Thermodynamic and transport properties of frozen and reacting pH2-oH2 mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, H. G.; Bullock, R. E.

1972-01-01

Application of experimental state data and spectroscopic term values shows that the thermodynamic and transport properties of reacting pH2-oH2 mixtures are considerably different than those of chemically frozen pH2 at temperatures below 300 R. Calculated H-S data also show that radiation-induced pH2-oH2 equilibration at constant enthalpy produces a temperature drop of at least 28 R, corresponding to an ideal shaft work loss of 15% or more for a turbine operating downstream from the point of conversion. Aside from differences in thermodynamic and transport properties, frozen pH2-oH2 mixtures may differ from pure pH2 on a purely hydrodynamical basis.

Comparison of COD removal from pharmaceutical wastewater by electrocoagulation, photoelectrocoagulation, peroxi-electrocoagulation and peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation processes.

PubMed

Farhadi, Sajjad; Aminzadeh, Behnoush; Torabian, Ali; Khatibikamal, Vahid; Alizadeh Fard, Mohammad

2012-06-15

This work makes a comparison between electrocoagulation (EC), photoelectrocoagulation, peroxi-electrocoagulation and peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation processes to investigate the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from pharmaceutical wastewater. The effects of operational parameters such as initial pH, current density, applied voltage, amount of hydrogen peroxide and electrolysis time on COD removal efficiency were investigated and the optimum operating range for each of these operating variables was experimentally determined. In electrocoagulation process, the optimum values of pH and voltage were determined to be 7 and 40 V, respectively. Desired pH and hydrogen peroxide concentration in the Fenton-based processes were found to be 3 and 300 mg/L, respectively. The amounts of COD, pH, electrical conductivity, temperature and total dissolved solids (TDS) were on-line monitored. Results indicated that under the optimum operating range for each process, the COD removal efficiency was in order of peroxi-electrocoagulation > peroxi-photoelectrocoagulation > photoelectrocoagulation>electrocoagulation. Finally, a kinetic study was carried out using the linear pseudo-second-order model and results showed that the pseudo-second-order equation provided the best correlation for the COD removal rate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR Table 5 to Subpart Mmmmm of... - Continuous Compliance With Emission Limits and Operating Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... Each new or reconstructed flame lamination affected source using a scrubber a. Maintain the daily average scrubber inlet liquid flow rate above the minimum value established during the performanceb. Maintain the daily average scrubber effluent pH within the operating range established during the...

A multiphase mixture model for substrate concentration distribution characteristics and photo-hydrogen production performance of the entrapped-cell photobioreactor.

PubMed

Guo, Cheng-Long; Cao, Hong-Xia; Pei, Hong-Shan; Guo, Fei-Qiang; Liu, Da-Meng

2015-04-01

A multiphase mixture model was developed for revealing the interaction mechanism between biochemical reactions and transfer processes in the entrapped-cell photobioreactor packed with gel granules containing Rhodopseudomonas palustris CQK 01. The effects of difference operation parameters, including operation temperature, influent medium pH value and porosity of packed bed, on substrate concentration distribution characteristics and photo-hydrogen production performance were investigated. The results showed that the model predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data reported. Moreover, the operation temperature of 30 °C and the influent medium pH value of 7 were the most suitable conditions for photo-hydrogen production by biodegrading substrate. In addition, the lower porosity of packed bed was beneficial to enhance photo-hydrogen production performance owing to the improvement on the amount of substrate transferred into gel granules caused by the increased specific area for substrate transfer in the elemental volume. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Photoelectrochemical Device Using an Electrolyte-Permeable NiO x/SiO2/Si Photocathode with an Open-Circuit Potential of 0.75 V.

PubMed

Jung, Jin-Young; Yu, Jin-Young; Lee, Jung-Ho

2018-03-07

As a thermodynamic driving force obtained from sunlight, the open-circuit potential (OCP) in photoelectrochemical cells is typically limited by the photovoltage ( V ph ). In this work, we establish that the OCP can exceed the value of V ph when an electrolyte-permeable NiO x thin film is employed as an electrocatalyst in a Si photocathode. The built-in potential developed at the NiO x /Si junction is adjusted in situ according to the progress of the NiO x hydration for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). As a result of decoupling of the OCP from V ph , a high OCP value of 0.75 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode) is obtained after 1 h operation of HER in an alkaline electrolyte (pH = 14), thus outperforming the highest value (0.64 V) reported to date with conventional Si photoelectrodes. This finding might offer insight into novel photocathode designs such as those based on tandem water-splitting systems.

Estimation of Scale Deposition in the Water Walls of an Operating Indian Coal Fired Boiler: Predictive Modeling Approach Using Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumari, Amrita; Das, Suchandan Kumar; Srivastava, Prem Kumar

2016-04-01

Application of computational intelligence for predicting industrial processes has been in extensive use in various industrial sectors including power sector industry. An ANN model using multi-layer perceptron philosophy has been proposed in this paper to predict the deposition behaviors of oxide scale on waterwall tubes of a coal fired boiler. The input parameters comprises of boiler water chemistry and associated operating parameters, such as, pH, alkalinity, total dissolved solids, specific conductivity, iron and dissolved oxygen concentration of the feed water and local heat flux on boiler tube. An efficient gradient based network optimization algorithm has been employed to minimize neural predictions errors. Effects of heat flux, iron content, pH and the concentrations of total dissolved solids in feed water and other operating variables on the scale deposition behavior have been studied. It has been observed that heat flux, iron content and pH of the feed water have a relatively prime influence on the rate of oxide scale deposition in water walls of an Indian boiler. Reasonably good agreement between ANN model predictions and the measured values of oxide scale deposition rate has been observed which is corroborated by the regression fit between these values.

HIF evaluation of In-Situ Aqua TROLL 400

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Evan F.

2017-10-18

The In-Situ Aqua TROLL 400 (Aqua TROLL 400) was tested at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) against known standards over the Aqua TROLL 400’s operating temperature to verify the manufacturer’s stated accuracy specifications and the USGS recommendations for pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and specific conductance (SC). The Aqua TROLL 400 manufacturer’s specifications are within the USGS recommendations for all parameters tested, except for DO, which is outside the USGS recommendation at DO concentrations of 8.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and higher. The Aqua TROLL 400 was compliant with Serial Digital Interface at 1200 baud (SDI-12) version 1.3. During laboratory testing of pH, the Aqua TROLL 400 sonde met the U.S. Geological Survey “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (NFM) recommendations for pH at all values tested, except at 4 degrees Celsius (°C) at pH 9.395 and pH 3.998. The Aqua TROLL 400 met the manufacturer specifications for pH at all values tested, except for pH buffers 3.998, 9.395, and 10.245 at 4 °C; pH 2.990 and 3.998 at 15 °C; and pH 3.040 at 40 °C. The Aqua TROLL 400 met the NFM recommendations at 93.7 percent of the SC values tested and met the manufacturer’s accuracy specifications at 56.3 percent of the SC values tested. During the laboratory testing for DO, the Aqua TROLL 400 met the manufacturer specifications, except at 5.55 mg/L, and met the NFM recommendations at all concentrations tested. An Aqua TROLL 400 was field tested at USGS Station 02492620, National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL) Station, Mississippi, on the Pearl River for 6 weeks and showed good agreement with the well-maintained site sonde data for pH, DO, temperature, and SC.

ISFET-based sensor signal processor chip design for environment monitoring applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Wen-Yaw; Yang, Chung-Huang; Wang, Ming-Ga

2004-12-01

In recent years Ion-Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) based transducers create valuable applications in physiological data acquisition and environment monitoring. This paper presents a mixed-mode ASIC design for potentiometric ISFET-based bio-chemical sensor applications including H+ sensing and hand-held pH meter. For battery power consideration, the proposed system consists of low voltage (3V) analog front-end readout circuits and digital processor has been developed and fabricated in a 0.5mm double-poly double-metal CMOS technology. To assure that the correct pH value can be measured, the two-point calibration circuitry based on the response of standard pH4 and pH7 buffer solution has been implemented by using algorithmic state machine hardware algorithms. The measurement accuracy of the chip is 10 bits and the measured range between pH 2 to pH 12 compared to ideal values is within the accuracy of 0.1pH. For homeland environmental applications, the system provide rapid, easy to use, and cost-effective on-site testing on the quality of water, such as drinking water, ground water and river water. The processor has a potential usage in battery-operated and portable devices in environmental monitoring applications compared to commercial hand-held pH meter.

pH variation and influence in an autotrophic nitrogen removing biofilm system using an efficient numerical solution strategy.

PubMed

Vangsgaard, Anna Katrine; Mauricio-Iglesias, Miguel; Valverde-Pérez, Borja; Gernaey, Krist V; Sin, Gürkan

2013-01-01

A pH simulator consisting of an efficient numerical solver of a system of nine nonlinear equations was constructed and implemented in the modeling software MATLAB. The pH simulator was integrated in a granular biofilm model and used to simulate the pH profiles within granules performing the nitritation-anammox process for a range of operating points. The simulation results showed that pH profiles were consistently increasing with increasing depth into the granule, since the proton-producing aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were located close to the granule surface. Despite this pH profile, more NH3 was available for AOB than for anaerobic ammonium oxidizers, located in the center of the granules. However, operating at a higher oxygen loading resulted in steeper changes in pH over the depth of the granule and caused the NH3 concentration profile to increase from the granule surface towards the center. The initial value of the background charge and influent bicarbonate concentration were found to greatly influence the simulation result and should be accurately measured. Since the change in pH over the depth of the biofilm was relatively small, the activity potential of the microbial groups affected by the pH did not change more than 5% over the depth of the granules.

Alkaline approach to treating cooling towers for control of Legionella pneumophila

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

States, S.J.; Conley, L.F.; Towner, S.G.

1987-08-01

Earlier field and laboratory studies have shown that Legionella species survive and multiply in the pH range 5.5 to 9.2. Additionally, the technical feasibility of operating cooling towers at elevated alkalinities and pH has previously been documented by published guidelines. The guidelines indicate that these conditions facilitate corrosion control and favor chlorine persistence which enhances the effectiveness of continuous chlorination in biofouling control. This information suggest that control of Legionella species in cooling towers can be accomplished by operating the towers under alkaline conditions. To test this possibility, we collected water samples over a period of months from a hospitalmore » cooling tower. The samples were analyzed for a variety of chemical parameters. Subsamples were pasteurized and inoculated with non-agar-passaged Legionella pneumophila which had been maintained in tap water. Correlation of subsequent Legionella growth with corresponding pH and alkalinity values revealed statistically significant inverse associations. These data support the hypothesis that operating cooling towers outside of the optimal conditions for Legionella growth (e.g., at elevated alkalinities and a pH greater than 9) may be a useful approach to controlling growth in this habitat.« less

40 CFR 417.166 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... be no discharge of waste water streams in which both the COD/BOD7 ratio exceeds 10.0 and the COD... Do. pH Do. (2) For fast turnaround operation of automated fill lines, the following values pertain...

Relation between gastric histology and gastric juice pH and nitrite and N-nitroso compound concentrations in the stomach after surgery for duodenal ulcer.

PubMed Central

Watt, P C; Sloan, J M; Donaldson, J; Campbell, G; Kennedy, T L

1984-01-01

Formation of N-nitroso compounds in gastric juice has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer in the stomach after operation. Gastric juice was aspirated from 85 subjects: 23 were controls, 51 had previously undergone vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy, and 11 had previously undergone vagotomy and pyloroplasty. The gastric juice samples were analysed for pH, nitrite, and total N-nitroso compounds. A significant correlation was found between pH and nitrite concentration (p less than 0.01). No significant correlation was found between pH and total N-nitroso compound concentration or between nitrite and N-nitroso compound concentration. The vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy patients had higher pH values and higher concentrations of nitrites and N-nitroso compounds than controls (p = 0.01 in all cases). The 51 vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy patients also underwent endoscopy and biopsy. They were divided into three groups: group 1 (21 patients) had no intestinal metaplasia and no more than mild dysplasia; group 2 (20 patients) had intestinal metaplasia; and group 3 (10 patients) had moderate or severe dysplasia. Groups 2 and 3 both had higher pH values and higher nitrite concentrations than group 1 (p = 0.01 in all cases). There was no significant difference, however, between either group 2 or 3 and group 1 for total N-nitroso compound concentration. Since there was no simple linear relation between pH and N-nitroso compound concentration, it was concluded that formation of N-nitroso compounds at high pH was unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer in the hypochlorhydric stomach after operation. The relation between nitrite and histological abnormality was not associated with a similar relation between N-nitroso compounds and histological abnormality. It therefore appears that there is no simple relation between N-nitroso compounds and the pathogenesis of premalignant gastric mucosal changes. PMID:6725597

Spatial characteristics of cadmium in topsoils in a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China and its potential threat to shallow groundwater.

PubMed

Wu, Chunfa; Luo, Yongming; Deng, Shaopo; Teng, Ying; Song, Jing

2014-02-15

Informal electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling often creates secondary sources of cadmium (Cd) pollution. To characterize the total Cd concentration (Cdtotal) in topsoil and evaluate the threat of Cd in topsoils to shallow groundwater, 187 topsoil samples and 12 shallow groundwater samples were collected in a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China. Soil organic matter content, soil pH and Cdtotal in topsoil, pH and dissolved Cd concentration in shallow groundwater were measured. Cdtotal in the topsoils showed an inverse distribution trend with soil pH in that high Cd concentrations (and low pH values) were found in the surrounding area of the metal recycling industrial park where there were many family-operated e-waste recycling facilities before the industrial park was established and with low concentrations (and high pH values) in other areas, and they had similar spatial correlation structures. Cd accumulation and acidification were synchronous in topsoils, and soil pH was significantly correlated with Cdtotal in topsoils with low to moderate negative correlation coefficient (r=-0.24), indicating that both of them maybe correlated with informal recycling. The shallow groundwater in the surrounding area of the metal recycling industrial park was seriously contaminated by Cd, and topsoil Cd accumulation and acidification in the surrounding area of e-waste recycling sites significantly increase the risk of shallow groundwater contaminated by Cd. Action is urgently required to control Cd accumulation and acidification by improving the recycling operations of e-wastes in order to reduce the risk of Cd leaching from topsoils and shallow groundwater contamination. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sequential nitrification and denitrification in a novel palm shell granular activated carbon twin-chamber upflow bio-electrochemical reactor for treating ammonium-rich wastewater.

PubMed

Mousavi, Seyyedalireza; Ibrahim, Shaliza; Aroua, Mohamed Kheireddine

2012-12-01

In this study, a twin-chamber upflow bio-electrochemical reactor packed with palm shell granular activated carbon as biocarrier and third electrode was used for sequential nitrification and denitrification of nitrogen-rich wastewater under different operating conditions. The experiments were performed at a constant pH value for the denitrification compartment. The effect of variables, namely, electric current (I) and hydraulic retention time (HRT), on the pH was considered in the nitrification chamber. The response surface methodology was used based on three levels to develop empirical models for the study on the effects of HRT and current values as independent operating variables on NH(4)(+)-N removal. The results showed that ammonium was reduced within the function of an extensive operational range of electric intensity (20-50 mA) and HRT (6-24h). The optimum condition for ammonium oxidation (90%) was determined with an I of 32 mA and HRT of 19.2h. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Recent developments in water quality monitoring for Space Station reclaimed wastewaters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Small, John W.; Verostko, Charles E.; Linton, Arthur T.; Burchett, Ray

1987-01-01

This paper discusses the recent developments in water quality monitoring for Space Station reclaimed wastewaters. A preprototype unit that contains an ultraviolet absorbance organic carbon monitor integrated with pH and conductivity sensors is presented. The preprototype has provisions for automated operation and is a reagentless flow-through system without any gas/liquid interfaces. The organic carbon monitor detects by utraviolet absorbance the organic impurities in reclaimed wastewater which may be correlated to the organic carbon content of the water. A comparison of the preprototype organic carbon detection values with actual total organic carbon measurements is presented. The electrolyte double junction concept for the pH sensor and fixed electrodes for both the pH and conductivity sensors are discussed. In addition, the development of a reagentless organic carbon analyzer that incorporates ultraviolet oxidation and infrared detection is presented. Detection sensitivities, hardware development, and operation are included.

Polycrystalline silicon ion sensitive field effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, F.; Estrela, P.; Mo, Y.; Migliorato, P.; Maeda, H.; Inoue, S.; Shimoda, T.

2005-01-01

We report the operation of polycrystalline silicon ion sensitive field effect transistors. These devices can be fabricated on inexpensive disposable substrates such as glass or plastics and are, therefore, promising candidates for low cost single-use intelligent multisensors. In this work we have developed an extended gate structure with a Si3N4 sensing layer. Nearly ideal pH sensitivity (54mV /pH) and stable operation have been achieved. Temperature effects have been characterized. A penicillin sensor has been fabricated by functionalizing the sensing area with penicillinase. The sensitivity to penicillin G is about 10mV/mM, in solutions with concentration lower than the saturation value, which is about 7 mM.

Modeling lactose hydrolysis for efficiency and selectivity: Toward the preservation of sialyloligosaccharides in bovine colostrum whey permeate.

PubMed

de Moura Bell, Juliana M L N; Aquino, Leticia F M C; Liu, Yan; Cohen, Joshua L; Lee, Hyeyoung; de Melo Silva, Vitor L; Rodrigues, Maria I; Barile, Daniela

2016-08-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose has been shown to improve the efficiency and selectivity of membrane-based separations toward the recovery of bioactive oligosaccharides. Achieving maximum lactose hydrolysis requires intrinsic process optimization for each specific substrate, but the effects of those processing conditions on the target oligosaccharides are not well understood. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of pH (3.25-8.25), temperature (35-55°C), reaction time (6 to 58 min), and amount of enzyme (0.05-0.25%) on the efficiency of lactose hydrolysis by β-galactosidase and on the preservation of biologically important sialyloligosaccharides (3'-siallylactose, 6'-siallylactose, and 6'-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine) naturally present in bovine colostrum whey permeate. A central composite rotatable design was used. In general, β-galactosidase activity was favored at pH values ranging from 3.25 to 5.75, with other operational parameters having a less pronounced effect. A pH of 4.5 allowed for the use of a shorter reaction time (19 min), lower temperature (40°C), and reduced amount of enzyme (0.1%), but complete hydrolysis at a higher pH (5.75) required greater values for these operational parameters. The total amount of sialyloligosaccharides was not significantly altered by the reaction parameters evaluated, suggesting specificity of β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae toward lactose as well as the stability of the oligosaccharides at pH, temperature, and reaction time evaluated. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring the clean-up operation of agricultural fields flooded with red mud in Hungary.

PubMed

Uzinger, Nikolett; Rékási, Márk; Anton, Áron D; Koós, Sándor; László, Péter; Anton, Attila

2016-12-01

In the course of the clean-up operation after the red mud inundation in 2010, red mud was removed from the soil surface in places where the layer was more than 5 cm deep. Before its removal, the red mud seeped into the soil. In 2012, soil samples were taken from depths of 0 to 20 and 20 to 40 cm on some of the affected areas. The parameters investigated were pH, organic matter, salt%, and the total and mobile fractions of various elements. The values recorded in 2012 were compared with those measured immediately after the removal of the red mud in 2010 and with the background and clean-up target concentrations. The pH values remained below the designated limit, while the salt content only exhibited values in the weakly salty range on areas at the greatest distance from the dam. In the central part of the inundated area, total Na contents above the 900 mg/kg target value were observed, but the Na content in the 0-20-cm layer generally exhibited a decrease due to leaching. The pH and As concentration also showed a decline on several areas compared with the values recorded in 2010. Total As and Co contents in excess of the target values were recorded on the lowest-lying part of the flooded area, probably because the finest red mud particles were deposited the furthest from the dam, where they seeped into the soil. Nevertheless, the mobility and plant availability of both elements remained moderate. The total contents of both Co and Mo, however, exhibited a significant rise compared with both the background value and the 2010 data. The monitoring of the cleaned-up areas showed that after a 2-year period element concentrations that exceeded the target values and could be attributed to the red mud pollution were only detectable on the lowest-lying areas.

Synthesis and surface properties of submicron barium sulfate particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ming; Zhang, Bao; Li, Xinhai; Yin, Zhoulan; Guo, Xueyi

2011-10-01

Barium sulfate particles were synthesized in the presence of EDTA at room temperature. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared resonance (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of BaSO 4 particles. The effect of the preparation parameters on the particle size distribution and morphology was investigated. The conditional formation constants of Ba-EDTA at different pH values were calculated. The results show that the size and morphology of BaSO 4 particles can be effectively controlled by adding EDTA in the precipitation process. Among all the operation conditions, the pH value has significant effect on the particle size. The obtained barium sulfate particles are spherical and well dispersed at pH = 9-10. Zeta potentials of BaSO 4 were measured at different pH. The isoelectric point (IEP) of barium sulfate colloid appears at pH 6.92. The model of the solid-solution interface at a particle of BaSO 4 was presented. The FTIR result indicates that the surface of the prepared BaSO 4 absorbs the functional groups of EDTA, which lower the IEP of the barium sulfate particles.

The pH sensibility of actin-bundling LIM proteins is governed by the acidic properties of their C-terminal domain.

PubMed

Moes, Danièle; Hoffmann, Céline; Dieterle, Monika; Moreau, Flora; Neumann, Katrin; Papuga, Jessica; Furtado, Angela Tavares; Steinmetz, André; Thomas, Clément

2015-08-19

Actin-bundling Arabidopsis LIM proteins are subdivided into two subfamilies differing in their pH sensitivity. Widely-expressed WLIMs are active under low and high physiologically-relevant pH conditions, whereas pollen-enriched PLIMs are inactivated by pH values above 6.8. By a domain swapping approach we identified the C-terminal (Ct) domain of PLIMs as the domain responsible for pH responsiveness. Remarkably, this domain conferred pH sensitivity to LIM proteins, when provided "in trans" (i.e., as a single, independent, peptide), indicating that it operates through the interaction with another domain. An acidic 6xc-Myc peptide functionally mimicked the Ct domain of PLIMs and efficiently inhibited LIM actin bundling activity under high pH conditions. Together, our data suggest a model where PLIMs are regulated by an intermolecular interaction between their acidic Ct domain and another, yet unidentified, domain. Copyright © 2015 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A stepwise composite echocardiographic score predicts severe pulmonary hypertension in patients with interstitial lung disease.

PubMed

Bax, Simon; Bredy, Charlene; Kempny, Aleksander; Dimopoulos, Konstantinos; Devaraj, Anand; Walsh, Simon; Jacob, Joseph; Nair, Arjun; Kokosi, Maria; Keir, Gregory; Kouranos, Vasileios; George, Peter M; McCabe, Colm; Wilde, Michael; Wells, Athol; Li, Wei; Wort, Stephen John; Price, Laura C

2018-04-01

European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines recommend the assessment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and severe pulmonary hypertension (PH), as defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥35 mmHg at right heart catheterisation (RHC). We developed and validated a stepwise echocardiographic score to detect severe PH using the tricuspid regurgitant velocity and right atrial pressure (right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP)) and additional echocardiographic signs. Consecutive ILD patients with suspected PH underwent RHC between 2005 and 2015. Receiver operating curve analysis tested the ability of components of the score to predict mPAP ≥35 mmHg, and a score devised using a stepwise approach. The score was tested in a contemporaneous validation cohort. The score used "additional PH signs" where RVSP was unavailable, using a bootstrapping technique. Within the derivation cohort (n=210), a score ≥7 predicted severe PH with 89% sensitivity, 71% specificity, positive predictive value 68% and negative predictive value 90%, with similar performance in the validation cohort (n=61) (area under the curve (AUC) 84.8% versus 83.1%, p=0.8). Although RVSP could be estimated in 92% of studies, reducing this to 60% maintained a fair accuracy (AUC 74.4%). This simple stepwise echocardiographic PH score can predict severe PH in patients with ILD.

A stepwise composite echocardiographic score predicts severe pulmonary hypertension in patients with interstitial lung disease

PubMed Central

Bax, Simon; Bredy, Charlene; Kempny, Aleksander; Dimopoulos, Konstantinos; Devaraj, Anand; Walsh, Simon; Jacob, Joseph; Nair, Arjun; Kokosi, Maria; Keir, Gregory; Kouranos, Vasileios; George, Peter M.; McCabe, Colm; Wilde, Michael; Wells, Athol; Li, Wei; Wort, Stephen John; Price, Laura C.

2018-01-01

European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines recommend the assessment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and severe pulmonary hypertension (PH), as defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥35 mmHg at right heart catheterisation (RHC). We developed and validated a stepwise echocardiographic score to detect severe PH using the tricuspid regurgitant velocity and right atrial pressure (right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP)) and additional echocardiographic signs. Consecutive ILD patients with suspected PH underwent RHC between 2005 and 2015. Receiver operating curve analysis tested the ability of components of the score to predict mPAP ≥35 mmHg, and a score devised using a stepwise approach. The score was tested in a contemporaneous validation cohort. The score used “additional PH signs” where RVSP was unavailable, using a bootstrapping technique. Within the derivation cohort (n=210), a score ≥7 predicted severe PH with 89% sensitivity, 71% specificity, positive predictive value 68% and negative predictive value 90%, with similar performance in the validation cohort (n=61) (area under the curve (AUC) 84.8% versus 83.1%, p=0.8). Although RVSP could be estimated in 92% of studies, reducing this to 60% maintained a fair accuracy (AUC 74.4%). This simple stepwise echocardiographic PH score can predict severe PH in patients with ILD. PMID:29750141

Modeling the Effect of pH and Temperature for Cellulases Immobilized on Enzymogel Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Samaratunga, Ashani; Kudina, Olena; Nahar, Nurun; Zakharchenko, Andrey; Minko, Sergiy; Voronov, Andriy; Pryor, Scott W

2015-06-01

Production costs of cellulosic biofuels can be lowered if cellulases are recovered and reused using particulate carriers that can be extracted after biomass hydrolysis. Such enzyme recovery was recently demonstrated using enzymogel nanoparticles with grafted polymer brushes loaded with cellulases. In this work, cellulase (NS50013) and β-glucosidase (Novozyme 188) were immobilized on enzymogels made of poly(acrylic acid) polymer brushes grafted to the surface of silica nanoparticles. Response surface methodology was used to model effects of pH and temperature on hydrolysis and recovery of free and attached enzymes. Hydrolysis yields using both enzymogels and free cellulase and β-glucosidase were highest at the maximum temperature tested, 50 °C. The optimal pH for cellulase enzymogels and free enzyme was 5.0 and 4.4, respectively, while both free β-glucosidase and enzymogels had an optimal pH near 4.4. Highest hydrolysis sugar concentrations with cellulase and β-glucosidase enzymogels were 69 and 53 % of those with free enzymes, respectively. Enzyme recovery using enzymogels decreased with increasing pH, but cellulase recovery remained greater than 88 % throughout the operating range of pH values less than 5.0 and was greater than 95 % at pH values below 4.3. Recovery of β-glucosidase enzymogels was not affected by temperature and had little impact on cellulase recovery.

pH dominates variation in tropical soil archaeal diversity and community structure.

PubMed

Tripathi, Binu M; Kim, Mincheol; Lai-Hoe, Ang; Shukor, Nor A A; Rahim, Raha A; Go, Rusea; Adams, Jonathan M

2013-11-01

Little is known of the factors influencing soil archaeal community diversity and composition in the tropics. We sampled soils across a range of forest and nonforest environments in the equatorial tropics of Malaysia, covering a wide range of pH values. DNA was PCR-amplified for the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene, and 454-pyrosequenced. Soil pH was the best predictor of diversity and community composition of Archaea, being a stronger predictor than land use. Archaeal OTU richness was highest in the most acidic soils. Overall archaeal abundance in tropical soils (determined by qPCR) also decreased at higher pH. This contrasts with the opposite trend previously found in temperate soils. Thaumarcheota group 1.1b was more abundant in alkaline soils, whereas group 1.1c was only detected in acidic soils. These results parallel those found in previous studies in cooler climates, emphasizing niche conservatism among broad archaeal groups. Among the most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs), there was clear evidence of niche partitioning by pH. No individual OTU occurred across the entire range of pH values. Overall, the results of this study show that pH plays a major role in structuring tropical soil archaeal communities. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differentiating Calcium Oxalate and Hydroxyapatite Stones In Vivo Using Dual-Energy CT and Urine Supersaturation and pH Values

PubMed Central

Liu, Yu; Qu, Mingliang; Carter, Rickey E.; Leng, Shuai; Ramirez-Giraldo, Juan Carlos; Jaramillo, Giselle; Krambeck, Amy E.; Lieske, John C.; Vrtiska, Terri J.; McCollough, Cynthia H.

2014-01-01

Rationale and Objectives Knowledge of urinary stone composition can guide therapeutic intervention for patients with calcium oxalate (CaOx) or hydroxyapatite (HA) stones. In this study, we determined the accuracy of noninvasive differentiation of these two stone types using dual-energy CT (DECT) and urine supersaturation (SS) and pH values. Materials and Methods Patients who underwent clinically indicated DECT scanning for stone disease and subsequent surgical intervention were enrolled. Stone composition was determined using infrared spectroscopy. DECT images were processed using custom-developed software that evaluated the ratio of CT numbers between low- and high-energy images. Clinical information, including patient age, gender, and urine pH and supersaturation profile, was obtained from electronic medical records. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to determine if the ratio of CT numbers could discriminate CaOx from HA stones alone or in conjunction with urine supersaturation and pH. Results Urinary stones (CaOx n = 43, HA n = 18) from 61 patients were included in this study. In a univariate model, DECT data, urine SS-HA, and urine pH had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66–0.91, P = .016), 0.76 (95%CI 0.61–0.91, P = .003), and 0.60 (95% CI 0.44–0.75, P = .20), respectively, for predicting stone composition. The combination of CT data and the urinary SS-HA had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.79 (95%CI 0.66–0.92, P = .007) for correctly differentiating these two stone types. Conclusions DECT differentiated between CaOx and HA stones similarly to SS-HA, whereas pH was a poor discriminator. The combination of DECT and urine SS or pH data did not improve this performance. PMID:24200478

Strategies for enhanced deammonification performance and reduced nitrous oxide emissions.

PubMed

Leix, Carmen; Drewes, Jörg E; Ye, Liu; Koch, Konrad

2017-07-01

Deammonification's performance and associated nitrous oxide emissions (N 2 O) depend on operational conditions. While studies have investigated factors for high performances and low emissions separately, this study investigated optimizing deammonification performance while simultaneously reducing N 2 O emissions. Using a design of experiment (DoE) method, two models were developed for the prediction of the nitrogen removal rate and N 2 O emissions during single-stage deammonification considering three operational factors (i.e., pH value, feeding and aeration strategy). The emission factor varied between 0.7±0.5% and 4.1±1.2% at different DoE-conditions. The nitrogen removal rate was predicted to be maximized at settings of pH 7.46, intermittent feeding and aeration. Conversely, emissions were predicted to be minimized at the design edges at pH 7.80, single feeding, and continuous aeration. Results suggested a weak positive correlation between the nitrogen removal rate and N 2 O emissions, thus, a single optimizing operational set-point for maximized performance and minimized emissions did not exist. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodegradability and toxicity assessment of a real textile wastewater effluent treated by an optimized electrocoagulation process.

PubMed

Manenti, Diego R; Módenes, Aparecido N; Soares, Petrick A; Boaventura, Rui A R; Palácio, Soraya M; Borba, Fernando H; Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando R; Bergamasco, Rosângela; Vilar, Vítor J P

2015-01-01

In this work, the application of an iron electrode-based electrocoagulation (EC) process on the treatment of a real textile wastewater (RTW) was investigated. In order to perform an efficient integration of the EC process with a biological oxidation one, an enhancement in the biodegradability and low toxicity of final compounds was sought. Optimal values of EC reactor operation parameters (pH, current density and electrolysis time) were achieved by applying a full factorial 3(3) experimental design. Biodegradability and toxicity assays were performed on treated RTW samples obtained at the optimal values of: pH of the solution (7.0), current density (142.9 A m(-2)) and different electrolysis times. As response variables for the biodegradability and toxicity assessment, the Zahn-Wellens test (Dt), the ratio values of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) relative to low-molecular-weight carboxylates anions (LMCA) and lethal concentration 50 (LC50) were used. According to the Dt, the DOC/LMCA ratio and LC50, an electrolysis time of 15 min along with the optimal values of pH and current density were suggested as suitable for a next stage of treatment based on a biological oxidation process.

Production of volatile fatty acids from sewage organic matter by combined bioflocculation and alkaline fermentation.

PubMed

Khiewwijit, Rungnapha; Temmink, Hardy; Labanda, Alvaro; Rijnaarts, Huub; Keesman, Karel J

2015-12-01

This study explored the potential of volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from sewage by a combined high-loaded membrane bioreactor and sequencing batch fermenter. VFA production was optimized with respect to SRT and alkaline pH (pH 8-10). Application of pH shock to a value of 9 at the start of a sequencing batch cycle, followed by a pH uncontrolled phase for 7days, gave the highest VFA yield of 440mgVFA-COD/g VSS. This yield was much higher than at fermentation without pH control or at a constant pH between 8 and 10. The high yield in the pH 9 shocked system could be explained by (1) a reduction of methanogenic activity, or (2) a high degree of solids degradation or (3) an enhanced protein hydrolysis and fermentation. VFA production can be further optimized by fine-tuning pH level and longer operation, possibly allowing enrichment of alkalophilic and alkali-tolerant fermenting microorganisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Passive aerobic treatment of net-alkaline, iron-laden drainage from a flooded underground anthracite mine, Pennsylvania, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta, C.A.

2007-01-01

This report evaluates the results of a continuous 4.5-day laboratory aeration experiment and the first year of passive, aerobic treatment of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) from a typical flooded underground anthracite mine in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. During 1991-2006, the AMD source, locally known as the Otto Discharge, had flows from 20 to 270 L/s (median 92 L/s) and water quality that was consistently suboxic (median 0.9 mg/L O2) and circumneutral (pH ??? 6.0; net alkalinity >10) with moderate concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese and low concentrations of dissolved aluminum (medians of 11, 2.2, and <0.2 mg/L, respectively). In 2001, the laboratory aeration experiment demonstrated rapid oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe 2+) without supplemental alkalinity; the initial Fe2+ concentration of 16.4 mg/L decreased to less than 0.5 mg/L within 24 h; pH values increased rapidly from 5.8 to 7.2, ultimately attaining a steady-state value of 7.5. The increased pH coincided with a rapid decrease in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) from an initial value of 10 -1.1atm to a steady-state value of 10-3.1atm. From these results, a staged aerobic treatment system was conceptualized consisting of a 2 m deep pond with innovative aeration and recirculation to promote rapid oxidation of Fe2+, two 0.3 m deep wetlands to facilitate iron solids removal, and a supplemental oxic limestone drain for dissolved manganese and trace-metal removal. The system was constructed, but without the aeration mechanism, and began operation in June 2005. During the first 12 months of operation, estimated detention times in the treatment system ranged from 9 to 38 h. However, in contrast with 80-100% removal of Fe2+ over similar elapsed times during the laboratory aeration experiment, the treatment system typically removed less than 35% of the influent Fe2+. Although concentrations of dissolved CO2 decreased progressively within the treatment system, the PCO2 values for treated effluent remained elevated (10-2.4 to 10-1.7atm). The elevated PCO 2 maintained the pH within the system at values less than 7 and hence slowed the rate of Fe2+ oxidation compared to the aeration experiment. Kinetic models of Fe2+ oxidation that consider effects of pH and dissolved O2 were incorporated in the geochemical computer program PHREEQC to evaluate the effects of detention time, pH, and other variables on Fe2+ oxidation and removal rates. These models and the laboratory aeration experiment indicate that performance of this and other aerobic wetlands for treatment of net-alkaline AMD could be improved by aggressive, continuous aeration in the initial stage to decrease PCO 2, increase pH, and accelerate Fe2+ oxidation. ?? 2007 Springer-Verlag.

Enzyme-regulated the changes of pH values for assembling a colorimetric and multistage interconnection logic network with multiple readouts.

PubMed

Huang, Yanyan; Ran, Xiang; Lin, Youhui; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

2015-04-22

Based on enzymatic reactions-triggered changes of pH values and biocomputing, a novel and multistage interconnection biological network with multiple easy-detectable signal outputs has been developed. Compared with traditional chemical computing, the enzyme-based biological system could overcome the interference between reactions or the incompatibility of individual computing gates and offer a unique opportunity to assemble multicomponent/multifunctional logic circuitries. Our system included four enzyme inputs: β-galactosidase (β-gal), glucose oxidase (GOx), esterase (Est) and urease (Ur). With the assistance of two signal transducers (gold nanoparticles and acid-base indicators) or pH meter, the outputs of the biological network could be conveniently read by the naked eyes. In contrast to current methods, the approach present here could realize cost-effective, label-free and colorimetric logic operations without complicated instrument. By designing a series of Boolean logic operations, we could logically make judgment of the compositions of the samples on the basis of visual output signals. Our work offered a promising paradigm for future biological computing technology and might be highly useful in future intelligent diagnostics, prodrug activation, smart drug delivery, process control, and electronic applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion is preserved in young patients with pulmonary hypertension except when associated with repaired congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Hauck, Amanda; Guo, Ruixin; Ivy, D Dunbar; Younoszai, Adel

2017-04-01

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is a measure of right ventricular (RV) longitudinal function that correlates with functional status and mortality in adults with pulmonary hypertension (PH). The diagnostic and predictive value of TAPSE in children with PH has not been fully examined. We aimed to define TAPSE across aetiologies of paediatric PH and assess the correlation between TAPSE and measures of disease severity. TAPSE measurements were obtained in 84 children and young adults undergoing treatment for PH and 315 healthy children to establish z-scores at moderate altitude for comparison. The relationships between TAPSE and echocardiographic, biomarker, and functional measures of disease severity between aetiologies were assessed. TAPSE z-scores in PH patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) repaired with open cardiac surgery (n = 20, mean -2.73) were significantly decreased compared with normal children and patients with other aetiologies of PH (P < 0.001) but did not reflect poorer clinical status. TAPSE z-scores in children with idiopathic PH (n = 29, -0.41), unrepaired CHD (n = 11, -0.1), and PH related to systemic disease (n = 14, -0.39) were not different from normal. TAPSE correlated modestly with brain natriuretic peptide, echocardiographic function parameters, and functional class except in patients with repaired CHD. Children with PH maintain normal TAPSE values early except when associated with repaired CHD. Superior RV adaptation to high afterload in children compared with adults may account for this finding. Reduced TAPSE after repair of CHD does not correlate with functional status and may reflect post-operative changes rather than poor function primarily due to PH. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Molecular adsorption at electrolyte/α-Al2O3 interface of aluminum electrolytic capacitor revealed by sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy.

PubMed

Jia, Ming; Hu, Xiaoyu; Liu, Jin; Liu, Yexiang; Ai, Liang

2017-05-21

The operating voltage of an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is determined by the breakdown voltage (U b ) of the Al 2 O 3 anode. U b is related to the molecular adsorption at the Al 2 O 3 /electrolyte interface. Therefore, we have employed sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS) to study the adsorption states of a simple electrolyte, ethylene glycol (EG) solution with ammonium adipate, on an α-Al 2 O 3 surface. In an acidic electrolyte (pH < 6), the Al 2 O 3 surface is positively charged. The observed SFVS spectra show that long chain molecules poly ethylene glycol and ethylene glycol adipate adopt a "lying" orientation at the interface. In an alkaline electrolyte (pH > 8), the Al 2 O 3 surface is negatively charged and the short chain EG molecules adopt a "tilting" orientation. The U b results exhibit a much higher value at pH < 6 compared with that at pH > 8. Since the "lying" long chain molecules cover and protect the Al 2 O 3 surface, U b increases with a decrease of pH. These findings provide new insights to study the breakdown mechanisms and to develop new electrolytes for high operating voltage capacitors.

PROTOPLASMIC POTENTIALS IN HALICYSTIS

PubMed Central

Blinks, L. R.

1933-01-01

The nature and origin of the large "protoplasmic" potential in Halicystis must be studied by altering conditions, not only in external solutions, but in the sap and the protoplasm itself. Such interior alteration caused by the penetration of ammonia is described. Concentrations of NH4Cl in the sea water were varied from 0.00001 M to above 0.01 M. At pH 8.1 there is little effect below 0.0005 M NH4Cl. At about 0.001 M a sudden reversal of the potential difference across the protoplasm occurs, from about 68 mv. outside positive to 30 to 40 mv. outside negative. At this threshold value the time curve is characteristically S-shaped, with a slow beginning, a rapid reversal, and then an irregularly wavering negative value. There are characteristic cusps at the first application of the NH4Cl, also immediately after the reversal. The application of higher NH4Cl concentrations causes a more rapid reversal, and also a somewhat higher negative value. Conversely the reduction of NH4Cl concentrations causes recovery of the normal positive potential, but the threshold for recovery is at a lower concentration than for the original reversal. A temporary overshooting or increase of the positive potential usually occurs on recovery. The reversals may be repeated many times on the same cell without injury. The plot of P.D. against the log of ammonium ion concentration is not the straight line characteristic of ionic concentration effects, but has a break of 100 mv. or more at the threshold value. Further evidence that the potential is not greatly influenced by ammonium ions is obtained by altering the pH of the sea water. At pH 5, no reversal occurs with 0.1 M NH4Cl, while at pH 10.3, the NH4Cl threshold is 0.0001 M or less. This indicates that the reversal is due to undissociated ammonia. The penetration of NH3 into the cells increases both the internal ammonia and the pH. The actual concentration of ammonium salt in the sap is again shown to have little effect on the P.D. The pH is therefore the governing factor. But assuming that NH3 enters the cells until it is in equilibrium between sap and sea water, no sudden break of pH should occur, pH being instead directly proportional to log NH3 for any constant (NH4) concentration. Experimentally, a linear relation is found between the pH of the sap and the log NH3 in sea water. The sudden change of P.D. must therefore be ascribed to some system in the cell upon which the pH change operates. The pH value of the sap at the NH3 threshold is between 6.0 and 6.5 which corresponds well with the pH value found to cause reversal of P.D. by direct perfusion of solutions in the vacuole. PMID:19872757

Microbial fuel cell as power supply for implantable medical devices: a novel configuration design for simulating colonic environment.

PubMed

Dong, Kun; Jia, Boyang; Yu, Chaoling; Dong, Wenbo; Du, Fangzhou; Liu, Hong

2013-03-15

This study focused on providing power for implantable medical devices (IMDs) using a microbial fuel cell (MFC) implanted in human transverse colon. Considering the condition of colonic environment, a continuous-flow single-chamber MFC without membrane was set up. The performance of the MFC was investigated. The power output of 1.6 mW under the steady state was not rich enough for some high energy-consuming IMDs. Moreover, the parameters of the simulated colonic environment, such as pH and ORP value, varied along with the time. Hence, a new MFC configuration was developed. In this novel model, pH transducers were placed in cathodic and anodic areas, so as to regulate the reactor operation timely via external intervention. And two ORP transducers were inserted next to the pH transducers, for monitoring and adjusting the MFC operation efficiently. Besides, colonic haustra were designed in order to increase the difference between cathodic and anodic areas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined effect of pH and heating conditions on the physical properties of Alaska pollock surimi gels.

PubMed

Lee, Myeong Gi; Yoon, Won Byong; Park, Jae W

2017-06-01

Physical properties of Alaska pollock surimi paste were investigated as affected by pH (4.0 and 6.0-10.0) and heating conditions (slow and fast). The highest values of gel strength and deformability, as shown by breaking force and penetration distance, were obtained at pH 7.5-8.0, while the lowest values were at pH 10.0 followed by pH 6.0 and pH 6.5, respectively. Two-step slow heating process increased the breaking strength value nearly two times higher than one-step fast heating. The effect of pH was strikingly high at pH 7.5 when gels were prepared using 2-step heating, indicating the pH dependence of endogenous transglutaminase. However, the highest gel strength was obtained at pH 8.0 when gels were prepared in fast heating. Whiteness value (L - 3b*) increased significantly (p < .05) as pH increased from 6.0 to 6.5, but thereafter decreased significantly (p < .05) as pH increased. L* value (lightness) and b* value (yellowness) continuously decreased as the pH is shifted from 6.0 to 10. Fast heated gels showed the lowest yellowness, resulting in whiter appearance, probably due to the effect of reduced browning reaction. The uniqueness of this study was to measure the combined effect of pH and heating conditions on the gel texture and color. There were various studies dealing with pH or heating conditions independently. As the primary character for surimi seafood is gel texture and color. The highest values of gel strength and deformability, as shown by breaking force and penetration distance, were obtained at pH 7.5-8.0, while the lowest values were at pH 10.0 followed by pH 6.0 and pH 6.5, respectively. Two-step slow heating process increased the breaking strength value nearly two times higher than one-step fast heating. Whiteness value (L - 3b*) increased significantly as pH increased from 6.0 to 6.5, but thereafter decreased significantly as pH increased. L* value (lightness) and b* value (yellowness) continuously decreased as the pH is shifted from 6.0 to 10. Fast heated gels showed the lowest yellowness, resulting in whiter appearance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effects of electrolysis on operational solutions in electromembrane extraction: The role of acceptor solution.

PubMed

Kubáň, Pavel; Boček, Petr

2015-06-12

Fundamental operational principle and instrumental set-up of electromembrane extraction (EME) suggest that electrolysis may play an important role in this recently developed micro-extraction technique. In the present study, the effect of electrolysis in EME is described comprehensively for the first time and it is demonstrated that electrolysis considerably influences EME performance. Micro-electromembrane extraction (μ-EME) across free liquid membrane formed by 1-pentanol was utilized for real-time monitoring of the electrolytically induced changes in composition of μ-EME solutions. These changes were visualized with a set of acid-base indicators. Changes in colours of their aqueous solutions revealed serious variations in their pH values, which occurred within seconds to minutes of the μ-EME process. Variations of up to eight pH units were observed for indicator solutions initially prepared in 1, 5 and 10mM hydrochloric acid. No or only negligible pH changes (less than 0.15 pH unit) were observed for indicator solutions prepared in 50 and 100mM acetic acid demonstrating that initial composition of the aqueous solutions was the crucial parameter. These results were also confirmed by theoretical calculations of maximum pH variations in the solutions, which were based on total electric charge transfers measured in the μ-EME systems, and by exact measurements of their pH values after μ-EMEs. Acceptor solutions that, in the current practice, consist predominantly of low concentrations of strong mineral acids or alkali hydroxides may thus not always ensure adequate EME performance, which was manifested by decrease in extraction recoveries of a basic drug papaverine. A suitable remedy to the observed effects is the application of acceptor solutions containing high concentrations of weak acids or bases. These solutions not only eliminate the decrease in recoveries but also serve well as matrices of extracted samples for subsequent analysis by capillary electrophoresis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The comparison of umbilical cord arterial blood lactate and pH values for predicting short-term neonatal outcomes.

PubMed

Einikyte, Ruta; Snieckuviene, Vilija; Ramasauskaite, Diana; Panaviene, Jurate; Paliulyte, Virginija; Opolskiene, Gina; Kazenaite, Edita

2017-12-01

Current clinical practice of assessing neonatal condition is based on evaluation of umbilical cord arterial blood pH value rather than lactate. However, evidence shows that lactate is direct and more predictive measurement than pH or at least of equal importance. This study is to assess and compare umbilical cord arterial lactate and pH values for predicting short-term neonatal outcomes. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the tertiary level hospital, were arterial umbilical cord blood sampling was collected according to the standard procedures. Neonatal morbidity was registered if at least one of the following conditions was noted: Apgar score at 1 min after delivery was 6 or lower, resuscitation performed, including assisted ventilation and requirement of admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Mothers-newborns pairs were allocated into two groups: newborns exposed to perinatal hypoxia (group 1) and observed as healthy newborns (group 2). Receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC) were generated to assess the predictive ability of pH and lactate for the short-term neonatal outcomes. 901 neonates born at ≥37 weeks of gestation were included. Newborns exposed to perinatal hypoxia (group 1) encompassed 39 (4.3%) patients, and observed as healthy (group 2) - 862 (95.7%). Arterial umbilical cord blood pH in group 1 was 7.160 ± 0.126 as compared to 7.314 ± 0.083 in group 2; p < 0.001. Mean arterial lactate was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2 (6.423 ± 2.335 as compared to 3.600 ± 1.833; p < 0.001). The difference between areas under ROC curves representing pH and lactate was not significant (0.848 and 0.831 respectively; p = 0.6132). Umbilical cord arterial lactate and pH predicted short-term neonatal outcomes with similar efficacies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Formation of aerobic granular sludge and the influence of the pH on sludge characteristics in a SBR fed with brewery/bottling plant wastewater.

PubMed

Stes, Hannah; Aerts, Sven; Caluwé, Michel; Dobbeleers, Thomas; Wuyts, Sander; Kiekens, Filip; D'aes, Jolien; De Langhe, Piet; Dries, Jan

2018-05-01

A laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated for 450 days to assess aerobic granule formation when treating brewery/bottling plant wastewater by consistent application of a feast/famine regime. The experiment was divided into three major periods according to the different operational conditions: (I) no pH control and strong fluctuations in organic loading rate (OLR) (1.18 ± 0.25 kgCOD·(m 3 ·day) -1 ), (II) pH control and aeration control strategy to reduce OLR fluctuations (1.45 ± 0.65 kgCOD·(m 3 ·day) -1 ) and (III) no pH control and stable OLR (1.42 ± 0.18 kgCOD·(m 3 ·day) -1 ). Aerobic granule formation was successful after 80 days and maintained during the subsequent 380 days. The aerobic granular sludge was characterized by SVI 5 and SVI 30 values below 60 mL.g -1 and dominated by granular, dense structures. An oxygen uptake rate based aeration control strategy insured endogenous respiration at the end of the aerobic phase, resulting in stable SBR operation when the influent composition fluctuated. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction results show no significant enrichment of Accumulibacter or Competibacter during the granulation process. The 16S rRNA sequencing results indicate enrichment of other, possibly important species during aerobic granule formation while treating brewery wastewaters.

Characterizing the variation in pH measurements with apheresis platelets.

PubMed

Moroff, Gary; Seetharaman, Shalini; Kurtz, James; Wagner, Stephen J

2011-11-01

pH measurements of platelet (PLT) components remain a key parameter when assessing how storage and shipping conditions influence the retention of PLT properties. Studies were conducted to characterize variations in pH measured with two pH meters and a blood gas analyzer. Samples were obtained from apheresis PLT units that were stored with or without continuous agitation to measure a range of pH values. pH values were determined with pH meters at room temperature (20-24°C) upon placing of samples in 5-mL sterile polypropylene tubes and with the blood gas analyzer at 37°C upon injection of identical samples, with conversion to 22°C. The calculated coefficient of variation (%CV) of pH measurements using pH meters (n = 10) was 0.43% or less. The %CV values were comparable with different samples having pH values ranging from 6.0 to 7.4. The %CV levels with the blood gas analyzer were comparable to those observed with the pH meters. The difference in the mean pH values for the two pH meters was no greater than 0.10 units, with 9 of 10 samples having differences in values of 0.05 or less; however, greater differences of values (0.1 to 0.2) were observed between pH measured using the blood gas analyzer and pH meters. Our data show good precision and comparability of pH measurements with two pH meters. Differences in pH values were greater on comparison of the blood gas analyzer with the pH meters. © 2011 American Association of Blood Banks.

Update to Millstone 3 elevated pH tests

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

Bergmann, C.A.; Perock, J.D.; Hudson, M.J.B.

1995-03-01

In view of the potential radiological benefits of elevated coolant pH operation, Northwest Utilities (NU), in support of an EPRI-Westinghouse program, agreed to operate the Millstone 3 plant at the start of its second fuel cycle as a demonstration of the effect of elevated coolant pH on out-of-core radiation fields. Operating with an elevated pH is defined as operating with an average lithium concentration of 3.35 ppm, until reaching an end of cycle pH of 7.2 or 7.4. The plant operated during its second and third cycles with an elevated coolant pH. The end of cycle pH during the secondmore » cycle was 7.4, and 7.2 during the third cycle. (During the first cycle, operation was with a coordinated pH of 7.0). Evaluation of the dose rate trends in Millstone 3 after two cycles of elevated coolant pH operation concluded that an elevated coolant pH resulted in a 15 percent lower component dose rate compared to other plants that operated with coordinated pH 6.9. However, due to a possible increase in fuel clad corrosion, operation during cycle 4 was restricted to pH 6.9 coordinated chemistry, with the exception of the last two months during which the pH increased to 7.35. At the end of cycle 4 (EOC4), there was a greater increase in component and crud trap dose rates than expected. This paper reviews the radiological trends in the plant and discusses the potential causes for the increase in the dose rates at EOC4.« less

Optimization of biogenic methane production from coal

DOE PAGES

Fuertez, John; Nguyen, Van; McLennan, John D.; ...

2017-09-29

Given continuously increasing global energy needs, diversified efforts have been made to find and exploit new natural gas resources. These include coalbed methane (CBM), which represents an important global, unconventional source of natural gas. Efforts have been underway for some time to more effectively generate methane in-situ in coal plays by introduction of nutrients and/or microbial consortia. However, much is still to be learned about the limitations and environmental conditions that support microbial growth and are conducive to biogenic methane production from coal. Here we evaluated environmental conditions that led to increased methane production from subbituminous coal by introducing amore » foreign methanogenic consortium that included Methanobacterium sp. Furthermore, we used a central composite design (CCD) to explore a broad range of operational conditions, examine the effects of the important environmental factors, such as temperature, pH and salt concentration, and query a feasible region of operation to maximize methane production from coal. An anticipated detrimental effect of NaCl concentration on methane production was observed for the consortium assessed. The range of feasible operational conditions comprised initial pH values between 4.2 and 6.8, temperatures between 23 °C and 37 °C, and NaCl concentrations between 3.7 mg/cm 3 and 9.0 mg/cm 3. Coal biogasification was optimal for this consortium at an initial pH value of 5.5, at 30 °C, and at a NaCl concentration 3.7 mg/cm 3 (i.e., 145,165 ppm, which is 25.6 sft 3/ton).« less

Optimization of biogenic methane production from coal

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

Fuertez, John; Nguyen, Van; McLennan, John D.

Given continuously increasing global energy needs, diversified efforts have been made to find and exploit new natural gas resources. These include coalbed methane (CBM), which represents an important global, unconventional source of natural gas. Efforts have been underway for some time to more effectively generate methane in-situ in coal plays by introduction of nutrients and/or microbial consortia. However, much is still to be learned about the limitations and environmental conditions that support microbial growth and are conducive to biogenic methane production from coal. Here we evaluated environmental conditions that led to increased methane production from subbituminous coal by introducing amore » foreign methanogenic consortium that included Methanobacterium sp. Furthermore, we used a central composite design (CCD) to explore a broad range of operational conditions, examine the effects of the important environmental factors, such as temperature, pH and salt concentration, and query a feasible region of operation to maximize methane production from coal. An anticipated detrimental effect of NaCl concentration on methane production was observed for the consortium assessed. The range of feasible operational conditions comprised initial pH values between 4.2 and 6.8, temperatures between 23 °C and 37 °C, and NaCl concentrations between 3.7 mg/cm 3 and 9.0 mg/cm 3. Coal biogasification was optimal for this consortium at an initial pH value of 5.5, at 30 °C, and at a NaCl concentration 3.7 mg/cm 3 (i.e., 145,165 ppm, which is 25.6 sft 3/ton).« less

Removal of mercury from its aqueous solution using charcoal-immobilized papain (CIP).

PubMed

Dutta, Susmita; Bhattacharyya, Aparupa; De, Parameswar; Ray, Parthasarathi; Basu, Srabanti

2009-12-30

In the present work mercury has been eradicated from its aqueous solution using papain, immobilized on activated charcoal by physical adsorption method. Operating parameters for adsorption of papain on activated charcoal like pH, amount of activated charcoal, initial concentration of papain in solution have been varied in a suitable manner for standardization of operating conditions for obtaining the best immobilized papain sample based on their specific enzymatic activity. The immobilized papain sample obtained at initial papain concentration 40.0 g/L, activated charcoal amount 0.5 g and pH 7 shows the best specific enzymatic activity. This sample has been designated as charcoal-immobilized papain (CIP) and used for further studies of mercury removal. Adsorption equilibrium data fit most satisfactorily with the Langmuir isotherm model for adsorption of papain on activated charcoal. Physicochemical characterization of CIP has been done. The removal of mercury from its simulated solution of mercuric chloride using CIP has been studied in a lab-scale batch contactor. The operating parameters viz., the initial concentration of mercury in solution, amount of CIP and pH have been varied in a prescribed manner. Maximum removal achieved in the batch study was about 99.4% at pH 7, when initial metal concentration and weight of CIP were 20.0mg/L and 0.03 g respectively. Finally, the study of desorption of mercury has been performed at different pH values for assessment of recovery process of mercury. The results thus obtained have been found to be satisfactory.

Biofiltration of high formaldehyde loads with ozone additions in long-term operation.

PubMed

Maldonado-Diaz, G; Arriaga, S

2015-01-01

Formaldehyde (FA) biofiltration was evaluated over 310 days with and without ozone addition. Without ozone, the biofilter was able to treat formaldehyde at inlet loads (ILs) lower than 40 g m(-3) h(-1), maintaining, under this condition, an average removal efficiency (RE) of 88 % for a few days before collapsing to zero. The continuous addition of ozone (90 ppbv) helped to recover the RE from zero to 98 ± 2 % and made it possible to operate at an IL of 40 g m(-3) h(-1) for long periods of operation (107 days). Furthermore, the ozone addition aided in operating the biofilter at a formaldehyde IL of up to 120 g m(-3) h(-1) values that have never before been reached. GC-mass spectrometry (MS) analysis showed that dimethoxymethane was the common compound in leachate during the performance decay. Also, the addition of ozone aided in maintaining an optimal pH in the biofilter with values between 7.5 and 8.2, due to the carbonate species formed during the ozone reactions with formaldehyde and its by-products. Thus, the pH control was confirmed and the alkalinity of the biofilter increased from 334.1 ± 100.3 to 1450 ± 127 mg CaCO3 L(-1) when ozone was added. Ozone addition diminished the exopolymeric substances (EPS) content of biofilm and biofilm thickness without affecting cell viability. Kinetic parameters suggested that the best conditions for carrying out FA biofiltration were reached under ozone addition. The addition of ozone during formaldehyde biofiltration could be a good strategy to maintain the pH and the steady state of the system under high ILs and for long periods of operation.

Evaluation of the Eureka Manta2 Water-Quality Multiprobe Sonde

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Evan F.

2017-11-08

Two Eureka Manta2 3.5 water-quality multiprobe sondes by Eureka Water Probes were tested at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) against known standards over the sonde operating temperatures to verify the manufacturer’s stated accuracy specifications for pH, specific conductance (SC) at 25 degrees Celsius (°C), dissolved oxygen (DO), and turbidity. The Manta2 sondes were evaluated for compliance with the USGS National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (NFM) criteria for continuous water-quality monitors, and for compliance with the manufacturer’s technical specifications. The Manta2 was also evaluated for its compliance to Serial Digital Interface at 1200 baud (SDI-12) version 1.3.The Manta2 met the NFM recommendations and manufacturer’s accuracy specifications for DO and turbidity at all values tested. The Manta2 pH sensors met the NFM recommendations and manufacturer’s accuracy specification for nominal pH values of 10 and lower. One of the two sensors was out of compliance by 1.2 units for pH 11.16 at 15 °C and by 0.25 unit for pH 10.78 at 40 °C. The Manta2 sensors were within the NFM recommendations for SC, except at 100 microsiemens (μS/cm) at 40 °C, where the SC sensor exceeded the test standard value by as much as 25 percent. One of two sensors was within manufacturer’s accuracy specifications at 25 °C for all the tested SC values, while the other SC sensor was outside the manufacturer’s accuracy specifications at 100 μS/cm, exceeding the test standard value by 9 percent. One of two sensors was outside the manufacturer’s accuracy specifications at 10,000 μS/cm at 15°C, exceeding the test standard value by 3 percent. One Manta2 passed SDI-12 compliance testing with a NR Systems SDI-12 Verifier. One Manta2 was field tested for 6 weeks at USGS station 02492620, National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL) Station, Mississippi, on the Pearl River and showed overall good agreement with a well-maintained Hydrolab Datasonde 5X site sonde for water temperature, pH, and DO. Differences in SC values between the Manta2 and the site sonde were most likely due to differences in the deployment depth of the sondes.

Regulation of H+ Extrusion and Cytoplasmic pH in Maize Root Tips Acclimated to a Low-Oxygen Environment.

PubMed

Xia, J. H.; Roberts, JKM.

1996-05-01

We tested the hypothesis that H+ extrusion contributes to cytoplasmic pH regulation and tolerance of anoxia in maize (Zea mays) root tips. We studied root tips of whole seedlings that were acclimated to a low-oxygen environment by pretreatment in 3% (v/v) O2. Acclimated root tips characteristically regulate cytoplasmic pH near neutrality and survive prolonged anoxia, whereas nonacclimated tips undergo severe cytoplasmic acidosis and die much more quickly. We show that the plasma membrane H+-ATPase can operate under anoxia and that net H+ extrusion increases when cytoplasmic pH falls. However, at an external pH near 6.0, H+ extrusion contributes little to cytoplasmic pH regulation. At more acidic external pH values, net H+ flux into root tips increases dramatically, leading to a decrease in cytoplasmic pH and reduced tolerance of anoxia. We present evidence that, under these conditions, H+ pumps are activated to partly offset acidosis due to H+ influx and, thereby, contribute to cytoplasmic pH regulation and tolerance of anoxia. The regulation of H+ extrusion under anoxia is discussed with respect to the acclimation response and mechanisms of intracellular pH regulation in aerobic plant cells.

Cementitious porous pavement in stormwater quality control: pH and alkalinity elevation.

PubMed

Kuang, Xuheng; Sansalone, John

2011-01-01

A certain level of alkalinity acts as a buffer and maintains the pH value in a stable range in water bodies. With rapid urban development, more and more acidic pollutants flow to watersheds with runoff and drop alkalinity to a very low level and ultimately degrade the water environment. Cementitious porous pavement is an effective tool for stormwater acidic neutralization. When stormwater infiltrates cement porous pavement (CPP) materials, alkalinity and pH will be elevated due to the basic characteristics of cement concrete. The elevated alkalinity will neutralize acids in water bodies and maintain the pH in a stable level as a buffer. It is expected that CPP materials still have a certain capability of alkalinity elevation after years of service, which is important for CPP as an effective tool for stormwater management. However, few previous studies have reported on how CPP structures would elevate runoff alkalinity and pH after being exposed to rainfall-runoff for years. In this study, three groups of CPP specimens, all exposed to rainfall-runoff for 3 years, were used to test the pH and alkalinity elevation properties. It was found that runoff pH values were elevated from 7.4 to the range of 7.8-8.6 after infiltrating through the uncoated specimens, and from 7.4 to 8.5-10.7 after infiltrating through aluminum-coated specimens. Runoff alkalinity elevation efficiencies are 11.5-14.5% for uncoated specimens and 42.2% for coated specimens. The study shows that CPP is an effective passive unit operation for stormwater acid neutralization in our built environment.

An amperometric biosensor for glucose detection from glucose oxidase immobilized in polyaniline-polyvinylsulfonate-potassium ferricyanide film.

PubMed

Arslan, Fatma; Beskan, Umut

2014-08-01

In this study, a novel amperometric glucose biosensor with immobilization of glucose oxidase on electrochemically polymerized polyaniline-polyvinylsulphonate-potassium ferricyanide (Pani-Pvs-Fc) films has been accomplished via the entrapment technique. Potassium ferricyanide was used as the mediator. Determination of glucose was carried out by the oxidation of potassium ferrocyanide at 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The effects of pH and temperature were investigated, and the optimum pH value was found to be 7.5. The storage stability and the operational stability of the enzyme electrode were also studied.

An implantable, batteryless, and wireless capsule with integrated impedance and pH sensors for gastroesophageal reflux monitoring.

PubMed

Cao, Hung; Landge, Vaibhav; Tata, Uday; Seo, Young-Sik; Rao, Smitha; Tang, Shou-Jiang; Tibbals, H F; Spechler, Stuart; Chiao, J-C

2012-11-01

In this study, a device for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) monitoring has been prototyped. The system consists of an implantable, batteryless and wireless transponder with integrated impedance and pH sensors; and a wearable, external reader that wirelessly powers up the transponder and interprets the transponded radio-frequency signals. The transponder implant with the total size of 0.4 cm × 0.8 cm × 3.8 cm harvests radio frequency energy to operate dual-sensor and load-modulation circuitry. The external reader can store the data in a memory card and/or send it to a base station wirelessly, which is optional in the case of multiple-patient monitoring in a hospital or conducting large-scale freely behaving animal experiments. Tests were carried out to verify the signal transduction reliability in different situations for antenna locations and orientation. In vitro, experiments were conducted in a mannequin model by positioning the sensor capsule inside the wall of a tube mimicking the esophagus. Different liquids with known pH values were flushed through the tube creating reflux episodes and wireless signals were recorded. Live pigs under anesthesia were used for the animal models with the transponder implant attached on the esophageal wall. The reflux episodes were created while the sensor data were recorded wirelessly. The data were compared with those recorded independently by a clinically used wireless pH sensor capsule placed next to our implant transponder. The results showed that our transponder detected every episode in both acid and nonacid nature, while the commercial pH sensor missed events that had similar, repeated pH values, and failed to detect pH values higher than 10. Our batteryless transponder does not require a battery thus allowing longer diagnosis and prognosis periods to monitor drug efficacy, as well as providing accurate assessment of GERD symptoms.

Potassium extrusion by the moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic methanogen methanolobus taylorii GS-16 and homeostasis of cytosolic pH.

PubMed Central

Ni, S; Boone, J E; Boone, D R

1994-01-01

Methanolobus taylorii GS-16, a moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic methanogen, grows over a wide pH range, from 6.8 to 9.0. Cells suspended in medium with a pH above 8.2 reversed their transmembrane pH gradient (delta pH), making their cytosol more acidic than the medium. The decreased energy in the proton motive force due to the reversed delta pH was partly compensated by an increased electric membrane potential (delta psi). The cytosolic acidification by M. taylorii at alkaline pH values was accompanied by K+ extrusion. The cytosolic K+ concentration was 110 mM in cells suspended at pH 8.7, but it was 320 mM in cells suspended at neutral pH values. High external K+ concentrations (210 mM or higher) inhibited the growth of M. taylorii at alkaline pH values, perhaps by preventing K+ extrusion. Cells suspended at pH 8.5 and 300 mM external K+ failed to acidify their cytosol. The key observation indicative of the involvement of K+ transport in cytosolic acidification was that valinomycin (0.8 microM), a K+ uniporter, inhibited the growth of M. taylorii only at alkaline pH values. Experiments with resting cells indicated that at alkaline pH values valinomycin uncoupled catabolic reactions from ATP synthesis. Thus, K+/H+ antiport activity was proposed to account for the K+ extrusion and the uncoupling effect of valinomycin at alkaline pH values. Such antiport activity was demonstrated by the sharp drop in pH of the bulk medium of the cell suspension upon the addition of 0.1 M KCl. The antiporter appeared to be active only at alkaline pH values, which was in accordance with a possible role in pH homeostasis by M. taylorii growing at alkaline pH values. PMID:7961499

An ultrasensitive method of real time pH monitoring with complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor.

PubMed

Devadhasan, Jasmine Pramila; Kim, Sanghyo

2015-02-09

CMOS sensors are becoming a powerful tool in the biological and chemical field. In this work, we introduce a new approach on quantifying various pH solutions with a CMOS image sensor. The CMOS image sensor based pH measurement produces high-accuracy analysis, making it a truly portable and user friendly system. pH indicator blended hydrogel matrix was fabricated as a thin film to the accurate color development. A distinct color change of red, green and blue (RGB) develops in the hydrogel film by applying various pH solutions (pH 1-14). The semi-quantitative pH evolution was acquired by visual read out. Further, CMOS image sensor absorbs the RGB color intensity of the film and hue value converted into digital numbers with the aid of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to determine the pH ranges of solutions. Chromaticity diagram and Euclidean distance represent the RGB color space and differentiation of pH ranges, respectively. This technique is applicable to sense the various toxic chemicals and chemical vapors by situ sensing. Ultimately, the entire approach can be integrated into smartphone and operable with the user friendly manner. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Medium pH Value Enhances Anthocyanin Accumulation in Malus Crabapple Leaves

PubMed Central

Tian, Ji; Jin, Kaina; Yao, Yuncong

2014-01-01

Anthocyanin is a critical factor involved in coloration of plant tissues, but the mechanism how medium pH values affect anthocyanin accumulation in woody plants is unknown. We analyzed anthocyanin composition and the expression of elements encoding anthocyanin and flavonols biosynthesis underlying different medium pH values by using three different leave color type cultivars. HPLC analysis demonstrated that high medium pH values treatment induced a dramatic decrease in the concentration of cyaniding in crabapple leaves. Conversely, the high medium pH values induced up-regulation of the content of flavones and flavonols, suggesting that low pH treatment-induced anthocyanin accumulation. Quantitative real time PCR experiment showed the expression level of anthocyanidin synthase (McANS) and uridine diphosphate glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (McUFGT) was up-regulated by low pH values treatment, and high medium pH value treatment up-regulate the transcription level of flavonol synthase (McFLS). Meanwhile, several MYB TFs have been suggested in the regulation of pH responses. These results strongly indicate that the low pH treatment-induced anthocyanin accumulation is mediated by the variation of mRNA transcription of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. PMID:24914811

Process control, energy recovery and cost savings in acetic acid wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Vaiopoulou, E; Melidis, P; Aivasidis, A

2011-02-28

An anaerobic fixed bed loop (AFBL) reactor was applied for treatment of acetic acid (HAc) wastewater. Two pH process control concepts were investigated; auxostatic and chemostatic control. In the auxostatic pH control, feed pump is interrupted when pH falls below a certain pH value in the bioreactor, which results in reactor operation at maximum load. Chemostatic control assures alkaline conditions by setting a certain pH value in the influent, preventing initial reactor acidification. The AFBL reactor treated HAc wastewater at low hydraulic residence time (HRT) (10-12 h), performed at high space time loads (40-45 kg COD/m(3) d) and high space time yield (30-35 kg COD/m(3) d) to achieve high COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) removal (80%). Material and cost savings were accomplished by utilizing the microbial potential for wastewater neutralization during anaerobic treatment along with application of favourable pH-auxostatic control. NaOH requirement for neutralization was reduced by 75% and HRT was increased up to 20 h. Energy was recovered by applying costless CO(2) contained in the biogas for neutralization of alkaline wastewater. Biogas was enriched in methane by 4 times. This actually brings in more energy profits, since biogas extra heating for CO(2) content during biogas combustion is minimized and usage of other acidifying agents is omitted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting degradation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) by fluidized-bed Fenton process.

PubMed

Bellotindos, Luzvisminda M; Lu, Meng-Hsuan; Methatham, Thanakorn; Lu, Ming-Chun

2014-12-01

In this study, the target compound is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is used as a photoresist stripping solvent in the semiconductor and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) manufacturing processes. The effects of the operating parameters (pH, Fe(2+) and H2O2 concentrations) on the degradation of DMSO in the fluidized-bed Fenton process were examined. This study used the Box-Behnken design (BBD) to investigate the optimum conditions of DMSO degradation. The highest DMSO removal was 98 % for pH 3, when the H2O2 to Fe(2+) molar ratio was 12. At pH 2 and 4, the highest DMSO removal was 82 %, when the H2O2 to Fe(2+) molar ratio was 6.5. The correlation of DMSO removal showed that the effect of the parameters on DMSO removal followed the order Fe(2+) > H2O2 > pH. From the BBD prediction, the optimum conditions were pH 3, 5 mM of Fe(2+), and 60 mM of H2O2. The difference between the experimental value (98 %) and the predicted value (96 %) was not significant. The removal efficiencies of DMSO, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and iron in the fluidized-bed Fenton process were higher than those in the traditional Fenton process.

Utilization of municipal wastewater for cooling in thermoelectric power plants

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

Safari, Iman; Walker, Michael E.; Hsieh, Ming-Kai

2013-09-01

A process simulation model has been developed using Aspen Plus® with the OLI (OLI System, Inc.) water chemistry model to predict water quality in the recirculating cooling loop utilizing secondary- and tertiary-treated municipal wastewater as the source of makeup water. Simulation results were compared with pilot-scale experimental data on makeup water alkalinity, loop pH, and ammonia evaporation. The effects of various parameters including makeup water quality, salt formation, NH 3 and CO 2 evaporation mass transfer coefficients, heat load, and operating temperatures were investigated. The results indicate that, although the simulation model can capture the general trends in the loopmore » pH, experimental data on the rates of salt precipitation in the system are needed for more accurate prediction of the loop pH. It was also found that stripping of ammonia and carbon dioxide in the cooling tower can influence the cooling loop pH significantly. The effects of the NH 3 mass transfer coefficient on cooling loop pH appear to be more significant at lower values (e.g., k NH3 < 4×10 -3 m/s) when the makeup water alkalinity is low (e.g., <90 mg/L as CaCO 3). The effect of the CO2 mass transfer coefficient was found to be significant only at lower alkalinity values (e.g., k CO2<4×10 -6 m/s).« less

Validation of a Method To Screen for Pulmonary Hypertension in Advanced Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis*

PubMed Central

Zisman, David A.; Karlamangla, Arun S.; Kawut, Steven M.; Shlobin, Oksana A.; Saggar, Rajeev; Ross, David J.; Schwarz, Marvin I.; Belperio, John A.; Ardehali, Abbas; Lynch, Joseph P.; Nathan, Steven D.

2008-01-01

Background We have developed a method to screen for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, based on a formula to predict mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) from standard lung function measurements. The objective of this study was to validate this method in a separate group of IPF patients. Methods Cross-sectional study of 60 IPF patients from two institutions. The accuracy of the MPAP estimation was assessed by examining the correlation between the predicted and measured MPAPs and the magnitude of the estimation error. The discriminatory ability of the method for PH was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results There was strong correlation in the expected direction between the predicted and measured MPAPs (r = 0.72; p < 0.0001). The estimated MPAP was within 5 mm Hg of the measured MPAP 72% of the time. The AUC for predicting PH was 0.85, and did not differ by institution. A formula-predicted MPAP > 21 mm Hg was associated with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 95%, 58%, 51%, and 96%, respectively, for PH defined as MPAP from right-heart catheterization > 25 mm Hg. Conclusions A prediction formula for MPAP using standard lung function measurements can be used to screen for PH in IPF patients. PMID:18198245

Effect of fermentation conditions on biohydrogen production from cassava starch by anaerobic mixed cultures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tien, Hai M.; Le, Kien A.; Tran, An T.; Le, Phung K.

2016-06-01

In this work, a series of batch tests were conducted to investigate the effect of pH, temperature, fermentation time, and inoculums ratio to hydrogen production using cassava starch as a substrate. The statistical analysis of the experiment indicated that the significant effects for the fermentation yield were the main effect of temperature, pH and inoculums ratio. It was fouund that the suitable fermentation conditions of biohydrogen production should be at temperature 40 ° C; pH 6.5, inoculums to medium ratio 10 % and COD operation at 4800 g/mL. The maximum value of hydrogen volume produced was 76.22 mL. These affected has been evaluated and the result can be used as an reference for the pilot or industrial biohydrogen production.

Membrane-mediated extractive fermentation for lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass.

PubMed

Chen, R; Lee, Y Y

1997-01-01

Lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass by cellulase and Lactobacillus delbrueckii was studied in a fermenter-extractor employing a microporous hollow fiber membrane (MHF). This bioreactor system was operated under a fed-batch mode with continuous removal of lactic acid by anin situ extraction. A tertiary amine (Alamine 336) was used as an extractant for lactic acid. The extraction capacity of Alamine 336 is greatly enhanced by addition of alcohol. Long-chain alcohols serve well for this purpose since they are less toxic to micro-organism. Addition of kerosene, a diluent, was necessary to reduce the solvent viscosity. A solvent mixture of 20% Alamine 336, 40% oleyl alcohol, and 40% kerosene was found to be most effective in the extraction of lactic acid. Progressive change of pH from an initial value of 5.0 down to 4.3 has significantly improved the overall performance of the simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation over that of constant pH operation. The change of pH was applied to promote cell growth in the early phase, and extraction in the latter phase.

Influential factors of formation kinetics of flocs produced by water treatment coagulants.

PubMed

Wu, Chunde; Wang, Lin; Hu, Bing; Ye, Jian

2013-05-01

The growth rate and size of floc formation is of great importance in water treatment especially in coagulation process. The floc formation kinetics and the coagulation efficiency of synthetic water were investigated by using an on-line continuous optical photometric dispersion analyze and the analysis of water quality. Experimental conditions such as alum dosage, pH value for coagulation, stirring intensity and initial turbidity were extensively examined. The photometric dispersion analyze results showed that coagulation of kaolin suspensions with two coagulants (alum and polyaluminium chloride) could be taken as a two-phase process: slow and rapid growth periods. Operating conditions with higher coagulant doses, appropriate pH and average shear rate might be particularly advantageous. The rate of overall floc growth was mainly determined by a combination of hydraulic and water quality conditions such as pH and turbidity. The measurement of zeta potential indicates that polyaluminium chloride exhibited higher charge-neutralizing ability than alum and achieved lower turbidities than alum for equivalent Al dosages. Under the same operating conditions, the alum showed a higher grow rate, but with smaller floc size.

Quality-assurance results for field pH and specific-conductance measurements, and for laboratory analysis, National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network; January 1980-September 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroder, L.J.; Brooks, M.H.; Malo, B.A.; Willoughby, T.C.

1986-01-01

Five intersite comparison studies for the field determination of pH and specific conductance, using simulated-precipitation samples, were conducted by the U.S.G.S. for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network. These comparisons were performed to estimate the precision of pH and specific conductance determinations made by sampling-site operators. Simulated-precipitation samples were prepared from nitric acid and deionized water. The estimated standard deviation for site-operator determination of pH was 0.25 for pH values ranging from 3.79 to 4.64; the estimated standard deviation for specific conductance was 4.6 microsiemens/cm at 25 C for specific-conductance values ranging from 10.4 to 59.0 microsiemens/cm at 25 C. Performance-audit samples with known analyte concentrations were prepared by the U.S.G.S.and distributed to the National Atmospheric Deposition Program 's Central Analytical Laboratory. The differences between the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and national Trends Network-reported analyte concentrations and known analyte concentrations were calculated, and the bias and precision were determined. For 1983, concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride were biased at the 99% confidence limit; concentrations of potassium and sulfate were unbiased at the 99% confidence limit. Four analytical laboratories routinely analyzing precipitation were evaluated in their analysis of identical natural- and simulated precipitation samples. Analyte bias for each laboratory was examined using analysis of variance coupled with Duncan 's multiple-range test on data produced by these laboratories, from the analysis of identical simulated-precipitation samples. Analyte precision for each laboratory has been estimated by calculating a pooled variance for each analyte. Interlaboratory comparability results may be used to normalize natural-precipitation chemistry data obtained from two or more of these laboratories. (Author 's abstract)

Regeneration of granular activated carbon saturated with acetone and isopropyl alcohol via a recirculation process under H2O2/UV oxidation.

PubMed

Horng, Richard S; Tseng, I-Chin

2008-06-15

This study examines a water-based system, coupling an adsorber and a photoreactor, for regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) saturated with acetone and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Through water recirculation the regeneration reaction was operated in both intermittent and continuous ultraviolet illumination modes. With a periodic dosage of hydrogen peroxide not only was regeneration efficient but it was also catalyzed by GAC in the adsorber. The concentrations of acetone, solution chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH and organic residues on GAC surfaces were measured during regenerations. Both pH and solution COD were found to correlate with regeneration completion as measured by organic residue on GAC surfaces in four regeneration cycles with acetone. Solution pH decreased to the acidic values and then returned to near its original value when organic residues were 0.085-0.255 mg/g GAC, that is, destruction efficiency of adsorbed acetone on the GAC surface was more than 99%. Likewise, solution COD became low (<100 mg/l) at regeneration completion. The pH variation pattern was then applied to another four cycles of regeneration with IPA, and successfully reflected the timing of complete regeneration. The final levels of organic residue on GAC surfaces were between 0.135 and 0.310 mg/g GAC in each of four regeneration cycles, each of which had been stopped based on the measurements of pH and solution COD. Furthermore, nearly the same batch of GAC could be repeatedly used with little changes in physicochemical properties in each of eight cycles: adsorptive capacities were 95+/-7 mg acetone/g GAC and 87+/-3 mg IPA/g GAC, and breakthrough time was 0.86+/-0.05 for acetone and 0.78+/-0.03 h for IPA. An economic assessment of the system showed that the operating cost was about 0.04 USD for treating every gram of acetone in the air.

Fast reductive amination by transfer hydrogenation "on water".

PubMed

Lei, Qian; Wei, Yawen; Talwar, Dinesh; Wang, Chao; Xue, Dong; Xiao, Jianliang

2013-03-18

Reductive amination of various ketones and aldehydes by transfer hydrogenation under aqueous conditions has been developed, by using cyclometallated iridium complexes as catalysts and formate as hydrogen source. The pH value of the solution is shown to be critical for a high catalytic chemoselectivity and activity, with the best pH value being 4.8. In comparison with that in organic solvents, the reductive amination in an aqueous phase is faster, and the molar ratio of the substrate to the catalyst (S/C) can be set as high as 1×10(5) , the highest S/C value ever reported in reductive amination reactions. The catalyst is easy to access and the reaction is operationally simple, allowing a wide range of ketones and aldehydes to react with various amines in high yields. The protocol provides a practical and environmental friendly new method for the synthesis of amine compounds. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Removal of suspended solids and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters by electrocoagulation: comparison of electrode materials and electrode connection systems.

PubMed

Solak, Murat; Kiliç, Mehmet; Hüseyin, Yazici; Sencan, Aziz

2009-12-15

In this study, removal of suspended solids (SS) and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters by electrocoagulation (EC) process were investigated by using aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe) electrodes which were run in serial and parallel connection systems. To remove these pollutants from the marble processing wastewater, an EC reactor including monopolar electrodes (Al/Fe) in parallel and serial connection system, was utilized. Optimization of differential operation parameters such as pH, current density, and electrolysis time on SS and turbidity removal were determined in this way. EC process with monopolar Al electrodes in parallel and serial connections carried out at the optimum conditions where the pH value was 9, current density was approximately 15 A/m(2), and electrolysis time was 2 min resulted in 100% SS removal. Removal efficiencies of EC process for SS with monopolar Fe electrodes in parallel and serial connection were found to be 99.86% and 99.94%, respectively. Optimum parameters for monopolar Fe electrodes in both of the connection types were found to be for pH value as 8, for electrolysis time as 2 min. The optimum current density value for Fe electrodes used in serial and parallel connections was also obtained at 10 and 20 A/m(2), respectively. Based on the results obtained, it was found that EC process running with each type of the electrodes and the connections was highly effective for the removal of SS and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters, and that operating costs with monopolar Al electrodes in parallel connection were the cheapest than that of the serial connection and all the configurations for Fe electrode.

[Mechanism of catalytic ozonation for the degradation of paracetamol by activated carbon].

PubMed

Wang, Jia-Yu; Dai, Qi-Zhou; Yu, Jie; Yan, Yi-Zhou; Chen, Jian-Meng

2013-04-01

The degradation of paracetamol (APAP) in aqueous solution was studied with ozonation integrated with activated carbon (AC). The synergistic effect of ozonation/AC process was explored by comparing the degradation efficiency of APAP in three processes (ozonation alone, activated carbon alone and ozonation integrated with activated carbon). The operational parameters that affected the reaction rate were carefully optimized. Based on the intermediates detected, the possible pathway for catalytic degradation was discussed and the reaction mechanism was also investigated. The results showed that the TOC removal reached 55.11% at 60 min in the AC/O3 system, and was significantly better than the sum of ozonation alone (20.22%) and activated carbon alone (27.39%), showing the great synergistic effect. And the BOD5/COD ratio increased from 0.086 (before reaction) to 0.543 (after reaction), indicating that the biodegradability was also greatly improved. The effects of the initial concentration of APAP, pH value, ozone dosage and AC dosage on the variation of reaction rate were carefully discussed. The catalytic reaction mechanism was different at different pH values: the organic pollutions were removed by adsorption and direct ozone oxidation at acidic pH, and mainly by catalytic ozonation at alkaline pH.

Capillary gas chromatographic separation of organic bases using a pH-adjusted basic water stationary phase.

PubMed

Darko, Ernest; Thurbide, Kevin B

2016-09-23

The use of a pH-adjusted water stationary phase for analyzing organic bases in capillary gas chromatography (GC) is demonstrated. Through modifying the phase to typical values near pH 11.5, it is found that various organic bases are readily eluted and separated. Conversely, at the normal pH 7 operating level, they are not. Sodium hydroxide is found to be a much more stable base than ammonium hydroxide for altering the pH due to the higher volatility and evaporation of the latter. In the basic condition, such analytes are not ionized and are observed to produce good peak shapes even for injected masses down to about 20ng. By comparison, analyses on a conventional non-polar capillary GC column yield more peak tailing and only analyte masses of 1μg or higher are normally observed. Through carefully altering the pH, it is also found that the selectivity between analytes can be potentially further enhanced if their respective pKa values differ sufficiently. The analysis of different pharmaceutical and petroleum samples containing organic bases is demonstrated. Results indicate that this approach can potentially offer unique and beneficial selectivity in such analyses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CO2-assisted phosphorus extraction from poultry litter and selective recovery of struvite and potassium struvite.

PubMed

Shashvatt, Utsav; Benoit, Josh; Aris, Hannah; Blaney, Lee

2018-06-18

Phosphorus recovery from industrialized poultry operations is necessary to ensure sustainable waste management and resource consumption. To realize these goals, an innovative, two-stage process chemistry has been developed to extract nutrients from poultry litter and recover value-added products. Over 75% phosphorus extraction was achieved by bubbling carbon dioxide into poultry litter slurries and adding strong acid to reach pH 4.5-5.5. After separating the nutrient-deficient poultry litter solids and the nutrient-rich liquid, the extract pH was increased through aeration and strong base addition. Over 95% of the extracted phosphorus was recovered as solid precipitate at pH 8.5-9.0. High-purity struvite and potassium struvite products were selectively recovered through pH control, introduction of a calcium-complexing agent, and addition of magnesium chloride. The nitrogen-to-phosphorus-to-potassium (NPK) ratio of the recovered solids was controlled through aeration and pH adjustment. Precipitation at pH 8.5-9.0 and 10.5-11.0 resulted in NPK ratios of 2.0:1.0:0.1 and 0.9:1.0:0.2, respectively. The process effluent was effectively recycled as makeup water for the subsequent batch of poultry litter, thereby decreasing water consumption and increasing overall nutrient recovery. Sequencing batch operation yielded greater than 70% phosphorus recovery within a 45-min process, demonstrating the potential for this technology to alleviate nutrient pollution in agricultural settings and generate an alternative supply of phosphorus fertilizers. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Deep-Sea DuraFET: A Pressure Tolerant pH Sensor Designed for Global Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Johnson, Kenneth S; Jannasch, Hans W; Coletti, Luke J; Elrod, Virginia A; Martz, Todd R; Takeshita, Yuichiro; Carlson, Robert J; Connery, James G

2016-03-15

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide is driving a long-term decrease in ocean pH which is superimposed on daily to seasonal variability. These changes impact ecosystem processes, and they serve as a record of ecosystem metabolism. However, the temporal variability in pH is observed at only a few locations in the ocean because a ship is required to support pH observations of sufficient precision and accuracy. This paper describes a pressure tolerant Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor pH sensor that is based on the Honeywell Durafet ISFET die. When combined with a AgCl pseudoreference sensor that is immersed directly in seawater, the system is capable of operating for years at a time on platforms that cycle from depths of several km to the surface. The paper also describes the calibration scheme developed to allow calibrated pH measurements to be derived from the activity of HCl reported by the sensor system over the range of ocean pressure and temperature. Deployments on vertical profiling platforms enable self-calibration in deep waters where pH values are stable. Measurements with the sensor indicate that it is capable of reporting pH with an accuracy of 0.01 or better on the total proton scale and a precision over multiyear periods of 0.005. This system enables a global ocean observing system for ocean pH.

[Optimization of lime milk precipitation process of Lonicera Japonica aqueous extract based on quality by design concept].

PubMed

Shen, Jin-Jing; Gong, Xing-Chu; Pan, Jian-Yang; Qu, Hai-Bin

2017-03-01

Design space approach was applied in this study to optimize the lime milk precipitation process of Lonicera Japonica (Jinyinhua) aqueous extract. The evaluation indices for this process were total organic acid purity and amounts of 6 organic acids obtained from per unit mass of medicinal materials. Four critical process parameters (CPPs) including drop speed of lime milk, pH value after adding lime milk, settling time and settling temperature were identified by using the weighted standardized partial regression coefficient method. Quantitative models between process evaluation indices and CPPs were established by a stepwise regression analysis. A design space was calculated by a Monte-Carlo simulation method, and then verified. The verification test results showed that the operation within the design space can guarantee the stability of the lime milk precipitation process. The recommended normal operation space is as follows： drop speed of lime milk of 1.00-1.25 mL•min⁻¹, pH value of 11.5-11.7, settling time of 1.0-1.2 h, and settling temperature of 10-20 ℃.. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Optimization of Acid Orange 7 Degradation in Heterogeneous Fenton-like Reaction Using Fe3-xCoxO4 Catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, M. Z.; Alrozi, R.; Zubir, N. A.; Bashah, N. A.; Ali, S. A. Md; Ibrahim, N.

2018-05-01

The oxidation process such as heterogeneous Fenton and/or Fenton-like reactions is considered as an effective and efficient method for treatment of dye degradation. In this study, the degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) was investigated by using Fe3-xCoxO4 as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the operational parameters condition and the interaction of two or more parameters. The parameter studies were catalyst dosage (X1 ), pH (X2 ) and H2O2 concentration (X3 ) towards AO7 degradation. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA), the derived quadratic polynomial model was significant whereby the predicted values matched the experimental values with regression coefficient of R2 = 0.9399. The optimum condition for AO7 degradation was obtained at catalyst dosage of 0.84 g/L, pH of 3 and H2O2 concentration of 46.70 mM which resulted in 86.30% removal of AO7 dye. These findings present new insights into the influence of operational parameters in the heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation of AO7 using Fe3-xCoxO4 catalyst.

Study on treatment technology of wastewater from hydrolysis of acid oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuejin; Lin, Zhiyong; Han, Yali

2017-06-01

In this paper, the degumming of ferric chloride, calcium hydroxide after the removal of acid acidification hydrolysis of waste oil as raw material, through the treatment process to purify the wastewater. Choose different chemical additives, investigation of different temperature, pH value and other factors, find the best extraction condition. Through the orthogonal test of sodium carbonate, sodium oxalate, barium carbonate, compared with three kinds of chemical additives. The best chemical assistant is sodium carbonate, the best treatment temperature is 80 degrees Celsius, pH value is 8.0. After the reaction, the content of calcium and iron ions were determined by suitable methods. The removal rate of calcium ion is 98%, the removal rate of iron ion is 99%, and the effect of calcium and iron ion precipitation on the subsequent evaporation operation is reduced. Finally, the comparison is made to clarify the Dilute Glycerol water solution.

Enhanced production of polygalacturonase in solid-state fermentation: selection of the process conditions, isolation and partial characterization of the enzyme.

PubMed

Zaslona, Halina; Trusek-Holownia, Anna

2015-01-01

Polygalacturonase (PG) production by Penicillium chrysogenum during solid-state fermentation was accompanied by decomposition of orange peels. A leaching procedure was developed through the selection of solvent, time and intensity of stirring. A maximum PG activity was observed after 48 h peel inoculation. Further cultivation decreased the enzyme activity significantly, up to 60% of the maximum PG activity. During fermentation, a rapid acidification of the solid medium which inhibited the pectinolytic enzyme, was observed. Buffering agents with different pH values and different ionic strengths were examined to identify the most suitable medium to avoid this problem. Buffer addition counteracted acidification and enhanced active protein production, which was observed for all of the applied pH values (6.5-8.0) of the buffering agent. The most satisfactory results were obtained when using the highest pH at 8.0. The protein content and PG activity increased from 3.5 mg/g and 1.09 U/g to 7.7 mg/g and 7.11 U/g during cultivation, with uncontrolled and pH-controlled medium, respectively. Measurements at wide pH and temperature ranges indicated an optimum for PG activity at pH 5.0 and 43°C; however, high thermal stability corresponded to lower temperatures, and a temperature of 37°C is thus recommended. Under these conditions, the operational stability was determined to be t1/2=570 h.

Pilot study of Iopamidol-based quantitative pH imaging on a clinical 3T MR scanner.

PubMed

Müller-Lutz, Anja; Khalil, Nadia; Schmitt, Benjamin; Jellus, Vladimir; Pentang, Gael; Oeltzschner, Georg; Antoch, Gerald; Lanzman, Rotem S; Wittsack, Hans-Jörg

2014-12-01

The objective of this study was to show the feasibility to perform Iopamidol-based pH imaging via clinical 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging with pulse train presaturation. The pulse train presaturation scheme of a CEST sequence was investigated for Iopamidol-based pH measurements using a 3T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner. The CEST sequence was applied to eight tubes filled with 100-mM Iopamidol solutions with pH values ranging from 5.6 to 7.0. Calibration curves for pH quantification were determined. The dependence of pH values on the concentration of Iopamidol was investigated. An in vivo measurement was performed in one patient who had undergone a previous contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan with Iopamidol. The pH values of urine measured with CEST MRI and with a pH meter were compared. In the measured pH range, pH imaging using CEST imaging with pulse train presaturation was possible. Dependence between the pH value and the concentration of Iopamidol was not observed. In the in vivo investigation, the pH values in the human bladder measured by the Iopamidol CEST sequence and in urine were consistent. Our study shows the feasibility of using CEST imaging with Iopamidol for quantitative pH mapping in vitro and in vivo on a 3T MR scanner.

Evaluation of end-tidal CO2 pressure at the anaerobic threshold for detecting and assessing pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Higashi, Akifumi; Dohi, Yoshihiro; Yamabe, Sayuri; Kinoshita, Hiroki; Sada, Yoshiharu; Kitagawa, Toshiro; Hidaka, Takayuki; Kurisu, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Hideya; Yasunobu, Yuji; Kihara, Yasuki

2017-11-01

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is useful for the evaluation of patients with suspected or confirmed pulmonary hypertension (PH). End-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PETCO 2 ) during exercise is reduced with elevated pulmonary artery pressure. However, the utility of ventilatory parameters such as CPET for detecting PH remains unclear. We conducted a review in 155 patients who underwent right heart catheterization and CPET. Fifty-nine patients had PH [mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg]. There was an inverse correlation between PETCO 2 at the anaerobic threshold (AT) and mPAP (r = -0.66; P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that PETCO 2 at the AT was independently associated with an elevated mPAP (P = 0.04). The sensitivity and specificity of CPET for PH were 80 and 86%, respectively, when the cut-off value identified by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for PETCO 2 at the AT was ≤34.7 mmHg. A combination of echocardiography and CPET improved the sensitivity in detecting PH without markedly reducing specificity (sensitivity 87%, specificity 85%). Evaluation of PETCO 2 at the AT is useful for estimating pulmonary pressure. A combination of CPET and previous screening algorithms for PH may enhance the diagnostic ability of PH.

Estimation of the IC to CG Ratio Using JEM-GLIMS and Ground-based Lightning Network Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandholnopparat, K.; Sato, M.; Takahashi, Y.; Adachi, T.; Ushio, T.

2017-12-01

The ratio between intracloud (IC) discharge and cloud-to-ground (CG) discharge, which is denoted by Z, is the important parameter for the studies on the climatological differences of thunderstorm structures and for the quantitative evaluation of lightning contributions to the global electric circuit. However, the latitudinal, regional, and seasonal dependences of Z-value are not fully clarified. The purposes of this study are (i) to develop new methods to identify IC and CG discharges using optical data obtained by the Global Lightning and Sprite Measurements on Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-GLIMS) from space and ground-based lightning data, (ii) to estimate Z-value and its latitudinal, regional, and seasonal dependences. As a first step, we compared the JEM-GLIMS data to the ground-based lightning data obtained by JLDN, NLDN, WWLLN, and GEON in order to distinguish the lightning discharge type detected by JEM-GLIMS. As a next step, we have calculated intensity ratios between the blue and red PH channels, that is, PH2(337 nm)/PH3(762 nm), PH5(316 nm)/PH3, PH6(392 nm)/PH3, PH2/PH4(599-900 nm), PH5/PH4, and PH6/PH4 for each lightning event. From these analyses, it is found that 447 and 454 of 8355 lightning events were identified to be CG and IC discharges, respectively. It is also found that the PH intensity ratio of IC discharges is clearly higher than that of CG discharges. In addition, the difference of the PH2/PH3, PH2/PH4, and PH6/PH4 ratio between IC and CG cases is relatively large, which means these three ratios are the useful proxy to classify the discharge types for other 7454 lightning events. Finally, the estimated Z-value varies from 0.18 - 0.84 from the equator to the higher latitude. The decrease of the Z-value from the equator to the higher latitude is confirmed both in the northern and the southern hemispheres. Although this latitudinal dependence of the Z-value is similar to previous studies, i.e., Boccippio et al. (2001), the estimated absolute Z-value is smaller than that in previous studies. The reason of the smaller absolute Z-value may be because JEM-GLIMS used the high threshold for the event triggering and missed many lightning events having lower optical energies. At the presentation, we will show the regional and seasonal dependences of the Z-value in detail.

Yogurt made from milk heated at different pH values.

PubMed

Ozcan, Tulay; Horne, David S; Lucey, John A

2015-10-01

Milk for yogurt manufacture is subjected to high heat treatment to denature whey proteins. Low milk pH values (≤ 6.5) at heating result in most denatured whey proteins becoming associated with casein micelles, whereas high milk pH values (≥ 7.0) at heating result in the formation of mostly soluble (nonmicellar) denatured whey protein complexes. There are conflicting reports on the relative importance of soluble and casein-bound whey protein aggregates on the properties of acid gels. Prior studies investigating the effect of pH of milk at heating used model gels in which milk was acidified by glucono-δ-lactone; in this study, we prepared yogurt gels using commercial starter cultures. Model acid gels can have very different texture and physical properties from those made by fermentation with starter cultures. In this study, we investigated the effects of different pH values of milk at heating on the rheological, light backscatter, and microstructural properties of yogurt gels. Reconstituted skim milk was adjusted to pH values 6.2, 6.7, and 7.2 and heated at 85°C for 30 min. A portion of the heated milk samples was readjusted back to pH 6.7 after heating. Milks were inoculated with 3% (wt/wt) yogurt starter culture and incubated at 40°C until pH 4.6. Gel formation was monitored using dynamic oscillatory rheology, and parameters measured included the storage modulus (G') and loss tangent (LT) values. Light-backscattering properties, such as the backscatter ratio (R) and the first derivative of light backscatter ratio (R'), were also monitored during fermentation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe gel microstructure. The G' values at pH 4.6 were highest in gels made from milk heated at pH 6.7 and lowest in milk heated at pH 6.2, with or without pH adjustment after heating. The G' values at pH 4.6 were lower in samples after adjustment back to pH 6.7 after heating. No maximum in the LT parameter was observed during gelation for yogurts made from milk heated at pH 6.2; a maximum in LT was observed at pH ~4.8 for samples heated at pH 6.7 or 7.2, with or without pH adjustment after heating. Higher R-values were observed with an increase in pH of heating, with or without pH adjustment after heating. The sample heated at pH 6.2 had only one major peak in its R' profile during acidification, whereas samples heated at pH 6.7 and 7.2 had 2 large peaks. The lack of a maximum in LT parameter and the presence of a single peak in the R' profile for the samples heated at pH 6.2 were likely due to the partial solubilization of insoluble calcium phosphate when milk was acidified to this lower pH value. No clear differences were observed in the microstructures of gels between the different treatments. This study indicates that heating milk at the natural pH (~6.7) created an optimum balance of casein-bound and soluble denatured whey proteins, which resulted in yogurt with the highest gel stiffness. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectrophotometric method development and validation for determination of chlorpheniramine maleate in bulk and controlled release tablets.

PubMed

Ashfaq, Maria; Sial, Ali Akber; Bushra, Rabia; Rehman, Atta-Ur; Baig, Mirza Tasawur; Huma, Ambreen; Ahmed, Maryam

2018-01-01

Spectrophotometric technique is considered to be the simplest and operator friendly among other available analytical methods for pharmaceutical analysis. The objective of the study was to develop a precise, accurate and rapid UV-spectrophotometric method for the estimation of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) in pure and solid pharmaceutical formulation. Drug absorption was measured in various solvent systems including 0.1N HCl (pH 1.2), acetate buffer (pH 4.5), phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) and distil water (pH 7.0). Method validation was performed as per official guidelines of ICH, 2005. High drug absorption was observed in 0.1N HCl medium with λ max of 261nm. The drug showed the good linearity from 20 to 60μg/mL solution concentration with the correlation coefficient linear regression equation Y= 0.1853 X + 0.1098 presenting R 2 value of 0.9998. The method accuracy was evaluated by the percent drug recovery, presents more than 99% drug recovery at three different levels assessed. The % RSD value <1 was computed for inter and intraday analysis indicating the high accuracy and precision of the developed technique. The developed method is robust because it shows no any significant variation in with minute changes. The LOD and LOQ values were assessed to be 2.2μg/mL and 6.6μg/mL respectively. The investigated method proved its sensitivity, precision and accuracy hence could be successfully used to estimate the CPM content in bulk and pharmaceutical matrix tablets.

Effects of selected pharmaceutically active compounds on treatment performance in sequencing batch reactors mimicking wastewater treatment plants operations.

PubMed

Wang, Shuyi; Gunsch, Claudia K

2011-05-01

The impact of four pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) introduced both individually and in mixtures was ascertained on the performance of laboratory-scale wastewater treatment sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). When introduced individually at concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 μM, no significant differences were observed with respect to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia removal. Microbial community analyses reveal that although similarity index values generally decreased over time with an increase in PhAC concentrations as compared to the controls, no major microbial community shifts were observed for total bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities. However, when some PhACs were introduced in mixtures, they were found to both inhibit nitrification and alter AOB community structure. Ammonia removal decreased by up to 45% in the presence of 0.25 μM gemfibrozil and 0.75 μM naproxen. PhAC mixtures did not however affect COD removal performance suggesting that heterotrophic bacteria are more robust to PhACs than AOB. These results highlight that the joint action of PhACs in mixtures may have significantly different effects on nitrification than the individual PhACs. This phenomenon should be further investigated with a wider range of PhACs so that toxicity effects can more accurately be predicted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Bayesian belief network modelling of chlorine disinfection for human pathogenic viruses in municipal wastewater.

PubMed

Carvajal, Guido; Roser, David J; Sisson, Scott A; Keegan, Alexandra; Khan, Stuart J

2017-02-01

Chlorine disinfection of biologically treated wastewater is practiced in many locations prior to environmental discharge or beneficial reuse. The effectiveness of chlorine disinfection processes may be influenced by several factors, such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, organic carbon concentration, and suspended solids. We investigated the use of Bayesian multilayer perceptron (BMLP) models as efficient and practical tools for compiling and analysing free chlorine and monochloramine virus disinfection performance as a multivariate problem. Corresponding to their relative susceptibility, Adenovirus 2 was used to assess disinfection by monochloramine and Coxsackievirus B5 was used for free chlorine. A BMLP model was constructed to relate key disinfection conditions (CT, pH, turbidity) to observed Log Reduction Values (LRVs) for these viruses at constant temperature. The models proved to be valuable for incorporating uncertainty in the chlor(am)ination performance estimation and interpolating between operating conditions. Various types of queries could be performed with this model including the identification of target CT for a particular combination of LRV, pH and turbidity. Similarly, it was possible to derive achievable LRVs for combinations of CT, pH and turbidity. These queries yielded probability density functions for the target variable reflecting the uncertainty in the model parameters and variability of the input variables. The disinfection efficacy was greatly impacted by pH and to a lesser extent by turbidity for both types of disinfections. Non-linear relationships were observed between pH and target CT, and turbidity and target CT, with compound effects on target CT also evidenced. This work demonstrated that the use of BMLP models had considerable ability to improve the resolution and understanding of the multivariate relationships between operational parameters and disinfection outcomes for wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced oxidation of Reactive Blue 181 solution: a comparison between Fenton and Sono-Fenton process.

PubMed

Basturk, Emine; Karatas, Mustafa

2014-09-01

In this work, the decolorization of C.I. Reactive Blue 181 (RB181), an anthraquinone dye, by Ultrasound and Fe(2+) H2O2 processes was investigated. The effects of operating parameters, such as Fe(2+) dosage, H2O2 dosage, pH value, reaction time and temperature were examined. Process optimisation [pH, ferrous ion (Fe(2+)), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and reaction time], kinetic studies and their comparison were carried out for both of the processes. The Sono-Fenton process was performed by indirect sonication in an ultrasonic water bath, which was operated at a fixed 35-kHz frequency. The optimum conditions were determined as [Fe(2+)]=30 mg/L, [H2O2]=50 mg/L and pH=3 for the Fenton process and [Fe(2+)]=10 mg/L, [H2O2]=40 mg/L and pH=3 for the Sono-Fenton process. The colour removals were 88% and 93.5% by the Fenton and Sono-Fenton processes, respectively. The highest decolorization was achieved by the Sono-Fenton process because of the production of some oxidising agents as a result of sonication. The paper also discussed kinetic parameters. The decolorization kinetic of RB181 followed pseudo-second-order reaction (Fenton study) and Behnajady kinetics (Sono-Fenton study). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation on mercury reemission from limestone-gypsum wet flue gas desulfurization slurry.

PubMed

Chen, Chuanmin; Liu, Songtao; Gao, Yang; Liu, Yongchao

2014-01-01

Secondary atmospheric pollutions may result from wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) systems caused by the reduction of Hg(2+) to Hg(0) and lead to a damping of the cobenefit mercury removal efficiency by WFGD systems. The experiment on Hg(0) reemission from limestone-gypsum WFGD slurry was carried out by changing the operating conditions such as the pH, temperature, Cl(-) concentrations, and oxygen concentrations. The partitioning behavior of mercury in the solid and liquid byproducts was also discussed. The experimental results indicated that the Hg(0) reemission rate from WFGD slurry increased as the operational temperatures and pH values increased. The Hg(0) reemission rates decreased as the O2 concentration of flue gas and Cl(-) concentration of WFGD slurry increased. The concentrations of O2 in flue gas have an evident effect on the mercury retention in the solid byproducts. The temperature and Cl(-) concentration have a slight effect on the mercury partitioning in the byproducts. No evident relation was found between mercury retention in the solid byproducts and the pH. The present findings could be valuable for industrial application of characterizing and optimizing mercury control in wet FGD systems.

Investigation on Mercury Reemission from Limestone-Gypsum Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization Slurry

PubMed Central

Liu, Songtao; Liu, Yongchao

2014-01-01

Secondary atmospheric pollutions may result from wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) systems caused by the reduction of Hg2+ to Hg0 and lead to a damping of the cobenefit mercury removal efficiency by WFGD systems. The experiment on Hg0 reemission from limestone-gypsum WFGD slurry was carried out by changing the operating conditions such as the pH, temperature, Cl− concentrations, and oxygen concentrations. The partitioning behavior of mercury in the solid and liquid byproducts was also discussed. The experimental results indicated that the Hg0 reemission rate from WFGD slurry increased as the operational temperatures and pH values increased. The Hg0 reemission rates decreased as the O2 concentration of flue gas and Cl− concentration of WFGD slurry increased. The concentrations of O2 in flue gas have an evident effect on the mercury retention in the solid byproducts. The temperature and Cl− concentration have a slight effect on the mercury partitioning in the byproducts. No evident relation was found between mercury retention in the solid byproducts and the pH. The present findings could be valuable for industrial application of characterizing and optimizing mercury control in wet FGD systems. PMID:24737981

Membrane-mediated extractive fermentation for lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass

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

Chen, Rongfu; Lee, Y.Y.

1997-12-31

Lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass by cellulose and Lactobacillus delbrueckii was studied in a fermenter-extractor employing a microporous hollow fiber membrane (NIHF). This bioreactor system was operated under a fed-batch mode with continuous removal of lactic acid by an in situ extraction. A tertiary amine (Alamine 336) was used as an extractant for lactic acid. The extraction capacity of Alamine 336 is greatly enhanced by addition of alcohol. Long-chain alcohols serve well for this purpose since they are less toxic to micro-organism. Addition of kerosene, a diluent, was necessary to reduce the solvent viscosity. A solvent mixture of 20%more » Alamine 336,40% oleyl alcohol, and 40% kerosene was found to be most effective in the extraction of lactic acid. Progressive change of pH from an initial value of 5.0 down to 4.3 has significantly improved the overall performance of the simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation over that of constant pH operation. The change of pH was applied to promote cell growth in the early phase, and extraction in the latter phase. 20 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.« less

Novel single stripper with side-draw to remove ammonia and sour gas simultaneously for coal-gasification wastewater treatment and the industrial implementation

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

Feng, D.C.; Yu, Z.J.; Chen, Y.

2009-06-15

A large amount of wastewater is produced in the Lurgi coal-gasification process with the complex compounds carbon dioxide, ammonia, phenol, etc., which cause a serious environmental problem. In this paper, a novel stripper operated at elevated pressure is designed to improve the pretreatment process. In this technology, two noticeable improvements were established. First, the carbon dioxide and ammonia were removed simultaneously in a single stripper where sour gas (mainly carbon dioxide) is removed from the tower top and the ammonia vapor is drawn from the side and recovered by partial condensation. Second, the ammonia is removed before the phenol recoverymore » to reduce the pH value of the subsequent extraction units, so as the phenol removal performance of the extraction is greatly improved. To ensure the operational efficiency, some key operational parameters are analyzed and optimized though simulation. It is shown that when the top temperature is kept at 40 C and the weight ratio of the side draw to the feed is above 9%, the elevated pressures can ensure the removal efficiency of NH{sub 3} and carbon dioxide and the desired purified water as the bottom product of the unit is obtained. A real industrial application demonstrates the attractiveness of the new technique: it removes 99.9% CO{sub 2} and 99.6% ammonia, compared to known techniques which remove 66.5% and 94.4%, respectively. As a result, the pH value of the wastewater is reduced from above 9 to below 7. This ensures that the phenol removal ratio is above 93% in the following extraction units. The operating cost is lower than that of known techniques, and the operation is simplified.« less

Propham mineralization in aqueous medium by anodic oxidation using boron-doped diamond anode: influence of experimental parameters on degradation kinetics and mineralization efficiency.

PubMed

Ozcan, Ali; Sahin, Yücel; Koparal, A Savaş; Oturan, Mehmet A

2008-06-01

This study aims the removal of a carbamate herbicide, propham, from aqueous solution by direct electrochemical advanced oxidation process using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. This electrode produces large quantities of hydroxyl radicals from oxidation of water, which leads to the oxidative degradation of propham up to its total mineralization. Effect of operational parameters such as current, temperature, pH and supporting electrolyte on the degradation and mineralization rate was studied. The applied current and temperature exert a prominent effect on the total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate of the solutions. The mineralization of propham can be performed at any pH value between 3 and 11 without any loss in oxidation efficiency. The propham decay and its overall mineralization reaction follows a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The apparent rate constant value of propham oxidation was determined as 4.8 x 10(-4)s(-1) at 100 mA and 35 degrees C in the presence of 50mM Na(2)SO(4) in acidic media (pH: 3). A general mineralization sequence was proposed considering the identified oxidation intermediates.

Defluoridation of drinking water by electrocoagulation/electroflotation in a stirred tank reactor with a comparative performance to an external-loop airlift reactor.

PubMed

Essadki, A H; Gourich, B; Vial, Ch; Delmas, H; Bennajah, M

2009-09-15

Defluoridation using batch electrocoagulation/electroflotation (EC/EF) was carried out in two reactors for comparison purpose: a stirred tank reactor (STR) close to a conventional EC cell and an external-loop airlift reactor (ELAR) that was recently described as an innovative reactor for EC. The respective influences of current density, initial concentration and initial pH on the efficiency of defluoridation were investigated. The same trends were observed in both reactors, but the efficiency was higher in the STR at the beginning of the electrolysis, whereas similar values were usually achieved after 15min operation. The influence of the initial pH was explained using the analyses of sludge composition and residual soluble aluminum species in the effluents, and it was related to the prevailing mechanisms of defluoridation. Fluoride removal and sludge reduction were both favored by an initial pH around 4, but this value required an additional pre-treatment for pH adjustment. Finally, electric energy consumption was similar in both reactors when current density was lower than 12mA/cm(2), but mixing and complete flotation of the pollutants were achieved without additional mechanical power in the ELAR, using only the overall liquid recirculation induced by H(2) microbubbles generated by water electrolysis, which makes subsequent treatments easier to carry out.

Decomposition of PPCPs by ultrasound-assisted advanced Fenton reaction: A case study with salicylic acid.

PubMed

Savun-Hekimoğlu, Başak; Ince, Nilsun H

2017-11-01

The study is about the degradation of a widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product-salicylic acid by sonocatalysis, and the experimental design of the reaction system. The first part of the study consists of sonication (572kHz) in the presence of zero-valent iron (ZVI) with or without H 2 O 2 to select and optimize the operational parameters as frequency, time, initial solute concentration, dose of reagents and pH. The second part consists of the use of response surface methodology and multiple regression to develop an experimental design modeland to assess the individual and interactive effects of pH, power (P o ), ZVI dose and H 2 O 2 . The results showed that the optimal conditions predicted by the model without defining any restrictions are: pH=2.0, P o =120W, ZVI=24mgL -1 , which provide total salicyclic acid and 48% TOC decay. However, the prediction implies intensive consumption of energy and reagents, and must therefore be modified by restricting the value of TOC decay to a lower value and that of pH to a higher one. Cross-validation tests showed that the prediction accuracy of the model was considerably high with 5.0-9.4% deviation from the experimental data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reprint of: Decomposition of PPCPs by ultrasound-assisted advanced Fenton reaction: A case study with salicylic acid.

PubMed

Savun-Hekimoğlu, Başak; Ince, Nilsun H

2018-01-01

The study is about the degradation of a widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product-salicylic acid by sonocatalysis, and the experimental design of the reaction system. The first part of the study consists of sonication (572kHz) in the presence of zero-valent iron (ZVI) with or without H 2 O 2 to select and optimize the operational parameters as frequency, time, initial solute concentration, dose of reagents and pH. The second part consists of the use of response surface methodology and multiple regression to develop an experimental design modeland to assess the individual and interactive effects of pH, power (P o ), ZVI dose and H 2 O 2 . The results showed that the optimal conditions predicted by the model without defining any restrictions are: pH=2.0, P o =120W, ZVI=24mgL -1 , which provide total salicyclic acid and 48% TOC decay. However, the prediction implies intensive consumption of energy and reagents, and must therefore be modified by restricting the value of TOC decay to a lower value and that of pH to a higher one. Cross-validation tests showed that the prediction accuracy of the model was considerably high with 5.0-9.4% deviation from the experimental data. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An in vitro study of enhanced H+ diffusion by urease action on urea. Implications for Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulceration.

PubMed

Desai, M A; Vadgama, P M

1993-10-01

The in vitro effect of urea and hydrolysis of urea by urease on mucus H+ permeability is reported here. The effective DHCl values indicate a strong pH dependence for H+ diffusion in both water and mucus layers, with no apparent trend at concentrations between 1 and 50 mM urea. However, the estimated DHCl at near-neutral and alkaline pH are 4- to 10-fold lower through mucus than through aqueous films. Moreover, the pKa values of HCO3- and NH3 (generated by urease action on urea) had a profound effect on measured DHCl. These in vitro studies suggest that a high local concentration of NH3 and HCO3- within the mucus layer, generated by the action of Helicobacter pylori urease on endogenous intragastric urea, could greatly accelerate proton flux to the surface epithelium by operation of a buffer shuttle. This results in enhanced H+ permeability, particularly at pKa values of HCO3- and NH3, and in extreme circumstances it may result in gastric ulcer formation.

Meat and nutritional quality comparison of purebred and crossbred pigs.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Chai, Jie; Luo, Zonggang; He, Hang; Chen, Lei; Liu, Xueqin; Zhou, Qinfei

2018-01-01

Crossbreeding is an effective method of improving the efficiency and profit of production in commercial pig operations. To understand the effect of crossbreeding on meat and nutrient quality, a combination including three purebred (Duroc, D; Landrace, L; Yorkshire, Y) and two crossbred pig lines (Landrace × Yorkshire, LY; Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), DLY) frequently used internationally were studied. The results showed that meat from the LY and DLY crosses had lower values for lightness L24h∗, shear force and epinephrine and higher values for drip loss, C18:1, insulin, glucagon and monounsaturated fatty acids than D, L and Y pigs. Moreover, LY had higher values for post mortem pH and lower values for a* and b* than the purebreds. In contrast, DLY had lower values for pH and higher values for a* and b* than the purebreds. Meat quality-related gene analysis showed that the CAST, IGF2 and MC4R gene expression levels in the LY and DLY pigs were significantly higher than those in the D, L and Y pigs. These results indicate that crossbreeding can alter the meat quality, nutritive value, energy metabolism and gene expression of pigs. Future research should focus on microRNA expression and DNA methylation that regulate gene expression and thus affect the meat quality. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effect of pH values on the extracellular polysaccharide secreted by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans during chalcopyrite bioleaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Run-lan; Liu, Jing; Tan, Jian-xi; Zeng, Wei-min; Shi, Li-juan; Gu, Guo-hua; Qin, Wen-qing; Qiu, Guan-zhou

2014-04-01

The pH value plays an important role in the bioleaching of sulphide minerals. The effect of pH values on the extracellular polysaccharide secreted by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was investigated in different phases of bacterial growth during chalcopyrite bioleaching. It is found that extracellular polysaccharide secretion from the cells attached to chalcopyrite is more efficiently than that of the free cells in the bioleaching solution. Three factors, pH values, the concentration of soluble metal ions, and the bacterial growth and metabolism, affect extracellular polysaccharide secretion in the free cells, and are related to the bacterial growth phase. Extracellular polysaccharide secretion from the attached cells is mainly dependent on the pH value of the bacterial culture.

Predicting umbilical artery pH during labour: Development and validation of a nomogram using fetal heart rate patterns.

PubMed

Ramanah, Rajeev; Omar, Sikiyah; Guillien, Alicia; Pugin, Aurore; Martin, Alain; Riethmuller, Didier; Mottet, Nicolas

2018-06-01

Nomograms are statistical models that combine variables to obtain the most accurate and reliable prediction for a particular risk. Fetal heart rate (FHR) interpretation alone has been found to be poorly predictive for fetal acidosis while other clinical risk factors exist. The aim of this study was to create and validate a nomogram based on FHR patterns and relevant clinical parameters to provide a non-invasive individualized prediction of umbilical artery pH during labour. A retrospective observational study was conducted on 4071 patients in labour presenting singleton pregnancies at >34 gestational weeks and delivering vaginally. Clinical characteristics, FHR patterns and umbilical cord gas of 1913 patients were used to construct a nomogram predicting an umbilical artery (Ua) pH <7.18 (10th centile of the study population) after an univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis. External validation was obtained from an independent cohort of 2158 patients. Area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the nomogram were determined. Upon multivariate analysis, parity (p < 0.01), induction of labour (p = 0.01), a prior uterine scar (p = 0.02), maternal fever (p = 0.02) and the type of FHR (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with an Ua pH <7.18 (p < 0.05). Apgar score at 1, 5 and 10 min were significantly lower in the group with an Ua pH <7.18 (p < 0.01). The nomogram constructed had a Concordance Index of 0.75 (area under the curve) with a sensitivity of 57%, a specificity of 91%, a negative predictive value of 5% and a positive predictive value of 99%. Calibration found no difference between the predicted probabilities and the observed rate of Ua pH <7.18 (p = 0.63). The validation set had a Concordance Index of 0.72 and calibration with a p < 0.77. We successfully developed and validated a nomogram to predict Ua pH by combining easily available clinical variables and FHR. Discrimination and calibration of the model were statistically good. This mathematical tool can help clinicians in the management of labour by predicting umbilical artery pH based on FHR tracings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of Immunoglobulin G on a mixed-mode adsorbent in batch and packed bed configuration.

PubMed

Gomes, Pedro Ferreira; Loureiro, José Miguel; Rodrigues, Alírio E

2017-11-17

It is commonly accepted that efficient protein separation and purification to the desired level of purity is one bottleneck in pharmaceutical industries. MabDirect MM is a new type of mixed mode adsorbent, especially designed to operate in expanded bed adsorption (EBA) mode. In this study, equilibrium and kinetics experiments were carried out for the adsorption of Human Immunoglobulin G (hIgG) protein on this new adsorbent. The effects of ionic strength and pH are assessed. Langmuir isotherms parameters are obtained along with the estimation of the effective pore diffusion coefficient (D pe ) by fitting the batch adsorption kinetics experiments with the pore diffusion model. The maximum adsorption of the IgG protein on the MabDirect MM adsorbent, 149.7±7.1mg·g dry -1 , was observed from a pH 5.0 buffer solution without salt addition. Adding salt to the buffer solution, and/or increasing pH, decreases the adsorption capacity which is 4.7±0.4mg·g dry -1 for pH 7.0 with 0.4M NaCl in solution. Regarding the D pe estimation, a value of 15.4×10 -6 cm 2 ·min -1 was obtained for a pH 5.0 solution without salt. Increasing the salt concentration and/or the pH value will decrease the effective pore diffusion, the lowest D pe (0.16×10 -6 cm 2 ·min -1 ) value being observed for an IgG solution at pH 7.0 with 0.4M NaCl. Fixed bed experiments were conducted with the purpose to validate the equilibrium and kinetic parameters obtained in batch. For a feed concentration of 0.5 g·L -1 of IgG in pH 5.0 buffer solution with 0.4M NaCl, a dynamic binding capacity at 10% of breakthrough of 5.3mg·g wet -1 (15.4mg IgG ·mL resin -1 ) was obtained, representing 62% of the saturation capacity. As far as the authors know, this study is the first one concerning the adsorption of hIgG on this type of mixed mode chromatography adsorbent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ethanol and Acetic Acid Production from Carbon Monoxide in a Clostridium Strain in Batch and Continuous Gas-Fed Bioreactors

PubMed Central

Nalakath Abubackar, Haris; Veiga, María C.; Kennes, Christian

2015-01-01

The effect of different sources of nitrogen as well as their concentrations on the bioconversion of carbon monoxide to metabolic products such as acetic acid and ethanol by Clostridium autoethanogenum was studied. In a first set of assays, under batch conditions, either NH4Cl, trypticase soy broth or yeast extract (YE) were used as sources of nitrogen. The use of YE was found statistically significant (p < 0.05) on the product spectrum in such batch assays. In another set of experiments, three bioreactors were operated with continuous CO supply, in order to estimate the effect of running conditions on products and biomass formation. The bioreactors were operated under different conditions, i.e., EXP1 (pH = 5.75, YE 1g/L), EXP2 (pH = 4.75, YE 1 g/L) and EXP3 (pH = 5.75, YE 0.2 g/L). When compared to EXP2 and EXP3, it was found that EXP1 yielded the maximum biomass accumulation (302.4 mg/L) and products concentrations, i.e., acetic acid (2147.1 mg/L) and ethanol (352.6 mg/L). This can be attributed to the fact that the higher pH and higher YE concentration used in EXP1 stimulated cell growth and did, consequently, also enhance metabolite production. However, when ethanol is the desired end-product, as a biofuel, the lower pH used in EXP2 was more favourable for solventogenesis and yielded the highest ethanol/acetic acid ratio, reaching a value of 0.54. PMID:25608591

Ethanol and acetic acid production from carbon monoxide in a Clostridium strain in batch and continuous gas-fed bioreactors.

PubMed

Abubackar, Haris Nalakath; Veiga, María C; Kennes, Christian

2015-01-20

The effect of different sources of nitrogen as well as their concentrations on the bioconversion of carbon monoxide to metabolic products such as acetic acid and ethanol by Clostridium autoethanogenum was studied. In a first set of assays, under batch conditions, either NH4Cl, trypticase soy broth or yeast extract (YE) were used as sources of nitrogen. The use of YE was found statistically significant (p < 0.05) on the product spectrum in such batch assays. In another set of experiments, three bioreactors were operated with continuous CO supply, in order to estimate the effect of running conditions on products and biomass formation. The bioreactors were operated under different conditions, i.e., EXP1 (pH = 5.75, YE 1g/L), EXP2 (pH = 4.75, YE 1 g/L) and EXP3 (pH = 5.75, YE 0.2 g/L). When compared to EXP2 and EXP3, it was found that EXP1 yielded the maximum biomass accumulation (302.4 mg/L) and products concentrations, i.e., acetic acid (2147.1 mg/L) and ethanol (352.6 mg/L). This can be attributed to the fact that the higher pH and higher YE concentration used in EXP1 stimulated cell growth and did, consequently, also enhance metabolite production. However, when ethanol is the desired end-product, as a biofuel, the lower pH used in EXP2 was more favourable for solventogenesis and yielded the highest ethanol/acetic acid ratio, reaching a value of 0.54.

Birth asphyxia measured by the pH value of the umbilical cord blood may predict an increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Mikkelsen, Susanne Hvolgaard; Olsen, Jørn; Bech, Bodil Hammer; Wu, Chunsen; Liew, Zeyan; Gissler, Mika; Obel, Carsten; Arah, Onyebuchi

2017-06-01

Although birth asphyxia is a major risk factor for neonatal and childhood morbidity and mortality, it has not been investigated much in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We examined whether birth asphyxia measured by the pH of the blood in the umbilical artery cord was associated with childhood ADHD. A population-based cohort of 295 687 children born in Finland between 1991 and 2002 was followed until December 31, 2007. ADHD was identified by the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition, as a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder. We examined the risk of ADHD with varying pH values using Cox regression, taking time trends into consideration. When compared to the reference group, a pH value below 7.10 was significantly associated with an increased risk of ADHD. The strongest risks were observed among children with a pH value <7.15 and a gestational age of <32 weeks. The pH value did not contribute much to the risk among children with an Apgar score of 0-3. Birth asphyxia, defined by low pH value, may predict an increased risk of ADHD in childhood. The association between the pH value and ADHD was homogenous when stratified by gestational age and the Apgar score. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of pH on rheotaxis of bull sperm using microfluidics.

PubMed

El-Sherry, T M; Abdel-Ghani, M A; Abou-Khalil, N S; Elsayed, M; Abdelgawad, M

2017-10-01

The aim of the present research is to study the effect of pH values on the sperm rheotaxis properties. Semen collected from bulls was diluted with SOF medium (1:10). pH of the medium was adjusted using a digital pH meter to the following pH values: 6.0, 6.2, 6.4, 6.4, 6.8, 7.0. All kinetic parameters of sperm (n = 3,385) were determined through a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system using microfluidic devices with controlled flow velocity. The following parameters were determined: total motility (TM%), positive rheotaxis (PR%), straightline velocity (VSL, μm/s), average path velocity (VAP, μm/s), linearity (LIN, as VSL/VCL, %), beat cross-frequency (BCF, Hz) and curvilinear velocity (VCL, μm/s). Nitric oxide, calcium and potassium were estimated in semen at different pH values. To confirm the effect of nitric oxide and K + , we used sodium nitroprusside (an NO donor) and KCL as (a K + donor) to see their effect on sperm PR%. The results showed no difference in TM% at pH (6-7). The PR% was the lowest at pH 6 and 7. The best parameters for the PR% were at pH 6.4-6.6. The concentration of Ca +2 did not change at different pH values. The mean NO values decreased with the increase of pH; however, the mean values of K + increased with the increase of pH. Addition of high concentration of NO and K + to the semen media at fixed pH level had a negative effect on TM% and PR%. In conclusion, the bull sperm had the best rheotaxis properties at pH 6.4-6.6 and sensitive to the change of seminal NO and K + . © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Efficient butanol-ethanol (B-E) production from carbon monoxide fermentation by Clostridium carboxidivorans.

PubMed

Fernández-Naveira, Ánxela; Abubackar, Haris Nalakath; Veiga, María C; Kennes, Christian

2016-04-01

The fermentation of waste gases rich in carbon monoxide using acetogens is an efficient way to obtain valuable biofuels like ethanol and butanol. Different experiments were carried out with the bacterial species Clostridium carboxidivorans as biocatalyst. In batch assays with no pH regulation, after complete substrate exhaustion, acetic acid, butyric acid, and ethanol were detected while only negligible butanol production was observed. On the other side, in bioreactors, with continuous carbon monoxide supply and pH regulation, both C2 and C4 fatty acids were initially formed as well as ethanol and butanol at concentrations never reported before for this type of anaerobic bioconversion of gaseous C1 compounds, showing that the operating conditions significantly affect the metabolic fermentation profile and butanol accumulation. Maximum ethanol and butanol concentrations in the bioreactors were obtained at pH 5.75, reaching values of 5.55 and 2.66 g/L, respectively. The alcohols were produced both from CO fermentation as well as from the bioconversion of previously accumulated acetic and butyric acids, resulting in low residual concentrations of such acids at the end of the bioreactor experiments. CO consumption was often around 50% and reached up to more than 80%. Maximum specific rates of ethanol and butanol production were reached at pH 4.75, with values of 0.16 g/h*g of biomass and 0.07 g/h*g of biomass, respectively, demonstrating that a low pH was more favorable to solventogenesis in this process, although it negatively affects biomass growth which does also play a role in the final alcohol titer.

Surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic pH sensor utilizing Ag/ITO/Al/hydrogel layers.

PubMed

Mishra, Satyendra K; Gupta, Banshi D

2013-05-07

The fabrication and characterization of a surface plasmon resonance based pH sensor using coatings of silver, ITO (In2O3:SnO2), aluminium and smart hydrogel layers over an unclad core of an optical fiber have been reported. The silver, aluminium and ITO layers were coated using a thermal evaporation technique, while the hydrogel layer was prepared using a dip-coating method. The sensor works on the principle of detecting changes in the refractive index of the hydrogel layer due to its swelling and shrinkage caused by changes in the pH of the fluid surrounding the hydrogel layer. The sensor utilizes a wavelength interrogation technique and operates in a particular window of low and high pH values. Increasing the pH value of the fluid causes swelling of the hydrogel layer, which decreases its refractive index and results in a shift of the resonance wavelength towards blue in the transmitted spectra. The thicknesses of the ITO and aluminium layers have been optimized to achieve the best performance of the sensor. The ITO layer increases the sensitivity while the aluminium layer increases the detection accuracy of the sensor. The proposed sensor possesses maximum sensitivity in comparison to the sensors reported in the literature. A negligible effect of ambient temperature in the range 25 °C to 45 °C on the performance of the sensor has been observed. The additional advantages of the sensor are short response time, low cost, probe miniaturization, probe re-usability and the capability of remote sensing.

Determination of acid forming potential of massive sulfide minerals and the tailings situated in lead/zinc mining district of Balya (NW Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çelebi, E. Ender; Öncel, M. Salim

2016-12-01

Weathering of sulfide minerals is a major source of acid production in nature and especially in mining territories. Pyrite is not the only principal mineral that generates acid drainage: other sulfide minerals (sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, etc.) may also be responsible for acid production. In addition to massive sulfide minerals, sulfide-bearing mine tailings may also produce acid drainage due to oxidation and hydrolysis reactions in waste dumps. The lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) mining region in Balya and Balıkesir, in Turkey, has operated mines intensively since the 1860s; so that characterization of the sulfide minerals and tailings situated and formed around the mining site is of great importance to secure a sustainable environment. For this purpose, acid production and neutralization potentials of massive sulfide ores of the region, and in the Pb/Zn process facility mine tailings from ten different points of tailings dam, have been determined by applied conventional Acid-Base Accounting (ABA) and Net Acid Generation (NAG) static tests after chemical and mineralogical analysis. The NAG pH and net acid production potential (NAPP) values were compared on a chart in order to classify the samples as either acid generating or non-acid generating. According to the comparisons, the sulfide minerals were classified as potentially acid forming (PAF). Massive pyrite had the highest NAPP and NAG pH value of 1966.6 kg H2SO4/ton and 1.91, respectively and the galena had the lowest NAPP value of 558.9 kg H2SO4/ton. However, the sphalerite NAG leachate pH value of 4.30 was the highest in sulfide minerals so that the sphalerite plotted near the uncertainty reference border in the PAF zone. In the mine tailings, NAPP values of 105.9 kg H2SO4/ton on average and the NAG pH values of over 7.5 were determined. In addition to these tests, water leaching (agitation test) was carried out on tailings in order to generate more information. The tailings did not generate acidic leachates as they lie on limestone bed rock which neutralized the acidity.

An intramolecular charge transfer process based fluorescent probe for monitoring subtle pH fluctuation in living cells.

PubMed

Sun, Mingtai; Du, Libo; Yu, Huan; Zhang, Kui; Liu, Yang; Wang, Suhua

2017-01-01

It is crucial to monitor intracellular pH values and their fluctuation since the organelles of cells have different pH distribution. Herein we construct a new small molecule fluorescent probe HBT-O for monitoring the subtle pH values within the scope of neutral to acid in living cells. The probe exhibited good water solubility, a marked turquoise to olivine emission color change in response to pH, and tremendous fluorescence hypochromatic shift of ∼50nm (1718cm -1 ) as well as the increased fluorescence intensity when the pH value changed from neutral to acid. Thus, the probe HBT-O can distinguish the subtle changes in the range of normal pH values from neutral to acid with significant fluorescence changes. These properties can be attributed to the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process of the probe upon protonation in buffer solutions at varied pH values. Moreover, the probe was reversible and nearly non-toxic for living cells. Then the probe was successfully used to detect pH fluctuation in living cells by exhibiting different fluorescence colors and intensity. These findings demonstrate that the probe will find useful applications in biology and biomedical research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimation of neonatal outcome artery pH value according to CTG interpretation of the last 60 min before delivery: a retrospective study. Can the outcome pH value be predicted?

PubMed

Kundu, S; Kuehnle, E; Schippert, C; von Ehr, J; Hillemanns, P; Staboulidou, Ismini

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to analyze whether the umbilical artery pH value can be estimated throughout CTG assessment 60 min prior to delivery and if the estimated umbilical artery pH value correlates with the actual one. This includes analysis of correlation between CTG trace classification and actual umbilical artery pH value. Intra-and interobserver agreement and the impact of professional experience on visual analysis of fetal heart rate tracing were evaluated. This was a retrospective study. 300 CTG records of the last 60 min before delivery were picked randomly from the computer database with the following inclusion criteria; singleton pregnancy >37 weeks, no fetal anomalies, vaginal delivery either spontaneous or instrumental-assisted. Five obstetricians and two midwives of different professional experience classified 300 CTG traces according to the FIGO criteria and estimated the postnatal umbilical artery pH. The results showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in estimated and actual pH value, independent of professional experience. Analysis and correlation of CTG assessment and actual umbilical artery pH value showed significantly (p < 0.05) diverging results. Intra- and interobserver variability was high. Intraobserver variability was significantly higher for the resident (p = 0.001). No significant differences were detected regarding interobserver variability. An estimation of the pH value and consequently of neonatal outcome on the basis of a present CTG seems to be difficult. Therefore, not only CTG training but also clinical experience and the collaboration and consultation within the whole team is important.

Influence of bath PH value on microstructure and corrosion resistance of phosphate chemical conversion coating on sintered Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Xia; Xue, Long-fei; Wang, Xiu-chun; Ding, Kai-hong; Cui, Sheng-li; Sun, Yong-cong; Li, Mu-sen

2016-10-01

The effect of bath PH value on formation, microstructure and corrosion resistance of the phosphate chemical conversion (PCC) coatings as well as the effect on the magnetic property of the magnets is investigated in this paper. The results show that the coating mass and thickness increase with the decrease of the bath PH value. Scanning electron microscopy observation demonstrates that the PCC coatings are in a blocky structure with different grain size. Transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer tests reveal the coatings are polycomponent and are mainly composed of neodymium phosphate hydrate and praseodymium phosphate hydrate. The electrochemical analysis and static immersion corrosion test show the corrosion resistance of the PCC coatings prepared at bath PH value of 0.52 is worst. Afterwards the corrosion resistance increases first and then decreases with the increasing of the bath PH values. The magnetic properties of all the samples with PCC treatment are decreased. The biggest loss is occurred when the bath PH value is 0.52. Taken together, the optimum PH range of 1.00-1.50 for the phosphate solution has been determined.

Psychological aspects of cosmetic rhinoplasty.

PubMed

Marcus, P

1984-07-01

This paper summarises some of the major findings of a doctoral research entitled "Psychological Aspects of Cosmetic Rhinoplasty" carried out when the author was working in the United Kingdom on a thesis that was accepted for the degree of PhD by the University of London. From the point of view of the clinical psychologist there can be no doubt that cosmetic rhinoplasty does have largely beneficial short- and long-term psychological and behavioural effects on patients who request the operation and several observations and experiments are described to account for the efficacy and therapeutic value of this operation.

Electrochemical oxidation of COD from real textile wastewaters: Kinetic study and energy consumption.

PubMed

Zou, Jiaxiu; Peng, Xiaolan; Li, Miao; Xiong, Ying; Wang, Bing; Dong, Faqin; Wang, Bin

2017-03-01

In the present study, the electrochemical oxidation of real wastewaters discharged by textile industry was carried out using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. The effect of operational variables, such as applied current density (20-100 mA·cm -2 ), NaCl concentration added to the real wastewaters (0-3 g·L -1 ), and pH value (2.0-10.0), on the kinetics of COD oxidation and on the energy consumption was carefully investigated. The obtained experimental results could be well matched with a proposed kinetic model, in which the indirect oxidation mediated by electrogenerated strong oxidants would be described through a pseudo-first-order kinetic constant k. Values of k exhibited a linear increase with increasing applied current density and decreasing pH value, and an exponential increase with NaCl concentration. Furthermore, high oxidation kinetics resulted in low specific energy consumption, but this conclusion was not suitable to the results obtained under different applied current density. Under the optimum operational conditions, it only took 3 h to complete remove the COD in the real textile wastewaters and the specific energy consumption could be as low as 11.12 kWh·kg -1  COD. The obtained results, low energy consumption and short electrolysis time, allowed to conclude that the electrochemical oxidation based on BDD anodes would have practical industrial application for the treatment of real textile wastewater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic controls on the kinetics of microbial low-pH Fe(II) oxidation.

PubMed

Larson, Lance N; Sánchez-España, Javier; Kaley, Bradley; Sheng, Yizhi; Bibby, Kyle; Burgos, William D

2014-08-19

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major worldwide environmental threat to surface and groundwater quality. Microbial low-pH Fe(II) oxidation could be exploited for cost-effective AMD treatment; however, its use is limited because of uncertainties associated with its rate and ability to remove Fe from solution. We developed a thermodynamic-based framework to evaluate the kinetics of low-pH Fe(II) oxidation. We measured the kinetics of low-pH Fe(II) oxidation at five sites in the Appalachian Coal Basin in the US and three sites in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in Spain and found that the fastest rates of Fe(II) oxidation occurred at the sites with the lowest pH values. Thermodynamic calculations showed that the Gibbs free energy of Fe(II) oxidation (ΔG(oxidation)) was also most negative at the sites with the lowest pH values. We then conducted two series of microbial Fe(II) oxidation experiments in laboratory-scale chemostatic bioreactors operated through a series of pH values (2.1-4.2) and found the same relationships between Fe(II) oxidation kinetics, ΔG(oxidation), and pH. Conditions that favored the fastest rates of Fe(II) oxidation coincided with higher Fe(III) solubility. The solubility of Fe(III) minerals, thus plays an important role on Fe(II) oxidation kinetics. Methods to incorporate microbial low-pH Fe(II) oxidation into active and passive AMD treatment systems are discussed in the context of these findings. This study presents a simplified model that describes the relationship between free energy and microbial kinetics and should be broadly applicable to many biogeochemical systems.

Tropical soil bacterial communities in Malaysia: pH dominates in the equatorial tropics too.

PubMed

Tripathi, Binu M; Kim, Mincheol; Singh, Dharmesh; Lee-Cruz, Larisa; Lai-Hoe, Ang; Ainuddin, A N; Go, Rusea; Rahim, Raha Abdul; Husni, M H A; Chun, Jongsik; Adams, Jonathan M

2012-08-01

The dominant factors controlling soil bacterial community variation within the tropics are poorly known. We sampled soils across a range of land use types--primary (unlogged) and logged forests and crop and pasture lands in Malaysia. PCR-amplified soil DNA for the bacterial 16S rRNA gene targeting the V1-V3 region was pyrosequenced using the 454 Roche machine. We found that land use in itself has a weak but significant effect on the bacterial community composition. However, bacterial community composition and diversity was strongly correlated with soil properties, especially soil pH, total carbon, and C/N ratio. Soil pH was the best predictor of bacterial community composition and diversity across the various land use types, with the highest diversity close to neutral pH values. In addition, variation in phylogenetic structure of dominant lineages (Alphaproteobacteria, Beta/Gammaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria) is also significantly correlated with soil pH. Together, these results confirm the importance of soil pH in structuring soil bacterial communities in Southeast Asia. Our results also suggest that unlike the general diversity pattern found for larger organisms, primary tropical forest is no richer in operational taxonomic units of soil bacteria than logged forest, and agricultural land (crop and pasture) is actually richer than primary forest, partly due to selection of more fertile soils that have higher pH for agriculture and the effects of soil liming raising pH.

Asymmetric 2D spatial beam filtering by photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gailevicius, D.; Purlys, V.; Maigyte, L.; Gaizauskas, E.; Peckus, M.; Gadonas, R.; Staliunas, K.

2016-04-01

Spatial filtering techniques are important for improving the spatial quality of light beams. Photonic crystals (PhCs) with a selective spatial (angular) transmittance can also provide spatial filtering with the added benefit transversal symmetries, submillimeter dimensions and monolithic integration in other devices, such as micro-lasers or semiconductor lasers. Workable bandgap PhC configurations require a modulated refractive index with period lengths that are approximately less than the wavelength of radiation. This imposes technical limitations, whereby the available direct laser write (DLW) fabrication techniques are limited in resolution and refractive index depth. If, however, a deflection mechanism is chosen instead, a functional filter PhC can be produced that is operational in the visible wavelength regime. For deflection based PhCs glass is an attractive choice as it is highly stable medium. 2D and 3D PhC filter variations have already been produced on soda-lime glass. However, little is known about how to control the scattering of PhCs when approaching the smallest period values. Here we look into the internal structure of the initially symmetric geometry 2D PhCs and associating it with the resulting transmittance spectra. By varying the DLW fabrication beam parameters and scanning algorithms, we show that such PhCs contain layers that are comprised of semi-tilted structure voxels. We show the appearance of asymmetry can be compensated in order to circumvent some negative effects at the cost of potentially maximum scattering efficiency.

Removal of oxytetracycline and determining its biosorption properties on aerobic granular sludge.

PubMed

Mihciokur, Hamdi; Oguz, Merve

2016-09-01

This study investigates biosorption of Oxytetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, using aerobic granular sludge as an adsorbent in aqueous solutions. A sequencing batch reactor fed by a synthetic wastewater was operated to create aerobic granular sludge. Primarily, the pore structure and surface area of granular sludge, the chemical structure and the molecular sizes of the pharmaceutical, operating conditions, such as pH, stirring rate, initial concentration of Oxytetracycline, during adsorption process was verified. Subsequently, thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the adsorption were examined and adsorption isotherm studies were carried out. It was shown that the aerobic granular sludge was a good alternative for biosorption of this pharmaceutical. The pharmaceutical was adsorbed better at pH values of 6-8. The adsorption efficiency increased with rising ionic strength. Also, it was seen that the adsorption process was an exothermic process in terms of thermodynamics. The adsorption can be well explained by Langmuir isotherm model. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immobilization of pectinase on oxidized pulp fiber and its application in whitewater treatment.

PubMed

Wu, Rina; He, Bei-Hai; Zhao, Guang-Lei; Qian, Li-Ying; Li, Xiao-Feng

2013-09-12

Modified pulp fiber was originally used as a new type of carrier for pectinase immobilization. Pulp fiber was oxidized by sodium periodate to produce aldehyde groups for covalently binding with amino groups of pectinase. Results showed that the enzymatic activity of immobilized pectinase on pulp fiber reached 65 μgg(-1)min(-1) when immobilization pH value, temperature and time were of 7.0, 20 °C and 15 min, respectively. The immobilized pectinase showed higher thermo stability in a wider temperature range of 40-70 °C than its free type and its optimal pH shifted from 8.0 to 8.8. Furthermore, the immobilized pectinase exhibited good operational stability. When employed in whitewater treatment of papermaking industry, it still efficiently decreased the cationic demand after operating repeatedly for six batches. The results obtained demonstrate a promising route to prepare available, cheap and biodegradable carrier for immobilizing enzymes with potential application in wastewater treatment in papermaking industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous removal of ore floatation reagents by an anaerobic-aerobic biological filter.

PubMed

Cheng, Huang; Lin, Hai; Huo, Hanxin; Dong, Yingbo; Xue, Qiuyu; Cao, Lixia

2012-06-01

A laboratory scale up-flow anaerobic-aerobic biological filter was constructed to treat synthetic ore floatation wastewater. Volcanic stone was applied as packing media for aerobic section. Biodegradation of some common ore floatation reagents as potassium ethyl xanthate dithiophosphate and turpentine were evaluated. An average COD reduction rate of 88.7% for potassium ethyl xanthate by the biofilter was obtained at HRT of 6h, air water flow ratio of 10:1 and pH of 7. Its effluent COD concentration varied between 17 and 43 mg/L. Xanthates and dithiophosphate were found to be easily biodegradable, whereas turpentine was not favorable for microorganism to digest. The performance of the reactor fluctuated slightly within the temperature range of 10-35 °C. Operation of the biofilter was sensitive to influent pH values. A neutral to weak basic influent was preferred for biofilter to maintain an efficient operation. Anaerobic treatment was able to enhance the biodegradability of influents significantly. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review on acidifying treatments for vegetable canned food.

PubMed

Derossi, A; Fiore, A G; De Pilli, T; Severini, C

2011-12-01

As is well known, pasteurization treatments are not sufficient for destroying heat resistance of spore forming microorganisms, which are prevented from germination and growing by pH reducing. So, the acidification process becomes one of the most important pre-treatments for the canning industry. It is commonly applied before pasteurization treatment with the purpose of inhibiting spore germination and for reducing heat resistance of the microorganism, thereby allowing to reduce the time or temperature values of the heat treatment. With the aim to reduce the pH of vegetables several techniques are available but their application is not easy to plan. Often, industries define operative conditions only on the basis of empirical experience, thus increasing the risk of microbial growth or imparting an unpleasant sour taste. With the aim of highlighting the correct plan and management of acidification treatments to reach safety without degrading quality of canned fruit and vegetables, the topics that are reviewed and discussed are the effects of low pH on heat resistance of the most important microorganisms, acidification techniques and significant process variables, the effect of low pH on sensorial properties, and future trends.

Fibre tip pH sensor for tumor detection during surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Matthew R.; Schartner, Erik P.; Callen, David F.; Gill, P. Grantley; Monro, Tanya M.

2015-05-01

Surgery on tumours commonly involves a lumpectomy method, where a section of tissue containing the tumour is removed, to improve cosmetic outcomes and quality of life. Following surgery, the margins of the removed section are checked by pathology tests to ensure that the entire tumour has been removed. Unfortunately, approximately 15-20% of margins show incomplete removal and require a subsequent operation to remove the remaining tumour. Tumour detection during surgery could allow the removed section to be enlarged appropriately, reducing the likelihood of requiring subsequent surgery. A change in the extracellular pH in the vicinity of a tumour, when compared to normal tissue, has been shown previously in literature. We have fabricated an optical fibre tip pH sensor by embedding a fluorophore within a photopolymerised acrylamide polymer on the tip of a 200 micron diameter silica fibre. Preliminary measurements of human melanoma samples have shown a significant difference in the measured pH values between tumour and normal tissue. This demonstration paves to way to highly accurate margin detection during surgery.

The acid-tolerant L-arabinose isomerase from the mesophilic Shewanella sp. ANA-3 is highly active at low temperatures

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background L-arabinose isomerases catalyse the isomerization of L-arabinose into L-ribulose at insight biological systems. At industrial scale of this enzyme is used for the bioconversion of D-galactose into D-tagatose which has many applications in pharmaceutical and agro-food industries. The isomerization reaction is thermodynamically equilibrated, and therefore the bioconversion rates is shifted towards tagatose when the temperature is increased. Moreover, to prevent secondary reactions it will be of interest to operate at low pH. The profitability of this D-tagatose production process is mainly related to the use of lactose as cheaper raw material. In many dairy products it will be interesting to produce D-tagatose during storage. This requires an efficient L-arabinose isomerase acting at low temperature and pH values. Results The gene encoding the L-arabinose isomerase from Shewanella sp. ANA-3 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein has a tetrameric arrangement composed by four identical 55 kDa subunits. The biochemical characterization of this enzyme showed that it was distinguishable by its maximal activity at low temperatures comprised between 15-35°C. Interestingly, this biocatalyst preserves more than 85% of its activity in a broad range of temperatures from 4.0 to 45°C. Shewanella sp. ANA-3 L-arabinose isomerase was also optimally active at pH 5.5-6.5 and maintained over 80% of its activity at large pH values from 4.0 to 8.5. Furthermore, this enzyme exhibited a weak requirement for metallic ions for its activity evaluated at 0.6 mM Mn2+. Stability studies showed that this protein is highly stable mainly at low temperature and pH values. Remarkably, T268K mutation clearly enhances the enzyme stability at low pH values. Use of this L-arabinose isomerase for D-tagatose production allows the achievement of attractive bioconversion rates of 16% at 4°C and 34% at 35°C. Conclusions Here we reported the purification and the biochemical characterization of the novel Shewanella sp. ANA-3 L-arabinose isomerase. Determination of the biochemical properties demonstrated that this enzyme was highly active at low temperatures. The generated T268K mutant displays an increase of the enzyme stability essentially at low pH. These features seem to be very attractive for the bioconversion of D-galactose into D-tagatose at low temperature which is very interesting from industrial point of view. PMID:22074172

Validation of a portable, waterproof blood pH analyser for elasmobranchs.

PubMed

Talwar, Brendan; Bouyoucos, Ian A; Shipley, Oliver; Rummer, Jodie L; Mandelman, John W; Brooks, Edward J; Grubbs, R Dean

2017-01-01

Quantifying changes in blood chemistry in elasmobranchs can provide insights into the physiological insults caused by anthropogenic stress, and can ultimately inform conservation and management strategies. Current methods for analysing elasmobranch blood chemistry in the field are often costly and logistically challenging. We compared blood pH values measured using a portable, waterproof pH meter (Hanna Instruments HI 99161) with blood pH values measured by an i-STAT system (CG4+ cartridges), which was previously validated for teleost and elasmobranch fishes, to gauge the accuracy of the pH meter in determining whole blood pH for the Cuban dogfish ( Squalus cubensis ) and lemon shark ( Negaprion brevirostris ). There was a significant linear relationship between values derived via the pH meter and the i-STAT for both species across a wide range of pH values and temperatures (Cuban dogfish: 6.8-7.1 pH 24-30°C; lemon sharks: 7.0-7.45 pH 25-31°C). The relative error in the pH meter's measurements was ~±2.7%. Using this device with appropriate correction factors and consideration of calibration temperatures can result in both a rapid and accurate assessment of whole blood pH, at least for the two elasmobranch species examined here. Additional species should be examined in the future across a wide range of temperatures to determine whether correction factors are universal.

A comparison of three electrodes for the measurement of pH in small volumes.

PubMed

Smit, A; Pollard, M; Cleaton-Jones, P; Preston, A

1997-01-01

An ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET, Sentron, Sentron, Inc.) electrode was compared with a glass combination micro-electrode (MI-410, Micro-electrodes, Inc.) and a solid-state metal wire oxide pH sensor (Beetrode, World Precision Instruments, Inc.) with a liquid junction reference electrode (MERE1, World Precision Instruments, Inc.). The electrodes were assessed for linearity, reproducibility, accuracy, drift from the initial calibration between pH 4 and pH 7 and the time taken to record a stable reading. The ISFET was used to determine the pH in dental plaque samples (1 mg suspended in 20 microliters). The pH values correlated with the hydrogen ion concentration for all the electrodes (r = 0.98). The MI-410 fractured before this evaluation was completed. Coefficients of variation were 0.65% (pH 4) and 0.08% (pH 7) for the ISFET and 4.69% (pH 4) and 3.46% (pH 7) for the Beetrode. Both electrodes gave readings that differed significantly from the initial calibration, but the drift was greater for the Beetrode (F = 7.93; p = 0.0005) than the ISFET (F = 1.89; p = 0.1519). However, this drift was smaller than the change in pH as measured in dental plaque samples. The Beetrode gave a stable reading after 3.39 +/- 0.83 s and the ISFET after 2.2 +/- 0.76 s, while the MI-410 required at least 20 s. The ISFET type electrode is suitable for use in small volumes such as plaque suspensions, is easier to operate and yields results closer to the initial calibration than the Beetrode and is more robust than the MI-410 and the Beetrode.

Unfolding Kinetics of the Human Telomere i-Motif Under a 10 pN Force Imposed by the α-Hemolysin Nanopore Identify Transient Folded-State Lifetimes at Physiological pH.

PubMed

Ding, Yun; Fleming, Aaron M; He, Lidong; Burrows, Cynthia J

2015-07-22

Cytosine (C)-rich DNA can adopt i-motif folds under acidic conditions, with the human telomere i-motif providing a well-studied example. The dimensions of this i-motif are appropriate for capture in the nanocavity of the α-hemolysin (α-HL) protein pore under an electrophoretic force. Interrogation of the current vs time (i-t) traces when the i-motif interacts with α-HL identified characteristic signals that were pH dependent. These features were evaluated from pH 5.0 to 7.2, a region surrounding the transition pH of the i-motif (6.1). When the i-motif without polynucleotide tails was studied at pH 5.0, the folded structure entered the nanocavity of α-HL from either the top or bottom face to yield characteristic current patterns. Addition of a 5' 25-mer poly-2'-deoxyadensosine tail allowed capture of the i-motif from the unfolded terminus, and this was used to analyze the pH dependency of unfolding. At pH values below the transition point, only folded strands were observed, and when the pH was increased above the transition pH, the number of folded events decreased, while the unfolded events increased. At pH 6.8 and 7.2 4% and 2% of the strands were still folded, respectively. The lifetimes for the folded states at pH 6.8 and 7.2 were 21 and 9 ms, respectively, at 160 mV electrophoretic force. These lifetimes are sufficiently long to affect enzymes operating on DNA. Furthermore, these transient lifetimes are readily obtained using the α-HL nanopore, a feature that is not easily achievable by other methods.

Fluorescent probes and nanoparticles for intracellular sensing of pH values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Wen; Li, Xiaohua; Ma, Huimin

2014-12-01

Intracellular pH regulates a number of cell metabolism processes and its sensing is thus of great importance for cell studies. Among various methods, fluorescent probes have been widely used for sensing intracellular pH values because of their high sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution capability. In this article, the development of fluorescent probes with good practicability in sensing intracellular pH values and pH variation during 2009 - 2014 is reviewed. These fluorescence probes are divided into two kinds: small molecules and nanoparticles. Photophysical properties, advantages/disadvantages and applications of the two kinds of probes are discussed in detail.

Development of an activated carbon-packed microbial bioelectrochemical system for azo dye degradation.

PubMed

Cardenas-Robles, Arely; Martinez, Eduardo; Rendon-Alcantar, Idelfonso; Frontana, Carlos; Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Linda

2013-01-01

A microbial bioelectrochemical reactor (BER) was employed for the degradation of azo dyes without the use of an external electron donor, using activated carbon (GAC) as a redox mediator. Contribution of pH values, open circuit potential (OCP), dye concentration and applied current were individually studied. A batch system and an upflow fixed bed bioreactor were built for analyzing the effect of the applied current on biodegradation of the azo dye Reactive Red 272. The presence of GAC (20% w/v) regulated both pH and OCP values in solution and led to a removal efficiency of 98%. Cyclic voltammetry results indicate a dependence of the electron transfer mechanism with the concentration of the azo compound. With these results, a continuous flow reactor operating with J=0.045 mA cm(-2), led to removal rates of 95% (± 3.5%) in a half-residence time of 1 hour. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research on the Treatment of Aluminum Alloy Chemical Milling Wastewater with Fenton Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong-liang, Huang; Ru, Li; Peng, Luo; Jun-li, Gu

2018-03-01

The aluminum alloy chemical milling wastewater was treated by Fenton method. The effect of pH value, reaction time, rotational speed, H2O2 dosage, Fe2+ dosage and the molar ratio between H2O2 and Fe2+ on the COD removal rate of aluminum alloy chemical milling wastewater were investigated by single factor experiment and orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the optimum operating conditions for Fenton oxidation were as follows: the initial pH value was 3, the rotational speed was 250r/min, the molar ratio of H2O2 and Fe2+ was 8, the reaction time was 90 min. Under the optimum conditions, the removal rate of the wastewater’s COD is about 72.36%. In the reaction kinetics that aluminum alloy chemical milling wastewater was oxidized and degraded by Fenton method under the optimum conditions, the reaction sequence of the initial COD was 0.8204.

The Simultaneous Determination of Muscle Cell pH Using a Weak Acid and Weak Base

PubMed Central

Adler, Sheldon

1972-01-01

Should significant pH heterogeneity exist within cells then the simultaneous calculation of intracellular pH from the distribution of a weak acid will give a value closest to the highest pH in the system, whereas calculation from the distribution of a weak base will give a value closer to the lowest pH. These two values should then differ significantly. Intact rat diaphragms were exposed in vitro to varying bicarbonate concentrations (pure metabolic) and CO2 tensions (pure respiratory), and steady-state cell pH was measured simultaneously either by distribution of the weak acid 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione-14C (pH DMO) or by distribution of the weak base nicotine-14C (pH nicotine). The latter compound was found suitable to measure cell pH since it was neither metabolized nor bound by rat diaphragms. At an external pH of 7.40, pH DMO was 7.17 while pH nicotine was 6.69—a pH difference of 0.48 pH units (P < 0.001). In either respiratory or metabolic alkalosis both DMO and pH nicotine rose so that differences between them remained essentially constant. Metabolic acidosis induced a decrease in both values though they fell more slowly than did extracellular pH. In contradistinction, in respiratory acidosis, decreasing extracellular pH from 7.40 to 6.80 resulted in 0.35 pH unit drop in pH DMO while pH nicotine remained constant. In every experiment, under all external conditions, pH DMO exceeded pH nicotine. These results indicate that there is significant pH heterogeneity within diaphragm muscle, but the degree of heterogeneity may vary under different external conditions. The metabolic implications of these findings are discussed. In addition, the data show that true overall cell pH is between 6.69 and 7.17—a full pH higher than would be expected from thermodynamic considerations alone. This implies the presence of active processes to maintain cell pH. PMID:5009113

[Effects of ethanol extract of Rhizome Pinelliae Preparata on intracellular pH value of human gastric adenocarcinoma cells].

PubMed

Zhang, Ci-an; Wu, Feng; Mao, Zhu-jun; Wei, Zhen; Li, Yong-jin; Wei, Pin-kang

2011-08-01

To observe the effects of ethanol extract of Rhizome Pinelliae Preparata on the intracellular pH value of human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells. After coculturing SGC7901 cells with ethanol extract of Rhizome Pinelliae Preparata (1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 mg/mL), cell viability was evaluated by chromatometry with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) staining. Intracellular pH value of SGC7901 cells was measured in the monolayer by using the pH-sensitive fluorescent probe 2,7-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-carboxyfluorescein-acetoxymethyl ester. The extracellular pH value of culture medium was measured by a pH211 Calibration Check Microprocessor pH Meter. Half-inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of ethanol extract culture to SGC7901 cells was decided by the MTT method and expressions of vacuolar-H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) mRNAs were examined by the method of fluorescence quantitative-polymerase chain reaction after 72 h of drug treatment. Ethanol extract of Rhizome Pinelliae Preparata at different concentrations significantly inhibited the proliferation of SGC7901 cells, lowered the intracellular pH values and heightened the extracellular pH values. The IC(50) of 72 h culture was 0.5mg/mL and it inhibited the expressions of V-ATPase and NHE1 mRNAs. Ethanol extract of Rhizome Pinelliae Preparata can lower down the intracellular pH value of SGC7901 cells. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the expressions of V-ATPase and NHE1 mRNAs.

Direct enzymatic extraction of starch from corn as an energy-saving alternative to production of high-fructose syrup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The liquefaction of pre-gelatinized starch was studied with various analytical techniques to determine the effects of starch molecular weight, granule structure, granule size, and mechanical depolymerization. Also, improvements were made in the chromatographic system used to characterize starch hydrolysates. Progress is reported on protein removal. The effects of pH, temperature, and ionic strength were examined for the removal of protein from a syrup stream by adsorption on a phenolic resin. Buffered systems, which maintain more stable pH values, were also examined. Mathematical modeling of the results is in progress. The pilot plant facility is complete and in operation. Starch streams containing 1% protein are being produced by the protein extraction process.

Moving towards sustainable resources: Recovery and fractionation of nutrients from dairy manure digestate using membranes.

PubMed

Gerardo, Michael L; Aljohani, Nasser H M; Oatley-Radcliffe, Darren L; Lovitt, Robert W

2015-09-01

The fractionation of nitrogen (as ammonia/ammonium) and phosphorus (as phosphate ions) present in the dairy manure digestate was investigated using a nanofiltration membrane NF270. The filtration and separation efficiencies were correlated to pH across the range 3 < pH < 11. Filtration at pH 11 enabled higher permeate flux of 125-150 LMH at 20 bar, however rejection of ammonia was high at 30-36% and phosphate was 96.4-97.2%. At pH 3 and pH 7, electrostatic charge effects led to higher permeation of ammonium and thus more efficient separation of nitrogen. The rejection of phosphorus was relatively constant at any given pH and determined as 83% at pH 3, 97% at pH 7 and 95% at pH 11. The fractionation of nitrogen and phosphorus from complex aqueous solutions was demonstrated to be highly dependent on the charge of the membrane and ionic speciation. Solutions rich in nitrogen (as ammonia/ammonium) were obtained with almost no phosphorus present (<1 ppm) whilst the purification of the PO4-P was achieved by series of diafiltration (DF) operations which further separated the nitrogen. The separation of nutrients benefited from an advantageous membrane process with potential added value for a wide range of industries. The analysis of the process economics for a membrane based plant illustrates that the recovery of nutrients, particularly NH3-N, may be commercially feasible when compared to manufactured anhydrous NH3. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iridium Oxide-reduced Graphene Oxide Nanohybrid Thin Film Modified Screen-printed Electrodes as Disposable Electrochemical Paper Microfluidic pH Sensors.

PubMed

Yang, Jiang; Kwak, Tae-Joon; Zhang, Xiaodong; McClain, Robert; Chang, Woo-Jin; Gunasekaran, Sundaram

2016-11-22

A facile, controllable, inexpensive and green electrochemical synthesis of IrO2-graphene nanohybrid thin films is developed to fabricate an easy-to-use integrated paper microfluidic electrochemical pH sensor for resource-limited settings. Taking advantages from both pH meters and strips, the pH sensing platform is composed of hydrophobic barrier-patterned paper micropad (µPAD) using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with IrO2-graphene films and molded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic holder. Repetitive cathodic potential cycling was employed for graphene oxide (GO) reduction which can completely remove electrochemically unstable oxygenated groups and generate a 2D defect-free homogeneous graphene thin film with excellent stability and electronic properties. A uniform and smooth IrO2 film in nanoscale grain size is anodically electrodeposited onto the graphene film, without any observable cracks. The resulting IrO2-RGO electrode showed slightly super-Nernstian responses from pH 2-12 in Britton-Robinson (B-R) buffers with good linearity, small hysteresis, low response time and reproducibility in different buffers, as well as low sensitivities to different interfering ionic species and dissolved oxygen. A simple portable digital pH meter is fabricated, whose signal is measured with a multimeter, using high input-impedance operational amplifier and consumer batteries. The pH values measured with the portable electrochemical paper-microfluidic pH sensors were consistent with those measured using a commercial laboratory pH meter with a glass electrode.

Correlation between ultrafiltration rate and phase angle measured by BIA in chronic kidney disease patients on regular hemodialysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, B. R.; Lubis, A. R.

2018-03-01

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients with regular hemodialysis have high rates of morbidity and mortality that may be related to the hemodynamic effects of rapid UFR and low PhA value. In this study, we investigated whether high UFR is associated with a low value of PhA thus indirectly affect the risk of morbidity and mortality. UFR and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) examination on 92 subjects were recorded shortly after HD and analyzed by using Pearson correlation test. Multivariate analysis was also conducted to identify several factors that can affect the value of Phase angle. The number of HD regular CKD patients with PhA<4 based on the division of the UFR (cc/kg/h) <10, 10-13, ≥ 13, respectively were3, 10 and 6, whereas patients with ≥ 4 PhA <10, 10-13, ≥ 13respectively were 60, 11, and 2. The results showed a significant relationship between UFR with PhA. In CKD patients with regular HD, UFR has aninverse relationship with the value of PhA. After multivariate analysis, the UFR and the etiology of HD are still significantly affect the value of PhA. UFR optimal value in patients with CKD with regular HD is <10 cc/kg/h.

Continuous measurement of reticuloruminal pH values in dairy cows during the transition period from barn to pasture feeding using an indwelling wireless data transmitting unit.

PubMed

Gasteiner, J; Horn, M; Steinwidder, A

2015-04-01

This study was performed to investigate the effect of the transition from barn feeding to pasture on the pattern of reticuloruminal pH values in 8 multiparous dairy cows. A indwelling wireless data transmitting system for pH measurement was given to 8 multiparous cows orally. Reticuloruminal pH values were measured every 600 s over a period of 42 days. After 7 days of barn feeding (period 1), all of the animals were pastured with increasing grazing times from 2 to 7 h/day over 7 days (period 2). From day 15 to day 21 (period 3), the cows spent 7 h/day on pasture. Beginning on day 22, the animals had 20 h/day access to pasture (day and night grazing). To study reticuloruminal adaptation to pasture feeding, the phase of day and night grazing was subdivided into another 3 weekly periods (periods 4-6). Despite a mild transition period from barn feeding to pasture, significant effects on reticuloruminal pH values were observed. During barn feeding, the mean reticuloruminal pH value for all of the cows was 6.44 ± 0.14, and the pH values decreased significantly (p < 0.001) during period 2 and 3 to 6.24 ± 0.17 and 6.21 ± 0.19 respectively. During periods 4, 5 and 6, the reticuloruminal pH values increased again (pH 6.25 ± 0.22; pH 6.31 ± 0.17; pH 6.37 ± 0.16). Our results showed that the animals had significantly lowered reticuloruminal pH during the periods of feed transition from barn to pasture feeding. Despite these significant changes, the decrease was not harmful, as indicated by data of feed intake and milk production. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Dual purpose recovered coagulant from drinking water treatment residuals for adjustment of initial pH and coagulation aid in electrocoagulation process.

PubMed

Jung, Kyung-Won; Ahn, Kyu-Hong

2016-01-01

The present study is focused on the application of recovered coagulant (RC) by acidification from drinking water treatment residuals for both adjusting the initial pH and aiding coagulant in electrocoagulation. To do this, real cotton textile wastewater was used as a target pollutant, and decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency were monitored. A preliminary test indicated that a stainless steel electrode combined with RC significantly accelerated decolorization and COD removal efficiencies, by about 52% and 56%, respectively, even at an operating time of 5 min. A single electrocoagulation system meanwhile requires at least 40 min to attain the similar removal performances. Subsequently, the interactive effect of three independent variables (applied voltage, initial pH, and reaction time) on the response variables (decolorization and COD removal) was evaluated, and these parameters were statistically optimized using the response surface methodology. Analysis of variance showed a high coefficient of determination values (decolorization, R(2) = 0.9925 and COD removal, R(2) = 0.9973) and satisfactory prediction second-order polynomial quadratic regression models. Average decolorization and COD removal of 89.52% and 94.14%, respectively, were achieved, corresponding to 97.8% and 98.1% of the predicted values under statistically optimized conditions. The results suggest that the RC effectively played a dual role of both adjusting the initial pH and aiding coagulant in the electrocoagulation process.

Sampling and storage of blood for pH and blood gas analysis.

PubMed

Haskins, S C

1977-02-15

Techniques used in sampling and storage of a blood sample for pH and gas measurements can have an important effect on the measured values. Observation of these techniques and principles will minimize in vitro alteration of the pH and blood gas values. To consider that a significant change has occurred in a pH or blood gas measurement from previous values, the change must exceed 0.015 for pH, 3 mm Hg for PCO2, 5 mm Hg for PO2, and 2 mEq/L for [HCO-3] or base excess/deficit. In vitro dilution of the blood sample with anticoagulant should be avoided because it will alter the measured PCO2 and base excess/deficit values. Arterial samples should be collected for meaningful pH and blood gas values. Central venous and free-flowing capillary blood can be used for screening procedures in normal patients but are subject to considerable error. A blood sample can be stored for up to 30 minutes at room temperature without significant change in acid-base values but only up to 12 minutes before significant changes occur in PO2. A blood sample can be stored for up to 3.5 hours in an ice-water bath without significant change in pH and for 6 hours without significant change in PCO2 or PO2. Variations of body temperatures from normal will cause a measurable change in pH and blood gas values when the blood is exposed to the normal water bath temperatures of the analyzer.

Characterization of measurements in quantum communication. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, V. W. S.

1975-01-01

A characterization of quantum measurements by operator valued measures is presented. The generalized measurements include simultaneous approximate measurement of noncommuting observables. This characterization is suitable for solving problems in quantum communication. Two realizations of such measurements are discussed. The first is by adjoining an apparatus to the system under observation and performing a measurement corresponding to a self-adjoint operator in the tensor-product Hilbert space of the system and apparatus spaces. The second realization is by performing, on the system alone, sequential measurements that correspond to self-adjoint operators, basing the choice of each measurement on the outcomes of previous measurements. Simultaneous generalized measurements are found to be equivalent to a single finer grain generalized measurement, and hence it is sufficient to consider the set of single measurements. An alternative characterization of generalized measurement is proposed. It is shown to be equivalent to the characterization by operator-values measures, but it is potentially more suitable for the treatment of estimation problems. Finally, a study of the interaction between the information-carrying system and a measurement apparatus provides clues for the physical realizations of abstractly characterized quantum measurements.

Development of Hybrid pH sensor for long-term seawater pH monitoring.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Y.; Egashira, T.; Miwa, T.; Kimoto, H.

2016-02-01

We have been developing the in situ pH sensor (Hybrid pH sensor: HpHS) for the long-term seawater pH monitoring. We are planning to provide the HpHS for researchers and environmental consultants for observation of the CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) monitoring system, the coastal environment monitoring system (e.g. Blue Carbon) and ocean acidification. The HpHS has two types of pH sensors (i.e. potentiometric pH sensor and spectrophotometric pH sensor). The spectrophotometric pH sensor can measure pH correctly and stably, however it needs large power consumption and a lot of reagents in a long period of observation. The pH sensor used m-cresol purple (mCP) as an indicator of pH (Clayton and Byrne, 1993 and Liu et al., 2011). We can choose both coefficients before deployment. On the other hand, although the potentiometric pH sensor is low power consumption and high-speed response (within 10 seconds), drifts in the pH of the potentiometric measurements may possibly occur for a long-term observation. The HpHS can measure in situ pH correctly and stably combining advantage of both pH sensors. The HpHS consists of an aluminum pressure housing with optical cell (main unit) and an aluminum silicon-oil filled, pressure-compensated vessel containing pumps and valves (diaphragm pump and valve unit) and pressure-compensated reagents bags (pH indicator, pure water and Tris buffer or certified reference material: CRM) with an ability to resist water pressure to 3000m depth. The main unit holds system control boards, pump drivers, data storage (micro SD card), LED right source, photodiode, optical cell and pressure proof windows. The HpHS also has an aluminum pressure housing that holds a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or a lithium battery for the power supply (DC 24 V). The HpHS is correcting the value of the potentiometric pH sensor (measuring frequently) by the value of the spectrophotometric pH sensor (measuring less frequently). It is possible to calibrate in situ with Tris buffer or CRM on the spectrophotometric pH sensor. Therefore, the drifts in the value of potentiometric pH measurements can be compensated using the pH value obtained from the spectrophotometric pH measurements. Thereby, the sensor can measure accurately the value of pH over a long period of time with low power consumption.

Room-temperature ionic liquids as replacements for organic solvents in multiphase bioprocess operations.

PubMed

Cull, S G; Holbrey, J D; Vargas-Mora, V; Seddon, K R; Lye, G J

2000-07-20

Organic solvents are widely used in a range of multiphase bioprocess operations including the liquid-liquid extraction of antibiotics and two-phase biotransformation reactions. There are, however, considerable problems associated with the safe handling of these solvents which relate to their toxic and flammable nature. In this work we have shown for the first time that room-temperature ionic liquids, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimi- dazolium hexafluorophosphate, [bmim][PF(6)], can be successfully used in place of conventional solvents for the liquid-liquid extraction of erythromycin-A and for the Rhodococcus R312 catalyzed biotransformation of 1, 3-dicyanobenzene (1,3-DCB) in a liquid-liquid, two-phase system. Extraction of erythromycin with either butyl acetate or [bmim][PF(6)] showed that values of the equilibrium partition coefficient, K, up to 20-25 could be obtained for both extractants. The variation of K with the extraction pH was also similar in the pH range 5-9 though differed significantly at higher pH values. Biotransformation of 1,3-DCB in both water-toluene and water-[bmim][PF(6)] systems showed similar profiles for the conversion of 1,3-DCB initially to 3-cyanobenzamide and then 3-cyanobenzoic acid. The initial rate of 3-cyanobenzamide production in the water-[bmim][PF(6)] system was somewhat lower, however, due to the reduced rate of 1,3-DCB mass transfer from the more viscous [bmim] [PF(6)] phase. It was also shown that the specific activity of the biocatalyst in the water-[bmim] [PF(6)] system was almost an order of magnitude greater than in the water-toluene system which suggests that the rate of 3-cyanobenzamide production was limited by substrate mass transfer rather than the activity of the biocatalyst. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Validation of a portable, waterproof blood pH analyser for elasmobranchs

PubMed Central

Bouyoucos, Ian A.; Shipley, Oliver; Rummer, Jodie L.; Mandelman, John W.; Brooks, Edward J.; Grubbs, R. Dean

2017-01-01

Abstract Quantifying changes in blood chemistry in elasmobranchs can provide insights into the physiological insults caused by anthropogenic stress, and can ultimately inform conservation and management strategies. Current methods for analysing elasmobranch blood chemistry in the field are often costly and logistically challenging. We compared blood pH values measured using a portable, waterproof pH meter (Hanna Instruments HI 99161) with blood pH values measured by an i-STAT system (CG4+ cartridges), which was previously validated for teleost and elasmobranch fishes, to gauge the accuracy of the pH meter in determining whole blood pH for the Cuban dogfish (Squalus cubensis) and lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris). There was a significant linear relationship between values derived via the pH meter and the i-STAT for both species across a wide range of pH values and temperatures (Cuban dogfish: 6.8–7.1 pH 24–30°C; lemon sharks: 7.0–7.45 pH 25–31°C). The relative error in the pH meter's measurements was ~±2.7%. Using this device with appropriate correction factors and consideration of calibration temperatures can result in both a rapid and accurate assessment of whole blood pH, at least for the two elasmobranch species examined here. Additional species should be examined in the future across a wide range of temperatures to determine whether correction factors are universal. PMID:28616238

A survey of water activity and pH values in fresh pasta packed under modified atmosphere manufactured in Argentina and Uruguay.

PubMed

Schebor, C; Chirife, J

2000-07-01

The water activity (a(w)) and pH values of commercially available filled fresh pasta and gnocchi packed under modified atmosphere and manufactured in Argentina and Uruguay were examined. The retail survey included 58 samples (several brands) of filled pasta and 11 samples of gnocchi. Fillings consisted of different combinations of cheese (various types), beef, ricotta, ham, chicken, and spinach. The survey revealed that the a(w) values of the 58 samples of filled pasta ranged from 0.916 to 0.973, and their pH values ranged from 5.2 to 7.0. The a(w) of gnocchi was consistently higher and ranged from 0.936 to 0.983, with pH values from 4.8 to 6.4. Some samples of filled pasta and most gnocchi samples were found to have a(w) and pH values that would support growth of spores of Clostridium botulinum, if present, under conditions of temperature abuse (i.e., 30 degrees C).

Evaluation of environmental effect of coal stockpile in Muara Telang, Banyuasin, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusdianasari; Arita, Susila; Ibrahim, Eddy; Ngudiantoro

2013-04-01

Stockpile commonly serves as a temporary dump before the coal is transported through the waterways. This study investigated the effects of coal stockpiles on the surrounding environment: air, water, and soil. The location of the study is in the estuary of Telang, South-Sumatra, Indonesia, which is located at the edge of the river of Telang and close to the residential community. The monitoring of the environmental impact from the stockpile is intended to conduct an environmental assessment owing the existence and operations of coal accumulation. Enviromental impact analysis was conducted based on the value of the effluent, air pollution (dust), soil and water by determining the parameters of the coal wastewater pH, total suspended solid, ferrous dan ferrous metals contents. The results indicate that the total suspended particulate, total suspended solids, noise level, ferrous metal and manganese metal were 10-14 μg/Nm3 249-355 mg/L, 41.3 to 50.3 dBA, 6.074 to7.579 mg/L, and 1.987 to 2.678 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile the pH of water and soil were 3 to 4 and 2.83 to 4.02 respectively. It is concluded that the pH value are beyond the threshold standard.

Interactions between stepwise-eluted sub-fractions of fulvic acids and protons revealed by fluorescence titration combined with EEM-PARAFAC.

PubMed

Song, Fanhao; Wu, Fengchang; Guo, Fei; Wang, Hao; Feng, Weiying; Zhou, Min; Deng, Yanghui; Bai, Yingchen; Xing, Baoshan; Giesy, John P

2017-12-15

In aquatic environments, pH can control environmental behaviors of fulvic acid (FA) via regulating hydrolysis of functional groups. Sub-fractions of FA, eluted using pyrophosphate buffers with initial pHs of 3.0 (FA 3 ), 5.0 (FA 5 ), 7.0 (FA 7 ), 9.0 (FA 9 ) and 13.0 (FA 13 ), were used to explore interactions between the various, operationally defined, FA fractions and protons, by use of EEM-PARAFAC analysis. Splitting of peaks (FA 3 and FA 13 ), merging of peaks (FA 7 ), disappearance of peaks (FA 9 and FA 13 ), and red/blue-shifting of peaks were observed during fluorescence titration. Fulvic-like components were identified from FA 3 -FA 13 , and protein-like components were observed in fractions FA 9 and FA 13 . There primary compounds (carboxylic-like, phenolic-like, and protein-like chromophores) in PARAFAC components were distinguished based on acid-base properties. Dissociation constants (pK a ) for fulvic-like components with proton ranged from 2.43 to 4.13 in an acidic pH and from 9.95 to 11.27 at basic pH. These results might be due to protonation of di-carboxylate and phenolic functional groups. At basic pH, pK a values of protein-like components (9.77-10.13) were similar to those of amino acids. However, at acidic pH, pK a values of protein-like components, which ranged from 3.33 to 4.22, were 1-2units greater than those of amino acids. Results presented here, will benefit understanding of environmental behaviors of FA, as well as interactions of FA with environmental contaminants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Value of Selected Echocardiographic Variables to Identify Pulmonary Hypertension in Dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease.

PubMed

Tidholm, A; Höglund, K; Häggström, J; Ljungvall, I

2015-01-01

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly associated with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Because dogs with PH present without measureable tricuspid regurgitation (TR), it would be useful to investigate echocardiographic variables that can identify PH. To investigate associations between estimated systolic TR pressure gradient (TRPG) and dog characteristics and selected echocardiographic variables. 156 privately owned dogs. Prospective observational study comparing the estimations of TRPG with dog characteristics and selected echocardiographic variables in dogs with MMVD and measureable TR. Tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient was significantly (P < .05) associated with body weight corrected right (RVIDDn) and left (LVIDDn) ventricular end-diastolic and systolic (LVIDSn) internal diameters, pulmonary arterial (PA) acceleration to deceleration time ratio (AT/DT), heart rate, left atrial to aortic root ratio (LA/Ao), and the presence of congestive heart failure. Four variables remained significant in the multiple regression analysis with TRPG as a dependent variable: modeled as linear variables LA/Ao (P < .0001) and RVIDDn (P = .041), modeled as second order polynomial variables: AT/DT (P = .0039) and LVIDDn (P < .0001) The adjusted R(2) -value for the final model was 0.45 and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggested the model's performance to predict PH, defined as 36, 45, and 55 mmHg as fair (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.80), good (AUC = 0.86), and excellent (AUC = 0.92), respectively. In dogs with MMVD, the presence of PH might be suspected with the combination of decreased PA AT/DT, increased RVIDDn and LA/Ao, and a small or great LVIDDn. Copyright © 2015 The Authors Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

[Spatiotemporal variation of soil pH in Guangdong Province of China in past 30 years].

PubMed

Guo, Zhi-Xing; Wang, Jing; Chai, Min; Chen, Ze-Peng; Zhan, Zhen-Shou; Zheng, Wu-Ping; Wei, Xiu-Guo

2011-02-01

Based on the 1980s' soil inventory data and the 2002-2007 soil pH data of Guangdong Province, the spatiotemporal variation of soil pH in the Province in past 30 years was studied. In the study period, the spatial distribution pattern of soil pH in the Province had less change (mainly acidic), except that in Pearl River Delta and parts of Qingyuan and Shaoguan (weak alkaline). The overall variation of soil pH was represented as acidification, with the average pH value changed from 5.70 to 5.44. Among the soil types in the Province, alluvial soil had an increased pH, lateritic red soil, paddy soil, and red soil had a large decrement of pH value, and lime soil was most obvious in the decrease of pH value and its area percentage. The soil acidification was mainly induced by soil characteristics, some natural factors such as acid rain, and human factors such as unreasonable fertilization and urbanization. In addition, industrialization and mining increased the soil pH in some areas.

Sulfidogenic fluidized-bed treatment of metal-containing wastewater at low and high temperatures.

PubMed

Sahinkaya, Erkan; Ozkaya, Bestamin; Kaksonen, Anna H; Puhakka, Jaakko A

2007-04-15

The applicability of a fluidized-bed reactor (FBR)-based sulfate reducing bioprocess was investigated for the treatment of iron-containing (40-90 mg/L) acidic wastewater at low (8 degrees C) and high (65 degrees C) temperatures. The FBRs operated at low and high temperatures were inoculated with cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) originally enriched from arctic and hot mining environments, respectively. Ethanol was supplemented as carbon and electron source for SRB. At 8 degrees C, ethanol oxidation and sulfate reduction rates increased steadily and reached 320 and 265 mg/L.day, respectively, after 1 month of operation. After this point, the rates did not change significantly during 130 days of operation. Despite the complete ethanol oxidation and iron precipitation, the average sulfate reduction efficiency was 35 +/- 4% between days 30 and 130 due to the accumulation of acetate. At 65 degrees C, a rapid startup was observed as 99.9, 46, and 29% ethanol, sulfate, acetate removals, in respective order, were observed after 6 days. The feed pH was decreased gradually from its initial value of 6 to around 3.7 during 100 days of operation. The wastewater pH of 4.3-4.4 was neutralized by the alkalinity produced in acetate oxidation and the average effluent pH was 7.8 +/- 0.8. As in the low temperature FBR, acetate accumulated. Hence, the oxidation of acetate is the rate-limiting step in the sulfidogenic ethanol oxidation by thermophilic and psychrotrophic SRB. The sulfate reduction rate is three times and acetate oxidation rate is four times higher at 65 degrees C than at 8 degrees C. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of marination on CIE L* and pH values of chicken breast pectoralis major with different color lightness

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Color lightness (CIE L* values) and pH are widely used as quality indicators for raw poultry breast fillets (pectoralis major). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of vacuum-tumbling marination on L* and pH values of raw chicken breast meat with different color lightness. Early d...

Effect of marination on CIE L* and pH values of chicken breast pectoralis major with different color lightness

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Color lightness (CIE L* values) and pH are widely used as quality indicators for raw poultry breast fillets (pectoralis major). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of vacuum-tumbling marination on L* and pH values of raw chicken breast meat with different color lightness. Early ...

Stream Water Quality Modeling in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, T. W.; Robinson, R. B.

2003-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine water quality in the acid-impacted Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). Water samples have been collected roughly quarterly at ninety sampling sites throughout the Park from October, 1993 to November, 2002.. These samples were analyzed for pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), conductivity, major cations, and major anions. The trout fisheries of the GRSM are considered some of the best in the eastern United States. However, fisheries biologists at the GRSM believe that some of the streams that once supported trout populations twenty or thirty years ago, no longer do. This study outlines and quantifies surface water quality conditions that might be harmful to trout populations through a literature review. This study identifies 71 sites (79 percent of total sampling sites) that currently have a median pH of greater than 6.0, above which, is unlikely to be harmful to trout species unless a high runoff of acid, Al-rich water creates a mixing zone where Al(OH)3 precipitates. The precipitate can accumulate on the gills and impede normal diffusion of O2, CO2, and nutrients. There are 17 sites (18 percent) that have median pH values in the 5.0 to 6.0 range. This range of pH values is likely to be harmful to trout species when aluminum concentrations exceed about 0.2 mg/l. The lower end of this range is probably harmful to the eggs and fry of trout and also to non-acclimated trout especially when calcium, sodium, and chloride concentrations are low. Only two sampling sites have median pH values in the 4.5 to 5.0 range. This pH range is likely harmful to eggs, fry and adult trout, particularly in the soft water conditions prevalent in the GRSM. The mechanisms adversely affecting trout in these ranges are ionoregulatory dysfunction, respiratory stress, and circulatory stress. Currently, there are no sampling sites with median pH values less than 4.5, although pH values could be lowered by more than one pH unit during high-flow episodic events depending on the ANC in the stream. Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to model pH, ANC, nitrate and sulfate. This study incorporates basin characteristics, time, acid deposition data, USGS stream flow data as surrogate hydrologic data, and precipitation data, e.g., inches of rain on preceding days, to determine whether these variables are associated with water quality. Acid deposition data came from biweekly wet only and throughfall monitoring at the Noland Divide, which is a high elevation acid deposition monitoring site within the Park. Precipitation data is collected at five National Weather Service monitoring sites within the Park. Each of the above variables were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) influencing factors to water quality, particularly pH. Water quality conditions were adversely (decreasing pH and ANC and increasing sulfate and nitrate) affected by increased stream flows, acid deposition and precipitation. Models for pH and ANC produced R-square values around 0.71 and 0.86, respectively. Nitrate and sulfate modeling produced R-square values around 0.30. This study also analyzes temporal trends in pH. Modeling reveals statistically significant decreasing trends in pH with time. If conditions remain the same and past trends continue, models suggest that 30.0 percent of the sampling sites will reach pH values less than 6.0 in less than 10 years, 63.3 percent of the sites will reach pH values less than 6.0 in less than 25 years, and 96.7 percent of the sites will reach pH values less than 6.0 in less than 50 years. The models used to predict future pH values explain around 70 percent of the variability in the data.

Effects of pH values of hydrogen peroxide bleaching agents on enamel surface properties.

PubMed

Xu, B; Li, Q; Wang, Y

2011-01-01

This study investigated the influence of pH values of bleaching agents on the properties of the enamel surface. Sixty freshly extracted premolars were embedded in epoxy resin and mesiodistally sectioned through the buccal aspect into two parts. The sectioned slabs were distributed among six groups (n=10) and treated using different solutions. Group HCl was treated with HCl solution (pH=3.0) and served as a positive control. Group DW, stored in distilled water (pH=7.0), served as a negative control. Four treatment groups were treated using 30% hydrogen peroxide solutions with different pH values: group HP3 (pH=3.0), group HP5 (pH=5.0), group HP7 (pH=7.0), and group HP8 (pH=8.0). The buccal slabs were subjected to spectrophotometric evaluations. Scanning electron microscopy investigation and Micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to evaluate enamel surface morphological and chemical composition alterations. pH value has a significant influence on the color changes after bleaching (p<0.001). Tukey's multiple comparisons revealed that the order of color changes was HP8, HP7>HP5, HP3>HCl>DW. No obvious morphological alterations were detected on the enamel surface in groups DW, HP7, and HP8. The enamel surface of groups HCl and HP3 showed significant alterations with an erosion appearance. No obvious chemical composition changes were detected with respect to Micro-Raman analysis. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that no obvious morphological or chemical composition alterations of enamel surface were detected in the neutral or alkaline bleaching solutions. Bleaching solutions with lower pH values could result in more significant erosion of enamel, which represented a slight whitening effect.

Effect of artificial saliva with different pH levels on the cytotoxicity of soft denture lining materials.

PubMed

Akay, Canan; Tanış, Merve Ç; Sevim, Handan

2017-10-13

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of 9 different soft denture liners on the viability of L-929 mouse fibroblast cells at different incubation periods by storing them in artificial saliva (AS) with different pH levels. 96 disk samples from each lining material were prepared and divided into 4 groups: GI: No treatment; GII: Stored in artificial saliva with pH 3 for 21 days; Group III: Stored in artificial saliva with pH 7 for 21 days; and Group IV: Stored in artificial saliva with pH 14 for 21 days. The cytotoxicity of the extracts to cultured mouse fibroblasts (L-929) was measured by MTT (tetrazolium salt 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-dipHnyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variation (ANOVA). It was found that for the pH 3 values of New Truliner, Trusoft, Mollosil Plus, Dentusil, TDV, and HydroCast®; for the pH 7 values of Ufi Gel P and Elite plus; and for the pH 14 values of HydroCast®, there was a noncytotoxic effect during both the 24-hour and 48-hour incubation periods. In the control group 48-hour incubation period, HydroCast®, TDV, Mollosil, 24-hour incubation period Elite plus, for pH 3 values; Elite Plus 24-hour incubation period, for pH 7 values Trusoft 48-hour incubation period there was a moderately cytotoxic effect. This in vitro study revealed that storage in artificial saliva with different pH levels can affect the cytotoxicity of soft lining materials.

Effect of pH on the rheological and structural properties of gels of water-washed chicken-breast muscle at physiological ionic strength.

PubMed

Feng, Y; Hultin, H O

2001-08-01

Adjustment of pH from 6.4 to neutrality improved gelling ability and water-holding capacity of twice water-washed, minced chicken-breast muscle significantly at physiological ionic strength, at which the majority of the myofibrillar proteins, including myosin, are not soluble. A strain value of 2.2 was obtained at neutral pH. Myofibrils were the main components of the gel network at both pH 6.4 and 7.0; however, the myofibrillar distribution varied with the pH value. At pH 6.4, myofibrils formed a network of localized aggregates leaving large voids between, whereas at neutral pH, an evenly distributed network of myofibrils was formed. In addition, at neutral pH, a network of fine strands was found within the network of myofibrils. The network was much less developed at pH 6.4. The thin and thick filaments within each myofibrillar structure were disorganized at both pH values. The intramyofibrillar spaces were larger at neutral pH than at pH 6.4. It was proposed that adjustment of pH to neutrality increased electrostatic repulsion leading to a more even distribution of the myofibrillar proteins, a key factor responsible for the improved gel strength and water-holding capacity.

Relative Abundance of Nitrotoga spp. in a Biofilter of a Cold-Freshwater Aquaculture Plant Appears To Be Stimulated by Slightly Acidic pH

PubMed Central

Hüpeden, Jennifer; Wegen, Simone; Off, Sandra; Lücker, Sebastian; Bedarf, Yvonne; Daims, Holger; Kühn, Carsten

2016-01-01

The functioning of recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) is essential to maintain water quality for fish health, and one crucial process here is nitrification. The investigated RAS was connected to a rainbow trout production system and operated at an average temperature of 13°C and pH 6.8. Community analyses of the nitrifying biofilm revealed a coexistence of Nitrospira and Nitrotoga, and it is hypothesized that a slightly acidic pH in combination with lower temperatures favors the growth of the latter. Modification of the standard cultivation approach toward lower pH values of 5.7 to 6.0 resulted in the successful enrichment (99% purity) of Nitrotoga sp. strain HW29, which had a 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 99.0% to Nitrotoga arctica. Reference cultures of Nitrospira defluvii and the novel Nitrotoga sp. HW29 were used to confirm differentiation of these nitrite oxidizers in distinct ecological niches. Nitrotoga sp. HW29 revealed pH and temperature optima of 6.8 and 22°C, respectively, whereas Nitrospira defluvii displayed the highest nitrite oxidation rate at pH 7.3 and 32°C. We report here the occurrence of Nitrotoga as one of the main nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in freshwater aquaculture systems and indicate that a slightly acidic pH, in addition to temperatures below 20°C, can be applied as a selective isolation criterion for this microorganism. PMID:26746710

Effects of pH and dose on nasal absorption of scopolamine hydrobromide in human subjects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmed, S.; Sileno, A. P.; deMeireles, J. C.; Dua, R.; Pimplaskar, H. K.; Xia, W. J.; Marinaro, J.; Langenback, E.; Matos, F. J.; Putcha, L.;

Two-stage anaerobic digestion of sugar beet silage: The effect of the pH-value on process parameters and process efficiency.

PubMed

Kumanowska, Elzbieta; Uruñuela Saldaña, Mariana; Zielonka, Simon; Oechsner, Hans

2017-12-01

The study investigated the influence of the target pH-values 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6 in the acidification reactor on process parameters, such as substrate-specific methane yield and the intermediates, in the two-stage anaerobic digestion of sugar beet silage. The total specific methane yield (Nlkg -1 CODd -1 ) increased with an increase in the pH (pH 4.5: 140.58±70.08, pH 5: 181.21±55.71, pH 5.5: 218.32±51.01, pH 6: 256.47±28.78). The pH-value also had an effect on the dominant intermediate in hydrolysate. At the pH-value of 4.5, almost no acidification and microbial activity was observed. At pH 5 and 5.5, butyric acid production dominated, guided by H 2 production. At pH 6 acetic acid was the main product. The absence of H 2 and the highest SMY makes it favorable under practical aspects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical sensing properties of Au nanoparticle/hydrogel composite microbeads using droplet microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huilin; Men, Dandan; Sun, Yiqiang; Zhang, Tao; Hang, Lifeng; Liu, Dilong; Li, Cuncheng; Cai, Weiping; Li, Yue

2017-10-01

Uniform Au nanoparticle (NP)/poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [P(AAm-co-AA)] hydrogel microbeads were successfully prepared using droplet microfluidics technology. The microbeads exhibited a good stimuli-responsive behavior to pH value. Particularly in the pH value ranging from pH 2-pH 9, the composite microbead sizes gradually increased along with the increase of pH value. The homogeneous Au NPs, which were encapsulated in the P(AAm-co-AA) hydrogel microbeads, could transform the volume changes of hydrogel into optical signals by a tested single microbead with a microspectrometre system. The glucose was translated into gluconic acid by glucose oxidase. Thus, the Au NP/P(AAm-co-AA) hydrogel microbeads were used for detecting glucose based on pH effects on the composite microbeads. For this, the single Au NP/P(AAm-co-AA) hydrogel microbead could act as a good pH- or glucose-visualizing sensor.

Organelle-targeting surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanosensors for subcellular pH sensing.

PubMed

Shen, Yanting; Liang, Lijia; Zhang, Shuqin; Huang, Dianshuai; Zhang, Jing; Xu, Shuping; Liang, Chongyang; Xu, Weiqing

2018-01-25

The pH value of subcellular organelles in living cells is a significant parameter in the physiological activities of cells. Its abnormal fluctuations are commonly believed to be associated with cancers and other diseases. Herein, a series of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanosensors with high sensitivity and targeting function was prepared for the quantification and monitoring of pH values in mitochondria, nucleus, and lysosome. The nanosensors were composed of gold nanorods (AuNRs) functionalized with a pH-responsive molecule (4-mercaptopyridine, MPy) and peptides that could specifically deliver the AuNRs to the targeting subcellular organelles. The localization of our prepared nanoprobes in specific organelles was confirmed by super-high resolution fluorescence imaging and bio-transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. By the targeting ability, the pH values of the specific organelles can be determined by monitoring the vibrational spectral changes of MPy with different pH values. Compared to the cases of reported lysosome and cytoplasm SERS pH sensors, more accurate pH values of mitochondria and nucleus, which could be two additional intracellular tracers for subcellular microenvironments, were disclosed by this SERS approach, further improving the accuracy of discrimination of related diseases. Our sensitive SERS strategy can also be employed to explore crucial physiological and biological processes that are related to subcellular pH fluctuations.

Effect of pH on whitening efficacy of 35% hydrogen peroxide and enamel microhardness.

PubMed

Jurema, Ana Luiza Barbosa; de Souza, Mauricio Yugo; Torres, Carlos Rocha Gomes; Borges, Alessandra Bühler; Caneppele, Taciana Marco Ferraz

2018-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 35% hydrogen peroxide at different pH values and the degree of tooth staining on whitening efficacy and enamel microhardness. 90 enamel-dentin specimens were obtained from bovine incisors. They were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 45), 1 group was immersed in a staining broth for 14 days, and another group was not stained and kept in distilled water at 37°C. Twenty-four hours after the staining procedure, each group was distributed into 3 subgroups that were whitened by 35% hydrogen peroxide with different pH values (5, 7, and 8.4) for 30 minutes. The color was measured at baseline and 7 days after whitening. Microhardness was measured at baseline, immediate, 24 hours, and 1 month after the whitening procedure. Data were submitted to 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey test for multiple comparisons for color analysis. Repeated measures ANOVA and the Tukey test were used to analyze microhardness data. The color change of the stained groups (ΔE 00  = 4.6) was significantly higher than that of the nonstained groups (ΔE 00  = 3.7). Microhardness value decreased significantly immediately after whitening for all subgroups and did not return to initial values. For each measurement time, microhardness was not significantly different among subgroups with different pH values. Despite the effectiveness of 35% hydrogen peroxide, changes on gel pH did not affect the whitening efficacy, and the enamel was superficially demineralized, regardless of pH values. Independently of the pH value of whitening gel, enamel undergoes superficial demineralization and with a reduction in superficial microhardness that does not return to the initial values. However, using hydrogen peroxide with different pH values does not alter the whitening effect. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Continuous haematic pH monitoring in extracorporeal circulation using a disposable florescence sensing element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, Luca; Rovati, Luigi; Fabbri, Paola; Pilati, Francesco

2013-02-01

During extracorporeal circulation (ECC), blood is periodically sampled and analyzed to maintain the blood-gas status of the patient within acceptable limits. This protocol has well-known drawbacks that may be overcome by continuous monitoring. We present the characterization of a new pH sensor for continuous monitoring in ECC. This monitoring device includes a disposable fluorescence-sensing element directly in contact with the blood, whose fluorescence intensity is strictly related to the pH of the blood. In vitro experiments show no significant difference between the blood gas analyzer values and the sensor readings; after proper calibration, it gives a correlation of R>0.9887, and measuring errors were lower than the 3% of the pH range of interest (RoI) with respect to a commercial blood gas analyzer. This performance has been confirmed also by simulating a moderate ipothermia condition, i.e., blood temperature 32°C, frequently used in cardiac surgery. In ex vivo experiments, performed with animal models, the sensor is continuously operated in an extracorporeal undiluted blood stream for a maximum of 11 h. It gives a correlation of R>0.9431, and a measuring error lower than the 3% of the pH RoI with respect to laboratory techniques.

Continuous haematic pH monitoring in extracorporeal circulation using a disposable florescence sensing element.

PubMed

Ferrari, Luca; Rovati, Luigi; Fabbri, Paola; Pilati, Francesco

2013-02-01

During extracorporeal circulation (ECC), blood is periodically sampled and analyzed to maintain the blood-gas status of the patient within acceptable limits. This protocol has well-known drawbacks that may be overcome by continuous monitoring. We present the characterization of a new pH sensor for continuous monitoring in ECC. This monitoring device includes a disposable fluorescence-sensing element directly in contact with the blood, whose fluorescence intensity is strictly related to the pH of the blood. In vitro experiments show no significant difference between the blood gas analyzer values and the sensor readings; after proper calibration, it gives a correlation of R>0.9887, and measuring errors were lower than the 3% of the pH range of interest (RoI) with respect to a commercial blood gas analyzer. This performance has been confirmed also by simulating a moderate ipothermia condition, i.e., blood temperature 32°C, frequently used in cardiac surgery. In ex vivo experiments, performed with animal models, the sensor is continuously operated in an extracorporeal undiluted blood stream for a maximum of 11 h. It gives a correlation of R>0.9431, and a measuring error lower than the 3% of the pH RoI with respect to laboratory techniques.

Flotation removal of the microalga Nannochloropsis sp. using Moringa protein-oil emulsion: A novel green approach.

PubMed

Kandasamy, Ganesan; Shaleh, Sitti Raehanah Muhamad

2018-01-01

A new approach to recover microalgae from aqueous medium using a bio-flotation method is reported. The method involves utilizing a Moringa protein extract - oil emulsion (MPOE) for flotation removal of Nannochloropsis sp. The effect of various factors has been assessed using this method, including operating parameters such as pH, MPOE dose, algae concentration and mixing time. A maximum flotation efficiency of 86.5% was achieved without changing the pH condition of algal medium. Moreover, zeta potential analysis showed a marked difference in the zeta potential values when increase the MPOE dose concentration. An optimum condition of MPOE dosage of 50ml/L, pH 8, mixing time 4min, and a flotation efficiency of greater than 86% was accomplished. The morphology of algal flocs produced by protein-oil emulsion flocculant were characterized by microscopy. This flotation method is not only simple, but also an efficient method for harvesting microalgae from culture medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shear bond strength of one-step self-etch adhesives: pH influence

PubMed Central

Poggio, Claudio; Beltrami, Riccardo; Scribante, Andrea; Colombo, Marco; Chiesa, Marco

2015-01-01

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of four one-step self-etch adhesives with different pH values to enamel and dentin. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 200 bovine permanent mandibular incisors were used. Four one-step self-etch adhesives with different pH values were tested both on enamel and on dentin: Adper™ Easy Bond Self-Etch Adhesive (pH = 0.8-1), Futurabond NR (pH=2), G-aenial Bond (pH = 1.5), Clearfil S3 Bond (pH = 2.7). After adhesive systems application, a nanohybrid composite resin was inserted into the bonded surface. The specimens were placed in a universal testing machine. The shear bond strength was performed at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min until the sample rupture. The shear bond strength values (MPa) of the different groups were compared with analysis of variance after that Kolmogorov and Smirnov tests were applied to assess normality of distributions. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: In enamel shear bond strength, the highest shear bond strength values were reported with Futurabond NR (P < 0.01); however, no significant differences were found with Clearfil S3 Bond. The others adhesive systems showed lower shear bond strength values with significant differences between them (P < 0.05). When comparing the dentin shear bond strength, the lowest shear bond strength values were reported with Clearfil S3 Bond (P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences among the other three products (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The pH values of adhesive systems did not influence significantly their shear bond strength to enamel or dentin. PMID:26005459

Host origin determines pH tolerance of Tritrichomonas foetus isolates from the feline gastrointestinal and bovine urogenital tracts.

PubMed

Morin-Adeline, Victoria; Fraser, Stuart T; Stack, Colin; Šlapeta, Jan

2015-10-01

The ability for protozoan parasites to tolerate pH fluctuations within their niche is critical for the establishment of infection and require the parasite to be capable of adapting to a distinct pH range. We used two host adapted Tritrichomonas foetus isolates, capable of infecting either the digestive tract (pH 5.3-6.6) of feline hosts or the reproductive tract (pH 7.4-7.8) of bovine hosts to address their adaptability to changing pH. Using flow cytometry, we investigated the pH tolerance of the bovine and feline T. foetus isolates over a range of physiologically relevant pH in vitro. Following exposure to mild acid stress (pH 6), the bovine T. foetus isolates showed a significant decrease in cell viability and increased cytoplasmic granularity (p-value < 0.003, p-value < 0.0002) compared to pH 7 and 8 (p-value > 0.7). In contrast, the feline genotype displayed an enhanced capacity to maintain cell morphology and viability (p-value > 0.05). Microscopic assessment revealed that following exposure to a weak acidic stress (pH 6), the bovine T. foetus transformed into rounded parasites with extended cell volumes and displays a decrease in viability. The higher tolerance for acidic extracellular environment of the feline isolate compared to the bovine isolate suggests that pH could be a critical factor in regulating T. foetus infections and host-specificity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of pH and Temperature Profiles in the GI Tract of Fasted Human Subjects Using the Intellicap(®) System.

PubMed

Koziolek, Mirko; Grimm, Michael; Becker, Dieter; Iordanov, Ventzeslav; Zou, Hans; Shimizu, Jeff; Wanke, Christoph; Garbacz, Grzegorz; Weitschies, Werner

2015-09-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) pH and temperature profiles under fasted-state conditions were investigated in two studies with each 10 healthy human subjects using the IntelliCap(®) system. This telemetric drug delivery device enabled the determination of gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, and colon arrival time by significant pH and temperature changes. The study results revealed high variability of GI pH and transit times. The gastric transit of IntelliCap(®) was characterized by high fluctuations of the pH with mean values ranging from pH 1.7 to pH 4.7. Gastric emptying was observed after 7-202 min (median: 30 min). During small bowel transit, which had a duration of 67-532 min (median: 247 min), pH values increased slightly from pH 5.9-6.3 in proximal parts to pH 7.4-7.8 in distal parts. Colonic pH conditions were characterized by values fluctuating mainly between pH 5 and pH 8. The pH profiles and transit times described in this work are highly relevant for the comprehension of drug delivery of solid oral dosage forms comprising ionizable drugs and excipients with pH-dependent solubility. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

[Significance of identification of fungi in gastric juice of patients with artificial airway in intensive care unit].

PubMed

Feng, Yong-wen; Wu, Ming; Li, Ying; Zeng, Jing-jing; Li, Ming-li; He, Yun; Li, Dan-hui; Cui, Man-li

2012-02-01

To investigate the direct relationship and significance between the pH value of gastric juice and positive fungi in culture critical patients with artificial airway in intensive care unit (ICU) by analyzing and identifying the type of fungi and their sensitivity to antifungal therapy. A prospective study was conducted.One hundred and sixty patients (between December, 2008 and October, 2011) with artificial airway lasting longer than 48 hours were studied in the ICU at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University. The gastric juice specimens were collected through a nasogastric tube, their pH values were measured using precise litmus paper. These samples were divided into six groups according to their pH values: pH ≤ 2.0, pH 2.1-3.0, pH 3.1-4.0, pH 4.1-5.0, pH 5.1-6.0 and pH 6.1-7.0, and then fungi were cultured in these specimens with different pH values. Susceptibility of different fungicide drugs were also investigated. The susceptibility of fungi to gastric juice with different pH values was also investigated. The relationship between 28-day survival rate and the presence of fungi in gastric juice was analyzed in order to analyze the relationship of the presence of fungi in gastric juice and clinical outcome. (1) No fungal growth was found in the gastric juice with pH value lower than 4.0, and the positive rate of fungal culture was significantly increased when the pH value of gastric juice raised. (2) The positive rate of fungal growth was 27.9% (55/197), in which, the positive rate of Candida and non-Candida fungi was 38.2% (21/55) and 61.8% (34/55) respectively, and the difference was significant statistically [χ(2) = 4.16, P < 0.05]. (3) The fungal positive rate was 40.0% (22/55) and 60.0% (33/55) respectively, in survivors (102 cases) and non-survivors (58 cases). The percentage of Candida infection and non-Candida infection was 54.5% (12/22) and 45.5% (10/22) respectively, in survivors, and it was 27.3% (9/33) and 72.7% (24/33), respectively, in non-survivors. The rate of resistance of Candida and non-Candida fungi was 4.7%-14.3% (mean 10.1%) and 0-60% (mean 28.5%) respectively. Positive fungus culture rate was higher in critical patients with artificial airway and higher gastric juice pH values. Non-Candida fungi were mainly found in gastric juice with increasing resistance rate. Candida was more commonly found in survivors, and non-Candida fungi were more commonly found in non-survivors.

Near-infrared noninvasive spectroscopic determination of pH

DOEpatents

Alam, Mary K.; Robinson, Mark R.

1998-08-11

Methods and apparatus for, preferably, determining noninvasively and in vitro pH in a human. The non-invasive method includes the steps of: generating light at three or more different wavelengths in the range of 1000 nm to 2500 nm; irradiating blood containing tissue; measuring the intensities of the wavelengths emerging from the blood containing tissue to obtain a set of at least three spectral intensities v. wavelengths; and determining the unknown values of pH. The determination of pH is made by using measured intensities at wavelengths that exhibit change in absorbance due to histidine titration. Histidine absorbance changes are due to titration by hydrogen ions. The determination of the unknown pH values is performed by at least one multivariate algorithm using two or more variables and at least one calibration model. The determined pH values are within the physiological ranges observed in blood containing tissue. The apparatus includes a tissue positioning device, a source, at least one detector, electronics, a microprocessor, memory, and apparatus for indicating the determined values.

Variation in pH optima of hydrolytic enzyme activities in tropical rain forest soils.

PubMed

Turner, Benjamin L

2010-10-01

Extracellular enzymes synthesized by soil microbes play a central role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in the environment. The pH optima of eight hydrolytic enzymes involved in the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, were assessed in a series of tropical forest soils of contrasting pH values from the Republic of Panama. Assays were conducted using 4-methylumbelliferone-linked fluorogenic substrates in modified universal buffer. Optimum pH values differed markedly among enzymes and soils. Enzymes were grouped into three classes based on their pH optima: (i) enzymes with acidic pH optima that were consistent among soils (cellobiohydrolase, β-xylanase, and arylsulfatase), (ii) enzymes with acidic pH optima that varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima in the most acidic soils (α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase), and (iii) enzymes with an optimum pH in either the acid range or the alkaline range depending on soil pH (phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase). The optimum pH values of phosphomonoesterase were consistent among soils, being 4 to 5 for acid phosphomonoesterase and 10 to 11 for alkaline phosphomonoesterase. In contrast, the optimum pH for phosphodiesterase activity varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima (3.0) in the most acidic soils and the most alkaline pH optima (pH 10) in near-neutral soils. Arylsulfatase activity had a very acidic optimum pH in all soils (pH ≤3.0) irrespective of soil pH. The differences in pH optima may be linked to the origins of the enzymes and/or the degree of stabilization on solid surfaces. The results have important implications for the interpretation of hydrolytic enzyme assays using fluorogenic substrates.

Research on dispose of wastewater from printing and dyeing by CWF combined with Iron-carbon Microelectrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xin; Ye, Tingjin; Xu, Zizhen; Chen, Xiaogang; Shi, Liang; He, Lingfeng; Zhang, Yongli

2018-03-01

The carboxymethylchitosan cladding coal ash (CWF) was oxidized by the high temperature using coal ash and sodium carboxymethyl chitosan as raw and processed material for treatment of simulated and actual printing and dyeing wastewater over iron-carbon micro-electrolysis. The results on pH and CWF dosage for effluent dispose were evaluated by the decolorization rate, COD removal efficiency and turbidity removal rate. The experimental results indicated that the decolorization rate was first augmented and then declined with the increase of pH, and attained a peak value when pH was at 5-6. The COD removal efficiency augmented with the augmented of pH, and attained a peak value when pH was 6-7. The turbidity removal rate was first increases and afterwards decreases with the augment of pH, and attained a peak value when pH was at 5-6. Furthermore, the optimum pH for the treatment of simulated dyeing wastewater was 6 over iron-carbon micro-electrolysis, which indicated that the appropriate pH can promote the degradation of wastewater.

A new algorithm for design, operation and cost assessment of struvite (MgNH4PO4) precipitation processes.

PubMed

Birnhack, Liat; Nir, Oded; Telzhenski, Marina; Lahav, Ori

2015-01-01

Deliberate struvite (MgNH4PO4) precipitation from wastewater streams has been the topic of extensive research in the last two decades and is expected to gather worldwide momentum in the near future as a P-reuse technique. A wide range of operational alternatives has been reported for struvite precipitation, including the application of various Mg(II) sources, two pH elevation techniques and several Mg:P ratios and pH values. The choice of each operational parameter within the struvite precipitation process affects process efficiency, the overall cost and also the choice of other operational parameters. Thus, a comprehensive simulation program that takes all these parameters into account is essential for process design. This paper introduces a systematic decision-supporting tool which accepts a wide range of possible operational parameters, including unconventional Mg(II) sources (i.e. seawater and seawater nanofiltration brines). The study is supplied with a free-of-charge computerized tool (http://tx.technion.ac.il/~agrengn/agr/Struvite_Program.zip) which links two computer platforms (Python and PHREEQC) for executing thermodynamic calculations according to predefined kinetic considerations. The model can be (inter alia) used for optimizing the struvite-fluidized bed reactor process operation with respect to P removal efficiency, struvite purity and economic feasibility of the chosen alternative. The paper describes the algorithm and its underlying assumptions, and shows results (i.e. effluent water quality, cost breakdown and P removal efficiency) of several case studies consisting of typical wastewaters treated at various operational conditions.

In situ chemical sensing for hydrothermal plume mapping and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuba, T.; Kusunoki, T.; Maeda, Y.; Shitashima, K.; Kyo, M.; Fujii, T.; Noguchi, T.; Sunamura, M.

2012-12-01

Detection, monitoring, and mapping of biogeochemical anomalies in seawater such as temperature, salinity, turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential, and pH are essential missions to explore undiscovered hydrothermal sites and to understand distribution and behavior of hydrothermal plumes. Utilization of reliable and useful in situ sensors has been widely accepted as a promised approach to realize a spatiotemporally resolved mapping of anomalies without water sampling operations. Due to remarkable progresses of sensor technologies and its relatives, a number of highly miniaturized and robust chemical sensors have been proposed and developed. We have been developed, evaluated, and operated a compact ISFET (Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor)-based chemical sensors for ocean environmental sensing purposes. An ISFET has advantages against conventional glass-based electrodes on its faster response, robustness, and potential on miniaturization, and thus variety of chemical sensors has been already on the market. In this study, ISFET-based standalone pH sensors with a solid-state Cl-ISE as a reference electrode were mounted on various platforms and operated to monitor the pH anomalies in deep-sea environment at the Kairei, Edmond, and surrounding hydrothermal sites in the southern Central Indian Ridge area during KH10-06 scientific cruise (Nov. 2010), supported by project TAIGA (Trans-crustal Advection and In situ biogeochemical processes of Global sub-seafloor Aquifer). Up to three pH sensors were mounted on a wire-lined CTD/RMS (Rosette Multiple Sampler), dredge sampler, a series of MTD plankton nets, and VMPS (Vertical Multiple-operating Plankton Sampler). A standalone temperature sensor was bundled and operated with the pH sensor when they were mounted on the dredge sampler, MTD plankton nets, and VMPS. An AUV equipped with the pH sensor was also operated for hydrothermal activity survey operations. As a result of Tow-Yo intersect operations of the CTD/RMS, distribution of pH anomalies were successfully visualized at the Kairei site. During the operations with the dredge sampler, MTD nets, and VMPS, the pH sensors successfully worked except for a few failures of measurements due to a problem on a sensor cable. The pH sensor mounted on the AUV "R2D4" recoded a weak low-pH anomaly during a dive at the Yokoniwa site. Representative of the pH data obtained at southern Central Indian Ride will be shown visually on the poster. The spatiotemporally resolved data can be also utilized to develop reliable numerical models to estimate fluxes of energy and matters from geologically active sites. An example of optimization of a numerical model for hydrothermal plume study using 4D pH data obtained at a back-arc hydrothermal system (the Hatoma-knoll, the Okinawa Trough, Japan) will be also presented.

Impact of preacidification of milk and fermentation time on the properties of yogurt.

PubMed

Peng, Y; Horne, D S; Lucey, J A

2009-07-01

Casein interactions play an important role in the textural properties of yogurt. The objective of this study was to investigate how the concentration of insoluble calcium phosphate (CCP) that is associated with casein particles and the length of fermentation time influence properties of yogurt gels. A central composite experimental design was used. The initial milk pH was varied by preacidification with glucono-delta-lactone (GDL), and fermentation time (time to reach pH 4.6 from the initial pH) was altered by varying the inoculum level. We hypothesized that by varying the initial milk pH value, the amount of CCP would be modified and that by varying the length of the fermentation time we would influence the rate and extent of solubilization of CCP during any subsequent gelation process. We believe that both of these factors could influence casein interactions and thereby alter gel properties. Milks were preacidified to pH values from 6.55 to 5.65 at 40 degrees C using GDL and equilibrated for 4 h before inoculation. Fermentation time was varied from 250 to 500 min by adding various amounts of culture at 40 degrees C. Gelation properties were monitored using dynamic oscillatory rheology, and microstructure was studied using fluorescence microscopy. Whey separation and permeability were analyzed at pH 4.6. The preacidification pH value significantly affected the solubilization of CCP. Storage modulus values at pH 4.6 were positively influenced by the preacidification pH value and negatively affected by fermentation time. The value for the loss tangent maximum during gelation was positively affected by the preacidification pH value. Fermentation time positively affected whey separation and significantly influenced the rate of CCP dissolution during fermentation, as CCP dissolution was a slow process. Longer fermentation times resulted in greater loss of CCP at the pH of gelation. At the end of fermentation (pH approximately 4.6), virtually all CCP was dissolved. Preacidification of milk increased the solubilization of CCP, increased the early loss of CCP crosslinks, and produced weak gels. Long fermentation times allowed more time for solubilization of CCP during the critical gelation stage of the process and increased the possibility of greater casein rearrangements; both could have contributed to the increase in whey separation.

European Science Notes (ESN) Information Bulletin Reports on Current European/Middle Eastern Science,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

Rumania, the Union of the of solution conditions attained by varia- Societies for Medical Sciences in the tion of the temperature, the pH value, Socialist...operation with the International Union globular proteins with a wide range of for Pure and Applied Biophysics. There different biological functions...nonlinear system theory, has spent matching in the dynamic control of a some time as a visiting professor at flexible robot. The nonlinear techniques

A method for calibrating pH meters using standard solutions with low electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodionov, A. K.

2011-07-01

A procedure for obtaining standard solutions with low electrical conductivity that reproduce pH values both in acid and alkali regions is proposed. Estimates of the maximal possible error of reproducing the pH values of these solutions are obtained.

PH-sensitive dispersion of carbon nanotubes by myoglobin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Haiyu; Shen, Ganni; Sun, Junlin; Zhang, Tao

2017-03-01

A facile and effective method of dispersion of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) was developed. At appropriate pH value and sonication, myoglobin helps the solubilization of DWNTs. The product is a pH-sensitive dispersion, which remains in a highly dispersed state at pH<3.0 and pH>10.0. This approach can be used to disperse DWNTs in scale. A reversible conversion of the highly dispersed state to the aggregated state could be observed by changing the pH value. This feature holds great promise for the development of pH sensors.

Holocene soil pH changes and East Asian summer monsoon evolution derived from loess brGDGTs in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Y.; Sun, Q.; Zhao, H.

2017-12-01

GDGTs-based proxies have been used successfully to reconstruct paleo-temperature from loess-paleosol sequences during the past few years. However, the pH variations of loess sediments derived from GDGTs covering the geological history remain poorly constrained. Here we present two pH records spanning the last 12 ka (1ka=1000years) based on the modified cyclization ratio index (CBT') of the branched GDGTs using regional CBT'-pH empirical relationship from two well-dated loess-paleosol sections (YWY14 and SHD09) in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. The results indicate that a slightly alkaline condition occurred during 12 8.5 ka with pH values ranging from 6.98 to 7.24, then CBT'-derived pH decreased from 8.5 to 6.5 ka with values from 7.19 to 6.49 and gradually increased thereafter. The reconstructed pH values from topmost samples can be well compared with instrumental pH values of the surrounding surface soil. The lowest intervals of CBT'-derived pH values during the mid-Holocene in our records are consistent with the results of highest tree pollen percentage from the adjacent lake sediments and regional weakest aeolian activities, which reveals that the moisture maximum during that period, but conflicted with previous results of the wettest early-Holocene inferred from speleothem or ostracod shell oxygen isotope (δ18O) values. Taking together, we conclude that Holocene humidity evolution (wettest middle Holocene) in response to the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) changes exerts important control on pH variations of loess deposits in northeastern Tibetan Plateau. CBT'-derived pH variations can be potentially used as an indicator of EASM evolution reconstructions. In addition, we argue that speleothem or ostracod shell δ18O records are essentially a signal of the isotopic composition of precipitations rather than EASM intensity.

Evaluation of the pH- and Thermal Stability of the Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) in the Presence of Sodium Chloride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Marina; Kunimura, Juliana Sayuri; Jeng, Hélio Tallon; Vessoni Penna, Thereza Christina; Cholewa, Olivia

The thermal stability of recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP) in sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions at different concentrations, pH, and temperatures was evaluated by assaying the loss of fluorescence intensity as a measure of denaturation. GFP, extracted from Escherichia coli cells by the three-phase partitioning method and purified through a butyl hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) column, was diluted in water for injection (WFI) (pH 6.0-7.0) and in 10 mM buffer solutions (acetate, pH 5.0; phosphate, pH 7.0; and Tris-EDTA, pH 8.0) with 0.9-30% NaCl or without and incubated at 80-95°C. The extent of protein denaturation was expressed as a percentage of the calculated decimal reduction time (D-value). In acetate buffer (pH 4.84 ±0.12), the mean D-values for 90% reduction in GFP fluorescence ranged from 2.3 to 3.6 min, independent of NaCl concentration and temperature. GFP thermal stability diluted in WFI (pH 5.94±0.60) was half that observed in phosphate buffer (pH 6.08±0.60); but in both systems, D-values decreased linearly with increasing NaCl concentration, with D-values (at 80°C) ranging from 3.44, min (WFI) to 6.1 min (phosphate buffer), both with 30% NaCl. However, D-values in Tris-EDTA (pH 7.65±0.17) were directly dependent on the NaCl concentration and 5-10 times higher than D-values for GFP in WFI at 80°C. GFP pH-and thermal stability can be easily monitored by the convenient measure of fluorescence intensity and potentially be used as an indicator to monitor that processing times and temperatures were attained.

Molybdate adsorption from steel slag eluates by subsoils.

PubMed

Matern, K; Rennert, T; Mansfeldt, T

2013-11-01

Steel slags are industrial by-products which are generated in large amounts worldwide, e.g. 150-230×10(6) Mg in 2012, and which are partly used for construction. Molybdenum (Mo) can be added during steel processing in order to harden the steel. The objective of this study was to evaluate the adsorption behaviour of molybdate (MoO4(2-)) from slag eluates in subsoils. Molybdate batch adsorption experiments were carried out with eluates obtained from two different kinds of steel slags (i) LD slag (Linz-Donawitz operation, LDS) and (ii) electric arc furnace slag (EAF) to assess the risk that may arise from the contamination of groundwater by the leaching of molybdate. Six different subsoils were chosen in order to provide a wide range of chemical properties (pH 4.0-7.6; dithionite-extractable Fe 0.73-14.7 g kg(-1)). Molybdate adsorption experiments were carried out at the pH of the steel slag eluates (pH 11-12) as well as at pH values adjusted to the soil pH. The data were evaluated with the Freundlich equation. Molybdate adsorption exhibited a maximum near pH 4 for steel slag eluates adjusted to the soil pH, and decreased rapidly with increasing pH until adsorption was virtually zero at pH>11. Adsorption was greater for soils with high amounts of dithionite-extractable Fe oxides. The extent and behaviour of molybdate adsorption from both eluates was similar. After a reaction time of 24h, the pH of the EAF slag eluate was lower than that of the LD steel slag eluate, which was caused by different acid buffer capacities. Some soils were able to decrease the pH of the EAF slag eluates by about 4 pH units, enhancing the adsorption of molybdate. Transport simulations indicated that molybdate discharge is low in acidic soils. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controls on the pH of hyper-saline lakes - A lesson from the Dead Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golan, Rotem; Gavrieli, Ittai; Ganor, Jiwchar; Lazar, Boaz

2016-01-01

The pH of aqueous environments is determined by the dominant buffer systems of the water, defined operationally as total alkalinity (TA). The major buffer systems in the modern ocean are carbonic and boric acids of which the species bicarbonate, carbonate and borate make up about 77%, 19% and 4% of the TA, respectively. During the course of seawater evaporation (e.g. lagoons) the residual brine loses considerable portion of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and carbonate alkalinity (CA) already at the early stages of evaporation. DIC and CA decrease due to massive precipitation of CaCO3, while total boron (TB) increases conservatively, turning borate to the dominant alkalinity species in marine derived brines. In the present work we assess the apparent dissociation constant value of boric acid (KB‧) in saline and hypersaline waters, using the Dead Sea (DS) as a case study. We explain the DS low pH (∼6.3) and the effect of the boric and carbonic acid pK‧-s on the behavior of the brine's buffer system, including the pH increase that results from brine dilution. The KB‧ in DS was estimated from TB, TA, DIC and pH data measured in this study and early empirical data on artificial DS brines containing just carbonic acid. The KB‧ value was corroborated by Pitzer ion interaction model calculations using PHREEQC thermodynamic code applied to the chemical composition of the DS. Our results show that KB‧ increases considerably with the brine's ionic strength, reaching in the DS to a factor of 100 higher than in ;mean; seawater. Based on theoretical calculations and analyses of other natural brines it is suggested that brines' composition is a major factor in determining the KB‧ value and in turn the pH of such brines. We show that the higher the proportion of divalent cations in the brine the higher the dissociation constants of the weak acids (presumably due to formation of complexes). The low pH of the Dead Sea is accordingly explained by its extremely high ionic strength (TDS = 348 g/L) and the dominance of the divalent cation, Mg2+. Other natural hyper-saline brines with high concentration of divalent cations such as Kunteyi Lake in China and Don-Juan Pond in Antarctica follow the same general pattern. In contrast, the high pH of soda lakes results not only from their high TA but also by the dominance of the monovalent cation, Na+. Our study emphasizes the strong control of brine composition on pKB‧ and pH. These factors should be taken into consideration when reconstructing past and present environmental evaporitic environments.

Evaluation of the efficacy of four weak acids as antifungal preservatives in low-acid intermediate moisture model food systems.

PubMed

Huang, Yang; Wilson, Mark; Chapman, Belinda; Hocking, Ailsa D

2010-02-01

The potential efficacy of four weak acids as preservatives in low-acid intermediate moisture foods was assessed using a glycerol based agar medium. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC, % wt./wt.) of each acid was determined at two pH values (pH 5.0, pH 6.0) and two a(w) values (0.85, 0.90) for five food spoilage fungi, Eurotium herbariorum, Eurotium rubrum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium roqueforti. Sorbic acid, a preservative commonly used to control fungal growth in low-acid intermediate moisture foods, was included as a reference. The MIC values of the four acids were lower at pH 5.0 than pH 6.0 at equivalent a(w) values, and lower at 0.85 a(w) than 0.90 a(w) at equivalent pH values. By comparison with the MIC values of sorbic acid, those of caprylic acid and dehydroacetic acid were generally lower, whereas those for caproic acid were generally higher. No general observation could be made in the case of capric acid. The antifungal activities of all five weak acids appeared related not only to the undissociated form, but also the dissociated form, of each acid.

Diurnal and seasonal variations of pH for a year in the western subarctic North Pacific observed by using a hybrid pH sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Yoshiyuki; Fujiki, Tetsuichi; Kimoto, Katsunori; Miwa, Tetsuya

2017-04-01

Ocean acidification has many far reaching impacts on plankton community in the ocean. There is great need of quality instrumentation to assess and monitor the changing seawater pH. To meet the need, we have developed the in situ high accurate pH sensor (Hybrid pH sensor: HpHS) for the long-term seawater pH monitoring to participate the Wendy Schmidt Ocean health XPRIZE. The HpHS has two types of pH sensors (i.e. potentiometric pH sensor and spectrophotometric pH sensor). The spectrophotometric pH sensor can measure pH correctly and stably, however it needs large power consumption and a lot of reagents in a long period of observation. The pH sensor used m-cresol purple (mCP) as an indicator of pH. On the other hand, although the potentiometric pH sensor is low power consumption and high-speed response (within 10 seconds), drifts in the pH of the potentiometric measurements may possibly occur for a long-term observation. The HpHS can measure in situ pH correctly and stably combining advantage of both pH sensors. The HpHS is correcting the value of the potentiometric pH (measuring frequently) by the value of the spectrophotometric pH (measuring less frequently). It is possible to calibrate in situ with Tris buffer or CRM on the spectrophotometric pH sensor. Therefore, the drifts in the value of potentiometric pH measurements can be compensated using the pH value obtained from the spectrophotometric pH measurements. Thereby, the HpHS can measure accurately the value of pH over a long period of time with low power consumption. In order to understand the seasonal and inter-annual variabilities of biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems, ship-based studies have been carried out since 1997 at time-series station K2 (47oN, 160oE) in the subarctic western North Pacific, which is a region with progression of ocean acidification. However, the ship-based studies of the open ocean have been limited in their ability to conduct high-frequency observations for understanding the biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. To overcome the problem, we developed a hybrid profiling buoy system. The HpHS was attached to a remote automatic water sampler (200m) in the buoy system in July 2015. We recovered the buoy system in June 2016 and succeeded in observing seawater pH every four hours for a year. Here, we show an overview of the diurnal and seasonal variations of pH for a year at station K2. In addition, we examine a relationship between the pH variations and marine calcifiers recovered by the sediment trap during the same period.

Phase angle assessment by bioelectrical impedance analysis and its predictive value for malnutrition risk in hospitalized geriatric patients.

PubMed

Varan, Hacer Dogan; Bolayir, Basak; Kara, Ozgur; Arik, Gunes; Kizilarslanoglu, Muhammet Cemal; Kilic, Mustafa Kemal; Sumer, Fatih; Kuyumcu, Mehmet Emin; Yesil, Yusuf; Yavuz, Burcu Balam; Halil, Meltem; Cankurtaran, Mustafa

2016-12-01

Phase angle (PhA) value determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an indicator of cell membrane damage and body cell mass. Recent studies have shown that low PhA value is associated with increased nutritional risk in various group of patients. However, there have been only a few studies performed globally assessing the relationship between nutritional risk and PhA in hospitalized geriatric patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the predictive value of the PhA for malnutrition risk in hospitalized geriatric patients. One hundred and twenty-two hospitalized geriatric patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Comprehensive geriatric assessment tests and BIA measurements were performed within the first 48 h after admission. Nutritional risk state of the patients was determined with NRS-2002. Phase angle values of the patients with malnutrition risk were compared with the patients that did not have the same risk. The independent variables for predicting malnutrition risk were determined. SPSS version 15 was utilized for the statistical analyzes. The patients with malnutrition risk had significantly lower phase angle values than the patients without malnutrition risk (p = 0.003). ROC curve analysis suggested that the optimum PhA cut-off point for malnutrition risk was 4.7° with 79.6 % sensitivity, 64.6 % specificity, 73.9 % positive predictive value, and 73.9 % negative predictive value. BMI, prealbumin, PhA, and Mini Mental State Examination Test scores were the independent variables for predicting malnutrition risk. PhA can be a useful, independent indicator for predicting malnutrition risk in hospitalized geriatric patients.

Independent Prognostic Factors for Acute Organophosphorus Pesticide Poisoning.

PubMed

Tang, Weidong; Ruan, Feng; Chen, Qi; Chen, Suping; Shao, Xuebo; Gao, Jianbo; Zhang, Mao

2016-07-01

Acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP) is becoming a significant problem and a potential cause of human mortality because of the abuse of organophosphate compounds. This study aims to determine the independent prognostic factors of AOPP by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The clinical data for 71 subjects with AOPP admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. This information included the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, admission blood cholinesterase levels, 6-h post-admission blood cholinesterase levels, cholinesterase activity, blood pH, and other factors. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify all prognostic factors and independent prognostic factors, respectively. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to analyze the testing power of independent prognostic factors. Twelve of 71 subjects died. Admission blood lactate levels, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, blood pH, and APACHE II scores were identified as prognostic factors for AOPP according to the univariate analysis, whereas only 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, and blood pH were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested that post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were of moderate diagnostic value. High 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, low blood pH, and low post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Monolayer semiconductor nanocavity lasers with ultralow thresholds

DOE PAGES

Wu, Sanfeng; Buckley, Sonia; Schaibley, John R.; ...

2015-03-16

Engineering the electromagnetic environment of a nanoscale light emitter by a photonic cavity can significantly enhance its spontaneous emission rate through cavity quantum electrodynamics in the Purcell regime. This effect can greatly reduce the lasing threshold of the emitter 1–5, providing the ultimate low-threshold laser system with small footprint, low power consumption and ultrafast modulation. A state-of-the-art ultra-low threshold nanolaser has been successfully developed though embedding quantum dots into photonic crystal cavity (PhCC) 6–8. However, several core challenges impede the practical applications of this architecture, including the random positions and compositional fluctuations of the dots 7, extreme difficulty in currentmore » injection8, and lack of compatibility with electronic circuits 7,8. Here, we report a new strategy to lase, where atomically thin crystalline semiconductor, i.e., a tungsten-diselenide (WSe 2) monolayer, is nondestructively and deterministically introduced as a gain medium at the surface of a pre-fabricated PhCC. A new type of continuous-wave nanolaser operating in the visible regime is achieved with an optical pumping threshold as low as 27 nW at 130 K, similar to the value achieved in quantum dot PhCC lasers 7. The key to the lasing action lies in the monolayer nature of the gain medium, which confines direct-gap excitons to within 1 nm of the PhCC surface. The surface-gain geometry allows unprecedented accessibilities to multi-functionalize the gain, enabling electrically pumped operation. Our scheme is scalable and compatible with integrated photonics for on-chip optical communication technologies.« less

Axillary pH and influence of deodorants.

PubMed

Stenzaly-Achtert, S.; Schölermann, A.; Schreiber, J.; Diec, K. H.; Rippke, F.; Bielfeldt, S.

2000-05-01

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In moist intertriginous regions, such as the armpit, the pH value is physiologically higher than in other skin regions. The regulation of the axillary pH-value was examined in an open study with 48 subjects in three groups with n=16 each. METHODS: In the first 10 days (run-in) the subjects received a standard treatment in the axilla with shaving, cleansing and application of a pH-neutral deodorant. This was followed by a 5 day treatment period with the three test products (pH5 Eucerin(R) Deodorant Roll-on, Deodorant Balsam Spray, Deodorant Cream). The study was concluded by a wash-out period with procedures identical to the run-in phase. The pH was measured with a calibrated pH-meter. RESULTS: A significant pH reduction was shown during the treatment period when compared to the run-in phase. The Deodorant Roll-on induced a reduction of the mean pH values from 6.1 to 5.3, the Deodorant Balsam Spray from 6.5 to 5.7 and the Deodorant Cream from 6.2 to 5.3. During the wash-out period all pH values returned to baseline. CONCLUSION: All of the deodorants tested demonstrated a significant reduction in axillary pH. There is evidence that a high skin pH promotes the growth of several microorganisms that produce malodor. Therefore, the regulation of pH may contribute to the deodorant efficacy of the test products.

Simulation of CO₂ leakages during injection and storage in sub-seabed geological formations: metal mobilization and biota effects.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; Basallote, M Dolores; De Orte, Manoela R; DelValls, T Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada; Blasco, Julián

2014-07-01

To assess the potential effects on metal mobilization due to leakages of CO2 during its injection and storage in marine systems, an experimental set-up was devised and operated, using the polychaete Hediste diversicolor as the model organism. The objective was to study the effects of such leakage in the expected scenarios of pH values between 8.0 and 6.0. Polychaetes were exposed for 10 days to seawater with sediment samples collected in two different coastal areas, one with relatively uncontaminated sediment as reference (RSP) and the other with known contaminated sediment (ML), under pre-determined pH conditions. Survival and metal accumulation (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, As and Hg) in the whole body of H. diversicolor were employed as endpoints. Mortality was significant at the lowest pH level in the sediment with highest metal concentrations. In general, metal concentrations in tissues of individuals exposed to the contaminated sediment were influenced by pH. These results indicate that ocean acidification due to CO2 leakages would provoke increased metal mobilization, causing adverse side effects in sediment toxicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing isothiocyanate formation during enzymatic glucosinolate breakdown by adjusting pH value, temperature and dilution in Brassica vegetables and Arabidopsis thaliana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanschen, Franziska S.; Klopsch, Rebecca; Oliviero, Teresa; Schreiner, Monika; Verkerk, Ruud; Dekker, Matthijs

2017-01-01

Consumption of glucosinolate-rich Brassicales vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of cancer with enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates playing a key role. However, formation of health-promoting isothiocyanates is inhibited by the epithiospecifier protein in favour of nitriles and epithionitriles. Domestic processing conditions, such as changes in pH value, temperature or dilution, might also affect isothiocyanate formation. Therefore, the influences of these three factors were evaluated in accessions of Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Mathematical modelling was performed to determine optimal isothiocyanate formation conditions and to obtain knowledge on the kinetics of the reactions. At 22 °C and endogenous plant pH, nearly all investigated plants formed nitriles and epithionitriles instead of health-promoting isothiocyanates. Response surface models, however, clearly demonstrated that upon change in pH to domestic acidic (pH 4) or basic pH values (pH 8), isothiocyanate formation considerably increases. While temperature also affects this process, the pH value has the greatest impact. Further, a kinetic model showed that isothiocyanate formation strongly increases due to dilution. Finally, the results show that isothiocyanate intake can be strongly increased by optimizing the conditions of preparation of Brassicales vegetables.

Effect of pH and glucose on cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

PubMed

Shao, J C; Yorioka, N; Nishida, Y; Yamakido, M

1999-08-01

We investigated the effects of various pH and glucose concentrations on the growth of human peritoneal mesothelial cells and on coagulation and fibrinolytic factors. Cells were cultured at various pH values in Ham's F-12 medium containing 1.0% foetal calf serum and supplemented with D-glucose or D-mannitol at various concentrations. After 4-48 h, cell proliferation and 3H-thymidine incorporation were determined. Coagulation and fibrinolytic factors were measured after 48 h. Glucose caused concentration-dependent inhibition of cell growth at all pH values, but the deleterious effect of low pH on cell proliferation was faster and stronger than that of high glucose. At a similar osmolality, mannitol caused less inhibition of cell proliferation than glucose. There was a glucose concentration-dependent increase of thrombin-antithrombin III complex production at all pH values. At pH 5.2, tissue-type plasminogen activator production was far lower than at higher pH values, and production of the plasminogen activator inhibitor showed a glucose concentration-dependent increase. At pH 6.5 or 7.3, however, the plasminogen activator inhibitor production decreased and tissue-type plasminogen activator production increased in a glucose concentration-dependent manner. Low pH and/or high glucose culture medium had an inhibitory effect on peritoneal mesothelial cells, with the effect of high glucose being partially related to hyperosmolality. These cells may modulate peritoneal coagulant and fibrinolytic activity, with the balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis being disturbed by low pH and/or high glucose.

Measurements of pH and redox potential distributions in TNT-contaminated plant-soil systems using microelectrode techniques

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

Pang, H.; Zhang, T.C.

1997-12-31

The pH and redox potential profiles in TNT-contaminated soils with and without plants were investigated using microelectrode techniques. The new pH cocktail and double-barreled structure greatly improved the performance of the pH microelectrode. For soil without plants, there is almost no pH difference at different locations with different heights; while for the TNT-contaminated soils with plants there exist pH profiles. The soil immediately near the root of the plant has the lowest pH value. The pH value increases as the distance between the measuring point and the plant roots increases. The pH gradient (the increased pH value over the unitmore » distance) decreases with an increase of the distance between the measuring point and the plant roots. These results show that the plant presence can greatly affect the pH distribution. In vegetated soil, the redox potentials in the layer nearest the plant roots are higher than those in the bulk soil without plants. The redox potentials in the central part of the plant are lower than those in the soil around the plant and soil without the plant. The redox potentials in the soil without plants decrease with an increase of depth.« less

Uranium Adsorption on Ferrihydrite - Effects of Phosphate and Humic Acid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Payne, T.E.; Davis, J.A.; Waite, T.D.

1996-01-01

Uranium adsorption on ferrihydrite was studied as a function of pH in systems equilibrated with air, in the presence and absence of added phosphate and humic acid (HA). The objective was to determine the influence of PO43- and HA on uranium uptake. Below pH 7, the sorption of UO22+ typically increases with increasing pH (the 'low pH sorption edge'), with a sharp decrease in sorption above this pH value (the 'high pH edge'). The presence of ??PO43- of 10-4 mol/L moved the low pH edge to the left by approximately 0.8 pH units. The PO43- was strongly bound by the ferrihydrite surface, and the increased uptake of U was attributed to the formation of ternary surface complexes involving both UO22+ and PO43-. The addition of HA (9 mg/L) increased U uptake at pH values below 7, with little effect at higher pH values. The positions of the pH edges were also affected by the ionic strength and total U content. These experiments show that sorption interactions involving PO43 and HA must be considered in order to model the behavior of U in natural systems, in which these components are often present.

pH value promotes growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis in platelet concentrates.

PubMed

Störmer, Melanie; Kleesiek, Knut; Dreier, Jens

2008-05-01

The platelet (PLT) storage lesion is characterized metabolically by a pH value associated with lactic acid generation. PLT storage conditions support the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, the most common organism implicated in bacterial contamination of PLT concentrates (PCs). Here, different factors that influence bacterial growth in PCs are discussed and the relation between pH values of PCs and citrate plasma (CP) is studied, with emphasis on bacterial proliferation. The PLT lesion with regard to pH decrease and lactic acid production was monitored during storage and correlated to bacterial proliferation properties. A total of 115 coagulase-negative staphylococci, especially S. epidermidis isolates, were characterized for their proliferation in different blood components (CP, buffy coat-derived, and apheresis PCs). Furthermore, the influence of donor-specific, product-specific, species-specific, and strain-specific factors on bacterial proliferation was investigated. PCs showed a lower pH value in comparison to plasma during storage. Bacterial proliferation in PCs and the failure to grow in CP were determined with all organisms tested. No correlation to donor-specific, species-specific, or strain-specific factors was observed. Lowering the pH of CP resulted in bacterial proliferation, whereas a pH increase in the PC unit inhibited the proliferation of S. epidermidis. With emphasis on bacterial proliferation, the significant difference between PC and CP is the presence of metabolizing PLTs. The pH values of stored PLTs, but not those of stored plasma, support the growth of S. epidermidis.

Continuous production of succinic acid by a fumarate-reducing bacterium immobilized in a hollow-fiber bioreactor.

PubMed

Wee, Young-Jung; Yun, Jong-Sun; Kang, Kui-Hyun; Ryu, Hwa-Won

2002-01-01

Enterococcus faecalis RKY1, a fumarate-reducing bacterium, was immobilized in an asymmetric hollow-fiber bioreactor (HFBR) for the continuous production of succinic acid. The cells were inoculated into the shell side of the HFBR, which was operated in transverse mode. Since the pH values in the HFBR declined during continuous operation to about 5.7, it was necessary to change the feed pH from 7.0 to 8.0 after 24 h of operation in order to enhance production of succinic acid. During continuous operation with a medium containing fumarate and glycerol, the productivity of succinate was 3.0-10.9 g/(L x h) with an initial concentration of 30 g/L of fumarate, 4.9-14.9 g/(L x h) with 50 g/L of fumarate, and 7.2-17.1 g/(L x h) with 80 g/L of fumarate for dilution rates between 0.1 and 0.4 h(-1). The maximum productivity of succinate obtained by the HFBR (17.1 g of succinate/[L x h]) was 1.7 times higher than that of the batch bioconversions (9.9 g of succinate/ [L x h]) with 80 g/L of fumarate. Furthermore, the long-term stability of the HFBR was demonstrated with a continuously efficient production of succinate for more than 15 d (360 h).

PH Tester Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility Study for WO3 Nanostructure Hydrothermal Growth Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd Rashid, Amirul; Hayati Saad, Nor; Bien Chia Sheng, Daniel; Yee, Lee Wai

2014-06-01

PH value is one of the important variables for tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanostructure hydrothermal synthesis process. The morphology of the synthesized nanostructure can be properly controlled by measuring and controlling the pH value of the solution used in this facile synthesis route. Therefore, it is very crucial to ensure the gauge used for pH measurement is reliable in order to achieve the expected result. In this study, gauge repeatability and reproducibility (GR&R) method was used to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of the pH tester. Based on ANOVA method, the design of experimental metrics as well as the result of the experiment was analyzed using Minitab software. It was found that the initial GR&R value for the tester was at 17.55 % which considered as acceptable. To further improve the GR&R level, a new pH measuring procedure was introduced. With the new procedure, the GR&R value was able to be reduced to 2.05%, which means the tester is statistically very ideal to measure the pH of the solution prepared for WO3 hydrothermal synthesis process.

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

Not Available

The methods cover: C in solutions, F (electrode), elements by atomic emission spectrometry, inorganic anions by ion chromatography, Hg in water/solids/sludges, As, Se, Bi, Pb, data calculations for SST (single shell tank?) samples, Sb, Tl, Ag, Pu, O/M ratio, ignition weight loss, pH value, ammonia (N), Cr(VI), alkalinity, U, C sepn. from soil/sediment/sludge, Pu purif., total N, water, C and S, surface Cl/F, leachable Cl/F, outgassing of Ge detector dewars, gas mixing, gas isotopic analysis, XRF of metals/alloys/compounds, H in Zircaloy, H/O in metals, inpurity extraction, reduced/total Fe in glass, free acid in U/Pu solns, density of solns, Kr/Xe isotopesmore » in FFTF cover gas, H by combustion, MS of Li and Cs isotopes, MS of lanthanide isotopes, GC operation, total Na on filters, XRF spectroscopy QC, multichannel analyzer operation, total cyanide in water/solid/sludge, free cyanide in water/leachate, hydrazine conc., ICP-MS, {sup 99}Tc, U conc./isotopes, microprobe analysis of solids, gas analysis, total cyanide, H/N{sub 2}O in air, and pH in soil.« less

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

Esswein, AJ; Surendranath, Y; Reece, SY

A high surface area electrode is functionalized with cobalt-based oxygen evolving catalysts (Co-OEC = electrodeposited from pH 7 phosphate, Pi, pH 8.5 methylphosphonate, MePi, and pH 9.2 borate electrolyte, Bi). Co-OEC prepared from MePi and operated in Pi and Bi achieves a current density of 100 mA cm(-2) for water oxidation at 442 and 363 mV overpotential, respectively. The catalyst retains activity in near-neutral pH buffered electrolyte in natural waters such as those from the Charles River (Cambridge, MA) and seawater (Woods Hole, MA). The efficacy and ease of operation of anodes functionalized with Co-OEC at appreciable current density togethermore » with its ability to operate in near neutral pH buffered natural water sources bodes well for the translation of this catalyst to a viable renewable energy storage technology.« less

Usefulness of vessel-sealing devices for peripartum hysterectomy: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Rossetti, Diego; Vitale, Salvatore Giovanni; Bogani, Giorgio; Rapisarda, Agnese Maria Chiara; Gulino, Ferdinando Antonio; Frigerio, Luigi

2015-09-01

To evaluate the feasibility to perform peripartum hysterectomy (PH) with the introduction of LigaSure™ vessels-sealing device (LVSD) and how it influenced the surgical outcomes. We retrospectively evaluated procedures and outcome of women undergoing PH during the period between January 2001 and October 2013. Perioperative surgical results of patients undergoing PH using LVSD were compared to patients undergoing PH without LVSD. Forty-nine subjects had PH during the study period. Twenty (41%) hysterectomies were performed for placenta accreta, 8 (16%) for placenta previa, 21 (43%) for atony. Twenty-three subjects had PH using LVSD and 26 subjects had hysterectomy without the use of this device. We observe significant differences in estimated blood loss (p = 0.001), massive blood transfusions (>10 units RBC) (p = 0.025), operative time (p = 0.06). No difference in term of hospital stay and complications were observed (p = 0.78 and p = 0.35). One patient for each group had intraoperative complication (p = 0.9). The use of LVSD during PH does not increase operative complications, blood loss, and operative time in comparison to standard procedure.

Tailoring the structure of biphasic calcium phosphate via synthesis procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansour, S. F.; El-dek, S. I.; Ahmed, M. K.

2017-12-01

Nano calcium phosphate ceramics (CaPC) were synthesized using simple co-precipitation method at different preparation conditions. The selected Ca/P ratio with a variation of pH value lead to formation of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) at pH 5 and 6 while, hydroxyapatite (HAP) nano particles were formed at pH 9 and 12 at room temperature. The crystallite size was in the range of 15-55 nm depending on the obtained crystalline phase. The study displayed variation of decomposition depending on the annealing temperature. The significant note is the different transformation trend of each phase depending on the starting pH value. The HRTEM illustrated that the DCPD phase was formed as fibers with diameter around 4-6 nm, while HAP was formed in rod shape. The aspect ratio decreased from 6.6 at pH 9 to 4 at pH 12 which refer to the great influence of pH value on the morphology of calcium phosphates.

Structure and optical properties of ZnO produced from microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis of tris(ethylenediamine)zinc nitrate complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafa, Nasser Y.; Heiba, Zein K.; Ibrahim, Mohamed M.

2015-01-01

ZnO powders were synthesized using a solution microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis process and tris(ethylenediamine)zinc nitrate {[Zn(en)3](NO3)2} (en = ethylenediamine) as a precursor. Hydrolysis of the precursor complex at different pH produced zinc oxide with a diversity of well-defined morphologies. The effect of hydrolysis pH values on the structural and optical properties has been explored using XRD, SEM, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). At pH = 7.0, randomly dispersed rods were formed. Whereas flower-like morphologies were obtained by treating the complex precursor in water at pH = 10.0 and 12.0. The ZnO4 tetrahedrons are greatly affected by the pH value. The band gap decreased sharply with increasing the pH value from 7.0 to 10.0, then slightly decreased with further increasing the pH to 12.0. The relationship between band gap and both structure and surface defects of the samples is also discussed.

Low acetate concentrations favor polyphosphate-accumulating organisms over glycogen-accumulating organisms in enhanced biological phosphorus removal from wastewater.

PubMed

Tu, Yunjie; Schuler, Andrew J

2013-04-16

Glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) are thought to compete with polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) wastewater treatment systems. A laboratory sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated for one year to test the hypothesis that PAOs have a competitive advantage at low acetate concentrations, with a focus on low pH conditions previously shown to favor GAOs. PAOs dominated the system under conventional SBR operation with rapid acetate addition (producing high in-reactor concentrations) and pH values of 7.4-8.4. GAOs dominated when the pH was decreased (6.4-7.0). Decreasing the acetate addition rate led to very low reactor acetate concentrations, and PAOs recovered, supporting the study hypothesis. When the acetate feed rate was increased, EBPR failed again. Dominant PAOs and GAOs were Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis and Defluviicoccus Cluster 2, respectively, according to fluorescent in situ hybridization and 454 pyrosequencing. Surprisingly, GAOs were not the immediate causes of PAO failures, based on functional and population measurements. Pyrosequencing results suggested Dechloromonas and Tetrasphaera spp. may have also been PAOs, and additional potential GAOs were also identified. Full-scale systems typically have lower in-reactor acetate concentrations than laboratory SBRs, and so, previous laboratory studies may have overestimated the practical importance of GAOs as causes of EBPR failure.

Electro persulphate oxidation for polishing of biologically treated palm oil mill effluent (POME).

PubMed

Bashir, Mohammed J K; Wei, Chong Jia; Aun, Ng Choon; Abu Amr, Salem S

2017-05-15

Malaysia alone produces more than 49 million m 3 palm oil mill effluent per year. Biological treated palm oil mill effluent via ponding system often fails to fulfill the regulatory discharge standards. This is due to remaining of non-biodegradable organics in the treated effluent. Thus, the aim of this study was to resolve such issue by using electro persulphate oxidation process, for the first time, as a post treatment of palm oil mill effluent. Central composite design in response surface methodology was used to analyze and optimize the interaction of operational variables (i.e., current density, contact time, initial pH and persulphate dosage) targeted on maximum treatment efficiency. The significance of quadratic model of each response was determined by analysis of variance, where all models indicated sufficient significance with p-value < 0.0001. Optimum operational conditions with 45 mA/cm 2 of current density, 45 min of contact time, pH 4 and 0.892 g of S 2 O 8 2- proved that 77.70% of Chemical Oxygen Demand, 97.96% of colour as well as 99.72% of Suspended Solids removal were achieved. The final pH of 5.88 of the effluent was obtained that fulfilled the limit and suitable for direct discharge to the natural environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of an economical, autonomous pHstat system for culturing phytoplankton under steady state or dynamic conditions.

PubMed

Golda, Rachel L; Golda, Mark D; Hayes, Jacqueline A; Peterson, Tawnya D; Needoba, Joseph A

2017-05-01

Laboratory investigations of physiological processes in phytoplankton require precise control of experimental conditions. Chemostats customized to control and maintain stable pH levels (pHstats) are ideally suited for investigations of the effects of pH on phytoplankton physiology, for example in context of ocean acidification. Here we designed and constructed a simple, flexible pHstat system and demonstrated its operational capabilities under laboratory culture conditions. In particular, the system is useful for simulating natural cyclic pH variability within aquatic ecosystems, such as diel fluctuations that result from metabolic activity or tidal mixing in estuaries. The pHstat system operates in two modes: (1) static/set point pH, which maintains pH at a constant level, or (2) dynamic pH, which generates regular, sinusoidal pH fluctuations by systematically varying pH according to user-defined parameters. The pHstat is self-regulating through the use of interchangeable electronically controlled reagent or gas-mediated pH-modification manifolds, both of which feature flow regulation by solenoid valves. Although effective pH control was achieved using both liquid reagent additions and gas-mediated methods, the liquid manifold exhibited tighter control (±0.03pH units) of the desired pH than the gas manifold (±0.10pH units). The precise control provided by this pHstat system, as well as its operational flexibility will facilitate studies that examine responses by marine microbiota to fluctuations in pH in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative kinetic and energetic modelling of phyllosemiquinone oxidation in Photosystem I.

PubMed

Santabarbara, Stefano; Zucchelli, Giuseppe

2016-04-14

The oxidation kinetics of phyllo(semi)quinone (PhQ), which acts as an electron transfer (ET) intermediate in the Photosystem I reaction centre, are described by a minimum of two exponential phases, characterised by lifetimes in the 10-30 ns and 150-300 ns ranges. The fastest phase is considered to be dominated by the oxidation of the PhQ molecule coordinated by the PsaB reaction centre subunit (PhQB), and the slowest phase is dominated by the oxidation of the PsaA coordinated PhQ (PhQA). Testing different energetic schemes within a unified theory-based kinetic modelling approach provides reliable limit-values for some of the physical-chemical parameters controlling these ET reactions: (i) the value of ΔG(0) associated with PhQA oxidation is smaller than ∼+30 meV; (ii) the value of the total reorganisation energy (λt) likely exceeds 0.7 eV; (iii) different mean nuclear modes are coupled to PhQB and PhQA oxidation, the former being larger, and both being ≥100 cm(-1).

[The randomized study of efficiency of preoperative photodynamic].

PubMed

Akopov, A L; Rusanov, A A; Molodtsova, V P; Gerasin, A V; Kazakov, N V; Urtenova, M A; Chistiakov, I V

2013-01-01

The authors made a prospective randomized comparison of results of preoperative photodynamic therapy (PhT) with chemotherapy, preoperative chemotherapy in initial unresectable central non-small cell lung cancer in stage III. The efficiency and safety of preoperative therapy were estimated as well as the possibility of subsequent surgical treatment. The research included patients in stage IIIA and IIIB of central non-small cell lung cancer with lesions of primary bronchi and lower section of the trachea, which initially were unresectable, but potentially the patients could be operated on after preoperative treatment. The photodynamic therapy was performed using chlorine E6 and the light of wave length 662 nm. Since January 2008 till December 2011,42 patients were included in the research, 21 patients were randomized in the group for photodynamic therapy and 21--in group without PhT. These groups were compared according to their sex, age, stage of the disease and histological findings. After nonadjuvant treatment the remissions were reached in 19 (90%) patients of the group with PhT and in 16 (76%) patients without PhT and all the patients were operated on. The explorative operations were made on 3 patients out of 16 operated on in the group without PhT (19%). In the group PhT 14 pneumonectomies and 5 lobectomies were perfomed opposite 10 pneumonectomies and 3 lobectomies in group without PhT. The degree of radicalism of resection appears to be reliably higher in the group PhT (RO-89%, R1-11% as against RO-54%, R1-46% in group without PhT), p = 0.038. The preoperative endobronchial PhT conducted with chemotherapy was characterized by efficiency and safety, allowed the surgical treatment and elevated the degree of radicalism of this treatment in selected patients, initially assessed as unresectable.

Effect of pH value of probe molecule on the graphene oxide-based surface enhanced Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Shao-li; Du, Xiao-qing; Zeng, Chao; Li, Lu; Bao, Jun

2017-06-01

The dependence of graphene oxide (GO)-based surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on the pH value of probe molecule was investigated. Water-soluble copper phthalocyanine (TSCuPc) was used as probe molecule and its pH value was adjusted with HCl and NaOH solution. The Raman spectra of TSCuPc with pH equaling 3, 8, and 11 on GO base were tested, respectively. The results show that both Raman enhanced intensity and full width at half maximum (FWHM) of characteristic peaks vary with the pH value of TSCuPc. It is shown that there is no obvious spectral widening of TSCuPc characteristic peaks when TSCuPc is neutral or acidic, and the chemical enhancement intensity of neutral TSCuPc on GO is biggest. In contrast, when TSCuPc is alkaline, the characteristic Raman peaks between 1350 and 1600 cm-1 of TSCuPc on GO are much wider and the intensities of characteristic peaks decrease considerably. The reasons for the pH dependence of GO-based Raman spectra were explored by comparing the wettability of molecule droplet on GO and the absorbance of different pH-adjusted TSCuPc films. It is found that the effect of molecule's pH value on SERS can be contributed to the differences of concentration and distributions on GO surface for varied pH-treated molecule.

Design of PH sensor signal acquisition and display system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Huifa; Zhang, Quanzhu; Deng, Yonghong

2017-06-01

With the continuous development of sensor manufacturing technology, how to better deal with the signal is particularly important. PH value of the sensor voltage generated by the signal as a signal, through the MCU acquisition A / D conversion, and ultimately through the digital display of its PH value. The system uses hardware and software to achieve the results obtained with the high-precision PH meter to strive to improve the accuracy and reduce error.

Studies on the Effects of Certain Soil Properties on the Biodegradation of Oils Determined by the Manometric Respirometric Method

PubMed Central

Kaakinen, Juhani; Vähäoja, Pekka; Kuokkanen, Toivo; Roppola, Katri

2007-01-01

The biodegradability of certain biofuels was studied in the case of forest soils using the manometric respirometric technique, which was proved to be very suitable for untreated, fertilized as well as pH adjusted soils. Experiments carried out in infertile sandy forest soil gave a BOD/ThOD value of 45.1% for a typical model substance, that is, sodium benzoate after a period of 30 days and mineral addition improved the BOD/ThOD value to a value of 76.2%. Rapeseed oil-based chain oil almost did not biodegrade at all in 30 days in nonprocessed soil, and when pH was adjusted to 8.0, the BOD/ThOD value increased slightly to a value of 7.4%. Mineral addition improved the BOD/ThOD value on average to 43.2% after 30 days. The combined mineral addition and pH adjustment together increased the BOD/ThOD value to 75.8% in 30 days. The observations were similar with a rapeseed oil-based lubricating oil: after 30 days, the BOD/ThOD value increased from 5.9% to an average value of 51.9%, when the pH and mineral concentrations of the soil were optimized. The mineral addition and pH adjustment also improved the precision of the measurements significantly. PMID:18273392

[Mechanism and technology of recovery flue gas desulphurization with magnesium oxide].

PubMed

Cui, Ke; Chai, Ming; Xu, Kang-fu; Ma, Yong-liang

2006-05-01

Taking magnesium oxide slurry as absorption solution, the simulation of bubbling absorption process of mixed SO2 gases was observed in laboratory. Experiment results show that with a high efficiency and stable situation, acidification of absorbing solution was caused by HSO3-; the acidification trend was in accordance with the pattern of hydrolyzing of SO2, pH changes slowly at high pH value with SO3(2-) and rapidly at low value with HSO3-. The experiments also show the insensitive effect of liquid temperature on the high desulphurization efficiency. With relatively high dissolution rate and oxidizability of MgSO3 as well as the high solubility of MgSO4, the desulphurization efficiency utilization of MgO. Industrial experiment of FGD of coal-fired boiler showed that by recycling absorbing liquid could be raised to the concentration of MgSO4 to the saturation concentration at the operation temperature (40-50 degrees C) without any adverse effects on FGD efficiency. Refinement and enrichment of active substance could promote the desulphurization process, thus showed the availability of technical and economy feasibility of recovery technology.

A renaissance of soaps? - How to make clear and stable solutions at neutral pH and room temperature.

PubMed

Wolfrum, Stefan; Marcus, Julien; Touraud, Didier; Kunz, Werner

2016-10-01

Soaps are the oldest and perhaps most natural surfactants. However, they lost much of their importance since "technical surfactants", usually based on sulfates or sulfonates, have been developed over the last fifty years. Indeed, soaps are pH- and salt-sensitive and they are irritant, especially to the eyes. In food emulsions, although authorized, they have a bad taste, and long-chain saturated soaps have a high Krafft temperature. We believe that most or perhaps all of these problems can be solved with modern formulation approaches. We start this paper with a short overview of our present knowledge of soaps and soap formulations. Then we focus on the problem of the lacking soap solubility at neutral pH values. For example, it is well known that with the food emulsifier sodium oleate (NaOl), clear and stable aqueous solutions can only be obtained at pH values higher than 10. A decrease in the pH value leads to turbid and unstable solutions. This effect is not compatible with the formulation of aqueous stable and drinkable formulations with neutral or even acidic pH values. However, the pH value/phase behavior of aqueous soap solutions can be altered by the addition of other surfactants. Such a surfactant can be Rebaudioside A (RebA), a steviol glycoside from the plant Stevia rebaudiana which is used as a natural food sweetener. In a recent paper, we showed the influence of RebA on the apKa value of sodium oleate in a beverage microemulsion and on its clearing temperature. In the present paper, we report on the effect of the edible bio-surfactant RebA, on the macroscopic and microscopic phase behavior of simple aqueous sodium oleate solutions at varying pH values. The macroscopic phase behavior is investigated by visual observation and turbidity measurements. The microscopic phase behavior is analyzed by acid-base titration curves, phase-contrast and electron microscopy. It turned out that even at neutral pH, aqueous NaOl/RebA solutions can be completely clear and stable for more than 50days at room temperature. This is for the first time that a long chain soap could be really solubilized in water at neutral pH at room temperature. At last, these findings were applied to prepare stable, highly translucent and drinkable aqueous solutions of omega-3-fatty acids at a pH value of 7.5. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pb and Cd binding to natural freshwater biofilms developed at different pH: the important role of culture pH.

PubMed

Hua, Xiuyi; Dong, Deming; Ding, Xiaoou; Yang, Fan; Jiang, Xu; Guo, Zhiyong

2013-01-01

The effects of solution pH on adsorption of trace metals to different types of natural aquatic solid materials have been studied extensively, but few studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of pH at which the solid materials were formed on the adsorption. The purpose of present study is to examine this effect of culture pH on metal adsorption to natural freshwater biofilms. The adsorption of Pb and Cd to biofilms which were developed at different culture pH values (ranging from 6.5 to 9.0) was measured at the same adsorption pH value (6.5). The culture pH had considerable effects on both composition and metal adsorption ability of the biofilms. Higher culture pH usually promoted the accumulation of organic material and Fe oxides in the biofilms. The culture pH also affected the quantity and species of algae in the biofilms. The adsorption of Pb and Cd to the biofilms generally increased with the increase of culture pH. This increase was minor at lower pH range and significant at higher pH range and was more remarkable for Cd adsorption than for Pb adsorption. The notable contribution of organic material to the adsorption at higher culture pH values was also observed. The profound impacts of culture pH on adsorption behavior of biofilms mainly resulted from the variation of total contents of the biofilm components and were also affected by the alteration of composition and properties of the components.

The Influence of pH on Prokaryotic Cell Size and Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundararajan, D.; Gutierrez, F.; Heim, N. A.; Payne, J.

2015-12-01

The pH of a habitat is essential to an organism's growth and success in its environment. Although most organisms maintain a neutral internal pH, their environmental pH can vary greatly. However, little research has been done concerning an organism's environmental pH across a wide range of taxa. We studied pH tolerance in prokaryotes and its relationship with biovolume, taxonomic classification, and ideal temperature. We had three hypotheses: pH and temperature are not correlated; pH tolerance is similar within taxonomic groups; and extremophiles have small cell sizes. To test these hypotheses, we used pH, size, and taxonomic data from The Prokaryotes. We found that the mean optimum external pH was neutral for prokaryotes as a whole and when divided by domain, phylum, and class. Using ANOVA to test for pH within and among group variances, we found that variation of pH in domains, phyla, classes, and families was greater than between them. pH and size did not show much of a correlation, except that the largest and smallest sized prokaryotes had nearly neutral pH. This seems significant because extremophiles need to divert more of their energy from growth to maintain a neutral internal pH. Acidophiles showed a larger range of optimum pH values than alkaliphiles. A similar result was seen with the minimum and maximum pH values of acidophiles and alkaliphiles. While acidophiles were spread out and had some alkaline maximum values, alkaliphiles had smaller ranges, and unlike some acidophiles that had pH minimums close to zero, alkaliphile pH maximums did not go beyond a pH of 12. No statistically significant differences were found between sizes of acidophiles and alkaliphiles. However, optimum temperatures of acidophiles and alkaliphiles did have a statistically significant difference. pH and temperature had a negative correlation. Therefore, pH seems to have a correlation with cell size, temperature, and taxonomy to some extent.

[Correlation of infection with the physical and chemical characteristics of gall bladder contents].

PubMed

Sulaberidze, G T; Rachvelishvili, B Kh; Gelbakhiani, G P; Barbakadze, G G; Kapanadze, A G

2005-06-01

The aim of the study was to investigate pH and viscosity (h) of gall bladder contents during cholelithiasis and establishment of their correlation with bacterial and HBV infections. Seventy-eight patients undergone the planned cholecystectomy were investigated. 5 healthy persons (control group) were also involved into the study. In all cases the markers of HBV (Anti-HB core IgG, Anti-HB core IgM, HBsAg) in blood were detected, also bacteriological analysis of gall bladder tissue was performed. In 78 cases (I group) pH of gall bladder contents was measured, in 29 cases (II group), also viscosity of gall was studied. In the control group pH and viscosity were detected. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA method. Bacteriological study revealed presence of bacterial infection in gall bladder tissue in 34 cases (43,6%), in 30 patients Anti-HB core antibodies were found in the blood, in 13 cases (16,7%) coincidence of bacterial and HBV infection was documented. Mean indexes of pH and viscosity appeared to be significantly higher in the operated group (pH--7,30, h 2,1 mm(2)/sec), then in the control group (pH--6,74, h--1,34 mm(2)/sec); this indexes were highest in the infected patients. Thus, according to results of the study, changes of pH and viscosity of gall bladder contents could be considered as the useful indexes of initial stage of cholelithiasis and their values depend on the presence of bacterial or HBV infection of gall bladder.

African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and non-Hispanic whites without GERD or reflux symptoms have equivalent 24-h pH esophageal acid exposure.

PubMed

Vega, Kenneth J; Langford, Tracy; Palacio, Carlos; Watts, Janet; Jamal, M Mazen

2013-12-01

Ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring is, currently, the recommended diagnostic exam for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Data are currently available for African-American (AA) and non-Hispanic white (nHw) volunteers among United States ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to obtain normal values of 24-h esophageal pH by monitoring healthy adult Hispanic American (HA) volunteers and to compare these with values obtained from healthy AA and nHw volunteers to determine if ethnic variation exists in 24-h esophageal pH. 24-h Dual esophageal pH monitoring was performed for healthy AA, HA, and nHw. Values for total number of reflux episodes, episodes longer than 5 min, total reflux time, and longest reflux episode in the proximal and/or distal esophagus were obtained for all groups. Differences between groups were considered significant if p<0.05. One-hundred and thirty-six subjects volunteered and completed 24-h pH testing. Fifty-three were AA, 25 HA, and 58 nHw, with males accounting for 52, 47, and 47%, respectively, of each group. AA were older than nHw only and nHw had a lower body mass index than both AA and HA. Shorter study duration was observed for HA than for AA and nHw. No difference was observed between ethnic groups for any measured pH data in the proximal or distal esophagus. No difference exists in values obtained during esophageal pH monitoring among healthy AA, HA, and nHw. This indicates that currently accepted normal values of ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring can be used for all major United States ethnic groups without compromising diagnostic accuracy.

Computational Investigation of the pH Dependence of Loop Flexibility and Catalytic Function in Glycoside Hydrolases*

PubMed Central

Bu, Lintao; Crowley, Michael F.; Himmel, Michael E.; Beckham, Gregg T.

2013-01-01

Cellulase enzymes cleave glycosidic bonds in cellulose to produce cellobiose via either retaining or inverting hydrolysis mechanisms, which are significantly pH-dependent. Many fungal cellulases function optimally at pH ∼5, and their activities decrease dramatically at higher or lower pH. To understand the molecular-level implications of pH in cellulase structure, we use a hybrid, solvent-based, constant pH molecular dynamics method combined with pH-based replica exchange to determine the pKa values of titratable residues of a glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 6 cellobiohydrolase (Cel6A) and a GH family 7 cellobiohydrolase (Cel7A) from the fungus Hypocrea jecorina. For both enzymes, we demonstrate that a bound substrate significantly affects the pKa values of the acid residues at the catalytic center. The calculated pKa values of catalytic residues confirm their proposed roles from structural studies and are consistent with the experimentally measured apparent pKa values. Additionally, GHs are known to impart a strained pucker conformation in carbohydrate substrates in active sites for catalysis, and results from free energy calculations combined with constant pH molecular dynamics suggest that the correct ring pucker is stable near the optimal pH for both Cel6A and Cel7A. Much longer molecular dynamics simulations of Cel6A and Cel7A with fixed protonation states based on the calculated pKa values suggest that pH affects the flexibility of tunnel loops, which likely affects processivity and substrate complexation. Taken together, this work demonstrates several molecular-level effects of pH on GH enzymes important for cellulose turnover in the biosphere and relevant to biomass conversion processes. PMID:23504310

Understanding ozone mechanisms to alleviate ceramic membrane fouling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Irma Giovanna Llamosas

Ceramic membranes are a strong prospect as an advanced treatment in the drinking water domain. But their high capital cost and the lack of specific research on their performance still discourage their application in this field. Thus, knowing that fouling is the main drawback experienced in filtration processes, this bench-scale study was aimed to assess the impact of an ozonation pre-treatment on the alleviation of the fouling of UF ceramic membranes. Preozonation and filtration steps were performed under two different pH and ozone doses. Chosen pH values were at the limits of natural surface waters range (6.5 and 8.5) to keep practicability. Raw water from the Thousand Isle's river at Quebec-Canada was used for the tests. The filtration setup involved an unstirred dead-end filtration cell operated at constant flux. Results showed that pre-oxidation by ozone indeed reduced the fouling degree of the membranes according to the dose applied (up to 60 and 85% for membranes 8 and 50 kDa, respectively). Direct NOM oxidation was found responsible for this effect as the presence of molecular ozone was not essential to achieve these results. In the context of this experiment, however, pH showed to be more effective than the ozonation pre-treatment to keep fouling at low levels: 70% lower at pH 6.5 than at pH 8.5 for un-ozonated waters, which was contrary to most of the literature found on the topic (Changwon, 2013; De Angelis & Fidalgo, 2013; Karnik et al., 2005; S. Lee & Kim, 2014). This behaviour results mainly from the operation mode used in the experiment, the electrical repulsions between MON molecules at basic pH that led to the accumulation of material on the feed side of the membranes (concentration polarisation) and ulterior cake formation. In addition, solution pH showed an influence in the definition of fouling mechanisms. At solution pH 6.5, which was precisely the isoelectric point of the membranes (+/-6.5), the blocking fouling mode was frequently detected before the onset of a cake. These facts put in evidence the important role of electrical charges in filtration processes with ceramic membranes (Chiu, 2011; S. Lee & Kim, 2014; Szymczyk, Fievet, Reggiani, & Pagetti, 1998b). In the ozonation side, it was confirmed that natural waters with high NOM content (>3 mg/L) trigger advanced oxidation processes (Acero & Von Gunten, 2001). It was also found that condition pH 6.5 showed higher NOM decomposition than condition pH 8.5 at the highest ozone dose used.

Electrolytic treatment of Standard Malaysian Rubber process wastewater.

PubMed

Vijayaraghavan, Krishnan; Ahmad, Desa; Yazid, Ahmad Yuzri Ahmad

2008-01-31

A new method of Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) process wastewater treatment was developed based on in situ hypochlorous acid generation. The hypochlorous acid was generated in an undivided electrolytic cell consisting of two sets of graphite as anode and stainless sheets as cathode. The generated hypochlorous acid served as an oxidizing agent to destroy the organic matter present in the SMR wastewater. For an influent COD concentration of 2960 mg/L at an initial pH 4.5+/-0.1, current density 74.5 mA/cm(2), sodium chloride content 3% and electrolysis period of 75 min, resulted in the following residual values pH 7.5, COD 87 mg/L, BOD(5) 60 mg/L, TOC 65 mg/L, total chlorine 146 mg/L, turbidity 7 NTU and temperature 48 degrees C, respectively. In the case of 2% sodium chloride as an electrolyte for the above said operating condition resulted in the following values namely: pH 7.2, COD 165 mg/L, BOD(5) 105 mg/L, TOC 120 mg/L, total chlorine 120 mg/L, turbidity 27 NTU and temperature 53 degrees C, respectively. The energy requirement were found to be 30 and 46 Wh/L, while treating 24 L of SMR wastewater at 2 and 3% sodium chloride concentration at a current density 74.5 mA/cm(2). The observed energy difference was due to the improved conductivity at high sodium chloride content.

Effect of Consuming Tea with Stevia on Salivary pH - An In Vivo Randomised Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Pallepati, Akhil; Yavagal, Puja; Veeresh, D J

To assess the effect of consuming tea with stevia on salivary pH. This randomised controlled trial employed a Latin square design. Twenty-four male students aged 20-23 years were randomly allocated to 4 different groups, 3 experimental with tea sweetened by sucrose, jaggery or stevia, and one unsweetened control. Salivary pH assessments were performed at baseline and 1 min, 20 and 60 min after consumption of the respective tea. One-way ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc tests were employed to analyse the data. One minute after tea consumption, the salivary pH of the sucrose group significantly decreased compared to the stevia group (p = 0.01). There was a significant difference between baseline mean salivary pH and post-interventional mean salivary pH values at all time intervals in the tea + sucrose, tea + jaggery, and plain tea groups (p < 0.01). One hour after consumption of tea, the salivary pH values reached the baseline pH in stevia and plain tea groups, but it remained lower in the sucrose and jaggery groups. The results of the present study, in which the salivary pH values returned to baseline pH 1 h after drinking stevia-sweetened tea, suggest stevia's potential as a non-cariogenic sweetener.

Quantitative Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer MRI of Intervertebral Disc in a Porcine Model

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhengwei; Bez, Maxim; Tawackoli, Wafa; Giaconi, Joseph; Sheyn, Dmitriy; de Mel, Sandra; Maya, Marcel M.; Pressman, Barry D.; Gazit, Zulma; Pelled, Gadi; Gazit, Dan; Li, Debiao

2017-01-01

Purpose Previous studies have associated low pH in interver-tebral discs (IVDs) with discogenic back pain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether quantitative CEST (qCEST) MRI can be used to detect pH changes in IVDs in vivo. Methods The exchange rate ksw between glycosaminoglycan (GAG) protons and water protons was determined from qCEST analysis. Its dependence on pH value was investigated in GAG phantoms with varying pH and concentrations. The relationship between ksw and pH was studied further in vivo in a porcine model on a 3T MR scanner and validated using a pH meter. Sodium lactate was injected into the IVDs to induce various pH values within the discs ranging from 5 to 7. Results Phantom and animal results revealed that ksw measured using qCEST MRI is highly correlated with pH level. In the animal studies, the relationship can be described as ksw =9.2 × 106 × 10−pH + 196.9, R2 = 0.7883. Conclusion The exchange rate between GAG and water protons determined from qCEST MRI is closely correlated with pH value. This technique has the potential to noninvasively measure pH in the IVDs of patients with discogenic pain. PMID:27670140

Effects of different annealing atmospheres on the properties of cadmium sulfide thin films

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

Yücel, E., E-mail: dr.ersinyucel@gmail.com; Kahraman, S.; Güder, H.S.

2015-08-15

Graphical abstract: The effects of different annealing atmospheres (air and sulfur) on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CdS thin films were studied at three different pH values. - Highlights: • Compactness and smoothness of the films were enhanced after sulfur annealing. • Micro-strain values of some films were improved after sulfur annealing. • Dislocation density values of some films were improved after sulfur annealing. • Band gap values of the films were improved after sulfur annealing. - Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by using chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The effects ofmore » different annealing atmospheres (air and sulfur) on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CdS thin films were studied at three different pH values. Compactness and smoothness of the films (especially for pH 10.5 and 11) enhanced after sulfur annealing. pH value of the precursor solution remarkably affected the roughness, uniformity and particle sizes of the films. Based on the analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the films, micro-strain and dislocation density values of the sulfur-annealed films (pH 10.5 and 11) were found to be lower than those of air-annealed films. Air-annealed films (pH 10.5, 11 and 11.5) exhibited higher transmittance than sulfur-annealed films in the wavelength region of 550–800 nm. Optical band gap values of the films were found between 2.31 eV and 2.36 eV.« less

Secondary elements of blood pH variation can influence the effort effectiveness based on adaptive changes within a group of elite athletes.

PubMed

Martin, Ştefan Adrian; Tomescu, Valeriu; Voidăzan, Septimiu

2016-01-01

pH is the direct indicator of the body reaction following the activities performed. Establishing precise correlations between pH and blood biochemical parameters might support the balancing of values during periods of marked physical activity. We conducted a case study in a group of elite rowers. Twelve athletes were included in the study. Monitoring was carried out by collecting biological samples several times a day: in the morning, 80 minutes pre-workout, 12 hours after the last physical effort performed, at two different times, 10 days apart. Determinations were aimed at adapting the reported biochemical parameters depending on the effort performed. The following parameters were monitored: pH, HCO3, pCO2, pO2, BE, SBE, SBC, Ca++, Mg++, LDH, GPT, T-Pro, and Alb. The mean value of pH found in athletes was 7.41±0.024. The value obtained was significantly correlated to biochemical parameters such as BE (2.32±1.79), SBC (1.67±1.45), SBE (2.70±1.75). However, bicarbonate (HCO3) was statistically significantly related with SBE, SBC, SBE, and pO2, but did not present a strong association with the pH value (p=0.094). However, values such as Alb, Ca++, LDH, BE, SBC are related to pH value as a result of variations in the data submitted. The processed data evidence the fact that blood pH, in this case, is significantly influenced by a number of indices that correlate energy system activity, individual adaptation to effort, and the recovery process. The parameters under investigation (SBE, SBC, SBE, CPK, LDH) are associated with pH changes that could confirm the recovery efficiency of the athlete, along with a possible metabolic acidosis/alkalosis.

[Degradation kinetics of chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid at neutral and alkaline pH values].

PubMed

Zhu, Peng; Miao, Xiao-lei; Chen, Yong

2016-01-01

The degradation kinetics of chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), and neochlorogenic acid (3-CQA) in aqueous solution at 37 degrees C and different pH values (7.05, 7.96, 9.25) were investigated in the present work. The results indicated that 3-, 4- and 5-CQA tended to remain stable in acidic pH circumstance, and unstable in neutral and alkaline pH circumstance. With the increase of the alkalinity, the degradation of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA was increased leading to a less amount of total CQA and was satisfactorily described by the Weibull equation. Meanwhile, caffeic acid was not detected after the degradation of CQA. Moreover, the degradation of 3-CQA and 5-CQA tended to be converted to 4-CQA, and the degradation of 4-CQA tended to be converted to 3-CQA rather than 5-CQA. The comparison of the degradation kinetics parameters of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at neutral and alkaline pH values showed that the orders of the rate constant (k) values were 4-CQA > 3-CQA > 5-CQA, while the orders of the degradation half life (t½) values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA, indicating the orders of the stabilities of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at 37 degrees C and neutral and alkaline pH values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA.

Spectrophotometric analysis of flavonoid-DNA binding interactions at physiological conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janjua, Naveed Kausar; Siddiqa, Asima; Yaqub, Azra; Sabahat, Sana; Qureshi, Rumana; Haque, Sayed ul

2009-12-01

Mode of interactions of three flavonoids [morin (M), quercetin (Q), and rutin (R)] with chicken blood ds.DNA (ck.DNA) has been investigated spectrophotometrically at different temperatures including body temperature (310 K) and at two physiological pH values, i.e. 7.4 (human blood pH) and 4.7 (stomach pH). The binding constants, Kf, evaluated using Benesi-Hildebrand equation showed that the flavonoids bind effectively through intercalation at both pH values and body temperature. Quercetin, somehow, showed greater binding capabilities with DNA. The free energies of flavonoid-DNA complexes indicated the spontaneity of their binding. The order of binding constants of three flavonoids at both pH values were found to be Kf(Q) > Kf(R) > Kf(M) and at 310 K.

Effect of increasing the colloidal calcium phosphate of milk on the texture and microstructure of yogurt.

PubMed

Ozcan, T; Horne, D; Lucey, J A

2011-11-01

The effect of increasing the colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) content on the physical, rheological, and microstructural properties of yogurt was investigated. The CCP content of heated (85°C for 30 min) milk was increased by increasing the pH by the addition of alkali (NaOH). Alkalized milk was dialyzed against pasteurized skim milk at approximately 4°C for 72 h to attempt to restore the original pH and soluble Ca content. By adjustment of the milk to pH values 7.45, 8.84, 10.06, and 10.73, the CCP content was increased to approximately 107, 116, 123, and 128%, respectively, relative to the concentration in heated milk. During fermentation of milk, the storage modulus (G') and loss tangent values of yogurts were measured using dynamic oscillatory rheology. Large deformation rheological properties were also measured. The microstructure of yogurt was observed using fluorescence microscopy, and whey separation was determined. Acid-base titration was used to evaluate changes in the CCP content in milk. Total Ca and casein-bound Ca increased with an increase in the pH value of alkalization. During acidification, elevated buffering occurred in milk between pH values 6.7 to 5.2 with an increase in the pH of alkalization. When acidified milk was titrated with alkali, elevated buffering occurred in milk between pH values 5.6 to 6.4 with an increase in the pH of alkalization. The high residual pH of milk after dialysis could be responsible for the decreased contents of soluble Ca in these milks. The pH of gelation was higher in all dialyzed samples compared with the heated control milk, and the gelation pH was higher with an increase in CCP content. The sample with highest CCP content (128%) exhibited gelation at very high pH (6.3), which could be due to alkali-induced CN micellar disruption. The G' values at pH 4.6 were similar in gels with CCP levels up to 116%; at higher CCP levels, the G' values at pH 4.6 greatly decreased. Loss tangent values at pH 5.1 were similar in all samples except in gels with a CCP level of 128%. For dialyzed milk, the whey separation levels were similar in gels made from milk with up to 107% CCP but increased at higher CCP levels. Microstructure of yogurt gels made from milk with 100 to 107% CCP was similar but very large clusters were observed in gels made from milk with higher CCP levels. By dialyzing heated milk against pasteurized milk, we may have retained some heat-induced Ca phosphate on micelles that normally dissolves on cooling because, during dialysis, pasteurized milk provided soluble Ca ions to the heated milk system. Yogurt texture was significantly affected by increasing the casein-bound Ca (and total Ca) content of milk as well as by the alkalization procedure involved in that approach. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrokinetic pump

DOEpatents

Patel, Kamlesh D.

2007-11-20

A method for altering the surface properties of a particle bed. In application, the method pertains particularly to an electrokinetic pump configuration where nanoparticles are bonded to the surface of the stationary phase to alter the surface properties of the stationary phase including the surface area and/or the zeta potential and thus improve the efficiency and operating range of these pumps. By functionalizing the nanoparticles to change the zeta potential the electrokinetic pump is rendered capable of operating with working fluids having pH values that can range from 2-10 generally and acidic working fluids in particular. For applications in which the pump is intended to handle highly acidic solutions latex nanoparticles that are quaternary amine functionalized can be used.

Functional and rheological properties of proteins in frozen turkey breast meat with different ultimate pH.

PubMed

Chan, J T Y; Omana, D A; Betti, M

2011-05-01

Functional and rheological properties of proteins from frozen turkey breast meat with different ultimate pH at 24 h postmortem (pH(24)) have been studied. Sixteen breast fillets from Hybrid Tom turkeys were initially selected based on lightness (L*) values for each color group (pale, normal, and dark), with a total of 48 breast fillets. Further selection of 8 breast samples was made within each class of meat according to the pH(24). The average L* and pH values of the samples were within the following range: pale (L* >52; pH ≤5.7), normal (46 < L* < 52; 5.9 < pH <6.1), and dark (L* <46; pH ≥6.3), referred to as low, normal, and high pH meat, respectively. Ultimate pH did not cause major changes in the emulsifying and foaming properties of the extracted sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins. An SDS-PAGE profile of proteins from low and normal pH meat was similar, which revealed that the extent of protein denaturation was the same. Low pH meat had the lowest water-holding capacity compared with normal and high pH meat as shown by the increase in cooking loss, which can be explained by factors other than protein denaturation. Gel strength analysis and folding test revealed that gel-forming ability was better for high pH meat compared with low and normal pH meat.Dynamic viscoelastic behavior showed that myosin denaturation temperature was independent of pH(24). Normal and high pH meat had similar hardness, springiness, and chewiness values as revealed by texture profile analysis. The results from this study indicate that high pH meat had similar or better functional properties than normal pH meat. Therefore, high pH meat is suitable for further processed products, whereas low pH meat may need additional treatment or ingredient formulations to improve its functionality.

Self-immunity microcapsules for corrosion protection of steel bar in reinforced concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yanshuai; Fang, Guohao; Ding, Weijian; Han, Ningxu; Xing, Feng; Dong, Biqin

2015-12-01

A novel microcapsule-based self-immunity system for reinforced concrete is proposed. Its feasibility for hindering the corrosion of steel rebar by means of lifting the threshold value of [Cl-]/[OH-] is discussed. Precisely controlled release behavior enables corrosion protection in the case of depassivation. The release process is characterized over a designated range of pH values, and its release characteristics of the microcapsules, triggered by decreasing pH value, are captured by observing that the core crystals are released when exposed to a signal (stimulus). The aim of corrosion protection of steel bar is achieved through the constantly-stabilized passive film, and its stability is promoted using continuous calcium hydroxide released from the microcapsule, restoring alkaline conditions. The test results exhibited that the release process of the microcapsules is a function of time. Moreover, the release rate of core materials could interact with environmental pH value, in which the release rate is found to increase remarkably with decreasing pH value, but is inhibited by high pH levels.

Self-immunity microcapsules for corrosion protection of steel bar in reinforced concrete.

PubMed

Wang, Yanshuai; Fang, Guohao; Ding, Weijian; Han, Ningxu; Xing, Feng; Dong, Biqin

2015-12-17

A novel microcapsule-based self-immunity system for reinforced concrete is proposed. Its feasibility for hindering the corrosion of steel rebar by means of lifting the threshold value of [Cl(-)]/[OH(-)] is discussed. Precisely controlled release behavior enables corrosion protection in the case of depassivation. The release process is characterized over a designated range of pH values, and its release characteristics of the microcapsules, triggered by decreasing pH value, are captured by observing that the core crystals are released when exposed to a signal (stimulus). The aim of corrosion protection of steel bar is achieved through the constantly-stabilized passive film, and its stability is promoted using continuous calcium hydroxide released from the microcapsule, restoring alkaline conditions. The test results exhibited that the release process of the microcapsules is a function of time. Moreover, the release rate of core materials could interact with environmental pH value, in which the release rate is found to increase remarkably with decreasing pH value, but is inhibited by high pH levels.

Dipstick Spot urine pH does not accurately represent 24 hour urine PH measured by an electrode.

PubMed

Omar, Mohamed; Sarkissian, Carl; Jianbo, Li; Calle, Juan; Monga, Manoj

2016-01-01

To determine whether spot urine pH measured by dipstick is an accurate representation of 24 hours urine pH measured by an electrode. We retrospectively reviewed urine pH results of patients who presented to the urology stone clinic. For each patient we recorded the most recente pH result measured by dipstick from a spot urine sample that preceded the result of a 24-hour urine pH measured by the use of a pH electrode. Patients were excluded if there was a change in medications or dietary recommendations or if the two samples were more than 4 months apart. A difference of more than 0.5 pH was considered na inaccurate result. A total 600 patients were retrospectively reviewed for the pH results. The mean difference in pH between spot urine value and the 24 hours collection values was 0.52±0.45 pH. Higher pH was associated with lower accuracy (p<0.001). The accuracy of spot urine samples to predict 24-hour pH values of <5.5 was 68.9%, 68.2% for 5.5 to 6.5 and 35% for >6.5. Samples taken more than 75 days apart had only 49% the accuracy of more recent samples (p<0.002). The overall accuracy is lower than 80% (p<0.001). Influence of diurnal variation was not significant (p=0.588). Spot urine pH by dipstick is not an accurate method for evaluation of the patients with urolithiasis. Patients with alkaline urine are more prone to error with reliance on spot urine pH.

Determination of Acidity in Donor Milk.

PubMed

Escuder-Vieco, Diana; Vázquez-Román, Sara; Sánchez-Pallás, Juan; Ureta-Velasco, Noelia; Mosqueda-Peña, Rocío; Pallás-Alonso, Carmen Rosa

2016-11-01

There is no uniformity among milk banks on milk acceptance criteria. The acidity obtained by the Dornic titration technique is a widely used quality control in donor milk. However, there are no comparative data with other acidity-measuring techniques, such as the pH meter. The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between the Dornic technique and the pH measure to determine the pH cutoff corresponding to the Dornic degree limit value used as a reference for donor milk quality control. Fifty-two human milk samples were obtained from 48 donors. Acidity was measured using the Dornic method and pH meter in triplicate. Statistical data analysis to estimate significant correlations between variables was carried out. The Dornic acidity value that led to rejecting donor milk was ≥ 8 Dornic degrees (°D). In the evaluated sample size, Dornic acidity measure and pH values showed a statistically significant negative correlation (τ = -0.780; P = .000). A pH value of 6.57 corresponds to 8°D and of 7.12 to 4°D. Donor milk with a pH over 6.57 may be accepted for subsequent processing in the milk bank. Moreover, the pH measurement seems to be more useful due to certain advantages over the Dornic method, such as objectivity, accuracy, standardization, the lack of chemical reagents required, and the fact that it does not destroy the milk sample.

Observations on the influence of water and soil pH on the persistence of insecticides.

PubMed

Chapman, R A; Cole, C M

1982-01-01

The pH-disappearance rate profiles were determined at ca. 25 degrees C for 24 insecticides at 4 or 5 pH values over the range 4.5 to 8.0 in sterile phosphate buffers prepared in water-ethanol (99:1 v/v). Half-lives measured at pH 8 were generally smaller than at lower pH values. Changes in half lives between pH 8.0 and 4.5 were largest (greater than 1000x) for the aryl carbamates, carbofuran and carbaryl, the oxime carbamate, oxamyl, and the organophosphorus insecticide, trichlorfon. In contrast, half lives of phorate, terbufos, heptachlor, fensulfothion and aldicarb were affected only slightly by pH changes. Under the experimental conditions described half lives at pH8 varied from 1-2 days for trichlorfon and oxamyl to greater than 1 year for fensulfothion and cypermethrin. Insecticide persistence on alumina (acid, neutral and basic), mineral soils amended with aluminum sulfate or calcium hydroxide to different pH values and four natural soils of different pH was examined. No correlation was observed between the measured pH of these solids and the rate of disappearance of selected insecticides applied to them. These observations demonstrate the difficulty of extrapolating the pH dependent disappearance behaviour observed in homogeneous solution to partially solid heterogeneous systems such as soil.

Evaluation of red cell distribution width in dogs with pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Swann, James W; Sudunagunta, Siddharth; Covey, Heather L; English, Kate; Hendricks, Anke; Connolly, David J

2014-12-01

To compare red cell distribution width (RDW) between dogs with different causes of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and a control dog population to determine whether RDW was correlated with severity of PH as measured by echocardiography. A further aim was to determine the prognostic significance of increased RDW for dogs with PH. Forty-four client-owned dogs with PH and 79 control dogs presented to a single tertiary referral institution. Signalment, clinical pathological and echocardiographic data were obtained retrospectively from the medical records of dogs with PH, and RDW measured on a Cell-Dyn 3500 was compared between dogs with pre- and post-capillary PH and a control population. Referring veterinary surgeons were contacted for follow-up information and Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to investigate differences in survival time between affected dogs with different RDW values. The RDW was significantly greater in dogs with pre-capillary PH compared to control dogs. There was no difference in median survival times between dogs with PH divided according to RDW values. The RDW was positively correlated with mean corpuscular volume and haematocrit in dogs with PH, but did not correlate with echocardiographic variables. An association was found between dogs with PH and increased RDW; however there was considerable overlap in values between control dogs and dogs with PH. The RDW was not associated with survival in this study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) in Children and Adolescents with Pheochromocytomas and Retroperitoneal Paragangliomas: Experiences in 42 Patients.

PubMed

Walz, Martin K; Iova, Laura D; Deimel, Judith; Neumann, Hartmut P H; Bausch, Birke; Zschiedrich, Stefan; Groeben, Harald; Alesina, Pier F

2018-04-01

Pheochromocytomas (PH) and paragangliomas (PGL) are rare tumours in children accounting for about 1% of the paediatric hypertension. While minimally invasive surgical techniques are well established in adult patients with PH, the experience in children is extremely limited. To the best of our knowledge, we herewith present the largest series of young patients operated on chromaffin tumours by minimally invasive access. In the setting of a prospective study (1/2001-12/2016), 42 consecutive children and adolescents (33 m, 9 f) were operated on. Thirty-seven patients (88%) suffered from inherited diseases. Twenty-six patients had PH, 11 presented retroperitoneal PGL, and five patients suffered from both. Altogether, 70 tumours (mean size 2.7 cm) were removed (45 PH, 25 PGL). All operations were performed by a minimally invasive access (retroperitoneoscopic, laparoscopic, extraperitoneal). Partial adrenalectomy was the preferred procedure for PH (31 out of 39 patients). Twenty patients received α-receptor blockade preoperatively. One patient died after induction of anaesthesia due to cardiac arrest. All other complications were minor. Conversion to open surgery was necessary in two cases with PGL. Median operating time for unilateral PH was 55 min, in bilateral cases 125, 143 min in PGs, and 180 min in combined cases. Median blood loss was 20 ml (range 0-1000). Blood transfusion was necessary in two cases. Intraoperative, systolic peak pressure was 170 ± 39 mmHg with α-receptor blockade and 191 ± 33 mmHg without α-receptor blockade (p = 0.41). The median post-operative hospital stay was 3 days. After a mean follow-up of 8.5 years, two patients presented ipsilateral recurrence (after partial adrenalectomy). All patients with bilateral PH (n = 13) are steroid independent post-operatively. PH and PGL in children and adolescents should preferably be removed by minimally invasive surgery. Partial adrenalectomy provides long-term steroid independence in bilateral PH and a low rate of (ipsilateral) recurrence. α-Receptor blockade may not be necessary in these patients.

Single temperature liquefaction process at different operating pHs to improve ethanol production from Indian rice and corn feedstock.

PubMed

Gohel, V; Ranganathan, K; Duan, G

2017-04-21

Conventional grain ethanol manufacturing is a high-temperature energy-intensive process comprising of multiple-unit operations when combined with lower ethanol recovery results in higher production cost. In liquefaction, jet cooking accounts for significant energy cost, while strong acid or base used for pH adjustment presents a safety hazard. A need is felt for sustainable ethanol manufacturing process that is less hazardous, consumes lower energy, and operates in a low pH range of 4.50-5.50. A single temperature liquefaction (STL) process that could efficiently operate at lower liquefaction temperature over a pH range of 4.50-5.50 was developed using rice and corn feedstock. Ethanol recovery witnessed at pH 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5 are 481.2 ± 1.5, 492.4 ± 1.5, and 493.6 ± 1.5 L MT -1 rice, respectively. Similarly, ethanol recovery witnessed at pH 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5 are 404.6 ± 1.3, 413.9 ± 0.8, and 412.4 ± 1.8 L MT -1 corn, respectively. The improvement in ethanol recovery is attributed to higher starch conversion by alpha-amylase even at pH as low as 4.50. Thus, the STL process operated at pH lower than 5.20 is poised to enhance sustainability by offering dual advantage of energy as well as chemical saving.

Control of the microstructure and surface chemistry of graphene aerogels via pH and time manipulation by a hydrothermal method.

PubMed

García-Bordejé, E; Víctor-Román, S; Sanahuja-Parejo, O; Benito, A M; Maser, W K

2018-02-15

Three-dimensional graphene aerogels of controlled pore size have emerged as an important platform for several applications such as energy storage or oil-water separation. The aerogels of reduced graphene oxide are mouldable and light weight, with a porosity up to 99.9%, consisting mainly of macropores. Graphene aerogel preparation by self-assembly in the liquid phase is a promising strategy due to its tunability and sustainability. For graphene aerogels prepared by a hydrothermal method, it is known that the pH value has an impact on their properties but it is unclear how pH affects the auto-assembly process leading to the final properties. We have monitored the time evolution of the chemical and morphological properties of aerogels as a function of the initial pH value. In the hydrothermal treatment process, the hydrogel is precipitated earlier and with lower oxygen content for basic pH values (∼13 wt% O) than for acidic pH values (∼20 wt% O). Moreover, ∼7 wt% of nitrogen is incorporated on the graphene nanosheets at basic pH generated by NH 3 addition. To our knowledge, there is no precedent showing that the pH value affects the microstructure of graphene nanosheets, which become more twisted and bent for the more intensive deoxygenation occurring at basic pH. The bent nanosheets attained at pH = 11 reduce the stacking by the basal planes and they connect via the borders, hence leading eventually to higher pore volumes. In contrast, the flatter graphene nanosheets attained under acidic pH entail more stacking and higher oxygen content after a long hydrothermal treatment. The gravimetric absorption capacity of non-polar solvents scales directly with the pore volume. The aerogels have proved to be highly selective, recyclable and robust for the absorption of nonpolar solvents in water. The control of the porous structure and surface chemistry by manipulation of pH and time will also pave the way for other applications such as supercapacitors or batteries.

Intra-shell boron isotope ratios in the symbiont-bearing benthic foraminiferan Amphistegina lobifera: Implications for δ 11B vital effects and paleo-pH reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rollion-Bard, C.; Erez, J.

2010-03-01

The boron isotope composition of marine carbonates is considered to be a seawater pH proxy. Nevertheless, the use of δ 11B has some limitations such as the knowledge of the fractionation factor ( α4-3) between boric acid and the borate ion and the amplitude of "vital effects" on this proxy that are not well constrained. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) we have examined the internal variability of the boron isotope ratio in the shallow water, symbionts bearing foraminiferan Amphistegina lobifera. Specimens were cultured at constant temperature (24 ± 0.1 °C) in seawater with pH ranging between 7.90 and 8.45. Intra-shell boron isotopes showed large variability with an upper limit value of ≈30‰. Our results suggest that the fractionation factor α4-3 of 0.97352 ( Klochko et al., 2006) is in better agreement with our experiments and with direct pH measurements in seawater vacuoles associated with the biomineralization process in these foraminifera. Despite the large variability of the skeletal pH values in each cultured specimen, it is possible to link the lowest calculated pH values to the experimental culture pH values while the upper pH limit is slightly below 9. This variability can be interpreted as follows: foraminifera variably increase the pH at the biomineralization site to about 9. This increase above ambient seawater pH leads to a range in δ 11B (Δ 11B) for each seawater pH. This Δ 11B is linearly correlated with the culture seawater pH with a slope of -13.1 per pH unit, and is independent of the fractionation factor α4-3, or the δ 11B sw through time. It may also be independent of the p KB (the dissociation constant of boric acid) value. Therefore, Δ 11B in foraminifera can potentially reconstruct paleo-pH of seawater.

Electrohydrodynamic properties of succinoglycan as probed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, potentiometric titration and capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Duval, Jérôme F L; Slaveykova, Vera I; Hosse, Monika; Buffle, Jacques; Wilkinson, Kevin J

2006-10-01

The electrostatic, hydrodynamic and conformational properties of aqueous solutions of succinoglycan have been analyzed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), proton titration, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) over a large range of pH values and electrolyte (NaCl) concentrations. Using the theoretical formalism developed previously for the electrokinetic properties of soft, permeable particles, a quantitative analysis for the electro-hydrodynamics of succinoglycan is performed by taking into account, in a self-consistent manner, the measured values of the diffusion coefficients, electric charge densities, and electrophoretic mobilities. For that purpose, two limiting conformations for the polysaccharide in solution are tested, i.e. succinoglycan behaves as (i) a spherical, random coil polymer or (ii) a rodlike particle with charged lateral chains. The results show that satisfactory modeling of the titration data for ionic strengths larger than 50 mM can be accomplished using both geometries over the entire range of pH values. Electrophoretic mobilities measured for sufficiently large pH values (pH > 5-6) are in line with predictions based on either model. The best manner to discriminate between these two conceptual models is briefly discussed. For low pH values (pH < 5), both models indicate aggregation, resulting in an increase of the hydrodynamic permeability and a decrease of the diffusion coefficient.

Thermal resistance parameters of acid-adapted and unadapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple-carrot juice blends: effect of organic acids and pH.

PubMed

Usaga, Jessie; Worobo, Randy W; Padilla-Zakour, Olga I

2014-04-01

Numerous outbreaks involving fresh juices contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have occurred in the United States and around the world, raising concern for the safety of these products. Until now, only a few studies regarding the thermal tolerance of this pathogen in acidic juices over a wide range of pH values have been published. Therefore, the effect of varying the pH with different organic acids on the thermal inactivation of non-acid-adapted and acid-adapted E. coli O157:H7 (strain C7927) was determined. The decimal reduction times (D-values) and the change in temperature required for the thermal destruction curve to traverse 1 log cycle (z-values) were calculated for non-acid-adapted E. coli in an apple-carrot juice blend (80:20) adjusted to three pH values (3.3, 3.5, and 3.7) by the addition of lactic, malic, or acetic acid and at a pH of 4.5 adjusted with NaOH. Thermal parameters were also determined for acid-adapted cells in juices acidified with malic acid. The effect of the soluble solids content on the thermal tolerance was studied in samples with a pH of 3.7 at 9.4 to 11.5 °Brix. The D-values were determined at 54, 56, and 58 °C, and trials were conducted in triplicate. Non-acid-adapted E. coli exhibited the highest thermal tolerance at pH 4.5 (D-value at 54 °C [D54 °C] of 20 ± 4 min and z-value of 6.2 °C), although on average, the D-values increased significantly (P < 0.01) due to acid adaptation. In acidified juices, the highest tolerance was observed in acid-adapted E. coli in samples adjusted to pH 3.7 with malic acid (D54 °C of 9 ± 2 min and z-value of 5.4 °C) and the lowest in unadapted E. coli at pH 3.3 acidified with acetic acid (D58 °C of 0.03 ± 0.01 min and z-value of 10.4 °C). For juices acidified to the same endpoint pH with different acids, E. coli was found to be more tolerant in samples acidified with malic acid, followed by lactic and acetic acids. Increasing the soluble solids content from 9.4 to 11.5 °Brix showed no significant effect on the thermal tolerance of E. coli (P > 0.01). The data from this study will be useful for establishing critical limits for safe thermal processing of pH-controlled juices and similar products.

Enhancement of 2,3-Butanediol Production by Klebsiella oxytoca PTCC 1402

PubMed Central

Anvari, Maesomeh; Safari Motlagh, Mohammad Reza

2011-01-01

Optimal operating parameters of 2,3-Butanediol production using Klebsiella oxytoca under submerged culture conditions are determined by using Taguchi method. The effect of different factors including medium composition, pH, temperature, mixing intensity, and inoculum size on 2,3-butanediol production was analyzed using the Taguchi method in three levels. Based on these analyses the optimum concentrations of glucose, acetic acid, and succinic acid were found to be 6, 0.5, and 1.0 (% w/v), respectively. Furthermore, optimum values for temperature, inoculum size, pH, and the shaking speed were determined as 37°C, 8 (g/L), 6.1, and 150 rpm, respectively. The optimal combinations of factors obtained from the proposed DOE methodology was further validated by conducting fermentation experiments and the obtained results revealed an enhanced 2,3-Butanediol yield of 44%. PMID:21318172

Ozonation of the pharmaceutical compound ranitidine: reactivity and kinetic aspects.

PubMed

Rivas, Javier; Gimeno, Olga; Encinas, Angel; Beltrán, Fernando

2009-07-01

Ranitidine has been ozonated under different operating conditions of pH, applied ozone dose, initial ranitidine concentration and presence or absence of free radical inhibitors. Results of ranitidine evolution with time indicate a high reactivity of this compound with molecular ozone. Mineralization levels achieved in the order of 20-25% suggest that the (CH3)2-N-CH2- moiety bonded to the furan ring could be separated from the rest of the ranitidine structure and further mineralized. Only alkaline conditions (pH=11) are capable of increasing TOC conversion up to values close to 70%. Determination of the direct ozonation rate constant for ranitidine by means of competitive kinetics reveals an unacceptable dependence of the aforementioned constant with the reference compound reactivity. It is hypothesised that only reference compounds with reactivity similar to the target species should be used.

Comparison between several reactors with Trametes versicolor immobilized on lignocellulosic support for the continuous treatments of hospital wastewater.

PubMed

Torán, J; Blánquez, P; Caminal, G

2017-11-01

Hospital wastewater is a major source of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), which are not all removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants. White rot fungi can degrade PhACs, but their application has been limited to non-sterile conditions due to the competition with other microorganisms for growth. In this study, immobilization of Trametes versicolor on different lignocellulosic supports was studied as strategy to ensure fungal survival under continuous treatment conditions. A fluidized bed reactor and a trickling packed-bed reactor with T. versicolor immobilized on pallet wood were employed for the removal of ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen. Best results were obtained with the trickling packed-bed reactor, which operated for 49days with high removal values in real hospital wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of wire bending and salivary pH on surface properties and mechanical properties of orthodontic stainless steel archwires.

PubMed

Hobbelink, Marieke G; He, Yan; Xu, Jia; Xie, Huixu; Stoll, Richard; Ye, Qingsong

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the corrosive behaviour of stainless steel archwires in a more clinically relevant way by bending and exposing to various pH. One hundred and twenty pieces of rectangular stainless steel wires (0.43 × 0.64 mm) were randomly assigned into four groups. In each group, there were 15 pieces of bent wires and 15 straight ones. Prior to measurements of the wires, as individual experimental groups (group 1, 2, and 3), the wires were exposed to artificial saliva for 4 weeks at pH 5.6, 6.6, and 7.6, respectively. A control group of wires (group 4) remained in air for the same period of time before sent for measurements. Surface roughness (Ra-value) was measured by a profilometer. Young's modulus and maximum force were determined by a four-point flexural test apparatus. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the surface morphology of straight wire. Differences between groups were examined using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Mean surface roughness values, flexural Young's moduli, and maximum force values of bent wires are significantly different from those of the straight wires, which was the main effect of wire bending, ignoring the influence of pH. A significant effect was found between Ra-values regarding the main effect of pH, ignoring the influence of shape. There was a significant interaction effect of bending and pH on flexural Young's moduli of stainless steel archwires, while pH did not show much impact on the maximum force values of those stainless steel wires. Bigger surface irregularities were seen on SEM images of straight wires immersed in artificial saliva at pH 5.6 compared to artificial saliva at other pH values. Surface depth (Rz) was more sensitive than Ra in revealing surface roughness, both measured from 3D reconstructed SEM images. Ra showed a comparable result of surface roughness to Ra-value measured by the profilometer. Bending has a significant influence on surface roughness and mechanical properties of rectangular SS archwires. pH plays a synergistic effect on the change of mechanical properties of stainless steel (SS) wires along with wire bending.

Effect of dextran and dextran sulfate on the structural and rheological properties of model acid milk gels.

PubMed

Pachekrepapol, U; Horne, D S; Lucey, J A

2015-05-01

Various types of polysaccharides are widely used in cultured dairy products. However, the interaction mechanisms, between milk proteins and these polysaccharides, are not entirely clear. To explore the interactions between uncharged and charged polysaccharides and the caseins, we used a model acid-milk-gel system, which allowed acidification to occur separately from gelation. The effect of adding uncharged dextran (DX; molecular weight ~2.0×10(6) Da) and negatively charged dextran sulfate (DS; molecular weight ~1.4×10(6) Da) to model acid milk gels was studied. Two concentrations (0.075 and 0.5%, wt/wt) of DX or DS were added to cold milk (~0°C) that had been acidified to pH values 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, or 4.9. Acidified milks containing DX or DS were then quiescently heated at the rate of 0.5°C/min to 30°C, which induced gelation, and gels were then held at 30°C for 17 h to facilitate gel development. Dynamic small-amplitude-oscillation rheology and large-deformation (shear) tests were performed. Microstructure of gels was examined by fluorescence microscopy. Gels made with a high concentration of DX gelled at a lower temperature, but after 17 h at 30°C, these gels exhibited lower storage moduli and lower yield-stress values. At pH 4.8 or 4.9 (pH values greater than the isoelectric point of caseins), addition of 0.5% DS to acidified milk resulted in lower gelation temperature. At pH 4.4 (pH values less than the isoelectric point of caseins), addition of 0.5% DS to acidified milk resulted in gels with very high stiffness values. Gels made at pH 4.8 or 4.9 with both concentrations of DS had much lower stiffness and yield-stress values than control gels. Microstructural analysis indicated that gels made at pH 4.4 with the addition of 0.5% DX exhibited large protein strands and pores, whereas gels made with 0.075% DX or the control gels had a finer protein matrix. At higher pH values (>4.4), gels made with 0.5% DX had a finer structure. At all pH values, gels made with 0.5% DS exhibited larger pores than the control gels. This study demonstrated that low concentrations of uncharged DX did not significantly affect the rheological properties of model acid milk gels; high concentrations of DX resulted in earlier gelation, possibly caused by depletion-induced attractions between casein particles, which altered the microstructure and created weaker gels. At pH values <4.6, negatively charged DS produced stiff casein gels, which might be due to attractive crosslinking by electrostatic interactions between DS and caseins at pH values below the isoelectric pH of casein (i.e., positively charged casein regions interacted with negatively charged DS molecules). Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soil pH on mobility of imazaquin in oxisols with positive balance of charges.

PubMed

Regitano, Jussara B; da Rocha, Wadson S D; Alleoni, Luís R F

2005-05-18

The influence of soil pH on the leaching potential of the ionizable herbicide imazaquin was assessed on the profile of two highly weathered soils having a net positive charge in the B horizon, in contrast to a soil having a net negative charge in the whole profile, using packed soil column experiments. Imazaquin leached to a large extent and faster at Kd values lower than 1.0 L kg(-1), a much more lenient limit than usually proposed for pesticides in the literature (Kd < 5.0 L kg(-1)). The amount of imazaquin leached increased with soil pH. As the soil pH increased, the percentage of imazaquin in the anionic forms, the negative surface potential of the soils, as well as imazaquin water solubility also increased, thus reducing sorption because of repulsive electrostatic forces (hydrophilic interactions). For all surface samples (0-0.2 m), imazaquin did not leach at soil pH values lower than pKa (3.8) and more than 80% of the applied amount was leached at pH values higher than 5.5. For subsurface samples from the acric soils, imazaquin only began to leach at soil pH values > zero point of salt effects (ZPSE > 5.7). In conclusion, the use of surface K(oc) values to predict the amount of imazaquin leached within soil profiles having a positive balance of charges may greatly overestimate its actual leaching potential.

Comparison of pH and refractometry index with calcium concentrations in preparturient mammary gland secretions of mares.

PubMed

Korosue, Kenji; Murase, Harutaka; Sato, Fumio; Ishimaru, Mutsuki; Kotoyori, Yasumitsu; Tsujimura, Koji; Nambo, Yasuo

2013-01-15

To test the usefulness of measuring pH and refractometry index, compared with measuring calcium carbonate concentration, of preparturient mammary gland secretions for predicting parturition in mares. Evaluation study. 27 pregnant Thoroughbred mares. Preparturient mammary gland secretion samples were obtained once or twice daily 10 days prior to foaling until parturition. The samples were analyzed for calcium carbonate concentration with a water hardness kit (151 samples), pH with pH test paper (222 samples), and refractometry index with a Brix refractometer (214 samples). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for each test were calculated for evaluation of predicting parturition. The PPV within 72 hours and the NPV within 24 hours for calcium carbonate concentration determination (standard value set to 400 μg/g) were 93.8% and 98.3%, respectively. The PPV within 72 hours and the NPV within 24 hours for the pH test (standard value set at 6.4) were 97.9% and 99.4%, respectively. The PPV within 72 hours and the NPV within 24 hours for the Brix test (standard value set to 20%) were 73.2% and 96.5%, respectively. Results suggested that the pH test with the standard value set at a pH of 6.4 would be useful in the management of preparturient mares by predicting when mares are not ready to foal. This was accomplished with equal effectiveness of measuring calcium carbonate concentration with a water hardness kit.

Optimal Semi-Adaptive Search With False Targets

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

we do not execute a full experimental design to attempt to build a response surface for the performance of these model under various combinations of...the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN OPERATIONS RESEARCH from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 2017 Approved by: Johannes O. Royset, Ph.D. Thesis...Advisor Dashi I. Singham, Ph.D. Second Reader Patricia A. Jacobs, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Operations Research iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT

Effect of heat, pH, ultrasonication and ethanol on the denaturation of whey protein isolate using a newly developed approach in the analysis of difference-UV spectra.

PubMed

Nikolaidis, Athanasios; Andreadis, Marios; Moschakis, Thomas

2017-10-01

A newly developed method of analysis of difference-UV spectra was successfully implemented in the study of the effect of heat, pH, ultrasonication and ethanol on the denaturation of whey protein isolate. It was found that whey proteins exhibit their highest stability against heat denaturation at pH 3.75. At very low pH values, i.e. 2.5, they exhibited considerable cold denaturation, while after heating at this pH value, the supplementary heat denaturation rate was lower compared to that at neutral pH. The highest heat denaturation rates were observed at pH values higher than neutral. High power sonication on whey proteins, previously heated at 90°C for 30min, resulted in a rather small reduction of the fraction of the heat denatured protein aggregates. Finally, when ethanol was used as a cosolvent in the concentration range 20-50%, a sharp increase in the degree of denaturation, compared to the native protein solution, was observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Processed dairy beverages pH evaluation: consequences of temperature variation.

PubMed

Ferreira, Fabiana Vargas; Pozzobon, Roselaine Terezinha

2009-01-01

This study assessed the pH from processed dairy beverages as well as eventual consequences deriving from different ingestion temperatures. 50 adults who accompanied children attended to at the Dentistry School were randomly selected and they answered a questionnaire on beverages. The beverages were divided into 4 groups: yogurt (GI) fermented milk (GII), chocolate-based products (GIII) and fermented dairy beverages (GIV). They were asked which type, flavor and temperature. The most popular beverages were selected, and these made up the sample. A pH meter Quimis 400A device was used to verify pH. The average pH from each beverage was calculated and submitted to statistical analysis (Variance and Tukey test with a 5% significance level). for groups I, II and III beverages, type x temperature interaction was significant, showing the pH averages were influenced by temperature variation. At iced temperatures, they presented lower pH values, which were considered statistically significant when compared to the values found for the same beverages at room temperature. All dairy beverages, with the exception of the chocolate-based type presented pH below critical level for enamel and present corrosive potential; as to ingestion temperature, iced temperature influenced pH reducing its values, in vitro.

The pH dependent Raman spectroscopic study of caffeine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Jian; Gu, Huaimin; Zhong, Liang; Hu, Yongjun; Liu, Fang

2011-02-01

First of all the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and normal Raman spectra of caffeine aqueous solution were obtained at different pH values. In order to obtain the detailed vibrational assignments of the Raman spectroscopy, the geometry of caffeine molecule was optimized by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. By comparing the SERS of caffeine with its normal spectra at different pH values; it is concluded that pH value can dramatically affect the SERS of caffeine, but barely affect the normal Raman spectrum of caffeine aqueous solution. It can essentially affect the reorientation of caffeine molecule to the Ag colloid surface, but cannot impact the vibration of functional groups and chemical bonds in caffeine molecule.

Protein removal from waste brines generated during ham salting through acidification and centrifugation.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Martínez, Maria del Rosario; Muñoz-Guerrero, Hernán; Alcaína-Miranda, Maria Isabel; Barat, José Manuel

2014-03-01

The salting step in food processes implies the production of large quantities of waste brines, having high organic load, high conductivity, and other pollutants with high oxygen demand. Direct disposal of the residual brine implies salinization of soil and eutrophication of water. Since most of the organic load of the waste brines comes from proteins leaked from the salted product, precipitation of dissolved proteins by acidification and removal by centrifugation is an operation to be used in waste brine cleaning. The aim of this study is optimizing the conditions for carrying out the separation of proteins from waste brines generated in the pork ham salting operation, by studying the influence of pH, centrifugal force, and centrifugation time. Models for determining the removal of proteins depending on the pH, centrifugal force, and time were obtained. The results showed a high efficacy of the proposed treatment for removing proteins, suggesting that this method could be used for waste brine protein removal. The best pH value to be used in an industrial process seems to be 3, while the obtained results indicate that almost 90% of the proteins from the brine can be removed by acidification followed by centrifugation. A further protein removal from the brine should have to be achieved using filtrating techniques, which efficiency could be highly improved as a consequence of the previous treatment through acidification and centrifugation. Waste brines from meat salting have high organic load and electrical conductivity. Proteins can be removed from the waste brine by acidification and centrifugation. The total protein removal can be up to 90% of the initial content of the waste brine. Protein removal is highly dependent on pH, centrifugation rate, and time. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Consumption of baked nuts or seeds reduces dental plaque acidogenicity after sucrose challenge.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoling; Cheng, Chuoyue; Ge, Chunling; Wang, Bing; Gan, Ye-Hua

2016-06-01

To assess the acidogenic potential of eight different types of baked nuts or seeds eaten alone and after a sucrose challenge using in-dwelling electrode telemetry. Six participants wearing a mandibular partial prosthesis incorporated with a miniature glass pH electrode were enrolled. The plaque pH was measured after 5 or 6 days of plaque accumulation. To establish a control, the subjects were instructed to rinse with sucrose, without any subsequent treatment, at the first visit. At each subsequent test visit, the subjects were asked to chew sugar free xylitol gum or consume 10 g of baked (180 degrees C, 5 minutes) peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or watermelon seeds alone and 10 minutes after a sucrose rinse. The minimum plaque pH value and area of plaque pH curve under 5.7 (AUC5.7) during and after nut/seed consumption or gum chewing alone, the plaque pH value at 10 minutes after the sucrose rinse, the time required for the pH to return to >5.7 and AUC5.7 after the sucrose rinse with or without nut/seed consumption or gum chewing were calculated from the telemetric curves. The sucrose rinse induced a rapid decrease in the plaque pH to 4.32 +/- 0.17 at 10 minutes; this value remained below 5.7 for the measurement period. The AUC5.7 values were 34.58 +/- 7.27 and 63.55 +/- 15.17 for 40 and 60 minutes after the sucrose challenge, respectively. With the exception of cashews and pumpkin seeds (minimum pH, 5.42 and 5.63 respectively), the nuts or seeds did not decrease the plaque pH to below 5.7 when consumed alone, with the AUC5.7 values during and after consumption (total 40 minutes) ranging from 0.24 to 2.5 (8.44 for cashews), which were significantly lower than those after the sucrose challenge. Furthermore, nut/seed consumption or gum chewing after the sucrose challenge significantly reversed the sucrose-induced decrease in the plaque pH, and the time required for the pH to return to >5.7 and the AUC5.7 values for 60 minutes after the sucrose challenge were much less than that of the sucrose challenge without subsequent interference.

Characterization of callase (β-1,3-D-glucanase) activity during microsporogenesis in the sterile anthers of Allium sativum L. and the fertile anthers of A. atropurpureum.

PubMed

Winiarczyk, Krystyna; Jaroszuk-Ściseł, Jolanta; Kupisz, Kamila

2012-06-01

We examined callase activity in anthers of sterile Allium sativum (garlic) and fertile Allium atropurpureum. In A. sativum, a species that produces sterile pollen and propagates only vegetatively, callase was extracted from the thick walls of A. sativum microspore tetrads exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.8, and the corresponding in vivo values ranged from 4.5 to 5.0. Once microspores were released, in vitro callase activity peaked at three distinct pH values, reflecting the presence of three callase isoforms. One isoform, which was previously identified in the tetrad stage, displayed maximum activity at pH 4.8, and the remaining two isoforms, which were novel, were most active at pH 6.0 and 7.3. The corresponding in vivo values ranged from pH 4.75 to 6.0. In contrast, in A. atropurpureum, a sexually propagating species, three callase isoforms, active at pH 4.8-5.2, 6.1, and 7.3, were identified in samples of microsporangia that had released their microspores. The corresponding in vivo value for this plant was 5.9. The callose wall persists around A. sativum meiotic cells, whereas only one callase isoform, with an optimum activity of pH 4.8, is active in the acidic environment of the microsporangium. However, this isoform is degraded when the pH rises to 6.0 and two other callase isoforms, maximally active at pH 6.0 and 7.3, appear. Thus, factors that alter the pH of the microsporangium may indirectly affect the male gametophyte development by modulating the activity of callase and thereby regulating the degradation of the callose wall.

The effect of antacid on salivary pH in patients with and without dental erosion after multiple acid challenges.

PubMed

Dhuhair, Sarah; Dennison, Joseph B; Yaman, Peter; Neiva, Gisele F

2015-04-01

To evaluate the effect of antacid swish in the salivary pH values and to monitor the pH changes in subjects with and without dental erosion after multiple acid challenge tests. 20 subjects with tooth erosion were matched in age and gender with 20 healthy controls according to specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Baseline measures were taken of salivary pH, buffering capacity and salivary flow rate using the Saliva Check System. Subjects swished with Diet Pepsi three times at 10-minute intervals. Changes in pH were monitored using a digital pH meter at 0-, 5-, and 10- minute intervals and at every 5 minutes after the third swish until pH resumed baseline value or 45 minutes relapse. Swishing regimen was repeated on a second visit, followed by swishing with sugar-free liquid antacid (Mylanta Supreme). Recovery times were also recorded. Data was analyzed using independent t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and Fisher's exact test (α= 0.05). Baseline buffering capacity and flow rate were not significantly different between groups (P= 0.542; P= 0.2831, respectively). Baseline salivary pH values were similar between groups (P= 0.721). No significant differences in salivary pH values were found between erosion and non-erosion groups in response to multiple acid challenges (P= 0.695) or antacid neutralization (P= 0.861). Analysis of salivary pH recovery time revealed no significant differences between groups after acid challenges (P= 0.091) or after the use of antacid (P= 0.118). There was a highly significant difference in the survival curves of the two groups on Day 2, with the non-erosion group resolving significantly faster than the erosion group (P= 0.0086).

Response surface optimization of the substance colour indigo production by amylase enzyme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani, Prima Astuti; Megawati, Kusdianto, Nugraha, Deny Aditia; Novitasari, Lilis

2017-03-01

Indigofera leaf production in Indonesia reaches 30 tons of dry matter per hectare per year. Indigo which produce exclusive blue colour already used to dyeing textile, specially "Batik". Batik cloth using natural dyes has artistic value and distinctive colours, as well as ethnic and exclusive impression that have a high value. Indigofera leaves containing blue dye that can be obtained through hydrolysis and oxidation. The hydrolysis reaction using enzyme catalyst. The research objective is to obtain optimum operating conditions of the hydrolysis reaction in the extraction of blue dye with a cellulase enzyme catalyst. Indigofera used leaves 5 month old and tools used include reactors, stirrer, aerator, autoclaves, incubators and ovens. Optimization parameters are studied an α-amylase enzyme concentration of 2.5-10 wt%, pH 5-9 and a reaction time of 4-10 days. The concentration of blue dye was analyzed by gravimetric method. Experimental data were analyzed by the method of Response Surface Methodology and central composite design, the model corresponding linear model with a mathematical equation Y = 6.22763 - 0.02584X1 - 1.25889X2 - 0.42239X3+0.00694X12+ 0.08872X22+ 0.03747X32+ 0.01372X1X2 -0.00582X1X3 - 0.00208X2X3 The optimum operating conditions in the range of studied enzym concentration of 3.1 wt%, pH 7.4 and the hydrolysis reaction time of 5.6 days with a yield dye of 1,42 %.

Photocatalytic degradation of malathion using Zn2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles: statistical analysis and optimization of operating parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasseri, Simin; Omidvar Borna, Mohammad; Esrafili, Ali; Rezaei Kalantary, Roshanak; Kakavandi, Babak; Sillanpää, Mika; Asadi, Anvar

2018-02-01

A Zn2+-doped TiO2 is successfully synthesized by a facile photodeposition method and used in the catalytic photo-degradation of organophosphorus pesticide, malathion. The obtained photocatalysts are characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD results confirm the formation of the anatase and rutile phases for the Zn2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, with crystallite sizes of 12.9 nm. Zn2+-doped TiO2 that was synthesized by 3.0%wt Zn doping at 200 °C exhibited the best photocatalytic activity. 60 sets of experiments were conducted using response surface methodology (RSM) by adjusting five operating parameters, i.e. initial malathion concentration, catalyst dose, pH, reaction time at five levels and presence or absence of UV light. The analysis revealed that all considered parameters are significant in the degradation process in their linear terms. The optimum values of the variables were found to be 177.59 mg/L, 0.99 g/L, 10.99 and 81.04 min for initial malathion concentration, catalyst dose, pH and reaction time, respectively, under UV irradiation (UV ON). Under the optimized conditions, the experimental values of degradation and mineralization were 98 and 74%, respectively. Moreover, the effects of competing anions and H2O2 on photocatalyst process were also investigated.

[Arsenic removal by coagulation process and the field expanding experiments for Yangzonghai Lake].

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Zhang, Shu; Yang, Xiang-jun; Huang, Zhang-jie; Wang, Shi-xiong; Wang, Chong; Wei, Qun-yan; Zhang, Gen-lin; Xiao, Jun

2015-01-01

Yangzonghai Lake is the third largest plateau lake in Yunnan province. In June 2008, arsenic contamination was detected in Yangzonghai Lake and the water quality worsens dramatically from standard grade II to worse than grade V. Since Yongzonghai Lake is so large with the area of 31 km2 and the storage capacity of 6.04 x 10(8) m3, those pretreatment operations of the traditional arsenic removal methods, such as pre oxidation, adjusting pH value, are not applicable. In this study, a facile remediation strategy for arsenic removal by coagulation process, in which ferric chloride was directly sprayed into the contaminated water without any pretreatment, was reported. The results showed that the arsenic removal percentage was up to 95.1%-96.7% for 50 L raw water with reagent dosage of 1.62-3.20 mg x L(-1). Furthermore, the pH value of the lake kept constant in the coagulation process, which was beneficial for fish survival. Re-dissolved arsenic from precipitation was not detected in 954 days. The strategy of ferric chloride coagulation were applied to field experiments for lake water with volumes of 1 x 10(4) m3 and 25 x 10(4) m3, in which arsenic was also removed effectively. The reported strategy was of great advantage for simple operation, low cost and ecological safety, therefore it provides a representative example for arsenic contamination treatment of large lake.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production on Waste Water Treatment Plants: Process Scheme, Operating Conditions and Potential Analysis for German and European Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Pittmann, Timo; Steinmetz, Heidrun

2017-01-01

This work describes the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and a subsequent analysis of the production potential in Germany and the European Union (EU). Therefore, tests with different types of sludge from a WWTP were investigated regarding their volatile fatty acids (VFA) production-potential. Afterwards, primary sludge was used as substrate to test a series of operating conditions (temperature, pH, retention time (RT) and withdrawal (WD)) in order to find suitable settings for a high and stable VFA production. In a second step, various tests regarding a high PHA production and stable PHA composition to determine the influence of substrate concentration, temperature, pH and cycle time of an installed feast/famine-regime were conducted. Experiments with a semi-continuous reactor operation showed that a short RT of 4 days and a small WD of 25% at pH = 6 and around 30 °C is preferable for a high VFA production rate (PR) of 1913 mgVFA/(L×d) and a stable VFA composition. A high PHA production up to 28.4% of cell dry weight (CDW) was reached at lower substrate concentration, 20 °C, neutral pH-value and a 24 h cycle time. A final step a potential analysis, based on the results and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 19% of the 2016 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition, a profound estimation regarding the EU showed that in theory about 120% of the worldwide biopolymer production (in 2016) could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. PMID:28952533

An Improved Process for Precipitating Cyanide Ions from the Barren Solution at Different pHs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueroa, Gabriela V.; Parga, José R.; Valenzuela, Jesus L.; Vázquez, Victor; Valenzuela, Alejandro; Rodriguez, Mario

2016-02-01

In recent decades, the use of metal sulfides instead of hydroxide precipitation in hydrometallurgical processes has gained prominence. Some arguments for its preferential use are as follows: a high degree of metal removal at relatively low pH values, the sparingly soluble nature of sulfide precipitates, favorable dewatering characteristics, and the stability of the formed metal sulfides. The Merrill-Crowe zinc-precipitation process has been applied worldwide in a large number of operations for the recovery of gold and silver from cyanide solutions. However, in some larger plants, the quality of this precious precipitate is low because copper, zinc and especially lead are precipitated along with gold and silver. This results in higher consumption of zinc dust and flux during the smelting of the precipitate, the formation of the matte, and a shorter crucible life. The results show that pH has a significant effect on the removal efficiency of zinc and copper cyanide ions. The optimal pH range was determined to be 3-4, and the removal efficiency of zinc and copper cyanide ions was up to 99%.

Is Your Drinking Water Acidic? A Comparison of the Varied pH of Popular Bottled Waters.

PubMed

Wright, Kellie F

2015-06-01

Dental professionals continually educate patients on the dangers of consuming acidic foods and beverages due to their potential to contribute to dental erosion and tooth decay. Excess acid in the diet can also lead to acidosis, which causes negative systemic side effects. However, water is not typically categorized as acidic. The purpose of this in-vitro study was to investigate the pH levels of several popular brands of bottled water and compare them to various other acidic beverages. Two different brands of marketed alkaline water (with a pH of 8.8 or higher) were also studied, tested for acidity and described. A pilot in-vitro study was conducted to determine the pH levels of a convenience sample of popular brands of bottled water, tap water and other known acidic beverages in comparison with the pH values reported on the respective manufacturers' website. Each beverage was tested in a laboratory using a calibrated Corning pH meter model 240, and waters were compared to the corresponding company's testified pH value. Waters were also compared and contrasted based on their process of purification. The data was then compiled and analyzed descriptively. The pH values for the tested beverages and bottled waters were found to be predominantly acidic. Ten out of the 14 beverages tested were acidic (pH<7), 2 municipal (or "tap") waters were neutral (pH=7) and 2 bottled waters were alkaline (pH>7). The majority of waters tested had a more acidic pH when tested in the lab than the value listed in their water quality reports. It is beneficial for the health care provider to be aware of the potential acidity of popular bottled drinking waters and educate patients accordingly. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Neutralizing salivary pH by mouthwashes after an acidic challenge.

PubMed

Dehghan, Mojdeh; Tantbirojn, Daranee; Kymer-Davis, Emily; Stewart, Colette W; Zhang, Yanhui H; Versluis, Antheunis; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin

2017-05-01

The aim of the present study was to test the neutralizing effect of mouthwashes on salivary pH after an acidic challenge. Twelve participants were recruited for three visits, one morning per week. Resting saliva was collected at baseline and after 2-min swishing with 20 mL orange juice as an acidic challenge. Participants then rinsed their mouth for 30 s with 20 mL water (control), an over-the-counter mouthwash (Listerine), or a two-step mouthwash, randomly assigned for each visit. Saliva was collected immediately, 15, and 45 min after rinsing. The pH values of the collected saliva were measured and analyzed with anova, followed by Student-Newman-Keuls post-hoc test (significance level: 0.05). Orange juice significantly lowered salivary pH. Immediately after rinsing, Listerine and water brought pH back to baseline values, with the pH significantly higher in the Listerine group. The two-step mouthwash raised pH significantly higher than Listerine and water, and higher than the baseline value. Salivary pH returned to baseline and was not significantly different among groups at 15 and 45 min post-rinsing. Mouth rinsing after an acidic challenge increased salivary pH. The tested mouthwashes raised pH higher than water. Mouthwashes with a neutralizing effect can potentially reduce tooth erosion from acid exposure. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Safety of tomatillos and products containing tomatillos canned by the water-bath canning method.

PubMed

McKee, L H; Remmenga, M D; Bock, M A

1998-01-01

Three studies were conducted to evaluate the safety of tomatillos and products containing tomatillos canned by the water-bath processing method. In the first study, plain tomatillos were processed for 25, 37.5, 50 and 62.5 min. In the second study, five tomatillo/onion combinations were prepared while five tomatillo/green chile combinations were prepared in the third study. pH evaluations were conducted to determine safety in all studies using pH 4.2 as the cut-off value. No differences in the pH of plain tomatillos were detected due to processing time. All jars of plain tomatillos had pH values below 4.1. All combinations of tomatillos/onions and tomatillos/green chile containing more than 50% tomatillo had pH values below the 4.2 cut-off value. Results of the three studies indicate (1) acidification of plain tomatillos is probably unnecessary for canning by the water-bath processing method and (2) combinations of acidic tomatillos and low-acid onions or green chile must contain more than 50% tomatillos to have a pH low enough for safe water-bath processing.

Influence of pH, benzoic acid, glutathione, EDTA, 4-hexylresorcinol, and sodium chloride on the pressure inactivation kinetics of mushroom polyphenol oxidase.

PubMed

Weemaes, C A; Ludikhuyze, L R; Van den Broeck, I; Hendrickx, M E

1999-09-01

Pressure inactivation of mushroom PPO was studied for pH values ranging from 4 to 8, and the effect of some antibrowning agents on the pressure stability of mushroom PPO at pH 6.5 was evaluated. pH reduction below 6.5 resulted in a lowered inactivation threshold pressure and an increase of the absolute value of the activation volume (or a decrease of the z(p) value), the latter two parameters reflecting the pressure dependency of the inactivation rate constant. An increase in pH from 6.5 to 8, on the other hand, did only marginally affect the pressure stability of the enzyme. Mushroom PPO at pH 6.5 was markedly sensitized toward pressure by the presence of 2.5 mM 4-hexylresorcinol and slightly stabilized by the presence of 5 mM EDTA. The presence of 5 mM glutathione, sodium chloride, or benzoic acid caused no significant alteration of the enzyme pressure stability. Only in the presence of 4-hexylresorcinol, significant changes of the activation volume and z(p) value were noticed.

Transient kinetic studies of pH-dependent hydrolyses by exo-type carboxypeptidase P on a 27-MHz quartz crystal microbalance.

PubMed

Furusawa, Hiroyuki; Takano, Hiroki; Okahata, Yoshio

2008-02-15

pH-Dependent kinetic parameters (k(on), k(off), and k(cat)) of protein (myoglobin) hydrolyses catalyzed by exo-enzyme (carboxypeptidase P, CPP) were obtained by using a protein-immobilized quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in acidic aqueous solutions. The formation of the enzyme-substrate (ES) complex (k(on)), the decay of the ES complex (k(off)), and the formation of the product (k(cat)) could be analyzed by transient kinetics as mass changes on the QCM plate. The Kd (k(off)/k(on)) value was different from the Michaelis constant Km calculated from (k(off) + k(cat))/k(on) due to k(cat) > k(off). The rate-determining step was the binding step (k(on), and the catalytic rate k(cat) was faster than other k(on) and k(off) values. In the range of pH 2.5-5.0, values of k(on) gradually increased with decreasing pH showing a maximum at pH 3.7, values of k(off) were independent of pH, and k(cat) increased gradually with decreasing pH. As a result, the apparent rate constant (k(cat)/Km) showed a maximum at pH 3.7 and gradually increased with decreasing pH. The optimum pH at 3.7 of k(on) is explained by the optimum binding ability of CPP to the COOH terminus of the substrate with hydrogen bonds. The increase of k(cat) at the lower pH correlated with the decrease of alpha-helix contents of the myoglobin substrate on the QCM.

Emulsifying properties of succinylated arabinoxylan-protein gum produced from corn ethanol residuals

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

Xiang, Zhouyang; Runge, Troy

This study investigated the possibilities of making valuable products from corn ethanol byproducts and providing the beverage industries more variety of high quality emulsifiers other than gum arabic. An arabinoxylan-protein gum (APG) was extracted from distillers' grains (DG), a low-value corn ethanol byproduct, and modified through acylation with succinic anhydride. The effects of pH and degree of substitution (DS) on the emulsifying properties of succinylated APG, referred to as SAPG, were investigated. Emulsion particle size and stability of APG and gum arabic were comparable at pH 3.5–6.5. Succinylation could enhance the emulsifying properties of APG. Compared to gum arabic, atmore » pH < 5, SAPG emulsions had larger particle size but comparable stability, whereas at pH > 5, SAPG had much smaller particle size and better stability than gum arabic. The results suggested that SAPG, compared to gum arabic, could be a comparable emulsifier at low pH values and a better emulsifier at neutral pH values.« less

Emulsifying properties of succinylated arabinoxylan-protein gum produced from corn ethanol residuals

DOE PAGES

Xiang, Zhouyang; Runge, Troy

2015-07-21

This study investigated the possibilities of making valuable products from corn ethanol byproducts and providing the beverage industries more variety of high quality emulsifiers other than gum arabic. An arabinoxylan-protein gum (APG) was extracted from distillers' grains (DG), a low-value corn ethanol byproduct, and modified through acylation with succinic anhydride. The effects of pH and degree of substitution (DS) on the emulsifying properties of succinylated APG, referred to as SAPG, were investigated. Emulsion particle size and stability of APG and gum arabic were comparable at pH 3.5–6.5. Succinylation could enhance the emulsifying properties of APG. Compared to gum arabic, atmore » pH < 5, SAPG emulsions had larger particle size but comparable stability, whereas at pH > 5, SAPG had much smaller particle size and better stability than gum arabic. The results suggested that SAPG, compared to gum arabic, could be a comparable emulsifier at low pH values and a better emulsifier at neutral pH values.« less

Computer simulation of immobilized pH gradients at acidic and alkaline extremes - A quest for extended pH intervals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosher, Richard A.; Bier, Milan; Righetti, Pier Giorgio

1986-01-01

Computer simulations of the concentration profiles of simple biprotic ampholytes with Delta pKs 1, 2, and 3, on immobilized pH gradients (IPG) at extreme pH values (pH 3-4 and pH 10-11) show markedly skewed steady-state profiles with increasing kurtosis at higher Delta pK values. Across neutrality, all the peaks are symmetric irrespective of their Delta pK values, but they show very high contribution to the conductivity of the background gel and significant alteration of the local buffering capacity. The problems of skewness, due to the exponential conductivity profiles at low and high pHs, and of gel burning due to a strong electroosmotic flow generated by the net charges in the gel matrix, also at low and high pHs, are solved by incorporating in the IPG gel a strong viscosity gradient. This is generated by a gradient of linear polyacrylamide which is trapped in the gel by the polymerization process.

Batch and fed-batch production of butyric acid by Clostridium butyricum ZJUCB

PubMed Central

He, Guo-qing; Kong, Qing; Chen, Qi-he; Ruan, Hui

2005-01-01

The production of butyric acid by Clostridium butyricum ZJUCB at various pH values was investigated. In order to study the effect of pH on cell growth, butyric acid biosynthesis and reducing sugar consumption, different cultivation pH values ranging from 6.0 to 7.5 were evaluated in 5-L bioreactor. In controlled pH batch fermentation, the optimum pH for cell growth and butyric acid production was 6.5 with a cell yield of 3.65 g/L and butyric acid yield of 12.25 g/L. Based on these results, this study then compared batch and fed-batch fermentation of butyric acid production at pH 6.5. Maximum value (16.74 g/L) of butyric acid concentration was obtained in fed-batch fermentation compared to 12.25 g/L in batch fermentation. It was concluded that cultivation under fed-batch fermentation mode could enhance butyric acid production significantly (P<0.01) by C. butyricum ZJUCB. PMID:16252341

Sub-optimal pH Preadaptation Improves the Survival of Lactobacillus plantarum Strains and the Malic Acid Consumption in Wine-Like Medium

PubMed Central

Succi, Mariantonietta; Pannella, Gianfranco; Tremonte, Patrizio; Tipaldi, Luca; Coppola, Raffaele; Iorizzo, Massimo; Lombardi, Silvia Jane; Sorrentino, Elena

2017-01-01

Forty-two oenological strains of Lb. plantarum were assessed for their response to ethanol and pH values generally encountered in wines. Strains showed a higher variability in the survival when exposed to low pH (3.5 or 3.0) than when exposed to ethanol (10 or 14%). The study allowed to individuate the highest ethanol concentration (8%) and the lowest pH value (4.0) for the growth of strains, even if the maximum specific growth rate (μmax) resulted significantly reduced by these conditions. Two strains (GT1 and LT11) preadapted to 2% ethanol and cultured up to 14% of ethanol showed a higher growth than those non-preadapted when they were cultivated at 8% of ethanol. The evaluation of the same strains preadapted to low pH values (5.0 and 4.0) and then grown at pH 3.5 or 3.0 showed only for GT1 a sensitive μmax increment when it was cultivated in MRS at pH 3 after a preadaptation to pH 5.0. The survival of GT1 and LT11 was evaluated in Ringer's solution at 14% ethanol after a long-term adaptation in MRS with 2% ethanol or in MRS with 2% ethanol acidified at pH 5.0 (both conditions, BC). Analogously, the survival was evaluated at pH 3.5 after a long-term adaptation in MRS at pH 5.0 or in MRS BC. The impact of the physiologic state (exponential phase vs stationary phase) on the survival was also evaluated. Preadapted cells showed the same behavior of non-preadapted cells only when cultures were recovered in the stationary phase. Mathematical functions were individuated for the description of the survival of GT1 and LT11 in MRS at 14% ethanol or at pH 3.5. Finally, a synthetic wine (SW) was used to assess the behavior of Lb. plantarum GT1 and LT11 preadapted in MRS at 2% ethanol or at pH 5.0 or in BC. Only GT1 preadapted to pH 5.0 and collected in the stationary phase showed constant values of microbial counts after incubation for 15 days at 20°C. In addition, after 15 days the L-malic acid resulted completely degraded and the pH value increased of about 0.3 units. PMID:28382030

Net alkalinity and net acidity 2: Practical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

2005-01-01

The pH, alkalinity, and acidity of mine drainage and associated waters can be misinterpreted because of the chemical instability of samples and possible misunderstandings of standard analytical method results. Synthetic and field samples of mine drainage having various initial pH values and concentrations of dissolved metals and alkalinity were titrated by several methods, and the results were compared to alkalinity and acidity calculated based on dissolved solutes. The pH, alkalinity, and acidity were compared between fresh, unoxidized and aged, oxidized samples. Data for Pennsylvania coal mine drainage indicates that the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5-4) or near neutral (pH 6-7); ??? 25% of the samples had pH values between 5 and 6. Following oxidation, no samples had pH values between 5 and 6. The Standard Method Alkalinity titration is constrained to yield values >0. Most calculated and measured alkalinities for samples with positive alkalinities were in close agreement. However, for low-pH samples, the calculated alkalinity can be negative due to negative contributions by dissolved metals that may oxidize and hydrolyze. The Standard Method hot peroxide treatment titration for acidity determination (Hot Acidity) accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete degassing of CO2 and oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates either the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. The Hot Acidity directly measures net acidity (= -net alkalinity). Samples that had near-neutral pH after oxidation had negative Hot Acidity; samples that had pH < 6.3 after oxidation had positive Hot Acidity. Samples with similar pH values before oxidation had dissimilar Hot Acidities due to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. Hot Acidity was approximately equal to net acidity calculated based on initial pH and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the initial alkalinity. Acidity calculated from the pH and dissolved metals concentrations, assuming equivalents of 2 per mole of Fe and Mn and 3 per mole of Al, was equivalent to that calculated based on complete aqueous speciation of FeII/FeIII. Despite changes in the pH, alkalinity, and metals concentrations, the Hot Acidities were comparable for fresh and most aged samples. A meaningful "net" acidity can be determined from a measured Hot Acidity or by calculation from the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved metals concentrations. The use of net alkalinity = (Alkalinitymeasured - Hot Aciditymeasured) to design mine drainage treatment can lead to systems with insufficient Alkalinity to neutralize metal and H+ acidity and is not recommended. The use of net alkalinity = -Hot Acidity titration is recommended for the planning of mine drainage treatment. The use of net alkalinity = (Alkalinitymeasured - Aciditycalculated) is recommended with some cautions. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lower pH values of weakly acidic refluxes as determinants of heartburn perception in gastroesophageal reflux disease patients with normal esophageal acid exposure.

PubMed

de Bortoli, N; Martinucci, I; Savarino, E; Franchi, R; Bertani, L; Russo, S; Ceccarelli, L; Costa, F; Bellini, M; Blandizzi, C; Savarino, V; Marchi, S

2016-01-01

Multichannel impedance pH monitoring has shown that weakly acidic refluxes are able to generate heartburn. However, data on the role of different pH values, ranging between 4 and 7, in the generation of them are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether different pH values of weakly acidic refluxes play a differential role in provoking reflux symptoms in endoscopy-negative patients with physiological esophageal acid exposure time and positive symptom index and symptom association probability for weakly acidic refluxes. One hundred and forty-three consecutive patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, nonresponders to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), were allowed a washout from PPIs before undergoing: upper endoscopy, esophageal manometry, and multichannel impedance pH monitoring. In patients with both symptom index and symptom association probability positive for weakly acidic reflux, each weakly acidic reflux was evaluated considering exact pH value, extension, physical characteristics, and correlation with heartburn. Forty-five patients with normal acid exposure time and positive symptom association probability for weakly acidic reflux were identified. The number of refluxes not heartburn related was higher than those heartburn related. In all distal and proximal liquid refluxes, as well as in distal mixed refluxes, the mean pH value of reflux events associated with heartburn was significantly lower than that not associated. This condition was not confirmed for proximal mixed refluxes. Overall, a low pH of weakly acidic reflux represents a determinant factor in provoking heartburn. This observation contributes to better understand the pathophysiology of symptoms generated by weakly acidic refluxes, paving the way toward the search for different therapeutic approaches to this peculiar condition of esophageal hypersensitivity. © 2014 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

A Quantitative Review and Meta-Models of the Variability and Factors Affecting Oral Drug Absorption-Part I: Gastrointestinal pH.

PubMed

Abuhelwa, Ahmad Y; Foster, David J R; Upton, Richard N

2016-09-01

This study aimed to conduct a quantitative meta-analysis for the values of, and variability in, gastrointestinal (GI) pH in the different GI segments; characterize the effect of food on the values and variability in these parameters; and present quantitative meta-models of distributions of GI pH to help inform models of oral drug absorption. The literature was systemically reviewed for the values of, and the variability in, GI pH under fed and fasted conditions. The GI tract was categorized into the following 10 distinct regions: stomach (proximal, mid-distal), duodenum (proximal, mid-distal), jejunum and ileum (proximal, mid, and distal small intestine), and colon (ascending, transverse, and descending colon). Meta-analysis used the "metafor" package of the R language. The time course of postprandial stomach pH was modeled using NONMEM. Food significantly influenced the estimated meta-mean stomach and duodenal pH but had no significant influence on small intestinal and colonic pH. The time course of postprandial pH was described using an exponential model. Increased meal caloric content increased the extent and duration of postprandial gastric pH buffering. The different parts of the small intestine had significantly different pH. Colonic pH was significantly different for descending but not for ascending and transverse colon. Knowledge of GI pH is important for the formulation design of the pH-dependent dosage forms and in understanding the dissolution and absorption of orally administered drugs. The meta-models of GI pH may also be used as part of semi-physiological pharmacokinetic models to characterize the effect of GI pH on the in vivo drug release and pharmacokinetics.

Application of the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) for Pre-grading Tuna Freshness On-board

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheevaporanapivat, Mongkol; Sakai, Hisaharu; Mine, Yuuji; Watanabe, Manabu; Suzuki, Toru

Application of ORP as a rapid indicator for grading tuna's freshness on the ship was studied. The long line trawling process was used for catching the sample tuna in the South Pacific Ocean. All captured sample tuna were weighed, gender identified and investigated for their mortality, then measured ORP and K value. Three species of tuna were caught: blue marlin (Makaira mazara), yellow fin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and swordfish (Xiphia gladius). Most of the fish captured were male and they had been dead after picking onboard. The measured ORP values of blue marlin varied in the range of 0.295-0.362 Volt, with pH between 5.35-5.84. Both ORP and pH of swordfish was similar to that of blue marlin. But for yellow fin tuna, the ORP value was about the same as blue marlin while its pH was significantly higher. ORP value in all species tended to increase with pH of the fish meat decrease. It is interesting that ORP value of tuna increased in correlation with K value. These results suggested that ORP and pH change, which are measured in the short time, are the effective indicators for grading tuna's freshness on-board.

Number of independent parameters in the potentiometric titration of humic substances.

PubMed

Lenoir, Thomas; Manceau, Alain

2010-03-16

With the advent of high-precision automatic titrators operating in pH stat mode, measuring the mass balance of protons in solid-solution mixtures against the pH of natural and synthetic polyelectrolytes is now routine. However, titration curves of complex molecules typically lack obvious inflection points, which complicates their analysis despite the high-precision measurements. The calculation of site densities and median proton affinity constants (pK) from such data can lead to considerable covariance between fit parameters. Knowing the number of independent parameters that can be freely varied during the least-squares minimization of a model fit to titration data is necessary to improve the model's applicability. This number was calculated for natural organic matter by applying principal component analysis (PCA) to a reference data set of 47 independent titration curves from fulvic and humic acids measured at I = 0.1 M. The complete data set was reconstructed statistically from pH 3.5 to 9.8 with only six parameters, compared to seven or eight generally adjusted with common semi-empirical speciation models for organic matter, and explains correlations that occur with the higher number of parameters. Existing proton-binding models are not necessarily overparametrized, but instead titration data lack the sensitivity needed to quantify the full set of binding properties of humic materials. Model-independent conditional pK values can be obtained directly from the derivative of titration data, and this approach is the most conservative. The apparent proton-binding constants of the 23 fulvic acids (FA) and 24 humic acids (HA) derived from a high-quality polynomial parametrization of the data set are pK(H,COOH)(FA) = 4.18 +/- 0.21, pK(H,Ph-OH)(FA) = 9.29 +/- 0.33, pK(H,COOH)(HA) = 4.49 +/- 0.18, and pK(H,Ph-OH)(HA) = 9.29 +/- 0.38. Their values at other ionic strengths are more reliably calculated with the empirical Davies equation than any existing model fit.

Nucleation, growth, and repair of a cobalt-based oxygen evolving catalyst.

PubMed

Surendranath, Yogesh; Lutterman, Daniel A; Liu, Yi; Nocera, Daniel G

2012-04-11

The mechanism of nucleation, steady-state growth, and repair is investigated for an oxygen evolving catalyst prepared by electrodeposition from Co(2+) solutions in weakly basic electrolytes (Co-OEC). Potential step chronoamperometry and atomic force microscopy reveal that nucleation of Co-OEC is progressive and reaches a saturation surface coverage of ca. 70% on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite substrates. Steady-state electrodeposition of Co-OEC exhibits a Tafel slope approximately equal to 2.3 × RT/F. The electrochemical rate law exhibits a first order dependence on Co(2+) and inverse orders on proton (third order) and proton acceptor, methylphosphonate (first order for 1.8 mM ≤ [MeP(i)] ≤ 18 mM and second order dependence for 32 mM ≤ [MeP(i)] ≤ 180 mM). These electrokinetic studies, combined with recent XAS studies of catalyst structure, suggest a mechanism for steady state growth at intermediate MeP(i) concentration (1.8-18 mM) involving a rapid solution equilibrium between aquo Co(II) and Co(III) hydroxo species accompanied with a rapid surface equilibrium involving electrolyte dissociation and deprotonation of surface bound water. These equilibria are followed by a chemical rate-limiting step for incorporation of Co(III) into the growing cobaltate clusters comprising Co-OEC. At higher concentrations of MeP(i) ([MeP(i)] ≥ 32 mM), MePO(3)(2-) equilibrium binding to Co(II) in solution is suggested by the kinetic data. Consistent with the disparate pH profiles for oxygen evolution electrocatalysis and catalyst formation, NMR-based quantification of catalyst dissolution as a function of pH demonstrates functional stability and repair at pH values >6 whereas catalyst corrosion prevails at lower pH values. These kinetic insights provide a basis for developing and operating functional water oxidation (photo)anodes under benign pH conditions. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen accumulation on coal mine spoils reclaimed with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) in Agacli-Istanbul.

PubMed

Sever, Hakan; Makineci, Ender

2009-08-01

Mining operations on open coal mines in Agacli-Istanbul have resulted in the destruction of vast amounts of land. To rehabilitate these degraded lands, plantations on this area began in 1988. Twelve tree species were planted, however, the most planted tree species was maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). This study performed on 14 sample plots randomly selected in maritime pine plantations on coal mine soil/spoils in 2005. Soil samples were taken from eight different soil layers (0-1, 1-3, 3-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 and 40-50 cm) into the soil profile. On soil samples; fine soil fraction (<2 mm), soil acidity (pH), organic carbon (C(org)) and total nitrogen (N(t)) contents were investigated, and results were compared statistically among soil layers. As a result, 17 years after plantations, total forest floor accumulation determined as 17,973.20 kg ha(-1). Total nitrogen and organic matter amounts of forest floor were 113.90 and 14,640.92 kg ha(-1) respectively. Among soil layers, the highest levels of organic carbon (1.77%) and total nitrogen (0.096%) and the lowest pH value (pH 5.38) were found in 0-1 cm soil layer, and the variation differs significantly among soil layers. Both organic carbon and total nitrogen content decreased, pH values increased from 0-1 to 5-10 cm layer. In conclusion, according to results obtained maritime pine plantations on coal mine spoils; slow accumulation and decomposition of forest floor undergo simultaneously. Depending on these changes organic carbon and total nitrogen contents increased in upper layer of soil/spoil.

Investigating controls on boron isotope ratios in shallow marine carbonates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuang; Henehan, Michael J.; Hull, Pincelli M.; Reid, R. Pamela; Hardisty, Dalton S.; Hood, Ashleigh v. S.; Planavsky, Noah J.

2017-01-01

The boron isotope-pH proxy has been widely used to reconstruct past ocean pH values. In both planktic foraminifera and corals, species-specific calibrations are required in order to reconstruct absolute values of pH, due to the prevalence of so-called vital effects - physiological modification of the primary environmental signals by the calcifying organisms. Shallow marine abiotic carbonate (e.g. ooids and cements) could conceivably avoid any such calibration requirement, and therefore provide a potentially useful archive for reconstructions in deep (pre-Cenozoic) time. However, shallow marine abiotic carbonates could also be affected by local shifts in pH caused by microbial photosynthesis and respiration, something that has up to now not been fully tested. In this study, we present boron isotope measurements from shallow modern marine carbonates, from the Bahama Bank and Belize to investigate the potential of using shallow water carbonates as pH archives, and to explore the role of microbial processes in driving nominally 'abiogenic' carbonate deposition. For Bahama bank samples, our boron-based pH estimates derived from a range of carbonate types (i.e. ooids, peloids, hardground cements, carbonate mud, stromatolitic micrite and calcified filament micrite) are higher than the estimated modern mean-annual seawater pH values for this region. Furthermore, the majority (73%) of our marine carbonate-based pH estimates fall out of the range of the estimated pre-industrial seawater pH values for this region. In shallow sediment cores, we did not observe a correlation between measured pore water pH and boron-derived pH estimates, suggesting boron isotope variability is a depositional rather than early diagenetic signal. For Belize reef cements, conversely, the pH estimates are lower than likely in situ seawater pH at the time of cement formation. This study indicates the potential for complications when using shallow marine non-skeletal carbonates as marine pH archives. In addition, variability in δ11B based pH estimates provides additional support for the idea that photosynthetic CO2 uptake plays a significant role in driving carbonate precipitation in a wide range of shallow water carbonates.

Noninvasive model including right ventricular speckle tracking for the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Mahran, Yossra; Schueler, Robert; Weber, Marcel; Pizarro, Carmen; Nickenig, Georg; Skowasch, Dirk; Hammerstingl, Christoph

2016-08-26

To find parameters from transthorathic echocardiography (TTE) including speckle-tracking (ST) analysis of the right ventricle (RV) to identify precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). Forty-four patients with suspected PH undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) were consecutively included (mean age 63.1 ± 14 years, 61% male gender). All patients underwent standardized TTE including ST analysis of the RV. Based on the subsequent TTE-derived measurements, the presence of PH was assessed: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated by Simpsons rule from 4Ch. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) was assessed with continuous wave Doppler of systolic tricuspid regurgitant velocity and regarded raised with values ≥ 30 mmHg as a surrogate parameter for RA pressure. A concomitantly elevated PCWP was considered a means to discriminate between the precapillary and postcapillary form of PH. PCWP was considered elevated when the E/e' ratio was > 12 as a surrogate for LV diastolic pressure. E/e' ratio was measured by gauging systolic and diastolic velocities of the lateral and septal mitral valve annulus using TDI mode. The results were then averaged with conventional measurement of mitral valve inflow. Furthermore, functional testing with six minutes walking distance (6MWD), ECG-RV stress signs, NT pro-BNP and other laboratory values were assessed. PH was confirmed in 34 patients (precapillary PH, n = 15, postcapillary PH, n = 19). TTE showed significant differences in E/e' ratio (precapillary PH: 12.3 ± 4.4, postcapillary PH: 17.3 ± 10.3, no PH: 12.1 ± 4.5, P = 0.02), LV volumes (ESV: 25.0 ± 15.0 mL, 49.9 ± 29.5 mL, 32.2 ± 13.6 mL, P = 0.027; EDV: 73.6 ± 24.0 mL, 110.6 ± 31.8 mL, 87.8 ± 33.0 mL, P = 0.021) and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP: 61.2 ± 22.3 mmHg, 53.6 ± 20.1 mmHg, 31.2 ± 24.6 mmHg, P = 0.001). STRV analysis showed significant differences for apical RV longitudinal strain (RVAS: -7.5% ± 5.6%, -13.3% ± 4.3%, -14.3% ± 6.3%, P = 0.03). NT pro-BNP was higher in patients with postcapillary PH (4677.0 ± 7764.1 pg/mL, precapillary PH: 1980.3 ± 3432.1 pg/mL, no PH: 367.5 ± 420.4 pg/mL, P = 0.03). Patients with precapillary PH presented significantly more often with ECG RV-stress signs (P = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses displayed the most significant area under the curve (AUC) for RVAS (cut-off < -6.5%, AUC 0.91, P < 0.001), sPAP (cut-off > 33 mmHg, AUC 0.86, P < 0.001) and ECG RV stress signs (AUC 0.83, P < 0.001). The combination of these parameters had a sensitivity of 82.8% and a specificity of 17.2% to detect precapillary PH. The combination of non-invasive measurements allows feasible assessment of PH and seems beneficial for the differentiation between the pre- and postcapillary form of this disease.

Effect of pH on compressive strength of some modification of mineral trioxide aggregate

PubMed Central

Saghiri, Mohammad A.; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Asatourian, Armen; Lotfi, Mehrdad; Khezri-Boukani, Kaveh

2013-01-01

Objectives: Recently, it was shown that NanoMTA improved the setting time and promoted a better hydration process which prevents washout and the dislodgment of this novel biomaterial in comparison with WTMA. This study analyzed the compressive strength of ProRoot WMTA (Dentsply), a NanoWMTA (Kamal Asgar Research Center), and Bioaggregate (Innovative Bioceramix) after its exposure to a range of environmental pH conditions during hydration. Study Design: After mixing the cements under aseptic condition and based on the manufacturers` recommendations, the cements were condensed with moderate force using plugger into 9 × 6 mm split molds. Each type of cement was then randomly divided into three groups (n=10). Specimens were exposed to environments with pH values of 4.4, 7.4, or 10.4 for 3 days. Cement pellets were compressed by using an Instron testing machine. Values were recorded and compared. Data were analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance and a post hoc Tukey’s test. Results: After 3 days, the samples were solid when probed with an explorer before removing them from the molds. The greatest mean compressive strength 133.19±11.14 MPa was observed after exposure to a pH value of 10.4 for NanoWMTA. The values decreased to 111.41±8.26 MPa after exposure to a pH value of 4.4. Increasing of pH had a significant effect on the compressive strength of the groups (p<0.001). The mean compressive strength for the NanoWMTA was statistically higher than for ProRoot WMTA and Bioaggregate (p<0.001). Moreover, increasing of pH values had a significant effect on compressive strength of the experimental groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: The compressive strength of NanoWMTA was significantly higher than WMTA and Bioaggregate; the more acidic the environmental pH, the lower was the compressive strength. Key words:Compressive strength, mineral trioxide aggregate, Nano. PMID:23722137

Solving general gauge theories on inner product spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batalin, Igor; Marnelius, Robert

1995-02-01

By means of a generalized quartet mechanism we show in a model independent way that a BRST quantization on an inner product space leads to physical states of the form ph> = exp [ Q, ψ]ph> 0 where Q is the nilpotent BRST operator, ψ a hermitian fermionic gauge-fixing operator, and ph> o BRST invariant states determined by a hermitian set of BRST doublets in involution. ph> 0 does not belong to an inner product space although ph> does. Since the BRST quartets are split into two sets of hermitian BRST doublets there are two choices for ph> 0 and the corresponding ψ. When applied to general, both irreducible and reducible, gauge theories of arbitrary rank within the BFV formulation we find that ph> 0 are trivial BRST invariant states which only depend on the matter variables for one set of solutions, and for the other set ph> 0 are solutions of a Dirac quantization. This generalizes previous Lie group solutions obtained by means of a bigrading.

Sensitive detection of strong acidic condition by a novel rhodamine-based fluorescent pH chemosensor.

PubMed

Tan, Jia-Lian; Yang, Ting-Ting; Liu, Yu; Zhang, Xue; Cheng, Shu-Jin; Zuo, Hua; He, Huawei

2016-05-01

A novel rhodamine-based fluorescent pH probe responding to extremely low pH values has been synthesized and characterized. This probe showed an excellent photophysical response to pH on the basis that the colorless spirocyclic structure under basic conditions opened to a colored and highly fluorescent form under extreme acidity. The quantitative relationship between fluorescence intensity and pH value (1.75-2.62) was consistent with the equilibrium equation pH = pKa + log[(Imax - I)/(I - Imin)]. This sensitive pH probe was also characterized with good reversibility and no interaction with interfering metal ions, and was successfully applied to image Escherichia coli under strong acidity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Degradation of dichlorvos using hydrodynamic cavitation based treatment strategies.

PubMed

Joshi, Ravi K; Gogate, Parag R

2012-05-01

The degradation of an aqueous solution of dichlorvos, a commonly used pesticide in India, has been systematically investigated using hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. All the experiments have been carried out using a 20 ppm solution of commercially available dichlorvos. The effect of important operating parameters such as inlet pressure (over a range 3-6 bar), temperature (31 °C, 36 °C and 39 °C) and pH (natural pH = 5.7 and acidic pH = 3) on the extent of degradation has been investigated initially. It has been observed that an optimum value of pressure gives maximum degradation whereas low temperature and pH of 3 are favorable. Intensification studies have been carried out using different additives such as hydrogen peroxide, carbon tetrachloride, and Fenton's reagent. Use of hydrogen peroxide and carbon tetrachloride resulted in the enhancement of the extent of degradation at optimized conditions but significant enhancement was obtained with the combined use of hydrodynamic cavitation and Fenton's chemistry. The maximum extent of degradation as obtained by using a combination of hydrodynamic cavitation and Fenton's chemistry was 91.5% in 1h of treatment time. The present work has conclusively established that hydrodynamic cavitation in combination with Fenton's chemistry can be effectively used for the degradation of dichlorvos. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of the temperature, pH and irradiance on the photosynthetic activity by Scenedesmus obtusiusculus under nitrogen replete and deplete conditions.

PubMed

Cabello, Juan; Toledo-Cervantes, Alma; Sánchez, León; Revah, Sergio; Morales, Marcia

2015-04-01

This paper evaluates the effect of the irradiance, pH and temperature on the photosynthetic activity (PA) of Scenedesmus obtusiusculus under N-replete and N-deplete conditions through oxygen measurements. The highest PA values were 160 mgO2 gb(-1) h(-1) at 620 μmol m(-2) s(-1), 35 °C and pH of 8 under N-replete conditions and 3.3 mgO2 gb(-1) h(-1) at 100 μmol m(-2) s(-1), 28.5 °C and pH of 5.5 for N-deplete conditions. Those operation conditions were tested in a flat-panel photobioreactor. The biomass productivity was 0.97 gb L(-1) d(-1) under N-replete conditions with a photosynthetic efficiency (PE) of 4.4% yielding 0.85 gb mol photon(-1). Similar biomass productivity was obtained under N-deplete condition; and the lipid productivity was 0.34 gL L(-1) d(-1) with a PE of 7.8% yielding 0.39 gL mol photon(-1). The apparent activation and deactivation energies were 16.1 and 30 kcal mol(-1), and 11.9 and 15.3 kcal mol(-1), for N-replete and N-deplete conditions, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional photoacoustic microscopy of pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatni, M. Rameez; Yao, Junjie; Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P.; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-02-01

pH is a tightly regulated indicator of metabolic activity. In mammalian systems, imbalance of pH regulation may result from or result in serious illness. Even though the regulation system of pH is very robust, tissue pH can be altered in many diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes mellitus. Traditional high-resolution optical imaging techniques, such as confocal microscopy, routinely image pH in cells and tissues using pH sensitive fluorescent dyes, which change their fluorescence properties with the surrounding pH. Since strong optical scattering in biological tissue blurs images at greater depths, high-resolution pH imaging is limited to penetration depths of 1mm. Here, we report photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) of commercially available pH-sensitive fluorescent dye in tissue phantoms. Using both opticalresolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM), and acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR-PAM), we explored the possibility of recovering the pH values in tissue phantoms. In this paper, we demonstrate that PAM was capable of recovering pH values up to a depth of 2 mm, greater than possible with other forms of optical microscopy.

Evaluation of the relation between lipid coat, transepidermal water loss, and skin pH.

PubMed

Algiert-Zielińska, Barbara; Batory, Mirella; Skubalski, Janusz; Rotsztejn, Helena

2017-11-01

The epidermis is an epidermal barrier which accumulates lipid substances and participates in skin moisturizing. An evaluation of the epidermal barrier efficiency can be made, among others, by the measurement of the following values: the lipid coat, the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) index, and pH. The study involved 50 Caucasian, healthy women aged 19-35 years (mean 20.56). Measurements were made using Courage & Khazaka Multi Probe Adapter MPA 580: Tewameter TM 300, pH-Meter PH 905, Sebumeter SM 815. The areas of measurements included forehead, nose, left cheek, right cheek, chin, and thigh. In the T-zone, the lipid coat was in the range between 0 and 270 μg/cm 2 (mean 128 μg/cm 2 ), TEWL between 1 and 55 g/m 2 /h (mean 11.1 g/m 2 /h), and pH 4.0-5.6 (mean 5.39). Lower values of the lipid coat up to 100 μg/cm 2 were accompanied by TEWL greater than 30 g/m 2 /h and less acidic pH of 5.6-9.0. In the U-zone the range of lipid coat was up to 200 μg/cm 2 (mean 65.2 μg/cm 2 ), the skin pH remained 4.0-5.6 (mean 5.47), and TEWL was in the range between 1 and 20 g/m 2 /h (mean 8.7 g/m 2 /h). Lower values of the lipid coat up to 100 μg/cm 2 were accompanied by TEWL between 1 and 20 g/m 2 /h and less acidic pH of 5.6-9.0. High values of the lipid coat between 180 and 200 μg/cm 2 were connected with TEWL of 1-15 g/m 2 /h. On the skin of the thigh, we observed a very thin lipid coat - 35 μg/cm 2 (mean 5.6 μg/cm 2 ), pH (mean 5.37), and TEWL (mean 8.5 g/m 2 /h) were considered by us to be within regular limits. In the T-zone, a thinner lipid coat resulted in relatively high TEWL and pH levels changing toward alkaline. In the U-zone, thinner lipid coat was accompanied by lower TEWL and pH changing toward alkaline. We also observed that lower values of lipid coat up to 100 μg/cm 2 were associated with higher pH values ranging toward the basic character pH 5.6-9.0). © 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

A pH sensing system using fluorescence-based fibre optical sensor capable of small volume sample measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shijie; McAuliffe, Michael A. P.; Salaj-Kosla, Urszula; Wolfe, Raymond; Lewis, Liam; Huyet, Guillaume

2017-02-01

In this work, a low cost optical pH sensing system that allows for small volume sample measurements was developed. The system operates without the requirement of laboratory instruments (e.g. laser source, spectrometer and CCD camera), this lowers the cost and enhances the portability. In the system, an optical arrangement employing a dichroic filter was used which allows the excitation and emission light to be transmitted using a single fibre thus improving the collection efficiency of the fluorescence signal and also the ability of inserting measurement. The pH sensor in the system uses bromocresol purple as the indicator which is immobilised by sol-gel technology through a dip-coating process. The sensor material was coated on the tip of a 1 mm diameter optical fibre which makes it possible for inserting into very small volume samples to measure the pH. In the system, a LED with a peak emission wavelength of 465 nm is used as the light source and a silicon photo-detector is used to detect the uorescence signal. Optical filters are applied after the LED and in front of the photo-detector to separate the excitation and emission light. The fluorescence signal collected is transferred to a PC through a DAQ and processed by a Labview-based graphic-user-interface (GUI). Experimental results show that the system is capable of sensing pH values from 5.3 to 8.7 with a linear response of R2=0.969. Results also show that the response times for a pH changes from 5.3 to 8.7 is approximately 150 s and for a 0.5 pH changes is approximately 50 s.

High Sensitivity pH Sensor Based on Porous Silicon (PSi) Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor

PubMed Central

Al-Hardan, Naif H.; Abdul Hamid, Muhammad Azmi; Ahmed, Naser M.; Jalar, Azman; Shamsudin, Roslinda; Othman, Norinsan Kamil; Kar Keng, Lim; Chiu, Weesiong; Al-Rawi, Hamzah N.

2016-01-01

In this study, porous silicon (PSi) was prepared and tested as an extended gate field-effect transistor (EGFET) for pH sensing. The prepared PSi has pore sizes in the range of 500 to 750 nm with a depth of approximately 42 µm. The results of testing PSi for hydrogen ion sensing in different pH buffer solutions reveal that the PSi has a sensitivity value of 66 mV/pH that is considered a super Nernstian value. The sensor considers stability to be in the pH range of 2 to 12. The hysteresis values of the prepared PSi sensor were approximately 8.2 and 10.5 mV in the low and high pH loop, respectively. The result of this study reveals a promising application of PSi in the field for detecting hydrogen ions in different solutions. PMID:27338381

High Sensitivity pH Sensor Based on Porous Silicon (PSi) Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor.

PubMed

Al-Hardan, Naif H; Abdul Hamid, Muhammad Azmi; Ahmed, Naser M; Jalar, Azman; Shamsudin, Roslinda; Othman, Norinsan Kamil; Kar Keng, Lim; Chiu, Weesiong; Al-Rawi, Hamzah N

2016-06-07

In this study, porous silicon (PSi) was prepared and tested as an extended gate field-effect transistor (EGFET) for pH sensing. The prepared PSi has pore sizes in the range of 500 to 750 nm with a depth of approximately 42 µm. The results of testing PSi for hydrogen ion sensing in different pH buffer solutions reveal that the PSi has a sensitivity value of 66 mV/pH that is considered a super Nernstian value. The sensor considers stability to be in the pH range of 2 to 12. The hysteresis values of the prepared PSi sensor were approximately 8.2 and 10.5 mV in the low and high pH loop, respectively. The result of this study reveals a promising application of PSi in the field for detecting hydrogen ions in different solutions.

Natural Oxidation of Bromide to Bromine in Evaporated Dead Sea Brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrieli, Ittai; Golan, Rotem; Lazar, Boaz; Baer, Gidi; Zakon, Yevgeni; Ganor, Jiwchar

2016-04-01

Highly evaporated Dead Sea brines are found in isolated sinkholes along the Dead Sea. Many of these brines reach densities of over 1.3 kg/L and pH<5 and are the product of evaporation of Dead Sea brine that drain into the sinkholes. The low pH and the reddish to brownish hue of these brines were an enigma until recently. Despite the rather high total alkalinity (TA) of the Dead Sea (3.826 mmol/kg) the pH of the Dead Sea brine is known to be slightly acidic with a value of ~6.3. In comparison, seawater with the same alkalinity would have a pH value well above 8.3, meaning that H+ activity is 100 fold lower than that of Dead Sea brine. In the present work we assess the apparent dissociation constant value of boric acid (K`B) for the Dead Sea brine and use it to explain the brine's low pH value. We then show that pH decreases further as the brine evaporates and salinity increases. Finally we explain the reddish hue of the hypersaline brines in the sinkholes as due to the presence of dissolved bromine. The latter is the product of oxidation of dissolved bromide, a process that is enabled by the low pH of the hypersaline brines and their high bromide concentration.

Atomic Physics with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. III; Oscillator Strengths for Neutral Carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zsargo, J.; Federman, S. R.; Cardelli, Jason A.

1997-01-01

High quality spectra of interstellar absorption from C I toward beta(sup 1) S(sub co), rho O(sub ph) A, and chi O(sub ph) were obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on HST. Many weak lines were detected within the observed wavelength intervals: 1150-1200 A for beta(sup 1) S(sub co) and 1250-1290 A for rho O(sub ph) A and chi O(sub ph). Curve-of-growth analyses were performed in order to extract accurate column densities and Doppler parameters from lines with precise laboratory-based f-values. These column densities and b-values were used to obtain a self-consistent set of f-values for all the observed C I lines. A particularly important constraint was the need to reproduce data for more than one line of sight. For about 50% of the lines, the derived f-values differ appreciably from the values quoted by Morton.

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.

Fine-particle pH for Beijing winter haze as inferred from different thermodynamic equilibrium models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shaojie; Gao, Meng; Xu, Weiqi; Shao, Jingyuan; Shi, Guoliang; Wang, Shuxiao; Wang, Yuxuan; Sun, Yele; McElroy, Michael B.

2018-05-01

pH is an important property of aerosol particles but is difficult to measure directly. Several studies have estimated the pH values for fine particles in northern China winter haze using thermodynamic models (i.e., E-AIM and ISORROPIA) and ambient measurements. The reported pH values differ widely, ranging from close to 0 (highly acidic) to as high as 7 (neutral). In order to understand the reason for this discrepancy, we calculated pH values using these models with different assumptions with regard to model inputs and particle phase states. We find that the large discrepancy is due primarily to differences in the model assumptions adopted in previous studies. Calculations using only aerosol-phase composition as inputs (i.e., reverse mode) are sensitive to the measurement errors of ionic species, and inferred pH values exhibit a bimodal distribution, with peaks between -2 and 2 and between 7 and 10, depending on whether anions or cations are in excess. Calculations using total (gas plus aerosol phase) measurements as inputs (i.e., forward mode) are affected much less by these measurement errors. In future studies, the reverse mode should be avoided whereas the forward mode should be used. Forward-mode calculations in this and previous studies collectively indicate a moderately acidic condition (pH from about 4 to about 5) for fine particles in northern China winter haze, indicating further that ammonia plays an important role in determining this property. The assumed particle phase state, either stable (solid plus liquid) or metastable (only liquid), does not significantly impact pH predictions. The unrealistic pH values of about 7 in a few previous studies (using the standard ISORROPIA model and stable state assumption) resulted from coding errors in the model, which have been identified and fixed in this study.

Pnicogen bonds between X═PH3 (X = O, S, NH, CH2) and phosphorus and nitrogen bases.

PubMed

Alkorta, Ibon; Sánchez-Sanz, Goar; Elguero, José; Del Bene, Janet E

2014-02-27

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate the pnicogen bonded complexes formed between the acids O═PH3, S═PH3, HN═PH3, and H2C═PH3 and the bases NH3, NCH, N2, PH3, and PCH. All nitrogen and phosphorus bases form complexes in which the bases are lone pair electron donors. The binding energies of complexes involving the stronger bases NH3, NCH, and PH3 differentiate among the acids, but the binding energies of complexes with the weaker bases do not. These complexes are stabilized by charge transfer from the lone pair orbital of N or P to the σ*P═A orbital of X═PH3, where A is the atom of X directly bonded to P. PCH also forms complexes with the X═PH3 acids as a π electron donor to the σ*P═A orbital. The binding energies and the charge-transfer energies of the π complexes are greater than those of the complexes in which PCH is a lone pair donor. Whether the positive charge on P increases, decreases, or remains the same upon complex formation, the chemical shieldings of (31)P decrease in the complexes relative to the corresponding monomers. (1p)J(P-N) and (1p)J(P-P) values correlate best with the corresponding P-N and P-P distances as a function of the nature of the base. (1)J(P-A) values do not correlate with P-A distances. Rather, the absolute values of (1)J(P-O), (1)J(P-S), and (1)J(P-N) decrease upon complexation. Decreasing (1)J(P-A) values correlate linearly with increasing complex binding energies. In contrast, (1)J(P-C) values increase upon complexation and correlate linearly with increasing binding energies.

Stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH in patients with atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Knor, Tanja; Meholjić-Fetahović, Ajša; Mehmedagić, Aida

2011-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronically relapsing skin disease with genetic predisposition, which occurs most frequently in preschool children. It is considered that dryness and pruritus, which are always present in AD, are in correlation with degradation of the skin barrier function. Measurement of hydration and pH value of the stratum corneum is one of the noninvasive methods for evaluation of skin barrier function. The aim of the study was to assess skin barrier function by measuring stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH of the skin with lesions, perilesional skin and uninvolved skin in AD patients, and skin in a healthy control group. Forty-two patients were included in the study: 21 young and adult AD patients and 21 age-matched healthy controls. Capacitance, which is correlated with hydration of stratum corneum and skin surface pH were measured on the forearm in the above areas by SM810/CM820/pH900 combined units (Courage AND Khazaka, Germany). The mean value of water capacitance measured in AD patients was 44.1 ± 11.6 AU (arbitrary units) on the lesions, 60.2 ± 12.4 AU on perilesional skin and 67.2 ± 8.8 AU on uninvolved skin. In healthy controls, the mean value was 74.1 ± 9.2 AU. The mean pH value measured in AD patients was 6.13 ± 0.52 on the lesions, 5.80 ± 0.41 on perilesional skin, and 5.54 ± 0.49 on uninvolved skin. In control group, the mean pH of the skin surface was 5.24 ± 0.40. The values of both parameters measured on lesional skin were significantly different (capacitance decreased and pH increased) from the values recorded on perilesional skin and uninvolved skin. The same held for the relation between perilesional and uninvolved skin. According to study results, the uninvolved skin of AD patients had significantly worse values of the measured parameters as compared with control group. The results of this study suggested the skin barrier function to be degraded in AD patients, which is specifically expressed in lesional skin.

Influence of the water molecules near surface of viral protein on virus activation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepelenko, S. O.; Salnikov, A. S.; Rak, S. V.; Goncharova, E. P.; Ryzhikov, A. B.

2009-06-01

The infection of a cell with influenza virus comprises the stages of receptor binding to the cell membrane, endocytosis of virus particle, and fusion of the virus envelope and cell endosome membrane, which is determined by the conformational changes in hemagglutinin, a virus envelope protein, caused by pH decrease within the endosome. The pH value that induces conformation rearrangements of hemagglutinin molecule considerably varies for different influenza virus strains, first and foremost, due to the differences in amino acid structure of the corresponding proteins. The main goal of this study was to construct a model making it possible to assess the critical pH value characterizing the fusogenic activity of influenza virus hemagglutinin from the data on hemagglutinin structure and experimental verification of this model. Under this model, we assume that when the electrostatic force between interacting hemagglutinin molecules in the virus envelop exceeds a certain value, the hemagglutinin HA1 subunits are arranged so that they form a cavity sufficient for penetration of water molecules. This event leads to an irreversible hydration of the inner fragments of hemagglutinin molecule in a trimer and to the completion of conformational changes. The geometry of electrostatic field in hemagglutinin trimer was calculated taking into account the polarization effects near the interface of two dielectrics, aqueous medium and protein macromolecule. The critical pH values for the conformational changes in hemagglutinin were measured by the erythrocyte hemolysis induced by influenza virus particles when decreasing pH. The critical pH value conditionally separating the pH range into the regions with and without the conformational changes was calculated for several influenza virus H1N1 and H3N2 strains based on the data on the amino acid structure of the corresponding hemagglutinin molecules. Comparison of the theoretical and experimental values of critical pH values for influenza virus strains suggests that the proposed model of the interaction between water molecules and influenza virus envelope proteins has a high prediction efficiency.

Effect of sampling location on L* values and pH measurements and their relationship in broiler breast fillets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lightness (CIELAB L*) and pH values are the most widely measured quality indicators for broiler breast fillets (pectoralis major). Measurement of L* values with a spectrophotometer can be done through Specular Component Included (SCI) or Specular Component Excluded (SCE) modes. The intra-fillet loca...

Soil pH and electrical conductivity are key edaphic factors shaping bacterial communities of greenhouse soils in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jeong Myeong; Roh, An-Sung; Choi, Seung-Chul; Kim, Eun-Jeong; Choi, Moon-Tae; Ahn, Byung-Koo; Kim, Sun-Kuk; Lee, Young-Han; Joa, Jae-Ho; Kang, Seong-Soo; Lee, Shin Ae; Ahn, Jae-Hyung; Song, Jaekyeong; Weon, Hang-Yeon

2016-12-01

Soil microorganisms play an essential role in soil ecosystem processes such as organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and plant nutrient availability. The land use for greenhouse cultivation has been increasing continuously, which involves an intensive input of agricultural materials to enhance productivity; however, relatively little is known about bacterial communities in greenhouse soils. To assess the effects of environmental factors on the soil bacterial diversity and community composition, a total of 187 greenhouse soil samples collected across Korea were subjected to bacterial 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analysis. A total of 11,865 operational taxonomic units at a 97% similarity cutoff level were detected from 847,560 sequences. Among nine soil factors evaluated; pH, electrical conductivity (EC), exchangeable cations (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , and K + ), available P 2 O 5 , organic matter, and NO 3 -N, soil pH was most strongly correlated with bacterial richness (polynomial regression, pH: R 2 = 0.1683, P < 0.001) and diversity (pH: R 2 = 0.1765, P < 0.001). Community dissimilarities (Bray-Curtis distance) were positively correlated with Euclidean distance for pH and EC (Mantel test, pH: r = 0.2672, P < 0.001; EC: r = 0.1473, P < 0.001). Among dominant phyla (> 1%), the relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Planctomycetes were also more strongly correlated with pH and EC values, compared with other soil cation contents, such as Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , and K + . Our results suggest that, despite the heterogeneity of various environmental variables, the bacterial communities of the intensively cultivated greenhouse soils were particularly influenced by soil pH and EC. These findings therefore shed light on the soil microbial ecology of greenhouse cultivation, which should be helpful for devising effective management strategies to enhance soil microbial diversity and improving crop productivity.

Micro Electrochemical pH Sensor Applicable for Real-Time Ratiometric Monitoring of pH Values in Rat Brains.

PubMed

Zhou, Jie; Zhang, Limin; Tian, Yang

2016-02-16

To develop in vivo monitoring meter for pH measurements is still the bottleneck for understanding the role of pH plays in the brain diseases. In this work, a selective and sensitive electrochemical pH meter was developed for real-time ratiometric monitoring of pH in different regions of rat brains upon ischemia. First, 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) was employed and optimized as a selective pH recognition element to establish a 2H(+)/2e(-) approach over a wide range of pH from 5.8 to 8.0. The pH meter demonstrated remarkable selectivity toward pH detection against metal ions, amino acids, reactive oxygen species, and other biological species in the brain. Meanwhile, an inner reference, 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol (FcHT), was selected as a built-in correction to avoid the environmental effect through coimmobilization with 1,2-NQ. In addition, three-dimensional gold nanoleaves were electrodeposited onto the electrode surface to amplify the signal by ∼4.0-fold and the measurement was achieved down to 0.07 pH. Finally, combined with the microelectrode technique, the microelectrochemical pH meter was directly implanted into brain regions including the striatum, hippocampus, and cortex and successfully applied in real-time monitoring of pH values in these regions of brain followed by global cerebral ischemia. The results demonstrated that pH values were estimated to 7.21 ± 0.05, 7.13 ± 0.09, and 7.27 ± 0.06 in the striatum, hippocampus, and cortex in the rat brains, respectively, in normal conditions. However, pH decreased to 6.75 ± 0.07 and 6.52 ± 0.03 in the striatum and hippocampus, upon global cerebral ischemia, while a negligible pH change was obtained in the cortex.

Effect of deposition parameters on the structural properties of ZnO nanopowders prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis.

PubMed

Caglar, Yasemin; Gorgun, Kamuran; Aksoy, Seval

2015-03-05

ZnO nanopowders were synthesized via microwave-assisted hydrothermal method at different deposition (microwave irradiation) times and pH values. The effects of pH and deposition (microwave irradiation) time on the crystalline structure and orientation of the ZnO nanopowders have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. XRD observations showed that the crystalline quality of ZnO nanopowders increased with increasing pH value. The crystallite size and texture coefficient values of ZnO nanopowders were calculated. The structural quality of ZnO nanopowder was improved by deposition parameters. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) was used to analyze the surface morphology of the ZnO nanopowders. Microwave irradiation time and pH value showed a significant effect on the surface morphology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectral investigation of somatotropin for different pH values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero de Joshi, Virginia; Gil, Herminia; Contreras, Silvia; Joshi, Narahari V.; Hernandez, Luis

1996-04-01

Spectral investigations of absorbance in deep ultra-violet region (from 200 nm to 350 nm) of (STM) was carried out for different pH values. On the high energy side the peak is located at 195 nm which is generally attributed to peptide bonds. This peak, as expected, does not show any shift with pH value (4.3 to 10.8). A rather broad peak is spread in the region from 200 nm to 240 nm which could be the superposition of the peaks corresponding to the absorption due to (alpha) helix and (beta) structure. This peak shows a red shift as pH value increases. The same hormone was glycated by a conventional method and the process was estimated with the absorption spectra. The results are discussed in the light of nonenzymatic glycation. It was found that glycation mucus somatotropin resistant towards the denaturation process.

[Serum uric acid is associated with disease severity and an important predictor for clinical outcome in patients with pulmonary hypertension].

PubMed

Luo, D L; Zhang, C J; Huang, Y G; Huang, T; Li, H Z

2017-06-24

Objective: The growing body of literature showed a link between uric acid and pulmonary hypertension (PH), but the impact of hyperuremia on outcome of patients with PH has not been well defined. Therefore, the present study was performed to analyze the impact of uric acid on outcome of PH patients. Methods: One hundred seventy-three PH patients (112 females, mean age 38 years old), who were hospitalized in our department between January 2010 and December 2015, were included in our study, the PH diagnosis was made based on right heart catheterization examination result (mean pulmonary artery pressure≥25 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)). PH patients were divided into mild to moderate PH group (Rp/Rs≤0.6, n =97) and severe PH group (Rp/Rs>0.6, n =76). Fifty-one patients (33 females, mean age 45 years old) without PH based on right heart catheterization were included as control subjects. All participants were followed up for a median of 24 months(6-71 months). Clinical endpoints were defined as cardiogenic death or heart-and-lung transplantation. Results: Uric acid was positively correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance( r =0.398, P <0.01), systemic vascular resistance( r =0.244, P <0.01) and mean right atrial pressure ( r =0.26, P <0.01), and was negatively correlated with cardiac index( r =-0.278, P <0.01)and mixed venous oxygen saturation ( r =-0.322, P <0.01)in PH patients. Serum uric acid level was significantly higher in patients with severe PH than in patients with mild-to-moderate PH and the control subjects (both P <0.05). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), 425.5 μmol/L was found to be the best cut-off value of serum uric acid level to predict the outcome of PH patients (sensitivity 50%, specificity 72%). During follow-up, patients with higher level of uric acid (>425.5 μmol/L) were linked with poorer clinical outcome compared to patients with uric acid <425.5 μmol/L( P =0.027). Conclusion: Our findings suggests that uric acid is associated with the severity of PH and higher uric acid level serves as an important predictor for poor clinical outcome of PH patients.

PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF

DOEpatents

Kilner, S.B.

1959-11-01

A process is presented for the recovery of uraninm values from impure solutions which are obtained, for example, by washing residual uranium salt or uranium metal deposits from stainless steel surfaces using an aqueous or certain acidic aqueous solutions. The solutions include uranyl and oxidized iron, chromium, nickel, and copper ions and may contain manganese, zinc, and silver ions. In accordance with one procedure. the uranyl ions are reduced to the uranous state, and the impurity ions are complexed with cyanide under acidic conditions. The solution is then treated with ammonium hydroxide or alkali metal hydroxide to precipitate uranous hydroxide away from the complexed impurity ions in the solution. Alternatively, an excess of alkali metal cyanide is added to the reduced solution until the solution becomes sufficiently alkaline for the uranons hydroxide to precipitate. An essential feature in operating the process is in maintaining the pH of the solution sufficiently acid during the complexing operation to prevent the precipitation of the impurity metal hydroxides.

[Wastewater from the condensation and drying section of ABS was pretreated by microelectrolysis].

PubMed

Lai, Bo; Qin, Hong-Ke; Zhou, Yue-Xi; Song, Yu-Dong; Cheng, Jia-Yun; Sun, Li-Dong

2011-04-01

Wastewater from the condensation and drying section of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin plant was pretreated by the microelectrolysis, and the effect of the influent pH value on the pollution removal efficiency of the microelectrolysis was mainly studied. In order to study the electrochemical action of the microelectrolysis for the degradation of toxic refractory organic pollutants, two control experiments of activated carbon and iron were set up. The results showed that the TOC removal efficiencies were all fluctuated between 40% and 60% under the condition of different influent pH values. The microelectrolysis can decompose and transform the toxic refractory organic pollutants and increase the BOD5/COD ratio from 0.32 to 0.60, which increased the biodegradability of ABS resin wastewater significantly. When the pH value of influent was 4.0, the BOD5/COD ratio of effluent reached 0.71. The result of UV-vis spectra indicates that the removal efficiency of the organic nitrile was the highest with influent pH was 4.0. Therefore, the best influent pH value of microelectrolysis was 4.0.

Effect of sonication on the colloidal stability of iron oxide nanoparticles

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

Sodipo, Bashiru Kayode; Aziz, Azlan Abdul

2015-04-24

Colloidal stability of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles’ (SPION) suspensions, ultrasonically irradiated at various pH was studied. Electrophoresis measurement of the sonicated SPION showed that the shock waves and other unique conditions generated from the acoustic cavitation process (formation, growth and collapse of bubbles) affect the zeta potential value of the suspension. In this work, stabled colloidal suspensions of SPION were prepared and their pH is varied between 3 and 5. Prior to ultrasonic irradiation of the suspensions, their initial zeta potential values were determined. After ultrasonic irradiation of the suspensions, we observed that the sonication process interacts with colloidal stabilitymore » of the nanoparticles. The results demonstrated that only suspensions with pH less 4 were found stable and able to retain more than 90% of its initial zeta potential value. However, at pH greater than 4, the suspensions were found unstable. The result implies that good zeta potential value of SPION can be sustained in sonochemical process as long as the pH of the mixture is kept below 4.« less

Stable and selective self-assembly of α-lipoic acid on Ge(001) for biomolecule immobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazmierczak, M.; Flesch, J.; Mitzloff, J.; Capellini, G.; Klesse, W. M.; Skibitzki, O.; You, C.; Bettenhausen, M.; Witzigmann, B.; Piehler, J.; Schroeder, T.; Guha, S.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate a novel method for the stable and selective surface functionalization of germanium (Ge) embedded in silicon dioxide. The Ge(001) surface is functionalized using α-lipoic acid (ALA), which can potentially be utilized for the immobilization of a wide range of biomolecules. We present a detailed pH-dependence study to establish the effect of the incubation pH value on the adsorption layer of the ALA molecules. A threshold pH value for functionalization is identified, dividing the examined pH range into two regions. Below a pH value of 7, the formation of a disordered ALA multilayer is observed, whereas a stable well-ordered ALA mono- to bi-layer on Ge(001) is achieved at higher pH values. Furthermore, we analyze the stability of the ALA layer under ambient conditions, revealing the most stable functionalized Ge(001) surface to effectively resist oxidation for up to one week. Our established functionalization method paves the way towards the successful immobilization of biomolecules in future Ge-based biosensors.

Study of Vis/NIR spectroscopy measurement on acidity of yogurt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yong; Feng, Shuijuan; Wu, Di; Li, Xiaoli

2006-09-01

A fast measurement of pH of yogurt using Vis/NIR-spectroscopy techniques was established in order to measuring the acidity of yogurt rapidly. 27 samples selected separately from five different brands of yogurt were measured by Vis/NIR-spectroscopy. The pH of yogurt on positions scanned by spectrum was measured by a pH meter. The mathematical model between pH and Vis/NIR spectral measurements was established and developed based on partial least squares (PLS) by using Unscramble V9.2. Then 25 unknown samples from 5 different brands were predicted based on the mathematical model. The result shows that The correlation coefficient of pH based on PLS model is more than 0.890, and standard error of calibration (SEC) is 0.037, standard error of prediction (SEP) is 0.043. Through predicting the pH of 25 samples of yogurt from 5 different brands, the correlation coefficient between predictive value and measured value of those samples is more than 0918. The results show the good to excellent prediction performances. The Vis/NIR spectroscopy technique had a significant greater accuracy for determining the value of pH. It was concluded that the VisINIRS measurement technique can be used to measure pH of yogurt fast and accurately, and a new method for the measurement of pH of yogurt was established.

In vitro activity of the novel echinocandin CD101 at pH 7 and 4 against Candida spp. isolates from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis

PubMed Central

Boikov, Dina A.; James, Kenneth D.; Bartizal, Ken; Sobel, Jack D.

2017-01-01

Background: The novel echinocandin CD101 has stability properties amenable to topical formulation for use in the treatment of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC). CD101 has demonstrated potent antifungal activity at pH 7, but assessment of its activity at the physiological pH of the vaginal environment is needed. Objectives: To evaluate the antifungal activity of CD101 against clinical VVC isolates of Candida spp., including azole-resistant strains, at pH 4. Methods: MIC values of CD101 and comparators (fluconazole, itraconazole, micafungin, caspofungin and anidulafungin) were assessed via broth microdilution. MIC assays were conducted at pH 7 and 4 after 24 and 48 h against a 108 VVC isolate panel of Candida spp., including Candida albicans (n = 60), Candida glabrata (n = 21), Candida parapsilosis (n = 14) and Candida tropicalis (n = 13). Results: Overall, MIC values of all drugs were slightly higher at pH 4 versus 7 and at 48 versus 24 h of incubation. CD101 MIC values typically exhibited ∼4-fold shifts at pH 4 and were not affected by azole susceptibility. C. parapsilosis susceptibility was the least affected at pH 4 and did not increase for most drugs. Conclusions: CD101 had potent activity against all Candida isolates tested, including azole-resistant strains. Although there was some reduction in activity at pH 4 versus 7, the resulting MIC values were still well below the intravaginal CD101 drug concentrations anticipated to be present following topical administration. These results support continued development of topical CD101 for the treatment of VVC/RVVC. PMID:28158577

In vitro activity of the novel echinocandin CD101 at pH 7 and 4 against Candida spp. isolates from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis.

PubMed

Boikov, Dina A; Locke, Jeffrey B; James, Kenneth D; Bartizal, Ken; Sobel, Jack D

2017-05-01

The novel echinocandin CD101 has stability properties amenable to topical formulation for use in the treatment of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC). CD101 has demonstrated potent antifungal activity at pH 7, but assessment of its activity at the physiological pH of the vaginal environment is needed. To evaluate the antifungal activity of CD101 against clinical VVC isolates of Candida spp., including azole-resistant strains, at pH 4. MIC values of CD101 and comparators (fluconazole, itraconazole, micafungin, caspofungin and anidulafungin) were assessed via broth microdilution. MIC assays were conducted at pH 7 and 4 after 24 and 48 h against a 108 VVC isolate panel of Candida spp., including Candida albicans ( n  =   60), Candida glabrata ( n  =   21), Candida parapsilosis ( n  =   14) and Candida tropicalis ( n  =   13). Overall, MIC values of all drugs were slightly higher at pH 4 versus 7 and at 48 versus 24 h of incubation. CD101 MIC values typically exhibited ∼4-fold shifts at pH 4 and were not affected by azole susceptibility. C. parapsilosis susceptibility was the least affected at pH 4 and did not increase for most drugs. CD101 had potent activity against all Candida isolates tested, including azole-resistant strains. Although there was some reduction in activity at pH 4 versus 7, the resulting MIC values were still well below the intravaginal CD101 drug concentrations anticipated to be present following topical administration. These results support continued development of topical CD101 for the treatment of VVC/RVVC. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Long-term performance evaluation of EBPR process in tropical climate: start-up, process stability, and the effect of operational pH and influent C:P ratio.

PubMed

Ong, Y H; Chua, A S M; Lee, B P; Ngoh, G C

2013-01-01

To date, little information is known about the operation of the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process in tropical climates. Along with the global concerns on nutrient pollution and the increasing array of local regulatory requirements, the applicability and compliance accountability of the EBPR process for sewage treatment in tropical climates is being evaluated. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) inoculated with seed sludge from a conventional activated sludge (CAS) process was successfully acclimatized to EBPR conditions at 28 °C after 13 days' operation. Enrichment of Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis in the SBR was confirmed through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The effects of operational pH and influent C:P ratio on EBPR were then investigated. At pH 7 or pH 8, phosphorus removal rates of the EBPR processes were relatively higher when operated at C:P ratio of 3 than C:P ratio of 10, with 0.019-0.020 and 0.011-0.012 g-P/g-MLVSS•day respectively. One-year operation of the 28 °C EBPR process at C:P ratio of 3 and pH 8 demonstrated stable phosphorus removal rate of 0.020 ± 0.003 g-P/g-MLVSS•day, corresponding to effluent with phosphorus concentration <0.5 mg/L. This study provides the first evidence on good EBPR activity at relatively high temperature, indicating its applicability in a tropical climate.

Metastable and equilibrium phase diagrams of unconjugated bilirubin IXα as functions of pH in model bile systems: Implications for pigment gallstone formation.

PubMed

Berman, Marvin D; Carey, Martin C

2015-01-01

Metastable and equilibrium phase diagrams for unconjugated bilirubin IXα (UCB) in bile are yet to be determined for understanding the physical chemistry of pigment gallstone formation. Also, UCB is a molecule of considerable biomedical importance because it is a potent antioxidant and an inhibitor of atherogenesis. We employed principally a titrimetric approach to obtain metastable and equilibrium UCB solubilities in model bile systems composed of taurine-conjugated bile salts, egg yolk lecithin (mixed long-chain phosphatidylcholines), and cholesterol as functions of total lipid concentration, biliary pH values, and CaCl2 plus NaCl concentrations. Metastable and equilibrium precipitation pH values were obtained, and average pKa values of the two carboxyl groups of UCB were calculated. Added lecithin and increased temperature decreased UCB solubility markedly, whereas increases in bile salt concentrations and molar levels of urea augmented solubility. A wide range of NaCl and cholesterol concentrations resulted in no specific effects, whereas added CaCl2 produced large decreases in UCB solubilities at alkaline pH values only. UV-visible absorption spectra were consistent with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions between UCB and bile salts that were strongly influenced by pH. Reliable literature values for UCB compositions of native gallbladder biles revealed that biles from hemolytic mice and humans with black pigment gallstones are markedly supersaturated with UCB and exhibit more acidic pH values, whereas biles from nonstone control animals and patients with cholesterol gallstone are unsaturated with UCB. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Metastable and equilibrium phase diagrams of unconjugated bilirubin IXα as functions of pH in model bile systems: Implications for pigment gallstone formation

PubMed Central

Berman, Marvin D.

2014-01-01

Metastable and equilibrium phase diagrams for unconjugated bilirubin IXα (UCB) in bile are yet to be determined for understanding the physical chemistry of pigment gallstone formation. Also, UCB is a molecule of considerable biomedical importance because it is a potent antioxidant and an inhibitor of atherogenesis. We employed principally a titrimetric approach to obtain metastable and equilibrium UCB solubilities in model bile systems composed of taurine-conjugated bile salts, egg yolk lecithin (mixed long-chain phosphatidylcholines), and cholesterol as functions of total lipid concentration, biliary pH values, and CaCl2 plus NaCl concentrations. Metastable and equilibrium precipitation pH values were obtained, and average pKa values of the two carboxyl groups of UCB were calculated. Added lecithin and increased temperature decreased UCB solubility markedly, whereas increases in bile salt concentrations and molar levels of urea augmented solubility. A wide range of NaCl and cholesterol concentrations resulted in no specific effects, whereas added CaCl2 produced large decreases in UCB solubilities at alkaline pH values only. UV-visible absorption spectra were consistent with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions between UCB and bile salts that were strongly influenced by pH. Reliable literature values for UCB compositions of native gallbladder biles revealed that biles from hemolytic mice and humans with black pigment gallstones are markedly supersaturated with UCB and exhibit more acidic pH values, whereas biles from nonstone control animals and patients with cholesterol gallstone are unsaturated with UCB. PMID:25359538

Recovery of alkali metal constituents from catalytic coal conversion residues

DOEpatents

Soung, W.Y.

In a coal gasification operation (32) or similar conversion process carried out in the presence of an alkali metal-containing catalyst wherein particles containing alkali metal residues are produced, alkali metal constituents are recovered from the particles by contacting them with water or an aqueous solution to remove water-soluble alkali metal constituents and produce an aqueous solution enriched in said constituents. The aqueous solution thus produced is then contacted with carbon dioxide to precipitate silicon constituents, the pH of the resultant solution is increased, preferably to a value in the range between about 12.5 and about 15.0, and the solution of increased pH is evaporated to increase the alkali metal concentration. The concentrated aqueous solution is then recycled to the conversion process where the alkali metal constituents serve as at least a portion of the alkali metal constituents which comprise the alkali metal-containing catalyst.

Treatment of automotive industry oily wastewater by electrocoagulation: statistical optimization of the operational parameters.

PubMed

GilPavas, Edison; Molina-Tirado, Kevin; Gómez-García, Miguel Angel

2009-01-01

An electrocoagulation process was used for the treatment of oily wastewater generated from an automotive industry in Medellín (Colombia). An electrochemical cell consisting of four parallel electrodes (Fe and Al) in bipolar configuration was implemented. A multifactorial experimental design was used for evaluating the influence of several parameters including: type and arrangement of electrodes, pH, and current density. Oil and grease removal was defined as the response variable for the statistical analysis. Additionally, the BOD(5), COD, and TOC were monitored during the treatment process. According to the results, at the optimum parameter values (current density = 4.3 mA/cm(2), distance between electrodes = 1.5 cm, Fe as anode, and pH = 12) it was possible to reach a c.a. 95% oils removal, COD and mineralization of 87.4% and 70.6%, respectively. A final biodegradability (BOD(5)/COD) of 0.54 was reached.

Performance of an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) in treatment of cassava wastewater

PubMed Central

Ferraz, Fernanda M.; Bruni, Aline T.; Del Bianchi, Vanildo L.

2009-01-01

The performance of an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) was evaluated in the treatment of cassava wastewater, a pollutant residue. An ABR divided in four equal volume compartments (total volume 4L) and operated at 35ºC was used in cassava wastewater treatment. Feed tank chemical oxygen demand (COD) was varied from 2000 to 7000 mg L-1 and it was evaluated the most appropriated hydraulic retention time (HRT) for the best performance on COD removal. The ABR was evaluated by analysis of COD (colorimetric method), pH, turbidity, total and volatile solids, alkalinity and acidity. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried to better understand data obtained. The system showed buffering ability as acidity decreased along compartments while alkalinity and pH values were increased. There was particulate material retention and COD removal varied from 83 to 92% for HRT of 3.5 days. PMID:24031316

Optimization of pectinase immobilization on grafted alginate-agar gel beads by 24 full factorial CCD and thermodynamic profiling for evaluating of operational covalent immobilization.

PubMed

Abdel Wahab, Walaa A; Karam, Eman A; Hassan, Mohamed E; Kansoh, Amany L; Esawy, Mona A; Awad, Ghada E A

2018-07-01

Pectinase produced by a honey derived from the fungus Aspergillus awamori KX943614 was covalently immobilized onto gel beads made of alginate and agar. Polyethyleneimine, glutaraldehyde, loading time and enzyme's units were optimized by 2 4 full factorial central composite design (CCD). The immobilization process increased the optimal working pH for the free pectinase from 5 to a broader range of pH4.5-5.5 and the optimum operational temperature from 55°C to a higher temperature, of 60°C, which is favored to reduce the enzyme's microbial contamination. The thermodynamics studies showed a thermal stability enhancement against high temperature for the immobilized formula. Moreover, an increase in half-lives and D-values was achieved. The thermodynamic studies proved that immobilization of pectinase made a remarkable increase in enthalpy and free energy because of enzyme stability enhancement. The reusability test revealed that 60% of pectinase's original activity was retained after 8 successive cycles. This gel formula may be convenient for immobilization of other industrial enzymes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Laccase Expression by Trametes versicolor in a Simulated Textile Effluent with Different Carbon Sources and PHs.

PubMed

Ottoni, Cristiane; Simões, Marta F; Fernandes, Sara; Santos, Cledir R; Lima, Nelson

2016-08-02

Textile effluents are highly polluting and have variable and complex compositions. They can be extremely complex, with high salt concentrations and alkaline pHs. A fixed-bed bioreactor was used in the present study to simulate a textile effluent treatment, where the white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, efficiently decolourised the azo dye Reactive Black 5 over 28 days. This occurred under high alkaline conditions, which is unusual, but advantageous, for successful decolourisation processes. Active dye decolourisation was maintained by operation in continuous culture. Colour was eliminated during the course of operation and maximum laccase (Lcc) activity (80.2 U∙L(-1)) was detected after glycerol addition to the bioreactor. Lcc2 gene expression was evaluated with different carbon sources and pH values based on reverse transcriptase-PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Glycerol was shown to promote the highest lcc2 expression at pH 5.5, followed by sucrose and then glucose. The highest levels of expression occurred between three and four days, which corroborate the maximum Lcc activity observed for sucrose and glycerol on the bioreactor. These results give new insights into the use of T. versicolor in textile dye wastewater treatment with high pHs.

Optical NOR logic gate design on square lattice photonic crystal platform

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

D’souza, Nirmala Maria, E-mail: nirmala@cukerala.ac.in; Mathew, Vincent, E-mail: vincent@cukerala.ac.in

We numerically demonstrate a new configuration of all-optical NOR logic gate with square lattice photonic crystal (PhC) waveguide using finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The logic operations are based on interference effect of optical waves. We have determined the operating frequency range by calculating the band structure for a perfectly periodic PhC using plane wave expansion (PWE) method. Response time of this logic gate is 1.98 ps and it can be operated with speed about 513 GB/s. The proposed device consists of four linear waveguides and a square ring resonator waveguides on PhC platform.

A novel FbFP-based biosensor toolbox for sensitive in vivo determination of intracellular pH.

PubMed

Rupprecht, Christian; Wingen, Marcus; Potzkei, Janko; Gensch, Thomas; Jaeger, Karl-Erich; Drepper, Thomas

2017-09-20

The intracellular pH is an important modulator of various bio(techno)logical processes such as enzymatic conversion of metabolites or transport across the cell membrane. Changes of intracellular pH due to altered proton distribution can thus cause dysfunction of cellular processes. Consequently, accurate monitoring of intracellular pH allows elucidating the pH-dependency of (patho)physiological and biotechnological processes. In this context, genetically encoded biosensors represent a powerful tool to determine intracellular pH values non-invasively and with high spatiotemporal resolution. We have constructed a toolbox of novel genetically encoded FRET-based pH biosensors (named Fluorescence Biosensors for pH or FluBpH) that utilizes the FMN-binding fluorescent protein EcFbFP as donor domain. In contrast to many fluorescent proteins of the GFP family, EcFbFP exhibits a remarkable tolerance towards acidic pH (pK a ∼3.2). To cover the broad range of physiologically relevant pH values, three EYFP variants exhibiting pK a values of 5.7, 6.1 and 7.5 were used as pH-sensing FRET acceptor domains. The resulting biosensors FluBpH 5.7, FluBpH 6.1 and FluBpH 7.5 were calibrated in vitro and in vivo to accurately evaluate their pH indicator properties. To demonstrate the in vivo applicability of FluBpH, changes of intracellular pH were ratiometrically measured in E. coli cells during acid stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Complexation of sodium caseinate with gum tragacanth: Effect of various species and rheology of coacervates.

PubMed

Ghorbani Gorji, Sara; Ghorbani Gorji, Elham; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Zargaraan, Azizollaah

2014-06-01

We investigated complex coacervation of sodium caseinate/Astragalus rahensis (A.r) as a function of pH with light scattering, spectrophotometry, and viscosity measurements. Interestingly, sodium caseinate/A.r displayed five structural transitions; pH 7.00 to pH ∼5.40: no interaction occurred, pH ∼5.40 to pH ∼4.80: initiation of the formation of primary soluble complexes, pH ∼4.80 to ∼4.30: formation of interpolymer complexes, pH ∼4.30 to ∼4.02: optimum coacervation and pH ∼4.02 to ∼2.50: suppression of coacervation. In addition, rheological properties of sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates were studied at various pH values. A much higher storage modulus (G') than loss modulus (G″) for all sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates suggests the formation of highly interconnected gel-like network structures with mainly elastic behaviour. Moreover, sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates at all pH values exhibited a shear thinning behaviour across the entire shear rate range investigated. Effects of different species of gum tragacanth on the interactions with sodium caseinate have been scarcely studied. Our study showed that systems containing various species (A.r, soluble fraction of A.r and Astragalus gossypinus (A.g)) had different critical pH values and particle sizes during complex coacervation, which could be due to different ratio of soluble to insoluble fractions and uronic acid content of various species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flexible modeling improves assessment of prognostic value of C-reactive protein in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Gagnon, B; Abrahamowicz, M; Xiao, Y; Beauchamp, M-E; MacDonald, N; Kasymjanova, G; Kreisman, H; Small, D

2010-03-30

C-reactive protein (CRP) is gaining credibility as a prognostic factor in different cancers. Cox's proportional hazard (PH) model is usually used to assess prognostic factors. However, this model imposes a priori assumptions, which are rarely tested, that (1) the hazard ratio associated with each prognostic factor remains constant across the follow-up (PH assumption) and (2) the relationship between a continuous predictor and the logarithm of the mortality hazard is linear (linearity assumption). We tested these two assumptions of the Cox's PH model for CRP, using a flexible statistical model, while adjusting for other known prognostic factors, in a cohort of 269 patients newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the Cox's PH model, high CRP increased the risk of death (HR=1.11 per each doubling of CRP value, 95% CI: 1.03-1.20, P=0.008). However, both the PH assumption (P=0.033) and the linearity assumption (P=0.015) were rejected for CRP, measured at the initiation of chemotherapy, which kept its prognostic value for approximately 18 months. Our analysis shows that flexible modeling provides new insights regarding the value of CRP as a prognostic factor in NSCLC and that Cox's PH model underestimates early risks associated with high CRP.

Using eddy currents for noninvasive in vivo pH monitoring for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Beck-Broichsitter, Benedicta E; Daschner, Frank; Christofzik, David W; Knöchel, Reinhard; Wiltfang, Jörg; Becker, Stephan T

2015-03-01

The metabolic processes that regulate bone healing and bone induction in tissue engineering models are not fully understood. Eddy current excitation is widely used in technical approaches and in the food industry. The aim of this study was to establish eddy current excitation for monitoring metabolic processes during heterotopic osteoinduction in vivo. Hydroxyapatite scaffolds were implanted into the musculus latissimus dorsi of six rats. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) was applied 1 and 2 weeks after implantation. Weekly eddy current excitation measurements were performed. Additionally, invasive pH measurements were obtained from the scaffolds using fiber optic detection devices. Correlations between the eddy current measurements and the metabolic values were calculated. The eddy current measurements and pH values decreased significantly in the first 2 weeks of the study, followed by a steady increase and stabilization at higher levels towards the end of the study. The measurement curves and statistical evaluations indicated a significant correlation between the resonance frequency values of the eddy current excitation measurements and the observed pH levels (p = 0.0041). This innovative technique was capable of noninvasively monitoring metabolic processes in living tissues according to pH values, showing a direct correlation between eddy current excitation and pH in an in vivo tissue engineering model.

Comparison of survival of diarrhoeagenic agents in two local weaning foods (ogi and koko).

PubMed

Bakare, S; Smith, S I; Olukoya, D K; Akpan, E

1998-12-01

The pH values of both cooked and uncooked ogi and koko samples were determined and the survival rate of four diarrhoeagenic agents, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, and Vibrio cholerae were studied after they were seeded into cooked ogi and koko. Analysis of the pH of the cooked inoculated samples showed that there was a slight increase in pH (decrease in acidity) during storage for 48 h and 37 degrees C (from 3.5 to 3.7 for ogi and from 3.7 to 4.1 for koko). The study also showed that ogi had a slightly lower pH value than koko both before and after cooking. In both cases, the cooked samples had a slightly lower pH value than the uncooked samples. The pH value of ogi ranged from 3.0 to 3.6 and that of koko from 3.5 to 3.9. The survival experiment showed that the inoculated enteric pathogens were inhibited in cooked ogi and koko during storage for 24-48 h. The antibacterial effect of cooked koko was more pronounced, on the four enteric pathogens studied, than that of cooked ogi. Except for Shigella flexneri and E. coli in ogi, non of the other bacteria studied was recovered after 24 h.

Effects of Gold Salt Speciation and Structure of Human and Bovine Serum Albumins on the Synthesis and Stability of Gold Nanostructures

PubMed Central

Miranda, Érica G. A.; Tofanello, Aryane; Brito, Adrianne M. M.; Lopes, David M.; Albuquerque, Lindomar J. C.; de Castro, Carlos E.; Costa, Fanny N.; Giacomelli, Fernando C.; Ferreira, Fabio F.; Araújo-Chaves, Juliana C.; Nantes, Iseli L.

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of albumin structure and gold speciation on the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The strategy of synthesis was the addition of HAuCl4 solutions at different pH values (3–12) to solutions of human and bovine serum albumins (HSA and BSA) at the same corresponding pH values. Different pH values influence the GNP synthesis due to gold speciation. Besides the inherent effect of pH on the native structure of albumins, the use N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-treated and heat-denaturated forms of HSA and BSA provided additional insights about the influence of protein structure, net charge, and thiol group approachability on the GNP synthesis. NEM treatment, heating, and the extreme values of pH promoted loss of the native albumin structure. The formation of GNPs indicated by the appearance of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands became detectable from 15 days of the synthesis processes that were carried out with native, NEM-treated and heat-denaturated forms of HSA and BSA, exclusively at pH 6 and 7. After 2 months of incubation, SPR band was also detected for all synthesis carried out at pH 8.0. The mean values of the hydrodynamic radius (RH) were 24 and 34 nm for GNPs synthesized with native HSA and BSA, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed crystallites of 13 nm. RH, XRD, and zeta potential values were consistent with GNP capping by the albumins. However, the GNPs produced with NEM-treated and heat-denaturated albumins exhibited loss of protein capping by lowering the ionic strength. This result suggests a significant contribution of non-electrostatic interactions of albumins with the GNP surface, in these conditions. The denaturation of proteins exposes hydrophobic groups to the solvent, and these groups could interact with the gold surface. In these conditions, the thiol blockage or oxidation, the latter probably favored upon heating, impaired the formation of a stable capping by thiol coordination with the gold surface. Therefore, the cysteine side chain of albumins is important for the colloidal stabilization of GNPs rather than as the reducing agent for the synthesis. Despite the presence of more reactive gold species at more acidic pH values, i.e., below 6.0, in these conditions the loss of native albumin structure impaired GNP synthesis. Alkaline pH values (9–12) combined the unfavorable conditions of denaturated protein structure with less reactive gold species. Therefore, an optimal condition for the synthesis of GNPs using serum albumins involves more reactive gold salt species combined with a reducing and negatively charged form of the protein, all favored at pH 6–7. PMID:27066476

Heavy metals alter the electrokinetic properties of bacteria, yeasts, and clay minerals.

PubMed Central

Collins, Y E; Stotzky, G

1992-01-01

The electrokinetic patterns of four bacterial species (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Agrobacterium radiobacter), two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans), and two clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite) in the presence of the chloride salts of the heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and of Na and Mg were determined by microelectrophoresis. The cells and kaolinite were net negatively charged at pH values above their isoelectric points (pI) in the presence of Na, Mg, Hg, and Pb at an ionic strength (mu) of 3 x 10(-4); montmorillonite has no pI and was net negatively charged at all pH values in the presence of these metals. However, the charge of some bacteria, S. cerevisiae, and kaolinite changed to a net positive charge (charge reversal) in the presence of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn at pH values above 5.0 (the pH at which charge reversal occurred differed with the metal) and then, at higher pH values, again became negative. The charge of the bacteria and S. cerevisiae also reversed in solutions of Cu and Ni with a mu of greater than 3 x 10(-4), whereas there was no reversal in solutions with a mu of less than 3 x 10(-4). The clays became net positively charged when the mu of Cu was greater than 3 x 10(-4) and that of Ni was greater than 1.5 x 10(-4). The charge of the cells and clays also reversed in solutions containing both Mg and Ni or both Cu and Ni (except montmorillonite) but not in solutions containing both Mg and Cu (except kaolinite) (mu = 3 x 10(-4)). The pIs of the cells in the presence of the heavy metals were at either higher or lower pH values than in the presence of Na and Mg. Exposure of the cells to the various metals at pH values from 2 to 9 for the short times (ca. 10 min) required to measure the electrophoretic mobility did not affect their viability. The specific adsorption on the cells and clays of the hydrolyzed species of some of the heavy metals that formed at higher pH values was probably responsible for the charge reversal. These results suggest that the toxicity of some heavy metals to microorganisms varies with pH because the hydrolyzed speciation forms of these metals, which occur at higher pH values, bind on the cell surface and alter the net charge of the cell.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) PMID:1622229

Narrow pH Range of Surface Water Bodies Receiving Pesticide Input in Europe.

PubMed

Bundschuh, Mirco; Weyers, Arnd; Ebeling, Markus; Elsaesser, David; Schulz, Ralf

2016-01-01

Fate and toxicity of the active ingredients (AI's) of plant protection products in surface waters is often influenced by pH. Although a general range of pH values is reported in literature, an evaluation targeting aquatic ecosystems with documented AI inputs is lacking at the larger scale. Results show 95% of European surface waters (n = 3075) with a documented history of AI exposure fall within a rather narrow pH range, between 7.0 and 8.5. Spatial and temporal variability in the data may at least be partly explained by the calcareous characteristics of parental rock material, the affiliation of the sampling site to a freshwater ecoregion, and the photosynthetic activity of macrophytes (i.e., higher pH values with photosynthesis). Nonetheless, the documented pH range fits well with the standard pH of most ecotoxicological test guidelines, confirming the fate and ecotoxicity of AIs are usually adequately addressed.

Fluorescent pH sensor based on Ag@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticle.

PubMed

Bai, Zhenhua; Chen, Rui; Si, Peng; Huang, Youju; Sun, Handong; Kim, Dong-Hwan

2013-06-26

We have demonstrated a novel method for the preparation of a fluorescence-based pH sensor by combining the plasmon resonance band of Ag core and pH sensitive dye (HPTS). A thickness-variable silica shell is placed between Ag core and HPTS dye to achieve the maximum fluorescence enhancement. At the shell thickness of 8 nm, the fluorescence intensity increases 4 and 9 times when the sensor is excited at 405 and 455 nm, respectively. At the same time, the fluorescence intensity shows a good sensitivity toward pH value in the range of 5-9, and the ratio of emission intensity at 513 nm excited at 455 nm to that excited at 405 nm versus the pH value in the range of 5-9 is determined. It is believed that the present pH sensor has the potential for determining pH real time in the biological sample.

Mapping Soil pH Buffering Capacity of Selected Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, A. R.; Kissel, D. E.; Chen, F.; West, L. T.; Adkins, W.; Rickman, D.; Luvall, J. C.

2003-01-01

Soil pH buffering capacity, since it varies spatially within crop production fields, may be used to define sampling zones to assess lime requirement, or for modeling changes in soil pH when acid forming fertilizers or manures are added to a field. Our objective was to develop a procedure to map this soil property. One hundred thirty six soil samples (0 to 15 cm depth) from three Georgia Coastal Plain fields were titrated with calcium hydroxide to characterize differences in pH buffering capacity of the soils. Since the relationship between soil pH and added calcium hydroxide was approximately linear for all samples up to pH 6.5, the slope values of these linear relationships for all soils were regressed on the organic C and clay contents of the 136 soil samples using multiple linear regression. The equation that fit the data best was b (slope of pH vs. lime added) = 0.00029 - 0.00003 * % clay + 0.00135 * % O/C, r(exp 2) = 0.68. This equation was applied within geographic information system (GIS) software to create maps of soil pH buffering capacity for the three fields. When the mapped values of the pH buffering capacity were compared with measured values for a total of 18 locations in the three fields, there was good general agreement. A regression of directly measured pH buffering capacities on mapped pH buffering capacities at the field locations for these samples gave an r(exp 2) of 0.88 with a slope of 1.04 for a group of soils that varied approximately tenfold in their pH buffering capacities.

Hydroponic system design with real time OS based on ARM Cortex-M microcontroller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atmadja, Wiedjaja; Liawatimena, Suryadiputra; Lukas, Jonathan; Nata, Eka Putra Leo; Alexander, Ivan

2017-12-01

Hydroponic is the process of growing plants without soil, plant root flooded or moist with nutrient-rich solutions in inert material. Hydroponics has become a reality for greenhouse growers in virtually all climates. Large hydroponic installations exist throughout the world for growing flowers, vegetables and some short period fruit like tomato and cucumber. In soilless culture, we must maintain stable pH and conductivity level of nutrient solution to make plant grow well, large variation of pH of certain time will poisoned plant. This paper describes development complete automation hydroponic system, from maintaining stable nutrient composition (conductivity and pH), grow light, and monitor plant environment such as CO2, temperature and humidity. The heart of our automation is ARM Cortex-M4 from ST Microelectronic running ARM mbed OS, the official Real Time Operating System (RTOS) for ARM Cortex-M microcontroller. Using RTOS gives us flexibility to have multithreaded process. Results show that system capable to control desired concentration level with variation of less than 3%, pH sensor show good accuracy 5.83% from pH value 3.23-10. Growing light intensity measurement show result 105 μmol/m2/s therefore we need turn on the light at least 17 hours/day to fulfil plant light requirement. RTOS give good performance with latency and jitter less than 15 us, system overall show good performance and accuracy for automating hydroponic plant in vegetative phase of growth.

Application of pH-sensitive magnetic nanoparticles microgel as a sorbent for the preconcentration of phenoxy acid herbicides in water samples.

PubMed

Tabani, Hadi; Khodaei, Kamal; Bide, Yasamin; Zare, Farzaneh Dorabadi; Mirzaei, Saeed; Fakhari, Ali Reza

2015-08-14

Introducing new sorbents is an interesting and debatable issue in the field of sample preparation. In this study, for the first time, a pH-sensitive magnetic nanoparticles microgel, Fe3O4-SiO2-oly(4-vinylpyridine), was introduced as a new sorbent. The operating mechanism of this sorbent is based on changing the pH value of the sample and consequently the structure of this pH-sensitive microgel is changed. So that, at pH 6.0 the microgel was ready to accept and load the analytes (partial swelling), and when the pH was increased to 8.0, the microgel was closed and analytes were trapped inside the sorbent (deswelling). At pH 2.0 the microgel was opened and the analytes were released from the microgel (swelling). As the adsorption and desorption mechanism is based on changing the pH and only aqueous medium is used as the effluent solvent, this method is introduced as a green extraction method. The use of this microgel resulted in excellent figures of merit. The limits of quantitation and detection for herbicides were obtained within the range of 10-30 and 3-10 ng mL(-1), respectively. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to determine the concentration of phenoxy acid herbicides as hazardous materials in water samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of D(acid)-, D(bile)-, z(acid)-, and z(bile)-values in evaluating Bifidobacteria with regard to stomach pH and bile salt sensitivity.

PubMed

Jia, Li; Shigwedha, Nditange; Mwandemele, Osmund D

2010-01-01

The survival of bifidobacteria in simulated conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was studied based on the D- and z-value concept. Some Bifidobacterium spp. are probiotics that improve microbial balance in the human GI tract. Because they are sensitive to low pH and bile salt concentrations, their viability in the GI tract is limited. The D- and z-value approach was therefore adopted as a result of observing constant log-cell reduction (90%) when Bifidobacterium spp. were exposed to these 2 different stressing factors. Survivals of one strain each or 4 species of Bifidobacterium was studied at pH between 3.0 and 4.5 and in ox-bile between 0.15% and 0.60% for times up to 41 h. From the D(acid)- and D(bile)-values, the order of resistance to acid and bile was B. bifidum > B. infantis > B. longum > B. adolescentis. While the former 3 strains retained high cell viability at pH 3.5 (>5.5 log CFU/mL after 5 h) and at elevated bile salt concentration of 0.6% (>4.5 log CFU/mL after 3 h), B. adolescentis was less resistant (<3.4 log CFU/mL). The z(acid)- and z(bile)-values calculated from the D(acid)- and D(bile)-values ranged from 1.11 to 1.55 pH units and 0.40% to 0.49%, respectively. The results suggest that the D(acid)-, D(bile)-, z(acid)-, and z(bile)-value approach could be more appropriate than the screening and selection method in evaluating survival of probiotic bacteria, and in measuring their tolerance or resistance to gastric acidity and the associated bile salt concentration in the small intestine. The evaluation of the tolerance of bifidobacteria to bile salts and low pH has been made possible by use of D- and z-value concept. The calculated z(acid)- and z(bile)-values were all fairly similar for the strains used and suggest the effect of increasing the bile salt concentration or decreasing the pH on the D(acid)- and D(bile)-values. This approach would be useful for predicting the suitability of bifidobacteria and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotics for use in real-life situations.

Horizontal and vertical variability of soil properties in a trace element contaminated area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgos, Pilar; Madejón, Engracia; Pérez-de-Mora, Alfredo; Cabrera, Francisco

2008-02-01

The spatial distribution of some soil chemical properties and trace element contents of a plot affected by the Aznalcóllar mine spill were investigated using statistical and geostatistical methods to assess the extent of soil contamination. Total and EDTA-extractable soil trace element concentrations and total S content showed great variability and high coefficients of variation in the three examined depths. Soil in the plot was found to be significantly contaminated by As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn within a wide range of pH. Total trace element concentrations at all depths (0-60 cm) were much higher than background values of non-affected soil, indicating that despite the clean-up operations, the concentration of trace elements in the experimental plot was still high. The spatial distribution of the different variables was estimated by kriging to design contour maps. These maps allowed the identification of specific zones with high metal concentrations and low pH values corresponding to spots of residual sludge. Moreover, kriged maps showed distinct spatial distribution and hence different behaviour for the elements considered. This information may be applied to optimise remediation strategies in highly and moderately contaminated areas.

Continuous electrocoagulation of cheese whey wastewater: an application of Response Surface Methodology.

PubMed

Tezcan Un, Umran; Kandemir, Ayse; Erginel, Nihal; Ocal, S Eren

2014-12-15

In this study, treatment of cheese whey wastewater was performed using a uniquely-designed continuous electrocoagulation reactor, not previously encountered in the literature. An iron horizontal rotating screw type anode was used in the continuous mode. An empirical model, in terms of effective operational factors, such as current density (40, 50, 60 mA/cm(2)), pH (3, 5, 7) and retention time (20, 40, 60 min), was developed through Response Surface Methodology. An optimal region characterized by low values of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was determined. As a result of experiments, a linear effect in the removal efficiency of COD was obtained for current density and retention time, while the initial pH of the wastewater was found to have a quadratic effect in the removal efficiency of COD. The best fit nonlinear mathematical model, with a coefficient of determination value (R(2)) of 85%, was defined. An initial COD concentration of 15.500 mg/L was reduced to 2112 mg/L with a removal efficiency of 86.4%. In conclusion, it can be said that electrocoagulation was successfully applied for the treatment of cheese whey wastewater. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of pH for the determination of serum albumin by a dye-binding method in the presence of a detergent.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yuji

2008-08-01

In the dye-binding method, the absorbance increase caused by a protein error of a pH indicator is observed only in a restricted pH range. However, this pH range in the presence of a detergent has not yet been examined. Thus, the author investigated the pH (pH(UL)) where the absorbance increase becomes zero by a calculation based on the chemical equilibrium of a protein error of a pH indicator, and by experiments using four sulfonephthalein dyes. The pH(UL) value changed only with the detergent concentration, but did not change at all due to the dye, buffer solution or protein concentrations. Although the pH(UL) value was different according to the kind of dye used, it correlated well with the pK(D) values (dissociation constant) of BPB, BCG, BCP and BTB. The characteristics of pH(UL) in the reactions of the four dyes indicated good agreement with that obtained by a calculation.

Intra-Shell boron isotope ratios in benthic foraminifera: Implications for paleo-pH reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rollion-Bard, C.; Erez, J.

2009-12-01

The boron isotope composition of marine carbonates is considered to be a seawater pH proxy. Nevertheless, the use of δ11B has some limitations: 1) the knowledge of fractionation factor (α4-3) between the two boron dissolved species (boric acid and borate ion), 2) the δ11B of seawater may have varied with time and 3) the amplitude of the "vital effects" of this proxy. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), we looked at the internal variability in the boron isotope ratio of the shallow water, symbionts bearing foraminiferan Amphistegina lobifera. Specimens were cultured at constant temperature (24±0.1 °C) in seawater with pH ranging between 7.90 and 8.45. We performed 6 to 8 measurements of δ11B in each foraminifera. Intra-shell boron isotopes show large variability with an upper threshold value of pH ~ 9. The ranges of the skeletal calculated pH values in different cultured foraminifera, show strong correlation with the culture pH values and may thus serve as proxy for pH in the past ocean.

Comparative study of the functional properties of three legume seed isolates: adzuki, pea and soy bean.

PubMed

Barac, Miroljub B; Pesic, Mirjana B; Stanojevic, Sladjana P; Kostic, Aleksandar Z; Bivolarevic, Vanja

2015-05-01

The aim of this work was to compare functional properties including solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties of native and thermally treated adzuki, soy and pea protein isolates prepared under the same conditions. These functional properties were tested at four pH values: pH 3.0, pH 5.0, pH 7.0 and pH 8.0. The lowest solubility at all pH values were obtained for isolate of adzuki whereas isolates of soybean had the highest values at almost all pHs. Thermal treatment reduced solubility of soy and pea isolates at all pH values, whereas solubility of adzuki isolate was unchanged, except at pH 8. Native isolate of adzuki had the best emulsifying properties at pH 7.0 whereas at the other pH values some of native pea and soybean protein isolates were superior. After thermal treatment, depending on tested pH and selected variety all of three species could be a good emulsifier. Native soy protein isolates formed the most stable foams at all pHs. Thermal treatment significantly improved foaming properties of adzuki isolate, whereas reduced foaming capacity of soy and pea isolates, but could improve foam stability of these isolates at specific pH. Appropriate selection of legume seed as well as variety could have great importance in achievement of desirable functional properties of final products. All three tested species could find specific application in wide range of food products.

Size control of Au NPs supported by pH operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichiji, Masumi; Akiba, Hiroko; Hirasawa, Izumi

2017-07-01

Au NPs are expected to become useful functional particles, as particle gun used for plant gene transfer and also catalysts. We have studied PSD (particle size distribution) control of Au NPs by reduction crystallization. Previous study found out importance of seeds policy and also feeding profile. In this paper, effect of pH in the reduction crystallization was investigated to clarify the possibility of Au NPs PSD control by pH operation and also their growth process. Au NPs of size range 10-600 nm were obtained in single-jet system using ascorbic acid (AsA) as a reducing agent with adjusting pH of AsA. Au NPs are found to grow in the process of nucleation, agglomeration, agglomeration growth and surface growth. Au NPs tend to grow by agglomeration and become larger size in lower pH regions, and to grow only by surface growth and become smaller size in higher pH regions.

Effect of ph Value and Calcination Temperature on Structure and Magnetic Properties of Strontium Hexaferrite Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanaghi, A.

2012-02-01

Strontium hexaferrite was widely used in the fabrication of commercial permanent magnets and certain microwave devices. In this study, the strontium hexaferrite nanoparticle coatings were prepared by sol-gel method and using spin coating process on silicon substrate, then the effect of pH value, such as 5, 7 and 9, and calcination temperatures, such as 600°C, 800°C, and 1000°C, on structural and magnetic properties of strontium hexaferrite thin films were investigated by XRD, SEM and VSM measurements. The maximum saturation magnetization value of 57.43 emu/g and coercivity value of 3908 Oe were achieved for the thin film with crystallite size approximately 41 nm, prepared at pH value of 7 and calcinations temperature of 800°C.

Anaerobic bio-hydrogen production from ethanol fermentation: the role of pH.

PubMed

Hwang, Moon H; Jang, Nam J; Hyun, Seung H; Kim, In S

2004-08-05

Hydrogen was produced by an ethanol-acetate fermentation at pH of 5.0 +/- 0.2 and HRT of 3 days. The yield of hydrogen was 100-200 ml g Glu(-1) with a hydrogen content of 25-40%. This fluctuation in the hydrogen yield was attributed to the formation of propionate and the activity of hydrogen utilizing methanogens. The change in the operational pH for the inhibition of this methanogenic activity induced a change in the main fermentation pathway. In this study, the main products were butyrate, ethanol and propionate, in the pH ranges 4.0-4.5, 4.5-5.0 and 5.0-6.0, respectively. However, the activity of all the microorganisms was inhibited below pH 4.0. Therefore, pH 4.0 was regarded as the operational limit for the anaerobic bio-hydrogen production process. These results indicate that the pH plays an important role in determining the type of anaerobic fermentation pathway in anaerobic bio-hydrogen processes.

[Advances in the effects of pH value of micro-environment on wound healing].

PubMed

Tian, Ruirui; Li, Na; Wei, Li

2016-04-01

Wound healing is a complex regeneration process, which is affected by lots of endogenous and exogenous factors. Researches have confirmed that acid environment could prevent wound infection and accelerate wound healing by inhibiting bacteria proliferation, promoting oxygen release, affecting keratinocyte proliferation and migration, etc. In this article, we review the literature to identify the potential relationship between the pH value of wound micro-environment and the progress of wound healing, and summarize the clinical application of variation of pH value of micro-environment in wound healing, thereby to provide new treatment strategy for wound healing.

HDP for the Neutralized pH Value Control in the Clarifying Process of Sugar Cane Juice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Xiaofeng; Yang, Jiaran

2009-05-01

Neutralizing pH value of sugar cane juice is the important craft in the control process in the clarifying process of sugar cane juice, which is the important factor to influence output and the quality of white sugar. On the one hand, it is an important content to control the neutralized pH value within a required range, which has the vital significance for acquiring high quality purified juice, reducing energy consumption and raising sucrose recovery. On the other hand, it is a complicated physical-chemistry process, which has the characteristics of strong non-linearity, time-varying, large time-delay, and multi-input. Therefore, there has not been a very good solution to control the neutralized pH value. Firstly, in this chapter, a neural network model for the clarifying process of sugar juice is established based on gathering 1200 groups of real-time sample data in a sugar factory. Then, the HDP (Heuristic Dynamic Programming) method is used to optimize and control the neutralized pH value in the clarifying process of sugar juice. Simulation results indicate that this method has good control effect. This will build a good foundation for stabilizing the clarifying process and enhancing the quality of the purified juice and lastly enhancing the quality of white sugar.

Formation of metal-nicotianamine complexes as affected by pH, ligand exchange with citrate and metal exchange. A study by electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Rellán-Alvarez, Rubén; Abadía, Javier; Alvarez-Fernández, Ana

2008-05-01

Nicotianamine (NA) is considered as a key element in plant metal homeostasis. This non-proteinogenic amino acid has an optimal structure for chelation of metal ions, with six functional groups that allow octahedral coordination. The ability to chelate metals by NA is largely dependent on the pK of the resulting complex and the pH of the solution, with most metals being chelated at neutral or basic pH values. In silico calculations using pKa and pK values have predicted the occurrence of metal-NA complexes in plant fluids, but the use of soft ionization techniques (e.g. electrospray), together with high-resolution mass spectrometers (e.g. time-of-flight mass detector), can offer direct and metal-specific information on the speciation of NA in solution. We have used direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (time-of-flight) ESI-MS(TOF) to study the complexation of Mn, Fe(II), Fe(III), Ni, Cu by NA. The pH dependence of the metal-NA complexes in ESI-MS was compared to that predicted in silico. Possible exchange reactions that may occur between Fe-NA and other metal micronutrients as Zn and Cu, as well as between Fe-NA and citrate, another possible Fe ligand candidate in plants, were studied at pH 5.5 and 7.5, values typical of the plant xylem and phloem saps. Metal-NA complexes were generally observed in the ESI-MS experiments at a pH value approximately 1-2 units lower than that predicted in silico, and this difference could be only partially explained by the estimated error, approximately 0.3 pH units, associated with measuring pH in organic solvent-containing solutions. Iron-NA complexes are less likely to participate in ligand- and metal-exchange reactions at pH 7.5 than at pH 5.5. Results support that NA may be the ligand chelating Fe at pH values usually found in phloem sap, whereas in the xylem sap NA is not likely to be involved in Fe transport, conversely to what occurs with other metals such as Cu and Ni. Some considerations that need to be addressed when studying metal complexes in plant compartments by ESI-MS are also discussed.

Synthesis, morphology, optical and photocatalytic performance of nanostructured β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}

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

Girija, K.; DRDO – BU CLS, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046; Thirumalairajan, S.

2013-06-01

Highlights: ► Nanostructures of β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} were prepared using facile reflux condensation process. ► The pH of the reaction mixture shows evident influence on the size and shape of the nanostructures formed. ► The nanostructures exhibited good photocatalytic activity toward Rhodamine B and was found to be superior for higher pH value. - Abstract: Fine powders of β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures were prepared via low temperature reflux condensation method by varying the pH value without using any surfactant. The pH value of reaction mixture had great influence on the morphology of final products. High crystalline single phase β-Ga{sub 2}O{submore » 3} nanostructures were obtained by thermal treatment at 900 °C which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The morphological analysis revealed rod like nanostructures at lower and higher pH values of 6 and 10, while spindle like structures were obtained at pH = 8. The phase purity and presence of vibrational bands were identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optical absorbance spectrum showed intense absorption features in the UV spectral region. A broad blue emission peak centered at 441 nm due to donor–acceptor gallium–oxygen vacancy pair recombination appeared. The photocatalytic activity toward Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation was higher for nanorods at pH 10.« less

Influence of pH and europium concentration on the luminescent and morphological properties of Y2O3 powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esquivel-Castro, Tzipatly; Carrillo-Romo, Felipe de J.; Oliva-Uc, Jorge; García-Murillo, Antonieta; Hirata-Flores, Gustavo A.; Cayetano-Castro, Nicolás; De la Rosa, Elder; Morales-Ramírez, Angel de J.

2015-10-01

This work reports on the synthesis and characterization of Y2O3:Eu3+ powders obtained by the hydrothermal method. We studied the influence of different pH values (7-12) and Eu3+ concentrations (2.5-25 mol%) on the structural, morphological and luminescent characteristics of Y2O3:Eu3+ powders. The hydrothermal synthesis was performed at 200 °C for 12 h by employing Y2O3, HNO3, H2O and Eu (NO3)3 as precursors, in order to obtain two sets of samples. The first set of powders was obtained with different pH values and named Eu5PHx (x = 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12), and the second set was obtained by using a constant pH = 7 with different Eu concentrations, named EuxPH7 (x = 2.5, 5, 8, 15, 20 and 25). The XRD spectra showed that the Y2O3:Eu3+ powders exhibited a cubic phase, regardless of the pH values and Eu3+ concentrations. The SEM observations indicated that pH influenced the morphology and size of phosphors; for instance, for pH = 7, hexagonal microplatelets were obtained, and microrods at pH values from 8 to 12. Doping Y2O3 with various Eu3+ concentrations (in mol%) also produced changes in morphology, in these cases, hexagonal microplatelets were obtained in the range of 2.5-5 mol%, and non uniform plates were observed at higher doping concentrations ranging from 8 to 25 mol%. According to our results, the microplatelets synthesized with a pH of 7 and an 8 mol% Eu3+ concentration presented the highest luminescence under excitation at 254 nm. All of these results indicate that our phosphors could be useful for applications of controlled drug delivery, photocatalysis and biolabeling.

pH effect on structural and optical properties of nanostructured zinc oxide thin films

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

Munef, R. A.

2015-03-30

ZnO nanostructures were Deposited on Objekttrager glasses for various pH values by chemical bath deposition method using Zn (NO3)2·6H2O (zinc nitrate hexahydrate) solution at 75°C reaction temperature without any posterior treatments. The ZnO nanostructures obtained were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD, UV). The structure was hexagonal and it was found that some peaks disappear with various pH values. The grain sizes of ZnO films increases from 22-to-29nm with increasing pH. The transmission of the films was (85-95%)

[Effect of different sludge retention time (SRT) on municipal sewage sludge bioleaching continuous plug flow reaction system].

PubMed

Liu, Fen-Wu; Zhou, Li-Xiang; Zhou, Jun; Jiang, Feng; Wang, Dian-Zhan

2012-01-01

A plug-flow bio-reactor of 700 L working volume for sludge bioleaching was used in this study. The reactor was divided into six sections along the direction of the sludge movement. Fourteen days of continuous operation of sludge bioleaching with different sludge retention time (SRT) under the condition of 1.2 m3 x h(-1) aeration amount and 4 g x L(-1) of microbial nutritional substance was conducted. During sludge bioleaching, the dynamic changes of pH, DO, dewaterability (specific resistance to filtration, SRF) of sewage sludge in different sections were investigated in the present study. The results showed that sludge pH were maintained at 5.00, 3.00, 2.90, 2.70, 2.60 and 2.40 from section 1 to section 6 and the SRF of sludge was drastically decreased from initial 0.64 x 10(13) m x kg(-1) to the final 0.33 x 10(13) m x kg(-1) when bioleaching system reached stable at hour 72 with SRT 2.5d. In addition, the sludge pH were maintained at 5.10, 4.10, 3.20, 2.90, 2.70 and 2.60, the DO value were 0.43, 1.47, 3.29, 4.76, 5.75 and 5.88 mg x L(-1) from section 1 to section 6, and the SRF of sludge was drastically decreased from initial 0.56 x 10(13) to the final 0.20 x 10(13) m x kg(-1) when bioleaching system reached stable at hour 120 with SRT 2 d. The pH value was increased to 3.00 at section 6 at hour 48 h with SRT 1.25 d. The bioleaching system imbalanced in this operation conditions because of the utilization efficiency of microbial nutritional substance by Acidibacillus spp. was decreased. The longer sludge retention time, the easier bioleaching system reached stable. 2 d could be used as the optimum sludge retention time in engineering application. The bioleached sludge was collected and dewatered by plate-and-frame filter press to the moisture content of dewatered sludge cake under 60%. This study would provide the necessary data to the engineering application on municipal sewage sludge bioleaching.

Rhodamine-based fluorescent probe for direct bio-imaging of lysosomal pH changes.

PubMed

Shi, Xue-Lin; Mao, Guo-Jiang; Zhang, Xiao-Bing; Liu, Hong-Wen; Gong, Yi-Jun; Wu, Yong-Xiang; Zhou, Li-Yi; Zhang, Jing; Tan, Weihong

2014-12-01

Intracellular pH plays a pivotal role in various biological processes. In eukaryotic cells, lysosomes contain numerous enzymes and proteins exhibiting a variety of activities and functions at acidic pH (4.5-5.5), and abnormal variation in the lysosomal pH causes defects in lysosomal function. Thus, it is important to investigate lysosomal pH in living cells to understand its physiological and pathological processes. In this work, we designed a one-step synthesized rhodamine derivative (RM) with morpholine as a lysosomes tracker, to detect lysosomal pH changes with high sensitivity, high selectivity, high photostability and low cytotoxicity. The probe RM shows a 140-fold fluorescence enhancement over a pH range from 7.4 to 4.5 with a pKa value of 5.23. Importantly, RM can detect the chloroquine-induced lysosomal pH increase and monitor the dexamethasone-induced lysosomal pH changes during apoptosis in live cells. All these features demonstrate its value of practical application in biological systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural, morphological and steady state photoluminescence spectroscopy studies of red Eu(3+)-doped Y2O3 nanophosphors prepared by the sol-gel method.

PubMed

Lamiri, Lyes; Guerbous, Lakhdar; Samah, Madani; Boukerika, Allaoua; Ouhenia, Salim

2015-12-01

Europium trivalent (Eu(3+))-doped Y2O3 nanopowders of different concentrations (0.5, 2.5, 5 or 7 at.%) were synthesized by the sol-gel method, at different pH values (pH 2, 5 or 8) and annealing temperatures (600 °C, 800 °C or 1000 °C). The nanopowders samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and steady state photoluminescence spectroscopy. The effect of pH of solution and annealing temperatures on structural, morphological and photoluminescence properties of Eu(3+)-doped Y2O3 were studied and are discussed. It was found that the average crystallite size of the nanopowders increased with increasing pH and annealing temperature values. The Y2O3:Eu(3+) material presented different morphology and its evolution depended on the pH value and the annealing temperature. Activation energies at different pH values were determined and are discussed. Under ultraviolet (UV) light excitation, Y2O3:Eu(3+) showed narrow emission peaks corresponding to the (5)D0- (7) FJ (J = 0, 1, 2 and 3) transitions of the Eu(3+) ion, with the most intense red emission at 611 assigned to forced electric dipole (5)D0 → (7)F2. The emission intensity became more intense with increasing annealing temperature and pH values, related to the improvement of crystalline quality. For the 1000 °C annealing temperature, the emission intensity presented a maximum at pH 5 related to the uniform cubic-shaped particles. It was found that for lower annealing temperatures (small crystallite size) the CTB (charge transfer band) position presented a red shift. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[pH values in the pharynx of the patients presenting with compromised nasal breathing of inflammatory and non-inflammatory genesis concomitant with gastroesophageal reflux disease].

PubMed

Subbotina, M V; Temnikova, I V; Onuchina, E V

2015-01-01

The objective of the present study was to estimate the influence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) on the pH values in the pharynx and nose. It included 87 patients at the age varying from 18 to 81 years admitted to the Irkutsk-based Railway Clinical Hospital and allocated to four groups. Group 1 was comprised of 25 patients presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), group 2 consisted of 29 patients with CRS in the absence of GERD, group 3 included 22 patients with nasal septum deformations (NSD) and GERD, group 4 included 11 patients with NSD and motor rhinitis without GERD. The control group was formed from 10 volunteers. pH was measured by the contact method with the use ofEkokhim indicator paper. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was diagnosed following the recommendations of the Montreal consensus. It was shown that pH values in the pharynx of the patients with compromised nasal breathing of any origin in combination with GERD were lower than in the absence of GERD and in the healthy volunteers. The study groups did not differ in terms of pH values in the nasal cavity. It is concluded that pH values 4 or lower may serve as the criterion for pharyngo-laryngeal reflux (PLR) concomitant with HERD while pH 5 occurs more frequently in the patients with compromised nasal breathing of any etiology, regardless of the presence or absence of GERD.Disordered nasal breathing of any genesis in the patients presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease was associated with the feeling of the lump in the throat, congestion of the respiratory tract and the nose, pain in the ears, cardialgia, and irregular heartbeat. It isrecommended to use pH measurements as a criterion for diagnostics of pharyngo-laryngeal reflux in the patients presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

A physicochemical study of Al(+3) interactions with edible seaweed biomass in acidic waters.

PubMed

Lodeiro, Pablo; López-García, Marta; Herrero, Luz; Barriada, José L; Herrero, Roberto; Cremades, Javier; Bárbara, Ignacio; Sastre de Vicente, Manuel E

2012-09-01

In this article, a study of the Al(+3) interactions in acidic waters with biomass of different edible seaweeds: brown (Fucus vesiculosus, Saccorhiza polyschides), red (Mastocarpus stellatus, Gelidium sesquipedale, Chondrus crispus), and green (Ulva rigida, Codium tomentosum), has been performed. The influence of both, the initial concentration of metal and the solution pH, on the Al-uptake capacity of the biomass has been analyzed. From preliminary tests, species Fucus vesiculosus and Gelidium sesquipedale have been selected for a more exhaustive analysis. Sorption kinetic studies demonstrated that 60 min are enough to reach equilibrium. The intraparticle diffusion model has been used to describe kinetic data. Equilibrium studies have been carried out at pH values of 1, 2.5, and 4. Langmuir isotherms showed that the best uptake values, obtained at pH 4, were 33 mg/g for F. vesiculosus and 9.2 mg/g for G. sesquipedale. These edible seaweeds have been found particularly effective in binding aluminum metal ions for most of the conditions tested. Physicochemical data reported at these low pH values could be of interest, not only in modeling aluminum-containing antacids-food pharmacokinetic processes produced in the stomach (pH values 1 to 3) but in remediation studies in acidic waters. Aluminum is thought to be linked to neurological disruptions such as Alzheimer's disease. In this article, the adsorption ability of different types of edible seaweeds toward aluminum has been studied. The choice of low pH values is due to the fact that stomach region is acidic with a pH value between 1 and 3 as a consequence of hydrochloric secretion; so physicochemical data reported in this study could be of interest in modeling drug-food interactions, in particular those referring to aluminum-containing antacids-food pharmacokinetic processes produced in the gastrointestinal tract. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Modeling the movement of a pH perturbation and its impact on adsorbed zinc and phosphate in a wastewater‐contaminated aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kent, D.B.; Wilkie, J.A.; Davis, J.A.

2007-01-01

Chemical conditions were perturbed in an aquifer with an ambient pH of 5.9 and wastewater‐derived adsorbed zinc (Zn) and phosphate (P) contamination by injecting a pulse of amended groundwater. The injected groundwater had low concentrations of dissolved Zn and P, a pH value of 4.5 resulting from equilibration with carbon dioxide gas, and added potassium bromide (KBr). Downgradient of the injection, breakthrough of nonreactive Br and total dissolved carbonate concentrations in excess of ambient values (excess TCO2) were accompanied by a decrease in pH values and over twentyfold increases in dissolved Zn concentrations above preinjection values. Peak concentrations of Br and excess TCO2 were followed by slow increases in pH values accompanied by significant increases in dissolved P above preinjection concentrations. The injected tracers mobilized a significant mass of wastewater‐derived Zn. Reactive transport simulations incorporating surface complexation models for adsorption of Zn, P, hydrogen ions, and major cations onto the aquifer sediments, calibrated using laboratory experimental data, captured most of the important trends observed during the experiment. These include increases in Zn concentrations in response to the pH perturbation, perturbations in major cation concentrations, attenuation of the pH perturbation with transport distance, and increases in alkalinity with transport distance. Observed desorption of P in response to chemical perturbations was not predicted, possibly because of a disparity between the range of chemical conditions in the calibration data set and those encountered during the field experiment. Zinc and P desorbed rapidly in response to changing chemical conditions despite decades of contact with the sediments. Surface complexation models with relatively few parameters in the form of logK values and site concentrations show considerable promise for describing the influence of variable chemistry on the transport of adsorbing contaminants.

[Reduction of nitrobenzene by iron oxides bound Fe(II) system at different pH values].

PubMed

Luan, Fu-Bo; Xie, Li; Li, Jun; Zhou, Qi

2009-07-15

Batch tests were conducted to investigate the reductive transformation of nitrobenzene by goethite, hematite, magnetite and steel converter slag bound Fe(II) system. And the reduction mechanism was explored at different pH values. Experimental results showed that hematite, magnetite and steel converter slag could adsorb Fe(II) on surfaces and form iron oxides bound Fe(II) system at pH from 6.5 to 7.0. The systems had strong reductive capacity and could reduce nitrobenzene to aniline. The reduction efficiency of nitrobenzene in surface bound Fe(II) system followed the sequence of magnetite, hematite and steel converter slag from high to low. The reduction efficiency of hematite and magnetite system increased with pH increasing. While it was almost pH independent in steel converter slag system. Although goethite adsorbed most of Fe(II) in solution, the adsorbed Fe(II) had no reductive activity for nitrobenzene. At pH 6.0, small amount of Fe(II) was adsorbed on magnetite and hematite and the systems did not show reductive activity for nitrobenzene. However, steel converter slag could adsorb Fe(II) at pH 6.0 and reduction efficiency almost equaled to the value at pH 7.0. When pH was above 7.5, dissolved Fe(II) could be converted to Fe(OH)2 and the newly formed Fe(OH)2 became the main redactor in the system. Under alkali condition, the presence of iron oxides inhibited the reduction capacity of system.

Carboxylate-Containing Two-Photon Probe for the Simultaneous Detection of Extra- and Intracellular pH Values in Colon Cancer Tissue.

PubMed

Si, Ho Young; Cho, Myoung Ki; Kang, Ji Su; Noh, Choong-Kyun; Shin, Sung Jae; Lim, Chang Su; Kim, Hwan Myung

2018-06-11

Acidified extracellular pH (pHe) is directly related to various disorders such as tumor invasion and the resistance to drugs. In this study, we developed two-photon-excitable emission ratiometric probes (XBH1-3) for the in situ measurement of pHe. These probes, based on benzimidazole and polar solubilizing groups, exhibited a strong two-photon-induced fluorescence and sensitive blue-to-green emission color changes with p K a values of 5.1-5.7. XBH1, containing a carboxylic acid, stained the extracellular region in neutral media; it entered the cell under acidic media, thereby allowing a precise measurement of the extra- and intra-cellular pH values in the acidified tissue. XBH2, containing the sulfonate peripheral unit, facilitated the monitoring of the pHe value only. Ratiometric two-photon microscopy imaging revealed that XBH1 can directly monitor the pH values both inside and outside the cells in colon cancer tissue; there is also the morphological aspect. This could be useful for cancer analyses and drug development.

The Added Value of a PhD in Medicine--PhD Students' Perceptions of Acquired Competences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anttila, Henrika; Lindblom-Ylänne, Sari; Lonka, Kristi; Pyhältö, Kirsi

2015-01-01

PhD in the field of medicine is more common than in any other domain. Many medical doctors are driven towards PhD, but also students with other backgrounds (usually MSc) are conducting a PhD in medical schools. Higher education has invested a lot in developing generic and research competences. Still little is known about how PhD students…

Noninvasive model including right ventricular speckle tracking for the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension

PubMed Central

Mahran, Yossra; Schueler, Robert; Weber, Marcel; Pizarro, Carmen; Nickenig, Georg; Skowasch, Dirk; Hammerstingl, Christoph

2016-01-01

AIM To find parameters from transthorathic echocardiography (TTE) including speckle-tracking (ST) analysis of the right ventricle (RV) to identify precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS Forty-four patients with suspected PH undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) were consecutively included (mean age 63.1 ± 14 years, 61% male gender). All patients underwent standardized TTE including ST analysis of the RV. Based on the subsequent TTE-derived measurements, the presence of PH was assessed: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated by Simpsons rule from 4Ch. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) was assessed with continuous wave Doppler of systolic tricuspid regurgitant velocity and regarded raised with values ≥ 30 mmHg as a surrogate parameter for RA pressure. A concomitantly elevated PCWP was considered a means to discriminate between the precapillary and postcapillary form of PH. PCWP was considered elevated when the E/e’ ratio was > 12 as a surrogate for LV diastolic pressure. E/e’ ratio was measured by gauging systolic and diastolic velocities of the lateral and septal mitral valve annulus using TDI mode. The results were then averaged with conventional measurement of mitral valve inflow. Furthermore, functional testing with six minutes walking distance (6MWD), ECG-RV stress signs, NT pro-BNP and other laboratory values were assessed. RESULTS PH was confirmed in 34 patients (precapillary PH, n = 15, postcapillary PH, n = 19). TTE showed significant differences in E/e’ ratio (precapillary PH: 12.3 ± 4.4, postcapillary PH: 17.3 ± 10.3, no PH: 12.1 ± 4.5, P = 0.02), LV volumes (ESV: 25.0 ± 15.0 mL, 49.9 ± 29.5 mL, 32.2 ± 13.6 mL, P = 0.027; EDV: 73.6 ± 24.0 mL, 110.6 ± 31.8 mL, 87.8 ± 33.0 mL, P = 0.021) and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP: 61.2 ± 22.3 mmHg, 53.6 ± 20.1 mmHg, 31.2 ± 24.6 mmHg, P = 0.001). STRV analysis showed significant differences for apical RV longitudinal strain (RVAS: -7.5% ± 5.6%, -13.3% ± 4.3%, -14.3% ± 6.3%, P = 0.03). NT pro-BNP was higher in patients with postcapillary PH (4677.0 ± 7764.1 pg/mL, precapillary PH: 1980.3 ± 3432.1 pg/mL, no PH: 367.5 ± 420.4 pg/mL, P = 0.03). Patients with precapillary PH presented significantly more often with ECG RV-stress signs (P = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses displayed the most significant area under the curve (AUC) for RVAS (cut-off < -6.5%, AUC 0.91, P < 0.001), sPAP (cut-off > 33 mmHg, AUC 0.86, P < 0.001) and ECG RV stress signs (AUC 0.83, P < 0.001). The combination of these parameters had a sensitivity of 82.8% and a specificity of 17.2% to detect precapillary PH. CONCLUSION The combination of non-invasive measurements allows feasible assessment of PH and seems beneficial for the differentiation between the pre- and postcapillary form of this disease. PMID:27621775

pH Tolerance in Freshwater Bacterioplankton: Trait Variation of the Community as Measured by Leucine Incorporation

PubMed Central

Kritzberg, Emma

2015-01-01

pH is an important factor determining bacterial community composition in soil and water. We have directly determined the community tolerance (trait variation) to pH in communities from 22 lakes and streams ranging in pH from 4 to 9 using a growth-based method not relying on distinguishing between individual populations. The pH in the water samples was altered to up to 16 pH values, covering in situ pH ± 2.5 U, and the tolerance was assessed by measuring bacterial growth (Leu incorporation) instantaneously after pH adjustment. The resulting unimodal response curves, reflecting community tolerance to pH, were well modeled with a double logistic equation (mean R2 = 0.97). The optimal pH for growth (pHopt) among the bacterial communities was closely correlated with in situ pH, with a slope (0.89 ± 0.099) close to unity. The pH interval, in which growth was ≥90% of that at pHopt, was 1.1 to 3 pH units wide (mean 2.0 pH units). Tolerance response curves of communities originating from circum-neutral pH were symmetrical, whereas in high-pH (8.9) and especially in low-pH (<5.5) waters, asymmetric tolerance curves were found. In low-pH waters, decreasing pH was more detrimental for bacterial growth than increasing pH, with a tendency for the opposite for high-pH waters. A pH tolerance index, using the ratio of growth at only two pH values (pH 4 and 8), was closely related to pHopt (R2 = 0.83), allowing for easy determination of pH tolerance during rapid changes in pH. PMID:26276108

A calorimetric investigation of the interaction of the lac repressor with inducer.

PubMed

Donnér, J; Caruthers, M H; Gill, S J

1982-12-25

A calorimetric study has been made of the interaction between the lac repressor and isopropyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (IPTG). The buffer-corrected enthalpy of reaction at 25 degrees C was found to be -15.6, -24.7, -4.6 kJ/mol of bound IPTG at pH 7.0, pH 8.1, and pH 9.0, respectively. This large range of enthalpy values is in contrast to a maximum difference in the free energy of the reaction of only 1.5 kJ/mol of bound IPTG between these pH values. The reaction was found by calorimetric measurements in different buffers to be accompanied by an uptake of 0.29 mol of protons/mol of bound IPTG at pH 8.1. The pH dependency of the reaction enthalpy suggests differences in the extent of protonation of the binding site and the involvement of H bonding with IPTG. The lack of strong hydrophobic contributions in the IPTG binding process is revealed by the absence of any determinable heat capacity change for the reaction at pH 7.0. The presence of phosphate buffer significantly alters the enthalpy of IPTG binding at higher pH values, but has little effect upon the binding constant. This implies that highly negative phosphate species change the nature of the IPTG binding site without any displacement of phosphate upon IPTG binding.

IgG1 adsorption to siliconized glass vials-influence of pH, ionic strength, and nonionic surfactants.

PubMed

Höger, Kerstin; Mathes, Johannes; Frieß, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

In this study, the adsorption of an IgG1 antibody to siliconized vials was investigated with focus on the formulation parameters pH, ionic strength, and nonionic surfactants. Electrophoretic mobility measurements were performed to investigate the charge characteristics of protein and siliconized glass particles at different pH values. Calculation of the electrokinetic charge density allowed further insight into the energetic conditions in the protein-sorbent interface. Maximum adsorption of IgG1 was found at acidic pH values and could be correlated with energetically favorable minimal ion incorporation into the interface. The importance of electrostatic interactions for IgG1 adsorption at acidic pH values was also confirmed by the efficient adsorption reduction at decreased solution ionic strength. A second adsorption maximum around the pI of the protein was assigned to hydrophobic interactions with the siliconized surface. Addition of the nonionic surfactants poloxamer 188 or polysorbate 80 resulted in almost complete suppression of adsorption at pH 7.2, and a strong but less efficient effect at pH 4 on siliconized glass vials. This adsorption suppression was much less pronounced on borosilicate glass vials. From these results, it can be concluded that electrostatic interactions contribute substantially to IgG1 adsorption to siliconized glass vials especially at acidic formulation pH. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Rapid Synthesis of Calcium Phosphates: Structural Control and Application in Protein Adsorption

PubMed Central

Cai, Zhu-Yun; Peng, Fan; Zi, Yun-Peng; Chen, Feng; Qian, Qi-Rong

2015-01-01

Synthetic calcium phosphate (CaP)-based materials have attracted much attention in the biomedical field. In this study, we have investigated the effect of pH values on CaP nanostructures prepared using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The hierarchical nanosheet-assembled hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanostructure was prepared under weak acidic conditions (pH 5), while the HAP nanorod was prepared under neutral (pH 7) and weak alkali (pH 9) condition. However, when the pH value increases to 11, a mixed product of HAP nanorod and tri-calcium phosphate nanoparticle was obtained. The results indicated that the pH value of the initial reaction solution played an important role in the phase and structure of the CaP. Furthermore, the protein adsorption and release performance of the as-prepared CaP nanostructures were investigated by using hemoglobin (Hb) as a model protein. The sample that was prepared at pH = 11 and consisted of mixed morphologies of nanorods and nanoprisms showed a higher Hb protein adsorption capacity than the sample prepared at pH 5, which could be explained by its smaller size and dispersed structure. The results revealed the relatively high protein adsorption capacity of the as-prepared CaP nanostructures, which show promise for applications in various biomedical fields such as drug delivery and protein adsorption. PMID:28347064

Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Rapid Synthesis of Calcium Phosphates: Structural Control and Application in Protein Adsorption.

PubMed

Cai, Zhu-Yun; Peng, Fan; Zi, Yun-Peng; Chen, Feng; Qian, Qi-Rong

2015-07-31

Synthetic calcium phosphate (CaP)-based materials have attracted much attention in the biomedical field. In this study, we have investigated the effect of pH values on CaP nanostructures prepared using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The hierarchical nanosheet-assembled hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanostructure was prepared under weak acidic conditions (pH 5), while the HAP nanorod was prepared under neutral (pH 7) and weak alkali (pH 9) condition. However, when the pH value increases to 11, a mixed product of HAP nanorod and tri-calcium phosphate nanoparticle was obtained. The results indicated that the pH value of the initial reaction solution played an important role in the phase and structure of the CaP. Furthermore, the protein adsorption and release performance of the as-prepared CaP nanostructures were investigated by using hemoglobin (Hb) as a model protein. The sample that was prepared at pH = 11 and consisted of mixed morphologies of nanorods and nanoprisms showed a higher Hb protein adsorption capacity than the sample prepared at pH 5, which could be explained by its smaller size and dispersed structure. The results revealed the relatively high protein adsorption capacity of the as-prepared CaP nanostructures, which show promise for applications in various biomedical fields such as drug delivery and protein adsorption.

Towards control of aggregational behaviour of alpha-lactalbumin at acidic pH.

PubMed

Pedersen, Jane B; Fojan, Peter; Sorensen, John; Petersen, Steffen B

2006-07-01

alpha-Lactalbumin (alpha-La) undergoes considerable structural changes upon loss of bound Ca2+ at acidic pH, leaving alpha-La in a molten globule structure. Using fluorescence the present work provides more insight into the structural transition of alpha-La at acidic pH leading to protein aggregation, most likely caused by a combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The rate of aggregation is determined by the protein concentration and temperature applied. Availability of Ca2+ stabilises the protein, and thus prevent aggregation at pH values as low as pH 2.9. In contrast, presence of Cu2+ induces a destabilisation of the protein, which can be explained by a binding to the Zn2+ binding site in alpha-La, possibly resulting in structural alterations of the protein. In general, presence of anions destabilize alpha-La at pH values below pI, with SO4(2-) exhibiting the strongest effect on the protein stability, thus correlating well with the Hofmeister series. At more acidic pH values far from pI, alpha-La becomes more stable towards ion induced aggregation, since higher ion activity is required to efficiently screen the charges on the protein surface. The results presented in this paper provide detailed knowledge on the external parameters leading to aggregation of alpha-La at acidic pH, thus permitting rational design of the aggregation process.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of cyanidin 3-glucoside and caffeine copigments.

PubMed

Limón, Piedad M; Gavara, Raquel; Pina, Fernando

2013-06-05

The multiequilibrium system of reactions of cyanidin 3-glucoside at acidic and mildly acidic pH values was studied in the presence of caffeine as a copigment. The thermodynamic and kinetic constants were determined using the so-called direct and reverse pH jump experiments that were followed by conventional UV-vis spectroscopy or stopped flow coupled to a UV-vis detector, depending on the rate of the monitored process. Compared with that of free anthocyanin, the copigmentation with caffeine extends the domain of the flavylium cation up to less acidic pH values, while in a moderately acidic medium, the quinoidal base becomes more stabilized. As a consequence, the hydration to give the colorless hemiketal is difficult over the entire range of pH values. At pH 1, two adducts were found for the flavylium cation-caffeine interaction, with stoichiometries of 1:1 and 1:2 and association constants of 161 M⁻¹ (K₁) and 21 M⁻¹ (K₂), respectively.

Structural differences between native Hen egg white lysozyme and its fibrils under different environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Susmita; Ghosh, Sudeshna; Dasgupta, Swagata; Roy, Anushree

2013-10-01

The difference in molecular structure of native HEWL and its fibrils, grown at a pH value near physiological pH 7.4 and at a pH value just above the pI, 10.7 in presence and absence of Cu(II) ions, is discussed. We focus on differences between the molecular structure of the native protein and fibrils using principal component analysis of their Raman spectra. The overlap areas of the scores of each species are used to quantify the difference in the structure of the native HEWL and fibrils in different environments. The overall molecular structures are significantly different for fibrils grown at two pH values. However, in presence of Cu(II) ions, the fibrils have similarities in their molecular structures at these pH environments. Spectral variation within each species, as obtained from the standard deviations of the scores in PCA plots, reveals the variability in the structure within a particular species.

Self-doped polyaniline multifunctional optical probes in confined nanostructure for pH sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yoochan; Hwang, Seungyeon; Yang, Jaemoon

2017-07-01

We have successfully fabricated nanocomposite, which is composed of polyaniline (PAni) and pyrene butyric acid (Pyba) via solvent shift method, and the outer layer was enclosed by Tween 80 as a surfactant. First of all, the various ratios between PAni and Pyba were applied for synthesis of polyaniline nanocomposite, and an identical condition for exhibition of proper absorbance and fluorescence properties was found out. The morphology of polyaniline nanocomposite was confirmed via scanning electron microscopic imaging and hydrodynamic size was also confirmed by dynamic light scattering method. We demonstrated that confined self-doped polyaniline nanocomposite as a pH sensing agent are preserved in the doped state even at a neutral pH value. Especially, PAni exhibited strong convertible property at absorbance spectra, on the other hand, Pyba showed changing property at fluorescence spectra at various pH values. In conclude, this polyaniline nanocomposite can accomplish as a fine nanoagent expressing absorbance and fluorescence properties according to surrounding pH values.

Estimated net acid excretion inversely correlates with urine pH in vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and omnivores.

PubMed

Ausman, Lynne M; Oliver, Lauren M; Goldin, Barry R; Woods, Margo N; Gorbach, Sherwood L; Dwyer, Johanna T

2008-09-01

Diet affects urine pH and acid-base balance. Both excess acid/alkaline ash (EAA) and estimated net acid excretion (NAE) calculations have been used to estimate the effects of diet on urine pH. This study's goal was to determine if free-living vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and omnivores have increasingly acidic urine, and to assess the ability of EAA and estimated NAE calculations to predict urine pH. This study used a cross-sectional design. This study assessed urine samples of 10 vegan, 16 lacto-ovo vegetarian, and 16 healthy omnivorous women in the Boston metropolitan area. Six 3-day food records from each dietary group were analyzed for EAA content and estimated NAE, and correlations with measured urine pH were calculated. The mean (+/- SD) urine pH was 6.15 +/- 0.40 for vegans, 5.90 +/- 0.36 for lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 5.74 +/- 0.21 for omnivores (analysis of variance, P = .013). Calculated EAA values were not significantly different among the three groups, whereas mean estimated NAE values were significantly different: 17.3 +/- 14.5 mEq/day for vegans, 31.3 +/- 8.5 mEq/day for lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 42.6 +/- 13.2 mEq/day for omnivores (analysis of variance, P = .01). The average deattenuated correlation between urine pH and EAA was 0.333; this value was -0.768 for estimated NAE and urine pH, with a regression equation of pH = 6.33 - 0.014 NAE (P = .02, r = -0.54). Habitual diet and estimated NAE calculations indicate the probable ranking of urine pH by dietary groups, and may be used to determine the likely acid-base status of an individual; EAA calculations were not predictive of urine pH.

Graphite Screen-Printed Electrodes Applied for the Accurate and Reagentless Sensing of pH.

PubMed

Galdino, Flávia E; Smith, Jamie P; Kwamou, Sophie I; Kampouris, Dimitrios K; Iniesta, Jesus; Smith, Graham C; Bonacin, Juliano A; Banks, Craig E

2015-12-01

A reagentless pH sensor based upon disposable and economical graphite screen-printed electrodes (GSPEs) is demonstrated for the first time. The voltammetric pH sensor utilizes GSPEs which are chemically pretreated to form surface immobilized oxygenated species that, when their redox behavior is monitored, give a Nernstian response over a large pH range (1-13). An excellent experimental correlation is observed between the voltammetric potential and pH over the entire pH range of 1-13 providing a simple approach with which to monitor solution pH. Such a linear response over this dynamic pH range is not usually expected but rather deviation from linearity is encountered at alkaline pH values; absence of this has previously been attributed to a change in the pKa value of surface immobilized groups from that of solution phase species. This non-deviation, which is observed here in the case of our facile produced reagentless pH sensor and also reported in the literature for pH sensitive compounds immobilized upon carbon electrodes/surfaces, where a linear response is observed over the entire pH range, is explained alternatively for the first time. The performance of the GSPE pH sensor is also directly compared with a glass pH probe and applied to the measurement of pH in "real" unbuffered samples where an excellent correlation between the two protocols is observed validating the proposed GSPE pH sensor.

Optimization to the Culture Conditions for Phellinus Production with Regression Analysis and Gene-Set Based Genetic Algorithm

PubMed Central

Li, Zhongwei; Xin, Yuezhen; Wang, Xun; Sun, Beibei; Xia, Shengyu; Li, Hui

2016-01-01

Phellinus is a kind of fungus and is known as one of the elemental components in drugs to avoid cancers. With the purpose of finding optimized culture conditions for Phellinus production in the laboratory, plenty of experiments focusing on single factor were operated and large scale of experimental data were generated. In this work, we use the data collected from experiments for regression analysis, and then a mathematical model of predicting Phellinus production is achieved. Subsequently, a gene-set based genetic algorithm is developed to optimize the values of parameters involved in culture conditions, including inoculum size, PH value, initial liquid volume, temperature, seed age, fermentation time, and rotation speed. These optimized values of the parameters have accordance with biological experimental results, which indicate that our method has a good predictability for culture conditions optimization. PMID:27610365

Rest and exercise echocardiography for early detection of pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Kusunose, Kenya; Yamada, Hirotsugu

2016-03-01

Early detection of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is essential to ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate treatment for this progressive disease. Rest and exercise echocardiography has been used to screen patients in an attempt to identify early stage PH. However, current PH guidelines recommend against exercise tests because of the lack of evidence. We reviewed previous studies to discuss the current standpoint concerning rest and exercise echocardiography in PH. Around 20 exercise echocardiography studies were included to assess the cutoff value for exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH). Approximately 40 exercise echocardiography studies were also included to evaluate the pulmonary artery pressure-flow relationship as assessed by the slope of the mean pulmonary artery pressure and cardiac output (ΔmPAP/ΔQ). There were several EIPH and ΔmPAP/ΔQ reference values in individuals with pulmonary vascular disease. We believed that assessing the ΔmPAP/ΔQ makes sense from a physiological standpoint, and the clinical value should be confirmed in future studies. Exercise echocardiography is an appealing alternative in PH. Further studies are needed to assess the prognostic value of the pulmonary artery pressure-flow relationship in high-risk subjects.

An estimate of the PH3, CH3D, and GeH4 abundances on Jupiter from the Voyager IRIS data at 4.5 microns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drossart, P.; Encrenaz, T.; Combes, M.; Kunde, V.; Hanel, R.

1982-01-01

No evidence is found for large scale phosphine abundance variations over Jovian latitudes between -30 and +30 deg, in PH3, CH3D, and GeH4 abundances derived from the 2100-2250/cm region of the Voyager 1 IRIS spectra. The PH3/H2 value of (4.5 + or - 1.5) X 10 to the -7th derived from atmospheric regions corresponding to 170-200 K is 0.75 + or - 0.25 times the solar value, and suggests that the PH3/H2 ratio on Jupiter decreases with atmospheric pressure upon comparison with other PH3 determinations at 10 microns. In the 200-250 K region, CH3D/H2 and GeH4/H2 ratios of 2.0 X 10 to the -7th and 1.0 X 10 to the -9th, respectively, are derived within a factor of 2.0. Assuming a C/H value of 0.001, as derived from Voyager, the CH3D/H2 ratio obtained in this study implies a D/H ratio of 0.000018. This is in agreement with the interstellar medium value.

An in vitro and in silico study on the flavonoid-mediated modulation of the transport of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) through Caco-2 monolayers

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

Schutte, Maaike E.; Freidig, Andreas P.; Sandt, Johannes J.M. van de

The present study describes the effect of different flavonoids on the absorption of the pro-carcinogen PhIP through Caco-2 monolayers and the development of an in silico model describing this process taking into account passive diffusion and active transport of PhIP. Various flavonoids stimulated the apical to basolateral PhIP transport. Using the in silico model for flavone, kaempferol and chrysoeriol, the apparent Ki value for inhibition of the active transport to the apical side was estimated to be below 53 {mu}M and for morin, robinetin and taxifolin between 164 and 268 {mu}M. For myricetin, luteolin, naringenin and quercetin, the apparent Kimore » values were determined more accurately and amounted to 37.3, 12.2, 11.7 and 5.6 {mu}M respectively. Additional experiments revealed that the apical to basolateral PhIP transport was also increased in the presence of a typical BCRP or MRP inhibitor with apparent Ki values in the same range as those of the flavonoids. This observation together with the fact that flavonoids are known to be inhibitors of MRPs and BCRP, corroborates that inhibition of these apical membrane transporters is involved in the flavonoid-mediated increased apical to basolateral PhIP transport. Based on the apparent Ki values obtained, it is concluded that the flavonols, at the levels present in the regular Western diet, are capable of stimulating the transport of PhIP through Caco-2 monolayers from the apical to the basolateral compartment. This points to flavonoid-mediated stimulation of the bioavailability of PhIP and, thus, a possible adverse effect of these supposed beneficial food ingredients.« less

The clinical value of pharyngeal pH monitoring using a double-probe, triple-sensor catheter in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux.

PubMed

Muderris, Togay; Gokcan, M Kursat; Yorulmaz, Irfan

2009-02-01

To determine the clinical value of pharyngeal pH monitoring for the diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) by using a double-probe, triple-sensor catheter in patients with symptoms of LPR. Prospective review of pH values recorded at the pharyngeal sensor, with the sensor placed in the proximal esophagus in patients with suspected LPR. Tertiary care university hospital. Thirty-three consecutive patients with symptoms of LPR. A pH test result was considered abnormal if a single reflux episode was detected in the hypopharynx and if, in the proximal esophagus, the total percentage of time the pH value was below 4 was 1.0% or higher. Data obtained from sensors were compared to determine the validity of pharyngeal sensor. Correlation between patients' reflux finding scores, reflux finding indexes, and reflux episodes were analyzed. Of 33 patients, 17 had more than 1 reflux episode detected by the pharyngeal sensor and 19 had pathological reflux detected by the proximal esophageal sensor. Four patients who had pharyngeal reflux had a normal esophageal acid exposure time, and 6 patients who had pathological reflux detected by the proximal esophageal sensor did not experienced any pharyngeal reflux episode. Four patients would have had a false-negative test result and 6 subjects would have had a false-positive test result if a hypopharyngeal pH sensor was not implemented. The adjustable, bifurcated, triple-sensor pH probe allows identifying true hypopharyngeal reflux episodes. If single-probe, double-sensor pH monitoring is to be performed, the proximal probe should be placed in the pharynx, not in the upper esophagus.

pH Mapping on Tooth Surfaces for Quantitative Caries Diagnosis Using Micro Ir/IrOx pH Sensor.

PubMed

Ratanaporncharoen, Chindanai; Tabata, Miyuki; Kitasako, Yuichi; Ikeda, Masaomi; Goda, Tatsuro; Matsumoto, Akira; Tagami, Junji; Miyahara, Yuji

2018-04-03

A quantitative diagnostic method for dental caries would improve oral health, which directly affects the quality of life. Here we describe the preparation and application of Ir/IrOx pH sensors, which are used to measure the surface pH of dental caries. The pH level is used as an indicator to distinguish between active and arrested caries. After a dentist visually inspected and defined 18 extracted dentinal caries at various positions as active or arrested caries, the surface pH values of sound and caries areas were directly measured with an Ir/IrOx pH sensor with a diameter of 300 μm as a dental explorer. The average pH values of the sound root, the arrested caries, and active caries were 6.85, 6.07, and 5.30, respectively. The pH obtained with an Ir/IrOx sensor was highly correlated with the inspection results by the dentist, indicating that the types of caries were successfully categorized. This caries testing technique using a micro Ir/IrOx pH sensor provides an accurate quantitative caries evaluation and has potential in clinical diagnosis.

Dually Fluorescent Sensing of pH and Dissolved Oxygen Using a Membrane Made from Polymerizable Sensing Monomers.

PubMed

Tian, Yanqing; Shumway, Bradley R; Youngbull, A Cody; Li, Yongzhong; Jen, Alex K-Y; Johnson, Roger H; Meldrum, Deirdre R

2010-06-03

Using a thermal polymerization approach and polymerizable pH and oxygen sensing monomers with green and red emission spectra, respectively, new pH, oxygen, and their dual sensing membranes were prepared using poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-co-poly(acrylamide) as a matrix. The sensors were grafted on acrylate-modified quartz glass and characterized under different pH values, oxygen concentrations, ion strengths, temperatures and cell culture media. The pH and oxygen sensors were excited using the same excitation wavelength and exhibited well-separated emission spectra. The pH-sensing films showed good response over the pH range 5.5 to 8.5, corresponding to pK(a) values in the biologically-relevant range between 6.9 and 7.1. The oxygen-sensing films exhibited linear Stern-Volmer quenching responses to dissolved oxygen. As the sensing membranes were prepared using thermally initiated polymerization of sensing moiety-containing monomers, no leaching of the sensors from the membranes to buffers or medium was observed. This advantageous characteristic accounts in part for the sensors' biocompatibility without apparent toxicity to HeLa cells after 40 hours incubation. The dual-sensing membrane was used to measure pH and dissolved oxygen simultaneously. The measured results correlated with the set-point values.

The stability of water- and fat-soluble vitamin in dentifrices according to pH level and storage type.

PubMed

Park, Jung-Eun; Kim, Ki-Eun; Choi, Yong-Jun; Park, Yong-Duk; Kwon, Ha-Jeong

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the vitamin stabilities in dentifrices by analyzing various vitamins according to the level and storage temperature. The stabilities of water- and fat-soluble vitamins were investigated in buffer solution at different pH values (4, 7, 8, 10 and 11) for 14 days and in dentifrices at different pH (7 and 10) for 5 months at two temperature conditions (room and refrigeration temperature) by analyzing the remaining amounts using HPLC methods. In the buffer solution, the stability of vitamins B1 , B6 and C was increased as the pH values increased. Vitamins E and K showed poor stability at pH 4, and vitamin B3 showed poor stability at pH 11. In dentifrices, the storage temperature highly influenced vitamin stability, especially vitamins C and E, but the stabilities of vitamins B1 and C according to pH values did not correspond to the buffer solution tests. Vitamin B group was relatively stable in dentifrices, but vitamin C completely disappeared after 5 months. Vitamin K showed the least initial preservation rates. Vitamins were not detected in commercial dentifrices for adults and detected amounts were less than the advertised contents in dentifrices for children. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modeling and predicting the biofilm formation of Salmonella Virchow with respect to temperature and pH.

PubMed

Ariafar, M Nima; Buzrul, Sencer; Akçelik, Nefise

2016-03-01

Biofilm formation of Salmonella Virchow was monitored with respect to time at three different temperature (20, 25 and 27.5 °C) and pH (5.2, 5.9 and 6.6) values. As the temperature increased at a constant pH level, biofilm formation decreased while as the pH level increased at a constant temperature, biofilm formation increased. Modified Gompertz equation with high adjusted determination coefficient (Radj(2)) and low mean square error (MSE) values produced reasonable fits for the biofilm formation under all conditions. Parameters of the modified Gompertz equation could be described in terms of temperature and pH by use of a second order polynomial function. In general, as temperature increased maximum biofilm quantity, maximum biofilm formation rate and time of acceleration of biofilm formation decreased; whereas, as pH increased; maximum biofilm quantity, maximum biofilm formation rate and time of acceleration of biofilm formation increased. Two temperature (23 and 26 °C) and pH (5.3 and 6.3) values were used up to 24 h to predict the biofilm formation of S. Virchow. Although the predictions did not perfectly match with the data, reasonable estimates were obtained. In principle, modeling and predicting the biofilm formation of different microorganisms on different surfaces under various conditions could be possible.

Effects of Gold Salt Speciation and Structure of Human and Bovine Serum Albumin on the Synthesis and Stability of Gold Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Érica; Tofanello, Aryane; Brito, Adrianne; Lopes, David; Giacomelli, Fernando; Albuquerque, Lindomar; Costa, Fanny; Ferreira, Fabio; Araujo-Chaves, Juliana; de Castro, Carlos; Nantes, Iseli

2016-03-01

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of albumin structure and gold speciation on the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The strategy of synthesis was the addition of HAuCl4 solutions at different pH values (3-12) to solutions of human and bovine serum albumins (HSA and BSA) at the same corresponding pH values. Different pH values influence the GNP synthesis due to gold speciation. Besides the inherent effect of pH on the native structure of albumins, the use N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-treated and heat-denaturated forms of HSA and BSA provided additional insights about the influence of protein structure, net charge, and thiol group approachability on the GNP synthesis. NEM treatment, heating, and the extreme values of pH promoted loss of the native albumin structure. The formation of GNPs indicated by the appearance of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands became detectable from fifteen days of the synthesis processes that were carried out with native, NEM-treated and heat-denaturated forms of HSA and BSA, exclusively at pH 6 and 7. After two months of incubation, SPR band was also detected for all synthesis carried out at pH 8.0. The mean values of the hydrodynamic radius (RH) were 24 and 34 nm for GNPs synthesized with native HSA and BSA, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed crystallites of 13 nm. RH, XRD, and zeta potential values were consistent with GNP capping by the albumins. However, the GNPs produced with NEM-treated and heat-denaturated albumins exhibited loss of protein capping by lowering the ionic strength. This result suggests a significant contribution of non-electrostatic interactions of albumins with the GNP surface, in these conditions. The denaturation of proteins exposes hydrophobic groups to the solvent, and these groups could interact with the gold surface. In these conditions, the thiol blockage or oxidation, the latter probably favored upon heating, impaired the formation of a stable capping by thiol coordination with the gold surface. Therefore, the cysteine side chain of albumins is important for the colloidal stabilization of GNPs rather than as the reducing agent for the synthesis. Despite the presence of more reactive gold species at more acidic pH values, i.e., below

The Conductivity and pH Values of Dispersions of Nanospheres for Targeted Drug Delivery in the Course of Forced Equilibrium Dialysis.

PubMed

Musiał, Witold; Pluta, Janusz; Byrski, Tomasz; Valh, Julija V

2015-01-01

In the available literature, the problem of pH and conductivity in FED is evaluated separately, and limited mainly to the final purity of the synthesized polymer. In this study data from conductivity and pH measurements were evaluated in the context of the structure of the macromolecule. The aim of the study was to evaluate the conductivity and pH of dispersions of nanospheres synthesized with the use of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPA) as the main monomer, N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the cross-linker and acrylic acid (AcA) as the anionic comonomer during the purification of dispersions via forced equilibrium dialysis (FED). Six batches of nanospheres were obtained in the process of surfactant free precipitation polymerization (SFPP) under inert nitrogen. The conductivity and pH of the dispersions of nanospheres were measured at the beginning of FED and after finishing that process. The conductivity in the systems being studied decreased significantly in the process of FED. The initial values of conductivity ranged from 736.85±8.13 μS×cm(-1) to 1048.90±67.53 μS×cm(-1) After 10 days, when the systems being assessed gained stability in terms of conductivity level, the values of conductivity were between 4.29±0.01 μS×cm(-1) and 33.56±0.04 μS×cm(-1). The pH values inreased significantly after FED. The resulting pH was between 6.92±0.07 and 8.21±0.07, while the initial values were between 3.42±0.23 μS×cm(-1) and 4.30±0.22 μS×cm(-1). Conductivity and pH measurements performed during purification via FED provide important information on the composition of the resulting nanospheres, including the functional groups embedded in the structure of the polymer in the course of the synthesis, as well as the purity of the structures. The presence of a cross-linker and acidic comonomer in the poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide (polyNIPA) macromolecule may be confirmed by both the pH and the conductivity measurements.

Fractal analysis of polyferric chloride-humic acid (PFC-HA) flocs in different topological spaces.

PubMed

Wang, Yili; Lu, Jia; Baiyu, Du; Shi, Baoyou; Wang, Dongsheng

2009-01-01

The fractal dimensions in different topological spaces of polyferric chloride-humic acid (PFC-HA) flocs, formed in flocculating different kinds of humic acids (HA) water at different initial pH (9.0, 7.0, 5.0) and PFC dosages, were calculated by effective density-maximum diameter, image analysis, and N2 absorption-desorption methods, respectively. The mass fractal dimensions (Df) of PFC-HA flocs were calculated by bi-logarithm relation of effective density with maximum diameter and Logan empirical equation. The Df value was more than 2.0 at initial pH of 7.0, which was 11% and 13% higher than those at pH 9.0 and 5.0, respectively, indicating the most compact flocs formed in flocculated HA water at initial pH of 7.0. The image analysis for those flocs indicates that after flocculating the HA water at initial pH greater than 7.0 with PFC flocculant, the fractal dimensions of D2 (logA vs. logdL) and D3 (logVsphere VS. logdL) of PFC-HA flocs decreased with the increase of PFC dosages, and PFC-HA flocs showed a gradually looser structure. At the optimum dosage of PFC, the D2 (logA vs. logdL) values of the flocs show 14%-43% difference with their corresponding Df, and they even had different tendency with the change of initial pH values. However, the D2 values of the flocs formed at three different initial pH in HA solution had a same tendency with the corresponding Dr. Based on fractal Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) adsorption and desorption equations, the pore surface fractal dimensions (Ds) for dried powders of PFC-HA flocs formed in HA water with initial pH 9.0 and 7.0 were all close to 2.9421, and the Ds values of flocs formed at initial pH 5.0 were less than 2.3746. It indicated that the pore surface fractal dimensions of PFC-HA flocs dried powder mainly show the irregularity from the mesopore-size distribution and marcopore-size distribution.

Effect of ripening stage on the development of the microbial community during spontaneous fermentation of green tomatoes.

PubMed

Paramithiotis, Spiros; Kouretas, Konstantinos; Drosinos, Eleftherios H

2014-06-01

Spontaneous fermentation of plant-derived material is mainly performed on a small scale, with the exception of fermented olives, cucumbers, sauerkraut and kimchi, which have met worldwide commercial significance. This study of spontaneous fermentation of green tomatoes at different stages of ripening revealed a significant effect on the growth kinetics of lactic acid bacteria and the final pH value. Leuconostoc mesenteroides dominated spontaneous fermentation when the initial pH value ranged from 3.8 to 4.8 whereas at higher pH values (4.9-5.4) it co-dominated with Leu. citreum and Lactobacillus casei. Application of RAPD-PCR and rep-PCR allowed differentiation at sub-species level, suggesting a microbial succession at that level accompanying the respective at species level. Ripening stage affected the development of the micro-ecosystem through the growth of lactic acid bacteria and concomitant pH value reduction; however, the outcome of the fermentation was only marginally different. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Calculation and affection of pH value of different desulfurization and dehydration rates in the filling station based on Aspen Plus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, J. X.; Wang, B. F.; Nie, L. H.; Xu, R. R.; Zhou, J. Y.; Hao, Y. J.

2018-01-01

The simulation process of the whole CNG filling station are established using Aspen Plus V7.2. The separator (Sep) was used to simulate the desulfurization and dehydration equipment in the gas station, and the flash module separator Flash 2 was used to simulate the gas storage well with proper temperature and environmental pressure. Furthermore, the sensitivity module was used to analyse the behaviour of the dehydration and desulfurization rate, and the residual pH value of the gas storage wells was between 2.2 and 3.3. The results indicated that the effect of water content on pH value is higher than that of hydrogen sulphide in the environment of gas storage wells, and the calculation process of the pH value is feasible. Additionally, the simulation process provides basic data for the subsequent anticorrosive mechanism and work of gas storage well and has great potential for practical applications.

Is pH paper an acceptable, low-cost alternative to the blood gas analyzer for determining pleural fluid pH?

PubMed

Lesho, E P; Roth, B J

1997-11-05

Our laboratory uses pH paper rather than a blood gas analyzer to measure pleural fluid pH to decrease cost and avoid analyzer malfunction due to viscous fluids. To compare these two methods of determining pleural fluid pH, 42 patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic thoracentesis had two 1-mL aliquots of pleural fluid anaerobically collected in a heparinized syringe and placed on ice. pH measurements were made using litmus paper (pHydron Vivid 6-8 brand litmus paper; MicroEssential Labs; Brooklyn, NY) and the model 995-Hb blood gas analyzer (AVL Instruments; Roswell, GA) within 1 h of collection. Agreement analysis was performed in three ways: on the entire group; in subcategories of complicated or uncomplicated parapneumonic effusions (<7.1, 7.1 to 7.3, >7.3); and in subcategories of poor prognosis or better prognosis malignant effusions(<7.3, >7.3). pH measured with pH paper was significantly more variable (SD=0.55, coefficient of variation [CV]=7.5%) than was pH measured with the blood gas analyzer (SD=0.11, CV=1.5%). There was no significant correlation between values obtained with the two techniques (r=-0.26, SD of the differences=0.59). Using the pH subcategories, there was 72% discordance in classification between litmus paper and arterial blood gas (ABG) determinations for patients with parapneumonic effusions. In patients with malignant effusions, there was 30% discordance. The pH values obtained by the ABG analyzer predicted tube thoracostomy 72% of the time, whereas the pH values obtained using pH paper were consistent only 36% of the time. Determination of pleural fluid pH using pH paper is unreliable and should not be considered an acceptable alternative to the blood gas analyzer. There is no need to determine pH on purulent samples. Hospital laboratories will be more likely to allow the use of the ABG analyzer on fluids other than blood if clinicians keep this in mind.

Sulfur geochemistry of hydrothermal waters in Yellowstone National Park: IV Acid-sulfate waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nordstrom, D. Kirk; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Ball, J.W.

2009-01-01

Many waters sampled in Yellowstone National Park, both high-temperature (30-94 ??C) and low-temperature (0-30 ??C), are acid-sulfate type with pH values of 1-5. Sulfuric acid is the dominant component, especially as pH values decrease below 3, and it forms from the oxidation of elemental S whose origin is H2S in hot gases derived from boiling of hydrothermal waters at depth. Four determinations of pH were obtained: (1) field pH at field temperature, (2) laboratory pH at laboratory temperature, (3) pH based on acidity titration, and (4) pH based on charge imbalance (at both laboratory and field temperatures). Laboratory pH, charge imbalance pH (at laboratory temperature), and acidity pH were in close agreement for pH ??10%, a selection process was used to compare acidity, laboratory, and charge balance pH to arrive at the best estimate. Differences between laboratory and field pH can be explained based on Fe oxidation, H2S or S2O3 oxidation, CO2 degassing, and the temperature-dependence of pK2 for H2SO4. Charge imbalances are shown to be dependent on a speciation model for pH values 350 mg/L Cl) decrease as the Cl- concentration increases from boiling which appears inconsistent with the hypothesis of H2S oxidation as a source of hydrothermal SO4. This trend is consistent with the alternate hypothesis of anhydrite solubility equilibrium. Acid-sulfate water analyses are occasionally high in As, Hg, and NH3 concentrations but in contrast to acid mine waters they are low to below detection in Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations. Even concentrations of SO4, Fe, and Al are much lower in thermal waters than acid mine waters of the same pH. This difference in water chemistry may explain why certain species of fly larvae live comfortably in Yellowstone's acid waters but have not been observed in acid rock drainage of the same pH.

Effect of digestion temperature and pH on treatment efficiency and evolution of volatile fatty acids during thermophilic aerobic digestion of model high strength agricultural waste.

PubMed

Ugwuanyi, J Obeta; Harvey, L M; McNeil, B

2005-04-01

Thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of a model agricultural waste, potato peel slurry, at soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) load equivalent to approximately 8.0 gl(-1), was carried out under batch conditions at 0.5 vvm aeration rate. Digestions were carried out at temperatures of 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 degrees C (or left unregulated) without pH control to study the effect of digestion temperatures on TAD. The effects of digestion pH on the process were studied at pH 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 9.5 (and in unregulated control) all at 55 degrees C. Except for digestion at 65 degrees C, which was inoculated extraneously using culture of Bacillus strearothermophilus all reactions were carried out using the populations indigenous to the waste. During digestion at different temperatures, the removal of soluble COD increased with temperature to reach a peak at 60 degrees C before declining slightly, removal of soluble solid (SS) followed similar pattern and reached peak at 65 degrees C being the highest temperature studied, while the degradation of TSS and TS (TSS + TS) decreased with an increase in temperature. Digestion at pH 7.0 was more efficient than at other pH values. Acetate was the predominant volatile fatty acid (VFA) in all the reactions and accounted for up to 90% of the total. Digestion at 60 degrees C led to the greatest accumulation of acetate, and this coincided with the period of highest oxygen uptake, and rapid consumption of soluble carbohydrate. Iso-valerate was also produced at all pH values. Digestion at 55 degrees C and also at pH 7.0 led to rapid and efficient processes with least accumulation of VFA and should be of interest in full-scale processes whenever it is practicable to regulate the digestion pH and temperature. The result of digestion at unregulated pH indicates that gradual adaptation may be used to achieve efficient treatment at elevated pH values. This would be of interest in full-scale processes where it is not practicable to tightly regulate digestion pH, and where the waste is produced at a pH value much higher than neutral.

Flexible modeling improves assessment of prognostic value of C-reactive protein in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

Gagnon, B; Abrahamowicz, M; Xiao, Y; Beauchamp, M-E; MacDonald, N; Kasymjanova, G; Kreisman, H; Small, D

2010-01-01

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is gaining credibility as a prognostic factor in different cancers. Cox's proportional hazard (PH) model is usually used to assess prognostic factors. However, this model imposes a priori assumptions, which are rarely tested, that (1) the hazard ratio associated with each prognostic factor remains constant across the follow-up (PH assumption) and (2) the relationship between a continuous predictor and the logarithm of the mortality hazard is linear (linearity assumption). Methods: We tested these two assumptions of the Cox's PH model for CRP, using a flexible statistical model, while adjusting for other known prognostic factors, in a cohort of 269 patients newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results: In the Cox's PH model, high CRP increased the risk of death (HR=1.11 per each doubling of CRP value, 95% CI: 1.03–1.20, P=0.008). However, both the PH assumption (P=0.033) and the linearity assumption (P=0.015) were rejected for CRP, measured at the initiation of chemotherapy, which kept its prognostic value for approximately 18 months. Conclusion: Our analysis shows that flexible modeling provides new insights regarding the value of CRP as a prognostic factor in NSCLC and that Cox's PH model underestimates early risks associated with high CRP. PMID:20234363

Models analyses for allelopathic effects of chicory at equivalent coupling of nitrogen supply and pH level on F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa.

PubMed

Wang, Quanzhen; Xie, Bao; Wu, Chunhui; Chen, Guo; Wang, Zhengwei; Cui, Jian; Hu, Tianming; Wiatrak, Pawel

2012-01-01

Alllelopathic potential of chicory was investigated by evaluating its effect on seed germination, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the chlorophyll content of three target plants species (Festuca arundinacea, Trifolium repens and Medicago sativa). The secretion of allelochemicals was regulated by keeping the donor plant (chicory) separate from the three target plant species and using different pH and nitrogen levels. Leachates from donor pots with different pH levels and nitrogen concentrations continuously irrigated the target pots containing the seedlings. The allelopathic effects of the chicory at equivalent coupling of nitrogen supply and pH level on the three target plants species were explored via models analyses. The results suggested a positive effect of nitrogen supply and pH level on allelochemical secretion from chicory plants. The nitrogen supply and pH level were located at a rectangular area defined by 149 to 168 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 4.95 to 7.0 pH value and point located at nitrogen supply 177 mg/l, pH 6.33 when they were in equivalent coupling effects; whereas the inhibitory effects of equivalent coupling nitrogen supply and pH level were located at rectangular area defined by 125 to 131 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 6.71 to 6.88 pH value and two points respectively located at nitrogen supply 180 mg/l with pH 6.38 and nitrogen supply 166 mg/l with pH 7.59. Aqueous extracts of chicory fleshy roots and leaves accompanied by treatment at different sand pH values and nitrogen concentrations influenced germination, seedling growth, soluble sugar, MDA and chlorophyll of F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa. Additionally, we determined the phenolics contents of root and leaf aqueous extracts, which were 0.104% and 0.044% on average, respectively.

Models Analyses for Allelopathic Effects of Chicory at Equivalent Coupling of Nitrogen Supply and pH Level on F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa

PubMed Central

Wang, Quanzhen; Xie, Bao; Wu, Chunhui; Chen, Guo; Wang, Zhengwei; Cui, Jian; Hu, Tianming; Wiatrak, Pawel

2012-01-01

Alllelopathic potential of chicory was investigated by evaluating its effect on seed germination, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the chlorophyll content of three target plants species (Festuca arundinacea, Trifolium repens and Medicago sativa). The secretion of allelochemicals was regulated by keeping the donor plant (chicory) separate from the three target plant species and using different pH and nitrogen levels. Leachates from donor pots with different pH levels and nitrogen concentrations continuously irrigated the target pots containing the seedlings. The allelopathic effects of the chicory at equivalent coupling of nitrogen supply and pH level on the three target plants species were explored via models analyses. The results suggested a positive effect of nitrogen supply and pH level on allelochemical secretion from chicory plants. The nitrogen supply and pH level were located at a rectangular area defined by 149 to 168 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 4.95 to 7.0 pH value and point located at nitrogen supply 177 mg/l, pH 6.33 when they were in equivalent coupling effects; whereas the inhibitory effects of equivalent coupling nitrogen supply and pH level were located at rectangular area defined by 125 to 131 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 6.71 to 6.88 pH value and two points respectively located at nitrogen supply 180 mg/l with pH 6.38 and nitrogen supply 166 mg/l with pH 7.59. Aqueous extracts of chicory fleshy roots and leaves accompanied by treatment at different sand pH values and nitrogen concentrations influenced germination, seedling growth, soluble sugar, MDA and chlorophyll of F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa. Additionally, we determined the phenolics contents of root and leaf aqueous extracts, which were 0.104% and 0.044% on average, respectively. PMID:22384054

Development of a calibration for the B isotope paleo-pH proxy in the deep sea coral Desmophyllum dianthus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anagnostou, E.; Huang, K.; You, C.; Sherrell, R. M.

2011-12-01

The boron isotope ratio (δ11B) of foraminifera and coral carbonate has been proposed to record seawater pH. Here we test this pH proxy in the deep sea coral Desmophyllum dianthus (D. dianthus ). This coral species is cosmopolitan in geographic distribution and tolerates a wide temperature and depth range. Previous studies have shown that fossil D. dianthus skeletons can be dated precisely with U/Th measurements. Additionally, skeletal mass is sufficient for multiple elemental, isotopic, and radiocarbon measurements per sample making it a powerful candidate for paleoceanographic reconstructions. Ten modern corals from a depth range of 274-1470m in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans were analyzed using the sublimation method and multi-collector ICP-MS (Neptune), and the measured δ11B was regressed against ambient pH taken from hydrographic data sets (range pH 7.6 to 8.1). Replicate skeletal subsamples from a single coral agree within 0.35% (2SD). The array of δ11B values for these corals plots above the seawater borate δ11B vs. pH curve (Klochko et al., 2006) by an apparently constant value of 11.7 ± 1.2%, well above the range of values seen in foraminifera and surface corals. This offset is attributed to either partial incorporation of boric acid from seawater or, more likely, to physiological manipulation of the calcifying fluid to pH 8.7-9.0. The uncertainty in calculation of seawater pH from δ11B, dominated by the uncertainty in the offset value, currently limits the precision of absolute pH reconstructions to ±0.09pH units. However, the empirical calibration could be used to examine relative pH changes, thereby overcoming contributions to the uncertainty in the offset that result from the calculation of the empirical fractionation factor α and from sampling bias and variable vital effects among individuals, reducing the reconstruction error envelope. This study provides the first evidence that δ11B in D. dianthus has the potential to record ambient seawater pH.

[Association of the pH change of vaginal environment in bacterial vaginosis with presence of Enterococcus faecalis in vagina].

PubMed

Jahić, Mahira; Nurkić, Mahmud; Fatusić, Zlatan

2006-01-01

Normal pH value of vagina from 3.8 to 4.2 has regulatory and protectors mechanisms of vaginal environment. The change in the pH value indicates to presence of disbalance in the ecosystem of vaginal environment. The value of pH above 4.0 is indicator of the decreased number of lactobacillus bacteria and the increased number of other microorganisms in the vaginal environment. This situation is present in the case of developing of bacterial vaginosis. One of the bacteria which is often isolated from vaginal swabs is Enterococcus faecalis. Aims of this study are to examine presence o f Enterococcus faecalis in vagina in healthy women and womenwith signs of bacterial vaginosis, the most often present signs in patients with bacterial vaginosis and isolated Enterococcus faecalis from vaginal swabs, and to determine whether the change of the pH value of vaginal environment could be indicator for bacterial vaginosis associated with Enterococcus faecalis. In this study there were included 90 patients. To all patients there were done: gynecological survey, determined pH of vaginal environment and color of vaginal secret, amino odor test, and taken vaginal swabs for microbiological examination. Enterococcus faecalis was found in the patients with pH 4.0 in 24.05 % cases, but in the patients with signs of bacterial vaginosis it was found in 52.78 %. Positive findings of Enterococcus faecalis was the most often associated with presence of all tree signs of bacterial vaginosis (pH>4.0, changed color of vaginal secret and positive amino odor test) it is in 60.78 6% cases. With two signs of bacterial vaginosis (pH>4.0, changed color of vaginal secret) Enterococcus faecalis was present in 60 % cases. The only presence of change in the pH>4.0 was associated with Enterococcus faecalis in 52.78 %. This study showed that pH change of vaginal environment was associated with Enterococcus faecalis in bacterial vaginosis in high percentage but it can not be used as the sure sign of presence of Enterococcus faecalis in vaginal discharge. Therefore it is necessary to make microbiology examination vaginal discharge.

Effects of soil pH on the Vicia-micronucleus genotoxicity assay.

PubMed

Dhyèvre, Adrien; Foltête, Anne Sophie; Aran, Delphine; Muller, Serge; Cotelle, Sylvie

2014-11-01

In the field of contaminated sites and soil management, chemical analyses only bring typological data about pollution. As far as bioavailability and effects on organisms are concerned, we need ecotoxicology tools. In this domain, among many existing tests, we chose to study genotoxicity because it is a short-term endpoint with long-term consequences. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of soil pH on the results of the Vicia faba root tip micronucleus test for the two following reasons: (i) to define the pH range within which the test can be performed without modifying the soil to be tested, within the framework of the ISO standard of the test and (ii) to provides information about the effects of the pH on the genotoxic potential of soils. In this context, we modified the pH of a standard soil with HCl or NaOH and we spiked the matrix with copper (2, 4 and 8 mmol kg(-1) dry soil) or with maleic hydrazide, an antigerminative chemical (5, 10 and 20 μmol kg(-1) dry soil). We concluded that the pH had no effect on the mitotic index or micronucleus frequency in the root cells of the negative controls: extreme pH values did not induce micronucleus formation in root cells. Moreover, according to our results, the Vicia-micronucleus test can be performed with pH values ranging between 3.2 and 9.0, but in the ISO 29200 "Soil quality--assessment of genotoxic effects on higher plants--V. faba micronucleus test" we recommended to use a control soil with a pH value ranging between 5 and 8 for a more accurate assessment of chemical genotoxicity. We also found that acid pH could increase the genotoxic potential of pollutants, especially heavy metals. With hydrazide maleic spiked soil, plants were placed in a situation of double stress, i.e. toxicity caused by extreme pH values and toxicity induced by the pollutant. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acidity and Alkalinity in mine drainage: Practical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta, III, Charles A.; Kirby, Carl S.

2004-01-01

In this paper, we emphasize that the Standard Method hot peroxide treatment procedure for acidity determination (hot acidity) directly measures net acidity or net alkalinity, but that more than one water-quality measure can be useful as a measure of the severity of acid mine drainage. We demonstrate that the hot acidity is related to the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al in fresh mine drainage. We show that the hot acidity accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. We show that the hot acidity method gives consistent, interpretable results on fresh or aged samples. Regional data for mine-drainage quality in Pennsylvania indicated the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5 to 4) or near neutral (pH 6 to 7); approximately 25 percent of the samples had intermediate pH values. This bimodal frequency distribution of pH was distinctive for fully oxidized samples; oxidized samples had acidic or near-neutral pH, only. Samples that had nearneutral pH after oxidation had negative hot acidity; samples that had acidic pH after oxidation had positive hot acidity. Samples with comparable pH values had variable hot acidities owing to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. The hot acidity was comparable to net acidity computed on the basis of initial pH and concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the initial alkalinity. Acidity computed from the pH and dissolved metals concentrations, assuming equivalents of 2 per mole of Fe and Mn and 3 per mole of Al, was comparable to that computed on the basis of aqueous species and FeII/FeIII. Despite changes in the pH, alkalinity, and metals concentrations, the hot acidities were comparable for fresh and aged samples. Thus, meaningful “net” acidity can be determined from a measured hot acidity or by calculation from the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved metals concentrations. Together, these water-quality data can be useful for evaluating the potential for toxicity, corrosion, or encrustation and can be helpful for determining the appropriate remediation. By demonstrating the measurements on fresh and aged samples, we hope to encourage (1) consistent use of the hot peroxide treatment procedure for acidity determination and (2) consistent reporting of negative acidity values.

Asymmetric protonation of EmrE

PubMed Central

Morrison, Emma A.; Robinson, Anne E.; Liu, Yongjia

2015-01-01

The small multidrug resistance transporter EmrE is a homodimer that uses energy provided by the proton motive force to drive the efflux of drug substrates. The pKa values of its “active-site” residues—glutamate 14 (Glu14) from each subunit—must be poised around physiological pH values to efficiently couple proton import to drug export in vivo. To assess the protonation of EmrE, pH titrations were conducted with 1H-15N TROSY-HSQC nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. Analysis of these spectra indicates that the Glu14 residues have asymmetric pKa values of 7.0 ± 0.1 and 8.2 ± 0.3 at 45°C and 6.8 ± 0.1 and 8.5 ± 0.2 at 25°C. These pKa values are substantially increased compared with typical pKa values for solvent-exposed glutamates but are within the range of published Glu14 pKa values inferred from the pH dependence of substrate binding and transport assays. The active-site mutant, E14D-EmrE, has pKa values below the physiological pH range, consistent with its impaired transport activity. The NMR spectra demonstrate that the protonation states of the active-site Glu14 residues determine both the global structure and the rate of conformational exchange between inward- and outward-facing EmrE. Thus, the pKa values of the asymmetric active-site Glu14 residues are key for proper coupling of proton import to multidrug efflux. However, the results raise new questions regarding the coupling mechanism because they show that EmrE exists in a mixture of protonation states near neutral pH and can interconvert between inward- and outward-facing forms in multiple different protonation states. PMID:26573622

[Severe idiopathic scoliosis. Does the approach and the instruments used modify the results?].

PubMed

Sánchez-Márquez, J M; Sánchez Pérez-Grueso, F J; Pérez Martín-Buitrago, M; Fernández-Baíllo, N; García-Fernández, A; Quintáns-Rodríguez, J

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is to evaluate and compare the radiographic results and complications of the surgical treatment of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis greater than 75 degrees, using a double approach (DA) or an isolated posterior approach with hybrid instruments (posterior hybrid [PH]), or with «all-pedicle screws» (posterior screws [PS]). A retrospective review was performed on 69 patients with idiopathic scoliosis greater than 75°, with a follow-up of more than 2 years, to analyze the flexibility of the curves, the correction obtained, and the complications depending on the type of surgery. The Kruskal-Wallis test for non-parametric variables was used for the statistical analysis. There were no statistically significant differences between the 3 patient groups in the pre-surgical Cobb angle values (DA=89°, PH=83°, PS=83°), in the immediate post-surgical (DA=34°, PH=33°, PS=30°), nor at the end of follow-up (DA=36°, PH=36°, PS=33°) (P>.05). The percentage correction (DA=60%, PH=57%, PS=60%) was similar between groups (P>.05). The percentage of complications associated with the procedure was 20.8% in DA, 10% in PH and 20% in PS. Two patients in the PS group showed changes, with no neurological lesions, in the spinal cord monitoring, and one patient in the same group suffered a delayed and transient incomplete lesion. No significant differences were observed in the correction of severe idiopathic scoliosis between patients operated using the double or isolated posterior approach, regardless of the type of instrumentation used. Copyright © 2013 SECOT. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Excess glycogen does not resolve high ultimate pH of oxidative muscle.

PubMed

England, Eric M; Matarneh, Sulaiman K; Oliver, Emily M; Apaoblaza, Ariel; Scheffler, Tracy L; Shi, Hao; Gerrard, David E

2016-04-01

Skeletal muscle glycogen content can impact the extent of postmortem pH decline. Compared to glycolytic muscles, oxidative muscles contain lower glycogen levels antemortem which may contribute to the higher ultimate pH. In an effort to explore further the participation of glycogen in postmortem metabolism, we postulated that increasing the availability of glycogen would drive additional pH decline in oxidative muscles to equivalent pH values similar to the ultimate pH of glycolytic muscles. Glycolysis and pH declines were compared in porcine longissimus lumborum (glycolytic) and masseter (oxidative) muscles using an in vitro system in the presence of excess glycogen. The ultimate pH of the system containing longissimus lumborum reached a value similar to that observed in intact muscle. The pH decline of the system containing masseter samples stopped prematurely resulting in a higher ultimate pH which was similar to that of intact masseter muscle. To investigate further, we titrated powdered longissimus lumborum and masseter samples in the reaction buffer. As the percentage of glycolytic sample increased, the ultimate pH decreased. These data show that oxidative muscle produces meat with a high ultimate pH regardless of glycogen content and suggest that inherent muscle factors associated with glycolytic muscle control the extent of pH decline in pig muscles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of capillary flow hydrodynamics on carrier-mediated transport of opioid derivatives at the blood-brain barrier, based on pH-dependent Michaelis-Menten and Crone-Renkin analyses.

PubMed

Yusof, Siti R; Abbott, N Joan; Avdeef, Alex

2017-08-30

Most studies of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and transport are conducted at a single pH, but more detailed information can be revealed by using multiple pH values. A pH-dependent biophysical model was applied to the mechanistic analysis of published pH-dependent BBB luminal uptake data from three opioid derivatives in rat: pentazocine (Suzuki et al., 2002a, 2002b), naloxone (Suzuki et al., 2010a), and oxycodone (Okura et al., 2008). Two types of data were processed: in situ brain perfusion (ISBP) and brain uptake index (BUI). The published perfusion data were converted to apparent luminal permeability values, P app , and analyzed by the pCEL-X program (Yusof et al., 2014), using the pH-dependent Crone-Renkin equation (pH-CRE) to determine the impact of cerebrovascular flow on the Michaelis-Menten transport parameters (Avdeef and Sun, 2011). For oxycodone, the ISBP data had been measured at pH7.4 and 8.4. The present analysis indicates a 7-fold lower value of the cerebrovascular flow velocity, F pf , than that expected in the original study. From the pyrilamine-inhibited data, the flow-corrected passive intrinsic permeability value was determined to be P 0 =398×10 -6 cm·s -1 . The uptake data indicate that the neutral form of oxycodone is affected by a transporter at pH8.4. The extent of the cation uptake was less certain from the available data. For pentazocine, the brain uptake by the BUI method had been measured at pH5.5, 6.5, and 7.4, in a concentration range 0.1-40mM. Under similar conditions, ISBP data were also available. The pH-CRE determined values of F pf from both methods were nearly the same, and were smaller than the expected value in the original publication. The transport of the cationic pentazocine was not fully saturated at pH5.5 at 40mM. The transport of the neutral species at pH7.4 appeared to reach saturation at 40mM pentazocine concentration, but not at 12mM. In the case of naloxone, a pH-dependent Michaelis-Menten equation (pH-MME) analysis of the data indicated a smooth sigmoidal transition from a higher capacity uptake process affecting cationic naloxone (pH5.0-7.0) to a lower capacity uptake process affecting the neutral drug (pH8.0-8.5), with cross-over point near pH7.4. Evidently, measurements at multiple pH values can reveal important information about both cerebrovascular flow and BBB transport kinetics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variation of power generation at different buffer types and conductivities in single chamber microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Nam, Joo-Youn; Kim, Hyun-Woo; Lim, Kyeong-Ho; Shin, Hang-Sik; Logan, Bruce E

2010-01-15

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are operated with solutions containing various chemical species required for the growth of electrochemically active microorganisms including nutrients and vitamins, substrates, and chemical buffers. Many different buffers are used in laboratory media, but the effects of these buffers and their inherent electrolyte conductivities have not been examined relative to current generation in MFCs. We investigated the effect of several common buffers (phosphate, MES, HEPES, and PIPES) on power production in single chambered MFCs compared to a non-buffered control. At the same concentrations the buffers produced different solution conductivities which resulted in different ohmic resistances and power densities. Increasing the solution conductivities to the same values using NaCl produced comparable power densities for all buffers. Very large increases in conductivity resulted in a rapid voltage drop at high current densities. Our results suggest that solution conductivity at a specific pH for each buffer is more important in MFC studies than the buffer itself given relatively constant pH conditions. Based on our analysis of internal resistance and a set neutral pH, phosphate and PIPES are the most useful buffers of those examined here because pH was maintained close to the pK(a) of the buffer, maximizing the ability of the buffer to contribute to increase current generation at high power densities. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling pH variation in reverse osmosis.

PubMed

Nir, Oded; Bishop, Noga Fridman; Lahav, Ori; Freger, Viatcheslav

2015-12-15

The transport of hydronium and hydroxide ions through reverse osmosis membranes constitutes a unique case of ionic species characterized by uncommonly high permeabilities. Combined with electromigration, this leads to complex behavior of permeate pH, e.g., negative rejection, as often observed for monovalent ions in nanofiltration of salt mixtures. In this work we employed a rigorous phenomenological approach combined with chemical equilibrium to describe the trans-membrane transport of hydronium and hydroxide ions along with salt transport and calculate the resulting permeate pH. Starting from the Nernst-Planck equation, a full non-linear transport equation was derived, for which an approximate solution was proposed based on the analytical solution previously developed for trace ions in a dominant salt. Using the developed approximate equation, transport coefficients were deduced from experimental results obtained using a spiral wound reverse osmosis module operated under varying permeate flux (2-11 μm/s), NaCl feed concentrations (0.04-0.18 M) and feed pH values (5.5-9.0). The approximate equation agreed well with the experimental results, corroborating the finding that diffusion and electromigration, rather than a priori neglected convection, were the major contributors to the transport of hydronium and hydroxide. The approach presented here has the potential to improve the predictive capacity of reverse osmosis transport models for acid-base species, thereby improving process design/control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sorption of the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine and naproxen to dissolved organic matter: role of structural fractions.

PubMed

Maoz, Adi; Chefetz, Benny

2010-02-01

Pharmaceutical compounds and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are co-introduced into the environment by irrigation with reclaimed wastewater and/or application of biosolids. In this study, we evaluate the role and mechanism of interaction of the pharmaceuticals naproxen and carbamazepine with structural fractions of biosolids-derived DOM. Sorption interactions were estimated from dialysis-bag experiments at different pHs. Sorption of naproxen and carbamazepine by the hydrophobic acid fraction exhibited strong pH-dependence. With both pharmaceuticals, the highest sorption coefficients (K(DOC)) were at pH 4. With the hydrophobic neutral fraction, pH affected only naproxen sorption (decreasing with increasing pH). Among the hydrophilic DOM fractions, the hydrophilic acid fraction exhibited the highest K(DOC) value for carbamazepine, probably due to their bipolar character. In the hydrophilic acid fraction-naproxen system, significant anionic repulsion was observed with increasing pH. The hydrophilic base fraction contains positively charged functional groups. Therefore with increasing ionization of naproxen (with increasing pH), K(DOC) to this fraction increased. The hydrophilic neutral fraction exhibited the lowest K(DOC) with both studied pharmaceuticals. The K(DOC) value of carbamazepine with the bulk DOM sample was higher than the calculated K(DOC) value based on sorption by the individual isolated fractions. The opposite trend was observed with naproxen at pH 8: the calculated K(DOC) value was higher than the value obtained for the bulk DOM. These results demonstrate that DOM fractions interact with each other and do not act as separate sorption domains. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate production as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant.

PubMed

Pittmann, T; Steinmetz, H

2014-09-01

This work describes the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) at different operation conditions. Therefore various tests were conducted regarding a high PHA production and stable PHA composition. Influence of substrate concentration, temperature, pH and cycle time of an installed feast/famine-regime were investigated. The results demonstrated a strong influence of the operating conditions on the PHA production. Lower substrate concentration, 20°C, neutral pH-value and a 24h cycle time are preferable for high PHA production up to 28.4% of cell dry weight (CDW). PHA composition was influenced by cycle time only and a stable PHA composition was reached. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of pH on structure, function, and stability of mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase VA.

PubMed

Idrees, Danish; Shahbaaz, Mohd; Bisetty, Krishna; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz

2017-02-01

Mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase VA (CAVA) catalyzes the hydration of carbon dioxide to produce proton and bicarbonate which is primarily expressed in the mitochondrial matrix of liver, and involved in numerous physiological processes including lipogenesis, insulin secretion from pancreatic cells, ureagenesis, gluconeogenesis, and neuronal transmission. To understand the effect of pH on the structure, function, and stability of CAVA, we employed spectroscopic techniques such as circular dichroism, fluorescence, and absorbance measurements in wide range of pH (from pH 2.0 to pH 11.5). CAVA showed an aggregation at acidic pH range from pH 2.0 to pH 5.0. However, it remains stable and maintains its secondary structure in the pH range, pH 7.0-pH 11.5. Furthermore, this enzyme has an appreciable activity at more than pH 7.0 (7.0 < pH ≤ 11.5) with maximum activity at pH 9.0. The maximal values of k cat and k cat /K m at pH 9.0 are 3.7 × 10 6  s -1 and 5.5 × 10 7  M -1  s -1 , respectively. However, this enzyme loses its activity in the acidic pH range. We further performed 20-ns molecular dynamics simulation of CAVA to see the dynamics at different pH values. An excellent agreement was observed between in silico and in vitro studies. This study provides an insight into the activity of CAVA in the pH range of subcellular environment.

Highly Sensitive and Reproducible SERS Sensor for Biological pH Detection Based on a Uniform Gold Nanorod Array Platform.

PubMed

Bi, Liyan; Wang, Yunqing; Yang, Ying; Li, Yuling; Mo, Shanshan; Zheng, Qingyin; Chen, Lingxin

2018-05-09

Conventional research on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based pH sensors often depends on nanoparticle aggregation, whereas the variability in nanoparticle aggregation gives rise to poor repeatability in the SERS signal. Herein, we fabricated a gold nanorod array platform via an efficient evaporative self-assembly method. The platform exhibits great SERS sensitivity with an enhancement factor of 5.6 × 10 7 and maintains excellent recyclability and reproducibility with relative standard deviation (RSD) values of less than 8%. On the basis of the platform, we developed a highly sensitive bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MPy)-linked (BMP) SERS-based pH sensor to report pH ranging from pH 3.0 to pH 8.0. The intensity ratio variation of 1004 and 1096 cm -1 in 4-MPy showed excellent pH sensitivity, which decreased as the surrounding pH increased. Furthermore, this BMP SERS-based pH sensor was employed to measure the pH value in C57BL/6 mouse blood. We have demonstrated that the pH sensor has great advantages such as good stability, reliability, and accuracy, which could be extended for the design of point-of-care devices.

Pulmonary hypertension in rheumatic mitral stenosis revisited.

PubMed

Pourafkari, L; Ghaffari, S; Ahmadi, M; Tajlil, A; Aslanabadi, N; Nader, N D

2017-12-01

In patients with mitral stenosis (MS), pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a significant contributor to the associated morbidity. We aimed to study factors associated with the presence of significant PH (sPH) and whether incorporating body surface area (BSA) in the mitral valve area (MVA) would improve the predictive value of the latter. The medical records of 558 patients with severe MS undergoing percutaneous balloon mitral commissurotomy were evaluated over a period of 8 years. Factors associated with the presence of significant PH (sPH) defined as mPAP ≥ 40 mm Hg were examined. A total of 558 patients (423 women) were enrolled. Overall, 153 (27%) patients had sPH. Patients with sPH were similar to the rest of the subjects in terms of demographics, body habitus, blood group, and incidence of atrial fibrillation. Among echocardiographic findings, absolute MVA, indexed MVA, and mean transmitral valve gradient were associated with the presence of sPH. Transmitral valve gradient during right heart catheterization had the highest area under the curve for an association with sPH. Age, gender, heart rhythm, and blood group were not associated with the presence of sPH in severe MS. The predictive value of the indexed MVA for the presence of sPH was not higher than that of absolute MVA.

Fermentative hydrogen production from liquid swine manure with glucose supplement using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiao

2009-12-01

The idea of coupling renewable energy production and agricultural waste management inspired this thesis. The production of an important future fuel---hydrogen gas---from high strength waste stream-liquid swine manure---using anaerobic treatment processes makes the most sustainable sense for both wastewater utilization and energy generation. The objectives of this thesis were to develop a fermentation process for converting liquid swine manure to hydrogen and to maximize hydrogen productivity. Anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) systems were constructed to carry out this fermentation process, and seed sludge obtained from a dairy manure anaerobic digester and pretreated by nutrient acclimation, heat and pH treatment was used as inoculum. High system stability was indicated by a short startup period of 12 days followed by stable hydrogen production, and successful sludge granulation occurred within 23 days of startup at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 hours. Operation at a progressively decreasing HRT from 24 to 8h gave rise to an increasing biogas production rate from 15.2-34.4L/d, while good linear relationships were observed between both total biogas and hydrogen production rates correlated to HRT, with R2 values of 0.993 and 0.997, respectively. The maximum hydrogen yield of 1.63 mol-H 2/mol-hexose-feed occurred at HRT of 16h, while the HRT of 12h was highly suggested to achieve both high production rate and efficient yield. Hexose utilization efficiencies over 98%, considerable hydrogen production rate up to 14.3 L/d and hydrogen percentage of off-gas up to 43% (i.e., a CO 2/H2 ratio of 1.2) with the absence of CH4 production throughout the whole course of experiment at a pH of 5.0 strongly validated the feasibility of the fermentative H2 production from liquid swine manure using an ASBR system. Ethanol as well as acetic, butyric and valeric acids were produced in the system accompanying the hydrogen production, with acetic acid being the dominant one, which contributed to 56-58% of the total soluble metabolite production, indicative of an acetic acid fermentation system, and acetate-to-butyrate ratio was found to be closely related to hydrogen yield. pH level influenced every aspect of the ASBR performance for hydrogen production. ASBR operation at five pHs ranging from 4.4 to 5.6 (4.4, 4.7, 5.0, 5.3, 5.6) showed distinct dynamic profiles of both biogas production and the changes of H2 and CH4 percentage in the biogas during a running period of 22 days. The H2 content in biogas, H 2 production rate and H2 yield were all pH-dependent, in the range of 5.1-36.9 %, 0.71-8.97 L/d and 0.12-1.50 mol-H2/mol-glucose, respectively, and maximum values for all three responses were simultaneously achieved at pH 5.0. Methanogens appeared to be significantly activated at pH of 5.3 or higher since significant CH4 evolution and concurrent reduction in H2 production was observed at pH 5.3 and 5.6. Acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, and ethanol were main aqueous products in all pH tests and their distribution was influenced by pH. Analysis of kinetic models developed from modified Gompertz equations for batch experiments showed that pH had a profound effect on all kinetic parameters for hydrogen production including hydrogen potential, maximum hydrogen production rate and the length of the lag phase, as well as the maximum substrate utilization rate. The low pH of 4.4 gave the highest hydrogen production potential but with the lowest hydrogen production rate. A contrast experiment was conducted with an initial pH of 5.3 but not controlled, came up with a rapid pH decline, leading to a low hexose degradation efficiency of 33.2% and a significantly suppressed H2 production, indicating the importance of pH control and the effect of pH on H2 production and substrate consumption. pH 5.0 was verified as the optimal for the proposed fermentation system by kinetic models. An extremely linear relationship (R2= 0.993) between the maximum H2 production rate and the maximum hexose degradation rate suggested that the pH inhibition on H2 production was a result of the suppression on the bacterial activity for substrate utilization due to an unfavorable pH level. System optimization was realized through experiments conducted according to a response surface methodology, with a central composite design and empirical quadratic response equations obtained for three responses including the hydrogen content in the biogas, hydrogen evolution rate and hydrogen yield, against three independent variables, pH (4.4-5.6), HRT (8-24h) and substrate glucose concentrations (Cg, 0-20 g/L). Contour plots revealed that all three responses were significantly impacted by the variable and squared pH. Furthermore, pH and Cg had a significant interaction effect on H2 production rate, while HRT and glucose concentration were interdependent, or they had a mildly significant interaction effect on H2 production rate. The hydrogen content decreased when pH was greater than 5.0 or less than 4.6 and a largest value of 42.7% could be obtained at pH 4.8, HRT 8 h, and Cg of 18.7 g/L. The highest hydrogen production rate of 26.1 L/d happened under a pH of 4.6, HRT of 8h, and Cg of 20 g/L; Lower HRT and higher Cg was found to benefit the H2 production rate because they provide elevated organic loading and food to microorganism ratio for the system. HRT shorter than 17h resulted in declined hydrogen yield, while the glucose concentration up to 20 g/L did not cause suppression on hydrogen yield. The revised optimal condition of pH 4.8, HRT 11h, and Cg of 20 g/L, which could achieve 85% of the maximum values of all three hydrogen productivity responses, was determined by surface response methodology. Highly reproducible results from confirming experiments at the optimal condition indicated that the results modeled in this study possessed a high reliability, while the results of H2 content, H2 production rate and yield were obtained as 40.3%, 23.16 L/d, and 1.36mol H2/mol hexose, respectively. Results obtained in this study indicated that ASBR system using swine manure based substrate had significant potential of fermentative hydrogen production. Key words: biohydrogen production, hydrogen fermentation, liquid swine manure, anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR), hydrogen content, hydrogen production rate, hydrogen yield

The effect of net charge on the solubility, activity, and stability of ribonuclease Sa.

PubMed

Shaw, K L; Grimsley, G R; Yakovlev, G I; Makarov, A A; Pace, C N

2001-06-01

The net charge and isoelectric pH (pI) of a protein depend on the content of ionizable groups and their pK values. Ribonuclease Sa (RNase Sa) is an acidic protein with a pI = 3.5 that contains no Lys residues. By replacing Asp and Glu residues on the surface of RNase Sa with Lys residues, we have created a 3K variant (D1K, D17K, E41K) with a pI = 6.4 and a 5K variant (3K + D25K, E74K) with a pI = 10.2. We show that pI values estimated using pK values based on model compound data can be in error by >1 pH unit, and suggest how the estimation can be improved. For RNase Sa and the 3K and 5K variants, the solubility, activity, and stability have been measured as a function of pH. We find that the pH of minimum solubility varies with the pI of the protein, but that the pH of maximum activity and the pH of maximum stability do not.

Effect of pre-rigor stretch and various constant temperatures on the rate of post-mortem pH fall, rigor mortis and some quality traits of excised porcine biceps femoris muscle strips.

PubMed

Vada-Kovács, M

1996-01-01

Porcine biceps femoris strips of 10 cm original length were stretched by 50% and fixed within 1 hr post mortem then subjected to temperatures of 4 °, 15 ° or 36 °C until they attained their ultimate pH. Unrestrained control muscle strips, which were left to shorten freely, were similarly treated. Post-mortem metabolism (pH, R-value) and shortening were recorded; thereafter ultimate meat quality traits (pH, lightness, extraction and swelling of myofibrils) were determined. The rate of pH fall at 36 °C, as well as ATP breakdown at 36 and 4 °C, were significantly reduced by pre-rigor stretch. The relationship between R-value and pH indicated cold shortening at 4 °C. Myofibrils isolated from pre-rigor stretched muscle strips kept at 36 °C showed the most severe reduction of hydration capacity, while paleness remained below extreme values. However, pre-rigor stretched myofibrils - when stored at 4 °C - proved to be superior to shortened ones in their extractability and swelling.

Template-free synthesis of ZnWO{sub 4} powders via hydrothermal process in a wide pH range

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

Hojamberdiev, Mirabbos, E-mail: mirabbos_uz@yahoo.com; Zhu, Gangqiang; Xu, Yunhua

ZnWO{sub 4} powders with different morphologies were fabricated through a template-free hydrothermal method at 180 {sup o}C for 8 h in a wide pH range. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible and luminescence spectrophotometers were applied to study the effects of pH values on crystallinity, morphology, optical and luminescence properties. The XRD results showed that the WO{sub 3} + ZnWO{sub 4}, ZnWO{sub 4}, and ZnO phases could form after hydrothermal processing at 180 {sup o}C for 8 h with the pH values of 1, 3-11, and 13, respectively. The SEM and TEM observation revealedmore » that the morphological transformation of ZnWO{sub 4} powders occurred with an increase in pH values as follows: star anise-, peony-, and desert rose-like microstructures and soya bean- and rod-like nanostructures. The highest luminescence intensity was found to be in sample consisting of star anise-like crystallites among all the samples due to the presence of larger particles with high crystallinity resulted from the favorable pH under the current hydrothermal conditions.« less

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy study on the structure changes of 4-Mercaptophenylboronic Acid under different pH conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Hongyang; Wang, Yue; Yu, Zhi; Liu, Yawen; Zhang, Xiaolei; Wang, Xiaolei; Sui, Huimin; Sun, Chengbin; Zhao, Bing

2017-10-01

4-Mercaptophenylboronic Acid (4-MPBA) plays pivotal role in various fields. The orientation and existing form of the 4-MPBA strongly depend on the pH value of the media. The general aim of this work is to obtain information about the structure changes of 4-MPBA absorbed on Ag nanoparticles in different pH environment. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique is a simple and rapid method to study adsorption phenomena at molecule level. The investigation is done by means of SERS. In order to interpret the experimental information, a series of SERS spectra is carried out. The relative intensities of the totally symmetric (a1 mode) and non-totally symmetric (b2 mode) bands in the SERS spectra of 4-MPBA change depend on the environmental pH values, which is a manifestation of charge transfer (CT) processes. The degree of charge transfer increases with the pH value of the media changing from acidity to alkalinity. The structure changes of MPBA had been carried out in different pH environment. We envision that this approach will be of great significance in related fields of 4-MPBA-involved detection.

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

Intestinal pH and Absorption and Deposition of Ca 47 in the Rachitic Chick

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

Wasserman, R H; Taylor, A N

The effect of pH of the dosing solution on the relative tibia deposition of Ca 47 absorbed from the duodenum of rachitic and vit. D-treated chicks was examined. Vit. D had its usual enhancing effect on Ca 47 absorption; however, it was observed that the percent absorbed Ca47 deposited in tibia varied with intraduodenal pH and vit. D-status of the chick. At low pH values (1.9, 2.0), there were no differences in the percent of duodenally absorbed Ca 47 accumulated by tibia in rachitic or vit. D-treated chicks whereas, at high pH values, proportionally less of the absorbed Ca 47more » was deposited in rachitic tibia; pH was without effect on uptake of Ca 47 by tibia in the vit. D-treated birds.« less

Sucrose concentration and pH in liquid oral pediatric medicines of long-term use for children.

PubMed

Passos, Isabela Albuquerque; Sampaio, Fábio Correia; Martínez, Cosme Rafael; Freitas, Cláudia Helena Soares de Morais

2010-02-01

To determine the pH and sucrose concentrations (SC) of pediatric liquid drugs of long-term use by children in order to evaluate the potential risk for dental caries and dental erosion. After assessing the pH, we analyzed 71 aqueous medicine samples for sucrose by the Lane-Eynon general volumetric method. The pH and SC values (mean +/- standard deviation (SD) were calculated according to therapeutic action. The highest and the lowest SC values (mean +/- SD) were found in respiratory (37.75% +/- 17.23%) and endocrine drugs (11.97% +/- 15.16%) (p < 0.01). The values for medicines prescribed for daily ingestion were 47.15% +/- 9.57%, whereas for twice daily and three or four times a day, these numbers were 24.42% +/- 18.03% and 34.43% +/- 14.83%, respectively (p < 0.01). The SC (mean +/- SD)) values were higher in syrups (36.32% +/- 17.62%) than in other formulations (p > 0.05). The overall pH (mean +/- SD) was 5.89 +/- 2.02 (range 2.3 +/- 0.01 to 10.6 +/- 0.02). In products with acidic pH, the SC (mean +/- SD) was significantly lower (22.14% +/- 15.72%) than in nonacidic medicines (39.22% +/- 15.82%) (p < 0.001). It can be concluded that the pediatric medicines studied have a high SC and low pH, which vary according to therapeutic class, daily dose, and brand. Caution about dental caries, dental erosion, and systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus is warranted when these medicines are ingested frequently.

In-situ Eh sensor measurement and calibration: application to seafloor observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, K.; Seyfried, W. E.; Tan, C.

2013-12-01

Eh measurement is often used with manned submersible and AUV assets as an effective way to detect and locate seafloor hydrothermal activity. Eh can be fundamentally and sensitively linked to dissolved H 2 , which, in turn, serves as a key constraint on subseafloor redox reactions. Moreover, Eh is now being increasingly relied on for event detection and process monitoring efforts intrinsic to cabled seafloor observatories. Due to seawater interaction with electrochemical components fundamental to the operation of the Eh sensor, however, the quality and reliability of the measurements are often compromised by signal drift, especially when the sensor is used for long term deployment. To solve this problem, a calibration protocol was developed and added to our previously constructed pH 'calibrator'. Thus, the integrated electrochemical system now permits the combined in-situ measurement and calibration of pH and Eh of seafloor hydrothermal fluids. Key aspects of the design for this calibration system are: (1) the sensing electrodes can be kept preserved in fluid of known pH, Eh and NaCl concentration prior to use, thereby preventing deterioration of electrode response characteristics by chemical and biological activity; (2) the system consists of valves and pumps for flow control, and therefore can be operated remotely with power from the seafloor cabled observatory, or as a stand-alone device, using battery power for shorter-term deployments. In both cases, standardization with on-board fluids of known redox, pH, and NaCl activity can be activated at any time, providing enhanced reliability (3) the current development is aimed at deep sea environments, cold seeps, and hydrothermal diffuse flow fluids at the temperatures up to 100°C and depths up to 4500 m. The in-situ operation is especially well-suited for use with cabled observatory for real time intervention and event response owing to enabled power supply and two way communications. Field tests have been conducted extensively during one Alvin cruise at EPR 9°N, and one Jason-II cruise at MAR (Lost city, 30°N). In addition to these submersible deployments, profile measurements using ship wench system were made from the sea-surface to depths to more than 3000 m. The remote operation tests were carried out with a direct connection though MARS seafloor cabled observatory at the depth of 880 m for a period of more than two months. During these deployments, the standard solutions with O2 concentration of room saturation matched with seawater salinity and know pH values were used. The results indicate the effectiveness of these concepts and design for conducting in-situ calibration enhanced Eh measurement and monitoring covering the operational conditions from normal seawater with relatively oxidizing environment to reducing condition in low temperature hydrothermal diffuse systems. The results and detailed discussion will be presented in this presentation.

Functional Properties of Pea (Pisum sativum, L.) Protein Isolates Modified with Chymosin

PubMed Central

Barać, Miroljub; Čabrilo, Slavica; Pešić, Mirjana; Stanojević, Slađana; Pavlićević, Milica; Maćej, Ognjen; Ristić, Nikola

2011-01-01

In this paper, the effects of limited hydrolysis on functional properties, as well as on protein composition of laboratory-prepared pea protein isolates, were investigated. Pea protein isolates were hydrolyzed for either 15, 30 and 60 min with recombined chymosin (Maxiren). The effect of enzymatic action on solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties at different pH values (3.0; 5.0; 7.0 and 8.0) was monitored. Chymosin can be a very useful agent for improvement of functional properties of isolates. Action of this enzyme caused a low degree of hydrolysis (3.9–4.7%), but improved significantly functional properties of pea protein isolates (PPI), especially at lower pH values (3.0–5.0). At these pH values all hydrolysates had better solubility, emulsifying activity and foaming stability, while longer-treated samples (60 min) formed more stable emulsions at higher pH values (7.0, 8.0) than initial isolates. Also, regardless of pH value, all hydrolysates showed improved foaming ability. A moderate positive correlation between solubility and emulsifying activity index (EAI) (0.74) and negative correlation between solubility and foam stability (−0.60) as well as between foam stability (FS) and EAI (−0.77) were observed. Detected enhancement in functional properties was a result of partial hydrolysis of insoluble protein complexes. PMID:22272078

Using magnetic materials to harvest microalgal biomass: evaluation of harvesting and detachment efficiency.

PubMed

Zhu, L-D; Hiltunen, Erkki; Li, Zhaohua

2017-12-15

Using naked iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) and yttrium iron oxide (Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 ) nanoparticles as flocculants, the harvesting efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris biomass was investigated. The harvesting process includes two steps, which are the separation of microalgae from the culture solution with the magnetic nanoparticles and then the separation of the algae from the magnetic nanoparticles. The optimal dosages and pH values for the magnetic harvesting of microalgal biomass were determined. Results showed that Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 nanoparticles were more efficient in microalgal biomass harvesting than Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. In an effort to achieve more than 90% of harvesting efficiency, optimal dosages for Fe 3 O 4 and Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 to harvest microalgal biomass were 10 and 2.5 g/L, while the appropriate pH values were 6.2 and 7.3, respectively. The harvesting efficiency of Fe 3 O 4 and Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 nanoparticles increased as the pH value decreased. The experimental results also showed that under a higher pH value Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were much easier to be separated from the flocs than Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 . 62.9% of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles could be de-attached from the aggregates, when the floc pH value reached 12.3.

[Effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase, total protein, salivary flow rate and pH value in Pi deficiency children].

PubMed

Yang, Ze-min; Chen, Long-hui; Lin, Jing; Zhang, Min; Yang, Xiao-rong; Chen, Wei-wen

2015-02-01

To compare the effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), total protein (TP), salivary flow rate, and pH value between Pi deficiency (PD) children and healthy children, thereby providing evidence for Pi controlling saliva theory. Twenty PD children were recruited, and 29 healthy children were also recruited at the same time. Saliva samples from all subjects were collected before and after citric acid stimulation. The sAA activity and amount, TP contents, salivary flow rate, and pH value were determined and compared. (1) Citric acid stimulation was able to significantly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, sAA activities, sAA specific activity and sAA amount (including glycosylated and non-glycosylated sAA amount) in healthy children (P<0.05), while it could markedly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, and glycosylated sAA levels in PD children (P<0.05); (2) Although there was no statistical difference in determined salivary indices between the two groups (P>0.05), salivary indices except salivary flow rate and glycosylated sAA levels decreased more in PD children. There was statistical difference in sAA activity ratio, sAA specific activity ratio, and the ratio of glycosylated sAA levels between PD children and healthy children (P<0.05). PD children had decreased response to citric acid stimulation.

Effect of Three Factors in Cheese Production (pH, Salt, and Heat) on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Viability

PubMed Central

Sung, Nackmoon; Collins, Michael T.

2000-01-01

Low pH and salt are two factors contributing to the inactivation of bacterial pathogens during a 60-day curing period for cheese. The kinetics of inactivation for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains ATCC 19698 and Dominic were measured at 20°C under different pH and NaCl conditions commonly used in processing cheese. The corresponding D values (decimal reduction times; the time required to kill 1 log10 concentration of bacteria) were measured. Also measured were the D values for heat-treated and nonheated M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in 50 mM acetate buffer (pH 5.0, 2% [wt/vol] NaCl) and a soft white Hispanic-style cheese (pH 6.0, 2% [wt/vol] NaCl). Samples were removed at various intervals until no viable cells were detected using the radiometric culture method (BACTEC) for enumeration of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. NaCl had little or no effect on the inactivation of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and increasing NaCl concentrations were not associated with decreasing D values (faster killing) in the acetate buffer. Lower pHs, however, were significantly correlated with decreasing D values of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the acetate buffer. The D values for heat-treated M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis ATCC 19698 in the cheese were higher than those predicted by studies done in acetate buffer. The heat-treated M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains had lower D values than the nonheated cells (faster killing) both in the acetate buffer (pH 5, 2% [wt/vol] NaCl) and in the soft white cheese. The D value for heat-treated M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis ATCC 19698 in the cheese (36.5 days) suggests that heat treatment of raw milk coupled with a 60-day curing period will inactivate about 103 cells of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis per ml. PMID:10742208

Optimization of a Coupling Process for Insulin Degludec According to a Quality by Design (QbD) Paradigm.

PubMed

Nie, Lei; Hu, Mingming; Yan, Xu; Guo, Tingting; Wang, Haibin; Zhang, Sheng; Qu, Haibin

2018-05-03

This case study described a successful application of the quality by design (QbD) principles to a coupling process development of insulin degludec. Failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) risk analysis was first used to recognize critical process parameters (CPPs). Five CPPs, including coupling temperature (Temp), pH of desB30 solution (pH), reaction time (Time), desB30 concentration (Conc), and molar equivalent of ester per mole of desB30 insulin (MolE), were then investigated using a fractional factorial design. The curvature effect was found significant, indicating the requirement of second-order models. Afterwards, a central composite design was built with an augmented star and center points study. Regression models were developed for the CPPs to predict the purity and yield of predegludec using above experimental data. The R 2 and adjusted R 2 were higher than 96 and 93% for the two models respectively. The Q 2 values were more than 80% indicating a good predictive ability of models. MolE was found to be the most significant factor affecting both yield and purity of predegludec. Temp, pH, and Conc were also significant for predegludec purity, while Time appeared to remarkably influence the yield model. The multi-dimensional design space and normal operating region (NOR) with a robust setpoint were determined using a probability-based Monte-Carlo simulation method. The verified experimental results showed that the design space was reliable and effective. This study enriches the understanding of acetylation process and is instructional to other complicated operations in biopharmaceutical engineering.

Complete nutrient recovery from source-separated urine by nitrification and distillation.

PubMed

Udert, K M; Wächter, M

2012-02-01

In this study we present a method to recover all nutrients from source-separated urine in a dry solid by combining biological nitrification with distillation. In a first process step, a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor was operated stably for more than 12 months, producing a nutrient solution with a pH between 6.2 and 7.0 (depending on the pH set-point), and an ammonium to nitrate ratio between 0.87 and 1.15 gN gN(-1). The maximum nitrification rate was 1.8 ± 0.3 gN m(-2) d(-1). Process stability was achieved by controlling the pH via the influent. In the second process step, real nitrified urine and synthetic solutions were concentrated in lab-scale distillation reactors. All nutrients were recovered in a dry powder except for some ammonia (less than 3% of total nitrogen). We estimate that the primary energy demand for a simple nitrification/distillation process is four to five times higher than removing nitrogen and phosphorus in a conventional wastewater treatment plant and producing the equivalent amount of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers. However, the primary energy demand can be reduced to values very close to conventional treatment, if 80% of the water is removed with reverse osmosis and distillation is operated with vapor compression. The ammonium nitrate content of the solid residue is below the limit at which stringent EU safety regulations for fertilizers come into effect; nevertheless, we propose some additional process steps that will increase the thermal stability of the solid product. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological pH sensing based on the environmentally friendly Raman technique through a polyaniline probe.

PubMed

Li, Songyang; Liu, Zhiming; Su, Chengkang; Chen, Haolin; Fei, Xixi; Guo, Zhouyi

2017-02-01

The biological pH plays an important role in various cellular processes. In this work, a novel strategy is reported for biological pH sensing by using Raman spectroscopy and polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) as the pH-sensitive Raman probe. It is found that the Raman spectrum of PANI NPs is strongly dependent on the pH value. The intensities of Raman spectral bands at 1225 and 1454 cm -1 increase obviously with pH value varying from 5.5 to 8.0, which covers the range of regular biological pH variation. The pH-dependent Raman performance of PANI NPs, as well as their robust Raman signals and sensitivities to pH, was well retained after the nanoparticles incorporated into living 4T1 breast adenocarcinoma cells. The data indicate that such PANI NPs can be used as an effective biological pH sensor. Most interestingly, the PANI spherical nanostructures can be acquired by a low-cost, metal-free, and one-pot oxidative polymerization, which gives them excellent biocompatibility for further biological applications.

Characterization of glutamate decarboxylase from Lactobacillus plantarum and its C-terminal function for the pH dependence of activity.

PubMed

Shin, Sun-Mi; Kim, Hana; Joo, Yunhye; Lee, Sang-Jae; Lee, Yong-Jik; Lee, Sang Jun; Lee, Dong-Woo

2014-12-17

The gadB gene encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) from Lactobacillus plantarum was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 40 °C and pH 5.0. The 3D model structure of L. plantarum GAD proposed that its C-terminal region (Ile454-Thr468) may play an important role in the pH dependence of catalysis. Accordingly, C-terminally truncated (Δ3 and Δ11 residues) mutants were generated and their enzyme activities compared with that of the wild-type enzyme at different pH values. Unlike the wild-type GAD, the mutants showed pronounced catalytic activity in a broad pH range of 4.0-8.0, suggesting that the C-terminal region is involved in the pH dependence of GAD activity. Therefore, this study may provide effective target regions for engineering pH dependence of GAD activity, thereby meeting industrial demands for the production of γ-aminobutyrate in a broad range of pH values.

Effect of pH on growth and lipid accumulation kinetics of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris grown heterotrophically under sulfur limitation.

PubMed

Sakarika, Myrsini; Kornaros, Michael

2016-11-01

The goal of the present study was to investigate the pH range that can support the growth of C. vulgaris, and, more specifically, to identify the optimal pH for the microalga's growth, under heterotrophic conditions. Furthermore, the effect of pH on the accumulation of intracellular lipids was studied. A wide range of pH values was tested using the respective buffer solutions. The optimal pH for biomass growth and lipid accumulation under sulfur limitation was found to be 7.5, resulting in maximum specific growth rate of 0.541days(-1) and maximum total lipid content of 53.43%ggDW(-1). The fatty acid composition of C. vulgaris was found to be unrelated to pH, as the lipid content did not present significant variations in the pH values tested. The fatty acid profile was mainly composed of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) with the dominant one being oleic acid (C18:1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chitosan based grey wastewater treatment--a statistical design approach.

PubMed

Thirugnanasambandham, K; Sivakumar, V; Prakash Maran, J; Kandasamy, S

2014-01-01

In this present study, grey wastewater was treated under different operating conditions such as agitation time (1-3 min), pH (2.5-5.5), chitosan dose (0.3-0.6g/l) and settling time (10-20 min) using response surface methodology (RSM). Four factors with three levels Box-Behnken response surface design (BBD) were employed to optimize and investigate the effect of process variables on the responses such as turbidity, BOD and COD removal. The results were analyzed by Pareto analysis of variance (ANOVA) and second order polynomial models were developed in order to predict the responses. Under the optimum conditions, experimental values such as turbidity (96%), BOD (91%) and COD (73%) removals are closely agreed with predicted values. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of the microbial siderophore DFO-B on Pb and Cd speciation in aqueous solution.

PubMed

Mishra, Bhoopesh; Haack, Elizabeth A; Maurice, Patricia A; Bunker, Bruce A

2009-01-01

This study investigates the complexation environments of aqueous Pb and Cd in the presence of the trihydroxamate microbial siderophore, desferrioxamine-B (DFO-B) as a function of pH. Complexation of aqueous Pb and Cd with DFO-B was predicted using equilibrium speciation calculation. Synchrotron-based X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy at Pb L(III) edge and Cd K edge was used to characterize Pb and Cd-DFO-B complexes at pH values predicted to best represent each of the metal-siderophore complexes. Pb was not found to be complexed measurably by DFO-B at pH 3.0, but was complexed by all three hydroxamate groups to form a totally "caged" hexadentate structure at pH 7.5-9.0. At the intermediate pH value (pH 4.8), a mixture of Pb-DFOB complexes involving binding of the metal through one and two hydroxamate groups was observed. Cd, on the other hand, remained as hydrated Cd2+ at pH 5.0, occurred as a mixture of Cd-DFOB and inorganic species at pH 8.0, and was bound by three hydroxamate groups from DFO-B at pH 9.0. Overall, the solution species observed with EXAFS were consistent with those predicted thermodynamically. However, Pb speciation at higher pH values differed from that predicted and suggests that published constants underestimate the binding constant for complexation of Pb with all three hydroxamate groups of the DFO-B ligand. This molecular-level understanding of metal-siderophore solution coordination provides physical evidence for complexes of Pb and Cd with DFO-B, and is an important first step toward understanding processes at the microbial- and/or mineral-water interface in the presence of siderophores.

Influence of surface porosity and pH on bacterial adherence to hydroxyapatite and biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics.

PubMed

Kinnari, Teemu J; Esteban, Jaime; Martin-de-Hijas, Nieves Z; Sánchez-Muñoz, Orlando; Sánchez-Salcedo, Sandra; Colilla, Montserrat; Vallet-Regí, María; Gomez-Barrena, Enrique

2009-01-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic materials are widely employed as bone substitutes due to their porous and osteoconductive structure. Their porosity and the lowering of surrounding pH as a result of surgical trauma may, however, predispose these materials to bacterial infections. For this reason, the influence of porosity and pH on the adherence of common Gram-positive bacteria to the surfaces of these materials requires investigation. Mercury intrusion porosimetry measurements revealed that the pore size distribution of both bioceramics had, on a logarithmic scale, a sinusoidal frequency distribution ranging from 50 to 300 nm, with a mean pore diameter of 200 nm. Moreover, total porosity was 20 % for HA and 50 % for BCP. Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis was studied at a physiological pH of 7.4 and at a pH simulating bone infection of 6.8. Moreover, the effect of pH on the zeta potential of HA, BCP and of both staphylococci was evaluated. Results showed that when pH decreased from 7.4 to 6.8, the adherence of both staphylococci to HA and BCP surfaces decreased significantly, although at the same time the negative zeta-potential values of the ceramic surfaces and both bacteria diminished. At both pH values, the number of S. aureus adhered to the HA surface appeared to be lower than that for BCP. A decrease in pH to 6.8 reduced the adherence of both bacterial species (mean 57 %). This study provides evidence that HA and BCP ceramics do not have pores sufficiently large to allow the internalization of staphylococci. Their anti-adherent properties seemed to improve when pH value decreased, suggesting that HA and BCP bioceramics are not compromised upon orthopaedic use.

The importance of organic matter distribution and extract soil:solution ratio on the desorption of heavy metals from soils.

PubMed

Yin, Yujun; Impellitteri, Christopher A; You, Sun-Jae; Allen, Herbert E

2002-03-15

The lability (mobility and bioavailability) of metals varies significantly with soil properties for similar total soil metal concentrations. We studied desorption of Cu, Ni and Zn, from 15 diverse, unamended soils. These studies included evaluation of the effects of soil:solution extraction ratio and the roles of soil properties on metal desorption. Dcsorption was examined for each metal by computing distribution coefficients (Kd) for each metal in each soil where Kd = [M]soil/[M]solution, Results from soil:solution ratio studies demonstrated that Kd values for the metals tended to increase with increasing soil:solution ratio. This result also held true for distribution of soil organic matter (SOM). Because the soil:solution ratio has a significant effect on measured metal distributions, we selected a high soil:solution ratio to more closely approach natural soil conditions. Copper showed strong affinity to operationally defined dissolved organic matter (DOM). In this study, DOM was operationally defined based on the total organic carbon (TOC) content in 0.45-microm or 0.22-microm filtrates of the extracts. The Kd of Cu correlated linearly (r2 = 0.91) with the Kd of organic matter (Kd-om) where the Kd-om is equal to SOM as measured by Walkley-Black wet combustion and converted to total carbon (TC) by a factor of 0.59. These values representing solid phase TC were then divided by soluble organic carbon as measured by TOC analysis (DOM). The conversion factor of 0.59 was employed in order to construct Kd-om values based on solid phase carbon and solution phase carbon. SOM plays a significant role in the fate of Cu in soil systems. Soil-solution distribution of Ni and Zn, as well as the activity of free Cu2+, were closely related to SOM, but not to DOM. Kd values for Ni, Zn and free Cu2+ in a particular soil were divided by the SOM content in the same soil. This normalization of the Kd values for Ni, Zn, and free Cu2+ to the SOM content resulted in significant improvements in the linear relationships between non-normalized Kd values and soil pH. The semi-empirical normalized regression equations can be used to predict the solubility of Ni and Zn and the activity of free Cu2+ as a function of pH.

Six Month In Situ High-Resolution Carbonate Chemistry and Temperature Study on a Coral Reef Flat Reveals Asynchronous pH and Temperature Anomalies.

PubMed

Kline, David I; Teneva, Lida; Hauri, Claudine; Schneider, Kenneth; Miard, Thomas; Chai, Aaron; Marker, Malcolm; Dunbar, Rob; Caldeira, Ken; Lazar, Boaz; Rivlin, Tanya; Mitchell, Brian Gregory; Dove, Sophie; Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove

2015-01-01

Understanding the temporal dynamics of present thermal and pH exposure on coral reefs is crucial for elucidating reef response to future global change. Diel ranges in temperature and carbonate chemistry parameters coupled with seasonal changes in the mean conditions define periods during the year when a reef habitat is exposed to anomalous thermal and/or pH exposure. Anomalous conditions are defined as values that exceed an empirically estimated threshold for each variable. We present a 200-day time series from June through December 2010 of carbonate chemistry and environmental parameters measured on the Heron Island reef flat. These data reveal that aragonite saturation state, pH, and pCO2 were primarily modulated by biologically-driven changes in dissolved organic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA), rather than salinity and temperature. The largest diel temperature ranges occurred in austral spring, in October (1.5 - 6.6°C) and lowest diel ranges (0.9 - 3.2°C) were observed in July, at the peak of winter. We observed large diel total pH variability, with a maximum range of 7.7 - 8.5 total pH units, with minimum diel average pH values occurring during spring and maximum during fall. As with many other reefs, the nighttime pH minima on the reef flat were far lower than pH values predicted for the open ocean by 2100. DIC and TA both increased from June (end of Fall) to December (end of Spring). Using this high-resolution dataset, we developed exposure metrics of pH and temperature individually for intensity, duration, and severity of low pH and high temperature events, as well as a combined metric. Periods of anomalous temperature and pH exposure were asynchronous on the Heron Island reef flat, which underlines the importance of understanding the dynamics of co-occurrence of multiple stressors on coastal ecosystems.

Six Month In Situ High-Resolution Carbonate Chemistry and Temperature Study on a Coral Reef Flat Reveals Asynchronous pH and Temperature Anomalies

PubMed Central

Kline, David I.; Teneva, Lida; Hauri, Claudine; Schneider, Kenneth; Miard, Thomas; Chai, Aaron; Marker, Malcolm; Dunbar, Rob; Caldeira, Ken; Lazar, Boaz; Rivlin, Tanya; Mitchell, Brian Gregory; Dove, Sophie; Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove

2015-01-01

Understanding the temporal dynamics of present thermal and pH exposure on coral reefs is crucial for elucidating reef response to future global change. Diel ranges in temperature and carbonate chemistry parameters coupled with seasonal changes in the mean conditions define periods during the year when a reef habitat is exposed to anomalous thermal and/or pH exposure. Anomalous conditions are defined as values that exceed an empirically estimated threshold for each variable. We present a 200-day time series from June through December 2010 of carbonate chemistry and environmental parameters measured on the Heron Island reef flat. These data reveal that aragonite saturation state, pH, and pCO2 were primarily modulated by biologically-driven changes in dissolved organic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA), rather than salinity and temperature. The largest diel temperature ranges occurred in austral spring, in October (1.5 – 6.6°C) and lowest diel ranges (0.9 – 3.2°C) were observed in July, at the peak of winter. We observed large diel total pH variability, with a maximum range of 7.7 – 8.5 total pH units, with minimum diel average pH values occurring during spring and maximum during fall. As with many other reefs, the nighttime pH minima on the reef flat were far lower than pH values predicted for the open ocean by 2100. DIC and TA both increased from June (end of Fall) to December (end of Spring). Using this high-resolution dataset, we developed exposure metrics of pH and temperature individually for intensity, duration, and severity of low pH and high temperature events, as well as a combined metric. Periods of anomalous temperature and pH exposure were asynchronous on the Heron Island reef flat, which underlines the importance of understanding the dynamics of co-occurrence of multiple stressors on coastal ecosystems. PMID:26039687

Assessment of preoperative nutritional status using BIA-derived phase angle (PhA) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer: Correlation with the extent of cytoreduction and complications.

PubMed

Uccella, Stefano; Mele, Maria Cristina; Quagliozzi, Lorena; Rinninella, Emanuele; Nero, Camilla; Cappuccio, Serena; Cintoni, Marco; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Scambia, Giovanni; Fagotti, Anna

2018-05-01

To investigate whether patients' altered body composition (measured with bioimpedentiometry), due to a poor nutritional status, predicts the incidence of no residual disease at primary debulking and the risk of complications in patients with newly-diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Data regarding patients with newly-diagnosed stage IIIC-IV EOC undergoing elective nutritional assessment between December 2016 and March 2017, were prospectively collected. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with measurement of BIA-derived phase angle [PhA] at 50KHz, was accomplished. Only patients with disease which was considered resectable at staging laparoscopy were submitted to open primary cytoreduction. The rate of residual tumor (RT)=0 and the incidence of complications were assessed. Seventy patients were included. Fifty-two of them were submitted to primary cytoreduction (74.3%) and 48 (68.6% of the entire cohort, 92.3% of those who underwent primary debulking) had RT=0 at the end of surgery. Median values of PhA were significantly lower in patients with RT>vs. =0 (4.7, range: 3.6-5.8 vs. 5.3, range: 4.2-6.8; p=0.001). Twenty-four (out of the 52 operated) patients (46.2%) developed at least one complication. PhA was significantly lower in patients with vs. without complications (5, range: 3.6-6.4, vs. 5.4, range 4.5-6.8; p=0.03). After multivariable analysis, Fagotti score and PhA were the only independent predictors of residual disease (OR:13.56; 95%CI:1.33-137.6; p=0.027 and 9.24; 1.16-73.43; p=0.036, respectively) and of any complication (OR:4.9;95%CI:1.17-20.6; p=0.03 and 7.27; 1.45-36.4; p=0.01, respectively). Derangement of body composition (likely due to disease-related malnutrition) expressed as a low phase angle, is an independent predictor of residual disease and peri-operative complications at the time of upfront cytoreduction for advanced EOC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurements of spectral responses for developing fiber-optic pH sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Wook Jae; Heo, Ji Yeon; Jang, Kyoung Won; Seo, Jeong Ki; Moon, Jin Soo; Park, Jang-Yeon; Park, Byung Gi; Cho, Seunghyun; Lee, Bongsoo

2011-01-01

In this study, we have fabricated a fiber-optic pH sensor, which is composed of a light source, a pH-sensing probe, plastic optical fibers and a spectrometer, for determining the degree of infection by Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. As pH indicators, phenol red and m-cresol purple are used, and pH liquid solutions are prepared by mixing phenol red or m-cresol purple solutions and various kinds of pH buffer solutions. The light emitted by a light source is guided by plastic optical fibers to the pH liquid solution, and the optical characteristic of a reflected light is changed according to the color variations of the pH indicator in the pH-sensing probe. Therefore, we have measured the intensities and wavelength shifts of the reflected lights, which change according to the color variations of indicators at different pH values, by using a spectrometer for spectral analysis. Also, the relationships between the pH values of liquid solutions and the optical properties of the modulated lights are obtained on the basis of the changes of the colors of indicators.

An EPR study of the pH dependence of formate effects on Photosystem II.

PubMed

Jajoo, Anjana; Katsuta, Nobuhiro; Kawamori, Asako

2006-04-01

Effects of formate on rates of O(2) evolution and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals were observed in the oxygen evolving PS II membranes as a function of pH. In formate treated PS II membranes, decrease in pH value resulted in the inhibition of the O(2) evolving activity, a decrease in the intensity of S(2) state multiline signal but an increase in the intensity of the Q(A)(-)Fe(2+) EPR signal. Time-resolved EPR study of the Y(Z)(*) decay kinetics showed that the light-induced intensity of Y(Z)(*) EPR signal was proportional to the formate concentration. The change in the pH affected both the light-induced intensities and the decay rates of Y(Z)(*), which was found to be faster at lower pH. At 253 K, t(1/e) value of Y(Z)(*) decay kinetics was found to be 8-10 s at pH 6.0 and 18-21 s at pH 5.0. The results presented here indicate that the extent of inhibition at the donor and the acceptor side of PS II due to formate is pH dependent, being more effective at lower pH.

Effect of pH on the stability of hemochromatosis factor E: a combined spectroscopic and molecular dynamics simulation-based study.

PubMed

Khan, Parvez; Shandilya, Ashutosh; Jayaram, B; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz

2017-05-01

Hereditary hemochromatosis is an iron overburden condition, which is mainly governed by hereditary hemochromatosis factor E (HFE), a member of major histocompatibility complex class I. To understand the effect of pH on the structure and stability of HFE, we have cloned, expressed, and purified the HFE in the bacterial system and performed circular dichroism, fluorescence, and absorbance measurements at a wide pH range (pH 3.0-11.0). We found that HFE remains stable in the pH range 7.5-11.0 and gets completely acid denatured at low pH values. In this work, we also analyzed the contribution of salt bridges to the stability of HFE. We further performed molecular dynamics simulations for 80 ns at different pH values. An excellent agreement was observed between results from biophysical and MD simulation studies. At lower pH, HFE undergoes denaturation and may be driven toward a degradation pathway, such as ubiquitination. Hence, HFE is not available to bind again with transferrin receptor1 to negatively regulate iron homeostasis. Further we postulated that, might be low pH of cancerous cells helps them to meet their high iron requirement.

Effect of pH on the rheological properties of borate crosslinked hydroxypropyl guar gum hydrogel and hydroxypropyl guar gum.

PubMed

Wang, Shibin; Tang, Hongbiao; Guo, Jianchun; Wang, Kunjie

2016-08-20

pH is an important factor affecting the performance of polymer fluid. The rheological properties of hydroxypropyl guar gum (HPG) base fluid and the structural strength, rheological properties, viscoelastic properties and thixotropy properties of HPG gel depend largely on the pH values. For the base fluid, an apparent viscosity-increasing effect was observed over the pH range from 7 to 11, and the apparent viscosity gradually decreased at pH 11.5-14, exhibiting electrostatic repulsion behavior and steric effects. For the HPG gel, at pH 7-12.5, the gel possessed higher apparent viscosity, higher elastic modulus (G'), lower tanδ (the ratio of the viscous modulus to the elastic modulus) and an "8"-shaped hysteresis loop, indicating stronger gel structure strength and the elastic dominant property. At pH 13-13.5, the gel samples exhibited the transition from a pseudoplastic fluid to a Newtonian fluid, and their viscosity, elastic modulus decreased but tanδ increased with the increase in pH values, exhibiting gradually weakened elastic properties. When the pH was 14, the gel mainly exhibited viscous characteristics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Shampoo pH can Affect the Hair: Myth or Reality?

PubMed Central

Gavazzoni Dias, Maria Fernanda Reis; de Almeida, Andréia Munck; Cecato, Patricia Makino Rezende; Adriano, Andre Ricardo; Pichler, Janine

2014-01-01

Aim: Dermatologists most frequently prescribe shampoos for the treatment of hair shed and scalp disorders. Prescription of hair care products is often focused on improving scalp hair density, whereas the over-the-counter products focus on hair damage prevention. Little is taught in medical schools about the hair cosmetics, so that the prescriptions are based only on the treatment of the scalp and usually disregards the hair fiber health. Materials and Methods: In this work, we review the current literature about the mode of action of a low-pH shampoo regarding the hair shaft's health and analyze the pH of 123 shampoos of international brands. Results: All shampoo pH values ranged from 3.5 to 9.0. 38.21% of all 123 shampoos presented a pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 29.9–47%) and 61.78% presented a pH > 5.5. 26 anti-dandruff shampoos were analyzed. About 19.23% presented pH ≤ 5.5.(IC: 7.4–37.6%). 80.77% of all anti-dandruffs shampoos presented a pH > 5.5. The dermatological shampoo group (n = 19) presented 42.10% with pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 21.8–64.6%), and 57.90% with pH > 5.5. Among the commercial (popular) products (n = 96), 34.37% presented pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 25.4–44.3%) and 65.62% presented pH > 5.5. 15 professional products (used in hair salons) were analyzed, of which 75% had a pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 18–65, 4%), and 25% had a pH > 5.5. 100% of the children's shampoos presented a pH > 5.5. Conclusions: Alkaline pH may increase the negative electrical charge of the hair fiber surface and, therefore, increase friction between the fibers. This may lead to cuticle damage and fiber breakage. It is a reality and not a myth that lower pH of shampoos may cause less frizzing for generating less negative static electricity on the fiber surface. Interestingly, only 38% of the popular brand shampoos against 75% of the salons shampoos presented a pH ≤ 5.0. Pediatric shampoos had the pH of 7.0 because of the “no-tear” concept. There is no standardized value for the final pH. The authors believe that it is important to reveal the pH value on the shampoo label, but studies are needed to establish the best pH range for both the scalp and the hair fiber's health. PMID:25210332

The Shampoo pH can Affect the Hair: Myth or Reality?

PubMed

Gavazzoni Dias, Maria Fernanda Reis; de Almeida, Andréia Munck; Cecato, Patricia Makino Rezende; Adriano, Andre Ricardo; Pichler, Janine

2014-07-01

Dermatologists most frequently prescribe shampoos for the treatment of hair shed and scalp disorders. Prescription of hair care products is often focused on improving scalp hair density, whereas the over-the-counter products focus on hair damage prevention. Little is taught in medical schools about the hair cosmetics, so that the prescriptions are based only on the treatment of the scalp and usually disregards the hair fiber health. In this work, we review the current literature about the mode of action of a low-pH shampoo regarding the hair shaft's health and analyze the pH of 123 shampoos of international brands. All shampoo pH values ranged from 3.5 to 9.0. 38.21% of all 123 shampoos presented a pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 29.9-47%) and 61.78% presented a pH > 5.5. 26 anti-dandruff shampoos were analyzed. About 19.23% presented pH ≤ 5.5.(IC: 7.4-37.6%). 80.77% of all anti-dandruffs shampoos presented a pH > 5.5. The dermatological shampoo group (n = 19) presented 42.10% with pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 21.8-64.6%), and 57.90% with pH > 5.5. Among the commercial (popular) products (n = 96), 34.37% presented pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 25.4-44.3%) and 65.62% presented pH > 5.5. 15 professional products (used in hair salons) were analyzed, of which 75% had a pH ≤ 5.5 (IC: 18-65, 4%), and 25% had a pH > 5.5. 100% of the children's shampoos presented a pH > 5.5. Alkaline pH may increase the negative electrical charge of the hair fiber surface and, therefore, increase friction between the fibers. This may lead to cuticle damage and fiber breakage. It is a reality and not a myth that lower pH of shampoos may cause less frizzing for generating less negative static electricity on the fiber surface. Interestingly, only 38% of the popular brand shampoos against 75% of the salons shampoos presented a pH ≤ 5.0. Pediatric shampoos had the pH of 7.0 because of the "no-tear" concept. There is no standardized value for the final pH. The authors believe that it is important to reveal the pH value on the shampoo label, but studies are needed to establish the best pH range for both the scalp and the hair fiber's health.

Influence of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen concentration on enhanced biological phosphorus removal under strictly aerobic conditions.

PubMed

Nittami, Tadashi; Oi, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Kanji; Seviour, Robert J

2011-12-15

Previous research has suggested that enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) from wastewater can be achieved under continuous aerobic conditions over the short term. However, little is known how environmental conditions might affect aerobic EBPR performance. Consequently we have investigated the impact of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations on EBPR performance under strictly aerobic conditions. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated for 108 days on a six-hour cycle (four cycles a day). The SBR ran under alternating anaerobic-aerobic conditions as standard and then operated under strictly aerobic conditions for one cycle every three or four days. SBR operational temperature (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C), pH (6, 7, 8 and 9) and DO concentration (0.5, 2.0 and 3.5mg/L) were changed consecutively during the aerobic cycle. Recorded increases in mixed liquor phosphorus (P) concentrations during aerobic carbon source uptake (P release) were affected by the biomass P content rather than the imposed changes in the operational conditions. Thus, P release levels increased with biomass P content. By contrast, subsequent aerobic P assimilation (P uptake) levels were both affected by changes in operational temperature and pH, and peaked at 20-25°C and pH 7-8. Highest P uptake detected under these SBR operating conditions was 15.4 mg Pg-MLSS(-1) (at 25°C, pH 7 and DO 2.0mg/L). The ability of the community for linked aerobic P release and P uptake required the presence of acetate in the medium, a finding which differs from previous data, where these are reported to occur in the absence of any exogenous carbon source. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed on samples collected from the SBR, and Candidatus 'Accumulibacter phosphatis' cells were detected with PAOmix probes through the operational periods. Thus, Candidatus 'Accumulibacter phosphatis' seemed to perform P removal in the SBR as shown in previous studies on P removal under strictly aerobic conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of pH on heat transfer nanofluids containing ZrO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wamkam, Carine Tchamakam; Opoku, Michael Kwabena; Hong, Haiping; Smith, Pauline

2011-01-01

In this paper, pH influences of zeta potential, particle size distribution, rheology, viscosity, and stability on heat transfer nanofluids are studied. Significant enhancement of thermal conductivity (TC) (>20%) containing 3 wt % zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are observed near the isoelectric point (IEP). Meanwhile, at this IEP (pH), particle sizes, and viscosities of these nanofluids demonstrate a significant increase to maximum values. Experimental results also indicate that the stabilities of these nanofluids are influenced by pH values. The reasonable explanation for these interesting phenomena is that at this IEP, the repulsive forces among metal oxides are zero and nanoparticles coagulate together at this pH value. According to the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory, when the pH is equal to or close to the IEP, nanoparticles tend to be unstable, form clusters, and precipitate. The resulting big clusters will trap water and the structures of trapped water are varied due to the strong atomic force among nanoparticles. Water is packed well inside and volume fraction of the nanoparticles will be larger. In addition, shapes of clusters containing trapped water will not be spherical but rather has irregular structure (like chains). Such structure favors thermal transport because they provide a long link. Therefore, overall TC of nanofluids is enhanced. Some literature results and conclusions related to pH effects of nanofluids are discussed and analyzed. Understanding pH effects may enable exploration of fundamental nature of nanofluids.

Photodynamic inactivation of bacteria using polyethylenimine-chlorin(e6) conjugates: Effect of polymer molecular weight, substitution ratio of chlorin(e6) and pH.

PubMed

Huang, Liyi; Zhiyentayev, Timur; Xuan, Yi; Azhibek, Dulat; Kharkwal, Gitika B; Hamblin, Michael R

2011-04-01

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a novel technique to treat local infections. Previously we reported that the attachment of chlorin(e6) to polyethylenimine (PEI) polymers to form PEI-ce6 conjugates is an effective way to improve ce6 PDT activity against bacteria. The aim of this work was to explore how the polymer molecular weight, substitution ratio (SR) of ce6 and pH value affect the PDT efficacy. We have synthesized PEI-ce6(10) (MW = 60,000, SR = 1) and PEI-ce6(11) (MW = 60,000, SR = 5) and compared these with the previous PEI-ce6(9) (MW = 10,000, SR = 1). We tested the PDT efficacy of these three conjugates against Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and E. fecalis) at three different pH values (5.0, 7.4, 10.0) that may affect the charge on both the bacterial cells and on the conjugate (that has both basic and acidic groups). PEI-ce6(9) and PEI-ce6(10) were the most effective against these tested bacteria. The PDT effect of all three conjugates depended on pH values. The effective order was pH = 10.0 > pH = 7.4 > pH = 5.0 on E. coli. For S. aureus and E. fecalis the order was pH = 5.0 > pH = 10.0 > pH = 7.4. PEI-ce6(11) PDT activity was worse than PEI-ce6(10) activity which is probably connected to the fact that ce6 molecules are self-quenched within the PEI-ce6(11) molecule. Ce6 quenching within the PEI-ce6 molecules was proved by analyzing fluorescence spectra of PEI-ce6 conjugates at different pH values. There were no differences in bacterial uptake between different pH values in three PEI-ce6 conjugates. We assume high pH (rather than low pH as was hypothesized) disaggregates the conjugates, so the higher pH was more effective than the lower pH against E. coli. But for Gram-positive bacteria, low pH was more effective possibly due to more overall positive charge on the conjugate. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Kinetic and equilibrium isotherm studies for the adsorptive removal of Brilliant Green dye from aqueous solution by rice husk ash.

PubMed

Mane, Venkat S; Deo Mall, Indra; Chandra Srivastava, Vimal

2007-09-01

The present study deals with the adsorption of Brilliant Green (BG) on rice husk ash (RHA). RHA is a solid waste obtained from the particulate collection equipment attached to the flue gas lines of rice husk fired boilers. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the influences of various experimental parameters like initial pH (pH0), contact time, adsorbent dose and initial concentration (C0) on the removal of BG. Optimum conditions for BG removal were found to be pH0 approximately 3.0, adsorbent dose approximately 6 g L(-1) of solution and equilibrium time approximately 5 h for the C0 range of 50-300 mg L(-1). Adsorption of BG followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Intra-particle diffusion does not seem to control the BG removal process. Equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of BG on RHA were analyzed by Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson (R-P), Dubnin-Radushkevich (D-R), and Temkin isotherm models using a non-linear regression technique. Langmuir and R-P isotherms were found to best represent the data for BG adsorption onto RHA. Adsorption of BG on RHA is favourably influenced by an increase in the temperature of the operation. Values of the change in entropy (DeltaS0) and heat of adsorption (DeltaH0) for BG adsorption on RHA were positive. The high negative value of change in Gibbs free energy (DeltaG0) indicates the feasible and spontaneous adsorption of BG on RHA.

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

Finkelstein, J.

I construct a positive-operator-valued measure (POVM) which has 2d rank-1 elements and which is informationally complete for generic pure states in d dimensions, thus confirming a conjecture made by Flammia, Silberfarb, and Caves (e-print quant-ph/0404137). I show that if a rank-1 POVM is required to be informationally complete for all pure states in d dimensions, it must have at least 3d-2 elements. I also show that, in a POVM which is informationally complete for all pure states in d dimensions, for any vector there must be at least 2d-1 POVM elements which do not annihilate that vector.

Solid phase bio-electrofermentation of food waste to harvest value-added products associated with waste remediation.

PubMed

Chandrasekhar, K; Amulya, K; Mohan, S Venkata

2015-11-01

A novel solid state bio-electrofermentation system (SBES), which can function on the self-driven bioelectrogenic activity was designed and fabricated in the laboratory. SBES was operated with food waste as substrate and evaluated for simultaneous production of electrofuels viz., bioelectricity, biohydrogen (H2) and bioethanol. The system illustrated maximum open circuit voltage and power density of 443 mV and 162.4 mW/m(2), respectively on 9 th day of operation while higher H2 production rate (21.9 ml/h) was observed on 19th day of operation. SBES system also documented 4.85% w/v bioethanol production on 20th day of operation. The analysis of end products confirmed that H2 production could be generally attributed to a mixed acetate/butyrate-type of fermentation. Nevertheless, the presence of additional metabolites in SBES, including formate, lactate, propionate and ethanol, also suggested that other metabolic pathways were active during the process, lowering the conversion of substrate into H2. SBES also documented 72% substrate (COD) removal efficiency along with value added product generation. Continuous evolution of volatile fatty acids as intermediary metabolites resulted in pH drop and depicted its negative influence on SBES performance. Bio-electrocatalytic analysis was carried out to evaluate the redox catalytic capabilities of the biocatalyst. Experimental data illustrated that solid-state fermentation can be effectively integrated in SBES for the production of value added products with the possibility of simultaneous solid waste remediation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of the maximum operating range of hydrodynamic stress in mammalian cell culture.

PubMed

Neunstoecklin, Benjamin; Stettler, Matthieu; Solacroup, Thomas; Broly, Hervé; Morbidelli, Massimo; Soos, Miroslav

2015-01-20

Application of quality by design (QbD) requires identification of the maximum operating range for parameters affecting the cell culture process. These include hydrodynamic stress, mass transfer or gradients in dissolved oxygen and pH. Since most of these are affected by the impeller design and speed, the main goal of this work was to identify a maximum operating range for hydrodynamic stress, where no variation of cell growth, productivity and product quality can be ensured. Two scale-down models were developed operating under laminar and turbulent condition, generating repetitive oscillating hydrodynamic stress with maximum stress values ranging from 0.4 to 420Pa, to compare the effect of the different flow regimes on the cells behavior. Two manufacturing cell lines (CHO and Sp2/0) used for the synthesis of therapeutic proteins were employed in this study. For both cell lines multiple process outputs were used to determine the threshold values of hydrodynamic stress, such as cell growth, morphology, metabolism and productivity. They were found to be different in between the cell lines with values equal to 32.4±4.4Pa and 25.2±2.4Pa for CHO and Sp2/0, respectively. Below the measured thresholds both cell lines do not show any appreciable effect of the hydrodynamic stress on any critical quality attribute, while above, cells responded negatively to the elevated stress. To confirm the applicability of the proposed method, the obtained results were compared with data generated from classical small-scale reactors with a working volume of 3L. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined (alkaline+ultrasonic) pretreatment effect on sewage sludge disintegration.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Hoon; Jeong, Emma; Oh, Sae-Eun; Shin, Hang-Sik

2010-05-01

The individual effects of alkaline (pH 8-13) and ultrasonic (3750-45,000kJ/kg TS) pretreatments on the disintegration of sewage sludge were separately tested, and then the effect of combining these two methods at different intensity levels was investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). In the combined pretreatment, ultrasonic treatment was applied to the alkali-pretreated sludge. While the solubilization (SCOD/TCOD) increase was limited to 50% in individual pretreatments, it reached 70% in combined pretreatment, and the results clearly showed that preconditioning of sludge at high pH levels played a crucial role in enhancing the disintegration efficiency of the subsequent ultrasonic pretreatment. By applying regression analysis, the disintegration degree (DD) was fitted based on the actual value to a second order polynomial equation: Y=-172.44+29.82X(1)+5.30x10(-3)X(2)-7.53x10(-5)X(1)X(2)-1.10X(1)(2)-1.043x10(-7)X(2)(2), where X(1), X(2), and Y are pH, specific energy input (kJ/kg TS), and DD, respectively. In a 2D contour plot describing the tendency of DD with respect to pH and specific energy input, it was clear that DD increased as pH increased, but it seemed that DD decreased when the specific energy input exceeded about 20,000kJ/kg TS. This phenomenon tells us that there exists a certain point where additional energy input is ineffective in achieving further disintegration. A synergetic disintegration effect was also found in the combined pretreatment, with lower specific energy input in ultrasonic pretreatment yielding higher synergetic effect. Finally, in order to see the combined pretreatment effect in continuous operation, the sludge pretreated with low intensity alkaline (pH 9)/ultrasonic (7500kJ/kg TS) treatment was fed to a 3 L of anaerobic sequencing batch reactor after 70 days of control operation. CH(4) production yield significantly increased from 81.9+/-4.5mL CH(4)/g COD(added) to 127.3+/-5.0mL CH(4)/g COD(added) by pretreatment, and this enhanced performance was closely related to the solubilization increase of the sludge by pretreatment. However, enhanced anaerobic digestion resulted in 20% higher soluble N concentration in the reactor, which would be an additional burden in the subsequent nitrogen removal system.

Leaching of DOC, DN, and inorganic constituents from scrap tires.

PubMed

Selbes, Meric; Yilmaz, Ozge; Khan, Abdul A; Karanfil, Tanju

2015-11-01

One concern for recycle and reuse of scrap tires is the leaching of tire constituents (organic and inorganic) with time, and their subsequent potential harmful impacts in environment. The main objective of this study was to examine the leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved nitrogen (DN), and selected inorganic constituents from scrap tires. Different sizes of tire chips and crumb rubber were exposed to leaching solutions with pH's ranging from 3.0 to 10.0 for 28days. The leaching of DOC and DN were found to be higher for smaller size tire chips; however, the leaching of inorganic constituents was independent of the size. In general, basic pH conditions increased the leaching of DOC and DN, whereas acidic pH conditions led to elevated concentrations of metals. Leaching was minimal around the neutral pH values for all the monitored parameters. Analysis of the leaching rates showed that components associated with the rubbery portion of the tires (DOC, DN, zinc, calcium, magnesium, etc.) exhibited an initial rapid followed by a slow release. On the other hand, a constant rate of leaching was observed for iron and manganese, which are attributed to the metal wires present inside the tires. Although the total amounts that leached varied, the observed leaching rates were similar for all tire chip sizes and leaching solutions. Operation under neutral pH conditions, use of larger size tire chips, prewashing of tires, and removal of metal wires prior to application will reduce the impact of tire recycle and reuse. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzyme-polyelectrolyte multilayer assemblies on reduced graphene oxide field-effect transistors for biosensing applications.

PubMed

Piccinini, Esteban; Bliem, Christina; Reiner-Rozman, Ciril; Battaglini, Fernando; Azzaroni, Omar; Knoll, Wolfgang

2017-06-15

We present the construction of layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies of polyethylenimine and urease onto reduced-graphene-oxide based field-effect transistors (rGO FETs) for the detection of urea. This versatile biosensor platform simultaneously exploits the pH dependency of liquid-gated graphene-based transistors and the change in the local pH produced by the catalyzed hydrolysis of urea. The use of an interdigitated microchannel resulted in transistors displaying low noise, high pH sensitivity (20.3µA/pH) and transconductance values up to 800 µS. The modification of rGO FETs with a weak polyelectrolyte improved the pH response because of its transducing properties by electrostatic gating effects. In the presence of urea, the urease-modified rGO FETs showed a shift in the Dirac point due to the change in the local pH close to the graphene surface. Markedly, these devices operated at very low voltages (less than 500mV) and were able to monitor urea in the range of 1-1000µm, with a limit of detection (LOD) down to 1µm, fast response and good long-term stability. The urea-response of the transistors was enhanced by increasing the number of bilayers due to the increment of the enzyme surface coverage onto the channel. Moreover, quantification of the heavy metal Cu 2+ (with a LOD down to 10nM) was performed in aqueous solution by taking advantage of the urease specific inhibition. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Probable Explanation for the Low Friction of Natural Joints.

PubMed

Pawlak, Zenon; Urbaniak, Wieslaw; Hagner-Derengowska, Magdalena; Hagner, Wojciech

2015-04-01

The surface of an articular cartilage, coated with phospholipid (PL) bilayers, plays an important role in its lubrication and movement. Intact (normal) and depleted surfaces of the joint were modelled and the pH influence on the surface interfacial energy, wettability and friction were investigated. In the experiments, the deterioration of the PL bilayer was controlled by its wettability and the applied friction. The surrounding fluid of an undamaged articular cartilage, the synovial fluid, has a pH value of approximately 7.4. Buffer solutions were formulated to represent the synovial fluid with various pH values. It was found that the surface interfacial energy was stabilised at its lowest values when the pH varied between 6.5 and 9.5. These results suggested that as the PL bilayers deteriorated, the hydration repulsion mechanism became less effective as friction increased. The decreased number of bilayers changed the wettability and lowered PL lubricant properties.

Alkaline precipitation in Bahia Blanca, Argentina

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

Piccolo, M.C.; Perillo, G.M.E.; Varela, P.

1988-02-01

The spatial, meteorological, and seasonal factors associated with precipitation pH in Bahia Blanca and its surroundings are presented. From April 1984 to April 1985, 85 rain events were studied from 12 sites that represent significant land-use sectors of the city. Mean pH for all sites ranged from 6.5 to 7.2. The area is characterized by alkaline precipitation since most stations reported maximum values in excess of 7.6. The highest values of pH were observed under the influence of continental air masses, which have traveled over the pampas soil, thus introducing large amounts of alkaline cations. The lowest pH values weremore » obtained during the winter season when marine advection introduces high concentrations of spray. Stations located close to the estuary and the industrial park present the larger effect of sea spray but also of the incidence of an incipient atmospheric contamination.« less

Oxygen transport in congenital heart disease: influence of fetal hemoglobin, red cell pH, and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate.

PubMed

Versmold, H T; Linderkamp, C; Döhlemann, C; Riegel, K P

1976-06-01

In 48 individuals (age 1 day to 13 years) with congenital heart disease, blood oxygen transport function was studied in order to evaluate adaptive changes in shunt hypoxemia and to investigate the in vivo regulation of erythrocyte 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate concentration (RBC 2, 3-DPG) in the presence of fetal hemoglobin (HbF). Arterial pO2 and oxygen content, oxygen capacity, acid base status, oxygen affinity, HbF fraction, plasma pH, red cell pH, and RBC 2, 3-DPG were determined. During the first 50 days of life values of standard P50 (stdP50) (37, pH 7.4), actual in vivo P50 (actP50), RBC 2, 3-DPG, O2 capacity, arterial plasma pH, and red cell pH were scattered around the normal range, although tending to low values for stdP50 and arterial plasma pH and to high values for O2 capacity. After the third month, stdP50 actP50, RBC 2, 3-DPG, O2 capacity, and red cell pH were found to be elevated. Plasma pH and actP50 were scattered around the normal range (Figs. 1 and 2). Intraerythrocytic pH in hypoxemic infants was increased compared with normal children when related to plasma pH (Fig. 3). A close to normal intraerythrocytic pH was therefore found in the hypoxemic infants with low plasma pH, and an increased intraerythrocytic pH in the hypoxemic children with normal plasma pH (Fig. 1). A significant negative correlation exists between erythrocyte H+ ion and 2, 3-DPG concentration (Fig. 5); regression constants derived from data at high (mean 47%) and low (mean 9%) fractions of HbF are not significantly different (Regression Equations 8 and 11 in Table 1). Thus, the known difference in 2, 3-DPG binding to fetal or adult deoxyhemoglobin does not measurably influence the erythrocyte 2, 3-DPG concentration, indicating that in vivo the 2, 3-DPG synthesis in hypoxia is virtually regulated by the erythrocyte pH, which in turn is determined by plasma pH and the oxygenation state of hemoglobin.

Precipitation and ultimate pH effect on chemical and gelation properties of protein prepared by isoelectric solubilization/precipitation process from pale, soft, exudative (PSE)-like chicken breast meat1.

PubMed

Zhao, X; Xing, T; Chen, X; Han, M-Y; Li, X; Xu, X-L; Zhou, G-H

2017-05-01

Pale, soft, exudative (PSE)-like chicken breast is considered deteriorated raw material in the poultry meat industry that has inferior processing ability. The chemical and gelation properties of PSE-like chicken breast meat paste were studied. These pastes were prepared by the pH adjustment method and protein isolation using the isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP) process from PSE-like chicken meat. The ISP-isolated samples were solubilized at pH 11.0 and recovered at pH 5.5 and 6.2. The ultimate pH of the ISP-isolated protein and meat paste was adjusted to 6.2 and 7.0. The ultimate pH in this article referred to the final pH of the extracted protein and meat paste. Higher reactive sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity were found in the precipitation at pH 6.2 than at pH 5.5. However, various ultimate pH values showed no significant influence on the surface hydrophobicity. The hardness of gel, as measured by textural profile analysis, was improved using 6.2 as the precipitation pH compared with pH 5.5. The viscoelastic modulus (G΄) of gel pastes prior to the thermal gelation was higher with ISP treatment. However, lower G΄ was seen after thermal gelation compared with the control. Dynamic rheological measurement demonstrated a different gel-forming mechanism for protein precipitated at pH values of 5.5 and 6.2 compared with the meat paste. The cooking loss showed that the recovered protein failed to form a gel with good water-retention capacity unless the ultimate pH was adjusted to 7.0. Gels made from protein extracted by the ISP method had higher yellowness and lower redness values, probably due to protein denaturation. Precipitation at pH 6.2 formed a harder gel with lower water-retention ability than that at pH 5.5, and this result was possibly due to higher surface hydrophobicity and S-S bridge formation. Overall, network characteristics of ISP-treated protein gels were strongly dependent on precipitation pH and ultimate pH. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Environmental modulation of metabolic allometry in ornate rainbowfish Rhadinocentrus ornatus.

PubMed

Vaca, H Fabian; White, Craig R

2010-02-23

The nature of the relationship between the metabolic rate (MR) and body mass (M) of animals has been the source of controversy for over seven decades, with much of the focus on the value of the scaling exponent b, where MR is proportional to M(b). While it is well known that MR does not generally scale isometrically (i.e. b is seldom equal to 1), the value of b remains the subject of heated debate. In the present study, we examine the influence of an ecologically relevant abiotic variable, pH, on the metabolic allometry of an Australian freshwater fish, Rhadinocentrus ornatus. We show that the value of b is lower for rainbowfish acclimated to acidic (pH 5.0) conditions compared to rainbowfish acclimated to alkaline conditions (pH 8.5), but that acute exposure to altered pH does not alter the value of b. This significant effect of an abiotic variable on metabolic allometry supports a growing body of evidence that there is no universal value of b and demonstrates that experimental manipulations of metabolic allometry represent powerful, and as yet underused, tools to understand the factors that constrain and influence the allometry of metabolic rate.

[Effects of dissolved oxygen and pH on Candida utilis batch fermentation of glutathione].

PubMed

Wei, Gong-Yuan; Li, Yin; Du, Guo-Cheng; Chen, Jian

2003-11-01

The effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH on glutathione batch fermentation by Candida utilis WSH-02-08 in a 7 liters stirred fermentor were investigated. It was shown that DO concentration is an important factor in glutathione production. With the initial glucose concentration of 30 g/L and a 5 L/min air flow rate, and the agitation rate less than 250 r/min, the DO concentration was not sufficient to satisfy the oxygen requirement during the fermentation. With an agitation rate of more than 300 r/min, the cell growth and glutathione production were enhanced significantly, with the dry cell mass and glutathione production were 20% and 25% higher than that at 200 r/min. When C. utilis WSH 02-08 was cultivated in a batch process without pH control, cell growth and glutathione production were inhibited, likely due to a dramatic decrease in the pH. Intracellular glutathione leakages were observed when the pH was 1.5 or less. To assess the effect of pH on glutathione production, six batch processes controlled at pH 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5 were conducted. The yield was highest at pH 5.5, when the dry cell mass and yield were 27% and 95% respectively higher than fermentation without pH control. The maximal intracellular glutathione content (2.15 %) was also achieved at the pH. To improve our understandings on the effect of pH on the batch glutathione production, a modified Logistic equation and Luedeking-Piret equation were used to simulate cell growth and glutathione production, respectively, under different pH. Based on the parameters obtained by the nonlinear estimation, kinetic analysis was performed to elucidate the effect of pH on the batch glutathione production. The process controlled at pH 5.5 was proven to be the best due to the higher value of K(I) (substrate inhibitory constant in the Logistic equation), lower value of a and higher value of beta (slope and intercept in the Luedeking-Piret equation, respectively).

Catalytic mechanism of cationic red GTL at wide pH using the Mo-Zn-Al-O nanocatalyst under room conditions.

PubMed

Xu, Yin; Li, Xiaoyi; Sun, Dezhi

2014-09-01

Catalytic mechanism of cationic red GTL at wide pH using the Mo-Zn-Al-O nanocatalyst under room conditions was investigated. The experimental results indicate that initial pH significantly affected the removal of cationic red GTL, the removal of COD, the pH value and residual oxygen in the reaction. In the range of pH value from 4 to 10, decolorization of cationic red GTL was almost above 90%. COD removal efficiency was enhanced with the decrease of pH in CWAO process and 79% of the COD was removed at pH 4.0, whereas only 57% COD removal was observed at pH 10.0. The terminal pH was in the range of 5.0-6.0 and the highest terminal concentrations of aqueous oxygen with 5.5 mg/L were observed at pH = 4.0. The radical inhibition experiments also carried out and the generation of *OH and 1O2 in catalytic wet air oxidation process were detected. It was found that the degradation of cationic red GTL occurs mainly via oxidation by 1O2 radical generated by Mo-Zn-Al-O nanocatalyst under acid conditions and *OH radical under alkaline conditions.

PP-16 WEAK ACID REFLUX A TRIGGER FOR RECURRENT RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHILDREN.

PubMed

Kostovski, Aco; Zdraveska, Nikolina

2015-10-01

The main advantage of multichannel intraluminar impedance (MII) compared with pH monitoring is its ability to detect both acid and non-acid gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and to determine the characteristics of reflux (liquid or gas). To compare the value of pH monitoring and MII for diagnosis of GER in children who present with refractory respiratory symptoms. A prospective study that included 37 patients, aged 4.25 ± 3.15 years, using combined MII-pH monitoring was performed. Patients were referred for investigation because of suspected GER as the etiology of recurrent respiratory diseases, including recurrent obstructive bronchitis, recurrent pneumonia, laryngitis, and chronic cough. We analyzed the percentage of time during which the pH was less than 4, the numeric and percentile values of acid, weak acid, and non-acid reflux episodes, and the values of liquid and mixed reflux. Diagnostic values were determined separately for pH monitoring and MII using Fisher's exact test. Reflux was detected in 31 patients. pH monitoring was positive in 20 patients (% time during which pH <4 was 17.72 ± 12.06) and negative in 17 patients (2.93% ± 1.67). Both pH and MII were positive in 19 patients: in 11 patients, MII was positive and pH was negative, and in 6 patients, both were negative. Fisher's exact test showed significant statistical difference and superiority of MII in diagnosing GER (p = 0.033). Out of 30 patients with MII-positive results, 15 had both acid and weak acid reflux episodes, 3 had only acid reflux, 8 had weak acid reflux, and 3 had non-acid reflux. Sixteen patients had mixed (liquid and gas) reflux, and 14 had both liquid and mixed reflux. This study suggests that significant numbers of GER include weak acid reflux that cannot be detected by pH probes alone. The weak acid reflux could be a trigger for recurrent respiratory symptoms. Combining pH with MII monitoring is a valuable diagnostic method for diagnosing GER in children.

O(2)-dependent K(+) fluxes in trout red blood cells: the nature of O(2) sensing revealed by the O(2) affinity, cooperativity and pH dependence of transport.

PubMed

Berenbrink, M; Völkel, S; Heisler, N; Nikinmaa, M

2000-07-01

The effects of pH and O(2) tension on the isotonic ouabain-resistant K(+) (Rb+) flux pathway and on haemoglobin O2 binding were studied in trout red blood cells (RBCs) in order to test for a direct effect of haemoglobin O(2) saturation on K(+) transport across the RBC membrane. At pH values corresponding to in vivo control arterial plasma pH and higher, elevation of the O(2) partial pressure (PO(2)) from 7.8 to 157 mmHg increased unidirectional K(+) influx across the RBC membrane several-fold. At lower extracellular pH values, stimulation of K(+) influx by O(2) was depressed, exhibiting an apparent pK(a) (pK'(a)) for the process of 8.0. Under similar conditions the pK'(a) for acid-induced deoxygenation of haemoglobin (Hb) was 7.3. When trout RBCs were exposed to PO(2) values between 0 and 747 mmHg, O(2) equilibrium curves typical of Hb O(2) saturation were also obtained for K(+) influx and efflux. However, at pH 7.9, the PO(2) for half-maximal K(+) efflux and K(+) influx (P50) was about 8- to 12-fold higher than the P(50) for Hb-O(2) binding. While K(+) influx and efflux stimulation by O(2) was essentially non-cooperative, Hb-O(2) equilibrium curves were distinctly sigmoidal (Hill parameters close to 1 and 3, respectively). O(2)-stimulated K(+) influx and efflux were strongly pH dependent. When the definition of the Bohr factor for respiratory pigments (Phi = delta logP50 x delta pH(-1)) was extended to the effect of pH on O(2)-dependent K(+) influx and efflux, extracellular Bohr factors (Phi(o) of -2.00 and -2.06 were obtained, values much higher than that for Hb (Phi(o) = -0.49). The results of this study are consistent with an O(2) sensing mechanism differing markedly in affinity and cooperativity of O(2) binding, as well as in pH sensitivity, from bulk Hb.

The reversibility of virus attachment to mineral surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loveland, J.P.; Ryan, J.N.; Amy, G.L.; Harvey, R.W.

1996-01-01

Virus transport through groundwater is limited by attachment to mineral surfaces and inactivation. Current virus transport models do not consider the implications of the reversibility of virus attachment to minerals. To explore the reversibility of virus attachment to mineral surfaces, we attached PRD1, a bacteriophage considered to be a good model of enteric viruses, to quartz and ferric oxyhydroxide-coated quartz surfaces over a range of pH values in equilibrium 'static columns'. Following attachment, we detached the viruses by replacing the pore solution with solutions of equal and higher pH. The extent of virus attachment followed an attachment 'edge' that occurred at a pH value about 2.5-3.5 pH units above the pH(IEP) of the mineral surfaces. Viruses attached below this edge were irreversibly attached until the pH of the detachment solution exceeded the pH value of the attachment edge. Viruses attached above this edge were reversibly attached. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DEVO) potential energy calculations showed that the attachment edge occurred at the pH at which the potential energy of the primary minimum was near zero, implying that the position of the primary minimum (attractive or repulsive) controlled the equilibrium distribution of the viruses. The results suggest that the reversibility of virus attachment must be considered in virus transport models for accurate predictions of virus travel time.

Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 pH homeostasis mechanisms informed by transcriptomics and metabolomics

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

Whitham, Jason M.; Moon, Ji Won; Rodriguez Jr, Miguel

Background: Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum is a model fermentative anaerobic thermophile being studied and engineered for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic feedstocks into fuels and chemicals. Engineering efforts have resulted in significant improvements in ethanol yields and titers although further advances are required to make the bacterium industry-ready. For instance, fermentations at lower pH could enable co-culturing with microbes that have lower pH optima, augment productivity, and reduce buffering cost. C. thermocellum is typically grown at neutral pH, and little is known about its pH limits or pH homeostasis mechanisms. To better understand C. thermocellum pH homeostasis we grew strain LL1210 (C.more » thermocellum DSM1313 Δhpt ΔhydG Δldh Δpfl Δpta-ack), currently the highest ethanol producing strain of C. thermocellum, at different pH values in chemostat culture and applied systems biology tools.Results: Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 was found to be growth-limited below pH 6.24 at a dilution rate of 0.1 h -1. F1F0-ATPase gene expression was upregulated while many ATP-utilizing enzymes and pathways were downregulated at pH 6.24. These included most flagella biosynthesis genes, genes for chemotaxis, and other motility-related genes (> 50) as well as sulfate transport and reduction, nitrate transport and nitrogen fixation, and fatty acid biosynthesis genes. Clustering and enrichment of differentially expressed genes at pH values 6.48, pH 6.24 and pH 6.12 (washout conditions) compared to pH 6.98 showed inverse differential expression patterns between the F1F0-ATPase and genes for other ATP-utilizing enzymes. At and below pH 6.24, amino acids including glutamate and valine; long-chain fatty acids, their iso-counterparts and glycerol conjugates; glycolysis intermediates 3-phosphoglycerate, glucose 6-phosphate, and glucose accumulated intracellularly. Glutamate was 267 times more abundant in cells at pH 6.24 compared to pH 6.98, and intercellular concentration reached 1.8 μmol/g pellet at pH 5.80 (stopped flow).Conclusions: Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 can grow under slightly acidic conditions, similar to limits reported for other strains. This foundational study provides a detailed characterization of a relatively acid-intolerant bacterium and provides genetic targets for strain improvement. Future studies should examine adding gene functions used by more acid-tolerant bacteria for improved pH homeostasis at acidic pH values.« less

Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 pH homeostasis mechanisms informed by transcriptomics and metabolomics

DOE PAGES

Whitham, Jason M.; Moon, Ji Won; Rodriguez Jr, Miguel; ...

2018-04-05

Background: Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum is a model fermentative anaerobic thermophile being studied and engineered for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic feedstocks into fuels and chemicals. Engineering efforts have resulted in significant improvements in ethanol yields and titers although further advances are required to make the bacterium industry-ready. For instance, fermentations at lower pH could enable co-culturing with microbes that have lower pH optima, augment productivity, and reduce buffering cost. C. thermocellum is typically grown at neutral pH, and little is known about its pH limits or pH homeostasis mechanisms. To better understand C. thermocellum pH homeostasis we grew strain LL1210 (C.more » thermocellum DSM1313 Δhpt ΔhydG Δldh Δpfl Δpta-ack), currently the highest ethanol producing strain of C. thermocellum, at different pH values in chemostat culture and applied systems biology tools.Results: Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 was found to be growth-limited below pH 6.24 at a dilution rate of 0.1 h -1. F1F0-ATPase gene expression was upregulated while many ATP-utilizing enzymes and pathways were downregulated at pH 6.24. These included most flagella biosynthesis genes, genes for chemotaxis, and other motility-related genes (> 50) as well as sulfate transport and reduction, nitrate transport and nitrogen fixation, and fatty acid biosynthesis genes. Clustering and enrichment of differentially expressed genes at pH values 6.48, pH 6.24 and pH 6.12 (washout conditions) compared to pH 6.98 showed inverse differential expression patterns between the F1F0-ATPase and genes for other ATP-utilizing enzymes. At and below pH 6.24, amino acids including glutamate and valine; long-chain fatty acids, their iso-counterparts and glycerol conjugates; glycolysis intermediates 3-phosphoglycerate, glucose 6-phosphate, and glucose accumulated intracellularly. Glutamate was 267 times more abundant in cells at pH 6.24 compared to pH 6.98, and intercellular concentration reached 1.8 μmol/g pellet at pH 5.80 (stopped flow).Conclusions: Clostridium thermocellum LL1210 can grow under slightly acidic conditions, similar to limits reported for other strains. This foundational study provides a detailed characterization of a relatively acid-intolerant bacterium and provides genetic targets for strain improvement. Future studies should examine adding gene functions used by more acid-tolerant bacteria for improved pH homeostasis at acidic pH values.« less

Photoconductivity, pH Sensitivity, Noise, and Channel Length Effects in Si Nanowire FET Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparyan, Ferdinand; Zadorozhnyi, Ihor; Khondkaryan, Hrant; Arakelyan, Armen; Vitusevich, Svetlana

2018-03-01

Silicon nanowire (NW) field-effect transistor (FET) sensors of various lengths were fabricated. Transport properties of Si NW FET sensors were investigated involving noise spectroscopy and current-voltage (I-V) characterization. The static I-V dependencies demonstrate the high quality of fabricated silicon FETs without leakage current. Transport and noise properties of NW FET structures were investigated under different light illumination conditions, as well as in sensor configuration in an aqueous solution with different pH values. Furthermore, we studied channel length effects on the photoconductivity, noise, and pH sensitivity. The magnitude of the channel current is approximately inversely proportional to the length of the current channel, and the pH sensitivity increases with the increase of channel length approaching the Nernst limit value of 59.5 mV/pH. We demonstrate that dominant 1/f-noise can be screened by the generation-recombination plateau at certain pH of the solution or external optical excitation. The characteristic frequency of the generation-recombination noise component decreases with increasing of illumination power. Moreover, it is shown that the measured value of the slope of 1/f-noise spectral density dependence on the current channel length is 2.7 which is close to the theoretically predicted value of 3.

Parasympathetic tone variations according to umbilical cord pH at birth: a computerized fetal heart rate variability analysis.

PubMed

Butruille, Laura; De Jonckheere, Julien; Flocteil, Mathilde; Garabedian, Charles; Houfflin-Debarge, Véronique; Storme, Laurent; Deruelle, Philippe; Logier, Régis

2017-12-01

Non-reassuring fetal heart rate tracings reflect an imbalance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. In this situation, fetal asphyxia can be suspected and may be confirmed by metabolic measurements at birth like low pH or high base deficit values. The objective of this study was to determine whether fetal asphyxia during labor is related to parasympathetic nervous system activity. This is a retrospective study of a database collected in 5 centers. Two hundred and ninety-nine fetal heart rate tracings collected during labor were analyzed. Autonomic nervous system, especially the parasympathetic nervous system, was analyzed using an original index: the FSI (Fetal Stress Index). The FSI is a parasympathetic activity evaluation based on fetal heart rate variability analysis. Infants were grouped based on normal or low pH value at birth. FSI was measured during the last 30 min of labor before birth and compared between groups. The minimum value of the FSI during the last 30 min before delivery was significantly lower in the group with the lower umbilical cord arterial pH value. In this pilot study during labor, FSI was lower in the group of infants with low arterial pH at birth.

Enrichment of a mixed microbial culture for polyhydroxyalkanoates production: Effect of pH and N and P concentrations.

PubMed

Montiel-Jarillo, Gabriela; Carrera, Julián; Suárez-Ojeda, María Eugenia

2017-04-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolymers that can be an alternative against conventional plastics. The study reported herein evaluated the enrichment of a mixed microbial culture (MMC) operated under feast/famine regime and different pHs in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) using acetate as sole carbon source to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The enrichment step was evaluated at controlled pH of 7.5 and also without pH control (averaged value of 9.0). The acetate uptake rate (-q S ) of both enrichments at the end of the experimental period exhibited similar behaviour being about 0.18CmolAcCmolX -1 h -1 and 0.19CmolAcCmolX -1 h -1 for SBR-A and SBR-B, respectively. However, the PHA-storing capacity of the biomass enriched without pH control was better, exhibiting a maximum PHA content of 36% (gPHAg -1 VSS) with a PHA production rate (q PHA ) of 0.16CmolPHACmolX -1 h -1 . Batch experiments were performed to evaluate PHA-storing capacity of the enriched culture at different pHs and nutrients concentrations. In the pH experiments (without nutrient limitation), it was found that in the absence of controlled pH, the enriched biomass exhibited a PHA content of 44% gPHAg -1 VSS with -q S and PHA to substrate yield (Y PHA/Ac ) of 0.57CmolAcCmolX -1 h -1 and 0.33CmolPHACmolAc -1 , respectively. Regarding the experiments at variable nutrients concentration (pH ranging 8.8 to 9.2), the results indicate that the PHA content in the enriched biomass is significantly higher being around 51% gPHAg -1 VSS under nitrogen limitation. This work demonstrated the feasibility of the enrichment of a MMC with PHA storage ability without pH control. Results also suggest that better PHAs contents and substrate uptake rates are obtained without controlling the pH in the accumulation step. Finally, this work also highlights the importance of understanding the role of nutrients concentration during the accumulation step. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the ecological and operational characteristics of water treatment units at TPPs based on baromembrane technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chichirova, N. D.; Chichirov, A. A.; Filimonova, A. A.; Saitov, S. R.

2017-12-01

The innovative baromembrane technologies for water demineralization were introduced at Russian TPPs more than 25 years ago. While being used in the power engineering industry of Russia, these technologies demonstrated certain advantages over the traditional ion-exchange and thermal technologies of makeup water treatment for steam boilers. Water treatment units based on the baromembrane technology are compact, easy to operate, and highly automated. The experience gained from the use of these units shows that their reliability depends directly on preliminary water treatment. The popular water pretreatment technology with coagulation by aluminum oxychloride proved to be inefficient during the seasonal changes of source water quality that occurs at some stations. The use of aluminum coagulant at pH 8 and higher does not ensure the stable and qualitative pretreatment regime: soluble aluminum forms slip on membranes of the ultrafiltration unit, thereby causing pollution and intoxication as well as leading to structural damages or worsening of mechanical properties of the membranes. The problem of increased pH and seasonal changes of the source water quality can be solved by substitution of the traditional coagulant into a new one. To find the most successful coagulant for water pretreatment, experiments have been performed on both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the content of natural organic matters in the Volga water and their structure. We have developed a software program and measured the concentrations of soluble aluminum and iron salts at different pH values of the source water. The analysis of the obtained results has indicated that iron sulfate at pH 6.0-10.2, in contrast to aluminum oxychloride, is not characterized by increased solubility. Thus, the basic process diagrams of water pretreatment based on baromembrane technologies with pretreatment through coagulation by iron salts and wastewater amount reducing from 60-40 to 5-2% have been introduced for thermal power stations.

Enhanced extraction of butyric acid under high-pressure CO2 conditions to integrate chemical catalysis for value-added chemicals and biofuels.

PubMed

Chun, Jaesung; Choi, Okkyoung; Sang, Byoung-In

2018-01-01

Extractive fermentation with the removal of carboxylic acid requires low pH conditions because acids are better partitioned into the solvent phase at low pH values. However, this requirement conflicts with the optimal near-neutral pH conditions for microbial growth. CO 2 pressurization was used, instead of the addition of chemicals, to decrease pH for the extraction of butyric acid, a fermentation product of Clostridium tyrobutyricum , and butyl butyrate was selected as an extractant. CO 2 pressurization (50 bar) improved the extraction efficiency of butyric acid from a solution at pH 6, yielding a distribution coefficient ( D ) 0.42. In situ removal of butyric acid during fermentation increased the production of butyric acid by up to 4.10 g/L h, an almost twofold increase over control without the use of an extraction process. In situ extraction of butyric acid using temporal CO 2 pressurization may be applied to an integrated downstream catalytic process for upgrading butyric acid to value-added chemicals in an organic solvent.

Quality attributes and color characteristics in three-piece boneless hams.

PubMed

McKeith, Russell O; Pringle, T Dean

2013-09-01

One hundred and fifty hams were selected on visual assessment of quality into normal (C) and two-tone (TT) groups. CIE LAB color and pH measurements were collected at the plant 48h postmortem on the gluteus medius (GM), gluteus profundus (GP), and rectus femoris (RF), and again at 72h on the semimembranosus (SM), biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), and RF. Data were analyzed using GLM procedures of SAS, and correlations between color scores, pH, and drip loss were calculated. Plant and fabrication pH were lower (P<0.01) in GM from TT hams compared with C. Muscles from TT hams had lower (P<0.01) L* and a* values compared with C. The GM L* and GM pH values were correlated (P<0.05) with L* values for all other muscles and drip loss in SM. These data show that GM color and pH are accurate predictors of pork quality attributes in the muscles of a three-piece boneless ham. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photo-Fenton oxidation of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole: a by-product from biological breakdown of some pharmaceutical compounds.

PubMed

Souza, Bianca M; Marinho, Belisa A; Moreira, Francisca C; Dezotti, Márcia W C; Boaventura, Rui A R; Vilar, Vítor J P

2017-03-01

The present study aims to assess the removal of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole (AMI), a recalcitrant by-product resulting from the biological breakdown of some pharmaceuticals, applying a solar photo-Fenton process assisted by ferrioxalate complexes (SPFF) (Fe 3+ /H 2 O 2 /oxalic acid/UVA-Vis) and classical solar photo-Fenton process (SPF) (Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 /UVA-Vis). The oxidation ability of SPFF was evaluated at different iron/oxalate molar ratios (1:3, 1:6, and 1:9, with [total iron] = 3.58 × 10 -2  mM and [oxalic acid] = 1.07 × 10 -1 , 2.14 × 10 -1 and 3.22 × 10 -1  mM, respectively) and pH values (3.5-6.5), using low iron contents (2.0 mg Fe 3+ L -1 ). Additionally, the use of other organic ligands such as citrate and ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid (EDDS) was tested. The oxidation power of the classical SPF was assessed at different pH values (2.8-4.0) using 2.0 mg Fe 2+ per liter. Furthermore, the effect of AMI concentration (2-20 mg L -1 ), presence of inorganic ions (Cl - , SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , HCO 3 - , NH 4 + ), and radical scavengers (sodium azide and D-mannitol) on the SPF method at pH 3.5 was also assessed. Experiments were done using a lab-scale photoreactor with a compound parabolic collector (CPC) under simulated solar radiation. A pilot-scale assay was conducted using the best operation conditions. While at near neutral pH, an iron/oxalate molar ratio of 1:9 led to the removal of 72 % of AMI after 90 min of SPFF, at pH 3.5, an iron/oxalate molar ratio of 1:3 was enough to achieve complete AMI degradation (below the detection limit) after 30 min of reaction. The SPF process at pH 3.5 underwent a slower AMI degradation, reaching total AMI degradation after 40 min of reaction. The scale up of SPF process showed a good reproducibility. Oxalic and oxamic acids were identified as the main low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids detected during the pilot-scale SPF reaction. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Characterizing the impact of pressure on virus filtration processes and establishing design spaces to ensure effective parvovirus removal.

PubMed

Strauss, Daniel; Goldstein, Joshua; Hongo-Hirasaki, Tomoko; Yokoyama, Yoshiro; Hirotomi, Naokatsu; Miyabayashi, Tomoyuki; Vacante, Dominick

2017-09-01

Virus filtration provides robust removal of potential viral contaminants and is a critical step during the manufacture of biotherapeutic products. However, recent studies have shown that small virus removal can be impacted by low operating pressure and depressurization. To better understand the impact of these conditions and to define robust virus filtration design spaces, we conducted multivariate analyses to evaluate parvovirus removal over wide ranges of operating pressure, solution pH, and conductivity for three mAb products on Planova™ BioEX and 20N filters. Pressure ranges from 0.69 to 3.43 bar (10.0-49.7 psi) for Planova BioEX filters and from 0.50 to 1.10 bar (7.3 to 16.0 psi) for Planova 20N filters were identified as ranges over which effective removal of parvovirus is achieved for different products over wide ranges of pH and conductivity. Viral clearance at operating pressure below the robust pressure range suggests that effective parvovirus removal can be achieved at low pressure but that Minute virus of mice (MVM) logarithmic reduction value (LRV) results may be impacted by product and solution conditions. These results establish robust design spaces for Planova BioEX and 20N filters where high parvovirus clearance can be expected for most antibody products and provide further understanding of viral clearance mechanisms. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1294-1302, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Evaluation of enhanced thermostability and operational stability of carbonic anhydrase from Micrococcus species.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Abhishek; Shrivastava, Ankita; Sharma, Anjana

2013-06-01

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) was purified from Micrococcus lylae and Micrococcus luteus with 49.90 and 53.8 % yield, respectively, isolated from calcium carbonate kilns. CA from M. lylae retained 80 % stability in the pH and temperature range of 6.0-8.0 and 35-45 °C, respectively. However, CA from M. luteus was stable in the pH and temperature range of 7.5-10.0 and 35-55 °C, respectively. Cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) raised the transition temperature of M. lylae and M. luteus CA up to 67.5 and 74.0 °C, while the operational stability (T(1/20) of CA at 55 °C was calculated to be 7.7 and 12.0 h, respectively. CA from both the strains was found to be monomeric in nature with subunit molecular weight and molecular mass of 29 kDa. Ethoxozolamide was identified as the most potent inhibitor based on both IC(50) values and inhibitory constant measurement (K(i)). The K(m) and V(max) for M. lylae CA (2.31 mM; 769.23 μmol/mg/min) and M. luteus CA (2.0 mM; 1,000 μmol/mg/min) were calculated from Lineweaver-Burk plots in terms of esterase activity. Enhanced thermostability of CLEAs alleviates its role in operational stability for application at an on-site scrubber. The characteristic profile of purified CA from Micrococcus spp. advocates its effective application in biomimetic CO(2) sequestration.

Proposal of a New SI Base Unit for Value. An Hedonic Estimation of the Physical Purchasing Power (PhPP) of Money.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Defilla, Steivan

2006-03-01

Hitherto, the purchasing power of money, i.e. its transaction value, has been measured in terms of inflation index numbers and consumer baskets. Consumer baskets are variable phenomena and their use as measurement units for value confuses the measuring with the measurand. We propose an invariant numeraire, or value unit, based on the market value of a Planck energy (1956 MJ). Planck units form a natural system of units independent of any civilization. The hedonic estimation of the PhPP of a currency differentiates energy by product as well as by thermodynamic quality (exergy). Following SI rules, we propose to name the value unit walras (Wal) in honour of the economist Leon Walras (1834 - 1910). One Wal can also be interpreted as the minimum cost of physiological life of a reference person during one year. The study uses official disaggregated Swiss Producer and Consumer Price Index data and estimates the PhPP of the Swiss franc in 2003.

Probiotic and lactulose: influence on gastrointestinal flora and pH value in minimal hepatic encephalopathy rats.

PubMed

Jiang, Shu-Man; Jia, Lin; Zhang, Mei-Hua

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence on gastrointestinal flora, counts of bifidobacteria and Enterobacterceae in colon and pH value of gastrointestinal after lactulose and probiotic treatment on rat experimental minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) induced by thioactamide (TAA). MHE was induced by intraperitoneal injection of TAA. 48 male MHE models were then randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (n = 12); MHE group (n = 12) received tap water ad libitum only; lactulose group (n = 12) and probiotics group (n = 12) gavaged respectively with 8 ml/kg of lactulose and 1.5 g/kg of probiotic preparation Golden Bifid (highly concentrated combination probiotic) dissolved in 2 ml of normal saline, once a day for 8 days. The latency of Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) I was used as objective index of MHE. Counts of gastrointestinal flora, counts of bifidobacteria and Enterobacterceae in colon and pH value of gastrointestinal were examined respectively. Compared to MHE group, counts of gastrointestinal flora has greatly decreased, ratio of bifidobacteria and Enterobacterceae has greatly increased, pH value of colon has greatly descended (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between lactulose group and probiotic group (P > 0.05). Both lactulose and probiotics can effectively prevent bacteria translocation and overgrowth, intensify CR, improved value of B/E, and acidify intestinal, decreased pH value of colon. Probiotic compound Golden Bifid is as useful as lactulose for the prevention and treatment of MHE. Probiotic therapy may be a safe, natural, well-tolerated therapy appropriate for the long-term treatment of MHE.

pH tolerance in freshwater bacterioplankton: trait variation of the community as measured by leucine incorporation.

PubMed

Bååth, Erland; Kritzberg, Emma

2015-11-01

pH is an important factor determining bacterial community composition in soil and water. We have directly determined the community tolerance (trait variation) to pH in communities from 22 lakes and streams ranging in pH from 4 to 9 using a growth-based method not relying on distinguishing between individual populations. The pH in the water samples was altered to up to 16 pH values, covering in situ pH ± 2.5 U, and the tolerance was assessed by measuring bacterial growth (Leu incorporation) instantaneously after pH adjustment. The resulting unimodal response curves, reflecting community tolerance to pH, were well modeled with a double logistic equation (mean R(2) = 0.97). The optimal pH for growth (pHopt) among the bacterial communities was closely correlated with in situ pH, with a slope (0.89 ± 0.099) close to unity. The pH interval, in which growth was ≥90% of that at pHopt, was 1.1 to 3 pH units wide (mean 2.0 pH units). Tolerance response curves of communities originating from circum-neutral pH were symmetrical, whereas in high-pH (8.9) and especially in low-pH (<5.5) waters, asymmetric tolerance curves were found. In low-pH waters, decreasing pH was more detrimental for bacterial growth than increasing pH, with a tendency for the opposite for high-pH waters. A pH tolerance index, using the ratio of growth at only two pH values (pH 4 and 8), was closely related to pHopt (R(2) = 0.83), allowing for easy determination of pH tolerance during rapid changes in pH. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Removal Efficiency of the Heavy Metals Zn(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) by Saprolegnia delica and Trichoderma viride at Different pH Values and Temperature Degrees

PubMed Central

Hashem, Mohamed

2007-01-01

The removal efficiency of the heavy metals Zn, Pb and Cd by the zoosporic fungal species Saprolegnia delica and the terrestrial fungus Trichoderma viride, isolated from polluted water drainages in the Delta of Nile in Egypt, as affected by various ranges of pH values and different temperature degrees,was extensively investigated. The maximum removal efficiency of S. delica for Zn(II) and Cd(II) was obtained at pH 8 and for Pb(II) was at pH 6 whilst the removal efficiency of T. viride was found to be optimum at pH 6 for the three applied heavy metals. Regardless the median lethal doses of the three heavy metals, Zn recorded the highest bioaccumulation potency by S. delica at all pH values except at pH 4, followed by Pb whereas Cd showed the lowest removal potency by the fungal species and vice versa in case of T. viride. The optimum biomass dry weight production by S. delica was found when the fungus was grown in the medium treated with the heavy metal Pb at pH 6, followed by Zn at pH 8 and Cd at pH 8. The optimum biomass dry weight yield by T. viride amended with Zn,Pb and Cd was obtained at pH 6 for the three heavy metals with the maximum value at Zn. The highest yield of biomass dry weight was found when T. viride treated with Cd at all different pH values followed by Pb whilst Zn output was the lowest and this result was reversed in case of S. delica. The maximum removal efficiency and the biomass dry weight production for the three tested heavy metals was obtained at the incubation temperature 20℃ in case of S. delica while it was 25℃ for T. viride. Incubation of T. viride at higher temperatures (30℃ and 35℃) enhanced the removal efficiency of Pb and Cd than low temperatures (15℃ and 20℃) and vice versa in case of Zn removal. At all tested incubation temperatures, the maximum yield of biomass dry weight was attained at Zn treatment by the two tested fungal species. The bioaccumulation potency of S. delica for Zn was higher than that for Pb at all temperature degrees of incubation and Cd bioaccumulation was the lowest whereas T. viride showed the highest removal efficiency for Pb followed by Cd and Zn was the minor of the heavy metals. PMID:24015084

Arginine-Containing Ligands Enhance H-2 Oxidation Catalyst Performance

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

Dutta, Arnab; Roberts, John A.; Shaw, Wendy J.

2014-06-16

In H2 fuel cells, performance depends on factors controlling turnover frequency and energy efficiency in the electrocatalytic oxidation of H2. Nature uses the hydrogenase enzymes to oxidize H2 at high turnover frequencies (up to 20,000 s-1) and low overpotentials (<100 mV), while the fastest synthetic catalyst reported to date only oxidizes H2 at 50 s-1 under 1 atm H2. Here we report a water-soluble complex incorporating the amino acid arginine, [NiII(PCy2NArg2)2]6+, that operates at 210 s-1 (180 mV overpotential) under 1 atm H2 and 144,000 s-1 (460 mV overpotential) under 133 atm H2. The complex functions from pH 0-14 withmore » rates increasing at lower pH values. The arginine groups impart water solubility and play a critical role in enhancing turnover frequency, most consistent with an intramolecular Arg-Arg interaction that controls the structure of the catalyst active site. This work was funded by the Office of Science Early Career Research Program through the US DOE, BES (AD, WJS), and the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US DOE, BES (JASR). PNNL is operated by Battelle for the US DOE.« less

High Laccase Expression by Trametes versicolor in a Simulated Textile Effluent with Different Carbon Sources and PHs

PubMed Central

Ottoni, Cristiane; Simões, Marta F.; Fernandes, Sara; Santos, Cledir R.; Lima, Nelson

2016-01-01

Textile effluents are highly polluting and have variable and complex compositions. They can be extremely complex, with high salt concentrations and alkaline pHs. A fixed-bed bioreactor was used in the present study to simulate a textile effluent treatment, where the white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, efficiently decolourised the azo dye Reactive Black 5 over 28 days. This occurred under high alkaline conditions, which is unusual, but advantageous, for successful decolourisation processes. Active dye decolourisation was maintained by operation in continuous culture. Colour was eliminated during the course of operation and maximum laccase (Lcc) activity (80.2 U∙L−1) was detected after glycerol addition to the bioreactor. Lcc2 gene expression was evaluated with different carbon sources and pH values based on reverse transcriptase-PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Glycerol was shown to promote the highest lcc2 expression at pH 5.5, followed by sucrose and then glucose. The highest levels of expression occurred between three and four days, which corroborate the maximum Lcc activity observed for sucrose and glycerol on the bioreactor. These results give new insights into the use of T. versicolor in textile dye wastewater treatment with high pHs. PMID:27490563

Use of the fluorescence of rhodamine B for the pH sensing of a glycine solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weiwei; Shi, Kaixing; Shi, Jiulin; He, Xingdao

2016-10-01

The fluorescence of rhodamine B can be strongly affected by its environmental pH value. By directly introducing the dye into various glycine solution, the fluorescence was used to monitor the pH value in the range of 5.9 6.7. Two newly developed techniques for broadband analysis, the barycenter technique and the self-referenced intensity ratio technique, were employed to retrieve the pH sensing functions. While compared with traditional techniques, e.g. the peak shift monitoring, both the two new techniques presented finer precision. The obtained sensing functions may find their applications in the test of biochemical samples, body tissue fluid, water quality, etc.

The effect of acidic pH and presence of metals as parameters in establishing a sulfidogenic process in anaerobic reactor.

PubMed

Vieira, Bárbara F; Couto, Pâmela T; Sancinetti, Giselle P; Klein, Bernhard; van Zyl, Dirk; Rodriguez, Renata P

2016-08-23

The successful use of anaerobic reactors for bioremediation of acid mine drainage has been shown in systems with neutral pH. However, the choice of an efficient and suitable process for such wastewater must consider the capability of operating at acidic pH and in the presence of metals. This work studies the performance of an anaerobic batch reactor, under conditions of varying initial pH for its efficiencies in sulfate removal and metal precipitation from synthetic acid mine drainage. The chemical oxygen demand/sulfate (COD/SO4(2-)) ratio used was 1.00, with ethanol chosen as the only energy and carbon source. The initial pH of the synthetic drainage was progressively set from 7.0 to 4.0 to make it as close as possible to that of real acid mine drainage. Metals were also added starting with iron, zinc, and finally copper. The effectiveness of sulfate and COD removal from the synthetic acid mine drainage increased as the initial pH was reduced. The sulfate removal increased from 38.5 ± 3.7% to 52.2 ± 3%, while the removal of organic matter started at 91.7 ± 2.4% and ended at 99 ± 1%. These results indicate that the sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) community adapted to lower pH values. The metal removal observed was 88 ± 7% for iron, 98.0 ± 0.5% for zinc and 99 ± 1% for copper. At this stage, an increase in the sulfate removal was observed, which reaches up to 82.2 ± 5.8%. The kinetic parameters for sulfate removal were 0.22 ± 0.04 h(-1) with Fe, 0.26 ± 0.04 h(-1) with Fe and Zn and 0.44 ± 0.04 h(-1) with Fe, Zn, and Cu.

Saliva characteristics, diet and carioreceptivity in dental students.

PubMed

Chifor, Ioana; Badea, Iulia; Chifor, Radu; Popa, Dan; Staniste, Liviu; Tarmure, Dragos; Avram, Ramona

2014-01-01

The use of sugar by dental plaque microorganisms leads to acid formation from the bacteria metabolism, which determines a decrease of pH onto teeth surfaces. The value of the critical pH is 5.2-5.5. We aimed to evaluate the capacity of patients to change their diet towards caries prevention after acknowledging the values of saliva parameters (pH, buffer capacity). A group of 52 subjects were clinically examined according to the International Caries Assessment and Detection System protocol. They were required to complete a diet questionnaire and salivary tests were made for the oral mucosa hydration level, pH, buffer capacity, salivary flow rate at rest and upon stimulation. 4 pre-calibrated 6th year students and 2 dentists performed the tests and the ICDAS examination. One week after the tests, the subjects were asked to complete the diet questionnaire again. The studied group consisted of students aged between 23-26 years, randomly selected among 6(th) year students of the Faculty of Dentistry from Cluj-Napoca. The mean DMF-S index was 18.39. Most of the patients (65%) had a DMF-S index between 9 and 21. Just 2.5% had an index of 3, which was the lowest value recorded. 5% of the patients had a DMFS of 35, which was the maximal value recorded. The distribution of DMF-S was normal. 50% of the patients had no active caries. Even though most subjects (19.23%) had a pH within the normal interval, most of them were at the bottom value of the interval (6.8). Most subjects had a pH of 6.4, which is moderately acid. The mean pH was 6.7, therefore, a moderately acid one. The Pearson correlation coefficient between DMFS and pH was 0.255. A mild negative correlation (-0.275) was found between the cariogenic food and buffer capacity. A week later we noticed a statistically significant decrease of cariogenic foods and drinks in students with acid pH and with low buffer capacity. A regular intake of cakes, bonbons and chocolate was reported by subjects who had a high DMF-S value and a low saliva buffer capacity. Only after the patients were aware of their caries risk, did they change their diet towards a non-cariogenic one, even though they had had the theoretical knowledge regarding caries prevention for at least 3 years. We conclude that the use of the chair-side salivary test should be highly recommended for cario-receptive patients.

Reactivity of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron in Unbuffered Systems: Effect of pH and Fe(II) Dissolution.

PubMed

Bae, Sungjun; Hanna, Khalil

2015-09-01

While most published studies used buffers to maintain the pH, there is limited knowledge regarding the reactivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) in poorly buffered pH systems to date. In this work, the effect of pH and Fe(II) dissolution on the reactivity of NZVI was investigated during the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in unbuffered pH systems. The reduction rate increased exponentially with respect to the NZVI concentration, and the ratio of dissolved Fe(II)/initial NZVI was related proportionally to the initial pH values, suggesting that lower pH (6-7) with low NZVI loading may slow the 4-NP reduction through acceleration of the dissolution of NZVI particles. Additional experiments using buffered pH systems confirmed that high pH values (8-9) can preserve the NZVI particles against dissolution, thereby enhancing the reduction kinetics of 4-NP. Furthermore, reduction tests using ferrous ion in suspensions of magnetite and maghemite showed that surface-bound Fe(II) on oxide coatings can play an important role in enhancing 4-NP reduction by NZVI at pH 8. These unexpected results highlight the importance of pH and Fe(II) dissolution when NZVI technology is applied to poorly buffered systems, particularly at a low amount of NZVI (i.e., <0.075 g/L).

Uranium fate in wetland mesocosms: Effects of plants at two iron loadings with different pH values

EPA Science Inventory

Small-scale continuous flow wetland mesocosms (~0.8 L) were used to evaluate how plant roots under different iron loadings affect uranium (U) mobility. When significant concentrations of ferrous iron (Fe) were present at circumneutral pH values, U concentrations in root exposed ...

Tartrazine modified activated carbon for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III).

PubMed

Monser, Lotfi; Adhoum, Nafaâ

2009-01-15

A two in one attempt for the removal of tartrazine and metal ions on activated carbon has been developed. The method was based on the modification of activated carbon with tartrazine then its application for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) ions at different pH values. Tartrazine adsorption data were modelled using both Langmuir and Freundlich classical adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacities qm were 121.3, 67 and 56.7mgg(-1) at initial pH values of 1.0, 6.0 and 10, respectively. The adsorption of tartrazine onto activated carbon followed second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium time was found to be 240min at pH 1.0 and 120min at pH 10 for 500mgL(-1) tartrazine concentration. A maximum removal of 85% was obtained after 1h of contact time. The presence of tartrazine as modifier enhances attractive electrostatic interactions between metal ions and carbon surface. The adsorption capacity for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) ions has been improved with respect to non-modified carbon reaching a maximum of 140%. The adsorption capacity was found to be a pH dependent for both modified and non-modified carbon with a greater adsorption at higher pH values except for Cr(III). The enhancement percent of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) at different pH values was varied from 28% to 140% with respect to non-modified carbon. The amount of metal ions adsorbed using static regime was 11-40% higher than that with dynamic mode. The difference between adsorption capacities could be attributed to the applied flow rate.

Hemolysis and cytotoxicity mechanisms of biodegradable magnesium and its alloys.

PubMed

Zhen, Zhen; Liu, Xiaoli; Huang, Tao; Xi, TingFei; Zheng, Yufeng

2015-01-01

Good hemocompatibility and cell compatibility are essential requirements for coronary stents, especially for biodegradable magnesium alloy stents, which could change the in situ environment after implanted. In this work, the effects of magnesium ion concentration and pH value on the hemolysis and cytotoxicity have been evaluated. Solution with different Mg(2+) concentration gradients and pH values of normal saline and cell culture media DMEM adjusted by MgCl2 and NaOH respectively were tested for the hemolysis and cell viability. Results show that even when the concentration of Mg(2+) reaches 1000 μg/mL, it has little destructive effect on erythrocyte, and the high pH value over 11 caused by the degradation is the real reason for the high hemolysis ratio. Low concentrations of Mg(2+) (<100 μg/mL) cause no cytotoxicity to L929 cells, of which the cell viability is above 80%, while high concentrations of Mg(2+) (>300 μg/mL) could induce obvious death of the L929 cells. The pH of the extract plays a synergetic effect on cytotoxicity, due to the buffer action of the cell culture medium. To validate this conclusion, commercial pure Mg using normal saline and PBS as extract was tested with the measurement of pH and Mg(2+) concentration. Pure Mg leads to a higher hemolysis ratio in normal saline (47.76%) than in buffered solution (4.38%) with different pH values and low concentration of Mg(2+). The Mg extract culture media caused no cytotoxicity, with pH=8.44 and 47.80 μg/mL Mg(2+). It is suggested that buffered solution and dynamic condition should be adopted in the hemolysis evaluation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocelluloses Should be Conducted at Elevated pH 5.2-6.2

Treesearch

T.Q. Lan; Hongming Lou; J.Y. Zhu

2013-01-01

This study revealed that cellulose enzymatic saccharification response curves of lignocellulosic substrates were very different from those of pure cellulosic substrates in terms of optimal pH and pH operating window. The maximal enzymatic cellulose saccharification of lignocellulosic substrates occurs at substrate suspension

Network Centric Warfare in the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Network-Supported Operational Level Command and Control in Operation Enduring Freedom

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

Mark Adkins Director of Research Ph.D Human Communication adkins@arizona.edu Dr. John Kruse Director of Programming Ph.D Management Information Systems...Theory • Network Centric Warfare • Technology Adoption – Technology Adoption Model – Technology Transition Model • Human Communication – Social Context

Geochemical Background and Baseline Values Determination and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soils of the Andes Mountain Range (Cajamarca-Huancavelica, Peru).

PubMed

Santos-Francés, Fernando; Martinez-Graña, Antonio; Alonso Rojo, Pilar; García Sánchez, Antonio

2017-07-31

Concentrations of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and one metalloid (As) as well as various parameters (pH, organic carbon, granulometric analysis and cation exchange capacity) were analyzed in 77 soil samples collected in the mining areas of La Zanja and Colquirrumi (Department of Cajamarca) and Julcani (Department of Huancavelica). Our study proposed geochemical baseline values for heavy metals in a natural region (La Zanja) from samples collected during the period of the environmental impact study (2006), that is, from an earlier period which occurred at the beginning of the exploitation of the current gold mine. The baseline values obtained were as follows: 8.26 mg kg-1 for Cr; 56.97 mg kg-1 for Ni; 22, 20 mg kg-1 for the Cu; 47.42 mg kg-1 for Zn; 27.50 mg kg-1 for As; 4.36 mg kg-1 for Cd; 4.89 mg kg-1 for Hg, and 44.87 mg kg-1 for Pb. Through the use of different indices of heavy metal contamination (geo-accumulation index (Igeo), improved Nemerow index (IIN) and potential ecological risk index (RI)), the degree of pollution caused by mining activities in two areas, Colquirrumi and Julcani, which have a high density of mining sites in operation, was determined. The values obtained from these indices indicated that the Colquirrumi region was the most contaminated, followed by Julcani. The area of La Zanja, despite being free of mining operations, presented slight diffuse pollution. Several positive correlations were obtained, with a high level of significance, between pH, organic carbon content, cation exchange capacity, and the Cr, Pb and Ni concentrations of the soils. The spatial distribution of the heavy metals was realized by means of the interpolation method of ordinary kriging. The results obtained and the experience gained in this work were necessary to facilitate the identification of soil contamination processes in high altitude areas of the Andes Western Cordillera (Peru) as a basis for taking appropriate measures when restoring soils, during mine closure processes, and to protect the quality of soil resources.

Prediction of pH-dependent properties of DNA triple helices.

PubMed

Hüsler, P L; Klump, H H

1995-02-20

The thermodynamic properties of two triple helices were investigated by uv thermal denaturation, differential scanning calorimetry, and pH titrations. Starting from the grand partition function and using matrix methods we present a formalism that describes pH effects on the thermal stability of triple helices. The formalism can be used over a wide pH range and is not restricted to the limiting case where the pH is larger or smaller than the pK alpha of cytosine. Furthermore, it covers nearest neighbor electrostatic effects of closely spaced cytosines in the Hoogsteen strand which can shift the pK alpha of cytosine to lower pH values. A procedure is employed to predict enthalpy and entropy changes for triplex formation. These values are in accordance with the results obtained by differential scanning calorimetry.

The geologic history of seawater pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halevy, I.; Bachan, A.

2017-03-01

Although pH is a fundamental property of Earth’s oceans, critical to our understanding of seawater biogeochemistry, its long-timescale geologic history is poorly constrained. We constrain seawater pH through time by accounting for the cycles of the major components of seawater. We infer an increase from early Archean pH values between ~6.5 and 7.0 and Phanerozoic values between ~7.5 and 9.0, which was caused by a gradual decrease in atmospheric pCO2 in response to solar brightening, alongside a decrease in hydrothermal exchange between seawater and the ocean crust. A lower pH in Earth’s early oceans likely affected the kinetics of chemical reactions associated with the origin of life, the energetics of early metabolisms, and climate through the partitioning of CO2 between the oceans and atmosphere.

A monitor for continuous measurement of temperature, pH, and conductance of wet precipitation: Preliminary results from the Adirondack Mountains, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnsson, P.A.; Reddy, M.M.

1990-01-01

This report describes a continuous wet-only precipitation monitor designed by the U.S. Geological Survey to record variations in rainfall temperature, pH, and specific conductance at 1-min intervals over the course of storms. Initial sampling in the Adirondack Mountains showed that rainfall acidity varied over the course of summer storms, with low initial pH values increasing as storm intensity increased.This report describes a continuous wet-only precipitation monitor designed by the U.S. Geological Survey to record variations in rainfall temperature, pH, and specific conductance at 1-min intervals over the course of storms. Initial sampling in the Adirondack Mountains showed that rainfall acidity varied over the course of summer storms, with low initial pH values increasing as storm intensity increased.

Methodological implications in pH standardization of exhaled breath condensate.

PubMed

Hoffmeyer, F; Berresheim, H; Beine, A; Sucker, K; Brüning, T; Bünger, J

2015-05-14

The variable amount of dissolved carbon dioxide is one of the main confounding factors of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH measurements. There have been many attempts at identifying the optimal approach to displace CO2 as a way to gain reproducible and valid pH values in EBC samples. The aim of the present study was to assess the correlation of pH and pCO2 in untreated, neat EBC samples and, after deaeration, to reevaluate the standardization of CO2 as a means to obtain valid pH values. A further aim was to evaluate the impact of deaeration on the acid-base balance in EBC samples. EBC was collected from seven female and 31 male subjects. The pH and pCO2 values immediately determined in untreated, neat EBC samples were strongly correlated (rp = -0.723, p <  0.0001). This correlation was not observed after deaeration with argon (rs = 0.264, p = 0.109). Based on a regression function for the pH/pCO2 relationship, the calculated pH at a pCO2 of 5.33 kPa was 6.07 (IQR 5.99, 6.20). No significant difference was observed between the pH measured in neat EBC samples and those calculated after deaeration with regression function and measured neat pCO2. Our data suggest that pCO2 is the most important confounder of pH measurement in EBC samples and, when adjusting for pCO2, the acid-base balance of EBC samples is not significantly influenced by the process of deaeration. Furthermore, measurement with a blood-gas analyzer and standardization of pH for pCO2 allows sensitive assaying of EBC samples. Therefore, this method provides a basis for detection of even small changes in airway pH due to inhalative exposure or respiratory disease.

Denitrifying sulfur conversion-associated EBPR: The effect of pH on anaerobic metabolism and performance.

PubMed

Guo, Gang; Wu, Di; Hao, Tianwei; Mackey, Hamish Robert; Wei, Li; Chen, Guanghao

2017-10-15

The performance of the denitrifying sulfur conversion-associated enhanced biological phosphorus removal (DS-EBPR) process tends to be unstable and requires further study and development. This in turn requires extensive study of the anaerobic metabolism in terms of its stoichiometry and kinetics. This study evaluates the corresponding responses of DS-EBPR to pH, as it significantly influences both stoichiometry and biochemical kinetics. The impacts of five representative pH values ranging between 6.5 and 8.5 on the anaerobic metabolism were investigated, followed by identification of the optimal pH for performance optimization. A mature DS-EBPR sludge was used in the study, enriched with approximately 30% sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and 33% sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). Through a series of batch tests, the optimal pH range was determined as 7.0-7.5. In this pH range, the anaerobic stoichiometry of phosphorus released/volatile fatty acid (VFA) uptake ratio, sulfate reduction, and internal polymer production (including poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates and polysulfide and/or elemental sulfur) all increased along with the anaerobic kinetics of the VFA uptake ratio. Consequently, phosphorus removal was maximized at this pH range (≥95% vs. 84-93% at other pH values), as was sulfur conversion (16 mg S/L vs. 10-13 mg S/L). This pH range therefore favors the activity and synergy of the key functional bacteria (i.e. SRB and SOB). Anaerobic maintenance tests showed these bacteria required 38-61% less energy for maintenance than that reported for GAOs regardless of pH changes, improving their ability to cope with anaerobic starvation. Adversely, both bacteria showed much lower VFA uptake rates than that of GAOs at all tested pH values (0.03-0.06 vs. 0.2-0.24 mol-C/C-mol biomass/h), possibly revealing the primary cause of frequent instability in the DS-EBPR process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On-column nitrosation of amines observed in liquid chromatography impurity separations employing ammonium hydroxide and acetonitrile as mobile phase.

PubMed

Myers, David P; Hetrick, Evan M; Liang, Zhongming; Hadden, Chad E; Bandy, Steven; Kemp, Craig A; Harris, Thomas M; Baertschi, Steven W

2013-12-06

The availability of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns capable of operation at pH values up to 12 has allowed a greater selectivity space to be explored for method development in pharmaceutical analysis. Ammonium hydroxide is of particular value in the mobile phase because it is compatible with direct interfacing to electrospray mass spectrometers. This paper reports an unexpected N-nitrosation reaction that occurs with analytes containing primary and secondary amines when ammonium hydroxide is used to achieve the high pH and acetonitrile is used as the organic modifier. The nitrosation reaction has generality. It has been observed on multiple columns from different vendors and with multiple amine-containing analytes. Ammonia was established to be the source of the nitroso nitrogen. The stainless steel column frit and metal ablated from the frit have been shown to be the sites of the reactions. The process is initiated by removal of the chromium oxide protective film from the stainless steel by acetonitrile. It is hypothesized that the highly active, freshly exposed metals catalyze room temperature oxidation of ammonia to NO but that the actual nitrosating agent is likely N(2)O(3). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do over 200 million healthy altitude residents really suffer from chronic Acid-base disorders?

PubMed

Zubieta-Calleja, Gustavo; Zubieta-Castillo, Gustavo; Zubieta-Calleja, Luis; Ardaya-Zubieta, Gustavo; Paulev, Poul-Erik

2011-01-01

As the oxygen tension of inspired air falls with increasing altitude in normal subjects, hyperventilation ensues. This acute respiratory alkalosis, induces increased renal excretion of bicarbonate, returning the pH back to normal, giving rise to compensated respiratory alkalosis or chronic hypocapnia. It seems a contradiction that so many normal people at high altitude should permanently live as chronic acid-base patients. Blood gas analyses of 1,865 subjects at 3,510 m, reported a P(a)CO(2) (arterial carbon dioxide tension ± SEM) = 29.4 ± 0.16 mmHg and pH = 7.40 ± 0.005. Base excess, calculated with the Van Slyke sea level equation, is -5 mM (milliMolar or mmol/l) as an average, suggesting chronic hypocapnia. THID, a new term replacing "Base Excess" is determined by titration to a pH of 7.40 at a P(a)CO(2) of 5.33 kPa (40 mmHg) at sea level, oxygen saturated and at 37°C blood temperature. Since our new modified Van Slyke equations operate with normal values for P(a)CO(2) at the actual altitude, a calculation of THID will always result in normal values-that is, zero.

Characterization of N-nitrosodimethylamine formation from the ozonation of ranitidine.

PubMed

Lv, Juan; Wang, Lin; Li, Yongmei

2017-08-01

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an emerging disinfection by-product which is formed during water disinfection in the presence of amine-based precursors. Ranitidine, as one kind of amine-based pharmaceuticals, has been identified as NDMA precursor with high NDMA molar conversion during chloramination. This study focused on the characterization of NDMA formation during ozonation of ranitidine. Influences of operational variables (ozone dose, pH value) and water matrix on NDMA generation as well as ranitidine degradation were evaluated. The results indicate high reactivity of ranitidine with ozone. Dimethylamine (DMA) and NDMA were generated due to ranitidine oxidation. High pH value caused more NDMA accumulation. NDMA formation was inhibited under acid conditions (pH≤5) mainly due to the protonation of amines. Water matrix such as HCO 3 - and humic acid impacted NDMA generation due to OH scavenging. Compared with OH, ozone molecules dominated the productions of DMA and NDMA. However, OH was a critical factor in NDMA degradation. Transformation products of ranitidine during ozonation were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among these products, just DMA and N,N-dimethylformamide could contribute to NDMA formation due to the DMA group in the molecular structures. The NDMA formation pathway from ranitidine ozonation was also proposed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Highly efficient micellar extraction of toxic picric acid into novel ionic liquid: Effect of parameters, solubilization isotherm, evaluation of thermodynamics and design parameters.

PubMed

Bhatt, Darshak R; Maheria, Kalpana C; Parikh, Jigisha K

2015-12-30

A simple and new approach in cloud point extraction (CPE) method was developed for removal of picric acid (PA) by the addition of N,N,N,N',N',N'-hexaethyl-ethane-1,2-diammonium dibromide ionic liquid (IL) in non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 (TX-114). A significant increase in extraction efficiency was found upon the addition of dicationic ionic liquid (DIL) at both nearly neutral and high acidic pH. The effects of different operating parameters such as pH, temperature, time, concentration of surfactant, PA and DIL on extraction of PA were investigated and optimum conditions were established. The extraction mechanism was also proposed. A developed Langmuir isotherm was used to compute the feed surfactant concentration required for the removal of PA up to an extraction efficiency of 90%. The effects of temperature and concentration of surfactant on various thermodynamic parameters were examined. It was found that the values of ΔG° increased with temperature and decreased with surfactant concentration. The values of ΔH° and ΔS° increased with surfactant concentration. The developed approach for DIL mediated CPE has proved to be an efficient and green route for extraction of PA from water sample. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neonatal Acid-Base Status in Fetuses with Abnormal Vertebro- and Cerebro-Placental Ratios.

PubMed

Morales-Roselló, José; Khalil, Asma; Ferri-Folch, Blanca; Perales-Marín, Alfredo

2015-01-01

A low cerebro-placental ratio (CPR) at term suggests the existence of failure to reach growth potential (FRGP) with a higher risk of poor neonatal acid-base status. This study aimed to evaluate whether similar findings were also seen in the vertebral artery (vertebro-placental ratio, VPR), supplying 30% of the cerebral flow. We studied term fetuses classified into groups according to birth weight (BW), CPR and VPR. BW was expressed in centiles and ratios in multiples of the median (MoM). Subsequently, associations with neonatal pH values were evaluated by means of regression curves and Mann-Whitney tests. VPR MoM correlated with BW centiles (p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.042) and its distribution resembled that of CPR MoM (p < 0.001). When both arteries were compared, adequate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetuses with either low CPR or low VPR had lower neonatal venous pH values (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). However, in case of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses, only those with low VPR had significantly lower neonatal arterial and venous pH values (p < 0.05). Blood flow in the vertebral artery mimics that in the middle cerebral artery supporting the FRGP model. Both CPR and VPR identify AGA fetuses with lower neonatal pH values, but only VPR identifies SGA with lower pH values. Hypoxemia might be reflected as a generalized cerebral vasodilation demonstrated as low CPR and VPR.

Short communication: Serum composition of milk subjected to re-equilibration by dialysis at different temperatures, after pH adjustments.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhengtao; Corredig, Milena

2016-04-01

The objective of this work was to investigate the properties of casein micelles after pH adjustment and their re-equilibration to the original pH and serum composition. Re-equilibration was carried out by dialyzing against skim milk at 2 different temperatures (4 or 22 °C). Turbidity, the average radius of the casein micelles, and the composition of the soluble phase were measured at different pH values, ranging between 5.5 and 8. Acidification led to the solubilization of colloidal calcium phosphate and decrease of the average radius of the micelles. With re-equilibration, casein dissociation occurred. In milk with pH values greater than 6.0, the average radius was recovered after re-equilibration. At pH values greater than neutral, an increase of the radius of casein micelles and increased dissociation of the casein were found. After re-equilibration, the radius of micelles and soluble protein in the serum decreased. The results were not affected by the temperature of re-equilibration. The changes to the calcium phosphate equilibrium and the dissociation of the micelles will have important consequences to the functionality of casein micelles. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Control of Diapause by Acidic pH and Ammonium Accumulation in the Hemolymph of Antarctic Copepods

PubMed Central

Schründer, Sabine; Schnack-Schiel, Sigrid B.; Auel, Holger; Sartoris, Franz Josef

2013-01-01

Life-cycles of polar herbivorous copepods are characterised by seasonal/ontogenetic vertical migrations and diapause to survive periods of food shortage during the long winter season. However, the triggers of vertical migration and diapause are still far from being understood. In this study, we test the hypothesis that acidic pH and the accumulation of ammonium (NH4 +) in the hemolymph contribute to the control of diapause in certain Antarctic copepod species. In a recent study, it was already hypothesized that the replacement of heavy ions by ammonium is necessary for diapausing copepods to achieve neutral buoyancy at overwintering depth. The current article extends the hypothesis of ammonium-aided buoyancy by highlighting recent findings of low pH values in the hemolymph of diapausing copepods with elevated ammonium concentrations. Since ammonia (NH3) is toxic to most organisms, a low hemolymph pH is required to maintain ammonium in the less toxic ionized form (NH4 +). Recognizing that low pH values are a relevant factor reducing metabolic rate in other marine invertebrates, the low pH values found in overwintering copepods might not only be a precondition for ammonium accumulation, but in addition, it may insure metabolic depression throughout diapause. PMID:24143238