P-T range may be retrieved for the binary system H2O-NaCl from our brucite-periclase data and from halite liquidus data with minor extrapolation. At two kbar, solutions closely approach an ideal gas mixture, whereas at 10 kbar and above the solutions closely approximate an ideal fused salt mixture, where the activities of H2O and NaCl correspond to an ideal activity formulation. This profound pressure-induced change of state may be characterized by the activity ( a) concentration ( X) expression: a H 2O= X H 2O/(1+α X NaCl), and a NaCl=(1+α)(1+α)[ X NaCl/(1+α X NaCl)](1+α). The parameter α is determined by regression of the brucite-periclase H2O activity data: α=exp[A B/ϱH 2O ]-C P/ T, where A=4.226, B=2.9605, C=164.984, and P is in kbar, T is in Kelvins, and ϱH 2O is the density of H2O at given P and T in g/cm3. These formulas reproduce both the H2O activity data and the NaCl activity data with a standard deviation of ±0.010. The thermodynamic behavior of concentrated NaCl solutions at high temperature and pressure is thus much simpler than portrayed by extended Debye-Hückel theory. The low H2O activity at high pressures in concentrated supercritical NaCl solutions (or hydrosaline melts) indicates that such solutions should be feasible as chemically active fluids capable of coexisting with solid rocks and silicate liquids (and a CO2-rich vapor) in many processes of deep crustal and upper mantle metamorphism and metasomatism.

Simple immunoglobulin G sensor based on thin core single-mode fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yingfang; Lang, Tingting; Shen, Tingting; Shen, Changyu

2018-03-01

In this paper, a simple fiber biosensor (FOB) for immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection is designed and experimentally verified. The FOB is constructed by a 20 mm long thin core single-mode fiber (TCSMF) sandwiched between two single-mode optical fibers (SMFs). First, the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of the fiber structures is calculated by the beam propagation method. The refractive index sensing experiment is performed using different concentrations of glycerol solutions, and the experimental results are mostly consistent with the simulation predictions. The experimental RI sensitivity increases with the surrounding RI and reaches 82.7 nm/RIU. Then the surface of the FOB is functionalized by APTES for covalent bonding. The human IgG and goat anti-human IgG are chosen as a bioconjugated pair to examine the bio-sensing effectiveness of this FOB. The sensitivity of IgG detection is determined to be 10.4 nm/(mg/ml). And the serum IgG concentration in normal adults lies within the range of 6-16 mg/ml (Worsfold et al., 1985), so the sensor is applicable to human IgG monitoring. The specificity of the FOB is also verified by a contrast experiment conducted using rabbit immunoglobulin G. The proposed FOB is simple, low loss, cost-effective, and can be used for various biological and chemical applications.

Radon entry into basements: Approach, experimental structures, and instrumentation of the small structures research project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisk, W.J.; Modera, M.P.; Sextro, R.G.

1992-02-01

We describe the experimental approach, structures, and instrumentation of a research project on radon generation and transport in soil and entry into basements. The overall approach is to construct small precisely-fabricated basements in areas of different geology and climate, to control the pressures and ventilation rates in the structures, and to monitor radon concentrations and other relevant parameters over a period of one year or more. Two nearly air-tight structures have been constructed at the first site. The floor of each structure contains adjustable-width slots that serve as the only significant pathway for advective entry of radon. A layer ofmore » gravel underlays the floor of one structure; otherwise they are identical. The structures are instrumented for continuous or periodic monitoring of soil, structural, and meteorological parameters that affect radon entry. The pressure difference that drives advective radon entry can be maintained constant or varied over time. Soil gas and radon entry rates and associated parameters, such as soil gas pressures and radon concentrations, have been monitored for a range of steady-state and time-varying pressure differences between the interior of the structure and the soil. Examples of the experimentally-measured pressure and permeability fields in the soil around a structure are presented and discussed.« less

Characteristics of phase-change materials containing oxide nano-additives for thermal storage.

PubMed

Teng, Tun-Ping; Yu, Chao-Chieh

2012-11-06

In this study, the authors report the production of nanocomposite-enhanced phase-change materials (NEPCMs) using the direct-synthesis method by mixing paraffin with alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), silica (SiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO) as the experimental samples. Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO were dispersed into three concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt.%. Through heat conduction and differential scanning calorimeter experiments to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations of the nano-additives on the heat conduction performance and thermal storage characteristics of NEPCMs, their feasibility for use in thermal storage was determined. The experimental results demonstrate that TiO2 is more effective than the other additives in enhancing both the heat conduction and thermal storage performance of paraffin for most of the experimental parameters. Furthermore, TiO2 reduces the melting onset temperature and increases the solidification onset temperature of paraffin. This allows the phase-change heat to be applicable to a wider temperature range, and the highest decreased ratio of phase-change heat is only 0.46%, compared to that of paraffin. Therefore, this study demonstrates that TiO2, added to paraffin to form NEPCMs, has significant potential for enhancing the thermal storage characteristics of paraffin.

Stabilization of sulfuric acid dimers by ammonia, methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jen, Coty N.; McMurry, Peter H.; Hanson, David R.

2014-06-01

This study experimentally explores how ammonia (NH3), methylamine (MA), dimethylamine (DMA), and trimethylamine (TMA) affect the chemical formation mechanisms of electrically neutral clusters that contain two sulfuric acid molecules (dimers). Dimers may also contain undetectable compounds, such as water or bases, that evaporate upon ionization and sampling. Measurements were conducted using a glass flow reactor which contained a steady flow of humidified nitrogen with sulfuric acid concentrations of 107 to 109 cm-3. A known molar flow rate of a basic gas was injected into the flow reactor. The University of Minnesota Cluster Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer was used to measure the resulting sulfuric acid vapor and cluster concentrations. It was found that, for a given concentration of sulfuric acid vapor, the dimer concentration increases with increasing concentration of the basic gas, eventually reaching a plateau. The base concentrations at which the dimer concentrations saturate suggest NH3 < MA < TMA ≲ DMA in forming stabilized sulfuric acid dimers. Two heuristic models for cluster formation by acid-base reactions are developed to interpret the data. The models provide ranges of evaporation rate constants that are consistent with observations and leads to an analytic expression for nucleation rates that is consistent with atmospheric observations.

Static Light Scattering from Concentrated Protein Solutions, I: General Theory for Protein Mixtures and Application to Self-Associating Proteins

PubMed Central

Minton, Allen P.

2007-01-01

Exact expressions for the static light scattering of a solution containing up to three species of point-scattering solutes in highly nonideal solutions at arbitrary concentration are obtained from multicomponent scattering theory. Explicit expressions for thermodynamic interaction between solute molecules, required to evaluate the scattering relations, are obtained using an equivalent hard particle approximation similar to that employed earlier to interpret scattering of a single protein species at high concentration. The dependence of scattering intensity upon total protein concentration is calculated for mixtures of nonassociating proteins and for a single self-associating protein over a range of concentrations up to 200 g/l. An approximate semiempirical analysis of the concentration dependence of scattering intensity is proposed, according to which the contribution of thermodynamic interaction to scattering intensity is modeled as that of a single average hard spherical species. Simulated data containing pseudo-noise comparable in magnitude to actual experimental uncertainty are modeled using relations obtained from the proposed semiempirical analysis. It is shown that by using these relations one can extract from the data reasonably reliable information about underlying weak associations that are manifested only at very high total protein concentration. PMID:17526566

Concentration dependent refractive index of a binary mixture at high pressure.

PubMed

Croccolo, Fabrizio; Arnaud, Marc-Alexandre; Bégué, Didier; Bataller, Henri

2011-07-21

In the present work binary mixtures of varying concentrations of two miscible hydrocarbons, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphtalene (THN) and n-dodecane (C12), are subjected to increasing pressure up to 50 MPa in order to investigate the dependence of the so-called concentration contrast factor (CF), i.e., (∂n/∂c)(p, T), on pressure level. The refractive index is measured by means of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The setup and experimental procedure are validated with different pure fluids in the same pressure range. The refractive index of the THN-C12 mixture is found to vary both over pressure and concentration, and the concentration CF is found to exponentially decrease as the pressure is increased. The measured values of the refractive index and the concentration CFs are compared with values obtained by two different theoretical predictions, the well-known Lorentz-Lorenz formula and an alternative one proposed by Looyenga. While the measured refractive indices agree very well with predictions given by Looyenga, the measured concentration CFs show deviations from the latter of the order of 6% and more than the double from the Lorentz-Lorenz predictions.

Shock tube measurements of growth constants in the branched chain formaldehyde-carbon monoxide-oxygen system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brabbs, T. A.; Brokaw, R. S.

1982-01-01

Exponential free radical growth constants were measured for formaldehyde carbon monoxide-oxygen systems by monitoring the growth of oxygen atom concentration as manifested by CO flame band emission. Data were obtained over the temperature range of 1200 to 2000 K. The data were analyzed using a formaldehyde oxidation mechanism involving 12 elementary reaction steps. The computed growth constants are roughly in accord with experimental values, but are much more temperature dependent. The data was also analyzed assuming formaldehyde is rapidly decomposed to carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Growth constants computed for the resulting carbon monoxide hydrogen oxygen mixtures have a temperature dependence similar to experiments; however, for most mixtures, the computed growth constants were larger than experimental values.

Step edge sputtering yield at grazing incidence ion bombardment.

PubMed

Hansen, Henri; Polop, Celia; Michely, Thomas; Friedrich, Andreas; Urbassek, Herbert M

2004-06-18

The surface morphology of Pt(111) was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy after 5 keV Ar+ ion bombardment at grazing incidence in dependence of the ion fluence and in the temperature range between 625 and 720 K. The average erosion rate was found to be strongly dependent on the ion fluence and the substrate temperature during bombardment. This dependence is traced back to the variation of step concentration with temperature and fluence. We develop a simple model allowing us to determine separately the constant sputtering yields for terraces and for impact area stripes in front of ascending steps. The experimentally determined yield of these stripes--the step-edge sputtering yield--is in excellent agreement with our molecular dynamics simulations performed for the experimental situation.

Hematological changes in Eleginops maclovinus during an experimental Caligus rogercresseyi infestation.

PubMed

Peña-Rehbein, Patricio; Ruiz, Karin; Ortloff, Alexander; Pizarro, María Isabel; Navarrete, Carolina

2013-01-01

Eleginops maclovinus has been an important fishery resource in Chile since 1957. Caligus rogercresseyi is one of the most prevalent ectoparasite species found on E. maclovinus. Hematocrit, hemoglobin level, red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and differential white blood cell count were determined before and after an experimental infestation with C. rogercresseyi. We found significant differences in the hemoglobin level, WBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC, hematocrit level and RBC between infested and uninfested fish. Furthermore correlations between number of C. rogercresseyi with hematocrit, MCHC, neutrophil, eosinophil and lymphocyte counts were found. Hematological reference ranges of E. maclovinus in captivity conditions were also established.

Analysis of bakery products by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

PubMed

Bilge, Gonca; Boyacı, İsmail Hakkı; Eseller, Kemal Efe; Tamer, Uğur; Çakır, Serhat

2015-08-15

In this study, we focused on the detection of Na in bakery products by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a quick and simple method. LIBS experiments were performed to examine the Na at 589 nm to quantify NaCl. A series of standard bread sample pellets containing various concentrations of NaCl (0.025-3.5%) were used to construct the calibration curves and to determine the detection limits of the measurements. Calibration graphs were drawn to indicate functions of NaCl and Na concentrations, which showed good linearity in the range of 0.025-3.5% NaCl and 0.01-1.4% Na concentrations with correlation coefficients (R(2)) values greater than 0.98 and 0.96. The obtained detection limits for NaCl and Na were 175 and 69 ppm, respectively. Performed experimental studies showed that LIBS is a convenient method for commercial bakery products to quantify NaCl concentrations as a rapid and in situ technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on cytostatics used as photosensitizing material in photodynamic therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascu, Mihail-Lucian; Danaila, Leon; Carstocea, Benone D.; Staicu, Angela; Truica, Sorina; Gazdaru, Doina M.

2002-10-01

Introduction of the photosensitizer properties of cytostatics drus was made, pointing out that the fact that besides the biochemical action of the cytostatics their effects could be enhanced by the exposure to light at different doses. A spectroscopical characterisation of methotrexate and fluorouracil, cytostatic drugs used frequently in cancer therpy was performed. The absorption, emission and excitation spectra were measured for methotrexate solutions in natural saline and sodium hydroxide at concentration in the range 10-5 -10-6M and pH 8.4. The absorption, emission and excitation spectra were measured for fluorouracil solutions in natural saline at concentration in the range 10-4 -10-5M. The absorption spectrum exhibits spectral bands in the range 250nm -450nm for both drugs. The fluorescence excitatioan for methotrexate was made at 340nm and 370nm, the fluorescence emission was detected in the spectral range 400nm - 500nm with a maximum at 470nm. The fluorescence excitation was measured in teh range 200nm-500nm with the emission centred on 530nm, for Xe lamp irradiation, and 300nm for Hg lamp and laser irradiation. The fluorescence emission spectra was monitored in the spectral range 400nm - 600nm. The effects of irradiation on spectroscopic characteristics of methrotrexate and fluorouracil were investigated. The irraditaion was made using a UV classic lamp with Xe, for the first experimental part and for the second one it was used both a class Hg lamp and a nytorgen pulsed laser.

Synthesis of high capacity cathodes for lithium-ion batteries by morphology-tailored hydroxide co-precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dapeng; Belharouak, Ilias; Ortega, Luis H.; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Xu, Rui; Zhou, Dehua; Zhou, Guangwen; Amine, Khalil

2015-01-01

Nickel manganese hydroxide co-precipitation inside a continuous stirred tank reactor was studied with sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide as the precipitation agents. The ammonium hydroxide concentration had an effect on the primary and secondary particle evolution. The two-step precipitation mechanism proposed earlier was experimentally confirmed. In cell tests, Li- and Mn-rich composite cathode materials based on the hydroxide precursors demonstrated good electrochemical performance in terms of cycle life over a wide range of lithium content.

Production of NO2 from Photolysis of Peroxyacetyl Nitrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazely, Troy L.; Friedl, Randall R.; Sander, Stanley P.

1965-01-01

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) vapor was photolyzed at 248 nm, and the NO2 photoproduct was detected by laser-induced fluorescence. The quantum yield for the production of NO2 from PAN photolysis was determined by comparison to HNO3 photolysis data taken under identical experimental conditions. The average of data collected over a range of total pressures, precursor concentrations, and buffer gases was 0.83 +/- 0.09 for the NO2 quantum yield, where the statistical uncertainty is 2 standard deviations.

Structural studies of liquid Co–Sn alloys

PubMed Central

Yakymovych, A.; Shtablavyi, I.; Mudry, S.

2014-01-01

An analysis of the structure features of liquid Co–Sn alloys has been performed by means of X-ray diffraction method, viscosity coefficient analysis and computer simulation method. The X-ray diffraction investigations were carried out over a wide concentration range at the temperature 1473 K. It was found that the structure of these alloys can be described in the frame of independent X-ray scattering model. The viscosity coefficient was calculated by an excess entropy scaling and compared with experimental data. PMID:25328282

Use of the Contour Method to Determine Autofrettage Residual Stresses: A Proposed Experimental Procedure

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

autofrettage of a long tube: Residual hoop, radial and axial stresses, 70% overstrain, numerical, open-end Autofrettage of A723 steel including non- linear...concentrate axial stresses which are expected to range between 18% of yield in compression at the bore to 15% in tension at the OD. So the zone of the...experiments is that they were conducted on axially thin (quasi plane stress) ring specimens cut from much longer gun tubes. A recent paper [2

A combined experimental and numerical study on upper airway dosimetry of inhaled nanoparticles from an electrical discharge machine shop.

PubMed

Tian, Lin; Shang, Yidan; Chen, Rui; Bai, Ru; Chen, Chunying; Inthavong, Kiao; Tu, Jiyuan

2017-07-12

Exposure to nanoparticles in the workplace is a health concern to occupational workers with increased risk of developing respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders. Based on animal inhalation study and human lung tumor risk extrapolation, current authoritative recommendations on exposure limits are either on total mass or number concentrations. Effects of particle size distribution and the implication to regional airway dosages are not elaborated. Real time production of particle concentration and size distribution in the range from 5.52 to 98.2 nm were recorded in a wire-cut electrical discharge machine shop (WEDM) during a typical working day. Under the realistic exposure condition, human inhalation simulations were performed in a physiologically realistic nasal and upper airway replica. The combined experimental and numerical study is the first to establish a realistic exposure condition, and under which, detailed dose metric studies can be performed. In addition to mass concentration guided exposure limit, inhalation risks to nano-pollutant were reexamined accounting for the actual particle size distribution and deposition statistics. Detailed dosimetries of the inhaled nano-pollutants in human nasal and upper airways with respect to particle number, mass and surface area were discussed, and empirical equations were developed. An astonishing enhancement of human airway dosages were detected by current combined experimental and numerical study in the WEDM machine shop. Up to 33 folds in mass, 27 folds in surface area and 8 folds in number dosages were detected during working hours in comparison to the background dosimetry measured at midnight. The real time particle concentration measurement showed substantial emission of nano-pollutants by WEDM machining activity, and the combined experimental and numerical study provided extraordinary details on human inhalation dosimetry. It was found out that human inhalation dosimetry was extremely sensitive to real time particle concentration and size distribution. Averaged particle concentration over 24-h period will inevitably misrepresent the sensible information critical for realistic inhalation risk assessment. Particle size distribution carries very important information in determining human airway dosimetry. A pure number or mass concentration recommendation on the exposure limit at workplace is insufficient. A particle size distribution, together with the deposition equations, is critical to recognize the actual exposure risks. In addition, human airway dosimetry in number, mass and surface area varies significantly. A complete inhalation risk assessment requires the knowledge of toxicity mechanisms in response to each individual metric. Further improvements in these areas are needed.

Siderophile Element Constraints on the Conditions of Core Formation in Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, K.; Humayun, M.

2012-01-01

Siderophile element concentrations in planetary basalts and mantle samples have been used to estimate conditions of core formation for many years and have included applications to Earth, Moon, Mars and asteroid 4 Vesta [1]. For Earth, we have samples of mantle and a diverse collection of mantle melts which have provided a mature understanding of the how to reconstruct the concentration of siderophile elements in mantle materials, from only concentrations in surficial basalt (e.g., [2]). This approach has led to the consensus views that Earth underwent an early magma ocean stage to pressures of 40-50 GPa (e.g., [3,4]), Moon melted extensively and formed a small (approx. 2 mass %) metallic core [5], and 4 Vesta contains a metallic core that is approximately 18 mass % [6,7]. Based on new data from newly found meteorites, robotic spacecraft, and experimental partitioning studies, [8] showed that eight siderophile elements (Ni, Co, Mo, W, Ga, P, V and Cr) are consistent with equilibration of a 20 mass% S-rich metallic core with the mantle at pressures of 14 +/- 3 GPa. We aim to test this rather simple scenario with additional analyses of meteorites for a wide range of siderophile elements, and application of new experimental data for the volatile siderophile and highly siderophile elements.

Performance Evaluation of a Nanofluid-Based Direct Absorption Solar Collector with Parabolic Trough Concentrator

PubMed Central

Xu, Guoying; Chen, Wei; Deng, Shiming; Zhang, Xiaosong; Zhao, Sainan

2015-01-01

Application of solar collectors for hot water supply, space heating, and cooling plays a significant role in reducing building energy consumption. For conventional solar collectors, solar radiation is absorbed by spectral selective coating on the collectors’ tube/plate wall. The poor durability of the coating can lead to an increased manufacturing cost and unreliability for a solar collector operated at a higher temperature. Therefore, a novel nanofluid-based direct absorption solar collector (NDASC) employing uncoated collector tubes has been proposed, and its operating characteristics for medium-temperature solar collection were theoretically and experimentally studied in this paper. CuO/oil nanofluid was prepared and used as working fluid of the NDASC. The heat-transfer mechanism of the NDASC with parabolic trough concentrator was theoretically evaluated and compared with a conventional indirect absorption solar collector (IASC). The theoretical analysis results suggested that the fluid’s temperature distribution in the NDASC was much more uniform than that in the IASC, and an enhanced collection efficiency could be achieved for the NDASC operated within a preferred working temperature range. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed NDASC, experimental performances of an NDASC and an IASC with the same parabolic trough concentrator were furthermore evaluated and comparatively discussed. PMID:28347112

Performance Evaluation of a Nanofluid-Based Direct Absorption Solar Collector with Parabolic Trough Concentrator.

PubMed

Xu, Guoying; Chen, Wei; Deng, Shiming; Zhang, Xiaosong; Zhao, Sainan

2015-12-04

Application of solar collectors for hot water supply, space heating, and cooling plays a significant role in reducing building energy consumption. For conventional solar collectors, solar radiation is absorbed by spectral selective coating on the collectors' tube/plate wall. The poor durability of the coating can lead to an increased manufacturing cost and unreliability for a solar collector operated at a higher temperature. Therefore, a novel nanofluid-based direct absorption solar collector (NDASC) employing uncoated collector tubes has been proposed, and its operating characteristics for medium-temperature solar collection were theoretically and experimentally studied in this paper. CuO/oil nanofluid was prepared and used as working fluid of the NDASC. The heat-transfer mechanism of the NDASC with parabolic trough concentrator was theoretically evaluated and compared with a conventional indirect absorption solar collector (IASC). The theoretical analysis results suggested that the fluid's temperature distribution in the NDASC was much more uniform than that in the IASC, and an enhanced collection efficiency could be achieved for the NDASC operated within a preferred working temperature range. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed NDASC, experimental performances of an NDASC and an IASC with the same parabolic trough concentrator were furthermore evaluated and comparatively discussed.

Oral Zinc Supplementation Decreases the Serum Iron Concentration in Healthy Schoolchildren: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

de Brito, Naira Josele Neves; de Medeiros Rocha, Érika Dantas; de Araújo Silva, Alfredo; Costa, João Batista Sousa; França, Mardone Cavalcante; das Graças Almeida, Maria; Brandão-Neto, José

2014-01-01

The recognized antagonistic actions between zinc and iron prompted us to study this subject in children. A convenience sample was used. Thirty healthy children between 8 and 9 years of age were studied with the aim of establishing the effect of a 3-mo oral zinc supplementation on iron status. Fifteen individuals were given a placebo (control group), and 15 were given 10 mg Zn/day (experimental group). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180 and 210 min after a 12-h overnight fast, before and after placebo or zinc supplementation. This supplementation was associated with significant improvements in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc intake in accordance with the recommendations for age and sex. The basal serum zinc concentration significantly increased after oral zinc supplementation (p < 0.001). However, basal serum iron concentrations and area under the iron curves significantly decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.0001) and remained at the same level throughout the 210-min study. The values obtained for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ceruloplasmin and total protein were within normal reference ranges. In conclusion, the decrease in serum iron was likely due to the effects of chronic zinc administration, and the decrease in serum iron was not sufficient to cause anemia. PMID:25192026

Application of the windowed-Fourier-transform-based fringe analysis technique for investigating temperature and concentration fields in fluids.

PubMed

Mohanan, Sharika; Srivastava, Atul

2014-04-10

The present work is concerned with the development and application of a novel fringe analysis technique based on the principles of the windowed-Fourier-transform (WFT) for the determination of temperature and concentration fields from interferometric images for a range of heat and mass transfer applications. Based on the extent of the noise level associated with the experimental data, the technique has been coupled with two different phase unwrapping methods: the Itoh algorithm and the quality guided phase unwrapping technique for phase extraction. In order to generate the experimental data, a range of experiments have been carried out which include cooling of a vertical flat plate in free convection conditions, combustion of mono-propellant flames, and growth of organic as well as inorganic crystals from their aqueous solutions. The flat plate and combustion experiments are modeled as heat transfer applications wherein the interest is to determine the whole-field temperature distribution. Aqueous-solution-based crystal growth experiments are performed to simulate the mass transfer phenomena and the interest is to determine the two-dimensional solute concentration field around the growing crystal. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been employed to record the path-integrated quantity of interest (temperature and/or concentration) in the form of interferometric images in the experiments. The potential of the WFT method has also been demonstrated on numerically simulated phase data for varying noise levels, and the accuracy in phase extraction have been quantified in terms of the root mean square errors. Three levels of noise, i.e., 0%, 10%, and 20% have been considered. Results of the present study show that the WFT technique allows an accurate extraction of phase values that can subsequently be converted into two-dimensional temperature and/or concentration distribution fields. Moreover, since WFT is a local processing technique, speckle patterns and the inherent noise in the interferometric data do not affect the resultant phase values. Brief comparisons of the accuracy of the WFT with other standard techniques such as conventional Fourier-filtering methods are also presented.

Weak acid-concentration Atot and dissociation constant Ka of plasma proteins in racehorses.

PubMed

Stampfli, H R; Misiaszek, S; Lumsden, J H; Carlson, G P; Heigenhauser, G J

1999-07-01

The plasma proteins are a significant contributor to the total weak acid concentration as a net anionic charge. Due to potential species difference, species-specific values must be confirmed for the weak acid anionic concentrations of proteins (Atot) and the effective dissociation constant for plasma weak acids (Ka). We studied the net anion load Atot of equine plasma protein in 10 clinically healthy mature Standardbred horses. A multi-step titration procedure, using a tonometer covering a titration range of PCO2 from 25 to 145 mmHg at 37 degrees C, was applied on the plasma of these 10 horses. Blood gases (pH, PCO2) and electrolytes required to calculate the strong ion difference ([SID] = [(Na(+) + K(+) + Ca(2+) + Mg(2+))-(Cl(-) + Lac(-) + PO4(2-))]) were simultaneously measured over a physiological pH range from 6.90-7.55. A nonlinear regression iteration to determine Atot and Ka was performed using polygonal regression curve fitting applied to the electrical neutrality equation of the physico-chemical system. The average anion-load Atot for plasma protein of 10 Standardbred horses was 14.89 +/- 0.8 mEq/l plasma and Ka was 2.11 +/- 0.50 x 10(-7) Eq/l (pKa = 6.67). The derived conversion factor (iterated Atot concentration/average plasma protein concentration) for calculation of Atot in plasma is 0.21 mEq/g protein (protein-unit: g/l). This value compares closely with the 0.24 mEq/g protein determined by titration of Van Slyke et al. (1928) and 0.22 mEq/g protein recently published by Constable (1997) for horse plasma. The Ka value compares closely with the value experimentally determined by Constable in 1997 (2.22 x 10(7) Eq/l). Linear regression of a set of experimental data from 5 Thoroughbred horses on a treadmill exercise test, showed excellent correlation with the regression lines not different from identity for the calculated and measured variables pH, HCO3 and SID. Knowledge of Atot and Ka for the horse is useful especially in exercise studies and in clinical conditions to quantify the mechanisms of the acid-base disturbances occurring.

Method for the determination of carboxylic acids in industrial effluents using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with injection port derivatization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Makoś, Patrycja; Fernandes, Andre; Boczkaj, Grzegorz

2017-09-29

The paper presents a new method for the determination of 15 carboxylic acids in samples of postoxidative effluents from the production of petroleum bitumens using ion-pair dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with injection port derivatization. Several parameters related to the extraction and derivatization efficiency were optimized. Under optimized experimental conditions, the obtained limit of detection and quantification ranged from 0.0069 to 1.12μg/mL and 0.014 to 2.24μg/mL, respectively. The precision (RSD ranged 1.29-6.42%) and recovery (69.43-125.79%) were satisfactory. Nine carboxylic acids at concentrations ranging from 0.10μg/mL to 15.06μg/mL were determined in the raw wastewater and in samples of effluents treated by various oxidation methods. The studies revealed a substantial increase of concentration of benzoic acids, in samples of wastewater after treatment, which confirms the need of carboxylic acids monitoring during industrial effluent treatment processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for determination of phenylpropenes in oils by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tsai, Chia-Ju; Li, Jih-Heng; Feng, Chia-Hsien

2015-09-04

A novel, simple and quick sample preparation method was developed and used for pre-concentration and extraction of six phenylpropenes, including anethole, estragole, eugenol, methyl eugenol, safrole and myristicin, from oil samples by dual dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for determination and separation of compounds. Several experimental parameters affecting extraction efficiency were evaluated and optimized, including forward-extractant type and volume, surfactant type and concentration, water volume, and back-extractant type and volume. For all analytes (10-1000ng/mL), the limits of detection (S/N≧3) ranged from 1.0 to 3.0ng/mL; the limits of quantification (S/N≧10) ranged from 2.5 to 10.0ng/mL; and enrichment factors ranged from 3.2 to 37.1 times. Within-run and between-run relative standard deviations (n=6) were less than 2.61% and less than 4.33%, respectively. Linearity was excellent with determination coefficients (r(2)) above 0.9977. The experiments showed that the proposed method is a simple, effective, and environmentally friendly method of analyzing phenylpropenes in oil samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of hexavalent chromium sorption in serpentine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mpouras, Thanasis; Chrysochoou, Maria; Dermatas, Dimitris

2017-02-01

In this study the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr6 +) by serpentine sediments was investigated in order to delineate Cr6 + sorption behavior in aquifers with ultramafic geologic background. Batch experiments were conducted in order to determine the influence of several parameters on Cr6 + removal, including the pH of the sediment solution, mineralogy, sediment's particle size and Cr6 + initial concentration. The results showed that Cr6 + removal was due to both adsorption and reduction phenomena. Reduction was attributed to the presence of a magnetic fraction in the sediment, mostly related to magnetite, which contributed almost 50% of the total removal in the pH range 3-7. Adsorption behavior was dominated by the finer sediment fraction (d < 0.075 mm). The amount of Cr6 + adsorbed was constant in the pH range 3-7, while it decreased sharply in the range 7-8.5. Cr6 + adsorption was found to increase and decrease proportionally with increasing initial Cr6 + concentration of and particle size, respectively. The linear Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were used to describe the experimental data, with Freundlich providing a better fit to determine distribution factors for transport modeling.

Unravelling the hydrophobicity of urea in water using thermodiffusion: implications for protein denaturation.

PubMed

Niether, Doreen; Di Lecce, Silvia; Bresme, Fernando; Wiegand, Simone

2018-01-03

Urea is widely used as a protein denaturant in aqueous solutions. Experimental and computer simulation studies have shown that it dissolves in water almost ideally at high concentrations, introducing little disruption in the water hydrogen bonded structure. However, at concentrations of the order of 5 M or higher, urea induces denaturation in a wide range of proteins. The origin of this behaviour is not completely understood, but it is believed to stem from a balance between urea-protein and urea-water interactions, with urea becoming possibly hydrophobic at a specific concentration range. The small changes observed in the water structure make it difficult to connect the denaturation effects to the solvation properties. Here we show that the exquisite sensitivity of thermodiffusion to solute-water interactions allows the identification of the onset of hydrophobicity of urea-water mixtures. The hydrophobic behaviour is reflected in a sign reversal of the temperature dependent slope of the Soret coefficient, which is observed, both in experiments and non-equilibrium computer simulations at ∼5 M concentration of urea in water. This concentration regime corresponds to the one where abrupt changes in the denaturation of proteins are commonly observed. We show that the onset of hydrophobicity is intrinsically connected to the urea-water interactions. Our results allow us to identify correlations between the Soret coefficient and the partition coefficient, log P, hence establishing the thermodiffusion technique as a powerful approach to study hydrophobicity.

Investigation by Monte Carlo simulation of substitution doping in the Double Perovskite Sr2CrRe1-xWxO6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Rhazouani, O.; Benyoussef, A.

2018-01-01

Re-substitution doping by W has been investigated in the Double Perovskite (DP) Sr2CrRe1-xWxO6 for x ranging from 10 to 90% by using a Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) in the framework of Ising model. Exchange couplings used in the simulation have been approximated in previous work for experimental Curie temperatures (TC). Doping effect on: partial and total magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, internal energy, specific heat, and Curie temperature has been studied. A sharp drop of partial magnetizations at 40% of W-concentration has been noticed at the magnetic transition. Apparition of a non-monotonic behavior of the total magnetization at 20% of W-concentration. Effect of doping on the stability of the compound has been emphasized. A quasilinear decrease of TC has been observed by increasing the concentration percentage of substitution doping by W.

Investigation of electrical and magnetic properties of ferro-nanofluid on transformers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

This study investigated a simple model of transformers that have liquid magnetic cores with different concentrations of ferro-nanofluids. The simple model was built on a capillary by enamel-insulated wires and with ferro-nanofluid loaded in the capillary. The ferro-nanofluid was fabricated by a chemical co-precipitation method. The performances of the transformers with either air core or ferro-nanofluid at different concentrations of nanoparticles of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 M were measured and simulated at frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 100 MHz. The experimental results indicated that the inductance and coupling coefficient of coils grew with the increment of the ferro-nanofluid concentration. The presence of ferro-nanofluid increased resistance, yielding to the decrement of the quality factor, owing to the phase lag between the external magnetic field and the magnetization of the material. PMID:21711784

Investigation of electrical and magnetic properties of ferro-nanofluid on transformers.

PubMed

Tsai, Tsung-Han; Chen, Ping-Hei; Lee, Da-Sheng; Yang, Chin-Ting

2011-03-28

This study investigated a simple model of transformers that have liquid magnetic cores with different concentrations of ferro-nanofluids. The simple model was built on a capillary by enamel-insulated wires and with ferro-nanofluid loaded in the capillary. The ferro-nanofluid was fabricated by a chemical co-precipitation method. The performances of the transformers with either air core or ferro-nanofluid at different concentrations of nanoparticles of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 M were measured and simulated at frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 100 MHz. The experimental results indicated that the inductance and coupling coefficient of coils grew with the increment of the ferro-nanofluid concentration. The presence of ferro-nanofluid increased resistance, yielding to the decrement of the quality factor, owing to the phase lag between the external magnetic field and the magnetization of the material.

Kinetic model for the short-term dissolution of a rhyolitic glass

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, A.F.; Claassen, H.C.

1980-01-01

Aqueous dissolution experiments with the vitric phase of a rhyolitic tuff were performed at 25??C and constant pH in the range 4.5-7.5. Results suggest interchange of aqueous hydrogen ions for cations situated both on the surface and within the glass. At time intervals from 24 to 900 hr., dissolution kinetics are controlled by ion transport to and from sites within the glass. Experimental data indicate that parabolic diffusion rate of a chemical species from the solid is a nonlinear function of its aqueous concentration. A numerical solution to Fick's second law is presented for diffusion of sodium, which relates it's aqueous concentration to it's concentration on glass surface, by a Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The pH influence on sodium diffusion in the model can be accounted for by use of a pH-dependent diffusion coefficient and a pH-independent adsorption isotherm. ?? 1980.

Investigation of Liquid Surface Rheology of Surfactant Solutions by Droplet Shape Oscillations: Experiments

PubMed

Tian; Holt; Apfel

1997-03-01

The experimental results of droplet shape oscillations are reported and applied to the analysis of surface rheological properties of surfactant solutions. An acoustic levitation technique is used to suspend the test drop in air and excite it into quadrupole shape oscillations. The equilibrium surface tension, Gibbs elasticity, and surface dilatational viscosity are determined from the measurements of droplet static shape under different levitation sound pressure, oscillation frequency, and free damping constant. Aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and n-octyl beta-d-glucopyranoside are tested with this system. The concentrations of the solutions are below the critical micelle concentration. For these solutions it is found that the surface Gibbs elasticity approaches a maximum at a moderate concentration, and its value is less than that directly calculated from the state equation of a static liquid surface. The surface dilatational viscosity is found to be in a range around 0.1 cps.

Scattering Solar Thermal Concentrators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giebink, Noel C.

2015-01-31

This program set out to explore a scattering-based approach to concentrate sunlight with the aim of improving collector field reliability and of eliminating wind loading and gross mechanical movement through the use of a stationary collection optic. The approach is based on scattering sunlight from the focal point of a fixed collection optic into the confined modes of a sliding planar waveguide, where it is transported to stationary tubular heat transfer elements located at the edges. Optical design for the first stage of solar concentration, which entails focusing sunlight within a plane over a wide range of incidence angles (>120more » degree full field of view) at fixed tilt, led to the development of a new, folded-path collection optic that dramatically out-performs the current state-of-the-art in scattering concentration. Rigorous optical simulation and experimental testing of this collection optic have validated its performance. In the course of this work, we also identified an opportunity for concentrating photovoltaics involving the use of high efficiency microcells made in collaboration with partners at the University of Illinois. This opportunity exploited the same collection optic design as used for the scattering solar thermal concentrator and was therefore pursued in parallel. This system was experimentally demonstrated to achieve >200x optical concentration with >70% optical efficiency over a full day by tracking with <1 cm of lateral movement at fixed latitude tilt. The entire scattering concentrator waveguide optical system has been simulated, tested, and assembled at small scale to verify ray tracing models. These models were subsequently used to predict the full system optical performance at larger, deployment scale ranging up to >1 meter aperture width. Simulations at an aperture widths less than approximately 0.5 m with geometric gains ~100x predict an overall optical efficiency in the range 60-70% for angles up to 50 degrees from normal. However, the concentrator optical efficiency was found to decrease significantly with increasing aperture width beyond 0.5 m due to parasitic waveguide out-coupling loss and low-level absorption that become dominant at larger scale. A heat transfer model was subsequently implemented to predict collector fluid heat gain and outlet temperature as a function of flow rate using the optical model as a flux input. It was found that the aperture width size limitation imposed by the optical efficiency characteristics of the waveguide limits the absolute optical power delivered to the heat transfer element per unit length. As compared to state-of-the-art parabolic trough CPV system aperture widths approaching 5 m, this limitation leads to an approximate factor of order of magnitude increase in heat transfer tube length to achieve the same heat transfer fluid outlet temperature. The conclusion of this work is that scattering solar thermal concentration cannot be implemented at the scale and efficiency required to compete with the performance of current parabolic trough CSP systems. Applied within the alternate context of CPV, however, the results of this work have likely opened up a transformative new path that enables quasi-static, high efficiency CPV to be implemented on rooftops in the form factor of traditional fixed-panel photovoltaics.« less

Determination of Five Major 8-Prenylflavones in Leaves of Epimedium by Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with Capillary Electrophoresis

PubMed Central

Xie, Juan-ping; Xiang, Ji-ming; Zhu, Zhong-liang

2016-01-01

A simple, accurate and reproducible method which is based on the capillary electrophoresis, coupled with solid-phase extraction, has been developed for simultaneous determination of multiple 8-prenylflavones from Chinese Herba Epimedii. In this study, the author has mainly illustrated the experimental process and research results of five major components including epimedin C, icariin, diphylloside A, epimedoside A and icarisoside A that have been extracted and identified from Herba Epimedii for the first time. Experimental conditions have been optimized to achieve the best separation efficiency for the following factors: the buffer pH, buffer concentration and applied voltage. The experiment can be conducted through two separable stages: the first stage is to obtain the crude extracts through the solid-phase extraction; and the second stage is to further separate five major components by using the capillary electrophoresis. The separation of the five components and the analysis of the experiment are relatively fast and can be completed within 20 min. The concentration ranges of the construction of standard curves of five major 8-prenylflavones are 32.0–395.0, 23.4–292.0, 42.1–526.0, 18.8–233.5 and 29.7–371.0 µg mL−1 respectively, which have showed acceptable linearity with a correlation coefficient, r ≥ 0.999. The coefficient varies within 2.0% for both intra- and inter-days tests. The recoveries of five components range from 92.3 to 104.1%. The relative standard deviations of recoveries of five components range from 1.2 and 2.8%. This new method will facilitate the extraction and expedite the determination of medical components from Herba Epimedii. PMID:26865656

Peculiar behavior of magnetoresistance in HgSe single crystal with low electron concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonchakov, A. T.; Bobin, S. B.; Deryushkin, V. V.; Okulov, V. I.; Govorkova, T. E.; Neverov, V. N.

2018-02-01

Magnetoresistive properties of the single crystal of HgSe with a low electron concentration were studied in a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields. Some fundamental parameters of the spectrum and scattering of electrons were experimentally determined. Two important features of magnetic transport were found—strong transverse magnetoresistance (MR) and negative longitudinal MR, which can indicate the existence of the topological phase of the Weyl semimetal (WSM) in HgSe. Taking this hypothesis into account, we suggest a modified band diagram of mercury selenide at low electron energies. The obtained results are essential for the deeper understanding of both physics of gapless semiconductors and WSMs—promising materials for various applications in electronics, spintronics, computer, and laser technologies.

A New Optical Scheme for a Polarimetric-Based Glucose Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansari, Rafat R.; Boeckle, Stefan; Rovati, Luigi; Salzman, Jack A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We describe a new optical scheme to perform polarimetric measurements to detect glucose concentration in the aqueous humor of a model eye. The ultimate aim is to apply this technique in designing a new instrument for measuring glucose levels in diabetic patients routinely, frequently, and non-invasively. The scheme exploits the Brewsterreflection of circularly polarized light off of the lens of the eye. Theoretically, this backreflected linearly polarized light on its way to the detector is expected to rotate its state of polarization due to the presence of glucose molecules in the aqueous humor of patients. An experimental laboratory setup based on this scheme was designed and tested by measuring a range of known concentration of glucose solutions dissolved in water.

Surface Plasmon States in Inhomogeneous Media at Critical and Subcritical Metal Concentrations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seal, Katyayani; Genov, Dentcho A.

Semicontinuous metal-dielectric films are composed of a wide range of metal clusters of various geometries—sizes as well as structures. This ensures that at any given wavelength of incident radiation, clusters exist in the film that will respond resonantly, akin to resonating nanoantennas, resulting in the broad optical response (absorption) that is a characteristic of semicontinuous films. The physics of the surface plasmon states that are supported by such systems is complex and can involve both localized and propagating plasmons. This chapter describes near-field experimental and numerical studies of the surface plasmon states in semicontinuous films at critical and subcritical metalmore » concentrations and evaluates the local field intensity statistics to discuss the interplay between various eigenmodes.« less

Size-selective toxicity effects of the antimicrobial tylosin on estuarine phytoplankton communities.

PubMed

Kline, Allison; Pinckney, James L

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the lethal and sublethal effects of the antimicrobial tylosin on natural estuarine phytoplankton communities. Bioassays were used in experimental treatments with final concentrations of 5 to 1000 μg tylosin l(-1). Maximum percent inhibition ranged from 57 to 85% at concentrations of 200-400 μg tylosin l(-1). Half maximum inhibition concentrations of tylosin were ca. 5x lower for small phytoplankton (<20 μm) relative to larger phytoplankton (>20 μm) and suggests that small phytoplankton are more sensitive to tylosin exposure. Sublethal effects occurred at concentrations as low as 5 μg tylosin l(-1). Environmental concentrations of tylosin (e.g., 0.2-3 μg l(-1)) may have a significant sublethal effect that alters the size structure and composition of phytoplankton communities. The results of this study highlight the potential importance of cell size on toxicity responses of estuarine phytoplankton. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accelerated removal of high concentration p-chloronitrobenzene using bioelectrocatalysis process and its microbial communities analysis.

PubMed

Peng, Xinhong; Pan, Xianhui; Wang, Xin; Li, Dongyang; Huang, Pengfei; Qiu, Guanhua; Shan, Ke; Chu, Xizhang

2018-02-01

p-Chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB) is a persistent refractory and toxic pollutant with a concentration up to 200 mg/L in industrial wastewater. Here, a super-fast removal rate was found at 0.2-0.8 V of external voltage over a p-CNB concentration of 40-120 mg/L when a bioelectrochemical technology is used comparing to the natural biodegradation and electrochemical methods. The reduction kinetics (k) was fitted well according to pseudo-first order model with respect to the different initial concentration, indicating a 1.12-fold decrease from 1.80 to 0.85 h -1 within the experimental range. Meanwhile, the highest k was provided at 0.5 V with the characteristic of energy saving. It was revealed that the functional bacterial (Propionimicrobium, Desulfovibrio, Halanaerobium, Desulfobacterales) was selectively enriched under electro-stimulation, which possibly processed Cl-substituted nitro-aromatics reduction. The possible degradation pathway was also proposed. This work provides the beneficial choice on the rapid treatment of high-concentration p-CNB wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of self-aggregation on the hydration of an amphiphilic antidepressant drug in different aqueous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taboada, Pablo; Gutiérrez-Pichel, Manuel; Mosquera, Víctor

2004-03-01

Apparent molal volumes and adiabatic compressibilities of aqueous solutions of the amphiphilic antidepressant drug clomipramine hydrochloride have been determined from density and ultrasound velocity measurements in the temperature range 288.15-313.15 K in buffered aqueous solution of pH 3.0 and 5.5. Critical concentrations of aggregation of this drug were obtained from inflections on the plots of the sound velocity against drug concentration. Apparent molal adiabatic compressibilities of the aggregates formed by the drug, calculated by combining the ultrasound velocity and density data, were typical of those for a stacked aggregate. From the temperature dependence of the critical concentration and using the mass action model combined with the Phillips definition of the critical concentration the thermodynamic standard quantities: free Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of aggregate formation were calculated. The critical concentration and energy involved in the aggregation process of this drug have been also evaluated experimentally using isothermal titration calorimetry at 298.15 K. The solvent-drug interactions have been discussed from compressibility and calorimetry data.

Correlation between oxidant concentrations, morphological aspects and etching kinetics of silicon nanowires during silver-assist electroless etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moumni, Besma; Jaballah, Abdelkader Ben

2017-12-01

Silicon porosification by silver assisted chemical etching (Ag-ACE) for a short range of H2O2 concentration is reported. We experimentally show that porous silicon (PSi) is obtained for 1% H2O2, whereas silicon nanowires (SiNWs) appeared by simply tuning the concentration of H2O2 to relatively high concentrations up to 8%. The morphological aspects are claimed by scanning electron microscopy proving that the kinetics of SiNWs formation display nonlinear relationships versus H2O2 concentration and etching time. A semi-qualitative electrochemical etching model based on local anodic, Ic, and cathodic, Ia, currents is proposed to explain the different morphological changes, and to unveil the formation pathways of both PS and SiNWs. More importantly, an efficient antireflective character for silicon solar cell (reflectance close to 2%) is realized at 8% H2O2. In addition, the luminescence of the prepared Si-nanostructures is claimed by photoluminescence which exhibit a large enhancement of the intensity and a blue shift for narrow and deep SiNWs.

Debris flow rheology: Experimental analysis of fine-grained slurries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Major, Jon J.; Pierson, Thomas C.

1992-01-01

The rheology of slurries consisting of ≤2-mm sediment from a natural debris flow deposit was measured using a wide-gap concentric-cylinder viscometer. The influence of sediment concentration and size and distribution of grains on the bulk rheological behavior of the slurries was evaluated at concentrations ranging from 0.44 to 0.66. The slurries exhibit diverse rheological behavior. At shear rates above 5 s−1 the behavior approaches that of a Bingham material; below 5 s−1, sand exerts more influence and slurry behavior deviates from the Bingham idealization. Sand grain interactions dominate the mechanical behavior when sand concentration exceeds 0.2; transient fluctuations in measured torque, time-dependent decay of torque, and hysteresis effects are observed. Grain rubbing, interlocking, and collision cause changes in packing density, particle distribution, grain orientation, and formation and destruction of grain clusters, which may explain the observed behavior. Yield strength and plastic viscosity exhibit order-of-magnitude variation when sediment concentration changes as little as 2–4%. Owing to these complexities, it is unlikely that debris flows can be characterized by a single rheological model.

General correlation for prediction of critical heat flux ratio in water cooled channels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pernica, R.; Cizek, J.

1995-09-01

The paper present the general empirical Critical Heat Flux Ration (CHFR) correlation which is valid for vertical water upflow through tubes, internally heated concentric annuli and rod bundles geometries with both wide and very tight square and triangular rods lattices. The proposed general PG correlation directly predicts the CHFR, it comprises axial and radial non-uniform heating, and is valid in a wider range of thermal hydraulic conditions than previously published critical heat flux correlations. The PG correlation has been developed using the critical heat flux Czech data bank which includes more than 9500 experimental data on tubes, 7600 data onmore » rod bundles and 713 data on internally heated concentric annuli. Accuracy of the CHFR prediction, statistically assessed by the constant dryout conditions approach, is characterized by the mean value nearing 1.00 and the standard deviation less than 0.06. Moverover, a subchannel form of the PG correlations is statistically verified on Westinghouse and Combustion Engineering rod bundle data bases, i.e. more than 7000 experimental CHF points of Columbia University data bank were used.« less

Characterization of Buoyant Fluorescent Particles for Field Observations of Water Flows

PubMed Central

Tauro, Flavia; Aureli, Matteo; Porfiri, Maurizio; Grimaldi, Salvatore

2010-01-01

In this paper, the feasibility of off-the-shelf buoyant fluorescent microspheres as particle tracers in turbid water flows is investigated. Microspheres’ fluorescence intensity is experimentally measured and detected in placid aqueous suspensions of increasing concentrations of clay to simulate typical conditions occurring in natural drainage networks. Experiments are conducted in a broad range of clay concentrations and particle immersion depths by using photoconductive cells and image-based sensing technologies. Results obtained with both methodologies exhibit comparable trends and show that the considered particles are fairly detectable in critically turbid water flows. Further information on performance and integration of the studied microspheres in low-cost measurement instrumentation for field observations is obtained through experiments conducted in a custom built miniature water channel. This experimental characterization provides a first assessment of the feasibility of commercially available buoyant fluorescent beads in the analysis of high turbidity surface water flows. The proposed technology may serve as a minimally invasive sensing system for hazardous events, such as pollutant diffusion in natural streams and flash flooding due to extreme rainfall. PMID:22163540

Characterization of buoyant fluorescent particles for field observations of water flows.

PubMed

Tauro, Flavia; Aureli, Matteo; Porfiri, Maurizio; Grimaldi, Salvatore

2010-01-01

In this paper, the feasibility of off-the-shelf buoyant fluorescent microspheres as particle tracers in turbid water flows is investigated. Microspheres' fluorescence intensity is experimentally measured and detected in placid aqueous suspensions of increasing concentrations of clay to simulate typical conditions occurring in natural drainage networks. Experiments are conducted in a broad range of clay concentrations and particle immersion depths by using photoconductive cells and image-based sensing technologies. Results obtained with both methodologies exhibit comparable trends and show that the considered particles are fairly detectable in critically turbid water flows. Further information on performance and integration of the studied microspheres in low-cost measurement instrumentation for field observations is obtained through experiments conducted in a custom built miniature water channel. This experimental characterization provides a first assessment of the feasibility of commercially available buoyant fluorescent beads in the analysis of high turbidity surface water flows. The proposed technology may serve as a minimally invasive sensing system for hazardous events, such as pollutant diffusion in natural streams and flash flooding due to extreme rainfall.

Relationship between serum butyrylcholinesterase and obesity in dogs: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Tecles, Fernando; Ceron, José J

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to analyse serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) values in experimentally developed obesity in Beagle dogs. A short-term fattening protocol was applied to 11 dogs to obtain a wide range of bodyweight (BW) gains and body condition scores (BCS) of 4 and 5; four other dogs with BCS scores of 3 were used as controls. A significant increase in serum BChE activity in overweight dogs was observed when compared with the group of optimal weight dogs. Significant correlation was detected between BChE and BCS (r=0.911), BW (r=0.538) and morphological parameters (waist and thorax circumference, r=0.563 and r=0.552, respectively). Serum BChE concentration had a negative correlation with adiponectin concentration (r=0.719) and a positive correlation with serum lipid profile (cholesterol (r=0.781), HDL-cholesterol (r=0.763), LDL-cholesterol (r=0.878)). It was concluded that serum BChE activity is increased in experimentally overweight dogs and is correlated with other physical and biochemical markers of obesity. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A high performance neutron spectrometer for planetary hydrogen measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naito, Masayuki; Hasebe, Nobuyuki; Nagaoka, Hiroshi; Ishii, Junya; Aoki, Daisuke; Shibamura, Eido; Kim, Kyeong J.; Matias-Lopes, José A.; Martínez-Frías, Jesús

2017-08-01

The elemental composition and its distribution on planetary surface provide important constraints on the origin and evolution of the planetary body. The nuclear spectrometer consisting of a neutron spectrometer and a gamma-ray spectrometer obtains elemental compositions by remote sensing. Especially, the neutron spectrometer is able to determine the hydrogen concentration, a piece of information that plays an important role in thermal history of the planets. In this work, numerical and experimental studies on the neutron spectrometer for micro-satellite application were conducted. It is found that background count rate of neutron produced from micro-satellite is very small, which enables to obtain successful results in short time observation. The neutron spectrometer combining a lithium-6 glass scintillator with a boron loaded plastic scintillator was used to be able to detect neutrons in different energy ranges. It was experimentally confirmed that the neutron signals from these scintillators were successfully discriminated by the difference of scintillation decay time between two detectors. The measurement of neutron count rates of two scintillators is found to determine hydrogen concentration on the planetary surfaces in the future missions.

Magnetoresistance Study in a GaAs/InGaAs/GaAs Delta-Doped Quantum Well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasbun, J. E.

1997-03-01

The magnetoresistance of a GaAs/Ga_0.87In_0.13As/GaAs with an electron concentration of N_s=6.3x10^11cm-2 is calculated at low temperature for a magnetic field range of 2-30 tesla and low electric field. The results obtained for the magnetotransport are compared with the experimental work of Herfort et al.(J. Herfort, K.-J. Friedland, H. Kostial, and R. Hey, Appl. Phys. Lett. V66, 23 (1995)). While the logitudinal magnetoresistance agrees reasonably well with experiment, the Hall resistance slope reflects a classical shape; however, its second derivative seems to show oscillations that are consistent with the Hall effect plateaus seen experimentally. Albeit with a much higher electron concentration, earlier calculationsfootnote J. Hasbun, APS Bull. V41, 419 (1996) for an Al_0.27Ga_0.73/GaAs /Al_0.27Ga_0.73As quantum well shows similar behavior. This work has been carried out with the use of a quantum many body approach employed in earlier work(J. Hasbun, APS Bull. V41, 1659 (1996)).

Effects of acetic acid, ethanol, and SO(2) on the removal of volatile acidity from acidic wines by two Saccharomyces cerevisiae commercial strains.

PubMed

Vilela-Moura, Alice; Schuller, Dorit; Mendes-Faia, Arlete; Côrte-Real, Manuela

2010-07-01

Herein, we report the influence of different combinations of initial concentration of acetic acid and ethanol on the removal of acetic acid from acidic wines by two commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains S26 and S29. Both strains reduced the volatile acidity of an acidic wine (1.0 gl(-1) acetic acid and 11% (v/v) ethanol) by 78% and 48%, respectively. Acetic acid removal by strains S26 and S29 was associated with a decrease in ethanol concentration of 0.7 and 1.2% (v/v), respectively. Strain S26 revealed better removal efficiency due to its higher tolerance to stress factors imposed by acidic wines. Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) in the concentration range 95-170 mg l(-1)inhibits the ability of both strains to reduce the volatile acidity of the acidic wine used under our experimental conditions. Therefore, deacidification should be carried out either in wines stabilized by filtration or in wines with SO(2)concentrations up to 70 mg l(-1). Deacidification of wines with the better performing strain S26 was associated with changes in the concentration of volatile compounds. The most pronounced increase was observed for isoamyl acetate (banana) and ethyl hexanoate (apple, pineapple), with an 18- and 25-fold increment, respectively, to values above the detection threshold. The acetaldehyde concentration of the deacidified wine was 2.3 times higher, and may have a detrimental effect on the wine aroma. Moreover, deacidification led to increased fatty acids concentration, but still within the range of values described for spontaneous fermentations, and with apparently no negative impact on the organoleptical properties.

Flow pattern changes influenced by variation of viscosities of a heterogeneous gas-liquid mixture flow in a vertical channel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keska, Jerry K.; Hincapie, Juan; Jones, Richard

In the steady-state flow of a heterogeneous mixture such as an air-liquid mixture, the velocity and void fraction are space- and time-dependent parameters. These parameters are the most fundamental in the analysis and description of a multiphase flow. The determination of flow patterns in an objective way is extremely critical, since this is directly related to sudden changes in spatial and temporal changes of the random like characteristic of concentration. Flow patterns can be described by concentration signals in time, amplitude, and frequency domains. Despite the vital importance and countless attempts to solve or incorporate the flow pattern phenomena intomore » multiphase models, it has still been a very challenging topic in the scientific community since the 1940's and has not yet reached a satisfactory solution. This paper reports the experimental results of the impact of fluid viscosity on flow patterns for two-phase flow. Two-phase flow was created in laboratory equipment using air and liquid as phase medium. The liquid properties were changed by using variable concentrations of glycerol in water mixture which generated a wide-range of dynamic viscosities ranging from 1 to 1060 MPa s. The in situ spatial concentration vs. liquid viscosity and airflow velocity of two-phase flow in a vertical ID=50.8 mm pipe were measured using two concomitant computer-aided measurement systems. After acquiring data, the in situ special concentration signals were analyzed in time (spatial concentration and RMS of spatial concentration vs. time), amplitude (PDF and CPDF), and frequency (PSD and CPSD) domains that documented broad flow pattern changes caused by the fluid viscosity and air velocity changes. (author)« less

WASTE CONDITIONING FOR TANK HEEL TRANSFER

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M.A. Ebadian, Ph.D.

1999-01-01

This report summarizes the research carried out at Florida International University's Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (FIU-HCET) for the fiscal year 1998 (FY98) under the Tank Focus Area (TFA) project ''Waste Conditioning for Tank Slurry Transfer.'' The objective of this project is to determine the effect of chemical and physical properties on the waste conditioning process and transfer. The focus of this research consisted in building a waste conditioning experimental facility to test different slurry simulants under different conditions, and analyzing their chemical and physical properties. This investigation would provide experimental data and analysis results that can make the tankmore » waste conditioning process more efficient, improve the transfer system, and influence future modifications to the waste conditioning and transfer system. A waste conditioning experimental facility was built in order to test slurry simulants. The facility consists of a slurry vessel with several accessories for parameter control and sampling. The vessel also has a lid system with a shaft-mounted propeller connected to an air motor. In addition, a circulation system is connected to the slurry vessel for simulant cooling and heating. Experimental data collection and analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the tank slurry simulants has been emphasized. For this, one waste slurry simulant (Fernald) was developed, and another two simulants (SRS and Hanford) obtained from DOE sites were used. These simulants, composed of water, soluble metal salts, and insoluble solid particles, were used to represent the actual radioactive waste slurries from different DOE sites. The simulants' chemical and physical properties analyzed include density, viscosity, pH, settling rate, and volubility. These analyses were done to samples obtained from different experiments performed at room temperature but different mixing time and strength. The experimental results indicate that the viscosity of the slurries follow the Bingham plastic model, especially when the solids concentration is increased. At low concentrations slurries may behave as Newtonian fluids. The three simulants follow a similar settling rate behavior. This behavior can be explained as a combination of one or more decreasing exponential curves. This means that the particle settling rate of the simulants decreases exponentially as time increases. The pH range for the three simulants was from 8 to 13 at all concentrations. The SRS simulant showed the highest pH, around 12; the other two simulants, Hanford and Fernald, had about the same pH range, from 3 to 9. When comparing volubility of the three simulants at the same concentration, SRS simulant showed higher volubility, followed by the Hanford simulant and the Fernald simulant, in that order. Further work is scheduled for next year (FY99) in this project, when other parameters like simulants particle size distribution, particle shape, and crystallization behavior will be studied. The same tests performed this period also will be performed at different temperatures for data comparison.« less

Systematic interpolation method predicts protein chromatographic elution with salt gradients, pH gradients and combined salt/pH gradients.

PubMed

Creasy, Arch; Barker, Gregory; Carta, Giorgio

2017-03-01

A methodology is presented to predict protein elution behavior from an ion exchange column using both individual or combined pH and salt gradients based on high-throughput batch isotherm data. The buffer compositions are first optimized to generate linear pH gradients from pH 5.5 to 7 with defined concentrations of sodium chloride. Next, high-throughput batch isotherm data are collected for a monoclonal antibody on the cation exchange resin POROS XS over a range of protein concentrations, salt concentrations, and solution pH. Finally, a previously developed empirical interpolation (EI) method is extended to describe protein binding as a function of the protein and salt concentration and solution pH without using an explicit isotherm model. The interpolated isotherm data are then used with a lumped kinetic model to predict the protein elution behavior. Experimental results obtained for laboratory scale columns show excellent agreement with the predicted elution curves for both individual or combined pH and salt gradients at protein loads up to 45 mg/mL of column. Numerical studies show that the model predictions are robust as long as the isotherm data cover the range of mobile phase compositions where the protein actually elutes from the column. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of halideions on the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of methylene blue for borohydride-reduced silver colloid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Xiao; Gu, Huaimin; Liu, Fang

2011-01-01

The surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum of methylene blue (MB) was studied when adding a range of halideions to borohydride-reduced silver colloid. The halideions such as chloride, bromide and iodide were added as aggregating agents to study the effects of halideions on SERS spectroscopy of MB and observe which halideion gives the greatest enhancement for borohydride-reduced silver colloids. The SERS spectra of MB were also detected over a wide range of concentrations of halideions to find the optimum concentration of halideions for SERS enhancement. From the results of this study, the intensity of SERS signal of MB was enhanced significantly when adding halideions to the colloid. Among the three kinds of halideions, chloride gives the greatest enhancement on SERS signal. The enhancement factors for MB with optimal concentration of chloride, bromide and iodide are 3.44×104, 2.04×104, and 1.0×104, respectively. The differences of the SERS spectra of MB when adding different kinds and concentrations of halideions to the colloid may be attributed to the both effects of extent of aggregation of the colloid and the modification of silver surface chemistry. The purpose of this study is to further investigate the effect of halideions on borohydride-reduced silver colloid and to make the experimental conditions suitable for detecting some analytes in high efficiency on rational principles.

Effect of triclosan on reproduction, DNA damage and heat shock protein gene expression of the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Lin, Dasong; Li, Ye; Zhou, Qixing; Xu, Yingming; Wang, Di

2014-12-01

Triclosan (TCS) is released into the terrestrial environment via the application of sewage sludge and reclaimed water to agricultural land. More attention has been paid to its effect on non-target soil organisms. In the present study, chronic toxic effects of TCS on earthworms at a wide range of concentrations were investigated. The reproduction, DNA damage, and expression levels of heat shock protein (Hsp70) gene of earthworms were studied as toxicity endpoints. The results showed that the reproduction of earthworms were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) after exposure to the concentrations ranges from 50 to 300 mg kg(-1), with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 142.11 mg kg(-1). DNA damage, detected by the comet assay, was observed and there was a clear significant (R(2) = 0.941) relationship between TCS concentrations and DNA damage, with the EC50 value of 8.85 mg kg(-1). The expression levels of Hsp70 gene of earthworms were found to be up-regulated under the experimental conditions. The expression level of hsp70 gene increased, up to about 2.28 folds that in the control at 50 mg kg(-1). The EC50 value based on the Hsp70 biomarker was 1.79 mg kg(-1). Thus, among the three toxicity endpoints, the Hsp70 gene was more sensitive to TCS in soil.

Thermodynamic balance of photosynthesis and transpiration at increasing CO2 concentrations and rapid light fluctuations.

PubMed

Marín, Dolores; Martín, Mercedes; Serrot, Patricia H; Sabater, Bartolomé

2014-02-01

Experimental and theoretical flux models have been developed to reveal the influence of sun flecks and increasing CO2 concentrations on the energy and entropy balances of the leaf. The rapid and wide range of fluctuations in light intensity under field conditions were simulated in a climatic gas exchange chamber and we determined the energy and entropy balance of the leaf based on radiation and gas exchange measurements. It was estimated that the energy of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) accounts for half of transpiration, which is the main factor responsible for the exportation of the entropy generated in photosynthesis (Sg) out of the leaf in order to maintain functional the photosynthetic machinery. Although the response of net photosynthetic production to increasing concentrations of CO2 under fluctuating light is similar to that under continuous light, rates of transpiration respond slowly to changes of light intensity and are barely affected by the concentration of CO2 in the range of 260-495 ppm, in which net photosynthesis increases by more than 100%. The analysis of the results confirms that future increases of CO2 will improve the efficiency of the conversion of radiant energy into biomass, but will not reduce the contribution of plant transpiration to the leaf thermal balance. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effect of γ-Al2O3/water nanofluid on the thermal performance of shell and coil heat exchanger with different coil torsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshazly, K. M.; Sakr, R. Y.; Ali, R. K.; Salem, M. R.

2017-06-01

This work investigated experimentally the thermal performance of shell and coil heat exchanger with different coil torsions (λ) for γ-Al2O3/water nanofluid flow. Five helically coiled tube (HCT) with 0.0442 ≤ λ ≤ 0.1348 were tested within turbulent flow regime. The average size of γ-Al2O3 particles is 40 nm and volume concentration (φ) is varied from 0 to 2%. Results showed that reducing coil torsion enhances the heat transfer rate and increases HCT-friction factor (fc). Also, it is noticed that HCT average Nusselt number (Nut) and fc of nanofluids increase with increasing γ-Al2O3 volume concentration. The thermal performance index, TPI = (ht,nf/ht,bf)/(ΔPc,nf/ΔPc,bf). increases with increasing nanoparticles concentration, coil torsion, HCT-side inlet temperature and nanofluid flow rate. Over the studied range of HCT-Reynolds number, the average value of TPI is of 1.34 and 2.24 at φ = 0.5% and φ = 2%, respectively. The average value of TPI is of 1.64 at λ = 0.0442 while its average value at λ = 0.1348 is of 2.01. One of the main contributions is to provide heat equipments designers with Nut and fc correlations for practical configurations shell and coil heat exchangers with a wide range of nanofluid concentration.

On the validity of the Poisson assumption in sampling nanometer-sized aerosols

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Damit, Brian E; Wu, Dr. Chang-Yu; Cheng, Mengdawn

2014-01-01

A Poisson process is traditionally believed to apply to the sampling of aerosols. For a constant aerosol concentration, it is assumed that a Poisson process describes the fluctuation in the measured concentration because aerosols are stochastically distributed in space. Recent studies, however, have shown that sampling of micrometer-sized aerosols has non-Poissonian behavior with positive correlations. The validity of the Poisson assumption for nanometer-sized aerosols has not been examined and thus was tested in this study. Its validity was tested for four particle sizes - 10 nm, 25 nm, 50 nm and 100 nm - by sampling from indoor air withmore » a DMA- CPC setup to obtain a time series of particle counts. Five metrics were calculated from the data: pair-correlation function (PCF), time-averaged PCF, coefficient of variation, probability of measuring a concentration at least 25% greater than average, and posterior distributions from Bayesian inference. To identify departures from Poissonian behavior, these metrics were also calculated for 1,000 computer-generated Poisson time series with the same mean as the experimental data. For nearly all comparisons, the experimental data fell within the range of 80% of the Poisson-simulation values. Essentially, the metrics for the experimental data were indistinguishable from a simulated Poisson process. The greater influence of Brownian motion for nanometer-sized aerosols may explain the Poissonian behavior observed for smaller aerosols. Although the Poisson assumption was found to be valid in this study, it must be carefully applied as the results here do not definitively prove applicability in all sampling situations.« less

[Ultrasound physiotherapy treatment of prostatitis].

PubMed

Talberg, P I; Andryukhin, M I; Mazina, S E; Nikolaev, A L

2016-12-01

Develop a method of treatment of prostatitis based on the use of a standard antibiotic, immunomodulatory therapy, and transrectal ultrasound physiotherapy. The dynamics of the accumulation of the antibiotic was investigated in male rats. Sonication was performed immediately before the administration of the antibiotic and its accumulation in the process at 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 min after dosing. The clinical study included 138 patients with chronic prostatitis. Patients of the experimental group, in addition to standard therapy, 10 sessions of transrectal ultrasound physical therapy was performed. The efficacy of treatment was assessed after 14 and 28 days after initiation. and its discussion. Experiments on laboratory animals have shown that the highest concentration and the residence time of antibiotic in the prostate tissue is noted ultrasonic treatment in the period of maximum blood concentration of the test drug. The data obtained allow to determine that the ultrasonic treatment must be performed considering the pharmacokinetics of the antibiotic. In conducting clinical trials on day 14 of treatment and clinical manifestations of prostatitis bacterial microflora in prostatic secretions were no patients in both groups. In 15% of patients of the experimental group the number of leukocytes decreased to the normal range. After 28 days the amount of leukocytes was normal in 51% of patients in the control and 85% in the experimental group. In animal experiments defined the optimal time interval separating the moment of injection of the antibiotic from the beginning of sonication. Clinical studies have shown that the transrectal ultrasound exposure during the period of maximum concentration of the antibiotic in the blood, improves patient outcomes by 33.8%.

Graphene-Based Liquid-Gated Field Effect Transistor for Biosensing: Theory and Experiments

PubMed Central

Reiner-Rozman, Ciril; Larisika, Melanie; Nowak, Christoph; Knoll, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

We present an experimental and theoretical characterization for reduced Graphene-Oxide (rGO) based FETs used for biosensing applications. The presented approach shows a complete result analysis and theoretically predictable electrical properties. The formulation was tested for the analysis of the device performance in the liquid gate mode of operation with variation of the ionic strength and pH-values of the electrolytes in contact with the FET. The dependence on the Debye length was confirmed experimentally and theoretically, utilizing the Debye length as a working parameter and thus defining the limits of applicability for the presented rGO-FETs. Furthermore, the FETs were tested for the sensing of biomolecules (bovine serum albumin (BSA) as reference) binding to gate-immobilized anti-BSA antibodies and analyzed using the Langmuir binding theory for the description of the equilibrium surface coverage as a function of the bulk (analyte) concentration. The obtained binding coefficients for BSA are found to be same as in results from literature, hence confirming the applicability of the devices. The FETs used in the experiments were fabricated using wet-chemically synthesized graphene, displaying high electron and hole mobility (μ) and provide the strong sensitivity also for low potential changes (by change of pH, ion concentration, or molecule adsorption). The binding coefficient for BSA-anti-BSA interaction shows a behavior corresponding to the Langmuir adsorption theory with a Limit of Detection (LOD) in the picomolar concentration range. The presented approach shows high reproducibility and sensitivity and a good agreement of the experimental results with the calculated data. PMID:25791463

Roadmap to Clinical Use of Gold Nanoparticles for Radiation Sensitization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schuemann, Jan, E-mail: jschuemann@mgh.harvard.edu; Berbeco, Ross; Chithrani, Devika B.

2016-01-01

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in interest in the use of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as radiation sensitizers for radiation therapy. This interest was initially driven by their strong absorption of ionizing radiation and the resulting ability to increase dose deposited within target volumes even at relatively low concentrations. These early observations are supported by extensive experimental validation, showing GNPs' efficacy at sensitizing tumors in both in vitro and in vivo systems to a range of types of ionizing radiation, including kilovoltage and megavoltage X rays as well as charged particles. Despite this experimental validation, there has been limited translationmore » of GNP-mediated radiation sensitization to a clinical setting. One of the key challenges in this area is the wide range of experimental systems that have been investigated, spanning a range of particle sizes, shapes, and preparations. As a result, mechanisms of uptake and radiation sensitization have remained difficult to clearly identify. This has proven a significant impediment to the identification of optimal GNP formulations which strike a balance among their radiation sensitizing properties, their specificity to the tumors, their biocompatibility, and their imageability in vivo. This white paper reviews the current state of knowledge in each of the areas concerning the use of GNPs as radiosensitizers, and outlines the steps which will be required to advance GNP-enhanced radiation therapy from their current pre-clinical setting to clinical trials and eventual routine usage.« less

Tunable stability of monodisperse secondary O/W nano-emulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vecchione, R.; Ciotola, U.; Sagliano, A.; Bianchini, P.; Diaspro, A.; Netti, P. A.

2014-07-01

Stable and biodegradable oil in water (O/W) nano-emulsions can have a huge impact on a wide range of bio-applications, from food to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Emulsions, however, are immiscible systems unstable over time; polymer coatings are known to be helpful, but an effective procedure to stabilize monodisperse and biodegradable O/W nano-emulsions is yet to be designed. Here, we coat biodegradable O/W nano-emulsions with a molecular layer of biodegradable polyelectrolytes such as polysaccharides - like chitosan - and polypeptides - like polylysine - and effectively re-disperse and densify the polymer coating at high pressure, thus obtaining monodisperse and stable systems. In particular, focusing on chitosan, our tests show that it is possible to obtain unprecedented ultra-stable O/W secondary nano-emulsions (diameter sizes tunable from ~80 to 160 nm and polydispersion indices below 0.1) by combining this process with high concentrations of polymers. Depending on the polymer concentration, it is possible to control the level of coating that results in a tunable stability ranging from a few weeks to several months. The above range of concentrations has been investigated using a fluorescence-based approach with new insights into the coating evolution.Stable and biodegradable oil in water (O/W) nano-emulsions can have a huge impact on a wide range of bio-applications, from food to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Emulsions, however, are immiscible systems unstable over time; polymer coatings are known to be helpful, but an effective procedure to stabilize monodisperse and biodegradable O/W nano-emulsions is yet to be designed. Here, we coat biodegradable O/W nano-emulsions with a molecular layer of biodegradable polyelectrolytes such as polysaccharides - like chitosan - and polypeptides - like polylysine - and effectively re-disperse and densify the polymer coating at high pressure, thus obtaining monodisperse and stable systems. In particular, focusing on chitosan, our tests show that it is possible to obtain unprecedented ultra-stable O/W secondary nano-emulsions (diameter sizes tunable from ~80 to 160 nm and polydispersion indices below 0.1) by combining this process with high concentrations of polymers. Depending on the polymer concentration, it is possible to control the level of coating that results in a tunable stability ranging from a few weeks to several months. The above range of concentrations has been investigated using a fluorescence-based approach with new insights into the coating evolution. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental section, Fig. S1-S3, and Tables S1-S6. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02273d

Saharan Dust Particle Size And Concentration Distribution In Central Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunnu, A. K.

2010-12-01

A.K. Sunnu*, G. M. Afeti* and F. Resch+ *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Kumasi, Ghana. E-mail: albertsunnu@yahoo.com +Laboratoire Lepi, ISITV-Université du Sud Toulon-Var, 83162 La Valette cedex, France E-mail: resch@univ-tln.fr Keywords: Atmospheric aerosol; Saharan dust; Particle size distributions; Particle concentrations. Abstract The Saharan dust that is transported and deposited over many countries in the West African atmospheric environment (5°N), every year, during the months of November to March, known locally as the Harmattan season, have been studied over a 13-year period, between 1996 and 2009, using a location at Kumasi in central Ghana (6° 40'N, 1° 34'W) as the reference geographical point. The suspended Saharan dust particles were sampled by an optical particle counter, and the particle size distributions and concentrations were analysed. The counter gives the total dust loads as number of particles per unit volume of air. The optical particle counter used did not discriminate the smoke fractions (due to spontaneous bush fires during the dry season) from the Saharan dust. Within the particle size range measured (0.5 μm-25 μm.), the average inter-annual mean particle diameter, number and mass concentrations during the northern winter months of January and February were determined. The average daily number concentrations ranged from 15 particles/cm3 to 63 particles/cm3 with an average of 31 particles/cm3. The average daily mass concentrations ranged from 122 μg/m3 to 1344 μg/m3 with an average of 532 μg/m3. The measured particle concentrations outside the winter period were consistently less than 10 cm-3. The overall dust mean particle diameter, analyzed from the peak representative Harmattan periods over the 13-year period, ranged from 0.89 μm to 2.43 μm with an average of 1.5 μm ± 0.5. The particle size distributions exhibited the typical distribution pattern for atmospheric aerosols with a coarse mode diameter situated at about 3.5 μm. The experimental results reported in this study will be important in validating satellite based observations and simulation models of the African dust plume towards the Gulf of Guinea during winter.

Activation of Nrf2 by H2O2: de novo synthesis versus nuclear translocation.

PubMed

Covas, Gonçalo; Marinho, H Susana; Cyrne, Luísa; Antunes, Fernando

2013-01-01

The most common mechanism described for the activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 is based on the inhibition of its degradation in the cytosol followed by its translocation to the nucleus. Recently, Nrf2 de novo synthesis was proposed as an additional mechanism for the rapid upregulation of Nrf2 by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Here, we describe a detailed protocol, including solutions, pilot experiments, and experimental setups, which allows exploring the role of H2O2, delivered either as a bolus or as a steady state, in endogenous Nrf2 translocation and synthesis. We also show experimental data, illustrating that H2O2 effects on Nrf2 activation in HeLa cells are strongly dependent both on the H2O2 concentration and on the method of H2O2 delivery. The de novo synthesis of Nrf2 is triggered within 5min of exposure to low concentrations of H2O2, preceding Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus which is slower. Evidence of de novo synthesis of Nrf2 is observed only for low H2O2 steady-state concentrations, a condition that is prevalent in vivo. This study illustrates the applicability of the steady-state delivery of H2O2 to uncover subtle regulatory effects elicited by H2O2 in narrow concentration and time ranges. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemiluminescence from an oxidation reaction of rhodamine B with cerium(IV) in a reversed micellar medium of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride in 1-hexanol-cyclohexane/water.

PubMed

Hasanin, Tamer H A; Tsunemine, Yusuke; Tsukahara, Satoshi; Okamoto, Yasuaki; Fujiwara, Terufumi

2011-01-01

The chemiluminescence (CL) emission, observed when rhodamine B (RB) in 1-hexanol-cyclohexane was mixed with cerium(IV) sulfate in sulfuric acid dispersed in a reversed micellar medium of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) in 1-hexanol-cyclohexane/water, was investigated using a flow-injection system. The CL emission from the oxidation reaction of RB with Ce(IV) was found to be stronger in the CTAC reversed micellar solution compared with an aqueous solution. Bearing on the enhancement effect of the CTAC reverse micelles on the RB-Ce(IV) CL, several studies including stopped-flow, fluorescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometries were performed. Rapid spectral changes of an intermediate in the RB-Ce(IV) reaction in the aqueous and reversed micellar solutions were successfully observed using a stopped-flow method. The effect of the experimental variables, i.e., oxidant concentration, sulfuric acid concentration, the mole fraction of 1-hexanol, water-to-surfactant molar concentration ratio, flow rate, upon the CL intensity was evaluated. Under the experimental conditions optimized for a flow-injection determination of RB based on the new reversed micellar-mediated CL reaction with Ce(IV), a detection limit of 0.08 µmol dm(-3) RB was achieved, and a linear calibration graph was obtained with a dynamic range from 0.5 to 20 µmol dm(-3). The relative standard deviation (n = 6) obtained at an RB concentration of 3 µmol dm(-3) was 3%.

Uranyl(VI) nitrate salts: modeling thermodynamic properties using the binding mean spherical approximation theory and determination of "fictive" binary data.

PubMed

Ruas, Alexandre; Bernard, Olivier; Caniffi, Barbara; Simonin, Jean-Pierre; Turq, Pierre; Blum, Lesser; Moisy, Philippe

2006-02-23

This work is aimed at a description of the thermodynamic properties of highly concentrated aqueous solutions of uranyl nitrate at 25 degrees C. A new resolution of the binding mean spherical approximation (BIMSA) theory, taking into account 1-1 and also 1-2 complex formation, is developed and used to reproduce, from a simple procedure, experimental uranyl nitrate osmotic coefficient variation with concentration. For better consistency of the theory, binary uranyl perchlorate and chloride osmotic coefficients are also calculated. Comparison of calculated and experimental values is made. The possibility of regarding the ternary system UO(2)(NO(3))(2)/HNO(3)/H(2)O as a "simple" solution (in the sense of Zdanovskii, Stokes, and Robinson) is examined from water activity and density measurements. Also, an analysis of existing uranyl nitrate binary data is proposed and compared with our obtained data. On the basis of the concept of "simple" solution, values for density and water activity for the binary system UO(2)(NO(3))(2)/H(2)O are proposed in a concentration range on which uranyl nitrate precipitates from measurements on concentrated solutions of the ternary system UO(2)(NO(3))(2)/HNO(3)/H(2)O. This new set of binary data is "fictive" in the sense that the real binary system is not stable chemically. Finally, a new, interesting predictive capability of the BIMSA theory is shown.

A Human Alcohol Self-Administration Paradigm to Model Individual Differences in Impaired Control over Alcohol Use

PubMed Central

Leeman, Robert F.; Corbin, William R.; Nogueira, Christine; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Potenza, Marc N.; O’Malley, Stephanie S.

2014-01-01

We developed an alcohol self-administration paradigm to model individual differences in impaired control. The paradigm includes moderate drinking guidelines meant to model limits on alcohol consumption, which are typically exceeded by people with impaired control. Possible payment reductions provided a disincentive for excessive drinking. Alcohol use above the guideline, despite possible pay reductions, was considered to be indicative of impaired control. Heavy-drinking 21–25 year-olds (N = 39) were randomized to an experimental condition including the elements of the impaired control paradigm or to a free-drinking condition without these elements. Alcohol self-administration was compared between these two conditions to establish the internal validity of the experimental paradigm. In both conditions, participants self-administered beer and non-alcoholic beverages for 3 hours in a bar setting with 1–3 other participants. Experimental condition participants self-administered significantly fewer beers and drank to lower blood-alcohol concentrations (BACs) on average than those in the free-drinking condition. Experimental condition participants were more likely than free-drinking condition participants to intersperse non-alcoholic beverages with beer and to drink at a slower pace. Although experimental condition participants drank more moderately than those in the free-drinking condition overall, their range of drinking was considerable (BAC range = .024–.097) with several participants drinking excessively. A lower initial subjective response to alcohol and earlier age of alcohol use onset were associated with greater alcohol self-administration in the experimental condition. Given the variability in response, the impaired control laboratory paradigm may have utility for preliminary tests of novel interventions in future studies and for identifying individual differences in problem-drinking risk. PMID:23937598

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils.

PubMed

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-07-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO 3 - ) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L 16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L 16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO 3 - addition were the main factors affecting N 2 O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO 3 - and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time.

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils

PubMed Central

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-01-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO3−) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO3− addition were the main factors affecting N2O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO3− and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO2 and CH4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time. PMID:25177207

Ultra-wide detectable concentration range of GMR biosensors using Fe3O4 microspheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jie; Li, Qiang; Zong, Weihua; Zhang, Yongcheng; Li, Shandong

2016-11-01

Exchange-biased GMR sensors were employed for biodetection using a DC in-plane measuring method and a magnetic label of Fe3O4 microspheres. It was revealed that an ultra-wide concentration span covering five orders from 10 ng/mL to 1000 μg/mL was achieved in a home-made biodetection device. The concentration x dependence of output voltage difference |ΔV| between with and without magnetic labels, exhibits nonlinear futures, which undergoes two functions depending on the concentration region. For the low concentration region from 10 ng/mL to 10 μg/mL, a logarithmic relation of |ΔV|=26.3lgx+91.4 fits well, while for the high concentration region, a negative exponential function of |ΔV|=3113(1-e-x/250) describes the |ΔV|~x relation better. For the former, the "coffee ring" effect, formed during the solvent evaporation, was considered as the main reason for the nonlinear relation. While for the latter with high concentration, the overlap among the particles and the enhanced interaction of the magnetic dipole were responsible for the nonlinear |ΔV|~x relationship. Moreover, the calculated detectable concentration limit is agreed well with the experimental data.

Experimental evidence of nitrous acid formation in the electron beam treatment of flue gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mätzing, H.; Namba, H.; Tokunaga, O.

1994-03-01

In the Electron Beam Dry Scrubbing (EBDS) process, flue gas from fossil fuel burning power plants is irradiated with accelerated (300-800 keV) electrons. Thereby, nitrogen oxide (NO x) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2) traces are transformed into nitric and sulfuric acids, respectively, which are converted into particulate ammonium nitrate and sulfate upon the addition of ammonia. The powdery can be filtered from the main gas stream and can be sold as agricultural fertilizer. A lot of experimental investigations have been performed on the EBDS process and computer models have been developed to interpret the experimental results and to predict economic improvements. According to the model calculations, substantial amounts of intermediate nitrous acid (HNO 2) are formed in the electron beam treatment of flue gas. However, no corresponding experimental information is available so far. Therefore, we have undertaken the first experimental investigation about the formation of nitrous acid in an irradiated mixture of NO in synthetic air. Under these conditions, aerosol formation is avoided. UV spectra of the irradiated gas were recorded in the wavelength range λ = 345-375 nm. Both NO 2 and HNO 2 have characteristic absorption bands in this wavelength range. Calibration spectra of NO 2 were subtracted from the sample spectra. The remaining absorption bands can clearly be assigned to nitrous acid. The concentration of nitrous acid was determined by differential optical absorption. It was found lower than the model prediction. The importance of nitrous acid formation in the EBDS process needs to be clarified.

Spreading out of perturbations in reversible reaction networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maslov, Sergei; Sneppen, Kim; Ispolatov, I.

2007-08-01

Using an example of physical interactions between proteins, we study how a perturbation propagates in the equilibrium of a network of reversible reactions governed by the law of mass action. We introduce a matrix formalism to describe the linear response of all equilibrium concentrations to shifts in total abundances of individual reactants, and reveal its heuristic analogy to the flow of electric current in a network of resistors. Our main conclusion is that, on average, the induced changes in equilibrium concentrations decay exponentially as a function of network distance from the source of perturbation. We analyze how this decay is influenced by such factors as the topology of a network, binding strength, and correlations between concentrations of neighboring nodes. We find that the minimal branching of the network, small values of dissociation constants, and low equilibrium free (unbound) concentrations of reacting substances all decrease the decay constant and thus increase the range of propagation. Exact analytic expressions for the decay constant are obtained for the case of equally strong interactions and uniform as well as oscillating concentrations on the Bethe lattice. Our general findings are illustrated using a real network of protein-protein interactions in baker's yeast with experimentally determined protein concentrations.

Estimated effects of temperature on secondary organic aerosol concentrations.

PubMed

Sheehan, P E; Bowman, F M

2001-06-01

The temperature-dependence of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentrations is explored using an absorptive-partitioning model under a variety of simplified atmospheric conditions. Experimentally determined partitioning parameters for high yield aromatics are used. Variation of vapor pressures with temperature is assumed to be the main source of temperature effects. Known semivolatile products are used to define a modeling range of vaporization enthalpy of 10-25 kcal/mol-1. The effect of diurnal temperature variations on model predictions for various assumed vaporization enthalpies, precursor emission rates, and primary organic concentrations is explored. Results show that temperature is likely to have a significant influence on SOA partitioning and resulting SOA concentrations. A 10 degrees C decrease in temperature is estimated to increase SOA yields by 20-150%, depending on the assumed vaporization enthalpy. In model simulations, high daytime temperatures tend to reduce SOA concentrations by 16-24%, while cooler nighttime temperatures lead to a 22-34% increase, compared to constant temperature conditions. Results suggest that currently available constant temperature partitioning coefficients do not adequately represent atmospheric SOA partitioning behavior. Air quality models neglecting the temperature dependence of partitioning are expected to underpredict peak SOA concentrations as well as mistime their occurrence.

Study of the dislocation contribution to the internal friction background of gold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baur, J.; Benoit, W.

1987-04-01

The dislocation contribution to the internal friction (IF) background is studied in annealed gold samples containing various dilute concentrations of platinum impurities. The measurements are performed in the kHz frequency range in order to determine the loss mechanism responsible for the high IF background observed at these low frequencies. To this end, the IF background was systematically measured as a function of frequency, vibration amplitude, temperature, and impurity concentration. The experimental results show that the high dislocation contribution observed in annealed samples is strain-amplitude independent for amplitudes in the range 10-7 to 2×10-6, but rapidly decreases for amplitudes smaller than 10-7. In particular, the dislocation contribution tends to zero when the strain amplitude tends to zero. Furthermore, this contribution is frequency independent. These observations demonstrate that the dislocation contribution cannot be explained by relaxations. In particular, this contribution cannot be attributed to a viscous damping of the dislocation motion. On the contrary, the experiments show that the IF background due to dislocations must be explained by hysteretic and athermal motions of dislocations interacting with point defects. However, these hysteretic motions are not due to breakaway of dislocations from pinning points distributed along their length. The experimental results can be explained by the presence of point defects close to the dislocations, but not on them. The mechanical energy loss is attributed to hysteretic motions of dislocations between potential minima created by point defects.

An in-line Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Using Thin-core Fiber for Ammonia Gas Sensing With High Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Huang, Xinyue; Li, Xueming; Yang, Jianchun; Tao, Chuanyi; Guo, Xiaogang; Bao, Hebin; Yin, Yanjun; Chen, Huifei; Zhu, Yuhua

2017-01-01

Ammonia is an important indicator among environmental monitoring parameters. In this work, thin-core fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer deposited with poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), poly (allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-COOH) sensing film for the detection of ammonia gas has been presented. The thin-core fiber modal interferometer was made by fusion splicing a small section of thin-core fiber (TCF) between two standard single mode fibers (SMF). A beam propagation method (BPM) is employed for the design of proposed interferometer and numerical simulation. Based on the simulation results, interferometer with a length of 2 cm of thin-core fiber is fabricated and experimentally studied. (PAH/PAA)2 + [PAH/(PAA + SWCNTs-COOH)]8 film is deposited on the outer surface of thin-core fiber via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. The gas sensor coated with (PAH/PAA)2 + [PAH/(PAA + SWCNTs-COOH)]8 film towards NH3 gas exposure at concentrations range from 1 to 960 ppm are analyzed and the sensing capability is demonstrated by optical spectrum analyzer (OSA). Experimental results show that the characteristic wavelength shift has an approximately linear relationship in the range 1–20 ppm, which is in accordance with the numerical simulation. Thus, this paper reveals the potential application of this sensor in monitoring low concentration NH3 gas. PMID:28378783

Total reflection infrared spectroscopy of water-ice and frozen aqueous NaCl solutions.

PubMed

Walker, Rachel L; Searles, Keith; Willard, Jesse A; Michelsen, Rebecca R H

2013-12-28

Liquid-like and liquid water at and near the surface of water-ice and frozen aqueous sodium chloride films were observed using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The concentration of NaCl ranged from 0.0001 to 0.01 M and the temperature varied from the melting point of water down to 256 K. The amount of liquid brine at the interface of the frozen films with the germanium ATR crystal increased with salt concentration and temperature. Experimental spectra are compared to reflection spectra calculated for a simplified morphology of a uniform liquid layer between the germanium crystal and the frozen film. This morphology allows for the amount of liquid observed in an experimental spectrum to be converted to the thickness of a homogenous layer with an equivalent amount of liquid. These equivalent thickness ranges from a nanometer for water-ice at 260 K to 170 nm for 0.01 M NaCl close to the melting point. The amounts of brine observed are over an order of magnitude less than the total liquid predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic models, implying that the vast majority of the liquid fraction of frozen solutions may be found in internal inclusions, grain boundaries, and the like. Thus, the amount of liquid and the solutes dissolved in them that are available to react with atmospheric gases on the surfaces of snow and ice are not well described by thermodynamic equilibrium models which assume the liquid phase is located entirely at the surface.

Uptake rate constants and partition coefficients for vapor phase organic chemicals using semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cranor, W.L.; Alvarez, D.A.; Huckins, J.N.; Petty, J.D.

2009-01-01

To fully utilize semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as passive samplers in air monitoring, data are required to accurately estimate airborne concentrations of environmental contaminants. Limited uptake rate constants (kua) and no SPMD air partitioning coefficient (Ksa) existed for vapor-phase contaminants. This research was conducted to expand the existing body of kinetic data for SPMD air sampling by determining kua and Ksa for a number of airborne contaminants including the chemical classes: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, brominated diphenyl ethers, phthalate esters, synthetic pyrethroids, and organophosphate/organosulfur pesticides. The kuas were obtained for 48 of 50 chemicals investigated and ranged from 0.03 to 3.07??m3??g-1??d-1. In cases where uptake was approaching equilibrium, Ksas were approximated. Ksa values (no units) were determined or estimated for 48 of the chemicals investigated and ranging from 3.84E+5 to 7.34E+7. This research utilized a test system (United States Patent 6,877,724 B1) which afforded the capability to generate and maintain constant concentrations of vapor-phase chemical mixtures. The test system and experimental design employed gave reproducible results during experimental runs spanning more than two years. This reproducibility was shown by obtaining mean kua values (n??=??3) of anthracene and p,p???-DDE at 0.96 and 1.57??m3??g-1??d-1 with relative standard deviations of 8.4% and 8.6% respectively.