Sample records for salt concentration temperature

  1. Effect of temperature & salt concentration on salt tolerant nitrate-perchlorate reducing bacteria: Nitrate degradation kinetics.

    PubMed

    Ebrahimi, Shelir; Nguyen, Thi Hau; Roberts, Deborah J

    2015-10-15

    The sustainability of nitrate-contaminated water treatment using ion-exchange processes can be achieved by regenerating the exhausted resin several times. Our previous study shows that the use of multi-cycle bioregeneration of resin enclosed in membrane is an effective and innovative regeneration method. In this research, the effects of two independent factors (temperature and salt concentration) on the biological denitrification rate were studied. The results of this research along with the experimental results of the previous study on the effect of the same factors on nitrate desorption rate from the resin allow the optimization of the bioregeneration process. The results of nitrate denitrification rate study show that the biodegradation rate at different temperature and salt concentration is independent of the initial nitrate concentration. At each specific salt concentration, the nitrate removal rate increased with increasing temperature with the average value of 0.001110 ± 0.0000647 mg-nitrate/mg-VSS.h.°C. However, the effect of different salt concentrations was dependent on the temperature; there is a significant interaction between salt concentration and temperature; within each group of temperatures, the nitrate degradation rate decreased with increasing the salt concentration. The temperature affected the tolerance to salinity and culture was less tolerant to high concentration of salt at low temperature. Evidenced by the difference between the minimum and maximum nitrate degradation rate being greater at lower temperature. At 35 °C, a 32% reduction in the nitrate degradation rate was observed while at 12 °C this reduction was 69%. This is the first published study to examine the interaction of salt concentration and temperature during biological denitrification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorods: Effects of zinc salt concentration, various solvents and alkaline mineralizers

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

    Edalati, Khatereh, E-mail: kh_ed834@stu.um.ac.ir; Shakiba, Atefeh; Vahdati-Khaki, Jalil

    2016-02-15

    Highlights: • We synthesized ZnO nanorods by a simple hydrothermal process at 60 °C. • Effects of zinc salt concentration, solvent and alkaline mineralizer was studied. • Increasing concentration of zinc salt changed ZnO nucleation system. • NaOH yielded better results in the production of nanorods in both solvents. • Methanol performed better in the formation of nanorods using the two mineralizers. - Abstract: ZnO has been produced using various methods in the solid, gaseous, and liquid states, and the hydrothermal synthesis at low temperatures has been shown to be an environmentally-friendly one. The current work utilizes a low reactionmore » temperature (60 °C) for the simple hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorod morphologies. Furthermore, the effects of zinc salt concentration, solvent type and alkaline mineralizer type on ZnO nanorods synthesis at a low reaction temperature by hydrothermal processing was studied. Obtained samples were analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Increasing the concentration of the starting zinc salt from 0.02 to 0.2 M changed ZnO nucleation system from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous state. The XRD results confirmed the production hexagonal ZnO nanostructures of with a crystallite size of 40.4 nm. Varying the experimental parameters (mineralizer and solvent) yielded ZnO nanorods with diameters ranging from 90–250 nm and lengths of 1–2 μm.« less

  3. Properties and heat transfer coefficients of four molten-salt high temperature heat transfer fluid candidates for concentrating solar power plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, T. L.; Liu, W. R.; Xu, X. H.

    2017-11-01

    Heat transfer fluid is one critical component for transferring and storing heat energy in concentrating solar power systems. Molten-salt mixtures can be used as high temperature heat transfer fluids because of their thermophysical properties. This paper studied the thermophysical properties of Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 eutectic salt and three eutectic chloride salts NaCl-KCl-ZnCl2 with different compositions in the range of 450-600°C and 250-800°C, respectively. Properties including specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, density and viscosity were determined based on imperial correlations and compared at different operating temperatures. The heat transfer coefficients of using different eutectic salts as heat transfer fluids were also calculated and compared in their operating temperature range. It is concluded that all the four eutectic salts can satisfy the requirements of a high-temperature heat transfer fluid.

  4. Maintaining molten salt electrolyte concentration in aluminum-producing electrolytic cell

    DOEpatents

    Barnett, Robert J.; Mezner, Michael B.; Bradford, Donald R

    2005-01-04

    A method of maintaining molten salt concentration in a low temperature electrolytic cell used for production of aluminum from alumina dissolved in a molten salt electrolyte contained in a cell free of frozen crust wherein volatile material is vented from the cell and contacted and captured on alumina being added to the cell. The captured volatile material is returned with alumina to cell to maintain the concentration of the molten salt.

  5. Profiling Groundwater Salt Concentrations in Mangrove Swamps and Tropical Salt Flats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ridd, Peter V.; Sam, Renagi

    1996-11-01

    The salt concentration of groundwater in mangrove swamps is an important parameter controlling the growth of mangrove species. Extremely high salt concentrations of groundwater in tropical salt flats are responsible for the complete absence of macrophytes. Determining groundwater salt concentrations can be a very time-consuming and laborious process if conventional techniques are used. Typically, groundwater samples must be extracted for later laboratory analysis. In this work, a simple conductivity probe has been developed which may be inserted easily to a depth of 2 m into the sediment. The changes in conductivity of the sediment is due primarily to porewater salt concentration, and thus ground conductivity is useful in determining changes in groundwater salt concentrations. Using the conductivity probe, transects of sediment conductivity can be undertaken quickly. As an example of a possible application of the probe, transects of ground conductivity were taken on a mangrove swamp/saltflat system. The transects show clearly the sharp delineation in conductivity between the salt flat and mangrove swamp due to a change in groundwater salt concentrations. Horizontal and vertical salt concentration gradients of up to 50 g l -1 m -1and 150 g l -1 m -1, respectively, were found. Very sharp changes in groundwater salt concentrations at the interface between salt flats and mangroves indicate that the mangroves may be modifying the salinity of the groundwater actively.

  6. Primary and secondary room temperature molten salt electrochemical cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reynolds, G. F.; Dymek, C. J., Jr.

    1985-07-01

    Three novel primary cells which use room temperature molten salt electrolytes are examined and found to have high open circuit potentials in the 1.75-2.19 V range, by comparison with the Al/AlCl3-MEICl concentration cell; their cathodes were of FeCl3-MEICl, WCl6-MEICl, and Br2/reticulated vitreous carbon together with Pt. Also, secondary electrochemical cell candidates were examined which combined the reversible Al/AlCl3-MEICl electrode with reversible zinc and cadmium molten salt electrodes to yield open circuit potentials of about 0.7 and 1.0 V, respectively. Room temperature molten salts' half-cell reduction potentials are given.

  7. Solution Behavior and Activity of a Halophilic Esterase under High Salt Concentration

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Lang; Zhao, Xiubo; Pan, Fang; Li, Yin; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe; Lu, Jian R.

    2009-01-01

    Background Halophiles are extremophiles that thrive in environments with very high concentrations of salt. Although the salt reliance and physiology of these extremophiles have been widely investigated, the molecular working mechanisms of their enzymes under salty conditions have been little explored. Methodology/Principal Findings A halophilic esterolytic enzyme LipC derived from archeaon Haloarcula marismortui was overexpressed from Escherichia coli BL21. The purified enzyme showed a range of hydrolytic activity towards the substrates of p-nitrophenyl esters with different alkyl chains (n = 2−16), with the highest activity being observed for p-nitrophenyl acetate, consistent with the basic character of an esterase. The optimal esterase activities were found to be at pH 9.5 and [NaCl] = 3.4 M or [KCl] = 3.0 M and at around 45°C. Interestingly, the hydrolysis activity showed a clear reversibility against changes in salt concentration. At the ambient temperature of 22°C, enzyme systems working under the optimal salt concentrations were very stable against time. Increase in temperature increased the activity but reduced its stability. Circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) were deployed to determine the physical states of LipC in solution. As the salt concentration increased, DLS revealed substantial increase in aggregate sizes, but CD measurements revealed the maximal retention of the α-helical structure at the salt concentration matching the optimal activity. These observations were supported by SANS analysis that revealed the highest proportion of unimers and dimers around the optimal salt concentration, although the coexistent larger aggregates showed a trend of increasing size with salt concentration, consistent with the DLS data. Conclusions/Significance The solution α-helical structure and activity relation also matched the highest proportion of enzyme unimers and dimers. Given that

  8. Effects of temperature, concentration, and uranium chloride mixture on zirconium electrochemical studies in LiClsbnd KCl eutectic salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoover, Robert O.; Yoon, Dalsung; Phongikaroon, Supathorn

    2016-08-01

    Experimental studies were performed to provide measurement and analysis of zirconium (Zr) electrochemistry in LiClsbnd KCl eutectic salt at different temperatures and concentrations using cyclic voltammetry (CV). An additional experimental set with uranium chloride added into the system forming UCl3sbnd ZrCl4sbnd LiClsbnd KCl was performed to explore the general behavior of these two species together. Results of CV experiments with ZrCl4 show complicated cathodic and anodic peaks, which were identified along with the Zr reactions. The CV results reveal that diffusion coefficients (D) of ZrCl4 and ZrCl2 as the function of temperature can be expressed as DZr(IV) = 0.00046exp(-3716/T) and DZr(II) = 0.027exp(-5617/T), respectively. The standard rate constants and apparent standard potentials of ZrCl4 at different temperatures were calculated. Furthermore, the results from the mixture of UCl3 and ZrCl4 indicate that high concentrations of UCl3 hide the features of the smaller concentration of ZrCl4 while Zr peaks become prominent as the concentration of ZrCl4 increases.

  9. Ionic relaxation in PEO/PVDF-HFP-LiClO4 blend polymer electrolytes: dependence on salt concentration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, S.; Ghosh, A.

    2016-06-01

    In this paper, we have studied the effect of LiClO4 salt concentration on the ionic conduction and relaxation in poly ethylene oxide (PEO) and poly (vinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) blend polymer electrolytes, in which the molar ratio of ethylene oxide segments to lithium ions (R  =  EO: Li) has been varied between 3 and 35. We have observed two phases in the samples containing low salt concentrations (R  >  9) and single phase in the samples containing high salt concentrations (R  ⩽  9). The scanning electron microscopic images indicate that there exists no phase separation in the blend polymer electrolytes. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity shows two slopes corresponding to high and low temperatures and follows Arrhenius relation for the samples containing low salt concentrations (R  >  9). The conductivity relaxation as well as the structural relaxation has been clearly observed at around 104 Hz and 106 Hz for these concentrations of the blended electrolytes. However, a single conductivity relaxation peak has been observed for the compositions with R  ⩽  9. The scaling of the conductivity spectra shows that the relaxation mechanism is independent of temperature, but depends on salt concentration.

  10. New iodide-based molten salt systems for high temperature molten salt batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujiwara, Syozo; Kato, Fumio; Watanabe, Syouichiro; Inaba, Minoru; Tasaka, Akimasa

    Novel multi-component molten salt systems containing iodides, LiF-LiBr-LiI, LiF-NaBr-LiI, and LiF-LiCl-LiBr-LiI, were investigated for use as electrolytes in high temperature molten salt batteries to improve the discharge rate-capability. The iodide-based molten salts showed higher ionic conductivity (∼3 S cm -1 at 500 °C) than conventional LiCl-KCl, and had low enough melting points (below 400 °C) that can be used in practical high temperature molten salt batteries. The iodide-based salts showed instability at temperatures higher than 280 °C in dried air. The decomposition mechanism of iodide-based molten salts was discussed, and it was found that elimination of oxygen from the environment is effective to stabilize the iodide-based molten salts at high temperatures.

  11. Organic solvent tolerance of an α-amylase from haloalkaliphilic bacteria as a function of pH, temperature, and salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Sandeep; Singh, S P

    2012-04-01

    A haloalkaliphilic bacterium was isolated from salt-enriched soil of Mithapur, Gujarat (India) and identified as Bacillus agaradhaerens Mi-10-6₂ based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis (NCBI gene bank accession, GQ121032). The bacterium was studied for its α-amylase characteristic in the presence of organic solvents. The enzyme was quite active and it retained considerable activity in 30% (v/v) organic solvents, dodecane, decane, heptane, n-hexane, methanol, and propanol. At lower concentrations of solvents, the catalysis was quite comparable to control. Enzyme catalysis at wide range of alkanes and alcohol was an interesting finding of the study. Mi-10-6₂ amylase retained activity over a broader alkaline pH range, with the optimal pH at 10-11. Two molars of salt was optimum for catalysis in the presence of most of the tested solvents, though the enzyme retained significant activity even at 4 M salt. With dodecane, the optimum temperature shifted from 50 °C to 60 °C, while the enzyme was active up to 80 °C. Over all, the present study focused on the effect of organic solvents on an extracellular α-amylase from haloalkaliphilic bacteria under varying conditions of pH, temperature, and salt.

  12. Structure-activity relationship for hydrophobic salts as viscosity-lowering excipients for concentrated solutions of monoclonal antibodies.

    PubMed

    Guo, Zheng; Chen, Alvin; Nassar, Roger A; Helk, Bernhard; Mueller, Claudia; Tang, Yu; Gupta, Kapil; Klibanov, Alexander M

    2012-11-01

    To discover, elucidate the structure-activity relationship (SAR), and explore the mechanism of action of excipients able to drastically lower the viscosities of concentrated aqueous solutions of humanized monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Salts prepared from hydrophobic cations and anions were dissolved into humanized MAbs solutions. Viscosities of the resulting solutions were measured as a function of the nature and concentration of the salts and MAbs. Even at moderate concentrations, some of the salts prepared herein were found to reduce over 10-fold the viscosities of concentrated aqueous solutions of several MAbs at room temperature. To be potent viscosity-lowering excipients, the ionic constituents of the salts must be hydrophobic, bulky, and aliphatic. A mechanistic hypothesis explaining the observed salt effects on MAb solutions' viscosities was proposed and verified.

  13. Measuring lanthanide concentrations in molten salt using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

    PubMed

    Weisberg, Arel; Lakis, Rollin E; Simpson, Michael F; Horowitz, Leo; Craparo, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    The versatility of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as an analytical method for high-temperature applications was demonstrated through measurement of the concentrations of the lanthanide elements europium (Eu) and praseodymium (Pr) in molten eutectic lithium chloride-potassium chloride (LiCl-KCl) salts at a temperature of 500 °C. Laser pulses (1064 nm, 7 ns, 120 mJ/pulse) were focused on the top surface of the molten salt samples in a laboratory furnace under an argon atmosphere, and the resulting LIBS signals were collected using a broadband Echelle-type spectrometer. Partial least squares (PLS) regression using leave-one-sample-out cross-validation was used to quantify the concentrations of Eu and Pr in the samples. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) for Eu was 0.13% (absolute) over a concentration range of 0-3.01%, and for Pr was 0.13% (absolute) over a concentration range of 0-1.04%.

  14. Plasma 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentration of Dahl salt-sensitive rats decreases during high salt intake

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thierry-Palmer, Myrtle; Tewolde, Teclemicael K.; Forte, Camille; Wang, Min; Bayorh, Mohamed A.; Emmett, Nerimiah L.; White, Jolanda; Griffin, Keri

    2002-01-01

    Dahl salt-sensitive rats, but not salt-resistant rats, develop hypertension in response to high salt intake. We have previously shown an inverse relationship between plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentration and blood pressure of Dahl salt-sensitive rats during high salt intake. In this study, we report on the relationship between high salt intake and plasma 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25-(OH)(2)D) concentration of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats. Rats were fed a high salt diet (8%) and sacrificed at day 2, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Plasma 24,25-(OH)(2)D concentrations of salt-sensitive rats were reduced to 50% of that at baseline at day 2-when blood pressure and plasma 25-OHD concentration were unchanged, but 25-OHD content in the kidney was 81% of that at baseline. Plasma 24,25-(OH)(2)D concentration was reduced further to 10% of that at baseline from day 7 to 14 of high salt intake, a reduction that was prevented in rats switched to a low salt (0.3%) diet at day 7. Exogenous 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (24,25-(OH)(2)D(3)), administered at a level that increased plasma 24,25-(OH)(2)D concentration to five times normal, did not attenuate the salt-induced hypertension of salt-sensitive rats. Plasma 24,25-(OH)(2)D concentration of salt-resistant rats was gradually reduced to 50% of that at baseline at day 14 and returned to baseline value at day 28 of high salt intake. We conclude that the decrease in plasma 24,25-(OH)(2)D concentration in salt-sensitive rats during high salt intake is caused by decreased 25-OHD content in the kidney and also by another unidentified mechanism.

  15. Salt weathering in Egyptian limestone after laboratory simulations with continuous flow of salt solutions at different temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aly, Nevin; Gomez-Heras, Miguel; Hamed, Ayman; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica

    2013-04-01

    weathering in Egyptian limestone after laboratory simulations with continuous flow of salt solutions at different temperatures Nevin Aly Mohamed (1), Miguel Gomez - Heras(2), Ayman Hamed Ahmed (1), and Monica Alvarez de Buergo(2). (1) Faculty of Pet. & Min. Engineering- Suez Canal University, Suez, Egypt, (2) Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC-UCM) Madrid. Spain. Limestone is one of the most frequent building stones in Egypt and is used since the time of ancient Egyptians and salt weathering is one of the main threats to its conservation. Most of the limestone used in historical monuments in Cairo is a biomicrite extracted from the Mid-Eocene Mokattam Group. During this work, cylindrical samples (2.4 cm diameter and approx. 4.8 cm length) were subjected, in a purpose-made simulation chamber, to simulated laboratory weathering tests with fixed salt concentration (10% weight NaCl solution), at different temperatures, which were kept constant throughout each test (10, 20, 30, 40 oC). During each test, salt solutions flowed continuously imbibing samples by capilarity. Humidity within the simulation chamber was reduced using silica gel to keep it low and constant to increase evaporation rate. Temperature, humidity inside the simulation chamber and samples weight were digitally monitored during each test. Results show the advantages of the proposed experimental methodology using a continuous flow of salt solutions and shed light on the effect of temperature on the dynamics of salt crystallization on and within samples. Research funded by mission sector of high education ministry, Egypt and Geomateriales S2009/MAT-1629.

  16. Role of salt concentration in blend polymer for energy storage conversion devices

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

    Arya, Anil; Sharma, A. L., E-mail: alsharmaiitkgp@gmail.com; Sadiq, M.

    2016-05-06

    Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPE) are materials of considerable interest worldwide, which serves dual purpose of electrolyte and separator between electrode compartments in renewable energy conversion/storage devices such as; high energy density batteries, electrochromic display devices, and supercapacitors. Polymer blend electrolytes are prepared for various concentration of salt (Ö/Li) with the constant ratio (0.5 gm) of each PEO and PAN polymers (blend polymer) using solution casting technique. Solid polymeric ionic conductor as a separator is the ultimate substitute to eliminate the drawback related to liquid and gel polymer ionic conductors. In the present work, solid polymer electrolyte film consisting of PEO,more » PAN and LiPF{sub 6} are examined for various concentration of lithium salt by keeping PEO/PAN blend ratio as a constant with a view to optimize the dominant salt concentration which could give the maximum conductivity at ambient temperature.« less

  17. Influence of pH, temperature, and concentration on stabilization of aqueous hornet silk solution and fabrication of salt-free materials.

    PubMed

    Kameda, Tsunenori

    2015-01-01

    We found that an aqueous solution of silk from cocoons produced by hornet larvae (hornet silk) can be obtained when the solution is adjusted to basic conditions of pH > 9.2. It is known that native hornet cocoons can be dissolved in concentrated aqueous solution of salts, such as lithium bromide (LiBr) and calcium chloride (CaCl2). Upon the removal of these salts from solution by dialysis, solidification, gelation, or sedimentation of hornet silk is known to occur. In the present study, under basic conditions, however, no such solidification occurred, even after salt removal. In this study, ammonia was used for alkalization of solution because it is volatilized during the casting process and pure hornet silk materials can be obtained after drying. The effects of the concentrations of hornet silk and ammonia, as well as dialysis temperature, on preventing gelation during dialysis were investigated. Dialysis conditions that limit the degradation of hornet silk by hydrolysis in alkali solution were identified. Moreover, casting conditions to prepare flexible and transparent hornet silk film from aqueous ammonia solution were optimized. Molecular structural analysis of hornet silk in aqueous ammonia solution and cast film indicated the formation of α-helix conformations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Microbial Successions and Metabolite Changes during Fermentation of Salted Shrimp (Saeu-Jeot) with Different Salt Concentrations

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Se Hee; Jung, Ji Young; Jeon, Che Ok

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the effects of salt concentration on saeu-jeot (salted shrimp) fermentation, four sets of saeu-jeot samples with 20%, 24%, 28%, and 32% salt concentrations were prepared, and the pH, bacterial and archaeal abundances, bacterial communities, and metabolites were monitored during the entire fermentation period. Quantitative PCR showed that Bacteria were much more abundant than Archaea in all saeu-jeot samples, suggesting that bacterial populations play more important roles than archaeal populations even in highly salted samples. Community analysis indicated that Vibrio, Photobacterium, Psychrobacter, Pseudoalteromonas, and Enterovibrio were identified as the initially dominant genera, and the bacterial successions were significantly different depending on the salt concentration. During the early fermentation period, Salinivibrio predominated in the 20% salted samples, whereas Staphylococcus, Halomonas, and Salimicrobium predominated in the 24% salted samples; eventually, Halanaerobium predominated in the 20% and 24% salted samples. The initially dominant genera gradually decreased as the fermentation progressed in the 28% and 32% salted samples, and eventually Salimicrobium became predominant in the 28% salted samples. However, the initially dominant genera still remained until the end of fermentation in the 32% salted samples. Metabolite analysis showed that the amino acid profile and the initial glycerol increase were similar in all saeu-jeot samples regardless of the salt concentration. After 30–80 days of fermentation, the levels of acetate, butyrate, and methylamines in the 20% and 24% salted samples increased with the growth of Halanaerobium, even though the amino acid concentrations steadily increased until approximately 80–107 days of fermentation. This study suggests that a range of 24–28% salt concentration in saeu-jeot fermentation is appropriate for the production of safe and tasty saeu-jeot. PMID:24587230

  19. Antioxidant enzyme activities are affected by salt content and temperature and influence muscle lipid oxidation during dry-salted bacon processing.

    PubMed

    Jin, Guofeng; He, Lichao; Yu, Xiang; Zhang, Jianhao; Ma, Meihu

    2013-12-01

    Fresh pork bacon belly was used as material and manufactured into dry-salted bacon through salting and drying-ripening. During processing both oxidative stability and antioxidant enzyme stability were evaluated by assessing peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and their correlations were also analysed. The results showed that all antioxidant enzyme activities decreased (p<0.05) until the end of process; GSH-Px was the most unstable one followed by catalase. Antioxidant enzyme activities were negatively correlated with TBARS (p<0.05), but the correlations were decreased with increasing process temperature. Salt showed inhibitory effect on all antioxidant enzyme activities and was concentration dependent. These results indicated that when process temperature and salt content were low at the same time during dry-salted bacon processing, antioxidant enzymes could effectively control lipid oxidation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Correlation of high-temperature stability of alpha-chymotrypsin with 'salting-in' properties of solution.

    PubMed

    Levitsky VYu; Panova, A A; Mozhaev, V V

    1994-01-15

    A correlation between the stability of alpha-chymotrypsin against irreversible thermal inactivation at high temperatures (long-term stability) and the coefficient of Setchenov equation as a measure of salting-in/out efficiency of solutes in the Hofmeister series has been found. An increase in the concentration of salting-in solutes (KSCN, urea, guanidinium chloride, formamide) leads to a many-fold decrease of the inactivation rate of the enzyme. In contrast, addition of salting-out solutes has a small effect on the long-term stability of alpha-chymotrypsin at high temperatures. The effects of solutes are additive with respect to their salting-in/out capacities; the stabilizing action of the solutes is determined by the calculated Setchenov coefficient of solution. The correlation is explained by a solute-driven shift of the conformational equilibrium between the 'low-temperature' native and the 'high-temperature' denatured forms of the enzyme within the range of the kinetic scheme put forward in the preceding paper in this journal: irreversible inactivation of the high-temperature form proceeds much more slowly compared with the low-temperature form.

  1. Oxygen isotope activities and concentrations in aqueous salt solutions at elevated temperatures: Consequences for isotope geochemistry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Truesdell, A.H.

    1974-01-01

    Studies of the effect of dissolved salts on the oxygen isotope activity ratio of water have been extended to 275??C. Dehydrated salts were added to water of known isotope composition and the solutions were equilibrated with CO2 which was sampled for analysis. For comparison similar studies were made using pure water. Results on water nearly coincide with earlier calculations. Salt effects diminish with increasing temperature only for solutions of MgCl2 and LiCl. Other salt solutions show complex behavior due to the temperature-dependent formation of ion pairs of changing character. Equilibrium fractionations (103 ln ??) between 1 molal solutions and pure water at 25, 100, and 275??C are: NaCl 0.0, -1.5, +1.0; KCl 0.0, -1.0, +2.0; LiCl -1.0, -0.6, -0.5; CaCl2 -0.4, -1.8, +0.8; MgCl2 -1.1, -0.7, -0.3; MgSO4 -1.1, +0.1, -; NaF (0.8 m) 0.0, -1.5, -0.3; and NH4Cl (0.55 m) 0.0, -1.2, -1.3. These effects are significant in the isotope study of hot saline fluids responsible for ore deposition and of fluids found in certain geothermal systems. Minor modification of published isotope geothermometers may be required. ?? 1974.

  2. Process evaluation of sea salt aerosol concentrations at remote marine locations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Struthers, H.; Ekman, A. M.; Nilsson, E. D.

    2011-12-01

    Sea salt, an important natural aerosol, is generated by bubbles bursting at the surface of the ocean. Sea salt aerosol contributes significantly to the global aerosol burden and radiative budget and are a significant source of cloud condensation nuclei in remote marine areas (Monahan et al., 1986). Consequently, changes in marine aerosol abundance is expected to impact on climate forcing. Estimates of the atmospheric burden of sea salt aerosol mass derived from chemical transport and global climate models vary greatly both in the global total and the spatial distribution (Texor et al. 2006). This large uncertainty in the sea salt aerosol distribution in turn contributes to the large uncertainty in the current estimates of anthropogenic aerosol climate forcing (IPCC, 2007). To correctly attribute anthropogenic climate change and to veraciously project future climate, natural aerosols including sea salt must be understood and accurately modelled. In addition, the physical processes that determine the sea salt aerosol concentration are susceptible to modification due to climate change (Carslaw et al., 2010) which means there is the potential for feedbacks within the climate/aerosol system. Given the large uncertainties in sea salt aerosol modelling, there is an urgent need to evaluate the process description of sea salt aerosols in global models. An extremely valuable source of data for model evaluation is the long term measurements of PM10 sea salt aerosol mass available from a number of remote marine observation sites around the globe (including the GAW network). Sea salt aerosol concentrations at remote marine locations depend strongly on the surface exchange (emission and deposition) as well as entrainment or detrainment to the free troposphere. This suggests that the key parameters to consider in any analysis include the sea surface water temperature, wind speed, precipitation rate and the atmospheric stability. In this study, the sea salt aerosol observations

  3. Listeria monocytogenes mutants with altered growth phenotypes at refrigeration temperature and high salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Burall, Laurel S; Laksanalamai, Pongpan; Datta, Atin R

    2012-02-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can survive and grow in refrigerated temperatures and high-salt environments. In an effort to better understand the associated mechanisms, a library of ∼ 5,200 transposon mutants of LS411, a food isolate from the Jalisco cheese outbreak, were screened for their ability to grow in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth at 5°C or in the presence of 7% NaCl and two mutants with altered growth profiles were identified. The LS522 mutant has a transposon insertion between secA2 and iap and showed a significant reduction in growth in BHI broth at 5°C and in the presence of 7% NaCl. Reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed a substantial reduction in the expression of iap. Additionally, a hypothetical gene (met), containing a putative S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase domain, downstream of iap had downregulated expression. In-frame deletion mutants of iap and met were created in LS411. The LS560 (LS411 Δiap) mutant showed reduced growth at 5°C and in the presence of 7% salt, confirming its role in cold and salt growth attenuation. Surprisingly, the LS655 (LS411 Δmet) mutant showed slightly increased growth during refrigeration, though no alteration was seen in salt growth relative to the wild-type strain. The LS527 mutant, containing an insertion 36 bp upstream of the gbu operon, showed reduced expression of the gbu transcript by RT-qPCR and also showed growth reduction at 5°C and in the presence of 7% salt. This attenuation was severely exacerbated when the mutant was grown under the combined stresses. Analysis of the gbu operon deletion mutant showed decreased growth in 7% salt and refrigeration, supporting the previously characterized role for this gene in cold and salt adaptation. These studies indicate the potential for an intricate relationship between environmental stress regulation and virulence in L. monocytogenes.

  4. Listeria monocytogenes Mutants with Altered Growth Phenotypes at Refrigeration Temperature and High Salt Concentrations

    PubMed Central

    Burall, Laurel S.; Laksanalamai, Pongpan

    2012-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can survive and grow in refrigerated temperatures and high-salt environments. In an effort to better understand the associated mechanisms, a library of ∼ 5,200 transposon mutants of LS411, a food isolate from the Jalisco cheese outbreak, were screened for their ability to grow in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth at 5°C or in the presence of 7% NaCl and two mutants with altered growth profiles were identified. The LS522 mutant has a transposon insertion between secA2 and iap and showed a significant reduction in growth in BHI broth at 5°C and in the presence of 7% NaCl. Reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed a substantial reduction in the expression of iap. Additionally, a hypothetical gene (met), containing a putative S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase domain, downstream of iap had downregulated expression. In-frame deletion mutants of iap and met were created in LS411. The LS560 (LS411 Δiap) mutant showed reduced growth at 5°C and in the presence of 7% salt, confirming its role in cold and salt growth attenuation. Surprisingly, the LS655 (LS411 Δmet) mutant showed slightly increased growth during refrigeration, though no alteration was seen in salt growth relative to the wild-type strain. The LS527 mutant, containing an insertion 36 bp upstream of the gbu operon, showed reduced expression of the gbu transcript by RT-qPCR and also showed growth reduction at 5°C and in the presence of 7% salt. This attenuation was severely exacerbated when the mutant was grown under the combined stresses. Analysis of the gbu operon deletion mutant showed decreased growth in 7% salt and refrigeration, supporting the previously characterized role for this gene in cold and salt adaptation. These studies indicate the potential for an intricate relationship between environmental stress regulation and virulence in L. monocytogenes. PMID:22179239

  5. Comparison and simulation of salt-ceramic composites for use in high temperature concentrated solar power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fossile, Lauren Michelle

    Due to the inherently intermittent nature of solar energy caused by cloud cover among other sources, thermal storage systems are needed to make solar energy more consistent. This same technology could be used to prolong the daily number of useful hours of solar energy power plants. Salt-ceramic materials are a relatively new prospect for heat storage, but have been researched mostly with magnesium oxide and several different carbonate salts. Salt ceramics are a phase change material where the salt changes phase inside the ceramic structure allowing for the system to use the sensible heat of both materials and the latent heat of the salt to store thermal energy. Capillary forces within the ceramic structure hold in the salt when the salt melts. The focus here is on the possibility of creating a low-cost salt-ceramic storage material for high temperature solar energy applications. A theoretical analysis of the resulting materials is performed. While most of the existing salt ceramics have been made from magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide is more readily available from various companies in the area. Magnesium oxide is often considered a custom ceramic, so it is more expensive. A cost and material property comparison has been completed between these two materials to determine which is better suited for solar storage. Many of the existing salt-ceramics use carbonate salts, but nitrate salts are commonly used in graphite/salt composites. Therefore, a cost and theoretical performance comparison is between these materials also. For comparisons' sake, zirconia and graphite have also been analyzed as the filler in the composite. Each combination of salt and ceramic or graphite has been analyzed. In order to make the use of salt-ceramics more cost-effective and available to Nevada's energy providers, research has been done into which ceramics have high availability in Nevada, low cost, and the best material properties for this application. The thermal properties and cost of

  6. Temperature effect on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra of molten and solid salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanson, Cynthia; Phongikaroon, Supathorn; Scott, Jill R.

    2014-07-01

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been investigated as a potential analytical tool to improve operations and safeguards for electrorefiners, such as those used in processing spent nuclear fuel. This study set out to better understand the effect of sample temperature and physical state on LIBS spectra of molten and solid salts by building calibration curves of cerium and assessing self-absorption, plasma temperature, electron density, and local thermal equilibrium (LTE). Samples were composed of a LiCl-KCl eutectic salt, an internal standard of MnCl2, and varying concentrations of CeCl3 (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 wt.% Ce) under different temperatures (773, 723, 673, 623, and 573 K). Analysis of salts in their molten form is preferred as plasma plumes from molten samples experienced less self-absorption, less variability in plasma temperature, and higher clearance of the minimum electron density required for local thermal equilibrium. These differences are attributed to plasma dynamics as a result of phase changes. Spectral reproducibility was also better in the molten state due to sample homogeneity.

  7. Assessment of iodine concentration in dietary salt at household level in Morocco.

    PubMed

    Zahidi, Ahmed; Zahidi, Meriem; Taoufik, Jamal

    2016-05-20

    Following WHO recommendations, Morocco adopted in 1995 the universal salt iodization (USI) as a strategy to prevent and control iodine deficiency disorders. In 2009, the standard salt iodine concentration was adjusted to 15-40 mg/kg. The success of USI for the control of iodine deficiency disorders requires an evaluation of iodine concentration in salt prior to assessing the iodine nutritional status of a population. In our study we refer to the anterior studies that were made in Morocco in 1993 and 1998. 178 salt samples from households were tested for iodine using spot-testing kits. The iodometric titration method was used to analyze accurately the concentration of iodine in the 178 household salt samples. An empiric polling method was adopted, using a non-probability sampling method; across the different twelve regions in the country. The median and interquartile range iodine concentration in salt was 2.9 mg/kg (IQR: 2.4-3.7). The results show that only 25 % of households use iodized salt. The recommended iodine concentration in salt of 15-40 mg/kg was met only in 4.5 % of salt samples. The bulk salt is used by 8 % of households. All samples of this bulk salt were found in rural areas. According to nonparametric appropriate tests used, there is no significant difference in iodine concentrations between regions, between urban and rural areas and between packaged and bulk salt. Two decades since introducing legislation on Universal Salt Iodization, our survey shows that generalization of iodized salt is far from being reached. In 2015, only a quarter of Moroccan households use the iodized salt and only 4.5 % of salt is in conformity with regulations. The use of bulk salt by households in rural areas constitutes a major obstacle to the success of USI. The National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program can only be achieved if an internal follow-up and a control of external quality of program is put in place.

  8. Low temperature oxidation using support molten salt catalysts

    DOEpatents

    Weimer, Alan W.; Czerpak, Peter J.; Hilbert, Patrick M.

    2003-05-20

    Molten salt reactions are performed by supporting the molten salt on a particulate support and forming a fluidized bed of the supported salt particles. The method is particularly suitable for combusting hydrocarbon fuels at reduced temperatures, so that the formation NO.sub.x species is reduced. When certain preferred salts are used, such as alkali metal carbonates, sulfur and halide species can be captured by the molten salt, thereby reducing SO.sub.x and HCl emissions.

  9. The effects of temperature and NaCl concentration on tetragonal lysozyme face growth rates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Forsythe, Elizabeth; Pusey, Marc Lee

    1994-01-01

    Measurements were made of the (110) and (101) face growth rates of the tetragonal form of hen egg white lysozyme at 0.1M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4.0, from 4 to 22 C and with 3.0%, 5.0%, and 7.0% NaCl used as the precipitating salt. The data were collected at supersaturation ratios ranging from approximately 4 to approximately 63. Both decreasing temperature and increasing salt concentrations shifted plots of the growth rate versus C/C(sat) to the right, i.e. higher supersaturations were required for comparable growth rates. The observed trends in the growth data are counter to those expected from the solubility data. If tetragonal lysozyme crystal growth is by addition of ordered aggregates from the solution, then the observed growth data could be explained as a result of the effects of lowered temperature and increased salt concentration on the kinetics and equilibrium processes governing protein-protein interactions in solution. The data indicate that temperature would be a more tractable means of controlling the growth rate for tetragonal lysozyme crystals contrary to the usual practice in, e.g., vapor diffusion protein crystal growth, where both the precipitant and protein concentrations are simultaneously increased. However, the available range for control is dependent upon the protein concentration, with the greatest growth rate control being at the lower concentration.

  10. Effect of NaCl Concentration and Cooking Temperature on the Color and Pigment Characteristics of Presalted Ground Chicken Breasts

    PubMed Central

    Bae, Su Min; Cho, Min Guk; Hong, Gi Taek; Jeong, Jong Youn

    2018-01-01

    Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effects of NaCl concentration and cooking temperature on the color and pigment characteristics of presalted ground chicken breasts. Four treatments with different salt concentrations (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) were prepared and stored for 7 d prior to cooking. Each sample was cooked to four endpoint temperatures (70°C, 75°C, 80°C, and 85°C). The salt concentration affected the color and pigment properties of the cooked ground chicken breasts. As the salt concentration increased, the cooking yield and residual nitrite content also increased. However, the samples with 1%, 2%, and 3% NaCl showed similar nitrosyl hemochrome and total pigment contents. Among the products containing salt, the samples with 3% NaCl showed the lowest percentage myoglobin denaturation (PMD) and the lowest CIE a* values. The cooking temperature had limited effects on the pigment properties of cooked ground chicken breasts. The oxidation-reduction potential and residual nitrite contents increased with cooking temperature, while the PMD, nitrosyl hemochrome, total pigment contents and CIE a* values were similar in the samples cooked at different temperatures. These results indicated that the addition of up to 2% salt to ground chicken breasts and storage for 7 d could cause the pink color defect of cooked products. However, the addition of 3% NaCl could reduce the redness of the cooked products. PMID:29805289

  11. Temperature- and pressure-dependent structural transformation of methane hydrates in salt environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Donghoon; Cha, Minjun; Yang, Youjeong; Choi, Seunghyun; Woo, Yesol; Lee, Jong-Won; Ahn, Docheon; Im, Junhyuck; Lee, Yongjae; Han, Oc Hee; Yoon, Ji-Ho

    2017-03-01

    Understanding the stability of volatile species and their compounds under various surface and subsurface conditions is of great importance in gaining insights into the formation and evolution of planetary and satellite bodies. We report the experimental results of the temperature- and pressure-dependent structural transformation of methane hydrates in salt environments using in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and Raman spectroscopy. We find that under pressurized and concentrated brine solutions methane hydrate forms a mixture of type I clathrate hydrate, ice, and hydrated salts. Under a low-pressure condition, however, the methane hydrates are decomposed through a rapid sublimation of water molecules from the surface of hydrate crystals, while NaCl · 2H2O undergoes a phase transition into a crystal growth of NaCl via the migration of salt ions. In ambient pressure conditions, the methane hydrate is fully decomposed in brine solutions at temperatures above 252 K, the eutectic point of NaCl · 2H2O.

  12. Adsorption of poly(vinyl alcohol) from water to a hydrophobic surface: effects of molecular weight, degree of hydrolysis, salt, and temperature.

    PubMed

    Kozlov, Mikhail; McCarthy, Thomas J

    2004-10-12

    The adsorption of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) from aqueous solutions to a silicon-supported fluoroalkyl monolayer is described. Thickness, wettability, and roughness of adsorbed films are studied as a function of polymer molecular weight, degree of hydrolysis (from the precursor, poly(vinyl acetate)), polymer concentration, salt type and concentration, and temperature. The data suggest a two-stage process for adsorption of the polymer: physisorption due to a hydrophobic effect (decrease in interfacial free energy) and subsequent stabilization of the adsorbed layer due to crystallization of the polymer. Adsorption of lower-molecular-weight polymers results in thicker films than those prepared with a higher molecular weight; this is ascribed to better crystallization of more mobile short chains. Higher contents of unhydrolyzed acetate groups on the poly(vinyl alcohol) chain lead to thicker adsorbed films. Residual acetate groups partition to the outermost surface of the films and determine wettability. Salts, including sodium chloride and sodium sulfate, promote adsorption, which results in thicker films; at the same time, their presence over a wide concentration range leads to formation of rough coatings. Sodium thiocyanate has little effect on PVOH adsorption, only slightly reducing the thickness in a 2 M salt solution. Increased temperature promotes adsorption in the presence of salt, but has little effect on salt-free solutions. Evidently, higher temperatures favor adsorption but cause crystallization to be less thermodynamically favorable. These competing effects result in the smoothest coatings being formed in an intermediate temperature range. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

  13. Electrochemical concentration measurements for multianalyte mixtures in simulated electrorefiner salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rappleye, Devin Spencer

    The development of electroanalytical techniques in multianalyte molten salt mixtures, such as those found in used nuclear fuel electrorefiners, would enable in situ, real-time concentration measurements. Such measurements are beneficial for process monitoring, optimization and control, as well as for international safeguards and nuclear material accountancy. Electroanalytical work in molten salts has been limited to single-analyte mixtures with a few exceptions. This work builds upon the knowledge of molten salt electrochemistry by performing electrochemical measurements on molten eutectic LiCl-KCl salt mixture containing two analytes, developing techniques for quantitatively analyzing the measured signals even with an additional signal from another analyte, correlating signals to concentration and identifying improvements in experimental and analytical methodologies. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

  14. Effect of acute salt ingestion upon core temperature in healthy men.

    PubMed

    Muller, Matthew D; Ryan, Edward J; Bellar, David M; Kim, Chul-Ho; Williamson, Megan E; Glickman, Ellen L; Blankfield, Robert P

    2011-06-01

    Salt intake may cause conflict for the cardiovascular system as it attempts to simultaneously maintain blood pressure (BP) and temperature homeostasis. Our objective was to determine the effect of a salt and water load vs. a water load upon rectal temperature (Tre) in healthy volunteers. Twenty-two healthy, non-hypertensive Caucasian men enrolled in two trials in which they ingested either salt and body temperature water (SALT), or body temperature water (WATER). BP, Tre, cardiac index, peripheral resistance and urine output were monitored one, 2 and 3 h post-baseline. Changes in the dependent variables were compared between those subjects who were salt sensitive (SS) and those who were salt resistant (SR) at the same time intervals. The percentage change reduction in Tre was greater following SALT compared with WATER at +120 min (-1.1±0.7 vs. -0.6±0.5%, P=0.009) and at +180 min (-1.3±0.8 vs. -0.7±0.6%, P=0.003). The percentage change reduction in Tre was greater in the SR group compared with the SS group at +180 min (-1.6±0.9 vs. -0.9±0.5%, P=0.043). SALT decreased Tre more than WATER. SS individuals maintained temperature homeostasis more effectively than SR individuals following SALT. These results may explain why some individuals are SS while others are SR. If these results are generalizable, it would be possible to account for the role of sodium chloride in the development of SS hypertension.

  15. Separation of proteins by hydrophobic interaction chromatography at low salt concentration.

    PubMed

    Kato, Yoshio; Nakamura, Koji; Kitamura, Takashi; Moriyama, Hiroyuki; Hasegawa, Masazumi; Sasaki, Hiroo

    2002-09-20

    We investigated protein separation by hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) at low salt concentration on the supports of various hydrophobicities. Hydrophobic proteins could be successfully separated with more than 90% recovery by gradient elution of ammonium sulfate from 0.3-0.5 M to 0 in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) by using supports whose hydrophobicities were properly adjusted individually for each protein. Satisfactory results were also obtained by isocratic elution without ammonium sulfate and gradient elution of ethanol from 0 to 10%. HIC at low salt concentration was compatible with other modes of liquid chromatography like ion-exchange chromatography. On the other hand, it was not successful to separate hydrophilic proteins at low salt concentration. Recoveries of hydrophilic proteins decreased before they were retained enough as support hydrophobicity increased. Therefore, it is inevitable to use a higher concentration of salt, e.g., 1-2 M ammonium sulfate, on hydrophilic or moderately hydrophobic support in order to retain hydrophilic proteins without decrease in recovery.

  16. Superimpose signal processing method for micro-scale thermal imaging of solar salts at high temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morikawa, Junko; Zamengo, Massimiliano; Kato, Yukitaka

    2016-05-01

    The global interest in energy applications activates the advanced study about the molten salts in the usage of fluids in the power cycle, such as for transport and heat storage in solar power facilities. However, the basic properties of molten salts show a general scattering in characterization especially in thermal properties. It is suggested that new studies are required on the measurement of thermal properties of solar salts using recent technologies. In this study, micro-scale heat transfer and phase change in molten salts are presented using our originally developed device: the micro-bolometer Infrared focal plane arrays (IR FPA) measuring system is a portable type instrument, which is re-designed to measure the thermal phenomena in high temperature up to 700 °C or higher. The superimpose system is newly setup adjusted to the signal processing in high temperature to realize the quantitative thermal imaging, simultaneously. The portable type apparatus for a quantitative micro-scale thermography using a micro-bolometer has been proposed based on an achromatic lens design to capture a micro-scale image in the long-wave infrared, a video signal superimposing for the real time emissivity correction, and a pseudo acceleration of a timeframe. Combined with the superimpose technique, the micro-scale thermal imaging in high temperature is achieved and the molten flows of the solar salts, sodium nitrate, and potassium nitrate are successfully observed. The solar salt, the mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, shows a different shape of exothermic heat front morphology in the lower phase transition (solidification) temperature than the nitrates on cooling. The proposed measuring technique will be utilized to accelerate the screening step to determine the phase diagram and the eutectics of the multiple mixtures of candidate molten salts, which may be used as heat transport medium from the concentrated solar power to a processing plant for thermal energy

  17. Novel Molten Salts Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrating Solar Power Generation

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

    Reddy, Ramana G.

    2013-10-23

    The explicit UA program objective is to develop low melting point (LMP) molten salt thermal energy storage media with high thermal energy storage density for sensible heat storage systems. The novel Low Melting Point (LMP) molten salts are targeted to have the following characteristics: 1. Lower melting point (MP) compared to current salts (<222ºC) 2. Higher energy density compared to current salts (>300 MJ/m3) 3. Lower power generation cost compared to current salt In terms of lower power costs, the program target the DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Program year 2020 goal to create systems that have the potential to reducemore » the cost of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) to less than $15/kWh-th and achieve round trip efficiencies greater than 93%. The project has completed the experimental investigations to determine the thermo-physical, long term thermal stability properties of the LMP molten salts and also corrosion studies of stainless steel in the candidate LMP molten salts. Heat transfer and fluid dynamics modeling have been conducted to identify heat transfer geometry and relative costs for TES systems that would utilize the primary LMP molten salt candidates. The project also proposes heat transfer geometry with relevant modifications to suit the usage of our molten salts as thermal energy storage and heat transfer fluids. The essential properties of the down-selected novel LMP molten salts to be considered for thermal storage in solar energy applications were experimentally determined, including melting point, heat capacity, thermal stability, density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, vapor pressure, and corrosion resistance of SS 316. The thermodynamic modeling was conducted to determine potential high temperature stable molten salt mixtures that have thermal stability up to 1000 °C. The thermo-physical properties of select potential high temperature stable (HMP) molten salt mixtures were also experimentally determined. All the salt mixtures align with

  18. Temperature profiles from Salt Valley, Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sass, J. H.; Lachenbruch, A. H.; Smith, E. P.

    Temperature profiles were obtained in the nine drilled wells as part of a thermal study of the Salt Valley anticline, Paradox Basin, Utha. Thermal conductivities were also measured on 10 samples judged to be representative of the rocks encountered in the deepest hole. The temperature profiles and thermal conductivities are presented, together with preliminary interpretive remarks and suggestions for additional work.

  19. The probability of growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked salmon and tryptic soy broth as affected by salt, smoke compound, and storage temperature.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Cheng-An

    2009-05-01

    The objectives of this study were to examine and model the probability of growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked salmon containing salt and smoke (phenol) compound and stored at various temperatures. A growth probability model was developed, and the model was compared to a model developed from tryptic soy broth (TSB) to assess the possibility of using TSB as a substitute for salmon. A 6-strain mixture of L. monocytogenes was inoculated into minced cooked salmon and TSB containing 0-10% NaCl and 0-34 ppm phenol to levels of 10(2-3) cfu/g, and the samples were vacuum-packed and stored at 0--25 degrees C for up to 42 days. A total 32 treatments, each with 16 samples, selected by central composite designs were tested. A logistic regression was used to model the probability of growth of L. monocytogenes as a function of concentrations of salt and phenol, and storage temperature. Resulted models showed that the probabilities of growth of L. monocytogenes in both salmon and TSB decreased when the salt and/or phenol concentrations increased, and at lower storage temperatures. In general, the growth probabilities of L. monocytogenes were affected more profoundly by salt and storage temperature than by phenol. The growth probabilities of L. monocytogenes estimated by the TSB model were higher than those by the salmon model at the same salt/phenol concentrations and storage temperatures. The growth probabilities predicted by the salmon and TSB models were comparable at higher storage temperatures, indicating the potential use of TSB as a model system to substitute salmon in studying the growth behavior of L. monocytogenes may only be suitable when the temperatures of interest are in higher storage temperatures (e.g., >12 degrees C). The model for salmon demonstrated the effects of salt, phenol, and storage temperature and their interactions on the growth probabilities of L. monocytogenes, and may be used to determine the growth probability of L. monocytogenes in smoked

  20. A new thermal conductivity probe for high temperature tests for the characterization of molten salts.

    PubMed

    Bovesecchi, G; Coppa, P; Pistacchio, S

    2018-05-01

    A new thermal conductivity probe for high temperature (HT-TCP) has been built and tested. Its design and construction procedure are adapted from the ambient temperature thermal conductivity probe (AT-TCP) due to good performance of the latter device. The construction procedure and the preliminary tests are accurately described. The probe contains a Pt wire as a heater and a type K thermocouple (TC) as a temperature sensor, and its size is so small (0.6 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length) as to guarantee a length to diameter ratio of about 100. Calibration tests with glycerol for temperatures between 0 °C and 60 °C have shown good agreement with literature data, within 3%. Preliminary tests were also carried on a ternary molten salt for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) (18% in mass of NaNO 3 , 52% KNO 3 , and 30% LiNO 3 ) at 120 °C and 150 °C. Obtained results are within λ range of the Hitec ® salt (53% KNO 3 , 7% NaNO 3 , 40% NaNO 2 ). Unfortunately, at the higher temperature tested (200 °C), the viscosity of the salt highly decreases, and free convection starts, making the measurements unreliable.

  1. A new thermal conductivity probe for high temperature tests for the characterization of molten salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bovesecchi, G.; Coppa, P.; Pistacchio, S.

    2018-05-01

    A new thermal conductivity probe for high temperature (HT-TCP) has been built and tested. Its design and construction procedure are adapted from the ambient temperature thermal conductivity probe (AT-TCP) due to good performance of the latter device. The construction procedure and the preliminary tests are accurately described. The probe contains a Pt wire as a heater and a type K thermocouple (TC) as a temperature sensor, and its size is so small (0.6 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length) as to guarantee a length to diameter ratio of about 100. Calibration tests with glycerol for temperatures between 0 °C and 60 °C have shown good agreement with literature data, within 3%. Preliminary tests were also carried on a ternary molten salt for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) (18% in mass of NaNO3, 52% KNO3, and 30% LiNO3) at 120 °C and 150 °C. Obtained results are within λ range of the Hitec® salt (53% KNO3, 7% NaNO3, 40% NaNO2). Unfortunately, at the higher temperature tested (200 °C), the viscosity of the salt highly decreases, and free convection starts, making the measurements unreliable.

  2. Stability of Drugs of Abuse in Urine Samples at Room Temperature by Use of a Salts Mixture.

    PubMed

    Pellegrini, Manuela; Graziano, Silvia; Mastrobattista, Luisa; Minutillo, Adele; Busardo, Francesco Paolo; Scarsella, Gianfranco

    2017-01-01

    It has long been recognized that ensuring analyte stability is of crucial importance in the use of any quantitative bioanalytical method. As analyses are usually not performed directly after collection of the biological samples, but after these have been processed and stored, it is essential that analyte stability can be maintained at storage conditions to ensure that the obtained concentration results adequately reflect those directly after sampling. The conservation of urine samples in refrigerated/ frozen conditions is strongly recommended; but not always feasible. The aim of this study was to assess the stability of some well-known drugs of abuse methamphetamine (MA), 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), benzoylecgonine (BE), and morphine (MOR) in urine samples kept at room temperature by adding a salt mixture (sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, borax). Two different urine samples were prepared with and without salt mixture, stored at room temperature and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry at 0, 1, 7, 15, and 30 days after collection/preparation to look for eventual analyte degradation. Methamphetamine showed no significant changes with respect to the time of collection/ preparation (T0) up to 7 days later (T7), with or without salt mixture addiction. Then a significant degradation occurred in both salted and non salted urine. BE decrease was observed starting from day 1 after sample collection in salted and not salted samples, respectively. Salt addition seemed to reduce at least the initial BE degradation, with a significant difference (p<0.001) at 7 and 15 days of storage. However, the degradation was not more prevented in salted samples at 30 days of storage. A 20% decrease of MOR concentration was observed starting from day 1 after collection/preparation, both in salted and not salted samples with no subsequent decrease. With regard to THCCOOH, a significant decrease was observed starting from 7 days after collection

  3. Performance and microbial features of the partial nitritation-anammox process treating fish canning wastewater with variable salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Val Del Rio, Angeles; Pichel, Andres; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Nuria; Pedrouso, Alba; Fra-Vázquez, Andrea; Morales, Nicolas; Mendez, Ramon; Campos, Jose Luis; Mosquera-Corral, Anuska

    2018-02-15

    The partial nitritation-anammox (PN-AMX) process applied to wastewaters with high NaCl concentration was studied until now using simulated media, without considering the effect of organic matter concentration and the shift in microbial populations. This research work presents results on the application of this process to the treatment of saline industrial wastewater. Obtained results indicated that the PN-AMX process has the capability to recover its initial activity after a sudden/acute salt inhibition event (up to 16 g NaCl/L). With a progressive salt concentration increase for 150 days, the PN-AMX process was able to remove the 80% of the nitrogen at 7-9 g NaCl/L. The microbiological data indicated that NaCl and ammonia concentrations and temperature are important factors shaping PN-AMX communities. Thus, the NOB abundance (Nitrospira) decreases with the increase of the salt concentration, while heterotrophic denitrifiers are able to outcompete anammox after a peak of organic matter in the feeding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Salt type and concentration affect the viscoelasticity of polyelectrolyte solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turkoz, Emre; Perazzo, Antonio; Arnold, Craig B.; Stone, Howard A.

    2018-05-01

    The addition of small amounts of xanthan gum to water yields viscoelastic solutions. In this letter, we show that the viscoelasticity of aqueous xanthan gum solutions can be tuned by different types of salts. In particular, we find that the decrease in viscoelasticity not only depends, as is known, on the salt concentration, but also is affected by the counterion ionic radius and the valence of the salt.

  5. Bacterial growth tolerance to concentrations of chlorate and perchlorate salts relevant to Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al Soudi, Amer F.; Farhat, Omar; Chen, Fei; Clark, Benton C.; Schneegurt, Mark A.

    2017-07-01

    The Phoenix lander at Mars polar cap found appreciable levels of (per)chlorate salts, a mixture of perchlorate and chlorate salts of Ca, Fe, Mg and Na at levels of ~0.6% in regolith. These salts are highly hygroscopic and can form saturated brines through deliquescence, likely producing aqueous solutions with very low freezing points on Mars. To support planetary protection efforts, we have measured bacterial growth tolerance to (per)chlorate salts. Existing bacterial isolates from the Great Salt Plains of Oklahoma (NaCl-rich) and Hot Lake in Washington (MgSO4-rich) were tested in high concentrations of Mg, K and Na salts of chlorate and perchlorate. Strong growth was observed with nearly all of these salinotolerant isolates at 1% (~0.1 M) (per)chlorate salts, similar to concentrations observed in bulk soils on Mars. Growth in perchlorate salts was observed at concentrations of at least 10% (~1.0 M). Greater tolerance was observed for chlorate salts, where growth was observed to 2.75 M (>25%). Tolerance to K salts was greatest, followed by Mg salts and then Na salts. Tolerances varied among isolates, even among those within the same phylogenetic clade. Tolerant bacteria included genera that also are found in spacecraft assembly facilities. Substantial microbial tolerance to (per)chlorate salts is a concern for planetary protection since tolerant microbes contaminating spacecraft would have a greater chance for survival and proliferation, despite the harsh chemical conditions found near the surface of Mars.

  6. Complementary experimental-simulational study of surfactant micellar phase in the extraction process of metallic ions: Effects of temperature and salt concentration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soto-Ángeles, Alan Gustavo; Rodríguez-Hidalgo, María del Rosario; Soto-Figueroa, César; Vicente, Luis

    2018-02-01

    The thermoresponsive micellar phase behaviour that exhibits the Triton-X-100 micelles by temperature effect and addition of salt in the extraction process of metallic ions was explored from mesoscopic and experimental points. In the theoretical study, we analyse the formation of Triton-X-100 micelles, load and stabilization of dithizone molecules and metallic ions extraction inside the micellar core at room temperature; finally, a thermal analysis is presented. In the experimental study, the spectrophotometric outcomes confirm the solubility of the copper-dithizone complex in the micellar core, as well as the extraction of metallic ions of aqueous environment via a cloud-point at 332.2 K. The micellar solutions with salt present a low absorbance value compared with the micellar solutions without salt. The decrease in the absorbance value is attributed to a change in the size of hydrophobic region of colloidal micelles. All transitory stages of extraction process are discussed and analysed in this document.

  7. Mixed-Salt/Ester Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li+ Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smart, Marshall; Bugga, Ratnakumar

    2006-01-01

    Electrolytes comprising, variously, LiPF6 or LiPF6 plus LiBF4 dissolved at various concentrations in mixtures of alkyl carbonates and alkyl esters have been found to afford improved low-temperature performance in rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical cells. These and other electrolytes have been investigated in a continuing effort to extend the lower limit of operating temperatures of such cells. This research at earlier stages, and the underlying physical and chemical principles, were reported in numerous previous NASA Tech Briefs articles, the most recent being Ester-Based Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells (NPO-41097), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 12 (December 2005), page 59. The ingredients of the solvent mixtures include ethylene carbonate (EC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), methyl butyrate (MB), and methyl propionate (MP). The electrolytes were placed in Li-ion cells containing carbon anodes and LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathodes, and the electrical performances of the cells were measured over a range of temperatures down to 60 C. The electrolytes that yielded the best low-temperature performances were found to consist, variously, of 1.0 M LiPF6 + 0.4 M LiBF4 or 1.4 LiPF6 in 1EC + 1EMC + 8MP or 1EC + 1EMC + 8MB, where the concentrations of the salts are given in molar units and the proportions of the solvents are by relative volume.

  8. Evaporative crystallization of salts from Electrodialysis concentrated brine at atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Dong; Du, Wei; Cheng, Penggao; Tang, Na; Wang, Xuekui

    2018-02-01

    A large amount of concentrated brine was produced as by-product during the process of the electrodialysis seawater desalination. In this study, the crystallization sequences of different salts from the brine through evaporative crystallization at both atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures were investigated in detail. The profile of the boiling temperature with density and the relationship between the boiling temperature and the pressure were recorded. The combination of Powder X-Ray Diffraction and the polarizing microscope was employed to identify the salts in the solid form. It can be inferred that NaCl crystallized out firstly and then MgSO4·6H2O and CaSO4 precipitate in order at both atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures, and it should be noticed that CaSO4 crystallized as anhydrate at 70°C and 90°C while as dihydrate at 50°C. At the end of all the experiments the precipitation rates of CaSO4 and NaCl have reached to more than 95% while MgSO4 only reached to about 60%.

  9. Water purification using organic salts

    DOEpatents

    Currier, Robert P.

    2004-11-23

    Water purification using organic salts. Feed water is mixed with at least one organic salt at a temperature sufficiently low to form organic salt hydrate crystals and brine. The crystals are separated from the brine, rinsed, and melted to form an aqueous solution of organic salt. Some of the water is removed from the aqueous organic salt solution. The purified water is collected, and the remaining more concentrated aqueous organic salt solution is reused.

  10. Effect of salt concentration and mediators in salt bridge microbial fuel cell for electricity generation from synthetic wastewater.

    PubMed

    Sevda, Surajbhan; Sreekrishnan, T R

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using agar salt bridges for proton transport in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC). It also tries to elucidate and effect of mediators on electricity production from wastewaters through experimentation using a simulated wastewater. In order to offset the very high cost of proton exchange membrane, salt bridges have been used in dual chamber MFCs. When the concentration of salt was varied in agar salt bridges from 1% to 10%, the volumetric power density changed from 1.71 to 84.99 mW/m(3) with a concomitant variation in power density from 0.32 to 16.02 mW/m(2). The maximum power density was observed at 5% salt concentration with 10% agar, which was accompanied by 88.41% COD reduction. In the case of methylene blue (0.01 mM) as the electron mediator, the voltage and current generation were 0.551 V and 0.47 mA, respectively. A maximum open circuit voltage of 0.718 V was seen at 0.08 mM methylene blue concentration, whereas maximum power densities of 17.59 mW/m(2) and 89.22 mW/m(3) were obtained. Different concentrations of neutral red were also tried out as mediators. A maximum open circuit voltage of 0.730 V was seen at 0.01 mM neutral red, corresponding to a power density of 12.02 mW/m(2) (volumetric power density of 60.97 mW/m(3)). Biofilm formation on the electrode surface was not observed in the presence of mediators, but was present in the absence of mediators. The results clearly demonstrated the feasibility to use agar salt bridge for proton transport and role of mediators in MFCs to generate electricity.

  11. Molten Salts for High Temperature Reactors: University of Wisconsin Molten Salt Corrosion and Flow Loop Experiments -- Issues Identified and Path Forward

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

    Piyush Sabharwall; Matt Ebner; Manohar Sohal

    2010-03-01

    Considerable amount of work is going on regarding the development of high temperature liquid salts technology to meet future process needs of Next Generation Nuclear Plant. This report identifies the important characteristics and concerns of high temperature molten salts (with lesson learned at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Molten Salt Program) and provides some possible recommendation for future work

  12. Capillary Ion Concentration Polarization for Power-Free Salt Purification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Sungmin; Jung, Yeonsu; Cho, Inhee; Kim, Ho-Young; Kim, Sung Jae

    2014-11-01

    In this presentation, we experimentally and theoretically demonstrated the capillary based ion concentration polarization for power-free salt purification system. Traditional ion concentration polarization phenomenon has been studied for a decade for both fundamental nanoscale fluid dynamics and novel engineering applications such as desalination, preconcentration and energy harvesting devices. While the conventional system utilizes an external power source, the system based on capillary ion concentration polarization is capable of perm-selective ion transportation only by capillarity so that the same ion depletion zone can be formed without any external power sources. An ion concentration profile near the nanostructure was tracked using fluorescent probes and analyzed by solving the modified Nernst-Planck equation. As a result, the concentration in the vicinity of the nanostructure was at least 10 times lower than that of bulk electrolyte and thus, the liquid absorbed into the nanostructure had the low concentration. This mechanism can be used for the power free salt purification system which would be significantly useful in underdeveloped and remote area. This work was supported by Samsung Research Funding Center of Samsung Electronics under Project Number SRFC-MA1301-02.

  13. Low-temperature effect on enzyme activities involved in sucrose-starch partitioning in salt-stressed and salt-acclimated cotyledons of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seedlings.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Mariana; Hilal, Mirna; González, Juan A; Prado, Fernando E

    2009-04-01

    The effect of low temperature on growth, sucrose-starch partitioning and related enzymes in salt-stressed and salt-acclimated cotyledons of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) was studied. The growth of cotyledons and growing axes in seedlings grown at 25/20 degrees C (light/dark) and shifted to 5/5 degrees C was lower than in those only growing at 25/20 degrees C (unstressed). However, there were no significant differences between low-temperature control and salt-treated seedlings. The higher activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS, EC 2.4.1.14) and soluble acid invertase (acid INV, EC 3.2.1.25) were observed in salt-stressed cotyledons; however, the highest acid INV activity was observed in unstressed cotyledons. ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADP-GPPase, EC 2.7.7.27) was higher in unstressed cotyledons than in stressed ones. However, between 0 and 4days the highest value was observed in salt-stressed cotyledons. The lowest value of ADP-GPPase was observed in salt-acclimated cotyledons. Low temperature also affected sucrose synthase (SuSy, EC 2.4.1.13) activity in salt-treated cotyledons. Sucrose and glucose were higher in salt-stressed cotyledons, but fructose was essentially higher in low-temperature control. Starch was higher in low-temperature control; however, the highest content was observed at 0day in salt-acclimated cotyledons. Results demonstrated that low temperature induces different responses on sucrose-starch partitioning in salt-stressed and salt-acclimated cotyledons. Data also suggest that in salt-treated cotyledons source-sink relations (SSR) are changed in order to supply soluble sugars and proline for the osmotic adjustment. Relationships between starch formation and SuSy activity are also discussed.

  14. Chain stiffness, salt valency, and concentration influences on titration curves of polyelectrolytes: Monte Carlo simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carnal, Fabrice; Stoll, Serge

    2011-01-01

    Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study two different models of a weak linear polyelectrolyte surrounded by explicit counterions and salt particles: (i) a rigid rod and (ii) a flexible chain. We focused on the influence of the pH, chain stiffness, salt concentration, and valency on the polyelectrolyte titration process and conformational properties. It is shown that chain acid-base properties and conformational properties are strongly modified when multivalent salt concentration variation ranges below the charge equivalence. Increasing chain stiffness allows to minimize intramolecular electrostatic monomer interactions hence improving the deprotonation process. The presence of di and trivalent salt cations clearly promotes the chain degree of ionization but has only a limited effect at very low salt concentration ranges. Moreover, folded structures of fully charged chains are only observed when multivalent salt at a concentration equal or above charge equivalence is considered. Long-range electrostatic potential is found to influence the distribution of charges along and around the polyelectrolyte backbones hence resulting in a higher degree of ionization and a lower attraction of counterions and salt particles at the chain extremities.

  15. Chain stiffness, salt valency, and concentration influences on titration curves of polyelectrolytes: Monte Carlo simulations.

    PubMed

    Carnal, Fabrice; Stoll, Serge

    2011-01-28

    Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study two different models of a weak linear polyelectrolyte surrounded by explicit counterions and salt particles: (i) a rigid rod and (ii) a flexible chain. We focused on the influence of the pH, chain stiffness, salt concentration, and valency on the polyelectrolyte titration process and conformational properties. It is shown that chain acid-base properties and conformational properties are strongly modified when multivalent salt concentration variation ranges below the charge equivalence. Increasing chain stiffness allows to minimize intramolecular electrostatic monomer interactions hence improving the deprotonation process. The presence of di and trivalent salt cations clearly promotes the chain degree of ionization but has only a limited effect at very low salt concentration ranges. Moreover, folded structures of fully charged chains are only observed when multivalent salt at a concentration equal or above charge equivalence is considered. Long-range electrostatic potential is found to influence the distribution of charges along and around the polyelectrolyte backbones hence resulting in a higher degree of ionization and a lower attraction of counterions and salt particles at the chain extremities.

  16. High temperature molten salt storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ives, J.; Newcomb, J. C.; Pard, A. G.

    1985-10-01

    The design of a high-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage (TES) concept, including some materials testing, was developed by Rockwell International's Rocketdyne Division (RD), under contract to SERI, and is described in this document. The main features of the concept are a conical hot tank with a liner and internal insulation that allows unrestricted relative thermal expansion and the use of cathodic protection (impressed voltage) to inhibit corrosion. The RD design uses two tanks and ternary eutectic lithium-sodium-potassium carbonates for sensible heat storage. The tanks were sized for 6 h of storage at a discharge rate of 300 MW, giving 1800 MWh total usable thermal storage capacity. The molten carbonate storage medium is cycled between 425 and 900C. From the design study, no definitive statement can be made as to the cost-effectiveness of cathodic protection. Several anode design issues need to be resolved before cathodic protection can significantly reduce corrosion where the liner comes in contact with molten salts. However, where the tank is exposed to salt vapor, the large corrosion allowance required for the liner without cathodic protection results in a much thicker liner wall and shorter liner life than originally perceived, which affects system costs significantly.

  17. Thermoelectric converters for monitoring the temperature of salt baths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spektor, Yu. A.

    1985-02-01

    It is recommended to use RTEC in lieu of a radiational pyrometer and an STEC to monitor and maintain the temperature automatically in high-temperature salt melts; this contributes to a marked improvement in the quality of heat-treated components.

  18. The effect on human salivary fluoride concentration of consuming fluoridated salt-containing baked food items.

    PubMed

    Macpherson, L M; Stephen, K W

    2001-10-01

    Salt fluoridation is recognised world-wide as a proven and viable alternative means of consumer choice-related, community-based fluoridation where water fluoridation is either technically or politically impossible. However, as most salt consumed is contained within cooked food products, rather than sprinkled over prepared food at the table, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on salivary fluoride concentration of consuming baked food products prepared with 250 and 350 ppm fluoridated salt (as KF). Six food items were baked with (a) normal non-fluoridated salt, (b) 250 mg F/kg salt and (c) 350 mg F/kg salt. Eleven adult volunteers consumed these foodstuffs on separate occasions and salivary samples were collected for fluoride analyses before and at various time points (1-30 min) after eating. For most foodstuffs, small but significant increases in salivary fluoride concentration occurred for at least 5 min after ingestion of the fluoridated salt-containing items. Salivary fluoride concentrations peaked 1 or 2 min after eating, with highest values for the six test foods ranging from 0.16 to 0.25 ppm F, and from 0.18 to 0.44 ppm F for the 250 and 350 mg F/kg salt products, respectively. In all cases, salivary fluoride concentrations had returned to baseline by 20 min. The clinical significance of such small, short-term increases in salivary fluoride is uncertain, but the findings suggest that a more frequent intake of foods with fluoridated salt substituted for normal salt could help sustain slightly elevated salivary fluoride concentrations for more prolonged periods of the day, and might thus potentiate the cariostatic effects of saliva on tooth mineral.

  19. Modeling Episodic Ephemeral Brine Lake Evaporation and Salt Crystallization on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, T.; Harman, C. J.; Kipnis, E. L.; Bowen, B. B.

    2017-12-01

    Public concern about apparent reductions in the areal extent of the Bonneville Salt Flat (BSF) and perceived changes in inundation frequency has motivated renewed interest in the hydrologic and geochemical behavior of this salt playa. In this study, we develop a numerical modeling framework to simulate the relationship between hydrometeorologic variability, brine evaporation and salt crystallization processes on BSF. The BSF, locates in Utah, is the remnant of paleo-lake Bonneville, and is capped by up to 1 meter of salt deposition over a 100 km2 area. The BSF has two distinct hydrologic periods each year: a winter wet periods with standing surface brine and the summer dry periods when the brine is evaporated, exposing the surface salt crust. We develop a lumped non-linear dynamical models coupling conservation expressions from water, dissolved salt and thermal energy to investigate the seasonal and diurnal behavior of brine during the transition from standing brine to exposed salt at BSF. The lumped dynamic models capture important nonlinear and kinetic effects introduced by the high ionic concentration of the brine, including the pronounced effect of the depressed water activity coefficient on evaporation. The salt crystallization and dissolution rate is modeled as a kinetic process linearly proportional to the degree of supersaturation of brine. The model generates predictions of the brine temperature and the solute and solvent masses controlled by diurnal net radiation input and aerodynamic forcing. Two distinct mechanisms emerge as potential controls on salt production and dissolution: (1) evapo-concentration and (2) changes in solubility related to changes in brine temperature. Although the evaporation of water is responsible for ultimate disappearance of the brine each season ,variation in solubility is found to be the dominant control on diurnal cycles of salt precipitation and dissolution in the BSF case. Most salt is crystallized during nighttime, but the

  20. Effects of Meat-curing Salts and Temperature on Production of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B1

    PubMed Central

    McLean, Ruth A.; Lilly, Helen D.; Alford, John A.

    1968-01-01

    We investigated the effect of time, temperature, and the presence of sodium chloride, nitrates, and nitrites in the medium on the growth and production of enterotoxin B by Staphylococcus aureus. Assays by the double gel-diffusion method showed that maximal enterotoxin B production occurs at the beginning of the stationary phase of growth. Lowering the temperature of incubation decreased the amount of toxin produced without affecting the total amount of growth. Increases in concentration of curing salts reduced toxin production more rapidly than cell growth. The relationship of these observations to food-poisoning outbreaks is briefly discussed. PMID:4967190

  1. Direct Analysis of Proteins from Solutions with High Salt Concentration Using Laser Electrospray Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karki, Santosh; Shi, Fengjian; Archer, Jieutonne J.; Sistani, Habiballah; Levis, Robert J.

    2018-05-01

    The detection of lysozyme, or a mixture of lysozyme, cytochrome c, and myoglobin, from solutions with varying salt concentrations (0.1 to 250 mM NaCl) is compared using laser electrospray mass spectrometry (LEMS) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Protonated protein peaks were observed up to a concentration of 250 mM NaCl in the case of LEMS. In the case of ESI-MS, a protein solution with salt concentration > 0.5 mM resulted in predominantly salt-adducted features, with suppression of the protonated protein ions. The constituents in the mixture of proteins were assignable up to 250 mM NaCl for LEMS and were not assignable above a NaCl concentration of 0.5 mM for ESI. The average sodium adducts (< n >) bound to the 7+ charge state of lysozyme for LEMS measurements from salt concentrations of 2.5, 25, 50, and 100 mM NaCl are 1.71, 5.23, 5.26, and 5.11, respectively. The conventional electrospray measurements for lysozyme solution containing salt concentrations of 0.1, 1, 2, and 5 mM NaCl resulted in < n > of 2.65, 6.44, 7.57, and 8.48, respectively. LEMS displays an approximately two orders of magnitude higher salt tolerance in comparison with conventional ESI-MS. The non-equilibrium partitioning of proteins on the surface of the charged droplets is proposed as the mechanism for the high salt tolerance phenomena observed in the LEMS measurements. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  2. Direct Analysis of Proteins from Solutions with High Salt Concentration Using Laser Electrospray Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karki, Santosh; Shi, Fengjian; Archer, Jieutonne J.; Sistani, Habiballah; Levis, Robert J.

    2018-03-01

    The detection of lysozyme, or a mixture of lysozyme, cytochrome c, and myoglobin, from solutions with varying salt concentrations (0.1 to 250 mM NaCl) is compared using laser electrospray mass spectrometry (LEMS) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Protonated protein peaks were observed up to a concentration of 250 mM NaCl in the case of LEMS. In the case of ESI-MS, a protein solution with salt concentration > 0.5 mM resulted in predominantly salt-adducted features, with suppression of the protonated protein ions. The constituents in the mixture of proteins were assignable up to 250 mM NaCl for LEMS and were not assignable above a NaCl concentration of 0.5 mM for ESI. The average sodium adducts (< n >) bound to the 7+ charge state of lysozyme for LEMS measurements from salt concentrations of 2.5, 25, 50, and 100 mM NaCl are 1.71, 5.23, 5.26, and 5.11, respectively. The conventional electrospray measurements for lysozyme solution containing salt concentrations of 0.1, 1, 2, and 5 mM NaCl resulted in < n > of 2.65, 6.44, 7.57, and 8.48, respectively. LEMS displays an approximately two orders of magnitude higher salt tolerance in comparison with conventional ESI-MS. The non-equilibrium partitioning of proteins on the surface of the charged droplets is proposed as the mechanism for the high salt tolerance phenomena observed in the LEMS measurements. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  3. [Determination of Chloride Salt Solution by NIR Spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Bin; Chen, Jian-hong; Jiao, Ming-xing

    2015-07-01

    Determination of chloride salt solution by near infrared spectrum plays a very important role in Biomedicine. The near infrared spectrum analysis of Sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride aqueous solution shows that the concentration change of chloride salt can affect hydrogen bond, resulting in the variation of near infrared spectrum of water. The temperature influence on NIR spectrum has been decreased by choosing reasonable wavelength range and the wavelength where the temperature effects are zero (isosbestic point). Chlorine salt prediction model was established based on partial least squares method and used for predicting the concentration of the chlorine ion. The impact on near infrared spectrum of the cation ionic radius, the number of ionic charge, the complex effect of ionic in water has also discussed in this article and the reason of every factor are analysed. Experimental results show that the temperature and concentration will affect the near-infrared spectrum of the solution, It is found that the effect of temperature plays the dominant role at low concentrations of chlorine salt; rather, the ionic dominates at high concentration. Chloride complexes are formed in aqueous solution, It has an effect on hydrogen bond of water combining with the cations in chlorine salt solution, Comparing different chloride solutions at the same concentration, the destruction effects of chloride complexes and catnions on the hydrogen bond of water increases in the sequences: CaCl2 >NaCl>KC. The modeling result shows that the determination coefficients (R2) = 99.97%, the root mean square error of cross validation (RM- SECV) = 4.51, and the residual prediction deviation (RPD) = 62.7, it meets the daily requirements of biochemical detection accuracy.

  4. High-temperature molten salt solar thermal systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Copeland, R. J.; Leach, J. W.; Stern, G.

    Conceptual designs of a solar thermal central receiver and a thermal storage subsystem were analyzed to estimate thermal losses and to assess the economics of high-temperature applications with molten salt transport fluids. Modifications to a receiver design being developed by the Martin Marietta Corporation were studied to investigate possible means for improving efficiency at high temperatures. Computations were made based on conceptual design of internally insulated high temperature storage tanks to estimate cost and performance. A study of a potential application of the system for thermochemical production of hydrogen indicates that thermal storage at 1100 C will be economically attractive.

  5. RAFT polymerization of temperature- and salt-responsive block copolymers as reversible hydrogels.

    PubMed

    Hemp, Sean T; Smith, Adam E; Bunyard, W Clayton; Rubinstein, Michael H; Long, Timothy E

    2014-05-13

    Reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization enabled the synthesis of novel, stimuli-responsive, AB and ABA block copolymers. The B block contained oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEG) and was permanently hydrophilic in the conditions examined. The A block consisted of diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (DEG) and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (TMA). The A block displayed both salt- and temperature-response with lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) dependent on the molar content of TMA and the presence of salt. Higher TMA content in the AB diblock copolymers increased the critical micelle temperatures (CMT) in HPLC-grade water due to an increased hydrophilicity of the A block. Upon addition of 0.9 wt% NaCl, the CMTs of poly(OEG- b -DEG 95 TMA 5 ) decreased from 50 °C to 36 °C due to screening of electrostatic repulsion between the TMA units. ABA triblock copolymers displayed excellent hydrogel properties with salt- and temperature-dependent gel points. TMA incorporation in the A block increased the gel points for all triblock copolymers, and salt-response increased with higher TMA composition in the A block. For example, poly(DEG 98 TMA 2 - b -OEG- b -DEG 98 TMA 2 ) formed a hydrogel at 40 °C in HPLC-grade water and 26 °C in 0.9 wt% NaCl aqueous solution. These salt- and temperature-responsive AB diblock and ABA triblock copolymers find applications as drug delivery vehicles, adhesives, and hydrogels.

  6. Solidification of high temperature molten salts for thermal energy storage systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheffield, J. W.

    1981-01-01

    The solidification of phase change materials for the high temperature thermal energy storage system of an advanced solar thermal power system has been examined theoretically. In light of the particular thermophysical properties of candidate phase change high temperature salts, such as the eutectic mixture of NaF - MgF2, the heat transfer characteristics of one-dimensional inward solidification for a cylindrical geometry have been studied. The Biot number for the solidified salt is shown to be the critical design parameter for constant extraction heat flux. A fin-on-fin design concept of heat transfer surface augmentation is proposed in an effort to minimize the effects of the salt's low thermal conductivity and large volume change upon fusing.

  7. Cystic fibrosis respiratory tract salt concentration: An Exploratory Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Grandjean Lapierre, Simon; Phelippeau, Michael; Hakimi, Cyrine; Didier, Quentin; Reynaud-Gaubert, Martine; Dubus, Jean-Christophe; Drancourt, Michel

    2017-11-01

    In cystic fibrosis patients, electrolytic and osmolality imbalance secondary to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutations may impact on mucoid secretion accumulation and secondary colonization by opportunistic pathogens such as nontuberculous mycobacteria.We performed a noninvasive exploratory prospective controlled clinical study comparing sputum salinity and acid-base characteristics of cystic fibrosis and noncystic fibrosis control patients. A total of 57 patients and 62 controls were included.Sputum salt concentrations were 10.5 g/L (95% CI: 7.7-13.3) in patients and 7.4 g/L (95% CI: 5.9-8.9) in aged-matched controls, a difference that was found to be statistically significant (P < .05). No difference in pH was observed between patients and controls.These differences in respiratory secretions salt concentrations could influence host-pathogen interactions in the context of cystic fibrosis respiratory infections. We propose to include respiratory secretion salt measurement as a routine analysis on cystic fibrosis patients' sputum submitted for bacterial culture. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of high temperature transport technology for LiCl-KCl eutectic salt in pyroprocessing

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

    Lee, Sung Ho; Lee, Hansoo; Kim, In Tae

    The development of high-temperature transport technologies for molten salt is a prerequisite and a key issue in the industrialization of pyro-reprocessing for advanced fuel cycle scenarios. The solution of a molten salt centrifugal pump was discarded because of the high corrosion power of a high temperature molten salt, so the suction pump solution was selected. An apparatus for salt transport experiments by suction was designed and tested using LiC-KCl eutectic salt. The experimental results of lab-scale molten salt transport by suction showed a 99.5% transport rate (ratio of transported salt to total salt) under a vacuum range of 100 mtorrmore » - 10 torr at 500 Celsius degrees. The suction system has been integrated to the PRIDE (pyroprocessing integrated inactive demonstration) facility that is a demonstrator using non-irradiated materials (natural uranium and surrogate materials). The performance of the suction pump for the transport of molten salts has been confirmed.« less

  9. Determination of viability of Aeromonas hydrophila in increasing concentrations of sodium chloride at different temperatures by flow cytometry and plate count technique.

    PubMed

    Pianetti, Anna; Manti, Anita; Boi, Paola; Citterio, Barbara; Sabatini, Luigia; Papa, Stefano; Rocchi, Marco Bruno Luigi; Bruscolini, Francesca

    2008-10-31

    Aeromonads in waters and foods can represent a risk to human health. Factors such as sodium chloride concentration and temperature can affect growth and viability of several food and water-borne pathogens. The behaviour of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain in the presence of 1.7%, 3.4% and 6% NaCl concentrations at 24 degrees C and 4 degrees C was studied over a 188 day period. Viability and membrane potential were assessed by flow cytometry; growth was evaluated by plate count technique. Flow cytometry evidenced that A. hydrophila retained viability over the period although varying according to temperature and salt concentrations. Colony Forming Units were generally lower in number than viable cells especially in the presence of 6% NaCl, indicating the occurrence of stressed cells which maintain metabolic activity yet are not able to grow on agar plates. In conclusion, A. hydrophila showed a long-term halotolerance even at elevated (6%) NaCl concentrations and a lesser sensitivity to salt at low temperature; therefore, low temperature and salt, which are two important factors limiting bacterial growth, do not assure safety in the case of high initial contamination. Finally, cytometry appears a valid tool for the rapid detection of the viability of pathogenic bacteria in food and environmental matrices to control and prevent health risks.

  10. An Experimental Test Facility to Support Development of the Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor

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

    Yoder Jr, Graydon L; Aaron, Adam M; Cunningham, Richard Burns

    2014-01-01

    The need for high-temperature (greater than 600 C) energy exchange and delivery systems is significantly increasing as the world strives to improve energy efficiency and develop alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. Liquid fluoride salts are one of the few energy transport fluids that have the capability of operating at high temperatures in combination with low system pressures. The Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor design uses fluoride salt to remove core heat and interface with a power conversion system. Although a significant amount of experimentation has been performed with these salts, specific aspects of this reactor concept will require experimental confirmation during themore » development process. The experimental facility described here has been constructed to support the development of the Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor concept. The facility is capable of operating at up to 700 C and incorporates a centrifugal pump to circulate FLiNaK salt through a removable test section. A unique inductive heating technique is used to apply heat to the test section, allowing heat transfer testing to be performed. An air-cooled heat exchanger removes added heat. Supporting loop infrastructure includes a pressure control system; trace heating system; and a complement of instrumentation to measure salt flow, temperatures, and pressures around the loop. The initial experiment is aimed at measuring fluoride salt heat transfer inside a heated pebble bed similar to that used for the core of the pebble bed advanced high-temperature reactor. This document describes the details of the loop design, auxiliary systems used to support the facility, the inductive heating system, and facility capabilities.« less

  11. Alteration of the Helicobacter pylori membrane proteome in response to changes in environmental salt concentration

    PubMed Central

    Voss, Bradley J.; Loh, John T.; Hill, Salisha; Rose, Kristie L.; McDonald, W. Hayes; Cover, Timothy L.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Helicobacter pylori infection and a high dietary salt intake are each risk factors for the development of gastric cancer. We hypothesize that changes in environmental salt concentrations lead to alterations in the H. pylori membrane proteome. Experimental Design Label-free and iTRAQ methods were used to identify H. pylori proteins that change in abundance in response to alterations in environmental salt concentrations. In addition, we biotinylated intact bacteria that were grown under high- or low-salt conditions, and thereby analyzed salt-induced changes in the abundance of surface-exposed proteins. Results Proteins with increased abundance in response to high salt conditions included CagA, the outer membrane protein HopQ, and fibronectin domain-containing protein HP0746. Proteins with increased abundance in response to low salt conditions included VacA, two VacA-like proteins (ImaA and FaaA), outer-membrane iron transporter FecA3, and several proteins involved in flagellar activity. Consistent with the proteomic data, bacteria grown in high salt conditions exhibited decreased motility compared to bacteria grown in lower salt conditions. Conclusions and clinical relevance Alterations in the H. pylori membrane proteome in response to high salt conditions may contribute to the increased risk of gastric cancer associated with a high salt diet. PMID:26109032

  12. Effect of Salt Concentration on the pH Responses of Strong and Weak Polyelectrolyte Brushes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jian; Kou, Ran; Liu, Guangming

    2017-07-11

    Strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB) and weak polyelectrolyte brushes (WPB) have different origins with response to pH, which makes their pH-responsive properties sensitive to salt concentration in different ways. Herein, we have employed poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride] (PMETAC) and poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) brushes as model systems for SPB and WPB, respectively, to investigate the effect of salt concentration on the pH responses of SPB and WPB using several surface-sensitive techniques. The pH-responsive properties of the PMETAC brushes are governed by the reorganization of the interchain hydrogen bonds between the grafted chains, whereas the pH response of the PDMAEMA brushes is controlled by the charge of the grafted chains. The response of the properties of the PMETAC brushes including hydration, conformation, and surface wettability becomes weaker with increasing salt concentration induced by the competitive adsorption of counterions to the brushes between OH - and Cl - . The weakening of the pH response of the PMETAC brushes is more remarkable at the relatively high pH values. The pH response of the PDMAEMA brushes also exhibits a salt-concentration dependence. As the salt concentration increases, the weakening of the pH response of the PDMAEMA brushes is attributed to the decrease in osmotic pressure within the brushes at relatively low pH values.

  13. Mechanical response and microprocesses of reconsolidating crushed salt at elevated temperature

    DOE PAGES

    Broome, S. T.; Bauer, S. J.; Hansen, F. D.; ...

    2015-09-14

    Design, analysis and performance assessment of potential salt repositories for heat-generating nuclear waste require knowledge of thermal, mechanical, and fluid transport properties of reconsolidating granular salt. So, to inform salt repository evaluations, we have undertaken an experimental program to determine Bulk and Young’s moduli and Poisson’s ratio of reconsolidated granular salt as a function of porosity and temperature and to establish the deformational processes by which the salt reconsolidates. Our tests were conducted at 100, 175, and 250 °C. In hydrostatic tests, confining pressure is increased to 20 MPa with periodic unload/reload loops to determine K. Volume strain increases withmore » increasing temperature. In shear tests at 2.5 and 5 MPa confining pressure, after confining pressure is applied, the crushed salt is subjected to a differential stress, with periodic unload/reload loops to determine E and ν. At predetermined differential stress levels the stress is held constant and the salt consolidates. Displacement gages mounted on the samples show little lateral deformation until the samples reach a porosity of ~10 %. Interestingly, vapor is vented only for 250 °C tests and condenses at the vent port. It is hypothesized that the brine originates from fluid inclusions, which were made accessible by heating and intragranular deformational processes including decrepitation. Furthermore, identification and documentation of consolidation processes are inferred from optical and scanning electron microstructural observations. As a result, densification at low porosity is enhanced by water film on grain boundaries that enables solution-precipitation phenomena.« less

  14. Formulation and synthesis of hydrogels having lower critical solution temperature near body temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abidin, A. Z.; Graha, H. P. R.; Trirahayu, D. A.

    2017-07-01

    Copolymerization between bacterial cellulose nanocrystal (CN) and methyl cellulose (MC) was carried out using UV light to produce a biocompatible hydrogel at body temperature and liquid at room temperature. Viscosity and salt effect of the MC and copolymer solution at room temperature and its Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) were evaluated. The analysis showed that the higher concentration of methyl cellulose and salt content in the solution produced lower LCST and higher solution viscosity. All samples of polymer solution with MC concentrations of 1 and 2% have a viscosity less than 5000 cP at room temperature. The solutions with MC concentration of 1, 2, and 3% have respectively LCST of 59, 58, and 57°C, while its copolymer solutions with CN concentration of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5% have respectively LCST of 55, 51, and 41°C. The salt addition to the solution of MC-CN copolymer with concentrations of 1x and 1.5x Phosphat Buffered Saline (PBS) produces respectively LCST of 47 and 38°C. The results suggest that the copolymer solution of MC-CN could produce a lower LCST and the addition of salt could amplify the effect of LCST decrease that can be used to produce a biocompatible hydrogel with LCST as close as body temperature.

  15. Thermal Storage Properties of Molten Nitrate Salt-Based Nanofluids with Graphene Nanoplatelets.

    PubMed

    Xie, Qiangzhi; Zhu, Qunzhi; Li, Yan

    2016-12-01

    In this study, the effect of concentration of nanoparticles on the thermal storage properties of molten nitrate salt-based nanofluids with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was investigated. Solar salt consisting of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate was utilized as the base material for the nanofluids. Homogeneous dispersion of GNPs within the solar salt was observed through scanning electron microscopy analysis. For both solar salt and resultant nanofluids, differential scanning calorimetry was employed to measure the thermal storage properties, including characteristic temperatures of phase change, startup heat, and specific heat capacity (SHC). A maximum increase of 16.7 % in SHC at the liquid phase was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt% of GNPs. At the same concentration, the onset temperature decreased by 10.4 °C, the endset temperature decreased by 4.7 °C, and the startup heat decreased by 9 %.

  16. Quantitative Visualization of Salt Concentration Distributions in Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes during Battery Operation Using X-ray Phase Imaging.

    PubMed

    Takamatsu, Daiko; Yoneyama, Akio; Asari, Yusuke; Hirano, Tatsumi

    2018-02-07

    A fundamental understanding of concentrations of salts in lithium-ion battery electrolytes during battery operation is important for optimal operation and design of lithium-ion batteries. However, there are few techniques that can be used to quantitatively characterize salt concentration distributions in the electrolytes during battery operation. In this paper, we demonstrate that in operando X-ray phase imaging can quantitatively visualize the salt concentration distributions that arise in electrolytes during battery operation. From quantitative evaluation of the concentration distributions at steady states, we obtained the salt diffusivities in electrolytes with different initial salt concentrations. Because of no restriction on samples and high temporal and spatial resolutions, X-ray phase imaging will be a versatile technique for evaluating electrolytes, both aqueous and nonaqueous, of many electrochemical systems.

  17. Investigation of concentration-dependence of thermodynamic properties of lanthanum, yttrium, scandium and terbium in eutectic LiCl-KCl molten salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yafei; Zhou, Wentao; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2016-09-01

    Thermodynamic properties of rare earth metals in LiCl-KCl molten salt electrolyte are crucial to the development of electrochemical separation for the treatment of used nuclear fuels. In the present study, activity coefficient, apparent potential, and diffusion coefficient of lanthanum, yttrium, scandium, and terbium in the molten salt (58 at% LiCl and 42 at% KCl) were calculated by the method of molecular dynamics simulation up to a concentration around 3 at% at temperatures of 723 K and 773 K. It was found that the activity coefficient and the apparent potential increase with the species concentration while diffusion coefficient shows a trend of increase followed by decrease. The calculated results were validated by available measurement data of dilution cases. This research extends the range of data to a wide component and would provide further insight to the pyroprocessing design and safeguards.

  18. [Ioduria and iodine concentration in table salt in Peruvian elementary schoolchildren].

    PubMed

    Tarqui-Mamani, Carolina; Alvarez-Dongo, Doris; Fernández-Tinco, Inés

    2016-01-01

    To determine the ioduria and iodine concentration in table salt in Peruvian elementary schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was performed. A total of 8,023 elementary schoolchildren, who voluntarily participated, were included. Multistage stratified probability sampling was performed, and the sample was obtained by systematic selection. Ioduria was determined via spectrophotometry (Sandell-Kolthoff method), and the amount of iodine in salt was evaluated volumetrically. The data were processed by means of analysis for complex samples with a weighting factor. Medians, percentiles, and confidence intervals were calculated, and the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used, where appropriate. Nationwide, the median ioduria in schoolchildren was 258.53 ug/L, being higher in boys (265.90 ug/L) than in girls (250.77 ug/L). The median ioduria in urban areas was higher (289.89 ug/L) than that in rural areas (199.67 ug/L), while it was 315.48 ug/L in private schools and 241.56 ug/L in public schools (p<0.001). The median iodine concentration in table salt was 28.69 mg/kg. Of the total salt samples, 23.1% contained less than 15 mg/kg of iodine. The median ioduria in elementary schoolchildren exceeded normal levels, according to the criteria of the World Health Organization, with differences between urban and rural areas and public and private schools.

  19. Effect of Maillard Reacted Peptides on Human Salt Taste and the Amiloride-Insensitive Salt Taste Receptor (TRPV1t)

    PubMed Central

    Katsumata, Tadayoshi; Nakakuki, Hiroko; Tokunaga, Chikara; Fujii, Noboru; Egi, Makoto; Phan, Tam-Hao T.; Mummalaneni, Shobha; DeSimone, John A.

    2008-01-01

    Maillard reacted peptides (MRPs) were synthesized by conjugating a peptide fraction (1000–5000 Da) purified from soy protein hydrolyzate with galacturonic acid, glucosamine, xylose, fructose, or glucose. The effect of MRPs was investigated on human salt taste and on the chorda tympani (CT) taste nerve responses to NaCl in Sprague–Dawley rats, wild-type, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) knockout mice. MRPs produced a biphasic effect on human salt taste perception and on the CT responses in rats and wild-type mice in the presence of NaCl + benzamil (Bz, a blocker of epithelial Na+ channels), enhancing the NaCl response at low concentrations and suppressing it at high concentrations. The effectiveness of MRPs as salt taste enhancers varied with the conjugated sugar moiety: galacturonic acid = glucosamine > xylose > fructose > glucose. The concentrations at which MRPs enhanced human salt taste were significantly lower than the concentrations of MRPs that produced increase in the NaCl CT response. Elevated temperature, resiniferatoxin, capsaicin, and ethanol produced additive effects on the NaCl CT responses in the presence of MRPs. Elevated temperature and ethanol also enhanced human salt taste perception. N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-4-chlorocinnamid (a blocker of TRPV1t) inhibited the Bz-insensitive NaCl CT responses in the absence and presence of MRPs. TRPV1 knockout mice demonstrated no Bz-insensitive NaCl CT response in the absence or presence of MRPs. The results suggest that MRPs modulate human salt taste and the NaCl + Bz CT responses by interacting with TRPV1t. PMID:18603652

  20. The osmolyte xylitol reduces the salt concentration of airway surface liquid and may enhance bacterial killing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zabner, Joseph; Seiler, Michael P.; Launspach, Janice L.; Karp, Philip H.; Kearney, William R.; Look, Dwight C.; Smith, Jeffrey J.; Welsh, Michael J.

    2000-10-01

    The thin layer of airway surface liquid (ASL) contains antimicrobial substances that kill the small numbers of bacteria that are constantly being deposited in the lungs. An increase in ASL salt concentration inhibits the activity of airway antimicrobial factors and may partially explain the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis (CF). We tested the hypothesis that an osmolyte with a low transepithelial permeability may lower the ASL salt concentration, thereby enhancing innate immunity. We found that the five-carbon sugar xylitol has a low transepithelial permeability, is poorly metabolized by several bacteria, and can lower the ASL salt concentration in both CF and non-CF airway epithelia in vitro. Furthermore, in a double-blind, randomized, crossover study, xylitol sprayed for 4 days into each nostril of normal volunteers significantly decreased the number of nasal coagulase-negative Staphylococcus compared with saline control. Xylitol may be of value in decreasing ASL salt concentration and enhancing the innate antimicrobial defense at the airway surface.

  1. Ethanol modulates the VR-1 variant amiloride-insensitive salt taste receptor. II. Effect on chorda tympani salt responses.

    PubMed

    Lyall, Vijay; Heck, Gerard L; Phan, Tam-Hao T; Mummalaneni, Shobha; Malik, Shahbaz A; Vinnikova, Anna K; Desimone, John A

    2005-06-01

    The effect of ethanol on the amiloride- and benzamil (Bz)-insensitive salt taste receptor was investigated by direct measurement of intracellular Na(+) activity ([Na(+)](i)) using fluorescence imaging in polarized fungiform taste receptor cells (TRCs) and by chorda tympani (CT) taste nerve recordings. CT responses to KCl and NaCl were recorded in Sprague-Dawley rats, and in wild-type (WT) and vanilloid receptor-1 (VR-1) knockout mice (KO). CT responses were monitored in the presence of Bz, a specific blocker of the epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC). CT responses were also recorded in the presence of agonists (resiniferatoxin and elevated temperature) and antagonists (capsazepine and SB-366791) of VR-1 that similarly modulate the Bz-insensitive VR-1 variant salt taste receptor. In the absence of mineral salts, ethanol induced a transient decrease in TRC volume and elicited only transient phasic CT responses. In the presence of mineral salts, ethanol increased the apical cation flux in TRCs without a change in volume, increased transepithelial electrical resistance across the tongue, and elicited CT responses that were similar to salt responses, consisting of both a phasic component and a sustained tonic component. At concentrations <50%, ethanol enhanced responses to KCl and NaCl, while at ethanol concentrations >50%, those CT responses were inhibited. Resiniferatoxin and elevated temperature increased the sensitivity of the CT response to ethanol in salt-containing media, and SB-366791 inhibited the effect of ethanol, resiniferatoxin, and elevated temperature on the CT responses to mineral salts. VR-1 KO mice demonstrated no Bz-insensitive CT response to NaCl and no sensitivity to ethanol. We conclude that ethanol increases salt taste sensitivity by its direct action on the Bz-insensitive VR-1 variant salt taste receptor.

  2. Method for preparing salt solutions having desired properties

    DOEpatents

    Ally, Moonis R.; Braunstein, Jerry

    1994-01-01

    The specification discloses a method for preparing salt solutions which exhibit desired thermodynamic properties. The method enables prediction of the value of the thermodynamic properties for single and multiple salt solutions over a wide range of conditions from activity data and constants which are independent of concentration and temperature. A particular application of the invention is in the control of salt solutions in a process to provide a salt solution which exhibits the desired properties.

  3. Determination of activity coefficient of lanthanum chloride in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt as a function of cesium chloride and lanthanum chloride concentrations using electromotive force measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bagri, Prashant; Simpson, Michael F.

    2016-12-01

    The thermodynamic behavior of lanthanides in molten salt systems is of significant scientific interest for the spent fuel reprocessing of Generation IV reactors. In this study, the apparent standard reduction potential (apparent potential) and activity coefficient of LaCl3 were determined in a molten salt solution of eutectic LiCl-KCl as a function of concentration of LaCl3. The effect of adding up to 1.40 mol % CsCl was also investigated. These properties were determined by measuring the open circuit potential of the La-La(III) redox couple in a high temperature molten salt electrochemical cell. Both the apparent potential and activity coefficient exhibited a strong dependence on concentration. A low concentration (0.69 mol %) of CsCl had no significant effect on the measured properties, while a higher concentration (1.40 mol %) of CsCl caused an increase (become more positive) in the apparent potential and activity coefficient at the higher range of LaCl3 concentrations.

  4. High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.; Ong, E.

    1983-01-01

    Experimental results of compatibility screening studies of 100 salt/containment/thermal conductivity enhancement (TCE) combinations for the high temperature solar thermal application range of 704 deg to 871 C (1300 to 1600 F) are presented. Nine candidate containment/HX alloy materials and two TCE materials were tested with six candidate solar thermal alkali and alkaline earth carbonate storage salts (both reagent and technical grade of each). Compatibility tests were conducted with salt encapsulated in approx. 6.0 inch x 1 inch welded containers of test material from 300 to 3000 hours. Compatibility evaluations were end application oriented, considering the potential 30 year lifetime requirement of solar thermal power plant components. Analyses were based on depth and nature of salt side corrosion of materials, containment alloy thermal aging effects, weld integrity in salt environment, air side containment oxidation, and chemical and physical analyses of the salt. A need for more reliable, and in some cases first time determined thermophysical and transport property data was also identified for molten carbonates in the 704 to 871 C temperature range. In particular, accurate melting point (mp) measurements were performed for Li2CO3 and Na2CO3 while melting point, heat of fusion, and specific heat determinations were conducted on 81.3 weight percent Na2CO3-18.7 weight percent K2CO3 and 52.2 weight percent BaCO3-47.8 weight percent Na2CO3 to support future TES system design and ultimate scale up of solar thermal energy storage (TES) subsystems.

  5. Novel ternary molten salt electrolytes for intermediate-temperature sodium/nickel chloride batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Guosheng; Lu, Xiaochuan; Coyle, Christopher A.; Kim, Jin Y.; Lemmon, John P.; Sprenkle, Vincent L.; Yang, Zhenguo

    2012-12-01

    The sodium-nickel chloride (ZEBRA) battery is operated at relatively high temperature (250-350 °C) to achieve adequate electrochemical performance. Reducing the operating temperature in the range of 150200 °C can not only lead to enhanced cycle life by suppressing temperature-related degradations, but also allow the use of lower cost materials for construction. To achieve adequate electrochemical performance at lower operating temperatures, reduction in ohmic losses is required, including the reduced ohmic resistance of β″-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) and the incorporation of low melting point secondary electrolytes. In present work, planar-type Na/NiCl2 cells with a thin BASE (600 μm) and low melting point secondary electrolyte were evaluated at reduced temperatures. Molten salts used as secondary electrolytes were fabricated by the partial replacement of NaCl in the standard secondary electrolyte (NaAlCl4) with other lower melting point alkali metal salts such as NaBr, LiCl, and LiBr. Electrochemical characterization of these ternary molten salts demonstrated improved ionic conductivity and sufficient electrochemical window at reduced temperatures. Furthermore, Na/NiCl2 cells with 50 mol% NaBr-containing secondary electrolyte exhibited reduced polarizations at 175 °C compared to the cell with the standard NaAlCl4 catholyte. The cells also exhibited stable cycling performance even at 150 °C.

  6. Rock-salt structure lithium deuteride formation in liquid lithium with high-concentrations of deuterium: a first-principles molecular dynamics study

    DOE PAGES

    Chen, Mohan; Abrams, T.; Jaworski, M. A.; ...

    2015-12-17

    Because of lithium's possible use as a first wall material in a fusion reactor, a fundamental understanding of the interactions between liquid lithium (Li) and deuterium (D) is important. Here, we predict structural and dynamical properties of liquid Li samples with high concentrations of D, as derived from first-principles molecular dynamics simulations. Liquid Li samples with four concentrations of inserted D atoms (LiDmore » $$_{\\beta}$$ , $$\\beta =0.25$$ , 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00) are studied at temperatures ranging from 470 to 1143 K. Densities, diffusivities, pair distribution functions, bond angle distribution functions, geometries, and charge transfer between Li and D atoms are calculated and analyzed. The analysis suggests liquid–solid phase transitions can occur at some concentrations and temperatures, forming rock-salt LiD within liquid Li. Finally, we observed the formation of some D 2 molecules at high D concentrations.« less

  7. Rheological characterization of hair shampoo in the presence of dead sea salt.

    PubMed

    Abu-Jdayil, B; Mohameed, H A; Sa'id, M; Snobar, T

    2004-02-01

    In Jordan, a growing industry has been established to produce different types of Dead Sea (DS) cosmetics that have DS salt (contains mainly NaCl, KCl, and MgCl(2)) in their formulas. In this work, the effect of DS salt on the rheology of hair shampoo containing the sodium lauryl ether sulfate as a main active matter was studied. The effects of DS salt and active matter concentration, and the temperature and time of salt mixing, on the rheological properties of hair shampoo were investigated. The salt-free shampoo showed a Newtonian behavior at 'low active matter' (LAM) and shear thinning at 'high active matter' (HAM). The presence of DS salt changed the rheological behavior of LAM shampoo from Newtonian (for the salt-free shampoo) to shear thinning. On the other hand, the behavior of HAM shampoo switched from shear thinning to Newtonian behavior in the presence of high concentration of DS salt. The addition of DS salt increased the apparent viscosity of shampoo to reach a maximum value that corresponded to a salt concentration of 1.5 wt.%. Further addition of DS salt led to a decrease in the shampoo viscosity to reach a value less than that of the salt-free sample at high salt concentration. Changing the mixing temperature (25-45 degrees C) and mixing time (15-120 min) of DS salt with shampoo has no significant influence on the rheological behavior. However, the mixing process increased the apparent viscosity of salt-free shampoo. The power law model fitted well the flow curves of hair shampoo with and without DS salt.

  8. Sol-Gel transition behavior of pure iota-carrageenan in both salt-free and added salt states.

    PubMed

    Hossain, K S; Miyanaga, K; Maeda, H; Nemoto, N

    2001-01-01

    This paper describes how strongly the gelation process of iota-carrageenan is affected by addition of metallic ions from the creep and creep recovery, dynamic viscoelasticity (DVE) and DSC measurements. Creep results at T = 25 degrees C indicate that below a polymer concentration C of 3.0 wt % the salt-free system behaves as a viscous solution, and it starts to exhibit viscoelasticity as C exceeds 3.0 wt %. In the range C = 5.0-7.0 wt %, the salt-free system shows gellike behavior whereas the added salt system, measured in the low C range 1.0-2.5 wt %, showed gellike behavior at the same temperature. The sol-gel transition temperature T(c) was determined using Winter's criterion as the temperature at which both G'(omega) and G' '(omega) follow power law behavior with the same exponent n. DSC measurements reveal that salt-free and added salt systems take different types of thermal behavior within the same temperature range. The temperature T(c) is quite close to the gelation temperature T(m) determined from DSC measurement. The Eldrige-Ferry plot was performed to estimate activaton enthalpy, which shows that physical cross-links in the salt-free iota-carrageenan is not strong in comparison with those of samples which contains metal ions. We conclude from the data analysis of C dependence of the plateau modulus using the theory developed by Jones and Marques for rigid networks based on the fractal theories that addition of metallic ions gives rise to a rigid fiber like structure even at low C of iota-carrageenan in contrast to the salt-free system for which a flexible structure has been maintained at higher C.

  9. On-line Monitoring of Actinide Concentrations in Molten Salt Electrolyte

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

    Curtis W. Johnson; Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar; Shelly X. Li

    2006-11-01

    Pyroprocessing, a treatment method for spent nuclear fuel (SNF), is currently being studied at the Idaho National Laboratory. The key operation of pyroprocessing which takes place in an electrorefiner is the electrochemical separation of actinides from other constituents in spent fuel. Efficient operation of the electrorefiner requires online monitoring of actinide concentrations in the molten salt electrolyte. Square-wave voltammetry (SWV) and normal pulse voltammetry (NPV) are being investigated to assess their applicability to the measurement of actinide concentrations in the electrorefiner.

  10. Characteristic of molten fluoride salt system LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) and LiF-NaF-KF (Flinak) as coolant and fuel carrier in molten salt reactor (MSR)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bahri, Che Nor Aniza Che Zainul; Al-Areqi, Wadee'ah Mohd; Ruf, Mohd'Izzat Fahmi Mohd; Majid, Amran Ab.

    2017-01-01

    Interest of fluoride salts have recently revived due to the high temperature application in nuclear reactors. Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) was designed to operate at high temperature in range 700 - 800°C and its fuel is dissolved in a circulating molten fluoride salt mixture. Molten fluoride salts are stable at high temperature, have good heat transfer properties and can dissolve high concentration of actinides and fission product. The aim of this paper was to discuss the physical properties (melting temperature, density and heat capacity) of two systems fluoride salt mixtures i.e; LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) and LiF-NaF-KF (Flinak) in terms of their application as coolant and fuel solvent in MSR. Both of these salts showed almost same physical properties but different applications in MSR. The advantages and the disadvantages of these fluoride salt systems will be discussed in this paper.

  11. Measurement of europium (III)/europium (II) couple in fluoride molten salt for redox control in a molten salt reactor concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Shaoqiang; Shay, Nikolas; Wang, Yafei; Zhou, Wentao; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2017-12-01

    The fluoride molten salt such as FLiNaK and FLiBe is one of the coolant candidates for the next generation nuclear reactor concepts, for example, the fluoride salt cooled high temperature reactor (FHR). For mitigating corrosion of structural materials in molten fluoride salt, the redox condition of the salts needs to be monitored and controlled. This study investigates the feasibility of applying the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple for redox control. Cyclic voltammetry measurements of the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple were able to obtain the concentrations ratio of Eu3+/Eu2+ in the melt. Additionally, the formal standard potential of Eu3+/Eu2+ was characterized over the FHR's operating temperatures allowing for the application of the Nernst equation to establish a Eu3+/Eu2+ concentration ratio below 0.05 to prevent corrosion of candidate structural materials. A platinum quasi-reference electrode with potential calibrated by potassium reduction potential is shown as reliable for the redox potential measurement. These results show that the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple is a feasible redox buffering agent to control the redox condition in molten fluoride salts.

  12. Ionic conduction and self-diffusion near infinitesimal concentration in lithium salt-organic solvent electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aihara, Yuichi; Sugimoto, Kyoko; Price, William S.; Hayamizu, Kikuko

    2000-08-01

    The Debye-Hückel-Onsager and Nernst-Einstein equations, which are based on two different conceptual approaches, constitute the most widely used equations for relating ionic conduction to ionic mobility. However, both of these classical (simple) equations are predictive of ionic conductivity only at very low salt concentrations. In the present work the ionic conductivity of four organic solvent-lithium salt-based electrolytes were measured. These experimental conductivity values were then contrasted with theoretical values calculated using the translational diffusion (also known as self-diffusion or intradiffusion) coefficients of all of the species present obtained using pulsed-gradient spin-echo (1H, 19F and 7Li) nuclear magnetic resonance self-diffusion measurements. The experimental results verified the applicability of both theoretical approaches at very low salt concentrations for these particular systems as well as helping to clarify the reasons for the divergence between theory and experiment. In particular, it was found that the correspondence between the Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation and experimental values could be improved by using the measured solvent self-diffusion values to correct for salt-induced changes in the solution viscosity. The concentration dependence of the self-diffusion coefficients is discussed in terms of the Jones-Dole equation.

  13. Low temperature synthesis & characterization of lead-free BCZT ceramics using molten salt method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jai Shree, K.; Chandrakala, E.; Das, Dibakar

    2018-04-01

    Piezoelectric properties are greatly influenced by the synthesis route, microstructure, stoichiometry of the chemical composition, purity of the starting materials. In this study, molten salt method was used to prepare lead-free BCZT ceramics. Molten salt method is one of the simplestmethods to prepare chemically-purified, single phase powders in high yield often at lower temperatures and shorten reaction time. Calcination of the molten salt synthesized powders resulted in asingle-phase perovskite structure at 1000 °C which is ˜ 350 °C less than the conventional solid-sate reaction method. With increasing calcination temperature the average template size was increased (˜ 0.5-2 µm). Formation of well dispersive templates improves the sinterability at lower temperatures. Lead-free BCZT ceramics sintered at 1500 °C for 2 h resulted in homogenous and highly dense microstructure with ˜92% of the theoretical density and a grain size of ˜ 35 µm. This highly dense microstructure could enhance the piezoelectric properties of the system.

  14. Effects of High and Low Salt Concentration in Electrolytes at Lithium–Metal Anode Surfaces

    DOE PAGES

    Camacho-Forero, Luis E.; Smith, Taylor W.; Balbuena, Perla B.

    2016-12-16

    The use of high concentration salts in electrolyte solutions of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries has been shown beneficial for mitigating some effects such as polysulfide shuttle and dendrite growth at the Li metal anode. Such complex solutions have structural, dynamical, and reactivity associated issues that need to be analyzed for a better understanding of the reasons behind such beneficial effects. A passivation interfacial layer known as solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is generated during battery cycling as a result of electron transfer from the metal anode causing electrolyte decomposition. Here in this work, we investigate using density functional theory and ab initio molecularmore » dynamics simulations the salt decomposition, solvation effects, interactions among intermediate products and other species, and potential components of the SEI layer as a function of chemical nature and concentration of the salt, for lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) at 1M and 4M concentrations in dimethoxyethane. It is found that LiTFSI undergoes a less complete reduction and facilitates charge transfer from the anode, whereas LiFSI shows a more complete decomposition forming LiF as one of the main SEI products. In addition, the specific decomposition mechanisms of each salt clearly point to the initial SEI components and the potential main products derived from them. Finally, very complex networks are found among the salt and solvent molecules in their attempt to maximize Li ion solvation that is quantified through the determination of coordination numbers.« less

  15. Investigation of residual anode material after electrorefining uranium in molten chloride salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rose, M. A.; Williamson, M. A.; Willit, J.

    2015-12-01

    A buildup of material at uranium anodes during uranium electrorefining in molten chloride salts has been observed. Potentiodynamic testing has been conducted using a three electrode cell, with a uranium working electrode in both LiCl/KCl eutectic and LiCl each containing ∼5 mol% UCl3. The anodic current response was observed at 50° intervals between 450 °C and 650 °C in the eutectic salt. These tests revealed a buildup of material at the anode in LiCl/KCl salt, which was sampled at room temperature, and analyzed using ICP-MS, XRD and SEM techniques. Examination of the analytical data, current response curves and published phase diagrams has established that as the uranium anode dissolves, the U3+ ion concentration in the diffusion layer surrounding the electrode rises precipitously to levels, which may at low temperatures exceed the solubility limit for UCl3 or in the case of the eutectic salt for K2UCl5. The reduction in current response observed at low temperature in eutectic salt is eliminated at 650 °C, where K2UCl5 is absent due to its congruent melting and only simple concentration polarization effects are seen. In LiCl similar concentration effects are seen though significantly longer time at applied potential is required to effect a reduction in the current response as compared to the eutectic salt.

  16. Low Temperature Double-Layer Capacitors Using Asymmetric and Spiro-Type Quaternary Ammonium Salts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smart, Marshall C. (Inventor); Brandon, Erik J. (Inventor); West, William C. (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    Double-layer capacitors capable of operating at extremely low temperatures (e.g., as low as -80.degree. C.) are disclosed. Electrolyte solutions combining a base solvent (e.g., acetonitrile) and a cosolvent are employed to lower the melting point of the base electrolyte. Example cosolvents include methyl formate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, propionitrile, butyronitrile, and 1,3-dioxolane. A quaternary ammonium salt including at least one of triethylmethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEMATFB) and spiro-(1,1')-bipyrrolidium tetrafluoroborate (SBPBF.sub.4), is used in an optimized concentration (e.g., 0.10 M to 0.75 M), dissolved into the electrolyte solution. Conventional device form factors and structural elements (e.g., porous carbon electrodes and a polyethylene separator) may be employed.

  17. A Rigidifying Salt-Bridge Favors the Activity of Thermophilic Enzyme at High Temperatures at the Expense of Low-Temperature Activity

    PubMed Central

    Lam, Sonia Y.; Yeung, Rachel C. Y.; Yu, Tsz-Ha; Sze, Kong-Hung; Wong, Kam-Bo

    2011-01-01

    Background Thermophilic enzymes are often less active than their mesophilic homologues at low temperatures. One hypothesis to explain this observation is that the extra stabilizing interactions increase the rigidity of thermophilic enzymes and hence reduce their activity. Here we employed a thermophilic acylphosphatase from Pyrococcus horikoshii and its homologous mesophilic acylphosphatase from human as a model to study how local rigidity of an active-site residue affects the enzymatic activity. Methods and Findings Acylphosphatases have a unique structural feature that its conserved active-site arginine residue forms a salt-bridge with the C-terminal carboxyl group only in thermophilic acylphosphatases, but not in mesophilic acylphosphatases. We perturbed the local rigidity of this active-site residue by removing the salt-bridge in the thermophilic acylphosphatase and by introducing the salt-bridge in the mesophilic homologue. The mutagenesis design was confirmed by x-ray crystallography. Removing the salt-bridge in the thermophilic enzyme lowered the activation energy that decreased the activation enthalpy and entropy. Conversely, the introduction of the salt-bridge to the mesophilic homologue increased the activation energy and resulted in increases in both activation enthalpy and entropy. Revealed by molecular dynamics simulations, the unrestrained arginine residue can populate more rotamer conformations, and the loss of this conformational freedom upon the formation of transition state justified the observed reduction in activation entropy. Conclusions Our results support the conclusion that restricting the active-site flexibility entropically favors the enzymatic activity at high temperatures. However, the accompanying enthalpy-entropy compensation leads to a stronger temperature-dependency of the enzymatic activity, which explains the less active nature of the thermophilic enzymes at low temperatures. PMID:21423654

  18. A rigidifying salt-bridge favors the activity of thermophilic enzyme at high temperatures at the expense of low-temperature activity.

    PubMed

    Lam, Sonia Y; Yeung, Rachel C Y; Yu, Tsz-Ha; Sze, Kong-Hung; Wong, Kam-Bo

    2011-03-01

    Thermophilic enzymes are often less active than their mesophilic homologues at low temperatures. One hypothesis to explain this observation is that the extra stabilizing interactions increase the rigidity of thermophilic enzymes and hence reduce their activity. Here we employed a thermophilic acylphosphatase from Pyrococcus horikoshii and its homologous mesophilic acylphosphatase from human as a model to study how local rigidity of an active-site residue affects the enzymatic activity. Acylphosphatases have a unique structural feature that its conserved active-site arginine residue forms a salt-bridge with the C-terminal carboxyl group only in thermophilic acylphosphatases, but not in mesophilic acylphosphatases. We perturbed the local rigidity of this active-site residue by removing the salt-bridge in the thermophilic acylphosphatase and by introducing the salt-bridge in the mesophilic homologue. The mutagenesis design was confirmed by x-ray crystallography. Removing the salt-bridge in the thermophilic enzyme lowered the activation energy that decreased the activation enthalpy and entropy. Conversely, the introduction of the salt-bridge to the mesophilic homologue increased the activation energy and resulted in increases in both activation enthalpy and entropy. Revealed by molecular dynamics simulations, the unrestrained arginine residue can populate more rotamer conformations, and the loss of this conformational freedom upon the formation of transition state justified the observed reduction in activation entropy. Our results support the conclusion that restricting the active-site flexibility entropically favors the enzymatic activity at high temperatures. However, the accompanying enthalpy-entropy compensation leads to a stronger temperature-dependency of the enzymatic activity, which explains the less active nature of the thermophilic enzymes at low temperatures.

  19. Low-temperature synthesis of nanocrystalline ZrC coatings on flake graphite by molten salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Jun; Guo, Ding; Deng, Chengji; Zhu, Hongxi; Yu, Chao

    2017-06-01

    A novel molten salt synthetic route has been developed to prepare nanocrystalline zirconium carbide (ZrC) coatings on flake graphite at 900 °C, using Zr powder and flake graphite as the source materials in a static argon atmosphere, along with molten salts as the media. The effects of different molten salt media, the sintered temperature, and the heat preservation time on the phase and microstructure of the synthetic materials were investigated. The ZrC coatings formed on the flake graphite were uniform and composed of nanosized particles (30-50 nm). With an increase in the reaction temperature, the ZrC nanosized particles were more denser, and the heat preservation time and thickness of the ZrC coating also increased accordingly. Electron microscopy was used to observe the ZrC coatings on the flake graphite, indicating that a "template mechanism" played an important role during the molten salt synthesis.

  20. Ordering transition in salt-doped diblock copolymers

    DOE PAGES

    Qin, Jian; de Pablo, Juan J.

    2016-04-26

    Lithium salt-doped block copolymers offer promise for applications as solid electrolytes in lithium ion batteries. Control of the conductivity and mechanical properties of these materials, for membrane applications relies critically on the ability to predict and manipulate their microphase separation temperature. Past attempts to predict the so-called "order-disorder transition temperature" of copolymer electrolytes have relied on approximate treatments of electrostatic interactions. In this work, we introduce a coarse-grained simulation model that treats Coulomb interactions explicitly, and we use it to investigate the ordering transition of charged block copolymers. The order-disorder transition temperature is determined from the ordering free energy, whichmore » we calculate with a high level of precision using a density-of-states approach. Our calculations allow us to discern a delicate competition between two physical effects: ion association, which raises the transition temperature, and solvent dilution, which lowers the transition temperature. Lastly, in the intermediate salt concentration regime, our results predict that the order-disorder transition temperature increases with salt content, in agreement with available experimental data.« less

  1. DC electrophoresis and viscosity of realistic salt-free concentrated suspensions: non-equilibrium dissociation-association processes.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Reina, Emilio; Carrique, Félix; Lechuga, Luis

    2014-03-01

    Most of the suspensions usually found in industrial applications are concentrated, aqueous and in contact with the atmospheric CO2. The case of suspensions with a high concentration of added salt is relatively well understood and has been considered in many studies. In this work we are concerned with the case of concentrated suspensions that have no ions different than: (1) those stemming from the charged colloidal particles (the added counterions, that counterbalance their surface charge); (2) the H(+) and OH(-) ions from water dissociation, and (3) the ions generated by the atmospheric CO2 contamination. We call this kind of systems "realistic salt-free suspensions". We show some theoretical results about the electrophoretic mobility of a colloidal particle and the electroviscous effect of realistic salt-free concentrated suspensions. The theoretical framework is based on a cell model that accounts for particle-particle interactions in concentrated suspensions, which has been successfully applied to many different phenomena in concentrated suspensions. On the other hand, the water dissociation and CO2 contamination can be described following two different levels of approximation: (a) by local equilibrium mass-action equations, because it is supposed that the reactions are so fast that chemical equilibrium is attained everywhere in the suspension, or (b) by non-equilibrium dissociation-association kinetic equations, because it is considered that some reactions are not rapid enough to ensure local chemical equilibrium. Both approaches give rise to different results in the range from dilute to semidilute suspensions, causing possible discrepancies when comparing standard theories and experiments concerning transport properties of realistic salt-free suspensions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Relative contributions of the fraction of unfrozen water and of salt concentration to the survival of slowly frozen human erythrocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Mazur, P; Rall, W F; Rigopoulos, N

    1981-01-01

    As suspensions of cells freeze, the electrolytes and other solutes in the external solution concentrate progressively, and the cells undergo osmotic dehydration if cooling is slow. The progressive concentration of solute comes about as increasing amounts of pure ice precipitate out of solution and cause the liquid-filled channels in which the cells are sequestered to dwindle in size. The consensus has been that slow freezing injury is related to the composition of the solution in these channels and not to the amount of residual liquid. The purpose of the research reported here was to test this assumption on human erythrocytes. Ordinarily, solute concentration and the amount of liquid in the unfrozen channels are inversely coupled. To vary them independently, one must vary the initial solute concentration. Two solutes were used here: NaCl and the permeating protective additive glycerol. To vary the total initial solute concentration while holding the mass ratio of glycerol to NaCl constant, we had to allow the NaCl tonicity to depart from isotonic. Specifically, human red cells were suspended in solutions with weight ratios of glycerol to NaCl of either 5.42 or 11.26, where the concentrations of NaCl were 0.6, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0 times isotonic. Samples were then frozen to various subzero temperatures, which were chosen to produce various molalities of NaCl (0.24-3.30) while holding the fraction of unfrozen water constant, or conversely to produce various unfrozen fractions (0.03-0.5) while holding the molality of salt constant. (Not all combinations of these values were possible). The following general findings emerged: (a) few cells survived the freezing of greater than 90% of the extracellular water regardless of the salt concentration in the residual unfrozen portion. (b) When the fraction of frozen water was less than 75% the majority of the cells survived even when the salt concentration in the unfrozen portion exceeded 2 molal. (c) Salt concentration

  3. Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Golden Tower 100MW Molten Salt project

    Science.gov Websites

    | Concentrating Solar Power | NREL Golden Tower 100MW Molten Salt project Status Date Turbine Capacity: Net: 100.0 Gross: 100.0 Status: Under development Do you have more information , corrections, or comments? Background Technology: Power tower Status: Under development Country: China City

  4. The elemental move characteristic of nickel-based alloy in molten salt corrosion by using nuclear microprobe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lei, Qiantao; Liu, Ke; Gao, Jie; Li, Xiaolin; Shen, Hao; Li, Yan

    2017-08-01

    Nickel-based alloys as candidate materials for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), need to be used under high temperature in molten salt environment. In order to ensure the safety of the reactor running, it is necessary to study the elemental move characteristic of nickel-based alloys in the high temperature molten salts. In this work, the scanning nuclear microprobe at Fudan University was applied to study the elemental move. The Nickel-based alloy samples were corroded by molten salt at different temperatures. The element concentrations in the Nickel-based alloys samples were determined by the scanning nuclear microprobe. Micro-PIXE results showed that the element concentrations changed from the interior to the exterior of the alloy samples after the corrosion.

  5. Effects of salt concentration and pH on structural and functional properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus: FT-IR spectroscopic analysis.

    PubMed

    Gandhi, Akanksha; Shah, Nagendra P

    2014-03-03

    The effects of sodium chloride concentration and varying pH levels on the structural and functional properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus were investigated. Reconstituted skim milk was inoculated with Lb. acidophilus at varying salt concentrations (0, 1, 2, 5 and 10% NaCl) and pH levels (4.0, 5.0 and 6.0) and ACE-inhibitory activity and proteolytic activity were determined and the viable cell count was enumerated after 24h of fermentation at 37 °C. The degree of proteolysis exhibited an increase with higher salt concentration at pH 5.0 and 6.0. ACE-inhibitory activity was found to be the highest at pH 5.0 at all salt concentrations. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results demonstrated significant changes occurring beyond 2% NaCl particularly at low pH (4.0). The findings revealed that significant changes occurred in amide I and amide III regions when Lb. acidophilus was subjected to varying salt concentrations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Enhanced ethanol production by fermentation of Gelidium amansii hydrolysate using a detoxification process and yeasts acclimated to high-salt concentration.

    PubMed

    Ra, Chae Hun; Jung, Jang Hyun; Sunwoo, In Yung; Jeong, Gwi-Taek; Kim, Sung-Koo

    2015-06-01

    A total monosaccharide concentration of 59.0 g/L, representing 80.1 % conversion of 73.6 g/L total fermentable sugars from 160 g dw/L G. amansii slurry was obtained by thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. Subsequent adsorption treatment using 5 % activated carbon with an adsorption time of 2 min was used to prevent the inhibitory effect of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) >5 g/L in the medium. Ethanol production decreased with increasing salt concentration using C. tropicalis KCTC 7212 non-acclimated or acclimated to a high concentration of salt. Salt concentration of 90 psu was the maximum concentration for cell growth and ethanol production. The levels of ethanol production by C. tropicalis non-acclimated or acclimated to 90 psu high-salt concentration were 13.8 g/L with a yield (YEtOH) of 0.23, and 26.7 g/L with YEtOH of 0.45, respectively.

  7. High Temperature Concentrated Solar Power Using Liquid Metal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henry, Asegun

    One of the most attractive ways to try and reduce the cost of concentrated solar power (CSP) is to increase the system efficiency and the biggest loss in the system occurs in the conversion of heat to electricity via heat engine. Heat engines that utilize turbomachinery currently operate near their thermodynamic limitations and thus one of the only ways to improve heat engine efficiency is to increase the turbine inlet temperature. Significant effort is being devoted to the development of supercritical CO2 heat engines, but the most efficient heat engines are combined cycles, which reach efficiencies as high as 60%. However, such heat engines require turbine inlet temperatures ~1300-1500C, which is far beyond what is currently feasible with the state of the art molten salt infrastructure. In working towards the development of a system that can operate in the 1300-1500C temperature range, the most significant challenges lie in the materials and forming functional and reliable components out of new materials. One of the most attractive options from a cost and heat transfer perspective is to use liquid metals, such as tin and aluminum-silicon alloys along with a ceramic based infrastructure. This talk will overview ongoing efforts in the Atomistic Simulation and Energy (ASE) research group at Georgia Tech to develop prototype components such as an efficient high temperature cavity receiver, pumps and valves that can make a liquid metal based CSP infrastructure realizable.

  8. Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Gansu Akesai 50MW Molten Salt Trough

    Science.gov Websites

    project | Concentrating Solar Power | NREL Gansu Akesai 50MW Molten Salt Trough project Status . Technology: Parabolic trough Turbine Capacity: Net: 50.0 MW Gross: 50.0 MW Status: Under development Do you have more information, corrections, or comments? Background Technology: Parabolic trough Status: Under

  9. Non-monotonic swelling of surface grafted hydrogels induced by pH and/or salt concentration

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

    Longo, Gabriel S.; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208

    2014-09-28

    We use a molecular theory to study the thermodynamics of a weak-polyacid hydrogel film that is chemically grafted to a solid surface. We investigate the response of the material to changes in the pH and salt concentration of the buffer solution. Our results show that the pH-triggered swelling of the hydrogel film has a non-monotonic dependence on the acidity of the bath solution. At most salt concentrations, the thickness of the hydrogel film presents a maximum when the pH of the solution is increased from acidic values. The quantitative details of such swelling behavior, which is not observed when themore » film is physically deposited on the surface, depend on the molecular architecture of the polymer network. This swelling-deswelling transition is the consequence of the complex interplay between the chemical free energy (acid-base equilibrium), the electrostatic repulsions between charged monomers, which are both modulated by the absorption of ions, and the ability of the polymer network to regulate charge and control its volume (molecular organization). In the absence of such competition, for example, for high salt concentrations, the film swells monotonically with increasing pH. A deswelling-swelling transition is similarly predicted as a function of the salt concentration at intermediate pH values. This reentrant behavior, which is due to the coupling between charge regulation and the two opposing effects triggered by salt concentration (screening electrostatic interactions and charging/discharging the acid groups), is similar to that found in end-grafted weak polyelectrolyte layers. Understanding how to control the response of the material to different stimuli, in terms of its molecular structure and local chemical composition, can help the targeted design of applications with extended functionality. We describe the response of the material to an applied pressure and an electric potential. We present profiles that outline the local chemical composition of

  10. Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Yumen 100MW Molten Salt Tower CSP

    Science.gov Websites

    project | Concentrating Solar Power | NREL 100MW Molten Salt Tower CSP project Status Date Turbine Capacity: Net: 100.0 MW Gross: 100.0 MW Status: Under development Do you have more information , corrections, or comments? Background Technology: Power tower Status: Under development Country: China City

  11. High temperature helical tubular receiver for concentrating solar power system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hossain, Nazmul

    In the field of conventional cleaner power generation technology, concentrating solar power systems have introduced remarkable opportunity. In a solar power tower, solar energy concentrated by the heliostats at a single point produces very high temperature. Falling solid particles or heat transfer fluid passing through that high temperature region absorbs heat to generate electricity. Increasing the residence time will result in more heat gain and increase efficiency. A novel design of solar receiver for both fluid and solid particle is approached in this paper which can increase residence time resulting in higher temperature gain in one cycle compared to conventional receivers. The helical tubular solar receiver placed at the focused sunlight region meets the higher outlet temperature and efficiency. A vertical tubular receiver is modeled and analyzed for single phase flow with molten salt as heat transfer fluid and alloy625 as heat transfer material. The result is compared to a journal paper of similar numerical and experimental setup for validating our modeling. New types of helical tubular solar receivers are modeled and analyzed with heat transfer fluid turbulent flow in single phase, and granular particle and air plug flow in multiphase to observe the temperature rise in one cyclic operation. The Discrete Ordinate radiation model is used for numerical analysis with simulation software Ansys Fluent 15.0. The Eulerian granular multiphase model is used for multiphase flow. Applying the same modeling parameters and boundary conditions, the results of vertical and helical receivers are compared. With a helical receiver, higher temperature gain of heat transfer fluid is achieved in one cycle for both single phase and multiphase flow compared to the vertical receiver. Performance is also observed by varying dimension of helical receiver.

  12. Heat-induced formation of myosin oligomer-soluble filament complex in high-salt solution.

    PubMed

    Shimada, Masato; Takai, Eisuke; Ejima, Daisuke; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Shiraki, Kentaro

    2015-02-01

    Heat-induced aggregation of myosin into an elastic gel plays an important role in the water-holding capacity and texture of meat products. Here, we investigated thermal aggregation of porcine myosin in high-salt solution over a wide temperature range by dynamic light scattering experiments. The myosin samples were readily dissolved in 1.0 M NaCl at 25 °C followed by dilution into various salt concentrations. The diluted solutions consistently contained both myosin monomers and soluble filaments. The filament size decreased with increasing salt concentration and temperature. High temperatures above Tm led to at least partial dissociation of soluble filaments and thermal unfolding, resulting in the formation of soluble oligomers and binding to the persistently present soluble filaments. Such a complex formation between the oligomers and filaments has never been observed. Our results provide new insight into the heat-induced myosin gelation in high-salt solution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Use of Encapsulated Zinc Particles in a Eutectic Chloride Salt to Enhance Thermal Energy Storage Capacity for Concentrated Solar Power

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

    Cingarapu, Sreeram; Singh, Dileep; Timofeeva, Elena V.

    2015-08-01

    Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is considered as a viable large-scale renewable energy source to produce electricity. However, current costs to produce electricity from CSP are not cost competitive as compared to the traditional energy generation technologies based on fossil fuels and nuclear. It is envisioned that development of high efficiency and high heat capacity thermal storage fluids will increase system efficiency, reduce structural storage volume, and hence, contribute to reducing costs. Particularly, with respect to CSP, current high temperature energy storage fluids, such as molten salts, are relatively limited in terms of their thermal energy storage capacity and thermal conductivity.more » The current work explores possibility of boosting the thermal storage capacity of molten salts through latent heat of added phase change materials. We studied the advantage Of adding coated Zn micron-sized particles to alkali chloride salt eutectic for enhanced thermal energy storage. Zinc particles (0.6 mu m and 5 mu m) obtained from commercial source were coated with an organo-phosphorus shell to improve chemical stability and to prevent individual particles from coalescing with one another during melt/freeze cycles. Thermal cycling tests (200 melt/freeze cycles) showed that coated Zn particles have good thermal stability and are chemically inert to alkali chloride salt eutectic in both N-2 and in air atmospheres. Elemental mapping of the cross-sectional view of coated Zn particles from the composite after thermal cycles showed no signs of oxidation, agglomeration or other type of particle degradation. The measured enhancement in volumetric thermal storage capacity of the composite with just similar to 10 vol% of coated Zn particles over the base chloride salt eutectic varies from 15% to 34% depending on cycling temperature range (Delta T = 50 degrees C -100 degrees C. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

  14. Alternative approach to modeling bacterial lag time, using logistic regression as a function of time, temperature, pH, and sodium chloride concentration.

    PubMed

    Koseki, Shige; Nonaka, Junko

    2012-09-01

    The objective of this study was to develop a probabilistic model to predict the end of lag time (λ) during the growth of Bacillus cereus vegetative cells as a function of temperature, pH, and salt concentration using logistic regression. The developed λ model was subsequently combined with a logistic differential equation to simulate bacterial numbers over time. To develop a novel model for λ, we determined whether bacterial growth had begun, i.e., whether λ had ended, at each time point during the growth kinetics. The growth of B. cereus was evaluated by optical density (OD) measurements in culture media for various pHs (5.5 ∼ 7.0) and salt concentrations (0.5 ∼ 2.0%) at static temperatures (10 ∼ 20°C). The probability of the end of λ was modeled using dichotomous judgments obtained at each OD measurement point concerning whether a significant increase had been observed. The probability of the end of λ was described as a function of time, temperature, pH, and salt concentration and showed a high goodness of fit. The λ model was validated with independent data sets of B. cereus growth in culture media and foods, indicating acceptable performance. Furthermore, the λ model, in combination with a logistic differential equation, enabled a simulation of the population of B. cereus in various foods over time at static and/or fluctuating temperatures with high accuracy. Thus, this newly developed modeling procedure enables the description of λ using observable environmental parameters without any conceptual assumptions and the simulation of bacterial numbers over time with the use of a logistic differential equation.

  15. Investigation of iodine concentration in salt, water and soil along the coast of Zhejiang, China*

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Ying-li; Wang, Ning-jian; Zhu, Lan; Wang, Guo-xing; Wu, Hui; Kuang, Lin; Zhu, Wen-ming

    2005-01-01

    Objective: We aim to describe the environment iodine concentration in salt, water and soil along Zhejiang Province coast in the China foreland. It will be helpful for us to judge whether this area is insufficient in iodine and universal iodized salt is necessary or not. Methods: We collected iodized salt samples, drinking water samples (tap water in the towns, and well water or spring water in the villages), water samples from different sources (ditches, lakes, rivers) and soil samples through random sampling in June, 2005. Salt, water and soil iodine was detected by arsenic-cerium redox method. Statistical analysis was expressed as mean±SEM by Windows SPSS 13.0. Results: (1) The iodine concentration in salt was 27.9±4.33 mg/kg (n=108). (2) Seventy-five water samples were collected. The water iodine value was 0.6~84.8 μg/L (mean of 11.66 μg/L). The watershed along the Qiantang River has significantly higher iodine content than the water in Lin’an in mountain area (P<0.01). The iodine content and mean iodine content of tap water, well or spring water and natural water sources were 4.30±2.43 μg/L (n=34), 23.59±27.74 μg/L (n=19) and 12.72±10.72 μg/L (n=22) respectively. This indicated that among environmental water sources, the ditch iodine content was the highest with river water iodine being the lowest (P<0.01). (3) Soil iodine value was 0.11~2.93 mg/kg (mean of 1.32 mg/kg). Though there was no statistical difference of soil iodine in different districts (P=0.131), soil iodine content correlated positively with water iodine content. Conclusion: Iodine concentration in salt accords with national policy of adding iodine in salt. Foreland has more iodine in water than mountain area. The data reflected that water and soil iodine in foreland area was not high, which suggests universal iodized salt should be necessary. Environment iodine has relatively close association with pollution. PMID:16358379

  16. Protic Salt Polymer Membranes: High-Temperature Water-Free Proton-Conducting Membranes

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

    Gervasio, Dominic Francis

    2010-09-30

    This research on proton-containing (protic) salts directly addresses proton conduction at high and low temperatures. This research is unique, because no water is used for proton ionization nor conduction, so the properties of water do not limit proton fuel cells. A protic salt is all that is needed to give rise to ionized proton and to support proton mobility. A protic salt forms when proton transfers from an acid to a base. Protic salts were found to have proton conductivities that are as high as or higher than the best aqueous electrolytes at ambient pressures and comparable temperatures without ormore » with water present. Proton conductivity of the protic salts occurs providing two conditions exist: i) the energy difference is about 0.8 eV between the protic-salt state versus the state in which the acid and base are separated and 2) the chemical constituents rotate freely. The physical state of these proton-conducting salts can be liquid, plastic crystal as well as solid organic and inorganic polymer membranes and their mixtures. Many acids and bases can be used to make a protic salt which allows tailoring of proton conductivity, as well as other properties that affect their use as electrolytes in fuel cells, such as, stability, adsorption on catalysts, environmental impact, etc. During this project, highly proton conducting (~ 0.1S/cm) protic salts were made that are stable under fuel-cell operating conditions and that gave highly efficient fuel cells. The high efficiency is attributed to an improved oxygen electroreduction process on Pt which was found to be virtually reversible in a number of liquid protic salts with low water activity (< 1% water). Solid flexible non-porous composite membranes, made from inorganic polymer (e.g., 10%indium 90%tin pyrophosphate, ITP) and organic polymer (e.g., polyvinyl pyridinium phosphate, PVPP), were found that give conductivity and fuel cell performances similar to phosphoric acid electrolyte with no need for hydration

  17. Effect of water phase salt content and storage temperature on Listeria monocytogenes survival in chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) roe and caviar (ikura).

    PubMed

    Shin, Joong-Han; Rasco, Barbara A

    2007-06-01

    Salmon caviar, or ikura, is a ready-to-eat food prepared by curing the salmon roe in a brine solution. Other seasonings or flavorants may be added, depending upon the characteristics of the product desired. Listeria monocytogenes growth is a potential risk, since it can grow at high salt concentrations (>10%) and in some products at temperatures as low as 3 degrees C. Ikura was prepared from chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) roe by adding food-grade NaCl to yield water phase salt contents (WPS) of 0.22% (no added salt), 2.39%+/- 0.18%, 3.50%+/- 0.19%, and 4.36%+/- 0.36%. A cocktail containing L. monocytogenes (ATCC 19114, 7644, 19113) was incorporated into the ikura at 2 inoculum levels (log 2.4 and 4.2 CFU/g), and stored at 3 or 7 degrees C for up to 30 d. L. monocytogenes was recovered by plating onto modified Oxford media. Aerobic microflora were analyzed on plate count agar. Samples were tested at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 d. L. monocytogenes did not grow in chum salmon ikura held at 3 degrees C during 30 d at any salt level tested; however, the addition of salt at these levels did little to inhibit Listeria growth at 7 degrees C and counts reached 5 to 6 logs CFU/g. Components in the salmon egg intracellular fluid appear to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes. Total aerobic microflora levels were slightly lower in products with higher salt contents. These results indicate that temperature control is critical for ikura and similar products, but that products with lower salt contents can be safe, as long as good refrigeration is maintained.

  18. Injection-salting of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

    PubMed

    Birkeland, Sveinung; Akse, Leif; Joensen, Sjurdur; Tobiassen, Torbjørn; Skåra, Torstein

    2007-01-01

    The effects of temperature (-1, 4, and 10 degrees C), brine concentration (12% and 25% NaCl), injection volumes, and needle densities were investigated on fillet weight gain (%), salt content (%), fillet contraction (%), and muscle gaping in pre rigor brine-injected fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Increased brine concentration (12% to 25%) significantly increased the initial (< 5 min after injection) and final contraction (24 h after injection) of pre rigor fillets. Increased brine concentration significantly reduced weight gain and increased salt content but had no significant effect on muscle gaping. The temperatures tested did not significantly affect weight gain, fillet contraction, or gaping score. Significant regressions (P < 0.01) between the injection volume and weight gain (range: 2.5% to 15.5%) and salt content (range: 1.7% to 6.5%) were observed for injections of pre rigor fillets. Double injections significantly increased the weight gain and salt content compared to single injections. Initial fillet contraction measured 30 min after brine injection increased significantly (P < 0.01) with increasing brine injection volume but no significant difference in the fillet contraction was observed 12 h after brine injection (range: 7.9% to 8.9%). Brine-injected post rigor control fillets obtained higher weight gain, higher salt content, more muscle gaping, and significantly lower fillet contraction compared to the pre rigor injected fillets. Injection-salting is an applicable technology as a means to obtain satisfactory salt contents and homogenously distribute the salt into the muscle of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon before further processing steps such as drying and smoking.

  19. Crystallization of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme from Sulfate Salts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Forsythe, Elizabeth; Pusey, Marc

    1998-01-01

    It has been "known" that chicken egg white lysozyme does not crystallize from sulfate, particularly ammonium sulfate, salts, but instead gives amorphous precipitates. This has been the basis of several studies using lysozyme comparing macromolecule crystal nucleation and amorphous precipitation. Recently Ries-Kautt et al (Acta Cryst D50, (1994) 366) have shown that purified isoionic CEWL could be crystallized from low concentrations of sulfate at basic pH, and we subsequently showed that in fact CEWL could be purified in both the tetragonal and orthorhombic forms using ammonium sulfate over the pH range 4.0 to 7.8 (Acta Cryst D53, (1997) 795). We have now extended these observations to include a range of common sulfate salts, specifically sodium, potassium, rubidium, magnesium, and manganese sulfates. In all cases but the manganese sulfates both the familiar tetragonal and orthorhombic forms were obtained, with unit cell dimensions close to those known for the "classic" sodium chloride crystallized forms. Manganese sulfate has only yielded orthorhombic crystals to date. All crystallizations were carried out using low (typically less than or equal to 6 M) salt and high (greater than approximately 90 mg/ml) protein concentrations. As with ammonium sulfate, the tetragonal - orthorhombic phase shift appears to be a function of both the temperature and the protein concentration, with higher temperatures and concentrations favoring the orthorhombic and lower the tetragonal form. The phase change range is somewhat reduced for the sulfate salts, depending upon conditions being typically between approximately 15 - 20 C. Both the magnesium and manganese sulfates gave crystals at salt concentrations over 0.6 M as well, with magnesium sulfate giving a very slowly nucleating and growing hexagonal form. A triclinic crystal form, characterized by aggressively small crystals (typically 0.1 mm in size) has been occasionally obtained from ammonium sulfate. Finally, preliminary spot

  20. High-temperature XAFS measurement of molten salt systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Y.; Akabori, M.; Motohashi, H.; Itoh, A.; Ogawa, T.

    2002-07-01

    A measurement system for high temperature XAFS was developed for investigating the local structure of hygroscopic molten salts like rare earth halides. A solid sample was enclosed in the upper tank of a quartz cell having a sandglass shape under reduced pressure to avoid oxygen and moisture. The measurement was carried out in an electric furnace capable of a highest temperature of 1273 K. After melting, the sample runs down through the melt path with 0.1 mm (or 0.2 mm) thickness to the lower tank. The measurable energy was limited to be above 10 keV due to the absorption of the quartz cell. We confirmed that the measurement of the expensive hygroscopic sample is possible with this system.

  1. Control of ice chromatographic retention mechanism by changing temperature and dopant concentration.

    PubMed

    Tasaki, Yuiko; Okada, Tetsuo

    2011-12-15

    A liquid phase coexists with solid water ice in a typical binary system, such as NaCl-water, in the temperature range between the freezing point and the eutectic point (t(eu)) of the system. In ice chromatography with salt-doped ice as the stationary phase, both solid and liquid phase can contribute to solute retention in different fashions; that is, the solid ice surface acts as an adsorbent, while a solute can be partitioned into the liquid phase. Thus, both adsorption and partition mechanisms can be utilized for ice chromatographic separation. An important feature in this approach is that the liquid phase volume can be varied by changing the temperature and the concentration of a salt incorporated into the ice stationary phase. Thus, we can control the relative contribution from the partition mechanism in the entire retention because the liquid phase volume can be estimated from the freezing depression curve. Separation selectivity can thereby be modified. The applicability of this concept has been confirmed for the solutes of different adsorption and partition abilities. The predicted retention based on thermodynamics basically agrees well with the corresponding experimental retention. However, one important inconsistency has been found. The calculation predicts a step-like discontinuity of the solute retention at t(eu) because the phase diagram suggests that the liquid phase abruptly appears at t(eu) when the temperature increases. In contrast, the corresponding experimental plots are continuous over the wider range including the subeutectic temperatures. This discrepancy is explained by the existence of the liquid phase below t(eu). A difference between predicted and measured retention factors allows the estimation of the volume of the subeutectic liquid phase.

  2. High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.

    1980-03-01

    Alkali and alkaline earth carbonate latent-heat storage salts, metallic containment materials, and thermal conductivity enhancement materials were investigated to satisfy the high temperature (704 to 871 C) thermal energy storage requirements of advanced solar-thermal power generation concepts are described. Properties of the following six salts selected for compatibility studies are given: three pure carbonates, K2CO3, Li2CO3 and Na2CO3; two eutectic mixtures, BaCO3/Na2CO3 and K2CO3/NaCO3, and one off-eutectic mixture of Na2CO3/K2CO3.

  3. High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.

    1980-01-01

    Alkali and alkaline earth carbonate latent-heat storage salts, metallic containment materials, and thermal conductivity enhancement materials were investigated to satisfy the high temperature (704 to 871 C) thermal energy storage requirements of advanced solar-thermal power generation concepts are described. Properties of the following six salts selected for compatibility studies are given: three pure carbonates, K2CO3, Li2CO3 and Na2CO3; two eutectic mixtures, BaCO3/Na2CO3 and K2CO3/NaCO3, and one off-eutectic mixture of Na2CO3/K2CO3.

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

    PubMed

    Stock, Philipp; Utzig, Thomas; Valtiner, Markus

    2015-05-15

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

  5. Hot-salt stress-corrosion of titanium alloys as related to turbine operation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gray, H. R.

    1972-01-01

    In an effort to simulate typical compressor operating conditions of current turbine engines, special test facilities were designed. Air velocity, air pressure, air dewpoint, salt deposition temperature, salt concentration, and specimen surface condition were systematically controlled and their influence on hot-salt stress-corrosion evaluated. The influence of both continuous and cyclic stress-temperature exposures was determined. The relative susceptibility of a variety of titanium alloys in commonly used heat-treated conditions was determined. The effects of both environmental and material variables were used to interpret the behavior of titanium alloys under hot-salt stress-corrosion conditions found in jet engines and to appraise their future potential under such conditions.

  6. Effect of Hydration State of Martian Perchlorate Salts on their Decomposition Temperatures during Thermal Extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Royle, S. H.; Montgomery, W.; Kounaves, S. P.; Sephton, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    A number of missions to Mars have analyzed the composition of surface samples using thermal extraction techniques. The temperatures of decomposition have been used as diagnostic information for the materials present. One material of great current interest is perchlorate, a relatively recently discovered component of Mars surface geochemistry that leads to deleterious effects on organic matter during thermal extraction. Knowledge of the thermal decomposition behavior of perchlorate salts is essential for mineral identification and possible avoidance of confounding interactions with organic matter. We have performed a series of stepped pyrolysis experiments on samples of magnesium perchlorate hydrate which were dehydrated to various extents - as confirmed by XRD and FTIR analysis. Our data reveal that the hydration state of magnesium perchlorate has a significant effect on decomposition temperature, with differing temperature releases of oxygen corresponding to different perchlorate hydration states. We find that the peak temperature of oxygen release increases from 500 to 600°C as the proportion of the tetrahydrate form in the sample increases and the hexahydrate form decreases. It was known previously that cation chemistry can affect the temperature of oxygen release and now our work shows that the hydration state of these salts can lead to similar variations. Consequently, incorrect identification of perchlorate species may occur if hydration state is not taken into account and a mixture of metastable hydration states (of one type of perchlorate) may be mistaken for a mixture of perchlorate salts. Our findings are important for Mars as the hydration state of salts in the regolith may change throughout the Martian year due to large variations in humidity and temperature.

  7. High temperature thermoelectric properties of rock-salt structure PbS

    DOE PAGES

    Parker, David S.; Singh, David J.

    2013-12-18

    We present an analysis of the high temperature transport properties of rock-salt structure PbS, a sister compound to the better studied lead chalcogenides PbSe and PbTe. In this study, we find thermopower magnitudes exceeding 200 V/K in a wide doping range for temperatures of 800 K and above. Based on these calculations, and an analysis of recent experimental work we find that this material has a potential for high thermoelectric performance. Also, we find favorable mechanical properties, based on an analysis of published data.

  8. Molten salt oxidation of organic hazardous waste with high salt content.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chengqian; Chi, Yong; Jin, Yuqi; Jiang, Xuguang; Buekens, Alfons; Zhang, Qi; Chen, Jian

    2018-02-01

    Organic hazardous waste often contains some salt, owing to the widespread use of alkali salts during industrial manufacturing processes. These salts cause complications during the treatment of this type of waste. Molten salt oxidation is a flameless, robust thermal process, with inherent capability of destroying the organic constituents of wastes, while retaining the inorganic ingredients in the molten salt. In the present study, molten salt oxidation is employed for treating a typical organic hazardous waste with a high content of alkali salts. The hazardous waste derives from the production of thiotriazinone. Molten salt oxidation experiments have been conducted using a lab-scale molten salt oxidation reactor, and the emissions of CO, NO, SO 2 , HCl and dioxins are studied. Impacts are investigated from the composition of the molten salts, the types of feeding tube, the temperature of molten carbonates and the air factor. Results show that the waste can be oxidised effectively in a molten salt bath. Temperature of molten carbonates plays the most important role. With the temperature rising from 600 °C to 750 °C, the oxidation efficiency increases from 91.1% to 98.3%. Compared with the temperature, air factor has but a minor effect, as well as the composition of the molten salts and the type of feeding tube. The molten carbonates retain chlorine with an efficiency higher than 99.9% and the emissions of dioxins are below 8 pg TEQ g -1 sample. The present study shows that molten salt oxidation is a promising alternative for the disposal of organic hazardous wastes containing a high salt content.

  9. Cation effect on small phosphonium based ionic liquid electrolytes with high concentrations of lithium salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Fangfang; Kerr, Robert; Forsyth, Maria

    2018-05-01

    Ionic liquid electrolytes with high alkali salt concentrations have displayed some excellent electrochemical properties, thus opening up the field for further improvements to liquid electrolytes for lithium or sodium batteries. Fundamental computational investigations into these high concentration systems are required in order to gain a better understanding of these systems, yet they remain lacking. Small phosphonium-based ionic liquids with high concentrations of alkali metal ions have recently shown many promising results in experimental studies, thereby prompting us to conduct further theoretical exploration of these materials. Here, we conducted a molecular dynamics simulation on four small phosphonium-based ionic liquids with 50 mol. % LiFSI salt, focusing on the effect of cation structure on local structuring and ion diffusional and rotational dynamics—which are closely related to the electrochemical properties of these materials.

  10. High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.; Tison, R. R.; Marianowski, L. G.

    1980-01-01

    The results of comparative screening studies of candidate molten carbonate salts as phase change materials (PCM) for advanced solar thermal energy storage applications at 540 to 870 C (1004 to 1600 F) and steam Rankine electric generation at 400 to 540 C (752 to 1004 F) are presented. Alkali carbonates are attractive as latent heat storage materials because of their relatively high storage capacity and thermal conductivity, low corrosivity, moderate cost, and safe and simple handling requirements. Salts were tested in 0.1 kWhr lab scale modules and evaluated on the basis of discharge heat flux, solidification temperature range, thermal cycling stability, and compatibility with containment materials. The feasibility of using a distributed network of high conductivity material to increase the heat flux through the layer of solidified salt was evaluated. The thermal performance of an 8 kWhr thermal energy storage (TES) module containing LiKCO3 remained very stable throughout 5650 hours and 130 charge/discharge cycles at 480 to 535 C (896 to 995 F). A TES utilization concept of an electrical generation peaking subsystem composed of a multistage condensing steam turbine and a TES subsystem with a separate power conversion loop was defined. Conceptual designs for a 100 MW sub e TES peaking system providing steam at 316 C, 427 C, and 454 C (600 F, 800 F, and 850 F) at 3.79 million Pa (550 psia) were developed and evaluated. Areas requiring further investigation have also been identified.

  11. Effect of salt and surfactant concentration on the structure of polyacrylate gel/surfactant complexes.

    PubMed

    Nilsson, Peter; Unga, Johan; Hansson, Per

    2007-09-20

    Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to elucidate the structure of crosslinked polyacrylate gel/dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide complexes equilibrated in solutions of varying concentrations of surfactant and sodium bromide (NaBr). Samples were swollen with no ordering (micelle free), or they were collapsed with either several distinct peaks (cubic Pm3n) or one broad correlation peak (disordered micellar). The main factor determining the structure of the collapsed complexes was found to be the NaBr concentration, with the cubic structure existing up to approximately 150 mM NaBr and above which only the disordered micellar structure was found. Increasing the salt concentration decreases the polyion mediated attractive forces holding the micelles together causing swelling of the gel. At sufficiently high salt concentration the micelle-micelle distance in the gel becomes too large for the cubic structure to be retained, and it melts into a disordered micellar structure. As most samples were above the critical micelle concentration, the bulk of the surfactant was in the form of micelles in the solution and the surfactant concentration thereby had only a minor influence on the structure. However, in the region around 150 mM NaBr, increasing the surfactant concentration, at constant NaBr concentration, was found to change the structure from disordered micellar to ordered cubic and back to disordered again.

  12. New molten salt systems for high-temperature molten salt batteries: LiF-LiCl-LiBr-based quaternary systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujiwara, Syozo; Inaba, Minoru; Tasaka, Akimasa

    To develop novel multi-component molten salt systems more effectively, we developed a simulative technique using the CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagram and Thermodynamics) method to estimate the ionic conductivity and the melting point. The validity of this new simulative technique was confirmed by comparing the simulated ionic conductivities and melting points of typical high-temperature molten salts, such as LiF-LiCl-LiBr, LiF-LiBr-KBr, LiCl-LiBr-KBr, and LiCl-LiBr-LiI, with those reported data in the literature or experimentally obtained. This simulative technique was used to develop new quaternary molten salt systems for use as electrolytes in high-temperature molten salt batteries (called thermal batteries). The targets of the ionic conductivity and the melting point were set at 2.0 S cm -1 and higher at 500 °C, and in the range of 350-430 °C, respectively, to replace the LiCl-KCl system (1.85 S cm -1 at 500 °C) within the conventional design of the heat generation system for thermal batteries. Using the simulative method, six kinds of novel quaternary systems, LiF-LiCl-LiBr-MX (M = Na and K; X = F, Cl, and Br), which contain neither environmentally instable anions such as iodides nor expensive cations such as Rb + and Cs +, were proposed. Experimental results showed that the LiF-LiCl-LiBr-0.10NaX (X = Cl and Br) and LiF-LiCl-LiBr-0.10KX (X = F, Cl, and Br) systems meet our targets of both the ionic conductivity and the melting point.

  13. Salt at concentrations relevant to meat processing enhances Shiga toxin 2 production in Escherichia coli O157:H7.

    PubMed

    Harris, Shaun M; Yue, Wan-Fu; Olsen, Sarena A; Hu, Jia; Means, Warrie J; McCormick, Richard J; Du, Min; Zhu, Mei-Jun

    2012-10-15

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 remains a major food safety concern associated with meat, especially beef products. Shiga toxins (Stx) are key virulence factors produced by E. coli O157:H7 that are responsible for hemorrhagic colitis and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Stx are heat stable and can be absorbed after oral ingestion. Despite the extensive study of E. coli O157:H7 survival during meat processing, little attention is paid to the production of Stx during meat processing. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of salt, an essential additive to processed meat, at concentrations relevant to meat processing (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, W/V) on Stx2 production and Stx2 prophage induction by E. coli O157:H7 strains. For both E. coli O157:H7 86-24 and EDL933 strains, including 2% salt in LB broth decreased (P<0.05) E. coli O157:H7 population, but increased (P<0.05) Stx2 production (as measured relative to Log(10)CFU) compared to that of the control (1% salt). Supplementing 3% salt decreased (P<0.05) both E. coli O157:H7 number and Stx2 production. Quantitative RT-PCR indicated that stx2 mRNA expression in culture media containing 2% salt was greatly increased (P<0.05) compared to other salt concentrations. Consistent with enhanced Stx2 production and stx2 expression, the 2% salt group had highest lambdoid phage titer and stx2 prophage induction among all salt treatments. RecA is a key mediator of bacterial response to stress, which mediates prophage activation. Quantitative RT-PCR further indicated that recA mRNA expression was higher in both 2% and 3% salt than that of 0% and 1% salt treatments, indicating that stress was involved in enhanced Stx2 production. In conclusion, salt at the concentration used for meat processing enhances Stx production, a process linked to bacterial stress response and lambdoid prophage induction. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Computational Analysis of Nanoparticles-Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrated Solar Power Systems

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

    Kumar, Vinod

    2017-05-05

    High fidelity computational models of thermocline-based thermal energy storage (TES) were developed. The research goal was to advance the understanding of a single tank nanofludized molten salt based thermocline TES system under various concentration and sizes of the particles suspension. Our objectives were to utilize sensible-heat that operates with least irreversibility by using nanoscale physics. This was achieved by performing computational analysis of several storage designs, analyzing storage efficiency and estimating cost effectiveness for the TES systems under a concentrating solar power (CSP) scheme using molten salt as the storage medium. Since TES is one of the most costly butmore » important components of a CSP plant, an efficient TES system has potential to make the electricity generated from solar technologies cost competitive with conventional sources of electricity.« less

  15. Ultrasonic oil recovery and salt removal from refinery tank bottom sludge.

    PubMed

    Hu, Guangji; Li, Jianbing; Thring, Ronald W; Arocena, Joselito

    2014-01-01

    The oil recovery and salt removal effects of ultrasonic irradiation on oil refinery tank bottom sludge were investigated, together with those of direct heating. Ultrasonic power, treatment duration, sludge-to-water ratio, and initial sludge-water slurry temperature were examined for their impacts on sludge treatment. It was found that the increased initial slurry temperature could enhance the ultrasonic irradiation performance, especially at lower ultrasonic power level (i.e., 21 W), but the application of higher-power ultrasound could rapidly increase the bulk temperature of slurry. Ultrasonic irradiation had a better oil recovery and salt removal performance than direct heating treatment. More than 60% of PHCs in the sludge was recovered at an ultrasonic power of 75 W, a treatment duration of 6 min, an initial slurry temperature of 25°C, and a sludge-to-water ratio of 1:4, while salt content in the recovered oil was reduced to <5 mg L(-1), thereby satisfying the salt requirement in refinery feedstock oil. In general, ultrasonic irradiation could be an effective method in terms of oil recovery and salt removal from refinery oily sludge, but the separated wastewater still contains relatively high concentrations of PHCs and salt which requires proper treatment.

  16. High salt intake increases plasma trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) concentration and produces gut dysbiosis in rats.

    PubMed

    Bielinska, Klaudia; Radkowski, Marek; Grochowska, Marta; Perlejewski, Karol; Huc, Tomasz; Jaworska, Kinga; Motooka, Daisuke; Nakamura, Shota; Ufnal, Marcin

    2018-03-22

    A high-salt diet is considered a cardiovascular risk factor; however, the mechanisms are not clear. Research suggests that gut bacteria-derived metabolites such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) are markers of cardiovascular diseases. We evaluated the effect of high salt intake on gut bacteria and their metabolites plasma level. Sprague Dawley rats ages 12-14 wk were maintained on either water (controls) or 0.9% or 2% sodium chloride (NaCl) water solution (isotonic and hypertonic groups, respectively) for 2 wk. Blood plasma, urine, and stool samples were analyzed for concentrations of trimethylamine (TMA; a TMAO precursor), TMAO, and indoxyl sulfate (indole metabolite). The gut-blood barrier permeability to TMA and TMA liver clearance were assessed at baseline and after TMA intracolonic challenge test. Gut bacterial flora was analyzed with a 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequence analysis. The isotonic and hypertonic groups showed a significantly higher plasma TMAO and significantly lower 24-hr TMAO urine excretion than the controls. However, the TMA stool level was similar between the groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in gut-blood barrier permeability and TMA liver clearance. Plasma indoxyl concentration and 24-hr urine indoxyl excretion were similar between the groups. There was a significant difference between the groups in gut bacteria composition. High salt intake increases plasma TMAO concentration, which is associated with decreased TMAO urine excretion. Furthermore, high salt intake alters gut bacteria composition. These findings suggest that salt intake affects an interplay between gut bacteria and their host homeostasis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Molten salt based nanofluids based on solar salt and alumina nanoparticles: An industrial approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muñoz-Sánchez, Belén; Nieto-Maestre, Javier; Guerreiro, Luis; Julia, José Enrique; Collares-Pereira, Manuel; García-Romero, Ana

    2017-06-01

    Thermal Energy Storage (TES) and its associated dispatchability is extremely important in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants since it represents the main advantage of CSP technology in relation to other renewable energy sources like photovoltaic (PV). Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 600°C. Their main problems are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve the thermal properties of molten salts is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. Additionally, the use of molten salt based nanofluids as TES materials and Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) has been attracting great interest in recent years. The addition of tiny amounts of nanoparticles to the base salt can improve its specific heat as shown by different authors1-3. The application of these nano-enhanced materials can lead to important savings on the investment costs in new TES systems for CSP plants. However, there is still a long way to go in order to achieve a commercial product. In this sense, the improvement of the stability of the nanofluids is a key factor. The stability of nanofluids will depend on the nature and size of the nanoparticles, the base salt and the interactions between them. In this work, Solar Salt (SS) commonly used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3 wt.) was doped with alumina nanoparticles (ANPs) at a solid mass concentration of 1% wt. at laboratory scale. The tendency of nanoparticles to agglomeration and sedimentation is tested in the molten state by analyzing their size and concentration through the time. The specific heat of the nanofluid at 396 °C (molten state) is measured at different times (30 min, 1 h, 5 h). Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of agglomeration. A good understanding of the interactions between the nanoparticle surface and the ionic media would provide

  18. Diclofenac salts. III. Alkaline and earth alkaline salts.

    PubMed

    Fini, Adamo; Fazio, Giuseppe; Rosetti, Francesca; Angeles Holgado, M; Iruín, Ana; Alvarez-Fuentes, Josefa

    2005-11-01

    Diclofenac salts containing the alkaline and two earth alkaline cations have been prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDAX spectroscopy; and by thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA): all of them crystallize as hydrate when precipitated from water. The salts dehydrate at room temperature and more easily on heating, but recovery the hydration, when placed in a humid environment. X-ray diffraction spectra suggest that on dehydration new peaks appear on diffractograms and the lattice of the salts partially looses crystallinity. This phenomenon is readily visible in the case of the calcium and magnesium salts, whose thermograms display a crystallization exotherm, before melting or decomposing at temperatures near or above 200 degrees C; these last salts appear to form solvates, when prepared from methanol. The thermogram of each salt shows a complex endotherm of dehydration about 100 degrees C; the calcium salt displays two endotherms, well separated at about 120 and 160 degrees C, which disappear after prolonged heating. Decomposition exotherms, before or soon after the melting, appear below 300 degrees C. The ammonium salt is thermally unstable and, when heated to start dehydration, dissociates and leaves acidic diclofenac.

  19. Effects of nanoparticle heating on the structure of a concentrated aqueous salt solution.

    PubMed

    Sindt, Julien O; Alexander, Andrew J; Camp, Philip J

    2017-12-07

    The effects of a rapidly heated nanoparticle on the structure of a concentrated aqueous salt solution are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. A diamond-like nanoparticle of radius 20 Å is immersed in a sodium-chloride solution at 20% above the experimental saturation concentration and equilibrated at T = 293 K and P = 1 atm. The nanoparticle is then rapidly heated to several thousand degrees Kelvin, and the system is held under isobaric-isoenthalpic conditions. It is observed that after 2-3 ns, the salt ions are depleted far more than water molecules from a proximal zone 15-25 Å from the nanoparticle surface. This leads to a transient reduction in molality in the proximal zone and an increase in ion clustering in the distal zone. At longer times, ions begin to diffuse back into the proximal zone. It is speculated that the formation of proximal and distal zones, and the increase in ion clustering, plays a role in the mechanism of nonphotochemical laser-induced nucleation.

  20. Effects of nanoparticle heating on the structure of a concentrated aqueous salt solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sindt, Julien O.; Alexander, Andrew J.; Camp, Philip J.

    2017-12-01

    The effects of a rapidly heated nanoparticle on the structure of a concentrated aqueous salt solution are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. A diamond-like nanoparticle of radius 20 Å is immersed in a sodium-chloride solution at 20% above the experimental saturation concentration and equilibrated at T = 293 K and P = 1 atm. The nanoparticle is then rapidly heated to several thousand degrees Kelvin, and the system is held under isobaric-isoenthalpic conditions. It is observed that after 2-3 ns, the salt ions are depleted far more than water molecules from a proximal zone 15-25 Å from the nanoparticle surface. This leads to a transient reduction in molality in the proximal zone and an increase in ion clustering in the distal zone. At longer times, ions begin to diffuse back into the proximal zone. It is speculated that the formation of proximal and distal zones, and the increase in ion clustering, plays a role in the mechanism of nonphotochemical laser-induced nucleation.

  1. Communication—Quantitative Voltammetric Analysis of High Concentration Actinides in Molten Salts

    DOE PAGES

    Hoyt, Nathaniel C.; Willit, James L.; Williamson, Mark A.

    2017-01-18

    Previous electroanalytical studies have shown that cyclic voltammetry can provide accurate quantitative measurements of actinide concentrations at low weight loadings in molten salts. However, above 2 wt%, the techniques were found to underpredict the concentrations of the reactant species. Here this work will demonstrate that much of the discrepancy is caused by uncompensated resistance and cylindrical diffusion. An improved electroanalytical approach has therefore been developed using the results of digital simulations to take these effects into account. This approach allows for accurate electroanalytical predictions across the full range of weight loadings expected to be encountered in operational nuclear fuel processingmore » equipment.« less

  2. Communication—Quantitative Voltammetric Analysis of High Concentration Actinides in Molten Salts

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

    Hoyt, Nathaniel C.; Willit, James L.; Williamson, Mark A.

    Previous electroanalytical studies have shown that cyclic voltammetry can provide accurate quantitative measurements of actinide concentrations at low weight loadings in molten salts. However, above 2 wt%, the techniques were found to underpredict the concentrations of the reactant species. Here this work will demonstrate that much of the discrepancy is caused by uncompensated resistance and cylindrical diffusion. An improved electroanalytical approach has therefore been developed using the results of digital simulations to take these effects into account. This approach allows for accurate electroanalytical predictions across the full range of weight loadings expected to be encountered in operational nuclear fuel processingmore » equipment.« less

  3. Numerical study of cold filling and tube deformation in the molten salt receiver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Tingting; Zhang, Gongchen; Peniguel, Christophe; Liao, Zhirong; Li, Xin; Lu, Jiahui; Wang, Zhifeng

    2017-06-01

    Molten salt tube cold filling is one way to accelerate the startup of molten salt Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant. This practical operation may induce salt solidification and large thermal stress due to tube's large temperature difference. This paper presents the cold filling study and the induced thermal stress quantitatively through simulation approaches. Physical mechanisms and safe working criteria are identified under certain conditions.

  4. Protein renaturation by the liquid organic salt ethylammonium nitrate.

    PubMed Central

    Summers, C. A.; Flowers, R. A.

    2000-01-01

    The room-temperature liquid salt, ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), has been used to enhance the recovery of denatured-reduced hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). Our results show that EAN has the ability to prevent aggregation of the denatured protein. The use of EAN as a refolding additive is advantageous because the renaturation is a one-step process. When HEWL was denatured reduced using routine procedures and renatured using EAN as an additive, HEWL was found to regain 75% of its activity. When HEWL was denatured and reduced in neat EAN, dilution resulted in over 90% recovery of active protein. An important aspect of this process is that renaturation of HEWL occurs at concentrations of 1.6 mg/mL, whereas other renaturation processes occur at significantly lower protein concentrations. Additionally, the refolded-active protein can be separated from the molten salt by simple desalting methods. Although the use of a low-temperature molten salt in protein renaturation is unconventional, the power of this approach lies in its simplicity and utility. PMID:11106174

  5. Fermentation and microflora of plaa-som, a thai fermented fish product prepared with different salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Paludan-Müller, Christine; Madsen, Mette; Sophanodora, Pairat; Gram, Lone; Møller, Peter Lange

    2002-02-25

    Plaa-som is a Thai fermented fish product prepared from snakehead fish, salt, palm syrup and sometimes roasted rice. We studied the effects of different salt concentrations on decrease in pH and on microflora composition during fermentation. Two low-salt batches were prepared, containing 6% and 7% salt (w/w) as well as two high-salt batches, containing 9% and 11% salt. pH decreased rapidly from 6 to 4.5 in low-salt batches, whereas in high-salt batches, a slow or no decrease in pH was found. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts were isolated as the dominant microorganisms during fermentation. LAB counts increased to 10(8)-10(9) cfu g(-1) and yeast counts to 10(7)-5 x 10(7) cfu g(-1) in all batches, except in the 11% salt batch, where counts were 1-2 log lower. Phenotypic tests, ITS-PCR, carbohydrate fermentations and 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified LAB isolates as Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus alimentarius/farciminis, Weisella confusa, L. plantarum and Lactococcus garviae. The latter species was only isolated from high-salt batches. Phenotypic characteristics, ITS-PCR and carbohydrate assimilation identified 95% of the yeasts as Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. It is concluded that the fermentation of plaa-som is delayed by a salt-level of 9% due to an inhibition of LAB growth. The growth of Z. rouxii has no influence on the fermentation rate, but may contribute positively to the flavour development of the product.

  6. Modeling viscosity and conductivity of lithium salts in γ-butyrolactone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chagnes, A.; Carré, B.; Willmann, P.; Lemordant, D.

    Viscosity and conductivity properties of Li-salts (lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF 4), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6), lithium hexafluoroarsenate (LiAsF 6), lithium bis-(trifluoromethylsulfone)-imide (LiTFSI)) dissolved in γ-butyrolactone (BL) have been investigated. The B- and D-coefficients of the Jones-Dole (JD) equation for the relative viscosity of concentrated electrolyte solutions (concentration: C=0.1-1.5 M): ηr=1+ AC1/2+ BC+ DC2, have been determined as a function of the temperature. The B-coefficient is linked to the hydrodynamic volume of the solute and remains constant within the temperature range investigated (25-55 °C). The D-coefficient, which originates mainly from long-range coulombic ion-ion interactions, is a reciprocal function of the temperature. The variations of the molar conductivity ( Λ) with C follow the cube root law Λ= Λ0'- S' C1/3 issued from quasi-lattice theory of electrolyte solutions. From the Walden product W= Λη which does not vary with C and the JD equation, the bell shape of the conductivity-concentration relationship is explained and it is shown that the concentration in salt at the maximum of conductivity is linked to the D-coefficient. Raman spectroscopy has been used as an additional tool to investigate ion pairing in BL. Ions pairs have been evidenced for LiClO 4 solutions in BL but not for LiPF 6. As little variations occur for the ions pairs dissociation coefficient when the salt concentration is increased, the cube root law remains valid, at least in the concentration range investigated.

  7. Preservation of bovine hide using less salt with low concentration of antiseptic, part I: effectiveness of developed formulations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bovine raw hides are commercially cured either with high salt concentration of about half the weight of actual hide or 95% saturated brine solution. This conventional technique is very popular due to the availability of common salt (sodium chloride) and its cost effective procedure but it generates ...

  8. The temperature of intracellular ice formation in mouse oocytes vs. the unfrozen fraction at that temperature.

    PubMed

    Mazur, Peter; Pinn, Irina L; Kleinhans, F W

    2007-04-01

    We have previously reported [Cryobiology 51 (2005) 29-53] that intracellular ice formation (IIF) in mouse oocytes suspended in various concentrations of glycerol and ethylene glycol (EG) occurs at temperatures where the percentage of unfrozen water is about 6% and 12%, respectively, even though the IIF temperatures varied from -14 to -41 degrees C. However, because of the way the solutions were prepared, the concentrations of salt and glycerol or EG in that unfrozen fraction at IIF were also rather tightly grouped. The experiments reported in the present paper were designed to separate the effects of the unfrozen fraction at IIF from that of the solute concentration in the unfrozen fraction. This separation makes use of two facts. One is that the concentration of solutes in the residual liquid at a given subzero temperature is fixed regardless of their concentration in the initial unfrozen solution. However, second, the fraction unfrozen at a given temperature is dependent on the initial solute concentration. Experimentally, oocytes were suspended in solutions of glycerol/buffered saline and EG/buffered saline of varying total solute concentration with the restriction that the mass ratios of glycerol and EG to salts are held constant. The oocytes were then cooled rapidly enough (20 degrees C/min) to avoid significant osmotic shrinkage, and the temperature at which IIF occurred was noted. When this is done, we find, as previously that the fraction of water remaining unfrozen at the temperature of IIF remains nearly constant at 5-8% for both glycerol and EG even though the IIF temperatures vary from -14 to -50 degrees C. But unlike the previous results, the salt and CPA concentrations in the unfrozen fraction vary by a factor of three. The present procedure for preparing the solutions produces a potentially complicating factor; namely, the cell volumes vary substantially prior to freezing: substantially greater than isotonic in some solutions; substantially smaller

  9. Core Design Characteristics of the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High Temperature Demonstration Reactor

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

    Brown, Nicholas R; Qualls, A L; Betzler, Benjamin R

    2016-01-01

    Fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactors (FHRs) are a promising reactor technology option with significant knowledge gaps to implementation. One potential approach to address those technology gaps is via a small-scale demonstration reactor with the goal of increasing the technology readiness level (TRL) of the overall system for the longer term. The objective of this paper is to outline a notional concept for such a system, and to address how the proposed concept would advance the TRL of FHR concepts. Development of the proposed FHR Demonstration Reactor (DR) will enable commercial FHR deployment through disruptive and rapid technology development and demonstration.more » The FHR DR will close remaining gaps to commercial viability. Lower risk technologies are included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. Important capabilities that will be demonstrated by building and operating the FHR DR include core design methodologies; fabrication and operation of high temperature reactors; salt procurement, handling, maintenance, and ultimate disposal; salt chemistry control to maximize vessel life; tritium management; heat exchanger performance; pump performance; and reactivity control. The FHR DR is considered part of a broader set of FHR technology development and demonstration efforts, some of which are already underway. Nonreactor test efforts (e.g., heated salt loops or loops using simulant fluids) can demonstrate many technologies necessary for commercial deployment of FHRs. The FHR DR, however, fulfills a crucial role in FHR technology development by advancing the technical maturity and readiness level of the system as a whole.« less

  10. Effect of salt types and concentrations on the high-pressure inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in ground chicken.

    PubMed

    Balamurugan, S; Ahmed, Rafath; Chibeu, Andrew; Gao, Anli; Koutchma, Tatiana; Strange, Phil

    2016-02-02

    National and international health agencies have recommended a significant reduction in daily intake of sodium by reducing the amount of NaCl in foods, specifically processed meats. However, sodium reduction could increase the risk of survival and growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms on these products. Therefore, alternate processing technologies to improve safety of sodium reduced foods are necessary. This study examined the effects of three different salt types and concentrations on high-pressure inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in pre-blended ground chicken formulations. Ground chicken formulated with three salt types (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2), at three concentrations (0, 1.5, 2.5%) and inoculated with a four strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (10(8) CFU g(-1)) were subjected to four pressure treatments (0, 100, 300, 600 MPa) and two durations (60, 180 s) in an experiment with factorial design. Surviving cells were enumerated by plating on Oxford agar and analysed by factorial ANOVA. Pressure treatments at 100 or 300 MPa did not significantly (P=0.19-050) reduce L. monocytogenes populations. Neither salt type nor concentration had a significant effect on L. monocytogenes populations at these pressure levels. At 600 MPa, salt types, concentrations and duration of pressure treatment all had a significant effect on L. monocytogenes populations. Formulations with increasing concentrations of NaCl or KCl showed significantly lower reduction in L. monocytogenes, while increase in CaCl2 concentration resulted in a significantly higher L. monocytogenes reduction. For instance, increase in NaCl concentration from 0 to 1.5 or 2.5% resulted in a log reduction of 6.16, 2.49 and 1.29, respectively, when exposed to 600 MPa for 60s. In the case of CaCl2, increase from 0 to 1.5 or 2.5% resulted in a log reduction of 6.16, 7.28 and 7.47, respectively. These results demonstrate that high-pressure processing is a viable process to improve microbial safety of sodium

  11. Post-production losses in iodine concentration of salt hamper the control of iodine deficiency disorders: a case study in northern Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Shawel, Dawit; Hagos, Seifu; Lachat, Carl K; Kimanya, Martin E; Kolsteren, Patrick

    2010-06-01

    Iodine is essential for good function of the thyroid, and its deficiency is of public-health importance in Ethiopia. Iodization of salt is an effective and sustainable strategy to prevent and control iodine deficiency in large populations. The effectiveness of salt-iodization programmes depends on the conservation of iodine concentration in salt at various stages of the supply-chain. The overall objective of the study was to assess the loss of iodine in salt from production to consumption and to estimate the proportion of adults, especially pregnant women, at risk of dietary iodine insufficiency. A cross-sectional study was conducted during February-April 2007 in northern Ethiopia. Iodine concentrations of salt samples from producers (n=41), retailers (n=7), and consumers (n=32) were determined using iodiometric titration. A risk assessment was conducted for dietary iodine insufficiency among adults, including pregnant women, using a semi-probabilistic approach. The concentration of iodine in the sampled salts decreased by 57% from the production site to the consumers. The assessment of exposure showed that adults in 63% (n=20) of the households, including 90% (n=29) with pregnant women, were at risk of insufficient iodine intake. A monitoring and evaluation system needs to be established to ensure adequate supply of iodine along the distribution chain. Special attention is needed for the retailers and consumers. At these levels, dissemination of information regarding proper storage and handling of iodized salt is necessary to address the reported loss of iodine from salt.

  12. Preconceptual design of a fluoride high temperature salt-cooled engineering demonstration reactor: Motivation and overview

    DOE PAGES

    Qualls, A. Louis; Betzler, Benjamin R.; Brown, Nicholas R.; ...

    2016-12-21

    Engineering demonstration reactors are nuclear reactors built to establish proof of concept for technology options that have never been built. Examples of engineering demonstration reactors include Peach Bottom 1 for high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) and Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) for sodium-cooled fast reactors. Historically, engineering demonstrations have played a vital role in advancing the technology readiness level of reactor technologies. Our paper details a preconceptual design for a fluoride salt-cooled engineering demonstration reactor. The fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) demonstration reactor (DR) is a concept for a salt-cooled reactor with 100 megawatts of thermal output (MWt). It would usemore » tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel within prismatic graphite blocks. FLiBe (2 7LiF-BeF2) is the reference primary coolant. The FHR DR is designed to be small, simple, and affordable. Development of the FHR DR is a necessary intermediate step to enable near-term commercial FHRs. The design philosophy of the FHR DR was focused on safety, near-term deployment, and flexibility. Lower risk technologies are purposely included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated as an engineering demonstration with minimal risk and cost. These technologies include TRISO particle fuel, replaceable core structures, and consistent structural material selection for core structures and the primary and intermediate loops, and tube-and-shell primary-to-intermediate heat exchangers. Important capabilities to be demonstrated by building and operating the FHR DR include fabrication and operation of high temperature reactors; heat exchanger performance (including passive decay heat removal); pump performance; and reactivity control; salt chemistry control to maximize vessel life; tritium management; core design methodologies; salt procurement, handling, maintenance and ultimate

  13. Preconceptual design of a fluoride high temperature salt-cooled engineering demonstration reactor: Motivation and overview

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

    Qualls, A. Louis; Betzler, Benjamin R.; Brown, Nicholas R.

    Engineering demonstration reactors are nuclear reactors built to establish proof of concept for technology options that have never been built. Examples of engineering demonstration reactors include Peach Bottom 1 for high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) and Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) for sodium-cooled fast reactors. Historically, engineering demonstrations have played a vital role in advancing the technology readiness level of reactor technologies. Our paper details a preconceptual design for a fluoride salt-cooled engineering demonstration reactor. The fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) demonstration reactor (DR) is a concept for a salt-cooled reactor with 100 megawatts of thermal output (MWt). It would usemore » tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel within prismatic graphite blocks. FLiBe (2 7LiF-BeF2) is the reference primary coolant. The FHR DR is designed to be small, simple, and affordable. Development of the FHR DR is a necessary intermediate step to enable near-term commercial FHRs. The design philosophy of the FHR DR was focused on safety, near-term deployment, and flexibility. Lower risk technologies are purposely included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated as an engineering demonstration with minimal risk and cost. These technologies include TRISO particle fuel, replaceable core structures, and consistent structural material selection for core structures and the primary and intermediate loops, and tube-and-shell primary-to-intermediate heat exchangers. Important capabilities to be demonstrated by building and operating the FHR DR include fabrication and operation of high temperature reactors; heat exchanger performance (including passive decay heat removal); pump performance; and reactivity control; salt chemistry control to maximize vessel life; tritium management; core design methodologies; salt procurement, handling, maintenance and ultimate

  14. Study on corrosion of metal materials in nitrate molten salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhai, Wei; Yang, Bo; Li, Maodong; Li, Shiping; Xin, Mingliang; Zhang, Shuanghong; Huang, Guojia

    2017-01-01

    High temperature molten salts as a heat transfer heat storage medium has been more widely used in the field of concentrated solar thermal power generation. In the thermal heat storage system, metal material stability and performance at high temperatures are of one major limitation in increasing this operating temperature. In this paper, study on corrosion of 321H, 304, 316L, P91 metal materials in modified solar two molten salts. The corrosion kinetics of 304, 316L, 321H, P91 metal material in the modified solar two molten salts at 450°C, 500°C is also investigated. Under the same condition it was found that 304, 321H corroded at a rate of 40% less than P91. Spallation of corrosion products was observed on P91 steel, while no obvious observed on other kinds of stainless steel. Corrosion rates of 304, 321H, and 316L slowly increased with temperature. Oxidation mechanisms little varied with temperature. Corrosion products of metal materials observed at 450°C, 500°C were primarily Fe oxide and Fe, Cr oxide.

  15. Food-grade submicrometer particles from salts prepared using ethanol-in-oil mixtures.

    PubMed

    Paques, Jerome P; van der Linden, Erik; Sagis, Leonard M C; van Rijn, Cees J M

    2012-08-29

    A simple method for preparing food-grade particles in the submicrometer range of ethanol soluble salts using ethanol-in-oil (E/O) mixtures is described. Salts CaCl2·2H2O and MgCl2·6H2O were dissolved in ethanol that subsequently was mixed with a medium-chain triglyceride oil phase. It was found that type and concentration of salt have a significant influence on the miscibility of ethanol and oil phase and on the stability of E/O mixtures. The ethanol phase was evaporated from the mixture at elevated temperatures, and salt particles with dimensions in the submicrometer range (6-400 nm) remained suspended in the oil phase. It was found that the concentration of salt and volume fraction of ethanol in MCT oil have a significant influence on the size distribution of salt particles. The size of CaCl2 and MgCl2 submicrometer particles was ascertained by scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering.

  16. Effect of Osmotic Shock and Low Salt Concentration on Survival and Density of Bacteriophages T4B and T4Bo1

    PubMed Central

    Leibo, Stanley P.; Mazur, Peter

    1966-01-01

    Measurements of survival and buoyant densities of bacteriophages T4B, T4Bo1, and T4D have demonstrated the following: (a) After suspension in a concentrated salt solution, T4B and T4D are sensitive both to osmotic shock and to subsequent exposure to low monovalent salt concentrations. (b) Sensitivity of T4B to dilution from a concentrated salt solution is dependent on dilution rate, that of T4D is less dependent, and that of T4Bo1 is independent. (c) Sensitivity of all three phages to low salt concentrations depends on initial salt concentrations to a variable extent. (d) Density gradient profiles indicate that nearly half of osmotically shocked T4B retain their DNA. Similar analysis demonstrates that few, if any, T4Bo1 lose DNA when subjected to a treatment causing 90% loss of infectivity. (e) The effective buoyant densities of T4B and T4Bo1 depend significantly on the dilution treatments to which the phages are subjected prior to centrifugation in CsCl gradients. These data are explicable in terms of the different relative permeabilities of the phages to water and solutes, and of alterations in the counterion distribution surrounding the DNA within the phage heads. PMID:5972376

  17. The effect of addition of primary positive salts, complex salt, on the ionic strength and rate constant at various temperatures by reaction kinetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurade, S. S.; Ramteke, A. A.

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we have investigated the rate of reaction by using ionic strength at different temperatures. The main goal of this experiment is to determine the relation between ionic strength with reaction rate, reaction time and rate constant with temperature. It is observed that the addition of positive salt indicate the increasing ionic strength with increase in run time at various temperatures. Thus the temperature affects the speed of reaction and mechanism by which chemical reaction occurs and time variable plays vital role in the progress of reaction at different temperatures.

  18. Development of media for dynamic latent heat storage for the low-temperature range. Part 1: Thermal analyses of selected salt hydrate systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kanwischer, H.; Tamme, R.

    1985-01-01

    Phase change temperatures and phase change enthalpies of seventeen salt hydrates, three double salts, and four eutectics were measured thermodynamically and the results reported herein. Good results were obtained, especially for congruently melting salt hydrates. Incongruently melting salt hydrates appear less suitable for heat storage applications. The influence of the second phase - water, acid and hydroxide - to the latent heat is described. From these results, basic values of the working temperatures and storage capabilities of various storage media compositions may be derived.

  19. The Temperature of Intracellular Ice Formation in Mouse Oocytes vs. the Unfrozen Fraction at that Temperature

    PubMed Central

    Mazur, Peter; Pinn, Irina L.; Kleinhans, F.W.

    2009-01-01

    We have previously reported [11] that intracellular ice formation (IIF) in mouse oocytes suspended in various concentrations of glycerol and ethylene glycol (EG) occurs at temperatures where the percentage of unfrozen water is about 6% and 12% respectively even though the IIF temperatures varied from −14° to −41°C. However, because of the way the solutions were prepared, the concentrations of salt and glycerol or EG in that unfrozen fraction at IIF were also rather tightly grouped. The experiments reported in the present paper were designed to separate the effects of the unfrozen fraction at IIF from that of the solute concentration in the unfrozen fraction. This separation makes use of two facts. One is that the concentration of solutes in the residual liquid at a given subzero temperature is fixed regardless of their concentration in the initial unfrozen solution. However, second, the fraction unfrozen at a given temperature is dependent on the initial solute concentration. Experimentally, oocytes were suspended in solutions of glycerol/buffered saline and EG/buffered saline of varying total solute concentration with the restriction that the mass ratio of glycerol and EG to salts are held constant. The oocytes were then cooled rapidly enough (20°C/min) to avoid significant osmotic shrinkage, and the temperature at which IIF occurred as noted. When this is done, we find, as previously that the fraction of water remaining unfrozen at the temperature of IIF remains nearly constant at 5 to 8% for both glycerol and EG even though the IIF temperatures vary from −14°C to −50°C. But unlike the previous results, the salt and CPA concentrations in the unfrozen fraction vary by a factor of three. The present procedure for preparing the solutions produces a potentially complicating factor; namely, the cell volumes vary substantially prior to freezing: Substantially greater than isotonic in some solution; substantially smaller in others. However, the data in toto

  20. Stability of an aluminum salt-adjuvanted protein D-conjugated pneumococcal vaccine after exposure to subzero temperatures

    PubMed Central

    Fortpied, Juliette; Wauters, Florence; Rochart, Christelle; Hermand, Philippe; Hoet, Bernard; Moniotte, Nicolas; Vojtek, Ivo

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Accidental exposure of a vaccine containing an aluminum-salt adjuvant to temperatures below 0°C in the cold chain can lead to freeze damage. Our study evaluated the potential for freeze damage in a licensed aluminum-salt-containing protein-D-conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PHiD-CV; Synflorix, GSK) in conditions that included static storage, single subzero-temperature excursions, and simulated air-freight transportation. Several parameters were assessed including freezing at subzero temperatures, aluminum-salt-particle size, antigen integrity and immunogenicity in the mouse. The suitability of the WHO's shake test for identifying freeze-damaged vaccines was also assessed. During subzero-temperature excursions, the mean temperatures at which PHiD-CV froze (−16.7°C to −18.1°C) appeared unaffected by the type of vaccine container (two-dose or four-dose vial, or single-dose syringe), vaccine batch, rotational agitation, or the rate of temperature decline (−0.5 to −10°C/hour). At constant subzero temperature and in simulated air-freight transportation, the freezing of PHiD-CV appeared to be promoted by vibration. At −5°C, no PHiD-CV sample froze in static storage (>1 month), whereas when subjected to vibration, a minority of samples froze (7/21, 33%) within 18 hours. At −8°C with vibration, nearly all (5/6, 83%) samples froze. In these vibration regimes, the shake test identified most samples that froze (10/12, 93%) except two in the −5°C regime. Nevertheless, PHiD-CV-antigen integrity appeared unaffected by freezing up to −20°C or by vibration. And although aluminum-salt-particle size was increased only by freezing at −20°C, PHiD-CV immunogenicity appeared only marginally affected by freezing at −20°C. Therefore, our study supports the use of the shake test to exclude freeze-damaged PHiD-CV in the field. PMID:29337646

  1. Effect of guar gum and salt concentrations on drag reduction and shear degradation properties of turbulent flow of water in a pipe.

    PubMed

    Sokhal, Kamaljit Singh; Gangacharyulu, Dasaroju; Bulasara, Vijaya Kumar

    2018-02-01

    Concentrated solutions of guar gum in water (1000-3000ppm) with and without KCl salt (1000-4000ppm) were injected near the wall for a short period (2.5min) to investigate their effect on drag reduction in turbulent flow of water through a pipe (Re≈17000-45000). Relative to bulk solution, the concentrations of polymer and salt were 50-150ppm and 50-200ppm, respectively. A drag reduction of 71.45% was observed for 3000ppm of biopolymer without salt. Guar gum experienced mechanical degradation under high shear conditions and addition of KCl improved shear stability up to 47% (for Re≈45000). A polymer concentration of 3000ppm and salt concentration of 2000ppm in the injection fluid were found to be optimum for achieving the highest drag reduction with better shear stability. Results indicated that boundary layer injection shows better drag reduction ability than pre-mixed solutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. In Situ Production of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in a Binary Molten Salt for Concentrated Solar Power Plant Applications.

    PubMed

    Lasfargues, Mathieu; Stead, Graham; Amjad, Muhammad; Ding, Yulong; Wen, Dongsheng

    2017-05-19

    Seeding nanoparticles in molten salts has been shown recently as a promising way to improve their thermo-physical properties. The prospect of such technology is of interest to both academic and industrial sectors in order to enhance the specific heat capacity of molten salt. The latter is used in concentrated solar power plants as both heat transfer fluid and sensible storage. This work explores the feasibility of producing and dispersing nanoparticles with a novel one pot synthesis method. Using such a method, CuO nanoparticles were produced in situ via the decomposition of copper sulphate pentahydrate in a KNO₃-NaNO₃ binary salt. Analyses of the results suggested preferential disposition of atoms around produced nanoparticles in the molten salt. Thermal characterization of the produced nano-salt suspension indicated the dependence of the specific heat enhancement on particle morphology and distribution within the salts.

  3. Concentration of Nitrate near the Surface of Frozen Salt Solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Michelsen, R. R. H.; Marrocco, H. A.

    2017-12-01

    The photolysis of nitrate near the surface of snow and ice in Earth's environment results in the emission of nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2 and, in acidic snow, HONO) and OH radicals. As a result, nitrate photolysis affects the composition and oxidative capacity of the overlying atmosphere. Photolysis yields depend in part on how much nitrate is close enough to the surface to be photolyzed. These concentrations are assumed to be higher than the concentrations of nitrate that are measured in melted snow and ice samples. However, near-surface concentrations of nitrate have not been directly measured. In this work, laboratory studies of the concentration of nitrate in frozen aqueous solutions are described. Individual aqueous solutions of nitric acid, sodium nitrate, and magnesium nitrate were mixed. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy was utilized to measure the nitrate and liquid water signals within 200 - 400 nm of the lower surface of frozen samples. Temperature was varied from -18°C to -2°C. In addition to the amount of nitrate observed, changes to the frozen samples' morphology with annealing are discussed. Nitrate concentrations near the lower surface of these frozen solutions are high: close to 1 M at warmer temperatures and almost 4 M at the coldest temperature. Known freezing point depression data describe the observed concentrations better than ideal solution thermodynamics, which overestimate concentration significantly at colder temperatures. The implications for modeling the chemistry of snow are discussed. Extending and relating this work to the interaction of gas-phase nitric acid with the surfaces of vapor-deposited ice will also be explored.

  4. The role of salt bridges on the temperature adaptation of aqualysin I, a thermostable subtilisin-like proteinase.

    PubMed

    Jónsdóttir, Lilja B; Ellertsson, Brynjar Ö; Invernizzi, Gaetano; Magnúsdóttir, Manuela; Thorbjarnardóttir, Sigríður H; Papaleo, Elena; Kristjánsson, Magnús M

    2014-12-01

    Differences in salt bridges are believed to be a structural hallmark of homologous enzymes from differently temperature-adapted organisms. Nevertheless, the role of salt bridges on structural stability is still controversial. While it is clear that most buried salt bridges can have a functional or structural role, the same cannot be firmly stated for ion pairs that are exposed on the protein surface. Salt bridges, found in X-ray structures, may not be stably formed in solution as a result of high flexibility or high desolvation penalty. More studies are thus needed to clarify the picture on salt bridges and temperature adaptation. We contribute here to this scenario by combining atomistic simulations and experimental mutagenesis of eight mutant variants of aqualysin I, a thermophilic subtilisin-like proteinase, in which the residues involved in salt bridges and not conserved in a psychrophilic homolog were systematically mutated. We evaluated the effects of those mutations on thermal stability and on the kinetic parameters. Overall, we show here that only few key charged residues involved in salt bridges really contribute to the enzyme thermal stability. This is especially true when they are organized in networks, as here attested by the D17N mutation, which has the most remarkable effect on stability. Other mutations had smaller effects on the properties of the enzyme indicating that most of the isolated salt bridges are not a distinctive trait related to the enhanced thermal stability of the thermophilic subtilase. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Power plant I - Fused salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roche, M.

    A solar thermal power plant using fused salt as the heat transfer fluid for steam power generation is analyzed for the feasibility of economic operation. The salt is also stored in a tank reservoir for maintaining the primary heat loop at temperatures high enough for the salts to remain liquid, and also to provide reserve power for the steam generator. Initial studies were with eutectic (hitec) salt comprising Na, KOH, and nitrites melting at 146 C, and further studies were performed employing draw salt, which has no nitrite, is more stable at high temperature, and melts at 225 C. The use of draw salt was found to allow a 5 percent reduction in storage capacity. Further examinations of the effects of the hitec salts on corrosion and composition degradation at high temperatures are indicated. The molten salt system is projected to offer an efficiency of 26 percent.

  6. Reflectance degradation of a secondary concentrator by nitrate salt vapor deposition in an open volumetric receiver configuration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lahlou, Radia; Armstrong, Peter R.; Calvet, Nicolas; Shamim, Tariq

    2017-06-01

    Nitrate salt vapor deposition on the reflecting surface of a secondary concentrator placed on top of an open molten salt tank at 500 °C is investigated using a lab-scale setup over an 8h-exposure cycle. Deposition, consisting of mostly spherical particles, is characterized in terms of chemical composition using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The corresponding specular reflectance degradation both temporary (before washing off the salt deposits) and permanent (residual reflectance loss after cleaning), is measured at different incidence angles and at reference points located at different heights. Reflectance drop due to salt deposits is compared to the one resulting from dust deposition. Long-term reflectance degradation by means of corrosion needs to be further studied through suitable accelerated aging tests.

  7. Effect of a counterion on the glass transition temperature (T(g)') during lyophilization of ganciclovir salt forms.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Lokesh; Baheti, Ankit; Bansal, Arvind K

    2011-02-07

    This manuscript deals with the effect of a counterion on the glass transition temperature for lyophilization of ganciclovir salts. Salt forms of ganciclovir, namely, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium salts, were prepared by an in situ technique and analyzed by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) for the determination of the critical process parameter for lyophilization. Nonionized ganciclovir and its salt forms showed a glass transition (T(g)') in the reversing MDSC signal, confirming their amorphous nature. T(g)' of the nonionized ganciclovir and ganciclovir sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium salts followed the order: sodium salt (-34.94°C) > nonionized ganciclovir (-40.15°C) > potassium salt (-46.23°C) > rubidium salt (-49.95°C) > cesium salt (-53.62°C). The analysis of the freezable water content for ganciclovir and its salts showed the trend: pure water > nonionized ganciclovir > potassium salt ∼ sodium salt > rubidium salt > cesium salt. This showed that a majority of water in the salts is present as an unfrozen fraction, thus leading to a lowering of T(g)' because of the plasticizing effect of unfrozen water. Density functional theory (DFT) further suggested a positive contribution of the strength of intra- and intermolecular force of interactions to the T(g)' value, with a higher intramolecular and intermolecular force of interaction leading to a higher T(g)'.

  8. Spatial variability of E. coli in an urban salt-wedge estuary.

    PubMed

    Jovanovic, Dusan; Coleman, Rhys; Deletic, Ana; McCarthy, David

    2017-01-15

    This study investigated the spatial variability of a common faecal indicator organism, Escherichia coli, in an urban salt-wedge estuary in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected through comprehensive depth profiling in the water column at four sites and included measurements of temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and E. coli concentrations. Vertical variability of E. coli was closely related to the salt-wedge dynamics; in the presence of a salt-wedge, there was a significant decrease in E. coli concentrations with depth. Transverse variability was low and was most likely dwarfed by the analytical uncertainties of E. coli measurements. Longitudinal variability was also low, potentially reflecting minimal die-off, settling, and additional inputs entering along the estuary. These results were supported by a simple mixing model that predicted E. coli concentrations based on salinity measurements. Additionally, an assessment of a sentinel monitoring station suggested routine monitoring locations may produce conservative estimates of E. coli concentrations in stratified estuaries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Ion size effects on the electrokinetics of spherical particles in salt-free concentrated suspensions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roa, Rafael; Carrique, Felix; Ruiz-Reina, Emilio

    2012-02-01

    In this work we study the influence of the counterion size on the electrophoretic mobility and on the dynamic mobility of a suspended spherical particle in a salt-free concentrated colloidal suspension. Salt-free suspensions contain charged particles and the added counterions that counterbalance their surface charge. A spherical cell model approach is used to take into account particle-particle electro-hydrodynamic interactions in concentrated suspensions. The finite size of the counterions is considered including an entropic contribution, related with the excluded volume of the ions, in the free energy of the suspension, giving rise to a modified counterion concentration profile. We are interested in studying the linear response of the system to an electric field, thus we solve the different electrokinetic equations by using a linear perturbation scheme. We find that the ionic size effect is quite important for moderate to high particles charges at a given particle volume fraction. In addition for such particle surface charges, both the electrophoretic mobility and the dynamic mobility suffer more important changes the larger the particle volume fraction for each ion size. The latter effects are more relevant the larger the ionic size.

  10. AFM Studies of Salt Concentration Effects on the (110) Surface Structure of Tetragonal Lysozyme Crystals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pusey, Marc Lee; Gorti, Sridhar; Forsythe, Elizabeth; Konnert, John

    2002-01-01

    Previous high resolution AFM studies of the (110) surface of tetragonal chicken egg white lysozyme crystals had shown that only one of two possible molecular surfaces is present, those constituting the completed 43 helices. These suggested that the crystal growth process was by the solution-phase assembly of the growth units, which then attach to the surface. However, the best fit for the imaged surfaces, vs. those predicted based upon the bulk crystallographic coordinates, were obtained when the packing about the 43 helices was "tightened up", while maintaining the underlying crystallographic unit cell spacing. This results in a widening of the gap between adjacent helices, and the top- most layer(s) may no longer be in contact. We postulated that the tightened packing about the helices is a result of the high salt concentrations in the bulk solution, used to crystallize the protein, driving hydrophobic interactions. Once the crystal surface is sufficiently buried by subsequent growth layers the ratio of salt to protein molecules decreases and the helices relax to their bulk crystallographic coordinates. The crystal surface helix structure is thus a reflection of the solution structure, and the tightness of the packing about the 43 helices would be a function of the bulk salt concentration. AFM images of the (110) surface of tetragonal lysozyme crystals grown under low (2%) and high (5%) NaCl concentrations reveal differences in the packing about the 43 helices consistent with the above proposal.

  11. In Situ Production of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in a Binary Molten Salt for Concentrated Solar Power Plant Applications

    PubMed Central

    Lasfargues, Mathieu; Stead, Graham; Amjad, Muhammad; Ding, Yulong; Wen, Dongsheng

    2017-01-01

    Seeding nanoparticles in molten salts has been shown recently as a promising way to improve their thermo-physical properties. The prospect of such technology is of interest to both academic and industrial sectors in order to enhance the specific heat capacity of molten salt. The latter is used in concentrated solar power plants as both heat transfer fluid and sensible storage. This work explores the feasibility of producing and dispersing nanoparticles with a novel one pot synthesis method. Using such a method, CuO nanoparticles were produced in situ via the decomposition of copper sulphate pentahydrate in a KNO3-NaNO3 binary salt. Analyses of the results suggested preferential disposition of atoms around produced nanoparticles in the molten salt. Thermal characterization of the produced nano-salt suspension indicated the dependence of the specific heat enhancement on particle morphology and distribution within the salts. PMID:28772910

  12. Actinide removal from spent salts

    DOEpatents

    Hsu, Peter C.; von Holtz, Erica H.; Hipple, David L.; Summers, Leslie J.; Adamson, Martyn G.

    2002-01-01

    A method for removing actinide contaminants (uranium and thorium) from the spent salt of a molten salt oxidation (MSO) reactor is described. Spent salt is removed from the reactor and analyzed to determine the contaminants present and the carbonate concentration. The salt is dissolved in water, and one or more reagents are added to precipitate the thorium as thorium oxide and/or the uranium as either uranium oxide or as a diuranate salt. The precipitated materials are filtered, dried and packaged for disposal as radioactive waste. About 90% of the thorium and/or uranium present is removed by filtration. After filtration, salt solutions having a carbonate concentration >20% can be dried and returned to the reactor for re-use. Salt solutions containing a carbonate concentration <20% require further clean-up using an ion exchange column, which yields salt solutions that contain less than 0.1 ppm of thorium or uranium.

  13. The immunogenicity of thin-film freeze-dried, aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccine when exposed to different temperatures.

    PubMed

    Thakkar, Sachin G; Ruwona, Tinashe B; Williams, Robert O; Cui, Zhengrong

    2017-04-03

    Insoluble aluminum salts such as aluminum oxyhydroxide have been used for decades as adjuvants in human vaccines, and many vaccines contain aluminum salts as adjuvants. Aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccines must be managed in cold-chain (2-8° C) during transport and storage, as vaccine antigens in general are too fragile to be stable in ambient temperatures, and unintentional slowing freezing causes irreversible aggregation and permanent damage to the vaccines. Previously, we reported that thin-film freeze-drying can be used to convert vaccines adjuvanted with an aluminum salt from liquid suspension into dry powder without causing particle aggregation or decreasing in immunogenicity following reconstitution. In the present study, using ovalbumin (OVA)-adsorbed Alhydrogel® (i.e. aluminum oxyhydroxide, 2% w/v) as a model vaccine, we showed that the immunogenicity of thin-film freeze-dried OVA-adsorbed Alhydrogel® vaccine powder was not significantly changed after it was exposed for an extended period of time in temperatures as high as 40° C or subjected to repeated slow freezing-and-thawing. It is expected that immunization programs can potentially benefit by integrating thin-film freeze-drying into vaccine preparations.

  14. The immunogenicity of thin-film freeze-dried, aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccine when exposed to different temperatures

    PubMed Central

    Thakkar, Sachin G.; Ruwona, Tinashe B.; Williams, Robert O.; Cui, Zhengrong

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Insoluble aluminum salts such as aluminum oxyhydroxide have been used for decades as adjuvants in human vaccines, and many vaccines contain aluminum salts as adjuvants. Aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccines must be managed in cold-chain (2–8° C) during transport and storage, as vaccine antigens in general are too fragile to be stable in ambient temperatures, and unintentional slowing freezing causes irreversible aggregation and permanent damage to the vaccines. Previously, we reported that thin-film freeze-drying can be used to convert vaccines adjuvanted with an aluminum salt from liquid suspension into dry powder without causing particle aggregation or decreasing in immunogenicity following reconstitution. In the present study, using ovalbumin (OVA)-adsorbed Alhydrogel® (i.e. aluminum oxyhydroxide, 2% w/v) as a model vaccine, we showed that the immunogenicity of thin-film freeze-dried OVA-adsorbed Alhydrogel® vaccine powder was not significantly changed after it was exposed for an extended period of time in temperatures as high as 40° C or subjected to repeated slow freezing-and-thawing. It is expected that immunization programs can potentially benefit by integrating thin-film freeze-drying into vaccine preparations. PMID:28051903

  15. Acetate concentrations and oxidation in salt marsh sediments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    Acetate concentrations and rates of acetate oxidation and sulfate reduction were measured in S. alterniflora sediments in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Pore water extracted from cores by squeezing or centrifugation contained in greater than 0.1 mM acetate and, in some instances, greater than 1.0 mM. Pore water sampled nondestructively contained much less acetate, often less than 0.01 mM. Acetate was associated with roots, and concentrations varied with changes in plant physiology. Acetate turnover was very low whether whole core or slurry incubations were used. Radiotracers injected directly into soils yielded rates of sulfate reduction and acetate oxidation not significantly different from core incubation techniques. Regardless of incubation method, acetate oxidation did not account for a substantial percentage of sulfate reduction. These results differ markedly from data for unvegetated coastal sediments where acetate levels are low, oxidation rate constants are high, and acetate oxication rates greatly exceed rates of sulfate reduction. The discrepancy between rates of acetate oxidation and sulfate reduction in these marsh soils may be due either to the utilization of substrates other than acetate by sulfate reducers or artifacts associated with measurements of organic utilization by rhizosphere bacteria. Care must be taken when interpreting data from salt marsh sediments since the release of material from roots during coring may affect the concentrations of certain compounds as well as influencing results obtained when sediment incubations are employed.

  16. Preservation of sperm within the mouse cauda epididymidis in salt or sugars at room temperature.

    PubMed

    Ono, Tetsuo; Mizutani, Eiji; Li, Chong; Wakayama, Teruhiko

    2010-08-01

    The development of preservation techniques for male gametes at room temperature might allow us to store them in a simple and cost-effective manner. In this study, we studied the use of pure salt or sugar to preserve the whole cauda epididymidis, because it is known that food can be preserved in this way at room temperature for long periods. Mouse epididymides were placed directly in powdered salt (NaCl) or sugars (glucose or raffinose) for 1 day to 1 year at room temperature. Spermatozoa were recovered from the preserved organs after being rehydrated with medium and then isolated sperm heads were microinjected into fresh oocytes. Importantly, the oocyte activation capacity of spermatozoa was maintained after epididymal storage in NaCl for 1 year, whereas most untreated spermatozoa failed to activate oocytes within 1 month of storage. Pronuclear morphology, the rate of extrusion of a second polar body and the methylation status of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me3) in those zygotes were similar to those of zygotes fertilized with fresh spermatozoa. However, the developmental ability of the zygotes decreased within 1 day of sperm storage. This effect led to nuclear fragmentation at the 2-cell embryo stage, irrespective of the storage method used. Thus, although the preserved sperm failed to allow embryo development, their oocyte activation factors were maintained by salt storage of the epididymis for up to 1 year at room temperature.

  17. Electrochemical monitoring of high-temperature molten-salt corrosion

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

    Gao, G.; Stott, F.H.; Dawson, J.L.

    1990-02-01

    Hot molten-salt corrosion can cause serious metal degradation in boiler plant, incinerators, and furnaces. In this research, electrochemical-impedance and electrochemical-noise techniques have been evaluated for the monitoring of hot-corrosion processes in such plants. Tests have been carried out on Ni-1% Co and Alloy 800, a commercial material of interest to operators of industrial plants. Electrochemical-impedance and electrochemical-noise data were compared with the results of metallographic examination of the test alloys and showed reasonable correlation between the electrochemical data and the actual degradation processes. This preliminary work indicated that the electrochemical techniques show considerable promise as instruments for the monitoring ofmore » high-temperature corrosion processes.« less

  18. Viscosity-Lowering Effect of Amino Acids and Salts on Highly Concentrated Solutions of Two IgG1 Monoclonal Antibodies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shujing; Zhang, Ning; Hu, Tao; Dai, Weiguo; Feng, Xiuying; Zhang, Xinyi; Qian, Feng

    2015-12-07

    Monoclonal antibodies display complicated solution properties in highly concentrated (>100 mg/mL) formulations, such as high viscosity, high aggregation propensity, and low stability, among others, originating from protein-protein interactions within the colloidal protein solution. These properties severely hinder the successful development of high-concentration mAb solution for subcutaneous injection. We hereby investigated the effects of several small-molecule excipients with diverse biophysical-chemical properties on the viscosity, aggregation propensity, and stability on two model IgG1 (JM1 and JM2) mAb formulations. These excipients include nine amino acids or their salt forms (Ala, Pro, Val, Gly, Ser, HisHCl, LysHCl, ArgHCl, and NaGlu), four representative salts (NaCl, NaAc, Na2SO4, and NH4Cl), and two chaotropic reagents (urea and GdnHCl). With only salts or amino acids in their salt-forms, significant decrease in viscosity was observed for JM1 (by up to 30-40%) and JM2 (by up to 50-80%) formulations, suggesting charge-charge interaction between the mAbs dictates the high viscosity of these mAbs formulations. Most of these viscosity-lowering excipients did not induce substantial protein aggregation or changes in the secondary structure of the mAbs, as evidenced by HPLC-SEC, DSC, and FT-IR analysis, even in the absence of common protein stabilizers such as sugars and surfactants. Therefore, amino acids in their salt-forms and several common salts, such as ArgHCl, HisHCl, LysHCl, NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaAc, could potentially serve as viscosity-lowering excipients during high-concentration mAb formulation development.

  19. Structural evidence for solvent-stabilisation by aspartic acid as a mechanism for halophilic protein stability in high salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Lenton, Samuel; Walsh, Danielle L; Rhys, Natasha H; Soper, Alan K; Dougan, Lorna

    2016-07-21

    Halophilic organisms have adapted to survive in high salt environments, where mesophilic organisms would perish. One of the biggest challenges faced by halophilic proteins is the ability to maintain both the structure and function at molar concentrations of salt. A distinct adaptation of halophilic proteins, compared to mesophilic homologues, is the abundance of aspartic acid on the protein surface. Mutagenesis and crystallographic studies of halophilic proteins suggest an important role for solvent interactions with the surface aspartic acid residues. This interaction, between the regions of the acidic protein surface and the solvent, is thought to maintain a hydration layer around the protein at molar salt concentrations thereby allowing halophilic proteins to retain their functional state. Here we present neutron diffraction data of the monomeric zwitterionic form of aspartic acid solutions at physiological pH in 0.25 M and 2.5 M concentration of potassium chloride, to mimic mesophilic and halophilic-like environmental conditions. We have used isotopic substitution in combination with empirical potential structure refinement to extract atomic-scale information from the data. Our study provides structural insights that support the hypothesis that carboxyl groups on acidic residues bind water more tightly under high salt conditions, in support of the residue-ion interaction model of halophilic protein stabilisation. Furthermore our data show that in the presence of high salt the self-association between the zwitterionic form of aspartic acid molecules is reduced, suggesting a possible mechanism through which protein aggregation is prevented.

  20. Sensing temperature via downshifting emissions of lanthanide-doped metal oxides and salts. A review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dramićanin, Miroslav D.

    2016-12-01

    Temperature is important because it has an effect on even the tiniest elements of daily life and is involved in a broad spectrum of human activities. That is why it is the most commonly measured physical quantity. Traditional temperature measurements encounter difficulties when used in some emerging technologies and environments, such as nanotechnology and biomedicine. The problem may be alleviated using optical techniques, one of which is luminescence thermometry. This paper reviews the state of luminescence thermometry and presents different temperature read-out schemes with an emphasis on those utilizing the downshifting emission of lanthanide-doped metal oxides and salts. The read-out schemes for temperature include those based on measurements of spectral characteristics of luminescence (band positions and shapes, emission intensity and ratio of emission intensities), and those based on measurements of the temporal behavior of luminescence (lifetimes and rise times). This review (with 140 references) gives the basics of the fundamental principles and theory that underlie the methods presented, and describes the methodology for the estimation of their performance. The major part of the text is devoted to those lanthanide-doped metal oxides and salts that are used as temperature probes, and to the comparison of their performance and characteristics.

  1. Influence of solvent and salt concentration on the alignment properties of acrylamide copolymer gels for the measurement of RDC.

    PubMed

    Trigo-Mouriño, Pablo; Navarro-Vázquez, Armando; Sánchez-Pedregal, Víctor M

    2012-12-01

    The dependence of molecular alignment with solvent nature and salt concentration has been investigated for mechanically stretched polyacrylamide copolymer gels. Residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) were recorded for D(2)O, DMSO-d(6), and DMSO-d(6)/D(2)O solutions containing different proportions of the solvents and different sodium chloride concentrations. Alignment tensors were determined by fitting the experimental RDCs to the DFT-computed structure of N-methylcodeinium ion. Analysis of the tensors shows that the degree of alignment decreases with the proportion of DMSO-d(6) as well as with the concentration of sodium chloride, most likely due to enhanced ion-pair aggregation. Furthermore, rotation of the alignment tensor is observed when increasing the salt concentration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Metals removal from spent salts

    DOEpatents

    Hsu, Peter C.; Von Holtz, Erica H.; Hipple, David L.; Summers, Leslie J.; Brummond, William A.; Adamson, Martyn G.

    2002-01-01

    A method and apparatus for removing metal contaminants from the spent salt of a molten salt oxidation (MSO) reactor is described. Spent salt is removed from the reactor and analyzed to determine the contaminants present and the carbonate concentration. The salt is dissolved in water, and one or more reagents may be added to precipitate the metal oxide and/or the metal as either metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or as a salt. The precipitated materials are filtered, dried and packaged for disposal as waste or can be immobilized as ceramic pellets. More than about 90% of the metals and mineral residues (ashes) present are removed by filtration. After filtration, salt solutions having a carbonate concentration >20% can be spray-dried and returned to the reactor for re-use. Salt solutions containing a carbonate concentration <20% require further clean-up using an ion exchange column, which yields salt solutions that contain less than 1.0 ppm of contaminants.

  3. Trehalose, a temperature- and salt-induced solute with implications in pathobiology of Acinetobacter baumannii.

    PubMed

    Zeidler, Sabine; Hubloher, Josephine; Schabacker, Kim; Lamosa, Pedro; Santos, Helena; Müller, Volker

    2017-12-01

    Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic human pathogen that has become a global threat to healthcare institutions worldwide. A major factor contributing to success of this bacterium is its outstanding ability to survive on dry surfaces. The molecular basis for desiccation resistance is not completely understood. This study focused on growth under osmotic stress and aimed to identify the pool of compatible solutes synthesized in response to these low water activity conditions. A. baumannii produced mannitol as compatible solute, but in contrast to Acinetobacter baylyi, also trehalose was accumulated in response to increasing NaCl concentrations. The genome of A. baumannii encodes a trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (OtsB) and a trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (OtsA). Deletion of otsB abolished trehalose formation, demonstrating that otsB is essential for trehalose biosynthesis. Growth of the mutant was neither impaired at low salt nor at 500 mM NaCl, but it did not grow at high temperatures, indicating a dual function of trehalose in osmo- and thermoprotection. This led us to analyse temperature dependence of trehalose formation. Indeed, expression of otsB was not only induced by high osmolarity but also by high temperature. Concurrently, trehalose was accumulated in cells grown at high temperature. Taken together, these data point to an important role of trehalose in A. baumannii beyond osmoprotection. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Salting-out and salting-in: competitive effects of salt on the aggregation behavior of soy protein particles and their emulsifying properties.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hua-Neng; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Lianfu

    2015-08-07

    Emulsions stabilized by protein particles have gained increasing research attention due to their combined advantages of biocompatibility and superior stability. In this study, colloidal particles consisting of soy protein isolates (SPIs) prepared through a heat-treatment procedure are used to make oil-in-water emulsions at a protein concentration of 10 g L(-1) and a pH of 5.91. We investigate parallelly the effects of NaCl on the stability and rheological properties of the particle suspensions and their stabilized emulsions at salt concentrations of 0, 100 and 400 mM. The aggregation behavior of the particles is strongly dependent on the NaCl concentration, showing signs of sedimentation at low NaCl concentration (100 mM) but redispersion again at high NaCl concentration (400 mM). The extensive particle aggregation is beneficial to the formation of a continuous interfacial film for the emulsions, and hence results in a remarkable increase of creaming stability and interfacial viscoelastic moduli. The results can be explained in terms of two competitive effects of NaCl: salting-out and salting-in, which are attributed to complex electrostatic interactions between the particles as a function of NaCl concentration. The delicate balance between salting-out and salting-in provides an interesting insight into the nature of underlying protein particle interactions in aqueous suspensions and a possible mechanism for tailoring their emulsifying properties via salt effects.

  5. Temperature-induced lipocalin (TIL) is translocated under salt stress and protects chloroplasts from ion toxicity.

    PubMed

    Abo-Ogiala, Atef; Carsjens, Caroline; Diekmann, Heike; Fayyaz, Payam; Herrfurth, Cornelia; Feussner, Ivo; Polle, Andrea

    2014-02-15

    Temperature-induced lipocalins (TIL) have been invoked in the defense from heat, cold and oxidative stress. Here we document a function of TIL for basal protection from salinity stress. Heterologous expression of TIL from the salt resistant poplar Populus euphratica did not rescue growth but prevented chlorophyll b destruction in salt-exposed Arabidopsis thaliana. The protein was localized to the plasma membrane but was re-translocated to the symplast under salt stress. The A. thaliana knock out and knock down lines Attil1-1 and Attil1-2 showed stronger stress symptoms and stronger chlorophyll b degradation than the wildtype (WT) under excess salinity. They accumulated more chloride and sodium in chloroplasts than the WT. Chloroplast chloride accumulation was found even in the absence of salt stress. Since lipocalins are known to bind regulatory fatty acids of channel proteins as well as iron, we suggest that the salt-induced trafficking of TIL may be required for protection of chloroplasts by affecting ion homeostasis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Assessment of a Novel Ternary Eutectic Chloride Salt for Next Generation High-Temperature Sensible Heat Storage

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

    Vidal, Judith C; Mohan, Gowtham; Venkataraman, Mahesh

    A novel ternary eutectic salt mixture for high-temperature sensible heat storage, composed of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride (NaKMg-Cl) was developed based on a phase diagram generated with FactSage(R). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique was used to experimentally validate the predicted melting point of the ternary eutectic composition, which was measured as 387 degrees C, in good agreement with the prediction. The ternary eutectic was compared to two binary salts formulated based on prediction of the eutectic composition by FactSage, but unfortunately DSC measurements showed that neither binary salt composition was eutectic. Nonetheless, the measured thermo-physical propertiesmore » of the ternary and the two binary mixtures are compared. Liquid heat capacities of both the ternary and binary salts were determined by using DSC with sapphire as the standard reference. The average heat capacity of the ternary mixture was recorded as 1.18 J g-1 K-1. The mass loss of the molten eutectic salts was studied up to 1000 degrees C using a thermogravimetric analyser in nitrogen, argon and air. The results showed a significant mass loss due to vaporisation in an open system, particularly above 700 degrees C. However, simulation of mass loss in a closed system with an inert cover gas indicates storage temperatures above 700 degrees C may be feasible, and highlights the importance of the design of the storage tank system. In terms of storage material cost, the NaKMg-Cl mixture is approximately 4.5 USD/kWh, which is 60% cheaper than current state-of-the-art nitrate salt mixtures.« less

  7. Estimated effects of temperature on secondary organic aerosol concentrations.

    PubMed

    Sheehan, P E; Bowman, F M

    2001-06-01

    The temperature-dependence of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentrations is explored using an absorptive-partitioning model under a variety of simplified atmospheric conditions. Experimentally determined partitioning parameters for high yield aromatics are used. Variation of vapor pressures with temperature is assumed to be the main source of temperature effects. Known semivolatile products are used to define a modeling range of vaporization enthalpy of 10-25 kcal/mol-1. The effect of diurnal temperature variations on model predictions for various assumed vaporization enthalpies, precursor emission rates, and primary organic concentrations is explored. Results show that temperature is likely to have a significant influence on SOA partitioning and resulting SOA concentrations. A 10 degrees C decrease in temperature is estimated to increase SOA yields by 20-150%, depending on the assumed vaporization enthalpy. In model simulations, high daytime temperatures tend to reduce SOA concentrations by 16-24%, while cooler nighttime temperatures lead to a 22-34% increase, compared to constant temperature conditions. Results suggest that currently available constant temperature partitioning coefficients do not adequately represent atmospheric SOA partitioning behavior. Air quality models neglecting the temperature dependence of partitioning are expected to underpredict peak SOA concentrations as well as mistime their occurrence.

  8. Effect of salt concentrations and drying methods on the quality and formation of histamine in dried milkfish (Chanos chanos).

    PubMed

    Hwang, Chiu-Chu; Lin, Chia-Min; Kung, Hsien-Feng; Huang, Ya-Ling; Hwang, Deng-Fwu; Su, Yi-Cheng; Tsai, Yung-Hsiang

    2012-11-15

    The effects of salt concentrations (0-15.0%) and drying methods on the quality of dried milkfish were studied. The results showed that the levels of aerobic plate counts, total coliform, water activity, moisture contents, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) of the dried milkfish samples prepared with the same drying method decreased with increased salt concentrations. The samples prepared with the cold-air drying method had better quality in term of lower TVBN and TBA values than those of samples prepared with other drying methods. The histamine contents in all samples, except two, prepared with various salt concentrations by different drying methods were less than 1.9 mg/100 g. Two unsalted samples prepared with hot-air drying at 35 °C and sun drying methods were found to contain histamine at levels of 249.7 and 67.4 mg/100 g, respectively, which were higher than the potential hazard level of 50 mg/100 g. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Behaviour of I/Br/Cl-THMs and their projected toxicities under simulated cooking conditions: Effects of heating, table salt and residual chlorine.

    PubMed

    Yan, Mingquan; Li, Mingyang; Han, Xuze

    2016-08-15

    This study examined the effects of heating, residual chlorine and concentration of table salt on the generation of iodine-, bromine- and chlorine-containing trihalomethanes (THMs) under simulated cooking conditions. In the case of addition of either KI- or KIO3-fortified salt, total I-THM concentrations increased with increasing iodine concentration, while total Cl/Br-THM concentrations decreased. CHCl2I, CHBrClI, CHBrI2, CHBr2I and CHI3 were formed in the presence of KI salt, while only CHCl2I was formed in the presence of KIO3 salt. CHCl2I was unstable under cooking conditions, and >90% of this DBP was removed during heating, which in some cases increased the concentrations of the other I-THMs. The calculated cytotoxicity increased with addition of KI- or KIO3-fortified salt due to the generation of I-THMs, whose impact on the cytotoxicity at room temperature was equal to or five times higher, respectively, than the cytotoxicity of the simultaneously formed Cl/Br-THMs for the cases of salts. Heating decreased the cytotoxicity, except for the case of addition of KI salt, in which the calculated cytotoxicity of I-THMs increased above 150% as the temperature was increased up to 100°C. The reported results may have important implications for epidemiologic exposure assessments and, ultimately, for public health protection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Low-Temperature Molten-Salt Production of Silicon Nanowires by the Electrochemical Reduction of CaSiO3.

    PubMed

    Dong, Yifan; Slade, Tyler; Stolt, Matthew J; Li, Linsen; Girard, Steven N; Mai, Liqiang; Jin, Song

    2017-11-13

    Silicon is an extremely important technological material, but its current industrial production by the carbothermic reduction of SiO 2 is energy intensive and generates CO 2 emissions. Herein, we developed a more sustainable method to produce silicon nanowires (Si NWs) in bulk quantities through the direct electrochemical reduction of CaSiO 3 , an abundant and inexpensive Si source soluble in molten salts, at a low temperature of 650 °C by using low-melting-point ternary molten salts CaCl 2 -MgCl 2 -NaCl, which still retains high CaSiO 3 solubility, and a supporting electrolyte of CaO, which facilitates the transport of O 2- anions, drastically improves the reaction kinetics, and enables the electrolysis at low temperatures. The Si nanowire product can be used as high-capacity Li-ion battery anode materials with excellent cycling performance. This environmentally friendly strategy for the practical production of Si at lower temperatures can be applied to other molten salt systems and is also promising for waste glass and coal ash recycling. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Temperature invariance of NaCl solubility in water: inferences from salt-water cluster behavior of NaCl, KCl, and NH4Cl.

    PubMed

    Bharmoria, Pankaj; Gupta, Hariom; Mohandas, V P; Ghosh, Pushpito K; Kumar, Arvind

    2012-09-27

    The growth and stability of salt-water clusters have been experimentally studied in aqueous solutions of NaCl, KCl, and NH(4)Cl from dilute to near-saturation conditions employing dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. In order to examine cluster stability, the changes in the cluster sizes were monitored as a function of temperature. Compared to the other cases, the average size of NaCl-water clusters remained almost constant over the studied temperature range of 20-70 °C. Information obtained from the temperature-dependent solution compressibility (determined from speed of sound and density measurements), multinuclear NMR ((1)H, (17)O, (35)Cl NMR), and FTIR were utilized to explain the cluster behavior. Comparison of NMR chemical shifts of saturated salt solutions with solid-state NMR data of pure salts, and evaluation of spectral modifications in the OH stretch region of saturated salt solutions as compared to that of pure water, provided important clues on ion pair-water interactions and water structure in the clusters. The high stability and temperature independence of the cluster sizes in aqueous NaCl shed light on the temperature invariance of its solubility.

  12. DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF VACUUM SALT DISTILLATION AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

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

    Pierce, R.; Pak, D.; Edwards, T.

    2010-10-28

    The Savannah River Site has a mission to dissolve fissile materials and disposition them. The primary fissile material is plutonium dioxide (PuO{sub 2}). To support dissolution of these materials, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) designed and demonstrated a vacuum salt distillation (VSD) apparatus using both representative radioactive samples and non-radioactive simulant materials. Vacuum salt distillation, through the removal of chloride salts, increases the quantity of materials suitable for processing in the site's HB-Line Facility. Small-scale non-radioactive experiments at 900-950 C show that >99.8 wt % of the initial charge of chloride salt distilled from the sample boat with recoverymore » of >99.8 wt % of the ceric oxide (CeO{sub 2}) - the surrogate for PuO{sub 2} - as a non-chloride bearing 'product'. Small-scale radioactive testing in a glovebox demonstrated the removal of sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) from 13 PuO{sub 2} samples. Chloride concentrations were distilled from a starting concentration of 1.8-10.8 wt % to a final concentration <500 mg/kg chloride. Initial testing of a non-radioactive, full-scale production prototype is complete. A designed experiment evaluated the impact of distillation temperature, time at temperature, vacuum, product depth, and presence of a boat cover. Significant effort has been devoted to mechanical considerations to facilitate simplified operation in a glovebox.« less

  13. Fluoride salts and container materials for thermal energy storage applications in the temperature range 973 - 1400 K

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Misra, Ajay K.; Whittenberger, J. Daniel

    1987-01-01

    Multicomponent fluoride salt mixtures were characterized for use as latent heat of fusion heat storage materials in advanced solar dynamic space power systems with operating temperatures in the range of 973 to 1400 K. The melting points and eutectic composition for many systems with published phase diagrams were verified, and several new eutectic compositions were identified. Additionally, the heats of fusion of several binary and ternary eutectics and congruently melting intermediate compounds were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The extent of corrosion of various metals by fluoride melts was estimated from thermodynamic considerations, and equilibrium conditions inside a containment vessel were calculated as functions of the initial moisture content of the salt and free volume above the molten salt. Preliminary experimental data on the corrosion of commercial, high-temperature alloys in LiF-19.5CaF2 and NaF-27CaF2-36MgF2 melts are presented and compared to the thermodynamic predictions.

  14. Refractive Secondary Solar Concentrator Demonstrated High-Temperature Operation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wong, Wayne A.

    2002-01-01

    Space applications that utilize solar thermal energy--such as electric power conversion systems, thermal propulsion systems, and furnaces--require highly efficient solar concentration systems. The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing the refractive secondary concentrator, which uses refraction and total internal reflection to efficiently concentrate and direct solar energy. When used in combination with advanced lightweight primary concentrators, such as inflatable thin films, the refractive secondary concentrator enables very high system concentration ratios and very high temperatures. Last year, Glenn successfully demonstrated a secondary concentrator throughput efficiency of 87 percent, with a projected efficiency of 93 percent using an antireflective coating. Building on this achievement, Glenn recently successfully demonstrated high-temperature operation of the secondary concentrator when it was used to heat a rhenium receiver to 2330 F. The high-temperature demonstration of the concentrator was conducted in Glenn's 68-ft long Tank 6 thermal vacuum facility equipped with a solar simulator. The facility has a rigid panel primary concentrator that was used to concentrate the light from the solar simulator onto the refractive secondary concentrator. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center provided a rhenium cavity, part of a solar thermal propulsion engine, to serve as the high-temperature receiver. The prototype refractive secondary concentrator, measuring 3.5 in. in diameter and 11.2 in. long, is made of single-crystal sapphire. A water-cooled splash shield absorbs spillage light outside of the 3.5-in. concentrator aperture. Multilayer foil insulation composed of tungsten, molybdenum, and niobium is used to minimize heat loss from the hightemperature receiver. A liquid-cooled canister calorimeter is used to measure the heat loss through the multilayer foil insulation.

  15. Effect of Eutectic Concentration on Conductivity in PEO:LiX Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhan, Pengfei; Ganapatibhotla, Lalitha; Maranas, Janna

    Polyethylene oxide (PEO) and lithium salt based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been widely proposed as a substitution for the liquid electrolyte in Li-ion batteries. As salt concentration varies, these systems demonstrate rich phase behavior. Conductivity as a function of salt concentration has been measured for decades and various concentration dependences have been observed. A PEO:LiX mixture can have one or two conductivity maximums, while some mixtures with salt of high ionic strength will have higher conductivity as the salt concentration decrease. The factors that affect the conductivity are specific for each sample. The universal factor that affects conductivity is still not clear. In this work, we measured the conductivity of a series of PEO:LiX mixtures and statistical analysis shows conductivity is affected by the concentration difference from the eutectic concentration (Δc). The correlation with Δc is stronger than the correlation with glass transition temperature. We believe that at the eutectic concentration, during the solidification process, unique structures can form which aid conduction. Currently at Dow Chemical.

  16. Method of removal of heavy metal from molten salt in IFR fuel pyroprocessing

    DOEpatents

    Gay, Eddie C.

    1995-01-01

    An electrochemical method of separating heavy metal values from a radioactive molten salt including Li halide at temperatures of about 500.degree. C. The method comprises positioning a solid Li--Cd alloy anode in the molten salt containing the heavy metal values, positioning a Cd-containing cathode or a solid cathode positioned above a catch crucible in the molten salt to recover the heavy metal values, establishing a voltage drop between the anode and the cathode to deposit material at the cathode to reduce the concentration of heavy metals in the salt, and controlling the deposition rate at the cathode by controlling the current between the anode and cathode.

  17. Modeling coliform-bacteria concentrations and pH in the salt-wedge reach of the Duwamish River Estuary, King County, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Haushild, W.L.; Prych, Edmund A.

    1976-01-01

    Total- and fecal-coliform bacteria, plus pH, alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon are water-quality parameters that have been added to an existing numerical model of water quality in the salt-wedge reach of the Duwamish River estuary in Washington. The coliform bacteria are modeled using a first-order decay (death) rate, which is a function of the local salinity, temperature, and daily solar radiation. The pH is computed by solving a set of chemical-equilibrium equations for carbonate-bicarbonate buffered aqueous solutions. Concentrations of total- and fecal-coliform bacteria computed by the model for the Duwamish River estuary during June-September 1971 generally agreed with observed concentrations within about 40 and 60 percent, respectively. The computed pH generally agreed with observed pH within about a 0.2 pH unit; however, for one 3-week period the computed pH was about a 0.4 unit lower than the observed pH. (Woodard-USGS)

  18. Progress in modeling solidification in molten salt coolants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tano, Mauricio; Rubiolo, Pablo; Doche, Olivier

    2017-10-01

    Molten salts have been proposed as heat carrier media in the nuclear and concentrating solar power plants. Due to their high melting temperature, solidification of the salts is expected to occur during routine and accidental scenarios. Furthermore, passive safety systems based on the solidification of these salts are being studied. The following article presents new developments in the modeling of eutectic molten salts by means of a multiphase, multicomponent, phase-field model. Besides, an application of this methodology for the eutectic solidification process of the ternary system LiF-KF-NaF is presented. The model predictions are compared with a newly developed semi-analytical solution for directional eutectic solidification at stable growth rate. A good qualitative agreement is obtained between the two approaches. The results obtained with the phase-field model are then used for calculating the homogenized properties of the solid phase distribution. These properties can then be included in a mixture macroscale model, more suitable for industrial applications.

  19. Higher salt preference in heart failure patients.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Juli Thomaz; Matsubara, Luiz S; Menani, José Vanderlei; Matsubara, Beatriz B; Johnson, Alan Kim; De Gobbi, Juliana Irani Fratucci

    2012-02-01

    Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome that involves changes in behavioral, neural and endocrine regulatory systems. Dietary salt restriction along with pharmacotherapy is considered an essential component in the effective management of symptomatic HF patients. However, it is well recognized that HF patients typically have great difficulty in restricting sodium intake. We hypothesized that under HF altered activity in systems that normally function to regulate body fluid and cardiovascular homeostasis could produce an increased preference for the taste of salt. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the perceived palatability (defined as salt preference) of food with different concentrations of added salt in compensated chronically medicated HF patients and comparable control subjects. Healthy volunteers (n=25) and medicated, clinically stable HF patients (n=38, NYHA functional class II or III) were interviewed and given an evaluation to assess their preferences for different amounts of saltiness. Three salt concentrations (0.58, 0.82, and 1.16 g/100 g) of bean soup were presented to the subjects. Salt preference for each concentration was quantified using an adjective scale (unpleasant, fair or delicious). Healthy volunteers preferred the soup with medium salt concentration (p=0.042), HF patients disliked the low concentration (p<0.001) and preferred the high concentration of salted bean soup (p<0.001). When compared to healthy volunteers, HF patients demonstrated a significantly greater preference for the soup with a high salt concentration (p=0.038). It is concluded that medicated, compensated patients under chronic treatment for HF have an increased preference for salt. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Thermal gelation profile changes in reconstituted actomyosin due to storage under a high salt concentration and low temperature.

    PubMed

    Tanji, H; Ikeuchi, Y; Yoshizawa, M; Suzuki, A

    1997-05-01

    Changes in the heat-induced gelation properties of reconstituted rabbit skeletal actomyosin stored under a high salt concentration at pH 6.0 and 0 degree C were investigated at different weight ratios of actin to myosin by using dynamic rheological and biochemical measurements. The addition of actin resulted in a pronounced peak maximum at about 50 degrees C and an accompanying temporary reduction in the range at about 50 degrees C to 60 degrees C. The more the initial actin concentration was increased, the greater was the area of the peak/shoulder. However, this area was markedly diminished with increasing storage time. As a result, the dynamic rheological pattern was transformed from an actomyosin type into a myosin type. The relationship between the G' value at 80 degrees C and the actin/myosin weight ratio was curvilinear, with a peak at the ratio of 0.05, immediately after storage was started. This profile changed during storage, depending on the extent to denaturation of actin and myosin in the reconstituted actomyosin (RAM). The G' value of actomyosin in 0.5 M KCl with a small actin/myosin ratio of 0.05 decreased to one-half of its initial value after 7 days of storage, whereas the G' value with a large actin/myosin ratio of 0.225 increased by about 1.6 times. In 1.5 M KCl, all the G' values declined to the level with myosin alone after 7 days of storage. The time-course plots of the remaining actin concentration in RAM at different weight ratios of actin to myosin after being treated with 0.5 M or 1.5 M KCl showed a decrease in the actin content with increasing storage time, and an increase in the KCl concentration to 1.5 M KCl promoted the denaturation of actin in RAM faster than with 0.5 M KCl. The surface hydrophobicity of each RAM sample progressively increased with increasing storage time, while little significant increase in the sulfhydryl (SH) content during storage was observed. It is concluded that changes in the heat-induced gelation properties of

  1. Materials Testing for an Accelerator-Driven Subcritical Molten Salt Fission System: A look at the Materials Science of Molten Salt Corrosion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sooby, Elizabeth; Balachandran, Shreyas; Foley, David; Hartwig, Karl; McIntyre, Peter; Phongikaroon, Supathorn; Pogue, Nathaniel; Simpson, Michael; Tripathy, Prabhat

    2011-10-01

    For an accelerator-driven subcritical molten salt fission core to survive its 50+ year fuel life, the primary vessel, heat exchanger, and various internal components must be made of materials that resist corrosion and radiation damage in a high-temperature environment, (500-800 C). An experimental study of the corrosion behavior of candidate metals in contact with molten salt is being conducted at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies. Initial experiments have been run on Nb, Ta, Ni, two zirconium alloys, Hastelloy-N, and a series of steel alloys to form a base line for corrosion in both chloride and bromide salt. Metal coupons were immersed in LiCl-KCl or LiBr-KBr at 700 C in an inert-atmosphere. Salt samples were extracted on a time schedule over a 24-hr period. The samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to determine concentrations of metals from corrosion. Preliminary results will be presented.

  2. Relative susceptibility of titanium alloys to hot-salt stress-corrosion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gray, H. R.

    1971-01-01

    Susceptibility of titanium alloys to hot-salt stress-corrosion cracking increased as follows: Ti-2Al-11Sn-5Zr-0.2Si(679), Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo(6242), Ti-6Al-4V(64), Ti-6Al-4V-3Co(643), Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V(811), and Ti-13V-11Cr-3A1(13-11-3). The Ti-5Al-6Sn-2Zr-1Mo-0.25Si(5621S) alloy was both the least and most susceptible depending on heat treatment. Such rankings can be drastically altered by heat-to-heat and processing variations. Residual compressive stresses and cyclic exposures also reduce susceptibility to stress-corrosion. Simulated turbine-engine compressor environmental variables such as air velocity, pressure, dewpoint, salt concentration, and salt deposition temperature have only minor effects. Detection of substantial concentrations of hydrogen in all corroded alloys confirmed the existence of a hydrogen embrittlement mechanism.

  3. Improved Low Temperature Performance of Supercapacitors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brandon, Erik J.; West, William C.; Smart, Marshall C.; Gnanaraj, Joe

    2013-01-01

    Low temperature double-layer capacitor operation enabled by: - Base acetonitrile / TEATFB salt formulation - Addition of low melting point formates, esters and cyclic ethers center dot Key electrolyte design factors: - Volume of co-solvent - Concentration of salt center dot Capacity increased through higher capacity electrodes: - Zeolite templated carbons - Asymmetric cell designs center dot Continuing efforts - Improve asymmetric cell performance at low temperature - Cycle life testing Motivation center dot Benchmark performance of commercial cells center dot Approaches for designing low temperature systems - Symmetric cells (activated carbon electrodes) - Symmetric cells (zeolite templated carbon electrodes) - Asymmetric cells (lithium titanate/activated carbon electrodes) center dot Experimental results center dot Summary

  4. Temperature-Sensitive Indicators for Monitoring RBC Concentrates Out of Controlled Temperature Storage.

    PubMed

    Sigle, Joerg P; Holbro, Andreas; Lehmann, Thomas; Infanti, Laura; Gerull, Sabine; Stern, Martin; Tichelli, Andre; Passweg, Jakob; Buser, Andreas

    2015-07-01

    The 30-minute rule for RBC concentrates out of controlled temperature storage does not take into account multiple parameters that influence warming of RBC concentrates. This study evaluated two temperature-sensitive indicators (TIs) for monitoring RBC concentrates during transport. TI labels (Check-Spot [Harald H. Temmel KG, Gleisdorf, Austria] and Thermoindikator V4 [BASF, Basel, Switzerland]) were attached to RBC concentrates prior to delivery. Duration of transport, ambient temperatures, and label results (valid vs expired) were recorded. We evaluated the proportion of labels discrepant to the 30-minute rule overall and among deliveries 30 minutes or less and more than 30 minutes and compared the rates of valid and expired readings between both TIs. In total, 201 RBC concentrate deliveries (86.6%) lasted 30 minutes or less, and 31 (13.4%) were more than 30 minutes. Forty-six (19.8%) Check-Spot and 37 (15.9%) Thermoindikator V4 results were discrepant to the 30-minute rule. Sixteen (51.6%) and 27 (87.1%) RBC concentrate deliveries more than 30 minutes displayed valid label readings with Check-Spot and Thermoindikator V4, respectively. Rates of expired labels among deliveries 30 minutes or less and valid labels among deliveries more than 30 minutes differed significantly between TIs (P < .01). TIs identified a considerable number of RBC concentrates whose temperatures may not be adequately reflected by the 30-minute rule. Variability of readings between TIs stresses the necessity of validation prior to implementation. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

  5. Corrosion Behavior of Alloys in Molten Fluoride Salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Guiqiu

    The molten fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature nuclear reactor (FHR) has been proposed as a candidate Generation IV nuclear reactor. This reactor combines the latest nuclear technology with the use of molten fluoride salt as coolant to significantly enhance safety and efficiency. However, an important challenge in FHR development is the corrosion of structural materials in high-temperature molten fluoride salt. The structural alloys' degradation, particularly in terms of chromium depletion, and the molten salt chemistry are key factors that impact the lifetime of nuclear reactors and the development of future FHR designs. In support of materials development for the FHR, the nickel base alloy of Hastelloy N and iron-chromium base alloy 316 stainless steel are being actively considered as critical structural alloys. Enriched 27LiF-BeF2 (named as FLiBe) is a promising coolant for the FHR because of its neutronic properties and heat transfer characteristics while operating at atmospheric pressure. In this study, the corrosion behavior of Ni-5Cr and Ni-20Cr binary model alloys, and Hastelloy N and 316 stainless steel in molten FLiBe with and without graphite were investigated through various microstructural analyses. Based on the understanding of the corrosion behavior and data of above four alloys in molten FLiBe, a long-term corrosion prediction model has been developed that is applicable specifically for these four materials in FLiBe at 700ºC. The model uses Cr concentration profile C(x, t) as a function of corrosion distance in the materials and duration fundamentally derived from the Fick's diffusion laws. This model was validated with reasonable accuracy for the four alloys by fitting the calculated profiles with experimental data and can be applied to evaluate corrosion attack depth over the long-term. The critical constant of the overall diffusion coefficient (Deff) in this model can be quickly calculated from the experimental measurement of alloys' weight

  6. Effect of Hydration State of Martian Perchlorate Salts on Their Decomposition Temperatures During Thermal Extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Royle, Samuel H.; Montgomery, Wren; Kounaves, Samuel P.; Sephton, Mark A.

    2017-12-01

    Three Mars missions have analyzed the composition of surface samples using thermal extraction techniques. The temperatures of decomposition have been used as diagnostic information for the materials present. One compound of great current interest is perchlorate, a relatively recently discovered component of Mars' surface geochemistry that leads to deleterious effects on organic matter during thermal extraction. Knowledge of the thermal decomposition behavior of perchlorate salts is essential for mineral identification and possible avoidance of confounding interactions with organic matter. We have performed a series of experiments which reveal that the hydration state of magnesium perchlorate has a significant effect on decomposition temperature, with differing temperature releases of oxygen corresponding to different perchlorate hydration states (peak of O2 release shifts from 500 to 600°C as the proportion of the tetrahydrate form in the sample increases). Changes in crystallinity/crystal size may also have a secondary effect on the temperature of decomposition, and although these surface effects appear to be minor for our samples, further investigation may be warranted. A less than full appreciation of the hydration state of perchlorate salts during thermal extraction analyses could lead to misidentification of the number and the nature of perchlorate phases present.

  7. The electrochemical reduction processes of solid compounds in high temperature molten salts.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Wei; Wang, Dihua

    2014-05-21

    Solid electrode processes fall in the central focus of electrochemistry due to their broad-based applications in electrochemical energy storage/conversion devices, sensors and electrochemical preparation. The electrolytic production of metals, alloys, semiconductors and oxides via the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds (especially solid oxides) in high temperature molten salts has been well demonstrated to be an effective and environmentally friendly process for refractory metal extraction, functional materials preparation as well as spent fuel reprocessing. The (electro)chemical reduction of solid compounds under cathodic polarizations generally accompanies a variety of changes at the cathode/melt electrochemical interface which result in diverse electrolytic products with different compositions, morphologies and microstructures. This report summarizes various (electro)chemical reactions taking place at the compound cathode/melt interface during the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds in molten salts, which mainly include: (1) the direct electro-deoxidation of solid oxides; (2) the deposition of the active metal together with the electrochemical reduction of solid oxides; (3) the electro-inclusion of cations from molten salts; (4) the dissolution-electrodeposition process, and (5) the electron hopping process and carbon deposition with the utilization of carbon-based anodes. The implications of the forenamed cathodic reactions on the energy efficiency, chemical compositions and microstructures of the electrolytic products are also discussed. We hope that a comprehensive understanding of the cathodic processes during the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds in molten salts could form a basis for developing a clean, energy efficient and affordable production process for advanced/engineering materials.

  8. Optimization of elution salt concentration in stepwise elution of protein chromatography using linear gradient elution data. Reducing residual protein A by cation-exchange chromatography in monoclonal antibody purification.

    PubMed

    Ishihara, Takashi; Kadoya, Toshihiko; Endo, Naomi; Yamamoto, Shuichi

    2006-05-05

    Our simple method for optimization of the elution salt concentration in stepwise elution was applied to the actual protein separation system, which involves several difficulties such as detection of the target. As a model separation system, reducing residual protein A by cation-exchange chromatography in human monoclonal antibody (hMab) purification was chosen. We carried out linear gradient elution experiments and obtained the data for the peak salt concentration of hMab and residual protein A, respectively. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to the measurement of the residual protein A. From these data, we calculated the distribution coefficient of the hMab and the residual protein A as a function of salt concentration. The optimal salt concentration of stepwise elution to reduce the residual protein A from the hMab was determined based on the relationship between the distribution coefficient and the salt concentration. Using the optimized condition, we successfully performed the separation, resulting in high recovery of hMab and the elimination of residual protein A.

  9. Batteries using molten salt electrolyte

    DOEpatents

    Guidotti, Ronald A.

    2003-04-08

    An electrolyte system suitable for a molten salt electrolyte battery is described where the electrolyte system is a molten nitrate compound, an organic compound containing dissolved lithium salts, or a 1-ethyl-3-methlyimidazolium salt with a melting temperature between approximately room temperature and approximately 250.degree. C. With a compatible anode and cathode, the electrolyte system is utilized in a battery as a power source suitable for oil/gas borehole applications and in heat sensors.

  10. Fluoride salts and container materials for thermal energy storage applications in the temperature range 973 to 1400 K

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Misra, Ajay K.; Whittenberger, J. Daniel

    1987-01-01

    Multicomponent fluoride salt mixtures were characterized for use as latent heat of fusion heat storage materials in advanced solar dynamic space power systems with operating temperatures in the range of 973 to 1400 K. The melting points and eutectic composition for many systems with published phase diagrams were verified, and several new eutectic compositions were identified. Additionally, the heats of fusion of several binary and ternary eutectics and congruently melting intermediate compounds were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The extent of corrosion of various metals by fluoride melts was estimated from thermodynamic considerations, and equilibrium conditions inside a containment vessel were calculated as functions of the initial moisture content of the salt and free volume above the molten salt. Preliminary experimental data on the corrosion of commercial, high-temperature alloys in LiF-19.5CaF2 and NaF-27CaF2-36MgF2 melts are presented and compared to the thermodynamic predictions.

  11. Method of removal of heavy metal from molten salt in IFR fuel pyroprocessing

    DOEpatents

    Gay, E.C.

    1995-10-03

    An electrochemical method is described for separating heavy metal values from a radioactive molten salt including Li halide at temperatures of about 500 C. The method comprises positioning a solid Li--Cd alloy anode in the molten salt containing the heavy metal values, positioning a Cd-containing cathode or a solid cathode positioned above a catch crucible in the molten salt to recover the heavy metal values, establishing a voltage drop between the anode and the cathode to deposit material at the cathode to reduce the concentration of heavy metals in the salt, and controlling the deposition rate at the cathode by controlling the current between the anode and cathode. 3 figs.

  12. Fetal bile salt metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Smallwood, R. A.; Lester, R.; Piasecki, G. J.; Klein, P. D.; Greco, R.; Jackson, B. T.

    1972-01-01

    Bile salt metabolism was studied in fetal dogs 1 wk before term. The size and distribution of the fetal bile salt pool were measured, and individual bile salts were identified. The hepatic excretion of endogenous bile salts was studied in bile fistula fetuses, and the capacity of this excretory mechanism was investigated by the i.v. infusion of a load of sodium taurocholate-14C up to 20 times the endogenous pool size. The total fetal bile salt pool was 30.9±2.7 μmoles, of which two-thirds was in the fetal gallbladder. Expressed on a body weight basis, this was equal to approximately one-half the estimated pool size in the adult dog (119.2±11.3 vs. 247.5±33.1 μmoles/kg body wt). Measurable quantities of bile salt were found in small bowel (6.0±1.8 μmoles), large bowel (1.1±0.3 μmoles), liver (1.2±0.5 μmoles), and plasma (0.1±0.03 μmoles). Plasma bile salt levels were significantly greater in fetal than in maternal plasma (1.01±0.24 μg/ml vs. 0.36±0.06 μg/ml; P < 0.05). Fetal hepatic bile salt excretion showed a fall over the period of study from 2.04±0.34 to 0.30±0.07 μmoles/hr. The maximal endogenous bile salt concentration in fetal hepatic bile was 18.7±1.5 μmoles/ml. The concentration in fetal gallbladder bile was 73.9±8.6 μmoles/ml; and, in those studies in which hepatic and gallbladder bile could be compared directly, the gallbladder appeared to concentrate bile four- to fivefold. Taurocholate, taurochenodeoxycholate, and taurodeoxycholate were present in fetal bile, but no free bile salts were identified. The presence of deoxycholate was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and gas liquid chromatography, and the absence of microorganisms in fetal gut suggests that it was probably transferred from the maternal circulation. After infusion of a taurocholate load, fetal hepatic bile salt excretion increased 30-fold, so that 85-95% of the dose was excreted by the fetal liver during the period of observation. Placental transfer accounted

  13. Freezing points and small-scale deicing tests for salts of levulinic acid made from grain sorghum.

    PubMed

    Ganjyal, G; Fang, Q; Hanna, M A

    2007-11-01

    Deicers from renewable resources are needed to overcome the disadvantages of using traditional deicers. Salts made from levulinic acid produced using grain sorghum as raw material were tested as road deicing agents. Freezing points of these salts viz., sodium levulinate, magnesium levulinate and calcium levulinate along with rock salt (sodium chloride) were determined according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 1177-94 standard at concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 40 % w/w. There were significant differences among the freezing points of the salts. Freezing points for rock salt, sodium levulinate, calcium levulinate and magnesium levulinate, for different concentrations, were in the ranges of -6.6 to -20.5, -2.9 to -15.0, -2.1 to -7.8 and -1.5 to -6.5 degrees C, respectively. Deicing effectiveness of the salts of levulinic acid were investigated by conducting small-scale deicing tests with aqueous solutions of various salt concentrations (2%, 5% and 10%) in a laboratory freezer and by spraying the deicer on a graveled surface covered by ice and snow with the average temperature during the testing at -2.7 degrees C. Deicing capabilities of the three salts of levulinic acid differed. At -2.7 degrees C, all three salts caused melting of the ice. Among the different levulinates studied sodium levulinate was the most effective deicing agent. These salts of levulinates could be a viable replacement for traditional deicers and could help in reducing the disadvantages of traditional deicers.

  14. [Iodine concentration in cooking salt consumed in Lubumbashi and the iodine status of vulnerable people: case study of pregnant women living in underprivileged areas].

    PubMed

    Banza, Bienvenue Ilunga; Lumbu, Jean Baptiste Simbi; Donnen, Philippe; Twite, Eugène Kabange; Kwete, Daniel Mikobi; Kazadi, Costa Mwadianvita; Ozoza, Jean Okolonken; Habimana, Laurence; Kalenga, Prosper Muenze Kayamba; Robert, Annie

    2016-01-01

    Consumption of low iodine salt can cause different types of disorders associated with iodine deficiency. This study aims to determine iodine content in table salt consumed in Lubumbashi and iodine status of pregnant women who are the main target of iodine deficiency. aAdescriptive cross-sectional study was devoted to an iodometric iodine analysis of 739 salt samples collected from the households and the markets of Lubumbashi in 2014. Previously, urinary iodine concentrations were determined in 225 pregnant women received for consultation from 15 March 2009 to 25 April 2011 by mineralization technique using ammonium persulphate. Our survey found that 47.5% of the cooking salt samples were adequately iodized (from 15 to 40 ppm), 36,9% of the samples had low iodine levels, 7,4% of the samples had too much iodine and 8,1% of the samples were not iodized. Iodine concentration in the analyzed cooking salt reached an overall average of 54,9%, being clearly below the WHO Standards (90%). By measuring urinary iodine concentration of pregnant women, iodine deficiency (urinary iodine <150 µg/l) was observed in 52%. The low availability of iodine from consumed salt in Lubumbashi could be responsible for a large proportion of the observed iodine deficiency in pregnant women, exposing them to the major risks for disorders associated with iodine deficiency.

  15. Exploring the Effects of Subfreezing Temperature and Salt Concentration on Ice Growth Inhibition of Antarctic Gram-Negative Bacterium Marinomonas Primoryensis Using Coarse-Grained Simulation.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Hung; Dac Van, Thanh; Tran, Nhut; Le, Ly

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this work is to study the freezing process of water molecules surrounding Antarctic Gram-negative bacterium Marinomonas primoryensis antifreeze protein (MpAFP) and the MpAFP interactions to the surface of ice crystals under various marine environments (at different NaCl concentrations of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.8 mol/l). Our result indicates that activating temperature region of MpAFPs reduced as NaCl concentration increased. Specifically, MpAFP was activated and functioned at 0.6 mol/l with temperatures equal or larger 278 K, and at 0.8 mol/l with temperatures equal or larger 270 K. Additionally, MpAFP was inhibited by ice crystal network from 268 to 274 K and solid-liquid hybrid from 276 to 282 K at 0.3 mol/l concentration. Our results shed lights on structural dynamics of MpAFP among different marine environments.

  16. Temperature-dependent formation of NaCl dihydrate in levitated NaCl and sea salt aerosol particles.

    PubMed

    Peckhaus, Andreas; Kiselev, Alexei; Wagner, Robert; Duft, Denis; Leisner, Thomas

    2016-12-28

    Recent laboratory studies indicate that the hydrated form of crystalline NaCl is potentially important for atmospheric processes involving depositional ice nucleation on NaCl dihydrate particles under cirrus cloud conditions. However, recent experimental studies reported a strong discrepancy between the temperature intervals where the efflorescence of NaCl dihydrate has been observed. Here we report the measurements of the volume specific nucleation rate of crystalline NaCl in the aqueous solution droplets of pure NaCl suspended in an electrodynamic balance at constant temperature and humidity in the range from 250 K to 241 K. Based on these measurements, we derive the interfacial energy of crystalline NaCl dihydrate in a supersaturated NaCl solution and determined its temperature dependence. Taking into account both temperature and concentration dependence of nucleation rate coefficients, we explain the difference in the observed fractions of NaCl dihydrate reported in the previous studies. Applying the heterogeneous classical nucleation theory model, we have been able to reproduce the 5 K shift of the NaCl dihydrate efflorescence curve observed for the sea salt aerosol particles, assuming the presence of super-micron solid inclusions (hypothetically gypsum or hemihydrate of CaSO 4 ). These results support the notion that the phase transitions in microscopic droplets of supersaturated solution should be interpreted by accounting for the stochastic nature of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation and cannot be understood on the ground of bulk phase diagrams alone.

  17. Temperature-dependent formation of NaCl dihydrate in levitated NaCl and sea salt aerosol particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peckhaus, Andreas; Kiselev, Alexei; Wagner, Robert; Duft, Denis; Leisner, Thomas

    2016-12-01

    Recent laboratory studies indicate that the hydrated form of crystalline NaCl is potentially important for atmospheric processes involving depositional ice nucleation on NaCl dihydrate particles under cirrus cloud conditions. However, recent experimental studies reported a strong discrepancy between the temperature intervals where the efflorescence of NaCl dihydrate has been observed. Here we report the measurements of the volume specific nucleation rate of crystalline NaCl in the aqueous solution droplets of pure NaCl suspended in an electrodynamic balance at constant temperature and humidity in the range from 250 K to 241 K. Based on these measurements, we derive the interfacial energy of crystalline NaCl dihydrate in a supersaturated NaCl solution and determined its temperature dependence. Taking into account both temperature and concentration dependence of nucleation rate coefficients, we explain the difference in the observed fractions of NaCl dihydrate reported in the previous studies. Applying the heterogeneous classical nucleation theory model, we have been able to reproduce the 5 K shift of the NaCl dihydrate efflorescence curve observed for the sea salt aerosol particles, assuming the presence of super-micron solid inclusions (hypothetically gypsum or hemihydrate of CaSO4). These results support the notion that the phase transitions in microscopic droplets of supersaturated solution should be interpreted by accounting for the stochastic nature of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation and cannot be understood on the ground of bulk phase diagrams alone.

  18. Trapping of hydrogen atoms in X-irradiated salts at room temperature and the decay kinetics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    May, C. E.; Philipp, W. H.; Marsik, S. J.

    1974-01-01

    The salts (hypophosphites, formates, a phosphite, a phosphate, and an oxalate) were X-irradiated, whereby hydrogen formed chemically by a radiolytic process becomes trapped in the solid. By room temperature vacuum extraction, the kinetics for the evolution of this trapped hydrogen was studied mass spectrometrically. All salts except two exhibited second-order kinetics. The two exceptions (NaH2PO2(H2O) and K2HPO4) showed first-order kinetics. Based on experimental results, the escape of hydrogen involves three steps: the diffusion of hydrogen atoms from the bulk to the surface, association of these atoms on the surface (rate controlling step for second-order hydrogen evolution), and the desorption of molecular hydrogen from the surface. The hydrogen does not escape if the irradiated salt is stored in air, apparently because adsorbed air molecules occupy surface sites required in the escape mechanism.

  19. High temperature reaction between sea salt deposit and (U,Zr)O2 simulated corium debris

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takano, Masahide; Nishi, Tsuyoshi

    2013-11-01

    In order to clarify the possible impacts of seawater injection on the chemical and physical state of the corium debris formed in the severe accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants, the high temperature reaction between sea salt deposit and (U,Zr)O2 simulated corium debris (sim-debris) was examined in the temperature range from 1088 to 1668 K. A dense layer of calcium and sodium uranate formed on the surface of a sim-debris pellet at 1275 K under airflow, with the thickness of over 50 μm. When the oxygen partial pressure is low, calcium is likely to dissolve into the cubic sim-debris phase to form solid solution (Ca,U,Zr)O2+x. The diffusion depth was 5-6 μm from the surface, subjected to 1275 K for 12 h. The crystalline MgO remains affixed on the surface as the main residue of salt components. A part of it can also dissolve into the sim-debris.

  20. A Rich Morphological Diversity of Biosaline Drying Patterns Is Generated by Different Bacterial Species, Different Salts and Concentrations: Astrobiological Implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gómez Gómez, José María; Medina, Jesús; Rull, Fernando

    2016-07-01

    Biosaline formations (BSFs) are complex self-organized biomineral patterns formed by "hibernating" bacteria as the biofilm that contains them dries out. They were initially described in drying biofilms of Escherichia coli cells + NaCl. Due to their intricate 3-D morphology and anhydrobiosis, these biomineralogical structures are of great interest in astrobiology. Here we report experimental data obtained with various alkali halide salts (NaF, NaCl, NaBr, LiCl, KCl, CsCl) on BSF formation with E. coli and Bacillus subtilis bacteria at two saline concentrations: 9 and 18 mg/mL. Our results indicate that, except for LiCl, which is inactive, all the salts assayed are active during BSF formation and capable of promoting the generation of distinctive drying patterns at each salt concentration. Remarkably, the BSFs produced by these two bacterial species produce characteristic architectural hallmarks as the BSF dries. The potential biogenicity of these biosaline drying patterns is studied, and the astrobiological implications of these findings are discussed.

  1. Deployment of quasi-digital sensor for high temperature molten salt level measurement in pyroprocessing plants.

    PubMed

    Sanga, Ramesh; Agarwal, Sourabh; Sivaramakrishna, M; Rao, G Prabhakara

    2018-04-01

    Development of a liquid molten salt level sensor device that can detect the level of liquid molten salt in the process vessels of pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic fuels is detailed. It is proposed to apply a resistive-type pulsating sensor-based level measurement approach. There are no commercially available sensors due to limitations of high temperature, radiation, and physical dimensions. A compact, simple, rugged, low power, and high precise pulsating sensor-based level probe and simple instrumentation for the molten salt liquid level sensor to work in the extreme conditions has been indigenously developed, with high precision and accuracy. The working principle, design concept, and results have been discussed. This level probe is mainly composed of the variable resistor made up of ceramic rods. This resistor constitutes the part of resistance-capacitance-type Logic Gate Oscillator (LGO). A change in the molten salt level inside the tank causes a small change in the resistance which in turn changes the pulse frequency of the LGO. Thus the frequency, the output of the instrument that is displayed on the LCD of an embedded system, is a function of molten salt level. In the present design, the range of level measurement is about 10 mm. The sensitivity in position measurement up to 10 mm is ∼2.5 kHz/mm.

  2. Deployment of quasi-digital sensor for high temperature molten salt level measurement in pyroprocessing plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanga, Ramesh; Agarwal, Sourabh; Sivaramakrishna, M.; Rao, G. Prabhakara

    2018-04-01

    Development of a liquid molten salt level sensor device that can detect the level of liquid molten salt in the process vessels of pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic fuels is detailed. It is proposed to apply a resistive-type pulsating sensor-based level measurement approach. There are no commercially available sensors due to limitations of high temperature, radiation, and physical dimensions. A compact, simple, rugged, low power, and high precise pulsating sensor-based level probe and simple instrumentation for the molten salt liquid level sensor to work in the extreme conditions has been indigenously developed, with high precision and accuracy. The working principle, design concept, and results have been discussed. This level probe is mainly composed of the variable resistor made up of ceramic rods. This resistor constitutes the part of resistance-capacitance-type Logic Gate Oscillator (LGO). A change in the molten salt level inside the tank causes a small change in the resistance which in turn changes the pulse frequency of the LGO. Thus the frequency, the output of the instrument that is displayed on the LCD of an embedded system, is a function of molten salt level. In the present design, the range of level measurement is about 10 mm. The sensitivity in position measurement up to 10 mm is ˜2.5 kHz/mm.

  3. ADR salt pill design and crystal growth process for hydrated magnetic salts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shirron, Peter J. (Inventor); DiPirro, Michael J. (Inventor); Canavan, Edgar R. (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    A process is provided for producing a salt pill for use in very low temperature adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators (ADRs). The method can include providing a thermal bus in a housing. The thermal bus can include an array of thermally conductive metal conductors. A hydrated salt can be grown on the array of thermally conductive metal conductors. Thermal conductance can be provided to the hydrated salt.

  4. Influence of total soluble salt concentration on growth and elemental concentration of winged bean seedlings, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L. ) DC

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

    Csizinszky, A.A.

    Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) (L.) DC) seedlings of the accession TPT-1, were grown in a greenhouse with graded, balanced total soluble salt (TSS) concentrations. After 45 days, plant height increased quadratically, with a maximum (149 cm) at 3000 ppm TSS. Seedlings were shortest at 1000 and 10,000 ppm TSS, 44.0 and 79.0 cm, respectively. Fresh weight of shoots increased quadratically with greatest weight, 29.03 g, at 5000 ppm TSS. Percent dry matter increased linearly with increasing TSS. Concentration of N, K and P increased quadratically with an increase in the TSS concentration in the growth medium. Concentration of Ca decreasedmore » quadratically with increasing TSS. Among the micronutrients, Fe and Mo concentration was quadratic, both elements were highest in the seedlings at 1000 and 10,000 ppm TSS rates. Concentrations of Mn and Zn increased linearly with increasing TSS. Winged bean seedlings at the 1000 to 3000 ppm TSS rates had spindly stems and a sparse, yellow foliage, typical for winged bean seedlings observed in the field during the first 4 to 5 weeks of growth. Seedlings at the 4000 and 5000 ppm TSS rates had sturdy stems and an abundant green foliage. At higher TSS concentrations, 5000 to 10,000 ppm TSS, seedlings had short intermodes and dark green foliage.« less

  5. SiC Schottky Diode Detectors for Measurement of Actinide Concentrations from Alpha Activities in Molten Salt Electrolyte

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

    Windl, Wolfgang; Blue, Thomas

    In this project, we have designed a 4H-SiC Schottky diode detector device in order to monitor actinide concentrations in extreme environments, such as present in pyroprocessing of spent fuel. For the first time, we have demonstrated high temperature operation of such a device up to 500 °C in successfully detecting alpha particles. We have used Am-241 as an alpha source for our laboratory experiments. Along with the experiments, we have developed a multiscale model to study the phenomena controlling the device behavior and to be able to predict the device performance. Our multiscale model consists of ab initio modeling tomore » understand defect energetics and their effect on electronic structure and carrier mobility in the material. Further, we have developed the basis for a damage evolution model incorporating the outputs from ab initio model in order to predict respective defect concentrations in the device material. Finally, a fully equipped TCAD-based device model has been developed to study the phenomena controlling the device behavior. Using this model, we have proven our concept that the detector is capable of performing alpha detection in a salt bath with the mixtures of actinides present in a pyroprocessing environment.« less

  6. Microbiology of solar salt ponds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Javor, B.

    1985-01-01

    Solar salt ponds are shallow ponds of brines that range in salinity from that of normal seawater (3.4 percent) through NaCl saturation. Some salterns evaporate brines to the potash stage of concentration (bitterns). All the brines (except the bitterns, which are devoid of life) harbor high concentrations of microorganisms. The high concentrations of microorganisms and their adaptation to life in the salt pond are discussed.

  7. Blanching, salting and sun drying of different pumpkin fruit slices.

    PubMed

    Workneh, T S; Zinash, A; Woldetsadik, K

    2014-11-01

    The study was aimed at assessing the quality of pumpkin (Cucuribita Spp.) slices that were subjected to pre-drying treatments and drying using two drying methods (uncontrolled sun and oven) fruit accessions. Pre-drying had significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect on the quality of dried pumpkin slices. 10 % salt solution dipped pumpkin fruit slices had good chemical quality. The two-way interaction between drying methods and pre-drying treatments had significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect on chemical qualities. Pumpkin subjected to salt solution dipping treatment and oven dried had higher chemical concentrations. Among the pumpkin fruit accessions, pumpkin accession 8007 had the superior TSS, total sugar and sugar to acid ratio after drying. Among the three pre-drying treatment, salt solution dipping treatment had significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect and the most efficient pre-drying treatment to retain the quality of dried pumpkin fruits without significant chemical quality deterioration. Salt dipping treatment combined with low temperature (60 °C) oven air circulation drying is recommended to maintain quality of dried pumpkin slices. However, since direct sun drying needs extended drying time due to fluctuation in temperature, it is recommended to develop or select best successful solar dryer for use in combination with pre-drying salt dipping or blanching treatments.

  8. A revised Pitzer model for low-temperature soluble salt assemblages at the Phoenix site, Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toner, J. D.; Catling, D. C.; Light, B.

    2015-10-01

    The Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL) on the Mars Phoenix Lander measured ions in a soil-water extraction and found Na+, K+, H+ (pH), Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, ClO4-, and Cl-. Equilibrium models offer insights into salt phases that were originally present in the Phoenix soil, which dissolved to form the measured WCL solution; however, there are few experimental datasets for single cation perchlorates (ClO4-), and none for mixed perchlorates, at low temperatures, which are needed to build models. In this study, we measure ice and salt solubilities in binary and ternary solutions in the Na-Ca-Mg-ClO4 system, and then use this data, along with existing data, to construct a low-temperature Pitzer model for perchlorate brines. We then apply our model to a nominal WCL solution. Previous studies have modeled either freezing of a WCL solution or evaporation at a single temperature. For the first time, we model evaporation at subzero temperatures, which is relevant for dehydration conditions that might occur at the Phoenix site. Our model indicates that a freezing WCL solution will form ice, KClO4, hydromagnesite (3MgCO3·Mg(OH)2·3H2O), calcite (CaCO3), meridianiite (MgSO4·11H2O), MgCl2·12H2O, NaClO4·2H2O, and Mg(ClO4)2·6H2O at the eutectic (209 K). The total water held in hydrated salt phases at the eutectic is ∼1.2 wt.%, which is much greater than hydrated water contents when evaporation is modeled at 298.15 K (∼0.3 wt.%). Evaporation of WCL solutions at lower temperatures (down to 210 K) results in lower water activities and the formation of more dehydrated minerals, e.g. kieserite (MgSO4·H2O) instead of meridianiite. Potentially habitable brines, with water activity aw > 0.6, can occur when soil temperatures are above 220 K and when the soil liquid water content is greater than 0.4 wt.% (100 ×gH2O gsoil-1). In general, modeling indicates that mineral assemblages derived from WCL-type solutions are characteristic of the soil temperature, water content, and water

  9. Effects of Temperature on Microstructure and Wear of Salt Bath Nitrided 17-4PH Stainless Steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jun; Lin, Yuanhua; Fan, Hongyuan; Zeng, Dezhi; Peng, Qian; Shen, Baoluo

    2012-08-01

    Salt bath nitriding of 17-4 PH martensitic precipitation hardening stainless steels was conducted at 610, 630, and 650 °C for 2 h using a complex salt bath heat-treatment, and the properties of the nitrided surface were systematically evaluated. Experimental results revealed that the microstructure and phase constituents of the nitrided surface alloy are highly process condition dependent. When 17-4PH stainless steel was subjected to complex salt bathing nitriding, the main phase of the nitrided layer was expanded martensite (α'), expanded austenite (γN), CrN, Fe4N, and (Fe,Cr) x O y . In the sample nitrided above 610 °C, the expanded martensite transformed into expanded austenite. But in the sample nitrided at 650 °C, the expanded austenite decomposed into αN and CrN. The decomposed αN then disassembled into CrN and alpha again. The nitrided layer depth thickened intensively with the increasing nitriding temperature. The activation energy of nitriding in this salt bath was 125 ± 5 kJ/mol.

  10. Thermal Properties of Consolidated Granular Salt as a Backfill Material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paneru, Laxmi P.; Bauer, Stephen J.; Stormont, John C.

    2018-03-01

    Granular salt has been proposed as backfill material in drifts and shafts of a nuclear waste disposal facility where it will serve to conduct heat away from the waste to the host rock. Creep closure of excavations in rock salt will consolidate (reduce the porosity of) the granular salt. This study involved measuring the thermal conductivity and specific heat of granular salt as a function of porosity and temperature to aid in understanding how thermal properties will change during granular salt consolidation accomplished at pressures and temperatures consistent with a nuclear waste disposal facility. Thermal properties of samples from laboratory-consolidated granular salt and in situ consolidated granular salt were measured using a transient plane source method at temperatures ranging from 50 to 250 °C. Additional measurements were taken on a single crystal of halite and dilated polycrystalline rock salt. Thermal conductivity of granular salt decreased with increases in temperature and porosity. Specific heat of granular salt at lower temperatures decreased with increasing porosity. At higher temperatures, porosity dependence was not apparent. The thermal conductivity and specific heat data were fit to empirical models and compared with results presented in the literature. At comparable densities, the thermal conductivities of granular salt samples consolidated hydrostatically in this study were greater than those measured previously on samples formed by quasi-static pressing. Petrographic studies of the consolidated salt indicate that the consolidation method influenced the nature of the porosity; these observations are used to explain the variation of measured thermal conductivities between the two consolidation methods. Thermal conductivity of dilated polycrystalline salt was lower than consolidated salt at comparable porosities. The pervasive crack network along grain boundaries in dilated salt impedes heat flow and results in a lower thermal conductivity

  11. Invasive Knotweeds are Highly Tolerant to Salt Stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rouifed, Soraya; Byczek, Coline; Laffray, Daniel; Piola, Florence

    2012-12-01

    Japanese knotweed s.l. are some of the most invasive plants in the world. Some genotypes are known to be tolerant to the saline concentrations found in salt marshes. Here we focus on tolerance to higher concentrations in order to assess whether the species are able to colonize and establish in highly stressful environments, or whether salt is an efficient management tool. In a first experiment, adult plants of Fallopia japonica, Fallopia × bohemica and Fallopia sachalinensis were grown under salt stress conditions by watering with saline concentrations of 6, 30, 120, or 300 g L-1 for three weeks to assess the response of the plants to a spill of salt. At the two highest concentrations, their leaves withered and fell. There were no effects on the aboveground parts at the lowest concentrations. Belowground dry weight and number of buds were reduced from 30 and 120 g L-1 of salt, respectively. In a second experiment, a single spraying of 120 g L-1 of salt was applied to individuals of F. × bohemica and their stems were clipped to assess the response to a potential control method. 60 % of the plants regenerated. Regeneration was delayed by the salt treatment and shoot growth slowed down. This study establishes the tolerance of three Fallopia taxa to strong salt stress, with no obvious differences between taxa. Their salt tolerance could be an advantage in their ability to colonize polluted environments and to survive to spills of salt.

  12. Crystallization of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme from Assorted Sulfate Salts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Forsythe, Elizabeth L.; Snell, Edward H.; Malone, Christine C.; Pusey, Marc L.

    1999-01-01

    Chicken egg white lysozyme has been found to crystallize from ammonium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, magnesium, and manganese sulfates at acidic and basic pH, with protein concentrations from 60 to 190 mg/ml. Crystals have also been grown at 4 C in the absence of any other added salts using isoionic lysozyme which was titrated to pH 4.6 with dilute sulfuric acid. Four different crystal forms have been obtained, depending upon the temperature, protein concentration, and precipitating salt employed. Crystals grown at 15 C were generally tetragonal, with space group P4(sub 3)2(sub 1)2. Crystallization at 20 C typically resulted in the formation of orthorhombic crystals, space group P2(sub 1)2(sub 1)2(sub 1). The tetragonal reversible reaction orthorhombic transition appeared to be a function of both the temperature and protein concentration, occurring between 15 and 20 C and between 100 and 125 mg/ml protein concentration. Crystallization from 1.2 M magnesium sulfate at pH 7.8 gave a trigonal crystal, space group P3(sub 1)2(sub 1), a = b = 87.4, c = 73.7, gamma = 120 deg, which diffracted to 2.8 A. Crystallization from ammonium sulfate at pH 4.6, generally at lower temperatures, was also found to result in a monoclinic form. space group C2, a = 65.6, b = 95.0, c = 41.2, beta = 119.2 deg. A crystal of approximately 0.2 x 0.2 x 0.5 mm grown from bulk solution diffracted to approximately 3.5 A.

  13. Crystallization of chicken egg white lysozyme from assorted sulfate salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Forsythe, Elizabeth L.; Snell, Edward H.; Malone, Christine C.; Pusey, Marc L.

    1999-01-01

    Chicken egg white lysozyme has been found to crystallize from ammonium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, magnesium, and manganese sulfates at acidic and basic pH, with protein concentrations from 60 to 190 mg/ml. Crystals have also been grown at 4°C in the absence of any other added salts using isoionic lysozyme which was titrated to pH 4.6 with dilute sulfuric acid. Four different crystal forms have been obtained, depending upon the temperature, protein concentration, and precipitating salt employed. Crystals grown at 15°C were generally tetragonal, with space group P4 32 12. Crystallization at 20°C typically resulted in the formation of orthorhombic crystals, space group P2 12 12 1. The tetragonal ↔ orthorhombic transition appeared to be a function of both the temperature and protein concentration, occurring between 15 and 20°C and between 100 and 125 mg/ml protein concentration. Crystallization from 1.2 M magnesium sulfate at pH 7.8 gave a trigonal crystal, space group P3 12 1, a= b=87.4, c=73.7, γ=120°, which diffracted to 2.8 Å. Crystallization from ammonium sulfate at pH 4.6, generally at lower temperatures, was also found to result in a monoclinic form, space group C2, a=65.6, b=95.0, c=41.2, β=119.2°. A crystal of ˜0.2×0.2×0.5 mm grown from bulk solution diffracted to ˜3.5 Å.

  14. The current status of fluoride salt cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) technology and its overlap with HIF target chamber concepts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scarlat, Raluca O.; Peterson, Per F.

    2014-01-01

    The fluoride salt cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) is a class of fission reactor designs that use liquid fluoride salt coolant, TRISO coated particle fuel, and graphite moderator. Heavy ion fusion (HIF) can likewise make use of liquid fluoride salts, to create thick or thin liquid layers to protect structures in the target chamber from ablation by target X-rays and damage from fusion neutron irradiation. This presentation summarizes ongoing work in support of design development and safety analysis of FHR systems. Development work for fluoride salt systems with application to both FHR and HIF includes thermal-hydraulic modeling and experimentation, salt chemistry control, tritium management, salt corrosion of metallic alloys, and development of major components (e.g., pumps, heat exchangers) and gas-Brayton cycle power conversion systems. In support of FHR development, a thermal-hydraulic experimental test bay for separate effects (SETs) and integral effect tests (IETs) was built at UC Berkeley, and a second IET facility is under design. The experiments investigate heat transfer and fluid dynamics and they make use of oils as simulant fluids at reduced scale, temperature, and power of the prototypical salt-cooled system. With direct application to HIF, vortex tube flow was investigated in scaled experiments with mineral oil. Liquid jets response to impulse loading was likewise studied using water as a simulant fluid. A set of four workshops engaging industry and national laboratory experts were completed in 2012, with the goal of developing a technology pathway to the design and licensing of a commercial FHR. The pathway will include experimental and modeling efforts at universities and national laboratories, requirements for a component test facility for reliability testing of fluoride salt equipment at prototypical conditions, requirements for an FHR test reactor, and development of a pre-conceptual design for a commercial reactor.

  15. Encapsulation of high temperature molten salts

    DOEpatents

    Oxley, James D.; Mathur, Anoop Kumar

    2017-05-16

    The present disclosure relates to a method of encapsulating microcapsules containing relatively high temperature phase change materials and the microcapsules so produced. The microcapsules are coated with an inorganic binder, film former and an inorganic filler. The microcapsules may include a sacrificial layer that is disposed between the particle and the coating. The microcapsules may also include an inner coating layer, sacrificial layer and outer coating layer. The microcapsules are particularly useful for thermal energy storage in connection with, e.g., heat collected from concentrating solar collectors.

  16. Physical properties of salt, anhydrite and gypsum : preliminary report

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robertson, Eugene C.; Robie, Richard A.; Books, Kenneth G.

    1958-01-01

    This summary is the result of a search of the available literature. Emphasis is placed on the mechanical and calorimetric properties of salt; the measurements of elastic, thermal, magnetic, and mass properties of salt are merely tabulated. Under hydrostatic pressure 100 percent at a nearly constant stress difference of about 300 kg/cm2. Similarily, under temperatures > 400?C at one atmosphere, salt deforms plastically to strains > 100 percent under stress differences of about 100 kg/cm2. Entha1pies were calculated for various temperatures to 2,000? C from the low temperature and high temperature heat capacities and the heats of solution of the following minerals: salt (or halite), NaCl; anhydrite, CaS04; quartz, Si02; and calcite, CaC03. Three combinations of these minerals were assumed to represent three possible natural salt beds, and the heats required to raise the temperature of each to 1,500?C and to 2,000?C were calculated. For a half and half mixture of salt and anhydrite, 1,300 cal/gm were required to raise the temperature to 2,000?C. For an evaporite containing 60 percent salt and about equal amounts of anhydrite, calcite, and quartz, 1,100 cal/gm are required to raise the temperature to 2,OOO?C. Most of the measurements of the elastic moduli were made on single crystals of salt, anhydrite, and gypsum. For the most part, the measurements of density, magnetic susceptibility, and other properties were made on natural salt samples.

  17. A novel process for recovery of iron, titanium, and vanadium from titanomagnetite concentrates: NaOH molten salt roasting and water leaching processes.

    PubMed

    Chen, Desheng; Zhao, Longsheng; Liu, Yahui; Qi, Tao; Wang, Jianchong; Wang, Lina

    2013-01-15

    A novel process for recovering iron, titanium, and vanadium from titanomagnetite concentrates has been developed. In the present paper, the treatment of rich titanium-vanadium slag by NaOH molten salt roasting and water leaching processes is investigated. In the NaOH molten salt roasting process, the metallic iron is oxidized into ferriferous oxide, MgTi(2)O(5) is converted to NaCl-type structure of Na(2)TiO(3), and M(3)O(5) (M=Ti, Mg, Fe) is converted to α-NaFeO(2)-type structure of NaMO(2), respectively. Roasting temperature and NaOH-slag mass ratio played a considerable role in the conversion of titanium in the rich titanium-vanadium slag during the NaOH molten salt roasting process. Roasting at 500 °C for 60 min and a 1:1 NaOH-slag mass ratio produces 96.3% titanium conversion. In the water leaching process, the Na(+) was exchanged with H(+), Na(2)TiO(3) is converted to undefined structure of H(2)TiO(3), and NaMO(2) is converted to α-NaFeO(2)-type structure of HMO(2). Under the optimal conditions, 87.3% of the sodium, 42.3% of the silicon, 43.2% of the aluminum, 22.8% of the manganese, and 96.6% of the vanadium are leached out. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Salt inactivates endothelial nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Juan; White, James; Guo, Ling; Zhao, Xiaomin; Wang, Jiafu; Smart, Eric J; Li, Xiang-An

    2009-03-01

    There is a 1-4 mmol/L rise in plasma sodium concentrations in individuals with high salt intake and in patients with essential hypertension. In this study, we used 3 independent assays to determine whether such a small increase in sodium concentrations per se alters endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function and contributes to hypertension. By directly measuring NOS activity in living bovine aortic endothelial cells, we demonstrated that a 5-mmol/L increase in salt concentration (from 137 to 142 mmol/L) caused a 25% decrease in NOS activity. Importantly, the decrease in NOS activity was in a salt concentration-dependent manner. The NOS activity was decreased by 25, 45, and 70%, with the increase of 5, 10, and 20 mmol/L of NaCl, respectively. Using Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing eNOS, we confirmed the inhibitory effects of salt on eNOS activity. The eNOS activity was unaffected in the presence of equal milliosmol of mannitol, which excludes an osmotic effect. Using an ex vivo aortic angiogenesis assay, we demonstrated that salt attenuated the nitric oxide (NO)-dependent proliferation of endothelial cells. By directly monitoring blood pressure changes in response to salt infusion, we found that in vivo infusion of salt induced an acute increase in blood pressure in a salt concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that eNOS is sensitive to changes in salt concentration. A 5-mmol/L rise in salt concentration, within the range observed in essential hypertension patients or in individuals with high salt intake, could significantly suppress eNOS activity. This salt-induced reduction in NO generation in endothelial cells may contribute to the development of hypertension.

  19. Solubilization of poorly water-soluble drug carbamezapine in pluronic micelles: effect of molecular characteristics, temperature and added salt on the solubilizing capacity.

    PubMed

    Kadam, Yogesh; Yerramilli, Usha; Bahadur, Anita

    2009-08-01

    The solubilization of a poorly water-soluble antiepileptic drug, carbamazepine (CBZ), in a series of micelle-forming PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers with combinations of blocks having different molecular weight was studied. The drug solubility and micelle-water partition coefficient (P) were determined using UV-vis spectroscopy. Dynamic light scattering on copolymer solutions was used to measure size and polydispersity of nanoaggregates. Solubilization of carbamezapine increased with the rise in temperature and concentration of block copolymers, but no significant increase was observed with added salt (NaCl). The solubilization is also discussed from a thermodynamics viewpoint, by considering the standard free energy of solubilization (DeltaG degrees ).

  20. Sulfates Dramatically Stabilize a Salt-Dependent Type of Glucagon Fibrils

    PubMed Central

    Pedersen, Jesper Søndergaard; Flink, James M.; Dikov, Dantcho; Otzen, Daniel Erik

    2006-01-01

    Recent work suggests that protein fibrillation mechanisms and the structure of the resulting protein fibrils are very sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature and ionic strength. Here we report the effect of several inorganic salts on the fibrillation of glucagon. At acidic pH, fibrillation is much less influenced by cations than anions, for which the effects follow the electroselectivity series; e.g., the effect of sulfate is ∼65-fold higher than that of chloride per mole. Increased salt concentrations generally accelerate fibrillation, but result in formation of an alternate type of fibrils. Stability of these fibrils is highly affected by changes in anion concentration; the apparent melting temperature is increased by ∼22°C for any 10-fold concentration increase, indicating that the fibrils cannot exist without anions. In contrast, fibrillation under alkaline conditions is more affected by cations than anions. We conclude that ions interact directly as structural ligands with glucagon fibrils where they coordinate charges and assist in formation of new fibrils. As ex vivo amyloid plaques often contain large amounts of highly sulfated organic molecules, the specific effects of sulfate ions on glucagon may have general relevance in the study of amyloidosis and other protein deposition diseases. PMID:16533857

  1. Synchronized separation, concentration and determination of trace sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine in food and environment by using polyoxyethylene lauryl ether-salt aqueous two-phase system coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Lu, Yang; Cong, Biao; Tan, Zhenjiang; Yan, Yongsheng

    2016-11-01

    Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (POELE10)-Na2C4H4O6 aqueous two-phase extraction system (ATPES) is a novel and green pretreatment technique to trace samples. ATPES coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used to analyze synchronously sulfadiazine (SDZ) and sulfamethazine (SMT) in animal by-products (i.e., egg and milk) and environmental water sample. It was found that the extraction efficiency (E%) and the enrichment factor (F) of SDZ and SMT were influenced by the types of salts, the concentration of salt, the concentration of POELE10 and the temperature. The orthogonal experimental design (OED) was adopted in the multi-factor experiment to determine the optimized conditions. The final optimal condition was as following: the concentration of POELE10 is 0.027gmL(-1), the concentration of Na2C4H4O6 is 0.180gmL(-1) and the temperature is 35°C. This POELE10-Na2C4H4O6 ATPS was applied to separate and enrich SDZ and SMT in real samples (i.e., water, egg and milk) under the optimal conditions, and it was found that the recovery of SDZ and SMT was 96.20-99.52% with RSD of 0.35-3.41%. The limit of detection (LOD) of this method for the SDZ and SMT in spiked samples was 2.52-3.64pgmL(-1), and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of this method for the SDZ and SMT in spiked samples was 8.41-12.15pgmL(-1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress.

    PubMed

    Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd.

  3. The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd. PMID:27582752

  4. Sea-Salt Aerosol Forecasts Compared with Wave and Sea-Salt Measurements in the Open Mediterranean Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kishcha, P.; Starobinets, B.; Bozzano, R.; Pensieri, S.; Canepa, E.; Nickovie, S.; di Sarra, A.; Udisti, R.; Becagli, S.; Alpert, P.

    2012-03-01

    Sea-salt aerosol (SSA) could influence the Earth's climate acting as cloud condensation nuclei. However, there were no regular measurements of SSA in the open sea. At Tel-Aviv University, the DREAM-Salt prediction system has been producing daily forecasts of 3-D distribution of sea-salt aerosol concentrations over the Mediterranean Sea (http://wind.tau.ac.il/saltina/ salt.html). In order to evaluate the model performance in the open sea, daily modeled concentrations were compared directly with SSA measurements taken at the tiny island of Lampedusa, in the Central Mediterranean. In order to further test the robustness of the model, the model performance over the open sea was indirectly verified by comparing modeled SSA concentrations with wave height measurements collected by the ODAS Italia 1 buoy and the Llobregat buoy. Model-vs.-measurement comparisons show that the model is capable of producing realistic SSA concentrations and their day-today variations over the open sea, in accordance with observed wave height and wind speed.

  5. The Effects of Salt on Rheological Properties of Asphalt after Long-Term Aging

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Xin; Luo, Yilin; Yin, Long

    2013-01-01

    Limited studies in recent years have shown that asphalt pavement subject to seawater in coastal regions or deicing salt in cold regions may be seriously damaged after being soaked in saline water for a long time. However, there is limited research into the influence of salt on rheological properties of asphalt after long-term aging. In this study, rheological properties of unmodified and polymer-modified asphalt after long-term aging were tested after being soaked in different concentrations of salt (0.3%~5%) for different durations (1 day~30 days). Orthogonal array based on the Taguchi method was used for experimental design. The frequency sweep tests were performed on the specimens of aged asphalt after being soaked for complex modulus and phase angle master curves and ultimate fatigue temperature. BBR tests were performed for stiffness. The test results indicate that saline water appears to reduce low temperature properties and fatigue resistance properties and improved high temperature properties of aged asphalt, and it also affects the sensitivity of complex modulus and phase angles at low frequencies. PMID:24459450

  6. The effects of salt on rheological properties of asphalt after long-term aging.

    PubMed

    Yu, Xin; Wang, Ying; Luo, Yilin; Yin, Long

    2013-01-01

    Limited studies in recent years have shown that asphalt pavement subject to seawater in coastal regions or deicing salt in cold regions may be seriously damaged after being soaked in saline water for a long time. However, there is limited research into the influence of salt on rheological properties of asphalt after long-term aging. In this study, rheological properties of unmodified and polymer-modified asphalt after long-term aging were tested after being soaked in different concentrations of salt (0.3%~5%) for different durations (1 day~30 days). Orthogonal array based on the Taguchi method was used for experimental design. The frequency sweep tests were performed on the specimens of aged asphalt after being soaked for complex modulus and phase angle master curves and ultimate fatigue temperature. BBR tests were performed for stiffness. The test results indicate that saline water appears to reduce low temperature properties and fatigue resistance properties and improved high temperature properties of aged asphalt, and it also affects the sensitivity of complex modulus and phase angles at low frequencies.

  7. Physical chemistry and evolution of salt tolerance in halobacteria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lanyi, J. K.

    1980-01-01

    The cellular constituents of extremely halophilic bacteria not only tolerate high salt concentration, but in many cases require it for optical functioning. The characteristics affected by salt include enzyme activity, stability, allosteric regulation, conformation and subunit association. The salt effects are of two major kinds: electrostatic shielding of negative charges by cations at low salt concentration, and hydrophobic stabilization by salting-out type salts at high salt concentration. The composition of halobacterial proteins shows an excess of acidic amino acids and a deficiency of nonpolar amino acids, which accounts for these effects. Since the cohesive forces are weaker and the repulsing forces are stronger in these proteins, preventing aggregation in salt, these structures are no longer suited for functioning in the absence of high salt concentrations. Unlike these nonspecific effects, ribosomes in halobacteria show marked preference for potassium over sodium ions. To ensure the proper intracellular ionic composition, powerful ion transport systems have evolved in the halobacteria, resulting in the extrusion of sodium ions and their replacement by potassium. It is likely that such membrane transport system for ionic movements is a necessary requisite for salt tolerance.

  8. Salt controls feeding decisions in a blood-sucking insect.

    PubMed

    Pontes, Gina; Pereira, Marcos H; Barrozo, Romina B

    2017-04-01

    Salts are necessary for maintaining homeostatic conditions within the body of all living organisms. Like with all essential nutrients, deficient or excessive ingestion of salts can result in adverse health effects. The taste system is a primary sensory modality that helps animals to make adequate feeding decisions in terms of salt consumption. In this work we show that sodium and potassium chloride salts modulate the feeding behavior of Rhodnius prolixus in a concentration-dependent manner. Feeding is only triggered by an optimal concentration of any of these salts (0.1-0.15M) and in presence of the phagostimulant ATP. Conversely, feeding solutions that do not contain salts or have a high-salt concentration (>0.3M) are not ingested by insects. Notably, we show that feeding decisions of insects cannot be explained as an osmotic effect, because they still feed over hyperosmotic solutions bearing the optimal salt concentration. Insects perceive optimal-salt, no-salt and high-salt solutions as different gustatory information, as revealed the electromyogram recordings of the cibarial pump. Moreover, because insects do a continuous gustatory monitoring of the incoming food during feeding, sudden changes beyond the optimal sodium concentration decrease and even inhibit feeding. The administration of amiloride, a sodium channel blocker, noticeably reduces the ingestion of the optimal sodium solution but not of the optimal potassium solution. Salt detection seems to occur at least through two salt receptors, one amiloride-sensitive and another amiloride-insensitive. Our results confirm the importance of the gustatory system in R. prolixus, showing the relevant role that salts play on their feeding decisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Substituted Quaternary Ammonium Salts Improve Low-Temperature Performance of Double-Layer Capacitors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brandon, Erik J.; Smart, Marshall C.; West, William C.

    2011-01-01

    Double-layer capacitors are unique energy storage devices, capable of supporting large current pulses as well as a very high number of charging and discharging cycles. The performance of doublelayer capacitors is highly dependent on the nature of the electrolyte system used. Many applications, including for electric and fuel cell vehicles, back-up diesel generators, wind generator pitch control back-up power systems, environmental and structural distributed sensors, and spacecraft avionics, can potentially benefit from the use of double-layer capacitors with lower equivalent series resistances (ESRs) over wider temperature limits. Higher ESRs result in decreased power output, which is a particular problem at lower temperatures. Commercially available cells are typically rated for operation down to only 40 C. Previous briefs [for example, Low Temperature Supercapacitors (NPO-44386), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 7 (July 2008), p. 32, and Supercapacitor Electrolyte Solvents With Liquid Range Below 80 C (NPO-44855), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 34, No. 1 (January 2010), p. 44] discussed the use of electrolytes that employed low-melting-point co-solvents to depress the freezing point of traditional acetonitrile-based electrolytes. Using these modified electrolyte formulations can extend the low-temperature operational limit of double-layer capacitors beyond that of commercially available cells. This previous work has shown that although the measured capacitance is relatively insensitive to temperature, the ESR can rise rapidly at low temperatures, due to decreased electrolyte conductance within the pores of the high surface- area carbon electrodes. Most of these advanced electrolyte systems featured tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEATFB) as the salt. More recent work at JPL indicates the use of the asymmetric quaternary ammonium salt triethylmethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEMATFB) or spiro-(l,l')-bipyrrolidium tetrafluoroborate (SBPBF4) in a 1:1 by volume solvent

  10. Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maru, H. C.; Dullea, J. F.; Kardas, A.; Paul, L.; Marianowski, L. G.; Ong, E.; Sampath, V.; Huang, V. M.; Wolak, J. C.

    1978-01-01

    The feasibility of storing thermal energy at temperatures of 450 C to 535 C in the form of latent heat of fusion was examined for over 30 inorganic salts and salt mixtures. Alkali carbonate mixtures were chosen as phase-change storage materials in this temperature range because of their relatively high storage capacity and thermal conductivity, moderate cost, low volumetric expansion upon melting, low corrosivity, and good chemical stability. Means of improving heat conduction through the solid salt were explored.

  11. Thermoregulatory consequences of salt loading in the lizard Pogona vitticeps.

    PubMed

    Scarpellini, Carolina da Silveira; Bícego, Kênia C; Tattersall, Glenn J

    2015-04-15

    Previous research has demonstrated that dehydration increases the threshold temperature for panting and decreases the thermal preference of lizards. Conversely, it is unknown whether thermoregulatory responses such as shuttling and gaping are similarly influenced. Shuttling, as an active behavioural response, is considered one of the most effective thermoregulatory behaviours, whereas gaping has been proposed to be involved in preventing brain over-heating in lizards. In this study we examined the effect of salt loading, a proxy for increased plasma osmolality, on shuttling and gaping in Pogona vitticeps. Then, we determined the upper and lower escape ambient temperatures (UETa and LETa), the percentage of time spent gaping, the metabolic rate (V̇O2 ), the evaporative water loss (EWL) during gaping and non-gaping intervals and the evaporative effectiveness (EWL/V̇O2 ) of gaping. All experiments were performed under isotonic (154 mmol l(-1)) and hypertonic saline injections (625, 1250 or 2500 mmol l(-1)). Only the highest concentration of hypertonic saline altered the UETa and LETa, but this effect appeared to be the result of diminishing the animal's propensity to move, instead of any direct reduction in thermoregulatory set-points. Nevertheless, the percentage of time spent gaping was proportionally reduced according to the saline concentration; V̇O2 was also decreased after salt loading. Thermographic images revealed lower head than body surface temperatures during gaping; however this difference was inhibited after salt loading. Our data suggest that EWL/V̇O2 is raised during gaping, possibly contributing to an increase in heat transfer away from the lizard, and playing a role in head or brain cooling. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  12. Estimating Concentrations of Road-Salt Constituents in Highway-Runoff from Measurements of Specific Conductance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Granato, Gregory E.; Smith, Kirk P.

    1999-01-01

    Discrete or composite samples of highway runoff may not adequately represent in-storm water-quality fluctuations because continuous records of water stage, specific conductance, pH, and temperature of the runoff indicate that these properties fluctuate substantially during a storm. Continuous records of water-quality properties can be used to maximize the information obtained about the stormwater runoff system being studied and can provide the context needed to interpret analyses of water samples. Concentrations of the road-salt constituents calcium, sodium, and chloride in highway runoff were estimated from theoretical and empirical relations between specific conductance and the concentrations of these ions. These relations were examined using the analysis of 233 highwayrunoff samples collected from August 1988 through March 1995 at four highway-drainage monitoring stations along State Route 25 in southeastern Massachusetts. Theoretically, the specific conductance of a water sample is the sum of the individual conductances attributed to each ionic species in solution-the product of the concentrations of each ion in milliequivalents per liter (meq/L) multiplied by the equivalent ionic conductance at infinite dilution-thereby establishing the principle of superposition. Superposition provides an estimate of actual specific conductance that is within measurement error throughout the conductance range of many natural waters, with errors of less than ?5 percent below 1,000 microsiemens per centimeter (?S/cm) and ?10 percent between 1,000 and 4,000 ?S/cm if all major ionic constituents are accounted for. A semi-empirical method (adjusted superposition) was used to adjust for concentration effects-superposition-method prediction errors at high and low concentrations-and to relate measured specific conductance to that calculated using superposition. The adjusted superposition method, which was developed to interpret the State Route 25 highway-runoff records, accounts for

  13. Hydrated salt minerals on Europa's Surface from the Galileo near-infrared mapping spectrometer (NIMS) investigation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCord, T.B.; Hansen, G.B.; Matson, D.L.; Johnson, T.V.; Crowley, J.K.; Fanale, F.P.; Carlson, R.W.; Smythe, W.D.; Martin, P.D.; Hibbitts, C.A.; Granahan, J.C.; Ocampo, A.

    1999-01-01

    We reported evidence of heavily hydrated salt minerals present over large areas of Europa's surface from analysis of reflectance spectra returned by the Galileo mission near infrared mapping spectrometer (NIMS) [McCord et al., 1997a, b, 1998a, b]. Here we elaborate on this earlier evidence, present spatial distributions of these minerals, examine alternate water-ice interpretations, expand on our hydrated-salts interpretation, consider salt mineral stability on Europa, and discuss the implications. Extensive well-defined areas on Europa show distinct, asymmetric water-related absorption bands in the 1 to 2.5-??m region. Radiative transfer modeling of water ice involving different particle sizes and layers at Europa temperatures does not reproduce the distinctive Europa water bands. However, ice near its melting temperature, such as in terrestrial environments, does have some characteristics of the Europa spectrum. Alternatively, some classes of heavily hydrated minerals do exhibit such water bands. Among plausible materials, heavily hydrated salt minerals, such as magnesium and sodium sulfates, sodium carbonate and their mixtures, are preferred. All Europa spectral features are present in some salt minerals and a very good match to the Europa spectrum can be achieved by mixing several salt spectra. However, no single or mix of salt mineral spectra from the limited library available has so far been found to perfectly match the Europa spectrum in every detail. The material is concentrated at the lineaments and in chaotic terrain, which are technically disrupted areas on the trailing side. Since the spectrum of the material on Europa is nearly the same everywhere so-far studied, the salt or salt-mixture composition may be nearly uniform. This suggests similar sources and processes over at least a near-hemispheric scale. This would suggest that an extensive subsurface ocean containing dissolved salts is the source, and several possible mechanisms for deposit

  14. Method for the production of uranium chloride salt

    DOEpatents

    Westphal, Brian R.; Mariani, Robert D.

    2013-07-02

    A method for the production of UCl.sub.3 salt without the use of hazardous chemicals or multiple apparatuses for synthesis and purification is provided. Uranium metal is combined in a reaction vessel with a metal chloride and a eutectic salt- and heated to a first temperature under vacuum conditions to promote reaction of the uranium metal with the metal chloride for the production of a UCl.sub.3 salt. After the reaction has run substantially to completion, the furnace is heated to a second temperature under vacuum conditions. The second temperature is sufficiently high to selectively vaporize the chloride salts and distill them into a condenser region.

  15. Corrosion Behavior Of Potential Structural Materials For Use In Nitrate Salts Based Solar Thermal Power Plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Summers, Kodi

    The increasing global demand for electricity is straining current resources of fossil fuels and placing increased pressure on the environment. The implementation of alternative sources of energy is paramount to satisfying global electricity demand while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lessen the impact on the environment. Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants have the ability to harness solar energy at an efficiency not yet achieved by other technologies designed to convert solar energy to electricity. The problem of intermittency in power production seen with other renewable technologies can be virtually eliminated with the use of molten salt as a heat transfer fluid in CSP plants. Commercial and economic success of CSP plants requires operating at maximum efficiency and capacity which requires high temperature and material reliability. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of structural alloys and electrochemical testing in molten nitrate salts at three temperatures common to CSP plants. Corrosion behavior was evaluated using gravimetric and inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis. Surface morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy. Surface oxide structure and chemistry was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical behavior of candidate structural alloys Alloy 4130, austenitic stainless steel 316, and super-austenitic Incoloy 800H was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization characteristics. It was observed that electrochemical evaluation of these candidate materials correlates well with the corrosion behavior observed from gravimetric and ICP-OES analysis. This study identifies that all three alloys exhibited acceptable corrosion in 300°C molten salt while elevated salt temperatures require the more corrosion resistant alloys, stainless steel 316 and 800H. Characterization of the sample

  16. Nutritional content and health benefits of sun-dried and salt-aged radish (takuan-zuke).

    PubMed

    Kumakura, Kei; Kato, Ryo; Kobayashi, Taito; Sekiguchi, Akihiro; Kimura, Norihisa; Takahashi, Hitoe; Takahashi, Asaka; Matsuoka, Hiroki

    2017-09-15

    We investigated the nutritional characteristics of salted radish roots (takuan-zuke) prepared using different methods: takuan-zuke based on sun-drying (hoshi) or salt-pressing (shio-oshi) dehydration, different salt-aging temperatures, and salting with rice bran. We examined differences in nutritional substances in salted radish using chromatographic analysis, bioassay methods, and multivariate analysis. We previously reported that the amount of γ-aminobutyrate in takuan-zuke was increased by both dehydration treatments. In the present study, we observed that sucrose and proline were increased by sun-drying treatment, while little change occurred with salt-pressing treatment. Branched-chain amino acids were increased by both treatments. Interestingly, free fatty acids increased with salt-aging duration, irrespective of the dehydration method. Addition of rice bran to long salt-aging treatment increased the levels of niacin, glutamate, and acetate. Metabolite concentrations were higher in hoshi takuan-zuke than shio-oshi takuan-zuke. Our comprehensive analysis reveals effects of specific manufacturing conditions on beneficial components of takuan-zuke. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Salt Effect Accelerates Site-Selective Cysteine Bioconjugation

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Highly efficient and selective chemical reactions are desired. For small molecule chemistry, the reaction rate can be varied by changing the concentration, temperature, and solvent used. In contrast for large biomolecules, the reaction rate is difficult to modify by adjusting these variables because stringent biocompatible reaction conditions are required. Here we show that adding salts can change the rate constant over 4 orders of magnitude for an arylation bioconjugation reaction between a cysteine residue within a four-residue sequence (π-clamp) and a perfluoroaryl electrophile. Biocompatible ammonium sulfate significantly enhances the reaction rate without influencing the site-specificity of π-clamp mediated arylation, enabling the fast synthesis of two site-specific antibody–drug conjugates that selectively kill HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Computational and structure–reactivity studies indicate that salts may tune the reaction rate through modulating the interactions between the π-clamp hydrophobic side chains and the electrophile. On the basis of this understanding, the salt effect is extended to other bioconjugation chemistry, and a new regioselective alkylation reaction at π-clamp cysteine is developed. PMID:27725962

  18. Low temperature electrolytes for lithium/silver vanadium oxide cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tuhovak, Denise R.; Takeuchi, Esther S.

    1991-01-01

    Combinations of methyl formate (MF) and propylene carbonate (PC) using salt concentrations of 0.6 to 2.4 M, with lithium hexafluoroarsenate and lithium tetrafluoroborate in a five to one molar ratio, were investigated as electrolytes in lithium/silver vanadium oxide batteries. The composition of the electrolyte affected cell performance at low temperature, self-discharge and abuse resistance as characterized by short circuit and crush testing. The electrolyte that provided the best combination of good low temperature performance, low cell self-discharge and abuse resistance was 0.6 M salt in 10:90 PC/MF.

  19. Assessment of salt concentration in bread commonly consumed in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

    PubMed

    Al Jawaldeh, Ayoub; Al-Khamaiseh, Manal

    2018-04-05

    Hypertension is the most important cardiovascular risk factor in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region. Excessive salt and sodium intake is directly related to hypertension, and its reduction is a priority of WHO. Bread is the leading staple food in the Region; therefore, reducing the amount of salt added to bread could be an effective measure for reducing salt intake. The study sought to determine the levels of sodium and salt in locally produced staple bread from 8 countries in the Region. Bread samples were collected randomly from bakeries located in the capital cities of the selected countries. The samples were analysed for sodium content using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mean salt content of breads varied from 4.28 g/kg in Jordan to 12.41 g/kg in Tunisia. The mean salt and sodium content in bread for all countries was 7.63 (SD 3.12) and 3.0 (SD 1.23) g/kg, respectively. The contribution of bread to daily salt intake varied considerably between countries, ranging from 1.3 g (12.5%) in Jordan to 3.7 g (33.5%) in Tunisia. Interventions to reduce population salt intake should target reduction of salt in bread in all countries. The amount of salt added to bread should be standardized and relevant legislation developed to guide bakers. Setting an upper limit for salt content in flat bread (pita or Arabic bread) at 0.5% is strongly recommended. However, salt levels at ≤ 1% would be appropriate for other kind of breads. Copyright © World Health Organization (WHO) 2018. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).

  20. The effect of vapor transport of acidic aerosols on salt speciation in Antarctic soils collected near the polar plateau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graly, J. A.; Licht, K.; Kaplan, M. R.; Druschel, G.

    2017-12-01

    Vapor is the primary phase in which water is transported through soils where temperatures rarely, if ever, reach the melting point. In terrestrial settings, such as Antarctica, these cold, dry soils accumulate appreciable quantities of salts, primarily derived from atmospheric aerosols. Past studies have often analyzed the transport of salts to depth using solubility parameters, which assumes liquid water can percolate through porous media. We analyzed the distribution of salts in an Antarctic blue ice moraine, located near the polar plateau (84˚S, 163˚E). Here moraine soils are progressively older with distance from active ice, the oldest soils dating to several hundred ka. Changes in salt content were analyzed both with depth and with soil age. Of atmospheric salts analyzed, chloride and fluoride salts are fluxed to greatest depth, followed by nitrate salts. Sulfate and borate salts are both relatively immobile in the soil and are not detected below the top several cm. This distribution runs counter to the solubility of the salt species, with borate having high solubility and fluoride and nitrate both being relatively insoluble. Instead, the vapor pressures of the acids from which the salts form correspond very strongly with the relative abundance of the salts at depth. This suggests that percolation of liquid water plays a minimal role in moving salts to depth. Instead salts move to depth as vapors of acidic aerosols. With soil age, surface concentrations of the more mobile salts (nitrate, chloride, and fluoride) show logarithmic or power-law increases in concentrations, whereas boron and sulfate increase linearly. This is consistent with the former's progressive flux to depth. An exception to this pattern occurs in a few of the oldest soils, where substantially higher concentrations of the mobile salts are found in the top soils. This suggests that the direction of net vapor flux may reverse once sufficient salt concentration is developed at depth, though

  1. Salt Inactivates Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Endothelial Cells12

    PubMed Central

    Li, Juan; White, James; Guo, Ling; Zhao, Xiaomin; Wang, Jiafu; Smart, Eric J.; Li, Xiang-An

    2009-01-01

    There is a 1–4 mmol/L rise in plasma sodium concentrations in individuals with high salt intake and in patients with essential hypertension. In this study, we used 3 independent assays to determine whether such a small increase in sodium concentrations per se alters endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function and contributes to hypertension. By directly measuring NOS activity in living bovine aortic endothelial cells, we demonstrated that a 5-mmol/L increase in salt concentration (from 137 to 142 mmol/L) caused a 25% decrease in NOS activity. Importantly, the decrease in NOS activity was in a salt concentration-dependent manner. The NOS activity was decreased by 25, 45, and 70%, with the increase of 5, 10, and 20 mmol/L of NaCl, respectively. Using Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing eNOS, we confirmed the inhibitory effects of salt on eNOS activity. The eNOS activity was unaffected in the presence of equal milliosmol of mannitol, which excludes an osmotic effect. Using an ex vivo aortic angiogenesis assay, we demonstrated that salt attenuated the nitric oxide (NO)-dependent proliferation of endothelial cells. By directly monitoring blood pressure changes in response to salt infusion, we found that in vivo infusion of salt induced an acute increase in blood pressure in a salt concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that eNOS is sensitive to changes in salt concentration. A 5-mmol/L rise in salt concentration, within the range observed in essential hypertension patients or in individuals with high salt intake, could significantly suppress eNOS activity. This salt-induced reduction in NO generation in endothelial cells may contribute to the development of hypertension. PMID:19176751

  2. Influence of sodium chloride concentration on the controlled lactic acid fermentation of "Almagro" eggplants.

    PubMed

    Ballesteros, C; Palop, L; Sánchez, I

    1999-12-01

    The effect of a commercial Lactobacillus starter and sodium chloride concentration on the fermentation of "Almagro" eggplants (Solanum melongena L. var. esculentum depressum) was studied. The results of fermentation using added starter and varying salt concentrations (4, 6, and 10% w/v) in brine were compared with the results of spontaneous fermentation taking place in brine with a salt concentration of 4%. Fresh fruits, medium in size (34-44 g), were used in all cases; all fruits were blanched under identical conditions. Temperature in the fermenters was 32+/-2 degrees C. The results obtained indicate that addition of a suitable starter shortened the fermentation process, provided the salt concentration in the brine did not exceed 6%. In the conditions tested, the eggplants obtained after fermentation were found to be of good quality though somewhat bitter which may explained by the starter employed.

  3. Integrated method of thermosensitive triblock copolymer-salt aqueous two phase extraction and dialysis membrane separation for purification of lycium barbarum polysaccharide.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yun; Hu, Xiaowei; Han, Juan; Ni, Liang; Tang, Xu; Hu, Yutao; Chen, Tong

    2016-03-01

    A polymer-salt aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) consisting of thermosensitive copolymer ethylene-oxide-b-propylene-oxide-b-ethylene-oxide (EOPOEO) and NaH2PO4 was employed in deproteinization for lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP). The effects of salt type and concentration, EOPOEO concentration, amount of crude LBP solution and temperature were studied. In the primary extraction process, LBP was preferentially partitioned to the bottom (salt-rich) phase with high recovery ratio of 96.3%, while 94.4% of impurity protein was removed to the top (EOPOEO-rich) phase. Moreover, the majority of pigments could be discarded to top phase. After phase-separation, the LBP in the bottom phase was further purified by dialysis membrane to remove salt and other small molecular impurities. The purity of LBP was enhanced to 64%. Additionally, the FT-IR spectrum was used to identify LBP. EOPOEO was recovered by a temperature-induced separation, and reused in a new ATPS. An ideal extraction and recycle result were achieved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Brines formed by multi-salt deliquescence

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

    Carroll, S; Rard, J; Alai, M

    2005-11-04

    The FY05 Waste Package Environment testing program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory focused on determining the temperature, relative humidity, and solution compositions of brines formed due to the deliquescence of NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} and NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3}-Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} salt mixtures. Understanding the physical and chemical behavior of these brines is important because they define conditions under which brines may react with waste canister surfaces. Boiling point experiments show that NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} and NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3}-Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} salt mixtures form brines that transform to hydrous melts that do not truly 'dry out' until temperatures exceed 300 and 400more » C, respectively. Thus a conducting solution is present for these salt assemblages over the thermal history of the repository. The corresponding brines form at lower relative humidity at higher temperatures. The NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture has a mutual deliquescence relative humidity (MDRH) of 25.9% at 120 C and 10.8% at 180 C. Similarly, the KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture has MDRH of 26.4% at 120 C and 20.0% at 150 C. The KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture salts also absorb some water (but do not appear to deliquesce) at 180 C and thus may also contribute to the transfer of electrons at interface between dust and the waste package surface. There is no experimental evidence to suggest that these brines will degas and form less deliquescent salt assemblages. Ammonium present in atmospheric and tunnel dust (as the chloride, nitrate, or sulfate) will readily decompose in the initial heating phase of the repository, and will affect subsequent behavior of the remaining salt mixture only through the removal of a stoichiometric equivalent of one or more anions. Although K-Na-NO{sub 3}-Cl brines form at high temperature and low relative humidity, these brines are dominated by nitrate, which is known to inhibit corrosion at lower

  5. Low molecular weight salts combined with fluorinated solvents for electrolytes

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

    Tikhonov, Konstantin; Yip, Ka Ki; Lin, Tzu-Yuan

    2015-11-10

    Provided are electrochemical cells and electrolytes used to build such cells. An electrolyte includes at least one salt having a molecular weight less than about 250. Such salts allow forming electrolytes with higher salt concentrations and ensure high conductivity and ion transport in these electrolytes. The low molecular weight salt may have a concentration of at least about 0.5M and may be combined with one or more other salts, such as linear and cyclic imide salts and/or methide salts. The concentration of these additional salts may be less than that of the low molecular weight salt, in some embodiments, twicemore » less. The additional salts may have a molecular weight greater than about 250. The electrolyte may also include one or more fluorinated solvents and may be capable of maintaining single phase solutions at between about -30.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C.« less

  6. The effect of emulsifying salts on the turbidity of a diluted milk system with varying pH and protein concentration.

    PubMed

    Culler, M D; Saricay, Y; Harte, F M

    2017-06-01

    Solutions of 10 commonly used emulsifying salts (ES) listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (21CFR133.179) for pasteurized process cheese were tested for their effect on the turbidity of a diluted milk system at different pH and protein concentrations to characterize the conditions that affect micellar structure. Emulsifying salt solutions were made by mixing the ES in a 1-in-20 dilution of water in skim milk ultrafiltrate (3 kDa molecular weight cut-off) to obtain ES concentrations from 0 to 248 mM. Skim milk was added to solutions containing nanopure water, skim milk ultrafiltrate, and a specific ES ranging in concentration from 0 to 248 mM and pH 5, 5.8, 6.8, 7.8, and 8.8. The turbidity of the samples was measured as the optical density at 400 nm immediately after mixing (time, t = 0), after 30 s (t = 30s), and after 30 min (t = 30min). Emulsifying salts were found to cause a decrease in the turbidity of the system, which was modeled using an exponential decay model, where C* represents a threshold salt concentration at which rapid dissociation occurs. At pH values 5.8 and 6.8, the ES caused the greatest decrease in turbidity of the diluted milk system. At pH 5, the ES had the least effect on the turbidity of the system. Sodium hexametaphosphate was found to have the strongest dissociative effect, with a C* value of 0.33 mM for t = 0 at pH 6.8. In contrast, the largest C* value calculated at pH 6.8 was monosodium phosphate at 278.22 mM. Increased time resulted in lower C* values. The model established for this study can be used to predict the dissociation of casein micelles in the presence of various types of ES. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Catalytic properties of thermophilic lactate dehydrogenase and halophilic malate dehydrogenase at high temperature and low water activity.

    PubMed

    Hecht, K; Wrba, A; Jaenicke, R

    1989-07-15

    Thermophilic lactate dehydrogenases from Thermotoga maritima and Bacillus stearothermophilus are stable up to temperature limits close to the optimum growth temperature of their parent organisms. Their catalytic properties are anomalous in that Km shows a drastic increase with increasing temperature. At low temperatures, the effect levels off. Extreme halophilic malate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium marismortui exhibits a similar anomaly. Increasing salt concentration (NaCl) leads to an optimum curve for Km, oxaloacctate while Km, NADH remains constant. Previous claims that the activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase shows a maximum at 1.25 M NaCl are caused by limiting substrate concentration; at substrate saturation, specific activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase reaches a constant value at ionic strengths I greater than or equal to 1 M. Non-halophilic (mitochondrial) malate dehydrogenase shows Km characteristics similar to those observed for the halophilic enzyme. The drastic decrease in specific activity of the mitochondrial enzyme at elevated salt concentrations is caused by the salt-induced increase in rigidity of the enzyme, rather than gross structural changes.

  8. Magnesium degradation influenced by buffering salts in concentrations typical of in vitro and in vivo models.

    PubMed

    Agha, Nezha Ahmad; Feyerabend, Frank; Mihailova, Boriana; Heidrich, Stefanie; Bismayer, Ulrich; Willumeit-Römer, Regine

    2016-01-01

    Magnesium and its alloys have considerable potential for orthopedic applications. During the degradation process the interface between material and tissue is continuously changing. Moreover, too fast or uncontrolled degradation is detrimental for the outcome in vivo. Therefore in vitro setups utilizing physiological conditions are promising for the material/degradation analysis prior to animal experiments. The aim of this study is to elucidate the influence of inorganic salts contributing to the blood buffering capacity on degradation. Extruded pure magnesium samples were immersed under cell culture conditions for 3 and 10 days. Hank's balanced salt solution without calcium and magnesium (HBSS) plus 10% of fetal bovine serum (FBS) was used as the basic immersion medium. Additionally, different inorganic salts were added with respect to concentration in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM, in vitro model) and human plasma (in vivo model) to form 12 different immersion media. Influences on the surrounding environment were observed by measuring pH and osmolality. The degradation interface was analyzed by electron-induced X-ray emission (EIXE) spectroscopy, including chemical-element mappings and electron microprobe analysis, as well as Fourier transform infrared reflection micro-spectroscopy (FTIR). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Performance of concrete pavement in the presence of deicing salts and deicing salt cocktails.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-05-01

    Deicing salts are widely used for anti-icing and de-icing operations in pavements. While historically sodium chloride may have been the : deicer most commonly used, a wide range of deicing salts have begun to be used to operate at lower temperatures,...

  10. Elimination of Acid Cleaning of High Temperature Salt Water Heat Exchangers: Redesigned Pre-Production Full-Scale Heat Pipe Bleed Air Cooler for Shipboard Evaluation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-01

    Cleaning of High Temperature Salt Water Heat Exchangers ESTCP WP-200302 Subtitle: Redesigned Pre-production Full-Scale Heat Pipe Bleed Air Cooler For...FINAL 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 1-Jan-2003 – 1-Oct-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Elimination of Acid Cleaning of High Temperature Salt Water Heat...6-5 Figure 6- 6 HP-BAC Tube Sheet Being Immersed in Ultrasonic Cleaning Tank ..................................... 6-6 Figure 6- 7 Heat Pipe

  11. Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation Ability of NaCl and Sea Salt Aerosol Particles at Cirrus Temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagner, Robert; Kaufmann, Julia; Möhler, Ottmar; Saathoff, Harald; Schnaiter, Martin; Ullrich, Romy; Leisner, Thomas

    2018-03-01

    In situ measurements of the composition of heterogeneous cirrus ice cloud residuals have indicated a substantial contribution of sea salt in sampling regions above the ocean. We have investigated the heterogeneous ice nucleation ability of sodium chloride (NaCl) and sea salt aerosol (SSA) particles at cirrus cloud temperatures between 235 and 200 K in the Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere aerosol and cloud chamber. Effloresced NaCl particles were found to act as ice nucleating particles in the deposition nucleation mode at temperatures below about 225 K, with freezing onsets in terms of the ice saturation ratio, Sice, between 1.28 and 1.40. Above 225 K, the crystalline NaCl particles deliquesced and nucleated ice homogeneously. The heterogeneous ice nucleation efficiency was rather similar for the two crystalline forms of NaCl (anhydrous NaCl and NaCl dihydrate). Mixed-phase (solid/liquid) SSA particles were found to act as ice nucleating particles in the immersion freezing mode at temperatures below about 220 K, with freezing onsets in terms of Sice between 1.24 and 1.42. Above 220 K, the SSA particles fully deliquesced and nucleated ice homogeneously. Ice nucleation active surface site densities of the SSA particles were found to be in the range between 1.0 · 1010 and 1.0 · 1011 m-2 at T < 220 K. These values are of the same order of magnitude as ice nucleation active surface site densities recently determined for desert dust, suggesting a potential contribution of SSA particles to low-temperature heterogeneous ice nucleation in the atmosphere.

  12. Deposition Ice Nuclei Concentration at Different Temperatures and Supersaturations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López, M. L.; Avila, E.

    2013-05-01

    Ice formation is one of the main processes involved in the initiation of precipitation. Some aerosols serve to nucleate ice in clouds. They are called ice nuclei (IN) and they are generally solid particles, insoluble in water. At temperatures warmer than about -36°C the only means for initiation of the ice phase in the atmosphere involves IN, and temperature and supersaturation required to activate IN are considered as key information for the understanding of primary ice formation in clouds. The objective of this work is to quantify the IN concentration at ground level in Córdoba City, Argentina, under the deposition mode, that is to say that ice deposits on the IN directly from the vapor phase. It happens when the environment is supersaturated with respect to ice and subsaturated with respect to liquid water. Ice nuclei concentrations were measured in a cloud chamber placed in a cold room with temperature control down to -35°C. The operating temperature was varied between -15°C and -30°C. Ice supersaturation was ranged between 2 and 20 %. In order to quantify the number of ice particles produced in each experiment, a dish containing a supercooled solution of cane sugar, water and glycerol was placed on the floor of the cloud chamber. The activated IN grew at the expense of vapor until ice crystals were formed and these then fell down onto the sugar solution. Once there, these crystals could grow enough to be counted easily with a naked eye after a period of about three minutes, when they reach around 2 mm in diameter. In order to compare the present results with previously reported results, the data were grouped in three different ranges of supersaturation: the data with supersaturations between 2 and 8 %, the data with supersaturations between 8 and 14% and the data with supersaturations between 14 and 20 %. In the same way, in order to analize the behavior of IN concentration with supersaturation, the data were grouped for three different temperatures, the

  13. Whitecaps, sea-salt aerosols, and climate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anguelova, Magdalena Dimitrova

    Oceanic whitecaps are the major source of sea-salt aerosols. Because these aerosols are dominant in remote marine air, they control the radiative properties of the clean background atmosphere by scattering sunlight, changing cloud properties and lifetime, and providing media for chemical reactions. Including sea-salt effects in climate models improves predictions, but simulating their generation is first necessary. To make the sea-salt generation function currently used in climate models more relevant for aerosol investigations, this study proposes two modifications. First, the conventional relation between whitecap coverage, W, and the 10-meter wind speed, U10, used in typical generation functions is expanded to include additional factors that affect whitecaps and sea-salt aerosol formation. Second, the sea-salt generation function is extended to smaller sizes; sea-salt aerosol with initial radii from 0.4 to 20 mum can now be modeled. To achieve these goals, this thesis develops a new method for estimating whitecap coverage on a global scale using satellite measurements of the brightness temperature of the ocean surface. Whitecap coverage evaluated with this method incorporates the effects of atmospheric stability, sea-surface temperature, salinity, wind fetch, wind duration, and the amount of surface-active material. Assimilating satellite-derived values for whitecap coverage in the sea-salt generation function incorporates the effects of all environmental factors on sea-salt production and predicts realistic sea-salt aerosol loadings into the atmosphere. An extensive database of whitecap coverage and sea-salt aerosol fluxes has been compiled with the new method and is used to investigate their spatial and temporal characteristics. The composite effect of all environmental factors suggests a more uniform latitudinal distribution of whitecaps and sea-salt aerosols than that predicted from wind speed alone. The effect of sea-surface temperature, TS, is

  14. Geochemical processes controlling the distribution and concentration of metals in soils from a Patagonian (Argentina) salt marsh affected by mining residues.

    PubMed

    Idaszkin, Yanina L; Alvarez, María Del Pilar; Carol, Eleonora

    2017-10-15

    Heavy metal pollution that affects salt marshes is a major environmental concern due to its toxic nature, persistence, and potential risk to organisms and to human health. Mining waste deposits originated four decades ago, by the metallurgical extraction of heavy metals, are found near to the San Antonio salt marsh in Patagonia. The aim of the work was to determine the geochemical processes that control the distribution and concentration of Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn in the soils of this Patagonian salt marsh. A survey of the mining waste deposits was carried out where three dumps were identified. Samples were collected to determine soil texture, Eh pH, organic matter and metal contents and the soil mineralogical composition. The results shows that the soils developed over the mining waste deposits are predominantly reddish constituted mainly by iron oxide, hydroxide and highly soluble minerals such as Zn and Cu sulphates. The drainage from these deposits tends to move towards the salt marsh. Within the salt marsh, the highest concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn occur in the sectors closest to the mining wastes deposits. The sulphide oxidation and the dissolution of the Cu, Pb and Zn sulphates could be the mainly source of these metals in the drainage water. The metals in solution that reach the salt marsh, are adsorbed by the organic matter and the fine fraction of the soils. These adsorbed metals are then remobilized by tides in the lower sectors of the marsh by desorption from the cations present in the tidal flow. On the other hand, Fe tends to form non soluble oxides, hydroxides and sulphates which remain as altering material within the mining waste deposit. Finally, the heavy metal pollutants recorded in the San Antonio salt marsh shows that the mining waste deposits that were abandoned four decades ago are still a source metal contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Effects of Heat Generation on Nuclear Waste Disposal in Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clayton, D. J.

    2008-12-01

    Disposal of nuclear waste in salt is an established technology, as evidenced by the successful operations of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) since 1999. The WIPP is located in bedded salt in southeastern New Mexico and is a deep underground facility for transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste disposal. There are many advantages for placing radioactive wastes in a geologic bedded-salt environment. One desirable mechanical characteristic of salt is that it flows plastically with time ("creeps"). The rate of salt creep is a strong function of temperature and stress differences. Higher temperatures and deviatoric stresses increase the creep rate. As the salt creeps, induced fractures may be closed and eventually healed, which then effectively seals the waste in place. With a backfill of crushed salt emplaced around the waste, the salt creep can cause the crushed salt to reconsolidate and heal to a state similar to intact salt, serving as an efficient seal. Experiments in the WIPP were conducted to investigate the effects of heat generation on the important phenomena and processes in and around the repository (Munson et al. 1987; 1990; 1992a; 1992b). Brine migration towards the heaters was induced from the thermal gradient, while salt creep rates showed an exponential dependence on temperature. The project "Backfill and Material Behavior in Underground Salt Repositories, Phase II" (BAMBUS II) studied the crushed salt backfill and material behavior with heat generation at the Asse mine located near Remlingen, Germany (Bechthold et al. 2004). Increased salt creep rates and significant reconsolidation of the crushed salt were observed at the termination of the experiment. Using the data provided from both projects, exploratory modeling of the thermal-mechanical response of salt has been conducted with varying thermal loading and waste spacing. Increased thermal loading and decreased waste spacing drive the system to higher temperatures, while both factors are desired to

  16. Molten salts and energy related materials.

    PubMed

    Fray, Derek

    2016-08-15

    Molten salts have been known for centuries and have been used for the extraction of aluminium for over one hundred years and as high temperature fluxes in metal processing. This and other molten salt routes have gradually become more energy efficient and less polluting, but there have been few major breakthroughs. This paper will explore some recent innovations that could lead to substantial reductions in the energy consumed in metal production and in carbon dioxide production. Another way that molten salts can contribute to an energy efficient world is by creating better high temperature fuel cells and novel high temperature batteries, or by acting as the medium that can create novel materials that can find applications in high energy batteries and other energy saving devices, such as capacitors. Carbonate melts can be used to absorb carbon dioxide, which can be converted into C, CO and carbon nanoparticles. Molten salts can also be used to create black silicon that can absorb more sunlight over a wider range of wavelengths. Overall, there are many opportunities to explore for molten salts to play in an efficient, low carbon world.

  17. Physiological responses to salt stress of salt-adapted and directly salt (NaCl and NaCl+Na2SO4 mixture)-stressed cyanobacterium Anabaena fertilissima.

    PubMed

    Swapnil, Prashant; Rai, Ashwani K

    2018-05-01

    Soil salinity in nature is generally mixed type; however, most of the studies on salt toxicity are performed with NaCl and little is known about sulfur type of salinity (Na 2 SO 4 ). Present study discerns the physiologic mechanisms responsible for salt tolerance in salt-adapted Anabaena fertilissima, and responses of directly stressed parent cells to NaCl and NaCl+Na 2 SO 4 mixture. NaCl at 500 mM was lethal to the cyanobacterium, whereas salt-adapted cells grew luxuriantly. Salinity impaired gross photosynthesis, electron transport activities, and respiration in parent cells, but not in the salt-adapted cells, except a marginal increase in PSI activity. Despite higher Na + concentration in the salt mixture, equimolar NaCl appeared more inhibitive to growth. Sucrose and trehalose content and antioxidant activities were maximal in 250 mM NaCl-treated cells, followed by salt mixture and was almost identical in salt-adapted (exposed to 500 mm NaCl) and control cells, except a marginal increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity and an additional fourth superoxide dismutase isoform. Catalase isoform of 63 kDa was induced only in salt-stressed cells. Salinity increased the uptake of intracellular Na + and Ca 2+ and leakage of K + in parent cells, while cation level in salt-adapted cells was comparable to control. Though there was differential increase in intracellular Ca 2+ under different salt treatments, ratio of Ca 2+ /Na + remained the same. It is inferred that stepwise increment in the salt concentration enabled the cyanobacterium to undergo priming effect and acquire robust and efficient defense system involving the least energy.

  18. Distillation and condensation of LiCl-KCl eutectic salts for a separation of pure salts from salt wastes from an electrorefining process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eun, Hee Chul; Yang, Hee Chul; Lee, Han Soo; Kim, In Tae

    2009-12-01

    Salt separation and recovery from the salt wastes generated from a pyrochemical process is necessary to minimize the high-level waste volumes and to stabilize a final waste form. In this study, the thermal behavior of the LiCl-KCl eutectic salts containing rare earth oxychlorides or oxides was investigated during a vacuum distillation and condensation process. LiCl was more easily vaporized than the other salts (KCl and LiCl-KCl eutectic salt). Vaporization characteristics of LiCl-KCl eutectic salts were similar to that of KCl. The temperature to obtain the vaporization flux (0.1 g min -1 cm -2) was decreased by much as 150 °C by a reduction of the ambient pressure from 5 Torr to 0.5 Torr. Condensation behavior of the salt vapors was different with the ambient pressure. Almost all of the salt vapors were condensed and were formed into salt lumps during a salt distillation at the ambient pressure of 0.5 Torr and they were collected in the condensed salt storage. However, fine salt particles were formed when the salt distillation was performed at 10 Torr and it is difficult for them to be recovered. Therefore, it is thought that a salt vacuum distillation and condensation should be performed to recover almost all of the vaporized salts at a pressure below 0.5 Torr.

  19. Deconvoluting the effects of buffer salt concentration in hydrophilic interaction chromatography on a zwitterionic stationary phase.

    PubMed

    West, Caroline; Auroux, Emeline

    2016-08-26

    Quantitative structure-retention relationships (QSRRs) furnish a detailed and reliable description of the role and extent of different molecular interactions that can be established between the analytes and the chromatographic system. Among QSRRs, the solvation parameter model using Abraham descriptors has gained acceptance as a general tool to explore the factors affecting retention in chromatographic systems. We have previously shown how a modified version of the solvation parameter model, with two extra terms to take account of interactions occurring with ionic and ionizable species (with positive and/or negative charges), could be applied to the characterization of hydrophilic interaction chromatographic (HILIC) systems. In the present study, we will show how this methodology can be used to evaluate the effects of increasing buffer salt concentration on retention and separation in a HILIC system. A commercial stationary phase possessing a sulfobetaine zwitterionic bonded ligand (Nucleodur HILIC) was used with a mobile phase composed of 80% acetonitrile and 20% pwwH4 ammonium acetate buffer, with aqueous buffer concentrations varying from 10 to 100mM, resulting in overall concentrations ranging from 2 to 20mM in the mobile phase. Retention factors were measured for a selection of 76 probe analytes. The chosen compounds are small molecules presenting a wide diversity of molecular structures and are relevant to biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. The QSRR models obtained allow for a rationalization of the interactions contributing to retention and separation in the HILIC system considered and shed some light on the effect of varying buffer salt concentration, namely the progressive transition from ion-exchange and electrostatic-repulsion mechanisms to hydrophilic partitioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Sol-gel processing with inorganic metal salt precursors

    DOEpatents

    Hu, Zhong-Cheng

    2004-10-19

    Methods for sol-gel processing that generally involve mixing together an inorganic metal salt, water, and a water miscible alcohol or other organic solvent, at room temperature with a macromolecular dispersant material, such as hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) added. The resulting homogenous solution is incubated at a desired temperature and time to result in a desired product. The methods enable production of high quality sols and gels at lower temperatures than standard methods. The methods enable production of nanosize sols from inorganic metal salts. The methods offer sol-gel processing from inorganic metal salts.

  1. Salt movements and faulting of the overburden - can numerical modeling predict the fault patterns above salt structures?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clausen, O. R.; Egholm, D. L.; Wesenberg, R.

    2012-04-01

    Salt deformation has been the topic of numerous studies through the 20th century and up until present because of the close relation between commercial hydrocarbons and salt structure provinces of the world (Hudec & Jackson, 2007). The fault distribution in sediments above salt structures influences among other things the productivity due to the segmentation of the reservoir (Stewart 2006). 3D seismic data above salt structures can map such fault patterns in great detail and studies have shown that a variety of fault patterns exists. Yet, most patterns fall between two end members: concentric and radiating fault patterns. Here we use a modified version of the numerical spring-slider model introduced by Malthe-Sørenssen et al.(1998a) for simulating the emergence of small scale faults and fractures above a rising salt structure. The three-dimensional spring-slider model enables us to control the rheology of the deforming overburden, the mechanical coupling between the overburden and the underlying salt, as well as the kinematics of the moving salt structure. In this presentation, we demonstrate how the horizontal component on the salt motion influences the fracture patterns within the overburden. The modeling shows that purely vertical movement of the salt introduces a mesh of concentric normal faults in the overburden, and that the frequency of radiating faults increases with the amount of lateral movements across the salt-overburden interface. The two end-member fault patterns (concentric vs. radiating) can thus be linked to two different styles of salt movement: i) the vertical rising of a salt indenter and ii) the inflation of a 'salt-balloon' beneath the deformed strata. The results are in accordance with published analogue and theoretical models, as well as natural systems, and the model may - when used appropriately - provide new insight into how the internal dynamics of the salt in a structure controls the generation of fault patterns above the structure. The

  2. Stabilization of photosystem II reaction centers: influence of bile salt detergents and low pH.

    PubMed

    Gall, B; Scheer, H

    1998-07-17

    Rapid deterioration of samples is a major obstacle in research on the isolated reaction center of photosystem II. Its stability was tested systematically using a wide range of detergents, varying pH and temperature. Stability and activity did not depend on ionic properties of detergents or on critical micellar concentration. However, both were significantly increased by bile salt detergents in the dark as well as in the light. Low pH (5.5) and low temperature further improved stability. The results suggest that in particular the zwitterionic bile salt detergent, CHAPS, in pH 5.5 buffers is a very useful detergent and even superior to dodecylmaltoside for work with photosystem II reaction centers.

  3. Effect of Elevated Salt Concentrations on the Aerobic Granular Sludge Process: Linking Microbial Activity with Microbial Community Structure▿

    PubMed Central

    Bassin, J. P.; Pronk, M.; Muyzer, G.; Kleerebezem, R.; Dezotti, M.; van Loosdrecht, M. C. M.

    2011-01-01

    The long- and short-term effects of salt on biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal processes were studied in an aerobic granular sludge reactor. The microbial community structure was investigated by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) on 16S rRNA and amoA genes. PCR products obtained from genomic DNA and from rRNA after reverse transcription were compared to determine the presence of bacteria as well as the metabolically active fraction of bacteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to validate the PCR-based results and to quantify the dominant bacterial populations. The results demonstrated that ammonium removal efficiency was not affected by salt concentrations up to 33 g/liter NaCl. Conversely, a high accumulation of nitrite was observed above 22 g/liter NaCl, which coincided with the disappearance of Nitrospira sp. Phosphorus removal was severely affected by gradual salt increase. No P release or uptake was observed at steady-state operation at 33 g/liter NaCl, exactly when the polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis” bacteria, were no longer detected by PCR-DGGE or FISH. Batch experiments confirmed that P removal still could occur at 30 g/liter NaCl, but the long exposure of the biomass to this salinity level was detrimental for PAOs, which were outcompeted by glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) in the bioreactor. GAOs became the dominant microorganisms at increasing salt concentrations, especially at 33 g/liter NaCl. In the comparative analysis of the diversity (DNA-derived pattern) and the activity (cDNA-derived pattern) of the microbial population, the highly metabolically active microorganisms were observed to be those related to ammonia (Nitrosomonas sp.) and phosphate removal (“Candidatus Accumulibacter”). PMID:21926194

  4. Effects of Stress on Corrosion in a Molten Salt Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Girdzis, Samuel; Manos, Dennis; Cooke, William

    Molten salt is often used as a heat transfer and energy storage fluid in concentrating solar power plants. Despite its suitable thermal properties, molten salt can present challenges in terms of corrosion. Previous studies have focused extensively on mass loss due to molten salt-induced corrosion. In contrast, we have investigated how corrosion begins and how it changes the surface of stainless steel. Samples of alloys including 304 and 316 stainless steel were exposed to the industry-standard NaNO3-KNO3 (60%-40% by weight) mixture at temperatures over 500°C and then analyzed using Hirox, SEM, and TOF-SIMS. We compare the corrosion at grain boundaries to that within single grain surfaces, showing the effect of the increased internal stresses and the weakened passivation layer. Also, we have examined the enhanced corrosion of samples under mechanical stress, simulating the effects of thermal stresses in a power plant.

  5. Temperature and salinity regulation of growth and gas exchange of Salicornia fruticosa (L.) L.

    PubMed

    Abdulrahman, Farag Saleh; Williams, George J

    1981-03-01

    Salicornia fruticosa was collected from a salt marsh on the Mediterranean sea coast in Libya. Growth and gas exchange of this C 3 species were monitered in plants pretreated at various NaCl concentrations (0, 171, 342, 513 and 855 mM). Maximum growth was at 171 mM NaCl under cool growth conditions (20/10° C) and at 342 mM NaCl under warm growth conditions (30/15° C) with minimum growth at 0 mM NaCl (control). Net photosynthesis (Pn) was greatest in plants grown in 171 mM NaCl with plants grown at 513 and 855 mM having lowest rates. Maximum Pn was at 20-25° C shoot temperatures with statistically significant reductions at 30° C in control plants while salt treated plants showed such reductions at 35° C. Salt treatments increased dark respiration over the control at 171 and 342 mM but reduced it at higher concentrations. Photorespiration was reduced by salt treatment and increased by increasing shoot temperature. Greatest transpiration was in 171 mM NaCl treated plants and increasing shoot temperature increased transpiration in all treatments. Stomatal resistance to CO 2 influx was influenced only moderately by temperature while increasing salinity resulted in increased stomatal resistance. In general both temperature and salinity increased the mesophyll resistance to CO 2 influx. The species seems adapted to the warm saline habitat along the Mediterranean sea coast, at least partially, by its ability to maintain relatively high Pn at moderate NaCl concentrations over a broad range of shoot temperatures.

  6. Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    1988-01-01

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

  7. Convective flows in enclosures with vertical temperature or concentration gradients

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    1989-01-01

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

  8. Salt Weathering on Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jagoutz, E.

    2006-12-01

    Large well rounded boulders and angular rock fragments characterizes the Martian landscape as seen on the recent excellent quality photos. Analyzing the different rock-shapes indicates a time sequence of emplacement, fragmentation and transport of different rocks on Mars, which might give interesting insight into transport and weathering processes. Larger commonly well rounded boulders were emplaced onto gravel plains. After emplacement, these rocks were fragmented and disassembled. Nests of angular rock fragments are marking the locations of preexisting larger rocks. Frequently it is possible to reconstruct larger rounded rocks from smaller angular fragments. In other cases transport after fragmentation obscured the relationship of the fragments. However, a strewn field of fragments is still reminiscent of the preexisting rock. Mechanical salt weathering could be a plausible explanation for the insitu fragmentation of larger rounded blocks into angular fragments. Impact or secondary air fall induced fragmentation produces very different patterns, as observed around impact crates on Earth. Salt weathering of rocks is a common process in terrestrial environments. Salt crystallization in capillaries causes fragmentation of rocks, irrespective of the process of salt transportation and concentration. On Earth significant salt weathering can be observed in different climatic environments: in the transition zone of alluvial aprons and salt playas in desserts and in dry valleys of Antarctica. In terrestrial semi-arid areas the salt is transported by salt solution, which is progressively concentrated by evaporation. In Antarctic dry valleys freeze-thaw cycles causes salt transportation and crystallization resulting in rock fragmentation. This salt induced process can lead to complete destruction of rocks and converts rocks to fine sand. The efficient breakdown of rocks is dominating the landscape in some dry valleys of the Earth but possibly also on Mars. (Malin, 1974

  9. Development and Optimization of Voltammetric Methods for Real Time Analysis of Electrorefiner Salt with High Concentrations of Actinides and Fission Products

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

    Simpson, Michael F.; Phongikaroon, Supathorn; Zhang, Jinsuo

    This project addresses the problem of achieving accurate material control and accountability (MC&A) around pyroprocessing electrorefiner systems. Spent nuclear fuel pyroprocessing poses a unique challenge with respect to reprocessing technology in that the fuel is never fully dissolved in the process fluid. In this case, the process fluid is molten, anhydrous LiCl-KCl salt. Therefore, there is no traditional input accountability tank. However, electrorefiners (ER) accumulate very large quantities of fissile nuclear material (including plutonium) and should be well safeguarded in a commercial facility. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) currently operates a pyroprocessing facility for treatment of spent fuel from Experimental Breedermore » Reactor-II with two such ER systems. INL implements MC&A via a mass tracking model in combination with periodic sampling of the salt and other materials followed by destructive analysis. This approach is projected to be insufficient to meet international safeguards timeliness requirements. A real time or near real time monitoring method is, thus, direly needed to support commercialization of pyroprocessing. A variety of approaches to achieving real time monitoring for ER salt have been proposed and studied to date—including a potentiometric actinide sensor for concentration measurements, a double bubbler for salt depth and density measurements, and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for concentration measurements. While each of these methods shows some promise, each also involves substantial technical complexity that may ultimately limit their implementation. Yet another alternative is voltammetry—a very simple method in theory that has previously been tested for this application to a limited extent. The equipment for a voltammetry system consists of off-the-shelf components (three electrodes and a potentiostat), which results in substantial benefits relative to cost and robustness. Based on prior knowledge of

  10. Capacitive deionization coupled with microbial fuel cells to desalinate low-concentration salt water.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Lulu; Yang, Xufei; Liang, Peng; Wang, Lei; Huang, Zheng-Hong; Wei, Jincheng; Huang, Xia

    2012-04-01

    A new technology (CDI-MFC) that combined capacitive deionization (CDI) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) was developed to treat low-concentration salt water with NaCl concentration of 60mg/L. The water desalination rate was 35.6mg/(Lh), meanwhile the charge efficiency was 21.8%. Two desorption modes were investigated: discharging (DC) mode and short circuit (SC) mode. The desalination rate in the DC mode was 200.6±3.1mg/(Lh), 47.8% higher than that in the SC mode [135.7±15.3mg/(Lh)]. The average current in the DC mode was also much higher than that of the SC mode. The energy stored in the CDI cell has been reused to enhance the electron production of MFC by the discharging desorption mode (DC mode), which offers an approach to recover the electrostatic energy in the CDI cell. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Plant salt-tolerance mechanisms

    DOE PAGES

    Deinlein, Ulrich; Stephan, Aaron B.; Horie, Tomoaki; ...

    2014-06-01

    Crop performance is severely affected by high salt concentrations in soils. To engineer more salt-tolerant plants it is crucial to unravel the key components of the plant salt-tolerance network. Here we review our understanding of the core salt-tolerance mechanisms in plants. Recent studies have shown that stress sensing and signaling components can play important roles in regulating the plant salinity stress response. We also review key Na+ transport and detoxification pathways and the impact of epigenetic chromatin modifications on salinity tolerance. In addition, we discuss the progress that has been made towards engineering salt tolerance in crops, including marker-assisted selectionmore » and gene stacking techniques. We also identify key open questions that remain to be addressed in the future.« less

  12. Increment of specific heat capacity of solar salt with SiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Andreu-Cabedo, Patricia; Mondragon, Rosa; Hernandez, Leonor; Martinez-Cuenca, Raul; Cabedo, Luis; Julia, J Enrique

    2014-01-01

    Thermal energy storage (TES) is extremely important in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants since it represents the main difference and advantage of CSP plants with respect to other renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, etc. CSP represents a low-carbon emission renewable source of energy, and TES allows CSP plants to have energy availability and dispatchability using available industrial technologies. Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 500°C. Their main drawbacks are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve thermal properties of fluids is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. In this work, solar salt used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3) was doped with silica nanoparticles at different solid mass concentrations (from 0.5% to 2%). Specific heat was measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A maximum increase of 25.03% was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt.% of nanoparticles. The size distribution of nanoparticle clusters present in the salt at each concentration was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing, as well as by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cluster size and the specific surface available depended on the solid content, and a relationship between the specific heat increment and the available particle surface area was obtained. It was proved that the mechanism involved in the specific heat increment is based on a surface phenomenon. Stability of samples was tested for several thermal cycles and thermogravimetric analysis at high temperature was carried out, the samples being stable. 65.: Thermal properties of condensed matter; 65.20.-w: Thermal properties of liquids; 65.20.Jk: Studies of thermodynamic properties of specific liquids.

  13. Increment of specific heat capacity of solar salt with SiO2 nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Thermal energy storage (TES) is extremely important in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants since it represents the main difference and advantage of CSP plants with respect to other renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, etc. CSP represents a low-carbon emission renewable source of energy, and TES allows CSP plants to have energy availability and dispatchability using available industrial technologies. Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 500°C. Their main drawbacks are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve thermal properties of fluids is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. In this work, solar salt used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3) was doped with silica nanoparticles at different solid mass concentrations (from 0.5% to 2%). Specific heat was measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A maximum increase of 25.03% was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt.% of nanoparticles. The size distribution of nanoparticle clusters present in the salt at each concentration was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing, as well as by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cluster size and the specific surface available depended on the solid content, and a relationship between the specific heat increment and the available particle surface area was obtained. It was proved that the mechanism involved in the specific heat increment is based on a surface phenomenon. Stability of samples was tested for several thermal cycles and thermogravimetric analysis at high temperature was carried out, the samples being stable. PACS 65.: Thermal properties of condensed matter; 65.20.-w: Thermal properties of liquids; 65.20.Jk: Studies of thermodynamic properties of specific liquids PMID:25346648

  14. Wetting and evaporation of salt-water nanodroplets: A molecular dynamics investigation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jun; Borg, Matthew K; Sefiane, Khellil; Reese, Jason M

    2015-11-01

    We employ molecular dynamics simulations to study the wetting and evaporation of salt-water nanodroplets on platinum surfaces. Our results show that the contact angle of the droplets increases with the salt concentration. To verify this, a second simulation system of a thin salt-water film on a platinum surface is used to calculate the various surface tensions. We find that both the solid-liquid and liquid-vapor surface tensions increase with salt concentration and as a result these cause an increase in the contact angle. However, the evaporation rate of salt-water droplets decreases as the salt concentration increases, due to the hydration of salt ions. When the water molecules have all evaporated from the droplet, two forms of salt crystals are deposited, clump and ringlike, depending on the solid-liquid interaction strength and the evaporation rate. To form salt crystals in a ring, it is crucial that there is a pinned stage in the evaporation process, during which salt ions can move from the center to the rim of the droplets. With a stronger solid-liquid interaction strength, a slower evaporation rate, and a higher salt concentration, a complete salt crystal ring can be deposited on the surface.

  15. Evolution of arched roofs in salt caves: Role of gravity-induced stress and relative air humidity and temperature changes (Zagros Mts., Iran)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruthans, Jiri; Filippi, Michal; Zare, Mohammad

    2016-04-01

    In salt caves in the halite karst in SE Iran the disintegration of rock salt into individual grains can be observed. Highly disintegrated blocks and individual grains form a major volume of debris in many caves on islands in the Persian Gulf. Larger cave rooms have often perfectly arched roof. The perfect geometry of rooms and interlocking of salt grains indicate that evolution of room cross-sections in these caves is controlled by feedback between gravity-induced stress and rock salt disintegration in similar way as in evolution of sandstone landforms (Bruthans et al. 2014). Those portions of rock salt, which are under compressional stress, disintegrate much slower than portions under tensile stress. Important question is the kind of weathering mechanism responsible for intergranular disintegration of rock salt. The relationship between disintegration, its rate and cave climate was studied. Clearly the fastest disintegration rate was found in caves with strong air circulation (i.e, short caves with large cross-sections, open on both ends). Temperature and air humidity changes are considerable in these caves. On the other hand the disintegration is very slow in the inner parts of long caves with slow air circulation or caves with one entrance. The best example of such caves is the inner part of 3N Cave on Namakdan salt diapir with nearly no air circulation and stable temperature and humidity, where disintegration of rock salt into grains is missing. Strong effect of cave climate on disintegration rate can be explained by deliquescence properties of halite. Halite is absorbing air moisture forming NaCl solution if relative humidity (RH) exceeds 75 % (at 20-30 oC). In the Persian Gulf region the RH of the air is passing the 75 % threshold in case of 91% days (Qeshm Island, years 2002-2005), while in mountainous areas in mainland this threshold is less commonly reached. In most of nights (91 %) in Persian Gulf the air with RH >75 % is entering the salt caves and air

  16. Experiments on the heat-induced salt balance changes in cow's milk.

    PubMed

    Pouliot, Y; Boulet, M; Paquin, P

    1989-01-01

    The heat-induced changes in salt balance between the colloidal phase of milk and its serum were studied using an ultrafiltration technique. Milk permeate was isolated at the heating temperature by means of a hollow fibre ultrafiltration cartridge coupled with a stainless steel heat exchanger unit. The milk samples initially at 4 degrees C were heated to 20, 40, 60, 80 or 90 degrees C. Ca, P, Mg and citrate contents of the permeates were determined. The decreases in Ca and P were proportional to the increase in temperature. Smaller losses in Mg and citrate were observed. An initial sharp decrease in concentration occurred within the first seconds of holding time and was followed by a slower and smaller decrease. The possible occurrence of a two-stage mechanism for the heat-induced salt precipitation is discussed. The precipitation of dicalcium phosphate is believed to occur together with some tricalcium citrate precipitation.

  17. Effect of salts on the water sorption kinetics of dried pasta.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Takenobu; Adachi, Shuji

    2013-01-01

    The water sorption kinetics of dried pasta were measured in the 20-90 °C range in 1.83 mol/L of NaCl and at 80 °C in 1.83 mol/L of LiCl, KCl, NaBr and NaI solutions in order to elucidate the role of salt in the kinetics. At the temperatures higher than 70.8 °C, the change in the enthalpy of sorption, ΔH, in the 1.83 mol/L NaCl solution was 33.1 kJ/mol, which was greater than the ΔH value in water, and the activation energy for the sorption, E, in the salt solution was 25.6 kJ/mol, which was slightly lower than the E value in water. The Hofmeister series of ions was an index for their effect on the equilibrium amount of the sorbed solution of pasta. The apparent diffusion coefficient of water into pasta was not correlated with the crystal radius of the salts, but was with the Stokes radius of the hydrated ions. Equations were formulated to predict the amount of sorbed solution under any condition of temperature and NaCl concentration.

  18. Molten salt CO2 capture and electro-transformation (MSCC-ET) into capacitive carbon at medium temperature: effect of the electrolyte composition.

    PubMed

    Deng, Bowen; Chen, Zhigang; Gao, Muxing; Song, Yuqiao; Zheng, Kaiyuan; Tang, Juanjuan; Xiao, Wei; Mao, Xuhui; Wang, Dihua

    2016-08-15

    Electrochemical transformation of CO2 into functional materials or fuels (i.e., carbon, CO) in high temperature molten salts has been demonstrated as a promising way of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) in recent years. In a view of continuous operation, the electrolysis process should match very well with the CO2 absorption kinetics. At the same time, in consideration of the energy efficiency, a molten salt electrochemical cell running at lower temperature is more beneficial to a process powered by the fluctuating renewable electricity from solar/wind farms. Ternary carbonates (Li : Na : K = 43.5 : 31.5 : 25.0) and binary chlorides (Li : K = 58.5 : 41.5), two typical kinds of eutectic melt with low melting points and a wide electrochemical potential window, could be the ideal supporting electrolyte for the molten salt CO2 capture and electro-transformation (MSCC-ET) process. In this work, the CO2 absorption behaviour in Li2O/CaO containing carbonates and chlorides were investigated on a home-made gas absorption testing system. The electrode processes as well as the morphology and properties of carbon obtained in different salts are compared to each other. It was found that the composition of molten salts significantly affects the absorption of CO2, electrode processes and performance of the product. Furthermore, the relationship between the absorption and electro-transformation kinetics are discussed based on the findings.

  19. Influence of ammonium salts on the lipase/esterase activity assay using p-nitrophenyl esters as substrates.

    PubMed

    De Yan, Hong; Zhang, Yin Jun; Liu, Hong Cai; Zheng, Jian Yong; Wang, Zhao

    2013-01-01

    p-Nitrophenyl esters with a short-chain carboxylic group, such as p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA) and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB), could be effectively hydrolyzed by ammonium salts. p-Nitrophenyl esters were usually used as substrates to assay the lipase/esterase activity. Ammonium sulfate precipitation was often used to purify proteins, and some ammonium salts were usually used as nitrogen sources or inorganic salts for the lipase/esterase production. To study the effect of ammonium salts on the assay of the lipase/esterase activity, the contributing factors of hydrolysis of p-NPA/p-NPB catalyzed by ammonium salts were investigated. The lipase activities were compared in the presence and absence of ammonium sulfate. The hydrolysis reaction could be catalyzed under neutral and alkaline circumstances. The hydrolysis rate increased with the increase in the reaction temperature or the concentration of ammonium ion. When p-NPA was employed as the substrate for the analysis of the lipase/esterase activity, the effect of ammonium sulfate on the analysis could be neutralized by setting a control when the concentration of ammonium sulfate was less than 40% saturation. However, when the concentration of ammonium sulfate increased from 40% to 100% saturation, the enzyme activities decreased about 13-40%, which could not be ignored for accurate analysis of the enzyme activity. © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  20. Improved Design and Fabrication of Hydrated-Salt Pills

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shirron, Peter J.; DiPirro, Michael J.; Canavan, Edgar R.

    2011-01-01

    A high-performance design, and fabrication and growth processes to implement the design, have been devised for encapsulating a hydrated salt in a container that both protects the salt and provides thermal conductance between the salt and the environment surrounding the container. The unitary salt/container structure is known in the art as a salt pill. In the original application of the present design and processes, the salt is, more specifically, a hydrated paramagnetic salt, for use as a refrigerant in a very-low-temperature adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The design and process can also be applied, with modifications, to other hydrated salts. Hydrated paramagnetic salts have long been used in ADRs because they have the desired magnetic properties at low temperatures. They also have some properties, disadvantageous for ADRs, that dictate the kind of enclosures in which they must be housed: Being hydrated, they lose water if exposed to less than 100-percent relative humidity. Because any dehydration compromises their magnetic properties, salts used in ADRs must be sealed in hermetic containers. Because they have relatively poor thermal conductivities in the temperature range of interest (<0.1 K), integral thermal buses are needed as means of efficiently transferring heat to and from the salts during refrigeration cycles. A thermal bus is typically made from a high-thermal-conductivity met al (such as copper or gold), and the salt is configured to make intimate thermal contact with the metal. Commonly in current practice (and in the present design), the thermal bus includes a matrix of wires or rods, and the salt is grown onto this matrix. The density and spacing of the conductors depend on the heat fluxes that must be accommodated during operation.

  1. Where Does Road Salt Go - a Static Salt Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, C. W.; Liu, F.; Moriarty, V. W.

    2017-12-01

    Each winter, more than 15 million tons of road salt is applied in the United States for the de-icing purpose. Considerable amount of chloride in road salt flows into streams/drainage systems with the snow melt runoff and spring storms, and eventually goes into ecologically sensitive low-lying areas in the watershed, such as ponds and lakes. In many watersheds in the northern part of US, the chloride level in the water body has increased significantly in the past decades, and continues an upward trend. The environmental and ecological impact of the elevated chloride level can no longer be ignored. However although there are many studies on the biological impact of elevated chloride levels, there are few investigations on how the spatially distributed road salt application affects various parts of the watershed. In this presentation, we propose a static road salt model as a first-order metric to address spacial distribution of salt loading. Derived from the Topological Wetness Index (TWI) in many hydrological models, this static salt model provides a spatial impact as- sessment of road salt applications. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the static model, National Elevation Dataset (NED) of ten-meter resolution of Lake George watershed in New York State is used to generate the TWI, which is used to compute a spatially dis- tributed "salt-loading coefficient" of the whole watershed. Spatially varying salt applica- tion rate is then aggregated, using the salt-loading coefficients as weights, to provide salt loading assessments of streams in the watershed. Time-aggregated data from five CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) sensors in selected streams are used for calibration. The model outputs and the sensor data demonstrate a strong linear correlation, with the R value of 0.97. The investigation shows that the static modeling approach may provide an effective method for the understanding the input and transport of road salt to within watersheds.

  2. Temperature dependence of fluorescence for EuCl3 in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt.

    PubMed

    Im, Hee-Jung; Kim, Tack-Jin; Song, Kyuseok

    2010-08-15

    The fluorescence of EuCl(3) in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt according to temperature changes was investigated, and the spontaneous partial reduction of Eu(3+) to Eu(2+) at high temperature was confirmed by the fluorescence results. The fluorescence decreases when the temperature increases, and this was examined in detail. The studies of fluorescence provided information regarding the chemical and physical behavior of europium ions in the molten salt according to the temperature changes. It is applicable for monitoring species and concentrations and estimating the approximate chemical structure of the ions in molten salts. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Effects of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the stability and dynamics of gramicidin A and lipid bilayers at different salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hwankyu; Kim, Sun Min; Jeon, Tae-Joon

    2015-09-01

    Gramicidin A (gA) dimers with bilayers, which consist of phospholipids and ionic liquids (ILs) at different molar ratios, were simulated at different salt concentrations of 0.15 and 1M NaCl. Bilayer thickness is larger than the length of a gA dimer, and hence lipids around the gA dimer are significantly disordered to adapt to the gA dimer, yielding membrane curvature. As the IL concentration increases, the bilayer thickness decreases and becomes closer to the gA length, leading to less membrane curvature. Also, ILs significantly increase lateral diffusivities of the gA dimer and lipids at 0.15M NaCl, but not at 1M NaCl because strong electrostatic interactions between salt ions and lipid head groups suppress an increase in the lateral mobility of the bilayer at high salt concentration. These findings help explain the conflicting experimental results that showed the increased ion permeability in electrophysiological experiments at 1M NaCl, but the reduced ion permeability in fluorescent experiments at 0.15M NaCl. ILs disorder lipids and make bilayers thinner, which yields less membrane curvature around the gA dimer and thus stabilizes the gA dimer, leading to the increased ion permeability. This IL effect predominantly occurs at 1M NaCl, where ILs only slightly increase the bilayer dynamics because of the strong electrostatic interactions between salt ions and lipids. In contrast, at 0.15M NaCl, ILs do not only stabilize the curved bilayer but also significantly increase the lateral mobility of gA dimers and lipids, which can reduce gA-induced pore formation, leading to the decreased ion permeability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Separation of CsCl from a Ternary CsCl-LiCl-KCl Salt via a Melt Crystallization Technique for Pyroprocessing Waste Minimization

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

    Ammon Williams; Supathorn Phongikaroon; Michael Simpson

    A parametric study has been conducted to identify the effects of several parameters on the separation of CsCl from molten LiCl-KCl salt via a melt crystallization process. A reverse vertical Bridgman technique was used to grow the salt crystals. The investigated parameters were: (1) the advancement rate, (2) the crucible lid configuration, (3) the amount of salt mixture, (4) the initial composition of CsCl, and (5) the temperature difference between the high and low furnace zones. From each grown crystal, samples were taken axially and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results show that CsCl concentrations at themore » top of the crystals were low and increased to a maximum at the bottom of the salt. Salt (LiCl-KCl) recycle percentages for the experiments ranged from 50% to 75% and the CsCl composition in the waste salt was low. To increase the recycle percentage and the concentration of CsCl in the waste form, the possibility of using multiple crystallization stages was explored to further optimize the process. Results show that multiple crystallization stages are practical and the optimal experimental conditions should be operated at 5.0 mm/hr rate with a lid configuration and temperature difference of 200 °C for a total of five crystallization stages. Under these conditions, up to 88% of the salt can be recycled.« less

  5. Low-temperature nitridation of manganese and iron oxides using NaNH2 molten salt.

    PubMed

    Miura, Akira; Takei, Takahiro; Kumada, Nobuhiro

    2013-10-21

    Manganese and iron nitrides are important functional materials, but their synthesis processes from oxides often require high temperatures. Herein, we show a novel meta-synthesis method for manganese and iron nitrides by low-temperature nitridation of their oxides using NaNH2 molten salt as the nitrogen source in an autoclave at 240 °C. With this method, nitridation of micrometer-sized oxide particles kept their initial morphologies, but the size of the primary particles decreased. The thermodynamic driving force is considered to be the conversion of oxides to sodium hydroxide, and the kinetic of nitridation is improved by the decrease of particle size and the low melting point of NaNH2. This technique as developed here has the advantages of low reaction temperature, reduced consumption of ammonia, employing nonspecialized equipment, and providing facile control of the reactions for producing nitrides from oxides.

  6. Biodegradation of resin acid sodium salts

    Treesearch

    Richard W. Hemingway; H. Greaves

    1973-01-01

    The sodium salts of resin acids were readily degraded by microflora from two types of river water and from an activated sewage sludge. A lag phase with little or no resin acid salt degradation but rapid bacterial development occurred which was greatly extended by a decrease in incubation temperature. After this initial lag phase, the resin acid salts were rapidly...

  7. Cadmium hampers salt tolerance of Sesuvium portulacastrum.

    PubMed

    Wali, Mariem; Martos, Soledad; Pérez-Martín, Laura; Abdelly, Chedly; Ghnaya, Tahar; Poschenrieder, Charlotte; Gunsé, Benet

    2017-06-01

    It is well known that salinity reduces cadmium toxicity in halophytes. However, the possible interference of Cd with the mechanisms of salt tolerance is poorly explored. The aim of this study was to see whether Cd affects salt tolerance mechanisms in the halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum. S. portulacastrum plants obtained from cuttings were grown in hydroponics for 3 weeks and then exposed to low (0.09 mM) or moderate (200 mM) NaCl concentrations, alone or in combination with 25 μM CdCl 2 . Microscopy observation revealed two strategies of salt tolerance: euhalophytism and secretion of salt by bladder cells. Cadmium exposure hardly influenced the total leaf Na + concentrations. However, Cd supply delayed the salt-induced upregulation of AHA1 (plasma membrane H + -ATPase 1) and SOS1 (plasma membrane Na + transporter "Salt Overly Sensitive 1"), genes that are essential for salt tolerance. Moreover, Cd induced the activation of BADH, coding for betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, indicating enhanced osmotic stress due to Cd. Sodium-green fluorescence in protoplasts from plants grown with low or high NaCl, alone or in combination with Cd, revealed higher Na + concentrations in the cytoplasm of Cd-exposed plants. Taken together the results indicate interference of Cd with salt tolerance mechanisms in S. portulacastrum. This may have consequences for the efficient use of halophytes in phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated saline soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Characteristics of two novel cold- and salt-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from Liaohe Estuarine Wetland.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xiao; Bai, Jie; Li, Kui-Ran; Zhao, Yang-Guo; Tian, Wei-Jun; Dang, Jia-Jia

    2017-01-15

    To achieve a better contaminant removal efficiency in a low-temperature and high-salt environment, two novel strains of cold- and salt-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), i.e., Ochrobactrum sp. (HXN-1) and Aquamicrobium sp. (HXN-2), were isolated from the surface sediment of Liaohe Estuarine Wetland (LEW), China. The optimization of initial ammonia nitrogen concentration, pH, carbon-nitrogen ratio, and petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) to improve the ammonia-oxidation capacity of the two bacterial strains was studied. Both bacterial strains showed a high ammonia nitrogen removal rate of over 80% under a high salinity of 10‰. Even at a temperature as low as 15°C, HXN-1 and HXN-2 could achieve an ammonia nitrogen removal rate of 53% and 62%, respectively. The cold- and salt-tolerant AOB in this study demonstrated a high potential for ammonia nitrogen removal from LEW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Separation of Cs and Sr from LiCl-KCl eutectic salt via a zone-refining process for pyroprocessing waste salt minimization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shim, Moonsoo; Choi, Ho-Gil; Choi, Jeong-Hun; Yi, Kyung-Woo; Lee, Jong-Hyeon

    2017-08-01

    The purification of a LiCl-KCl salt mixture was carried out by a zone-refining process. To improve the throughput of zone refining, three heaters were installed in the zone refiner. The zone-refining method was used to grow pure LiCl-KCl salt ingots from a LiCl-KCl-CsCl-SrCl2 salt mixture. The main investigated parameters were the heater speed and the number of passes. From each zone-refined salt ingot, samples were collected axially along the salt ingot and the concentrations of Sr and Cs were determined. Experimental results show that the Sr and Cs concentrations at the initial region of the ingot were low and increased to a maximum at the final freezing region of the salt ingot. Concentration results of the zone-refined salt were compared with theoretical results furnished by the proposed model to validate its predictions. The keff values for Sr and Cs were 0.55 and 0.47, respectively. The correlation between the salt composition and separation behavior was also investigated. The keff values of the Sr in LiCl-KCl-SrCl2 and the Cs in LiCl-KCl-CsCl were found to be 0.53 and 0.44, respectively, by fitting the experimental data into the proposed model.

  10. C-H activation of imidazolium salts by Pt(0) at ambient temperature: synthesis of hydrido platinum bis(carbene) compounds.

    PubMed

    Duin, Marcel A; Clement, Nicolas D; Cavell, Kingsley J; Elsevier, Cornelis J

    2003-02-07

    A zerovalent platinum(carbene) complex with two monoalkene ligands, which is able to activate C-H bonds of imidazolium salts at room temperature to yield isolable hydrido platinum(II) bis(carbene) compounds, has been synthesised for the first time.

  11. Monte Carlo study of molten salt with charge asymmetry near the electrode surface.

    PubMed

    Kłos, Jacek; Lamperski, Stanisław

    2014-02-07

    Results of the Monte Carlo simulation of the electrode | molten salt or ionic liquid interface are reported. The system investigated is approximated by the primitive model of electrolyte being in contact with a charged hard wall. Ions differ in charges, namely anions are divalent and cations are monovalent but they are of the same diameter d = 400 pm. The temperature analysis of heat capacity at a constant volume Cv and the anion radial distribution function, g2-/2-, allowed the choice of temperature of the study, which is T = 2800 K and corresponds to T(*) = 0.34 (definition of reduced temperature T(*) in text). The differential capacitance curve of the interface with the molten salt or ionic liquid at c = 5.79 M has a distorted bell shape. It is shown that with increasing electrolyte concentration from c = 0.4 to 5 M the differential capacitance curves undergo transition from U shape to bell shape.

  12. Effect of salinity and temperature on treatment of concentrated wastewater from RO by FO-MD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Yingru; Huang, Manhong; Deng, Qian

    2018-02-01

    In this study the appropriate temperature of the membrane distillation (MD) hot side (the permeation flux of MD was controlled by adjusting the hot side temperature) was selected according to the water flux of FO process so that the water transfer rate on both sides of FO and MD was consistent and the FO-MD process could be stable operation. When the salt concentration of feed solution was 30, 55, 80 and 100 g/L, the desalination rates changed little, which were 99.1%, 98.4%, 98.9% and 98.7%, respectively. The removal rate of COD was 93.8%, 94.2%, 91.6% and 92.7% which also changed little like the desalination rates. The removal rate of chromaticity increased with the increase of salinity, which attained 96.6%, 97.0%, 97.2% and 97.9%, respectively. This study proved that salinity of the feed solution affected little on the removal rate of contaminants but great on the water flux, with the increase of salinity from 30 to 100 g/L, the water flux was 6.05, 4.81, 4.33 and 3.87 LMH with the appropriate temperature (67.5±0.5, 64.5±0.5, 62.5±0.5 and 60.5±0.5 °C) of MD hot side. In a word, FO-MD was first used to treat the high salinity RO water with over 30 g/L total dissolved solids (TDS), FO-MD was a promising new process for high salinity wastewater treatment, and the hybrid system can solve the problem of lower draw solution concentration, and the high-quality production water will be obtained directly by this hybrid system with low membrane fouling tendency.

  13. Investigation of nitrate salts for solar latent heat storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamimoto, M.; Tanaka, T.; Tani, T.; Horigome, T.

    1980-01-01

    The properties of heat transfer in the discharging of a model solar latent heat storage unit based on various nitrate salts and salt mixtures are investigated. A shell-and-tube-type passive heat exchanger containing NaNO3 or eutectic or off-eutectic mixtures of NaNO3 with KNO3 and Ca(NO3)2 was heated to 40 K above the melting temperature of the salt, when air was made to flow through a heat transfer tube at a constant flow rate, and heat transfer material and air temperatures were monitored. Thermal conductivity and the apparent heat transfer coefficient are estimated from the heat extraction rate and temperature profiles, and it is found that although the thermal conductivities of the materials are similar, the off-eutectic salts exhibit higher heat transfer coefficients. Temperature distributions in the NaNO3-KNO3 mixtures are found to be in fairly good agreement with those predicted by numerical solutions of a one-dimensional finite difference equation, and with approximate analytical solutions. It is observed that the temperature of the heat transfer surface drops rapidly after the appearance of a solid phase, due to the low thermal conductivity of the salts, and means of avoiding this temperature drop are considered.

  14. Precipitation of sparingly soluble salts in packed sandbeds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pavlakou, Efstathia I.; Sygouni, Varvara; Paraskeva, Christakis A.

    2015-04-01

    One of the main problems encountered by the oil extraction industry, is the reduction of the local permeability of the rock formation near the extraction wells because of salt deposition in the pores of the rocks during the injection of brine water to displace the trapped oil ganglia within the oil formations. This phenomenon makes the oil recovery less efficient and under extreme cases the well is abandoned with a large amount of oil entrapped. Several detailed studies have been conducted in the past concerning sand bed consolidation using sparingly soluble salts for varying conditions (e.g. temperature, grain size, sand type, salt concentrations etc) and various salts [1]. Nevertheless, salt precipitation in the rock formation pores under the presence of other miscible or immiscible substances with water has not been investigated in details yet. In the present study, salt (CaCO3) precipitation experiments were performed in small beds packed with sea sand mixed with a low amount of CaCO3 seed grains. The experiments were performed using pure solutions (NaHCO3, CaCl2.2H2O) and solutions mixed with Ethylene Glycol in sand beds. Additionally, precipitation experiments were performed using pure solutions in sand beds saturated with oil phase (n-dodecane) for a wide range of solution supersaturation. During the experiments the ionic strength was kept constant. pH and concentration values of calcium ion of the effluent were measured and the precipitated salt crystals were identified using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) method. At the end of each experiment Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was conducted using a sample of the precipitated sand to identify the morphology of the precipitated crystals and their cohesion with sand grains. Acknowledgments This research was partially funded by the European Union (European Social Fund-ESF) and Greek National Funds through the Operational program "Education and Lifelong Learning" under the action Aristeia II (Code No 4420). References

  15. Appropriate salt concentration of nanodiamond colloids for electrostatic self-assembly seeding of monosized individual diamond nanoparticles on silicon dioxide surfaces.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Taro; Zuerbig, Verena; Gao, Fang; Hoffmann, René; Nebel, Christoph E; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

    2015-05-19

    Monosized (∼4 nm) diamond nanoparticles arranged on substrate surfaces are exciting candidates for single-photon sources and nucleation sites for ultrathin nanocrystalline diamond film growth. The most commonly used technique to obtain substrate-supported diamond nanoparticles is electrostatic self-assembly seeding using nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Currently, monodisperse nanodiamond colloids, which have a narrow distribution of particle sizes centering on the core particle size (∼4 nm), are available for the seeding technique on different substrate materials such as Si, SiO2, Cu, and AlN. However, the self-assembled nanoparticles tend to form small (typically a few tens of nanometers or even larger) aggregates on all of those substrate materials. In this study, this major weakness of self-assembled diamond nanoparticles was solved by modifying the salt concentration of nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Several salt concentrations of colloidal suspensions were prepared using potassium chloride as an inserted electrolyte and were examined with respect to seeding on SiO2 surfaces. The colloidal suspensions and the seeded surfaces were characterized by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Also, the interaction energies between diamond nanoparticles in each of the examined colloidal suspensions were compared on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. From these investigations, it became clear that the appropriate salt concentration suppresses the formation of small aggregates during the seeding process owing to the modified electrostatic repulsive interaction between nanoparticles. Finally, monosized (<10 nm) individual diamond nanoparticles arranged on SiO2 surfaces have been successfully obtained.

  16. Experimental investigation of a molten salt thermocline storage tank

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Xiaoping; Yang, Xiaoxi; Qin, Frank G. F.; Jiang, Runhua

    2016-07-01

    Thermal energy storage is considered as an important subsystem for solar thermal power stations. Investigations into thermocline storage tanks have mainly focused on numerical simulations because conducting high-temperature experiments is difficult. In this paper, an experimental study of the heat transfer characteristics of a molten salt thermocline storage tank was conducted by using high-temperature molten salt as the heat transfer fluid and ceramic particle as the filler material. This experimental study can verify the effectiveness of numerical simulation results and provide reference for engineering design. Temperature distribution and thermal storage capacity during the charging process were obtained. A temperature gradient was observed during the charging process. The temperature change tendency showed that thermocline thickness increased continuously with charging time. The slope of the thermal storage capacity decreased gradually with the increase in time. The low-cost filler material can replace the expensive molten salt to achieve thermal storage purposes and help to maintain the ideal gravity flow or piston flow of molten salt fluid.

  17. Sustainability of a well-monitored salt iodization program in Iran: marked reduction in goiter prevalence and eventual normalization of urinary iodine concentrations without alteration in iodine content of salt.

    PubMed

    Azizi, F; Mehran, L; Sheikholeslam, R; Ordookhani, A; Naghavi, M; Hedayati, M; Padyab, M; Mirmiran, P

    2008-05-01

    Two yr after legislation of salt iodization of 40 parts per million (ppm) in 1994, goiter was still endemic and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) remained elevated in many provinces of Iran. Goiter prevalence and UIC were compared 2 and 7 yr after sustained consumption of uniformly iodized salt by Iranian households. Schoolchildren (7-10 yr) of all provinces were randomly selected by cluster sampling from December 2000 to June 2001. Goiter rate, UIC, and household salt iodine values were compared to those in 1996. Factory salt iodine was also compared in 2001 vs 1996. Ultrasonographically determined thyroid volumes of 7-10 yr old children were compared in 2001 vs 1999. In 2001 (no.=33600) vs 1996 (no.=36178), total, grade 1, and grade 2 goiter rates were 13.9 vs 53.8%, 11.0 vs 44.8%, and 2.9 vs 9.0%, respectively (p<0.0001). Weighted total goiter rate was 9.8% in 2001. Median (range) UIC in 2001 (no.=3329) was 165 (18-499) microg/l and in 1996 (no.=2917) was 205 (10-2300) microg/l (p<0.0001). In 2001 vs 1996, mean+/-SD for iodine salt content was 32.7+/-10.1 vs 33.0+/-10.2 ppm (p=0.68) in households and was 33.2+/-13.4 and 33.8+/-13.2 ppm (p=0.57) in factories, respectively. Among 7-10 yr old children in 2001 (no.=400) vs 1999 (no.=396), only 7-yr-old children in 2001 (the only group with probably no history of iodine deficiency) showed significant smaller thyroid volumes by ultrasonography compared to those in 1999. After 7 yr of optimized iodized-salt supplementation in Iran, adequate UIC values and marked reduction in goiter rate have been achieved.

  18. Impacts of road deicing salts on the early-life growth and development of a stream salmonid: Salt type matters.

    PubMed

    Hintz, William D; Relyea, Rick A

    2017-04-01

    The use of road deicing salts in regions that experience cold winters is increasing the salinity of freshwater ecosystems, which threatens freshwater resources. Yet, the impacts of environmentally relevant road salt concentrations on freshwater organisms are not well understood, particularly in stream ecosystems where salinization is most severe. We tested the impacts of deicing salts-sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ), and calcium chloride (CaCl 2 )-on the growth and development of newly hatched rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We exposed rainbow trout to a wide range of environmentally relevant chloride concentrations (25, 230, 860, 1500, and 3000 mg Cl -  L -1 ) over an ecologically relevant time period (25 d). We found that the deicing salts studied had distinct effects. MgCl 2 did not affect rainbow trout growth at any concentration. NaCl had no effects at the lowest three concentrations, but rainbow trout length was reduced by 9% and mass by 27% at 3000 mg Cl -  L -1 . CaCl 2 affected rainbow trout growth at 860 mg Cl -  L -1 (5% reduced length; 16% reduced mass) and these effects became larger at higher concentrations (11% reduced length; 31% reduced mass). None of the deicing salts affected rainbow trout development. At sub-lethal and environmentally relevant concentrations, our results do not support the paradigm that MgCl 2 is the most toxic deicing salt to fish, perhaps due to hydration effects on the Mg 2+ cation. Our results do suggest different pathways for lethal and sub-lethal effects of road salts. Scaled to the population level, the reduced growth caused by NaCl and CaCl 2 at critical early-life stages has the potential to negatively affect salmonid recruitment and population dynamics. Our findings have implications for environmental policy and management strategies that aim to reduce the impacts of salinization on freshwater organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Interplay between structure and transport properties of molten salt mixtures of ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl: A molecular dynamics study.

    PubMed

    Manga, Venkateswara Rao; Swinteck, Nichlas; Bringuier, Stefan; Lucas, Pierre; Deymier, Pierre; Muralidharan, Krishna

    2016-03-07

    Molten mixtures of network-forming covalently bonded ZnCl2 and network-modifying ionically bonded NaCl and KCl salts are investigated as high-temperature heat transfer fluids for concentrating solar power plants. Specifically, using molecular dynamics simulations, the interplay between the extent of the network structure, composition, and the transport properties (viscosity, thermal conductivity, and diffusion) of ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl molten salts is characterized. The Stokes-Einstein/Eyring relationship is found to break down in these network-forming liquids at high concentrations of ZnCl2 (>63 mol. %), while the Eyring relationship is seen with increasing KCl concentration. Further, the network modification due to the addition of K ions leads to formation of non-bridging terminal Cl ions, which in turn lead to a positive temperature dependence of thermal conductivity in these melts. This new understanding of transport in these ternary liquids enables the identification of appropriate concentrations of the network formers and network modifiers to design heat transfer fluids with desired transport properties for concentrating solar power plants.

  20. Salt induced reduction of lysozyme adsorption at charged interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Göhring, Holger; Paulus, Michael; Salmen, Paul; Wirkert, Florian; Kruse, Theresa; Degen, Patrick; Stuhr, Susan; Rehage, Heinz; Tolan, Metin

    2015-06-01

    A study of lysozyme adsorption below a behenic acid membrane and at the solid-liquid interface between aqueous lysozyme solution and a silicon wafer in the presence of sodium chloride is presented. The salt concentration was varied between 1 mmol L-1 and 1000 mmol L-1. X-ray reflectivity data show a clear dependence of the protein adsorption on the salt concentration. Increasing salt concentrations result in a decreased protein adsorption at the interface until a complete suppression at high concentrations is reached. This effect can be attributed to a reduced attractive electrostatic interaction between the positively charged proteins and negatively charged surfaces by charge screening. The measurements at the solid-liquid interfaces show a transition from unoriented order of lysozyme in the adsorbed film to an oriented order with the short protein axis perpendicular to the solid-liquid interface with rising salt concentration.

  1. Delivery system for molten salt oxidation of solid waste

    DOEpatents

    Brummond, William A.; Squire, Dwight V.; Robinson, Jeffrey A.; House, Palmer A.

    2002-01-01

    The present invention is a delivery system for safety injecting solid waste particles, including mixed wastes, into a molten salt bath for destruction by the process of molten salt oxidation. The delivery system includes a feeder system and an injector that allow the solid waste stream to be accurately metered, evenly dispersed in the oxidant gas, and maintained at a temperature below incineration temperature while entering the molten salt reactor.

  2. Fluoride metabolism when added to salt.

    PubMed

    Whitford, Gary M

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to present the general characteristics of the metabolism of fluoride particularly as it occurs when ingested with fluoridated salt. Following the absorption of salt-borne fluoride from the stomach and intestines, its metabolism is identical to that of water-borne fluoride or other vehicles containing ionized fluoride. Because fluoridated salt is almost always ingested with food, however, absorption from the gastrointestinal tract may be delayed or reduced. Reports dealing with this subject have shown that fluoride absorption is delayed and, therefore, peak plasma concentrations are lower than when fluoride is ingested with water. The amount of ingested fluoride that is finally absorbed, however, is not appreciably affected unless the meal is composed mainly of components with high calcium concentrations. In this case, the extent of absorption can be reduced by as much as 50%. Fluoridated salt is also ingested less frequently than fluoridated water. Data are presented to show that the dose size and frequency of ingestion have only minor effects on fluoride retention in the body and on the concentrations in plasma, bone and enamel. Finally, calculations are presented to show that the risk of acute toxicity from fluoridated salt is virtually non-existent.

  3. Salting Constants of Small Organic Molecules in Aerosol-Relevant Salts and Application to Aerosol Formation in the Southeastern United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waxman, E.; Carlton, A. M. G.; Ziemann, P. J.; Volkamer, R. M.

    2014-12-01

    Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from small water-soluble molecules such as glyoxal and methyl glyoxal is a topic of emerging interest. Results from recent field campaigns, e.g. Waxman et al. (2013, GRL) and Knote et al. (2014, ACP), show that these molecules can form significant SOA mass as a result of 'salting-in'. Salting-in happens when a molecule's solubility increases with salt concentration and salting-out is the reverse. Salting effects modify the solubility exponentially with increasing salt concentration, and thus the effective Henry's law constant can strongly modify partitioning, and multiphase chemical reaction rates in aerosol water. Moreover, the solubility in aerosol water cannot easily inferred based on the solubility in cloud water, as the salting effects could change the solubility by a factor of 104 or more. In this work, we have devised and applied a novel experimental setup to measure salting constants using an ion trap mass spectrometer. We focus on small, water soluble molecules like methyl glyoxal and similar compounds and measure salting constants for aerosol-relevant salts including ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and sodium chloride. The Setschenow salting-constant values are then used to parameterize the effects of salting in CMAQ. We present a series of sensitivity studies of the effects that inorganic aerosols have on the SOA formation from small soluble molecules in the southeastern United States.

  4. Ionic conductivity and relaxation studies in PVDF-HFP:PMMA-based gel polymer blend electrolyte with LiClO4 salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gohel, Khushbu; Kanchan, D. K.

    Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) comprising propylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate mixed plasticizer with variation of lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) salt concentrations have been prepared using a solvent casting technique. Structural characterization has been carried out using XRD wherein diffraction pattern reveals the amorphous nature of sample up to 7.5wt.% salt and complexation of polymers and salt have been studied by FTIR analysis. Surface morphology of the samples has been studied using scanning electron microscope. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 303-363K has been carried out for electrical conductivity. The maximum room temperature conductivity of 2.83×10-4S cm-1 has been observed for the GPE incorporating 7.5wt.% LiClO4. The temperature dependence of ionic conductivity obeys the Arrhenius relation. The increase in ionic conductivity with change in temperatures and salt content is observed. Transport number measurement is carried out by Wagner’s DC polarization method. Loss tangent (tan δ) and imaginary part of modulus (M‧‧) corresponding to dielectric relaxation and conductivity relaxation respectively show faster relaxation process with increasing salt content up to optimum value of 7.5wt.% LiClO4. The modulus (M‧‧) shows that the conductivity relaxation is of non-Debye type (broader than Debye peak).

  5. Integrated in situ gas stripping-salting-out process for high-titer acetone-butanol-ethanol production from sweet sorghum bagasse.

    PubMed

    Wen, Hao; Chen, Huidong; Cai, Di; Gong, Peiwen; Zhang, Tao; Wu, Zhichao; Gao, Heting; Li, Zhuangzhuang; Qin, Peiyong; Tan, Tianwei

    2018-01-01

    The production of biobutanol from renewable biomass resources is attractive. The energy-intensive separation process and low-titer solvents production are the key constraints on the economy-feasible acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production by fermentation. To decrease energy consumption and increase the solvents concentration, a novel two-stage gas stripping-salting-out system was established for effective ABE separation from the fermentation broth using sweet sorghum bagasse as feedstock. The ABE condensate (143.6 g/L) after gas stripping, the first-stage separation, was recovered and introduced to salting-out process as the second-stage. K 4 P 2 O 7 and K 2 HPO 4 were used, respectively. The effect of saturated salt solution temperature on final ABE concentration was also investigated. The results showed high ABE recovery (99.32%) and ABE concentration (747.58 g/L) when adding saturated K 4 P 2 O 7 solution at 323.15 K and 3.0 of salting-out factor. On this condition, the energy requirement of the downstream distillation process was 3.72 MJ/kg of ABE. High-titer cellulosic ABE production was separated from the fermentation broth by the novel two-stage gas stripping-salting-out process. The process was effective, which reduced the downstream process energy requirement significantly.

  6. A Rechargeable High-Temperature Molten Salt Iron-Oxygen Battery.

    PubMed

    Peng, Cheng; Guan, Chengzhi; Lin, Jun; Zhang, Shiyu; Bao, Hongliang; Wang, Yu; Xiao, Guoping; Chen, George Zheng; Wang, Jian-Qiang

    2018-06-11

    The energy and power density of conventional batteries are far lower than their theoretical expectations, primarily because of slow reaction kinetics that are often observed under ambient conditions. Here we describe a low-cost and high-temperature rechargeable iron-oxygen battery containing a bi-phase electrolyte of molten carbonate and solid oxide. This new design merges the merits of a solid-oxide fuel cell and molten metal-air battery, offering significantly improved battery reaction kinetics and power capability without compromising the energy capacity. The as-fabricated battery prototype can be charged at high current density, and exhibits excellent stability and security in the highly charged state. It typically exhibits specific energy, specific power, energy density, and power density of 129.1 Wh kg -1 , 2.8 kW kg -1 , 388.1 Wh L -1 , and 21.0 kW L -1 , respectively, based on the mass and volume of the molten salt. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. [Influences of the mobile phase constitution, salt concentration and pH value on retention characters of proteins on the metal chelate column].

    PubMed

    Li, R; Di, Z M; Chen, G L

    2001-09-01

    The effects of the nature and concentration of salts, pH value and competitive eluent in the mobile phase on the protein retention have been systematically investigated. A mathematical expression describing the protein retention in metal chelate chromatography has been derived. It is proposed that the eluting power of the salt solution can be expressed by the eluent strength exponent epsilon. According to the retention characters of protein under different chromatographic conditions, the interaction between the various metal chelate ligands and proteins is discussed. The protein retention on the metal chelate column is a cooperative interactions of coordination, electrostatic and hydrophobic interaction. For the strong combined metal column with proteins such as IDA-Cu, the coordination is the most important, and the electrostatic interaction is secondary in chromatographic process. However, for the weak combined metal columns with proteins such as IDA-Ni, IDA-Co and IDA-Zn, the electrostatic interaction between the metal chelate ligands and proteins is the chief one, while the coordination is the next in importance. When the mobile phase contains high concentration of salt which can't form complex with the immobilized metal, the hydrophobic interaction between the protein and stationary phase will be increased. As the interaction between the metal chelate ligand and proteins relates to chromatographic operating conditions closely, different elution processes may be selected for different metal chelate columns. The gradient elution is generally performed by the low concentration of salt or different pH for weakly combined columns with proteins, however the competitive elution procedure is commonly utilized for strongly combined column. The experiment showed that NH3 is an excellent competitive eluent. It isn't only give the efficient separation of proteins, but also has the advantages of cheapness, less bleeding of the immobilized metals and ease of controlling NH3

  8. Laboratory studies of the low-temperature deliquescence of calcium chloride salts: Relevance to aqueous solutions on Mars and in the Antarctic Dry Valleys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gough, R. V.; Chevrier, V.; Tolbert, M. A.

    2013-12-01

    There is significant interest in the possible existence of liquid water on current Mars. This water would likely exist as a brine in order to be stable on Mars today. It has been proposed that soil salts could form aqueous solutions through either the melting of ice by low-eutectic salts, or by the deliquescence of hygroscopic salts present in the Martian soil. The focus thus far has largely been on perchlorate species, which can melt ice at temperatures as low as 206 K and can deliquesce at relative humidity values as low as 38% RH. A Mars-relevant salt that has been neglected thus far is calcium chloride (CaCl2). Calcium has been reported to be an abundant cation at the Phoenix landing site and Mars Science Laboratory instruments have recently identified calcium as well. Simulations suggest subsurface CaCl2 is an ideal candidate to produce brines with seasonality consistent with observed recurring slope lineae (RSL) (Chevrier et al., 2012). Finally, the only terrestrial site where RSL-like features have been observed (near Don Juan Pond in the Antarctic Dry Valleys) contains abundant CaCl2. These seasonal slope streaks are thought to form when CaCl2 in the soil deliquesces due to contact with atmospheric water vapor (Dickson et al., 2013). It is important to understand how this CaCl2 interacts with water vapor at low temperatures relevant to Mars and the Martian analog sites. Here we use a Raman microscope and environmental cell to monitor the low-temperature (223 - 273 K) deliquescence (solid to aqueous phase transition) and efflorescence (aqueous to solid phase transition) of three hydration states of CaCl2 (dihydrate, tetrahydrate, hexahydrate). We have found that the deliquescence relative humidity (DRH) increases with increasing hydration state, which is an expected result. Average DRH values over the temperature range studied are 20.0 × 2.6% RH for the dihydrate, 31.8 × 6.3% RH for the tetrahydrate and 60.7 × 1.6% RH for the hexahydrate. Once the aqueous

  9. Nonpoint Source Road Salt Pollution from Urban Stormwater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeGaetano, S.; Walter, M. T.

    2014-12-01

    In colder climates, such as the Northeast, road salts are commonly applied to deice roads in order to increase pedestrian and driver safety. This study was conducted to establish the mass if NaCl entering the local aquatic systems from Cornell's campus. Using trail cameras, two typical storm water pipes (draining into Cascadilla Creek) were monitored to determine the volume of runoff on an hourly bases. Grab samples were taken three times a week obtain storm water chloride concentration. In general, the average measured salt concentration was found to be 3.61 g/L, while high precipitation events Cl- concentration spiked to levels exceeding 12 g/L (≈ 20 g/L of salt). Combining runoff volumes and salt concentration values, a mass per drainage area was calculated for each monitored pipe. Outfall #1, located just upstream from the Wilson Synchrotron Module, expelled 262,300 kg of salt over a 42-day period of data collection while Outfall#2 discharged 4160 kg during the same period. These results were averaged and then applied to the total impervious area on Cornell's campus to approximate the total mass of sodium chloride leaving campus during the period of data collection.

  10. Cloud Point and Liquid-Liquid Equilibrium Behavior of Thermosensitive Polymer L61 and Salt Aqueous Two-Phase System.

    PubMed

    Rao, Wenwei; Wang, Yun; Han, Juan; Wang, Lei; Chen, Tong; Liu, Yan; Ni, Liang

    2015-06-25

    The cloud point of thermosensitive triblock polymer L61, poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO), was determined in the presence of various electrolytes (K2HPO4, (NH4)3C6H5O7, and K3C6H5O7). The cloud point of L61 was lowered by the addition of electrolytes, and the cloud point of L61 decreased linearly with increasing electrolyte concentration. The efficacy of electrolytes on reducing cloud point followed the order: K3C6H5O7 > (NH4)3C6H5O7 > K2HPO4. With the increase in salt concentration, aqueous two-phase systems exhibited a phase inversion. In addition, increasing the temperature reduced the concentration of salt needed that could promote phase inversion. The phase diagrams and liquid-liquid equilibrium data of the L61-K2HPO4/(NH4)3C6H5O7/K3C6H5O7 aqueous two-phase systems (before the phase inversion but also after phase inversion) were determined at T = (25, 30, and 35) °C. Phase diagrams of aqueous two-phase systems were fitted to a four-parameter empirical nonlinear expression. Moreover, the slopes of the tie-lines and the area of two-phase region in the diagram have a tendency to rise with increasing temperature. The capacity of different salts to induce aqueous two-phase system formation was the same order as the ability of salts to reduce the cloud point.

  11. Micromechanical processes in consolidated granular salt

    DOE PAGES

    Mills, Melissa Marie; Stormont, John C.; Bauer, Stephen J.

    2018-03-27

    Here, granular salt is likely to be used as backfill material and a seal system component within geologic salt formations serving as a repository for long-term isolation of nuclear waste. Pressure from closure of the surrounding salt formation will promote consolidation of granular salt, eventually resulting in properties comparable to native salt. Understanding dependence of consolidation processes on stress state, moisture availability, temperature, and time is important for demonstrating sealing functions and long-term repository performance. This study characterizes laboratory-consolidated granular salt by means of microstructural observations. Granular salt material from mining operations was obtained from the bedded Salado Formation hostingmore » the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the Avery Island salt dome. Laboratory test conditions included hydrostatic consolidation of jacketed granular salt with varying conditions of confining isochoric stress to 38 MPa, temperature to 250 °C, moisture additions of 1% by weight, time duration, and vented and non-vented states. Resultant porosities ranged between 1% and 22%. Optical and scanning electron microscopic techniques were used to ascertain consolidation mechanisms. From these investigations, samples with 1% added moisture or unvented during consolidation, exhibit clear pressure solution processes with tightly cohered grain boundaries and occluded fluid pores. Samples with only natural moisture content consolidated by a combination of brittle, cataclastic, and crystal plastic deformation. Recrystallization at 250 °C irrespective of moisture conditions was also observed. The range and variability of conditions applied in this study, combined with the techniques used to display microstructural features, are unique, and provide insight into an important area of governing deformation mechanism(s) occurring within salt repository applications.« less

  12. Micromechanical processes in consolidated granular salt

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

    Mills, Melissa Marie; Stormont, John C.; Bauer, Stephen J.

    Here, granular salt is likely to be used as backfill material and a seal system component within geologic salt formations serving as a repository for long-term isolation of nuclear waste. Pressure from closure of the surrounding salt formation will promote consolidation of granular salt, eventually resulting in properties comparable to native salt. Understanding dependence of consolidation processes on stress state, moisture availability, temperature, and time is important for demonstrating sealing functions and long-term repository performance. This study characterizes laboratory-consolidated granular salt by means of microstructural observations. Granular salt material from mining operations was obtained from the bedded Salado Formation hostingmore » the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the Avery Island salt dome. Laboratory test conditions included hydrostatic consolidation of jacketed granular salt with varying conditions of confining isochoric stress to 38 MPa, temperature to 250 °C, moisture additions of 1% by weight, time duration, and vented and non-vented states. Resultant porosities ranged between 1% and 22%. Optical and scanning electron microscopic techniques were used to ascertain consolidation mechanisms. From these investigations, samples with 1% added moisture or unvented during consolidation, exhibit clear pressure solution processes with tightly cohered grain boundaries and occluded fluid pores. Samples with only natural moisture content consolidated by a combination of brittle, cataclastic, and crystal plastic deformation. Recrystallization at 250 °C irrespective of moisture conditions was also observed. The range and variability of conditions applied in this study, combined with the techniques used to display microstructural features, are unique, and provide insight into an important area of governing deformation mechanism(s) occurring within salt repository applications.« less

  13. Pebble Fuel Handling and Reactivity Control for Salt-Cooled High Temperature Reactors

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

    Peterson, Per; Greenspan, Ehud

    2015-02-09

    This report documents the work completed on the X-PREX facility under NEUP Project 11- 3172. This project seeks to demonstrate the viability of pebble fuel handling and reactivity control for fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs). The research results also improve the understanding of pebble motion in helium-cooled reactors, as well as the general, fundamental understanding of low-velocity granular flows. Successful use of pebble fuels in with salt coolants would bring major benefits for high-temperature reactor technology. Pebble fuels enable on-line refueling and operation with low excess reactivity, and thus simpler reactivity control and improved fuel utilization. If fixed fuel designsmore » are used, the power density of salt- cooled reactors is limited to 10 MW/m 3 to obtain adequate duration between refueling, but pebble fuels allow power densities in the range of 20 to 30 MW/m 3. This can be compared to the typical modular helium reactor power density of 5 MW/m3. Pebble fuels also permit radial zoning in annular cores and use of thorium or graphite pebble blankets to reduce neutron fluences to outer radial reflectors and increase total power production. Combined with high power conversion efficiency, compact low-pressure primary and containment systems, and unique safety characteristics including very large thermal margins (>500°C) to fuel damage during transients and accidents, salt-cooled pebble fuel cores offer the potential to meet the major goals of the Advanced Reactor Concepts Development program to provide electricity at lower cost than light water reactors with improved safety and system performance.This report presents the facility description, experimental results, and supporting simulation methods of the new X-Ray Pebble Recirculation Experiment (X-PREX), which is now operational and being used to collect data on the behavior of slow dense granular flows relevant to pebble bed reactor core designs. The X-PREX facility uses

  14. Protein diffusiophoresis and salt osmotic diffusion in aqueous solutions.

    PubMed

    Annunziata, Onofrio; Buzatu, Daniela; Albright, John G

    2012-10-25

    Diffusion of a solute can be induced by the concentration gradient of another solute in solution. This transport mechanism is known as cross-diffusion. We have investigated cross-diffusion in a ternary protein-salt-water system. Specifically, we measured the two cross-diffusion coefficients for the lysozyme-NaCl-water system at 25 °C and pH 4.5 as a function of protein and salt concentrations by Rayleigh interferometry. One cross-diffusion coefficient characterizes salt osmotic diffusion induced by a protein concentration gradient, and is related to protein-salt thermodynamic interactions as described by the theories of Donnan membrane equilibrium and protein preferential hydration. The other cross-diffusion coefficient characterizes protein diffusiophoresis induced by a salt concentration gradient, and is described as the difference between a preferential-interaction coefficient and a transport parameter. We first relate our experimental results to the protein net charge and the thermodynamic excess of water near the protein surface. We then extract the Stefan-Maxwell diffusion coefficient describing protein-salt interactions in water. We find that the value of this coefficient is negative, contrary to the friction interpretation of Stefan-Maxwell equations. This result is explained by considering protein hydration. Finally, protein diffusiophoresis is quantitatively examined by considering electrophoretic and hydration effects on protein migration and utilized to accurately estimate lysozyme electrophoretic mobility. To our knowledge, this is the first time that protein diffusiophoresis has been experimentally characterized and a protein-salt Stefan-Maxwell diffusion coefficient reported. This work represents a significant contribution for understanding and modeling the effect of concentration gradients in protein-salt aqueous systems relevant to diffusion-based mass-transfer technologies and transport in living systems.

  15. Salt weathering on Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jagoutz, E.

    Large well rounded boulders and angular rock fragments characterizes the Martian landscape as seen on the recent excellent quality photos. Analyzing the different rock-shapes indicates a time sequence of emplacement, fragmentation and transport of different rocks on Mars, which might give interesting insight into transport and weathering processes. Larger commonly well rounded boulders were emplaced onto gravel plains. After emplacement, these rocks were fragmented and disassembled. Nests of angular rock fragments are marking the locations of preexisting larger rocks. Frequently it is possible to reconstruct larger rounded rocks from smaller angular fragments. In other cases transport after fragmentation obscured the relationship of the fragments. However, a strewn field of fragments is still reminiscent of the preexisting rock. Mechanical salt weathering could be a plausible explanation for the insitu fragmentation of larger rounded blocks into angular fragments. Impact or secondary air fall induced fragmentation produces very different patterns, as observed around impact crates on Earth. Salt weathering of rocks is a common process in terrestrial environments. Salt crystallization in capillaries causes fragmentation of rocks, irrespective of the process of salt transportation and concentration. On Earth significant salt weathering can be observed in different climatic environments: in the transition zone of alluvial aprons and salt playas in desserts and in dry valleys of Antarctica. In terrestrial semi-arid areas the salt is transported by salt solution, which is progressively concentrated by evaporation. In Antarctic dry valleys freeze-thaw cycles causes salt transportation and crystallization resulting in rock fragmentation. This salt induced process can lead to complete destruction of rocks and converts rocks to fine sand. The efficient breakdown of rocks is dominating the landscape in some dry valleys of the Earth but possibly also on Mars. (Malin, 1974

  16. Corrosion of 316 stainless steel in high temperature molten Li2BeF4 (FLiBe) salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Guiqiu; Kelleher, Brian; Cao, Guoping; Anderson, Mark; Allen, Todd; Sridharan, Kumar

    2015-06-01

    In support of structural material development for the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR), corrosion tests of 316 stainless steel were performed in the potential primary coolant, molten Li2BeF4 (FLiBe) at 700 °C for an exposure duration up to 3000 h. Tests were performed in both 316 stainless steel and graphite capsules. Corrosion in both capsule materials occurred by the dissolution of chromium from the stainless steel into the salt which led to the depletion of chromium predominantly along the grain boundaries of the test samples. The samples tested in graphite capsules showed a factor of two greater depth of corrosion attack as measured in terms of chromium depletion, compared to those tested in 316 stainless steel capsules. The samples tested in graphite capsules showed the formation of Cr7C3 particulate phases throughout the depth of the corrosion layer. Samples tested in both types of capsule materials showed the formation of MoSi2 phase due to increased activity of Mo and Si as a result of Cr depletion, and furthermore corrosion promoted the formation of a α-ferrite phase in the near-surface regions of the 316 stainless steel. Based on the corrosion tests, the corrosion attack depth in FLiBe salt was predicted as 17.1 μm/year and 31.2 μm/year for 316 stainless steel tested in 316 stainless steel and in graphite capsules respectively. It is in an acceptable range compared to the Hastelloy-N corrosion in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) fuel salt.

  17. A study on natural radioactivity in Khewra Salt Mines, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Baloch, Muzahir Ali; Qureshi, Aziz Ahmed; Waheed, Abdul; Ali, Muhammad; Ali, Nawab; Tufail, Muhammad; Batool, Saima; Akram, Muhammad; Iftikhar, Poonam; Qayyum, Hamza; Manzoor, Shahid; Khan, Hameed Ahmed

    2012-01-01

    The Khewra Salt Mines, the second largest salt mines in the world, are located 160 km south of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Around 1000 workers are involved in the removal of salt from these mines. More than 40,000 visitors come annually to see the mines. The visitors and workers are directly exposed to the internal and external radiological hazards of radon and gamma rays in these mines. The general public is affected by the intake of the salt containing the naturally occurring radionuclides. Therefore the concentration of radon (²²²Rn) in the Khewra Salt Mines and activity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides in the salt samples from these mines were measured. Both active and passive techniques were employed for the measurement of radon with Radon Alpha Detector (RAD-7) and SSNTD respectively. The concentration of ²²²Rn was 26 ± 4 Bq m⁻³ measured by the active method while 43 ± 8 Bq m⁻³ was measured by the passive method. The activity concentration of the radionuclides was measured using gamma ray spectrometry with HPGe detector. The mean activity of ⁴⁰K in salt samples was found to be 36 ± 20 Bq kg⁻¹ and the concentration of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in the salt samples was below the detection limits. Gamma radiation hazard was assessed in terms of the external gamma dose from salt slabs and the rooms made of salt and the annual effective dose due to gamma radiation. The exposure to radon daughters, annual effective dose and excessive lifetime cancer risk due to radon in the mines were estimated. The mean annual effective dose due to an intake of ⁴⁰K from the salt was calculated as 20.0 ± 11.1 µSv, which is lower than the average annual effective dose rate of 0.29 mSv, received by the ingestion of natural radionuclides. Due to the low concentration values of primordial radionuclides in the salt and radon ²²²Rn) in the mines, a 'low level activity measurement laboratory' is suggested to be established in these

  18. Crystallization of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme from Assorted Sulfate Salts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Forsythe, Elizabeth L.; Snell, Edward H.; Malone, Christine C.; Pusey, Marc L.

    1998-01-01

    Chicken egg white lysozyme has been found to crystallize from ammonium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, magnesium, and manganese sulfates at acidic and basic pH, with protein concentrations from 60 to 190 mg/ml. Four different crystal morphologies have been obtained, depending upon the temperature, protein concentration, and precipitating salt employed, Crystals grown at 15 C were generally tetragonal, with space group P43212. Crystallization at 20 C typically resulted in the formation of orthorhombic crystals, space group P21212 1. The tetragonal much less than orthorhombic morphology transition appeared to be a function of both the temperature and protein concentration, occurring between 15 and 20 C and between 100 and 125 mg/ml protein concentration. Crystallization from 0.8 -1.2M magnesium sulfate at pH 7.6 - 8.0 gave a hexagonal (trigonal) crystal form, space group P3121, which diffracted to 2.8 A. Ammonium sulfate was also found to result in a monoclinic form, space group C2. Small twinned monoclinic crystals of approx. 0.2 mm on edge were grown by dialysis followed by seeded sitting drop crystallization.

  19. Non-monotonic course of protein solubility in aqueous polymer-salt solutions can be modeled using the sol-mxDLVO model.

    PubMed

    Herhut, Marcel; Brandenbusch, Christoph; Sadowski, Gabriele

    2016-02-01

    Protein purification is often performed using cost-intensive chromatographic steps. To discover economic alternatives (e.g., crystallization), knowledge on protein solubility as a function of temperature, pH, and additives in solution as well as their concentration is required. State-of-the-art models for predicting protein solubility almost exclusively consider aqueous salt systems, whereas "salting-in" and "salting-out" effects induced by the presence of an additional polymer are not considered. Thus, we developed the sol-mxDLVO model. Using this newly developed model, protein solubility in the presence of one salt and one polymer, especially the non-monotonic course of protein solubility, could be predicted. Systems considered included salts (NaCl, Na-p-Ts, (NH(4))(2) SO(4)) and the polymer polyethylene glycol (MW: 2000 g/mol, 12000 g/mol) and proteins lysozyme from chicken egg white (pH 4 to 5.5) and D-xylose ketol-isomerase (pH 7) at 298.15 K. The results show that by using the sol-mxDLVO model, protein solubility in polymer-salt solutions can be modeled in good agreement with the experimental data for both proteins considered. The sol-mxDLVO model can describe the non-monotonic course of protein solubility as a function of polymer concentration and salt concentration, previously not covered by state-of-the-art models. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography in dual salt system increases protein binding capacity.

    PubMed

    Senczuk, Anna M; Klinke, Ralph; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Vedantham, Ganesh; Yigzaw, Yinges

    2009-08-01

    Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) uses weakly hydrophobic resins and requires a salting-out salt to promote protein-resin interaction. The salting-out effects increase with protein and salt concentration. Dynamic binding capacity (DBC) is dependent on the binding constant, as well as on the flow characteristics during sample loading. DBC increases with the salt concentration but decreases with increasing flow rate. Dynamic and operational binding capacity have a major raw material cost/processing time impact on commercial scale production of monoclonal antibodies. In order to maximize DBC the highest salt concentration without causing precipitation is used. We report here a novel method to maintain protein solubility while increasing the DBC by using a combination of two salting-out salts (referred to as dual salt). In a series of experiments, we explored the dynamic capacity of a HIC resin (TosoBioscience Butyl 650M) with combinations of salts. Using a model antibody, we developed a system allowing us to increase the dynamic capacity up to twofold using the dual salt system over traditional, single salt system. We also investigated the application of this novel approach to several other proteins and salt combinations, and noted a similar protein solubility and DBC increase. The observed increase in DBC in the dual salt system was maintained at different linear flow rates and did not impact selectivity.

  1. Dual Salt- and Thermo-Responsive Programmable Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with Pseudo-Interpenetrating Double-Network Structures.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Shengwei; Zhang, Mingzhen; He, Xiaomin; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Yanxian; Ren, Baiping; Zhong, Mingqiang; Chang, Yung; Yang, Jintao; Zheng, Jie

    2018-06-07

    Development of smart soft actuators is highly important for fundamental research and industrial applications, but has proved to be extremely challenging. In this work, we present a facile, one-pot, one-step method to prepare dual-responsive bilayer hydrogels, consisting of a thermos-responsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (polyNIPAM) layer and a salt-responsive poly(3-(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)propane-1-sulfonat) (polyVBIPS) layer. Both polyNIPAM and polyVBIPs layers exhibit a completely opposite swelling/shrinking behavior, where polyNIPAM shrinks (swells) but polyVBIPS swells (shrinks) in salt solution (water) or at high (low) temperatures. By tuning NIPAM:VBIPS ratios, the resulting polyNIPAM/polyVBIPS bilayer hydrogels enable to achieve fast and large-amplitude bidirectional bending in response to temperatures, salt concentrations, and salt types. Such bidirectional bending, bending orientation and degree can be reversibly, repeatedly, and precisely controlled by salt- or temperature-induced cooperative, swelling-shrinking properties from both layers. Based on their fast, reversible, bidirectional bending behavior, we further design two conceptual hybrid hydrogel actuators, serving as a six-arm gripper to capture, transport, and release an object and an electrical circuit switch to turn on-and-off a lamp. Different from the conventional two or multi-step methods for preparation of bilayer hydrogels, our simple, one-pot, one-step method and a new bilayer hydrogel system provide an innovative concept to explore new hydrogel-based actuators through combining different responsive materials that allow to program different stimulus for soft and intelligent materials applications.

  2. The SALT NORM : a quantitative chemical-mineralogical characterization of natural waters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bodine, Marc W.; Jones, Blair F.

    1986-01-01

    The new computer program SNORM calculates the salt norm from the chemical composition of a natural water. The salt norm is the quantitative ideal equilibrium assemblage that would crystallize if the water evaporated to dryness at 25 C and 1 bar pressure under atmospheric partial pressure of CO2. SNORM proportions solute concentrations to achieve charge balance. It quantitatively distributes the 18 acceptable solutes into normative salts that are assigned from 63 possible normative salts to allow only stable associations based on the Gibbs Phase Rule, available free energy values, and observed low-temperature mineral associations. Although most natural water compositions represent multiple solute origins, results from SNORM identify three major categories: meteoric or weathering waters that are characterized by normative alkali-bearing sulfate and carbonate salts: connate marine-like waters that are chloride-rich with a halite-bischofite-carnallite-kieserite-anhydrite association; and diagenetic waters that are frequently of marine origin but yield normative salts, such as Ca-bearing chlorides (antarcticite and tachyhydrite) and sylvite, which suggest solute alteration by secondary mineral reactions. The solute source or reaction process within each of the above categories is commonly indicated by the presence or absence of diagnostic normative salts and their relative abundance in the normative salt assemblage. For example, salt norms: (1) may identify lithologic source; (2) may identify the relative roles of carbonic and sulfuric acid hydrolysis in the evolution of weathering waters; (3) may identify the origin of connate water from normal marine, hypersaline, or evaporite salt resolution processes; and (4) may distinguish between dolomitization and silicate hydrolysis or exchange for the origin of diagenetic waters. (Author 's abstract)

  3. Photoactive bile salts with critical micellar concentration in the micromolar range.

    PubMed

    Gomez-Mendoza, Miguel; Marin, M Luisa; Miranda, Miguel A

    2016-05-14

    The aggregation behavior of bile salts is strongly dependent on the number of hydroxyl groups. Thus, cholic acid (CA), with three hydroxyls, starts forming aggregates at 15 mM, while deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic or ursodeoxycholic acids, with two hydroxyls, start aggregating at 5-10 mM; for lithocholic acid, with only one hydroxyl group, aggregation is observed at lower concentration (2-3 mM). Here, the singular self-assembling properties of dansyl and naproxen derivatives of CA (3β-Dns-CA and 3β-NPX-CA, respectively) have been demonstrated on the basis of their photoactive properties. Thus, the emission spectra of 3β-Dns-CA registered at increasing concentrations (25-140 μM) showed a remarkable non-linear enhancement in the emission intensity accompanied by a hypsochromic shift of the maximum and up to a three-fold increase in the singlet lifetime. The inflection point at around 50-70 μM pointed to the formation of unprecedented assemblies at such low concentrations. In the case of 3β-NPX-CA, when the NPX relative triplet lifetime was plotted against concentration, a marked increase (up to two-fold) was observed at 40-70 μM, indicating the formation of new 3β-NPX-CA assemblies at ca. 50 μM. Additional evidence supporting the formation of new 3β-Dns-CA or 3β-NPX-CA assemblies at 40-70 μM was obtained from singlet excited state quenching experiments using iodide. Moreover, to address the potential formation of hybrid assemblies, 1 : 1 mixtures of 3β-Dns-CA and 3β-NPX-CA (2-60 μM, total concentration) were subjected to steady-state fluorescence experiments, and their behavior was compared to that of the pure photoactive derivatives. A lower increase in the emission was observed for 3β-NPX-CA in the mixture, while a huge increase was experienced by 3β-Dns-CA in the same concentration range (up to 60 μM total). A partial intermolecular energy transfer from NPX to Dns, consistent with their reported singlet energies, was revealed, pointing to the

  4. Salt pill design and fabrication for adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirron, Peter J.; McCammon, Dan

    2014-07-01

    The performance of an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) is critically dependent on the design and construction of the salt pills that produce cooling. In most cases, the primary goal is to obtain the largest cooling capacity at the low temperature end of the operating range. The realizable cooling capacity depends on a number of factors, including refrigerant mass, and how efficiently it absorbs heat from the various instrument loads. The design and optimization of “salt pills” for ADR systems depend not only on the mechanical, chemical and thermal properties of the refrigerant, but also on the range of heat fluxes that the salt pill must accommodate. Despite the fairly wide variety of refrigerants available, those used at very low temperature tend to be hydrated salts that require a dedicated thermal bus and must be hermetically sealed, while those used at higher temperature - greater than about 0.5 K - tend to be single- or poly-crystals that have much simpler requirements for thermal and mechanical packaging. This paper presents a summary of strategies and techniques for designing, optimizing and fabricating salt pills for both low- and mid-temperature applications.

  5. Salt Pill Design and Fabrication for Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shirron, Peter J.; Mccammon, Dan

    2014-01-01

    The performance of an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) is critically dependent on the design and construction of the salt pills that produce cooling. In most cases, the primary goal is to obtain the largest cooling capacity at the low temperature end of the operating range. The realizable cooling capacity depends on a number of factors, including refrigerant mass, and how efficiently it absorbs heat from the various instrument loads. The design and optimization of "salt pills" for ADR systems depend not only on the mechanical, chemical and thermal properties of the refrigerant, but also on the range of heat fluxes that the salt pill must accommodate. Despite the fairly wide variety of refrigerants available, those used at very low temperature tend to be hydrated salts that require a dedicated thermal bus and must be hermetically sealed, while those used at higher temperature - greater than about 0.5 K - tend to be single-­- or poly-­-crystals that have much simpler requirements for thermal and mechanical packaging. This paper presents a summary of strategies and techniques for designing, optimizing and fabricating salt pills for both low-­- and mid-­-temperature applications.

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

    PubMed

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

    2015-08-20

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

  7. Effect of temperature and dispersant (COREXIT® EC 9500A) on aerobic biodegradation of benzene in a coastal salt marsh sediment.

    PubMed

    Tao, Rui; Olivera-Irazabal, Miluska; Yu, Kewei

    2018-08-01

    The coastal ecosystem in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) has been seriously impacted by the 2010 BP oil spill. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of temperature and addition of the dispersant on biodegradation of benzene, as a representative of petroleum hydrocarbon, in a coastal salt marsh sediment under aerobic conditions. The results show that benzene biodegradation was approximately 6 time faster under aerobic conditions (Eh > +300 mV) than under anaerobic iron-reduction conditions (+14 mV < Eh < +162 mV). Benzene biodegradation in response to temperature was in an order of 20 °C > 10 °C > 30 °C as expected in a saline environment. Application of the dispersant caused initial fluctuations of benzene vapor pressure during the incubation due to its hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of the molecules. Presence of the dispersant shows an inhibitory effect on benzene biodegradation, and the inhibition increased with concentration of the dispersant. The Gulf coast sediment seems in a favorable scenario to recover from the BP oil spill with an average temperature around 20 °C in spring and fall season. Application of the dispersant may be necessary for the oil spill rescue operation, but its side effects may deserve further investigations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [Study of high temperature water vapor concentration measurement method based on absorption spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Chen, Jiu-ying; Liu, Jian-guo; He, Jun-feng; He, Ya-bai; Zhang, Guang-le; Xu, Zhen-yu; Gang, Qiang; Wang, Liao; Yao, Lu; Yuan, Song; Ruan, Jun; Dai, Yun-hai; Kan, Rui-feng

    2014-12-01

    Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) has been developed to realize the real-time and dynamic measurement of the combustion temperature, gas component concentration, velocity and other flow parameters, owing to its high sensitivity, fast time response, non-invasive character and robust nature. In order to obtain accurate water vapor concentration at high temperature, several absorption spectra of water vapor near 1.39 μm from 773 to 1273 K under ordinary pressure were recorded in a high temperature experiment setup using a narrow band diode laser. The absorbance of high temperature absorption spectra was calculated by combined multi-line nonlinear least squares fitting method. Two water vapor absorption lines near 7154.35 and 7157.73 cm(-1) were selected for measurement of water vapor at high temperature. A model method for high temperature water vapor concentration was first proposed. Water vapor concentration from the model method at high temperature is in accordance with theoretical reasoning, concentration measurement standard error is less than 0.2%, and the relative error is less than 6%. The feasibility of this measuring method is verified by experiment.

  9. Preferential solvation, ion pairing, and dynamics of concentrated aqueous solutions of divalent metal nitrate salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yadav, Sushma; Chandra, Amalendu

    2017-12-01

    We have investigated the characteristics of preferential solvation of ions, structure of solvation shells, ion pairing, and dynamics of aqueous solutions of divalent alkaline-earth metal nitrate salts at varying concentration by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Hydration shell structures and the extent of preferential solvation of the metal and nitrate ions in the solutions are investigated through calculations of radial distribution functions, tetrahedral ordering, and also spatial distribution functions. The Mg2+ ions are found to form solvent separated ion-pairs while the Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions form contact ion pairs with the nitrate ions. These findings are further corroborated by excess coordination numbers calculated through Kirkwood-Buff G factors for different ion-ion and ion-water pairs. The ion-pairing propensity is found to be in the order of Mg(NO3) 2 < C a (NO3) 2 < S r (NO3) 2, and it follows the trend given by experimental activity coefficients. It is found that proper modeling of these solutions requires the inclusion of electronic polarization of the ions which is achieved in the current study through electronic continuum correction force fields. A detailed analysis of the effects of ion-pairs on the structure and dynamics of water around the hydrated ions is done through classification of water into different subspecies based on their locations around the cations or anions only or bridged between them. We have looked at the diffusion coefficients, relaxation of orientational correlation functions, and also the residence times of different subspecies of water to explore the dynamics of water in different structural environments in the solutions. The current results show that the water molecules are incorporated into fairly well-structured hydration shells of the ions, thus decreasing the single-particle diffusivities and increasing the orientational relaxation times of water with an increase in salt concentration. The different structural

  10. Short term effects of increasing dietary salt concentrations on urine composition in healthy cats.

    PubMed

    Paßlack, N; Burmeier, H; Brenten, T; Neumann, K; Zentek, J

    2014-09-01

    High dietary salt (NaCl) concentrations are assumed to be beneficial in preventing the formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) uroliths in cats, since increased water intake and urine volume have been observed subsequent to intake. In human beings, dietary NaCl restriction is recommended for the prevention of CaOx urolith formation, since high NaCl intake is associated with increased urinary Ca excretion. The aim of the present study was to clarify the role of dietary NaCl in the formation of CaOx uroliths in cats. Eight cats received four diets that differed in Na and Cl concentrations (0.38-1.43% Na and 0.56-2.52% Cl dry matter, DM). Each feeding period consisted of a 21 day adaptation period, followed by a 7 day sampling period for urine collection. Higher dietary NaCl concentrations were associated with increased urine volume and renal Na excretion. Urinary Ca concentration was constant, but renal Ca excretion increased from 0.62 to 1.05 mg/kg bodyweight (BW)/day with higher dietary NaCl concentrations (P ≤ 0.05). Urinary oxalate (Ox), citrate, P and K concentrations decreased when NaCl intake was high (P ≤ 0.05), and urinary pH was low in all groups (6.33-6.45; P > 0.05). Relative supersaturation of CaOx in the urine was unaffected by dietary NaCl concentrations. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated several beneficial effects of high dietary NaCl intake over a relatively short time period. In particular, urinary Ca concentration remained unchanged because of increased urine volume. Decreased urinary Ox concentrations might help to prevent the formation of CaOx uroliths, but this should be verified in future studies in diseased or predisposed cats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Deep Eutectic Salt Formulations Suitable as Advanced Heat Transfer Fluids

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

    Raade, Justin; Roark, Thomas; Vaughn, John

    2013-07-22

    Concentrating solar power (CSP) facilities are comprised of many miles of fluid-filled pipes arranged in large grids with reflective mirrors used to capture radiation from the sun. Solar radiation heats the fluid which is used to produce steam necessary to power large electricity generation turbines. Currently, organic, oil-based fluid in the pipes has a maximum temperature threshold of 400 °C, allowing for the production of electricity at approximately 15 cents per kilowatt hour. The DOE hopes to foster the development of an advanced heat transfer fluid that can operate within higher temperature ranges. The new heat transfer fluid, when usedmore » with other advanced technologies, could significantly decrease solar electricity cost. Lower costs would make solar thermal electricity competitive with gas and coal and would offer a clean, renewable source of energy. Molten salts exhibit many desirable heat transfer qualities within the range of the project objectives. Halotechnics developed advanced heat transfer fluids (HTFs) for application in solar thermal power generation. This project focused on complex mixtures of inorganic salts that exhibited a high thermal stability, a low melting point, and other favorable characteristics. A high-throughput combinatorial research and development program was conducted in order to achieve the project objective. Over 19,000 candidate formulations were screened. The workflow developed to screen various chemical systems to discover salt formulations led to mixtures suitable for use as HTFs in both parabolic trough and heliostat CSP plants. Furthermore, salt mixtures which will not interfere with fertilizer based nitrates were discovered. In addition for use in CSP, the discovered salt mixtures can be applied to electricity storage, heat treatment of alloys and other industrial processes.« less

  12. Solar gasification of biomass: design and characterization of a molten salt gasification reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hathaway, Brandon Jay

    The design and implementation of a prototype molten salt solar reactor for gasification of biomass is a significant milestone in the development of a solar gasification process. The reactor developed in this work allows for 3 kWth operation with an average aperture flux of 1530 suns at salt temperatures of 1200 K with pneumatic injection of ground or powdered dry biomass feedstocks directly into the salt melt. Laboratory scale experiments in an electrically heated reactor demonstrate the benefits of molten salt and the data was evaluated to determine the kinetics of pyrolysis and gasification of biomass or carbon in molten salt. In the presence of molten salt overall gas yields are increased by up to 22%; pyrolysis rates double due to improved heat transfer, while carbon gasification rates increase by an order of magnitude. Existing kinetic models for cellulose pyrolysis fit the data well, while carbon gasification in molten salt follows kinetics modeled with a 2/3 order shrinking-grain model with a pre-exponential factor of 1.5*106 min-1 and activation energy of 158 kJ/mol. A reactor concept is developed based around a concentric cylinder geometry with a cavity-style solar receiver immersed within a volume of molten carbonate salt. Concentrated radiation delivered to the cavity is absorbed in the cavity walls and transferred via convection to the salt volume. Feedstock is delivered into the molten salt volume where biomass gasification reactions will be carried out producing the desired product gas. The features of the cavity receiver/reactor concept are optimized based on modeling of the key physical processes. The cavity absorber geometry is optimized according to a parametric survey of radiative exchange using a Monte Carlo ray tracing model, resulting in a cavity design that achieves absorption efficiencies of 80%-90%. A parametric survey coupling the radiative exchange simulations to a CFD model of molten salt natural convection is used to size the annulus

  13. Development of High-Temperature Transport Technologies of Molten Salt Slurry in Pyrometallurgical Reprocessing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hijikata, Takatoshi; Koyama, Tadafumi

    Pyrometallurgical-reprocessing is one of the most promising technologies for advanced fuel cycle with favorable economic potential and intrinsic proliferation resistance. The development of transport technology for molten salt is a key issue in the industrialization of pyro-reprocessing. As for pure molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt at approximately 773 K, we have already reported the successful results of transport using gravity and a centrifugal pump. However, molten salt in an electrorefiner mixes with insoluble fines when spent fuel is dissolved in porous anode basket. The insoluble consists of noble metal fission products, such as Pd, Ru, Mo, and Zr. There have been very few transport studies of a molten salt slurry (metal fines-molten salt mixture). Hence, transport experiments on a molten salt slurry were carried out to investigate the behavior of the slurry in a tube. The apparatus used in the transport experiments on the molten salt slurry consisted of a supply tank, a 10° inclined transport tube (10 mm inner diameter), a valve, a filter, and a recovery tank. Stainless steel (SS) fines with diameters from 53 to 415 μm were used. To disperse these fines homogenously, the molten salt and fines were stirred in the supply tank by an impeller at speeds from 1200 to 2100 rpm. The molten salt slurry containing 0.04 to 0.4 vol.% SS fines was transported from the supply tank to the recovery tank through the transportation tube. In the recovery tank, the fines were separated from the molten salt by the filter to measure the transport behavior of molten salt and SS fines. When the velocity of the slurry was 0.02 m/s, only 1% of the fines were transported to the recovery tank. On the other hand, most of the fines were transported when the velocity of the slurry was more than 0.8 m/s. Consequently, the molten salt slurry can be transported when the velocity is more than 0.8 m/s.

  14. Experimental Investigations into U/TRU Recovery using a Liquid Cadmium Cathode and Salt Containing High Rare Earth Concentrations

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

    Shelly X. Li; Steven D. Herrmann; Michael F. Simpson

    2009-09-01

    Experimental Investigations into U/TRU Recovery using a Liquid Cadmium Cathode and Salt Containing High Rare Earth Concentrations Shelly X. Li, Steven D. Herrmann, and Michael F. Simpson Pyroprocessing Technology Department Idaho National Laboratory P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 USA Abstract - A series of six bench-scale liquid cadmium cathode (LCC) tests was performed to obtain basic separation data with focus on the behavior of rare earth elements. The electrolyte used for the tests was a mixed salt from the Mk-IV and Mk-V electrorefiners, in which spent metal fuels from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) had been processed. Rare earthmore » (RE) chlorides, such as NdCl3, CeCl3, LaCl3, PrCl3, SmCl3, and YCl3, were spiked into the salt prior to the first test to create an extreme case for investigating rare earth contamination of the actinides collected by a LCC. For the first two LCC tests, an alloy with the nominal composition of 41U-30Pu-5Am-3Np-20Zr-1RE was loaded into the anode baskets as the feed material. The anode feed material for Runs 3 to 6 was spent ternary fuel (U-19Pu-10Zr). The Pu/U ratio in the salt varied from 0.6 to 1.3. Chemical and radiochemical analytical results confirmed that U and transuranics can be collected into the LCC as a group under the given run conditions. The RE contamination level in the LCC product was up to 6.7 wt% of the total metal collected. The detailed data for partitioning of actinides and REs in the salt and Cd phases are reported in the paper.« less

  15. Effects of temperature, moisture, and metal salt content on dielectric properties of rice bran associated with radio frequency heating.

    PubMed

    Ling, Bo; Liu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Lihui; Wang, Shaojin

    2018-03-13

    Dielectric heating including microwave (MW) and radio frequency (RF) energy has been regarded as alternative thermal treatments for food processing. To develop effective rice bran (RB) stabilization treatments based on RF and MW heating, dielectric properties (DPs) with dielectric constant (ε') and loss factor (ε″) of RB samples at frequencies (10-3000 MHz), temperatures (25-100 °C), moisture content (MC, 10.36-24.69% w.b.) and three metal salt levels (0.05-2.00%) were determined by an open-ended coaxial probe and impedance analyzer. Results indicated that both ε' and ε″ of RB samples increased with increasing temperature and MC. The increase rate was greater at higher temperature and moisture levels than at lower levels, especially at frequencies lower than 300 MHz. Cubic order models were developed to best fit the relationship between DPs of RB samples and temperature/MC at five frequencies with R 2 greater than 0.994. Both ε″ and RF heating rate of RB samples increased significantly with added NaCl (2%), KCl (1%) and Na 6 O 18 P 6 (2%). The obtained data are useful in developing computer models and simulating dielectric heating for RB stabilization and may also provide theoretical basis for synergistic stabilization of RB under combined dielectric heating with metal salts.

  16. Rare Earth Element Biomining from the Great Salt Lake Brine Using Engineered E. Coli

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

    Jiao, Yongqin; Park, Dan; Brewer, Aaron

    This data describes rare earth element adsorption onto E. coli cells engineered to express a lanthanide binding tag (LBT). We used a Great Salt Lake synthetic solution as the background matrix with Tb added to 1-10,000 ppb, concentrations much lower than the competing ions present. Our results showed that Tb binds to LBT, even in the presence of high concentrations of competing metals. We also tested REE adsorption at elevated temperatures (up to 100 degrees Celsius), and observed that Tb adsorption increases with temperature of to 70 degrees Celsius, and then remains constant until 100 degrees Celsius. Data analyses weremore » performed using an ICP-MS at UCSC.« less

  17. Carbonic acid salts at 25 or 45 degrees C to control loquat decay under shelf life conditions.

    PubMed

    Molinu, M G; D'Hallewin, G; Dore, A; Serusi, A; Venditti, T; Agabbio, M

    2005-01-01

    Generally recognised as save compounds (G.R.A.S) are attractive substitutes to synthetic chemicals in postharvest control diseases. They meet safety requirements, are cheap and able to be integrated with other disease control technologies. Among G.R.A.S compounds, carbonic acid salts have been investigated on carrots, bell pepper, melons, sweet cherries and their efficacy was also evaluated when combined with biological control agents. Moreover, the possibility to use sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate to prevent P. digitatum an P. italicum spread on Citrus fruit was studied since the begin of the 20th century. We explored the possibility to extend the use of carbonate-bicarbonate salts on loquat fruit in order to control the pathogens and to extend postharvest life. Loquat is a very perishable fruit, susceptible to decay, mechanical damage, moisture and nutritional losses during its postharvest life. We tested the combined effect of temperature and sodium or potassium carbonate-bicarbonate and ammonium carbonate. The fruit was dipped in the salt solutions at variable concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2% w/v) at 25 or 45 degrees C for two minutes and than stored under shelf life conditions (25 degrees C and 70% RH). Decay, weight loss, pH, titrable acidity and sugar content were detected after twelve days. Preliminary data show that the combined treatments were effective in decay control depending on salts. Best results were obtained with 2% potassium and sodium carbonate solution at 25 degrees C. Weight losses were related to treatment temperature and salts concentrations whereas, no differences were detected in the chemical parameters compared to the control.

  18. Comparison of salt taste thresholds and salt usage behaviours between adults in Myanmar and Korea.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hyungjin; Kim, So Mi; Jeong, Seong Su; Kim, Soon Bae

    2016-12-01

    Excessive oral salt intake can induce hypertension. According to previous studies, the prevalence of hypertension is higher in Myanmar than in Korea. We postulated that Myanmar adults had higher salt taste thresholds and eat much saltier food. This study aimed to compare salt taste thresholds and salt usage behaviour scores between adults in Myanmar and Korea. This cross-sectional study enrolled patients who visited volunteer medical service clinics at Ansung in Korea and Hlegu and Bago in Myanmar in August 2014. We measured the vital signs, heights, and weights of each patient and evaluated detection thresholds, recognition thresholds, and salt preferences. All patients underwent urinalysis and spot urine Na tests. Additionally, they each completed a salt usage behaviour questionnaire. A total of 131 patients were enrolled, including 64 Myanmarese patients and 67 Korean patients. Blood pressure was significantly higher in the Myanmarese than in the Koreans. Detection and recognition thresholds, salt preferences, and spot urine sodium and salt usage behaviour scores were also higher in the Myanmarese than in the Korean subjects. We calculated correlation coefficients between systolic blood pressure and parameters that were related to salt intake. The detection and recognition thresholds were significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure. All parameters related to salt intake, including detection and recognition thresholds, salt preference, salt usage behaviour scores and spot urine sodium concentrations, are significantly higher in Myanmarese than in Korean individuals.

  19. The response of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant female rats to a space flight model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thierry-Palmer, Myrtle; Cephas, Stacy; Cleek, Tammy; Sayavongsa, Phouyong; Arnaud, Sara B.

    2003-01-01

    Vitamin D metabolism in the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat, a model of salt-induced hypertension, differs from that in the Dahl salt-resistant (R) rat. We have tested the hypothesis that differences in vitamin D metabolism would render the Dahl S rat more susceptible than the Dahl R rat to the effects of a space flight model. Dahl female rats were tail suspended (hind limb unloaded) for 28 days, while fed a low salt (3 g/kg sodium chloride) diet. Plasma 25-OHD concentrations of S rats were significantly lower than that of R rats. Plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration was 50% lower in unloaded than in loaded S rats, but was unaffected in unloaded R rats. The left soleus muscle weight and breaking strength of the left femur (torsion test) were 50% and 25% lower in unloaded than in loaded S and R rats. The mineral content of the left femur, however, was significantly lower (by 11%) only in unloaded S rats. We conclude that female S rats are more vulnerable than female R rats to decreases in plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration and femur mineral content during hind limb unloading, but equally vulnerable to muscle atrophy and reduced breaking strength of the femur.

  20. Patterns of protein–protein interactions in salt solutions and implications for protein crystallization

    PubMed Central

    Dumetz, André C.; Snellinger-O'Brien, Ann M.; Kaler, Eric W.; Lenhoff, Abraham M.

    2007-01-01

    The second osmotic virial coefficients of seven proteins—ovalbumin, ribonuclease A, bovine serum albumin, α-lactalbumin, myoglobin, cytochrome c, and catalase—were measured in salt solutions. Comparison of the interaction trends in terms of the dimensionless second virial coefficient b2 shows that, at low salt concentrations, protein–protein interactions can be either attractive or repulsive, possibly due to the anisotropy of the protein charge distribution. At high salt concentrations, the behavior depends on the salt: In sodium chloride, protein interactions generally show little salt dependence up to very high salt concentrations, whereas in ammonium sulfate, proteins show a sharp drop in b2 with increasing salt concentration beyond a particular threshold. The experimental phase behavior of the proteins corroborates these observations in that precipitation always follows the drop in b2. When the proteins crystallize, they do so at slightly lower salt concentrations than seen for precipitation. The b2 measurements were extended to other salts for ovalbumin and catalase. The trends follow the Hofmeister series, and the effect of the salt can be interpreted as a water-mediated effect between the protein and salt molecules. The b2 trends quantify protein–protein interactions and provide some understanding of the corresponding phase behavior. The results explain both why ammonium sulfate is among the best crystallization agents, as well as some of the difficulties that can be encountered in protein crystallization. PMID:17766383

  1. A consumer-based approach to salt reduction: Case study with bread.

    PubMed

    Antúnez, Lucía; Giménez, Ana; Ares, Gastón

    2016-12-01

    In recent years high sodium intake has raised growing concern worldwide. A widespread reduction of salt concentration in processed foods has been claimed as one of the most effective strategies to achieve a short-term impact on global health. However, one of the major challenges in reducing salt in food products is its potential negative impact on consumer perception. For this reason, gradual salt reduction has been recommended. In this context, the aim of the present work was to present a consumer-based approach to salt reduction, using bread as case study. Two consumer studies with a total of 303 consumers were carried out. In the first study, four sequential difference thresholds were determined through paired-comparison tests, starting at a salt concentration of 2%. In the second study, 99 consumers performed a two-bite evaluation of their sensory and hedonic perception of five bread samples: a control bread containing 2% salt and four samples with reduced salt content according to the difference thresholds determined in the first study. Survival analysis was used to determine average difference thresholds, which ranged from 9.4% to 14.3% of the salt concentration of the control bread. Results showed that salt concentration significantly influenced consumer overall liking of the bread samples. However, large heterogeneity was found in consumer hedonic reaction towards salt reduction: two groups of consumers with different preference and hedonic sensitivity to salt reduction were found. Results from the present work confirm that cumulative series of small salt reductions may be a feasible strategy for reducing the sodium content of bread without affecting consumer hedonic perception and stress the importance of considering consumer perception in the design of gradual salt reduction programmes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Box Model of a Series of Salt Ponds, as Applied to the Alviso Salt Pond Complex, South San Francisco Bay, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lionberger, Megan A.; Schoellhamer, David H.; Shellenbarger, Gregory; Orlando, James L.; Ganju, Neil K.

    2007-01-01

    This report documents the development and application of a box model to simulate water level, salinity, and temperature of the Alviso Salt Pond Complex in South San Francisco Bay. These ponds were purchased for restoration in 2003 and currently are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain existing wildlife habitat and prevent a build up of salt during the development of a long-term restoration plan. The model was developed for the purpose of aiding pond managers during the current interim management period to achieve these goals. A previously developed box model of a salt pond, SPOOM, which calculates daily pond volume and salinity, was reconfigured to simulate multiple connected ponds and a temperature subroutine was added. The updated model simulates rainfall, evaporation, water flowing between the ponds and the adjacent tidal slough network, and water flowing from one pond to the next by gravity and pumps. Theoretical and measured relations between discharge and corresponding differences in water level are used to simulate most flows between ponds and between ponds and sloughs. The principle of conservation of mass is used to calculate daily pond volume and salinity. The model configuration includes management actions specified in the Interim Stewardship Plan for the ponds. The temperature subroutine calculates hourly net heat transfer to or from a pond resulting in a rise or drop in pond temperature and daily average, minimum, and maximum pond temperatures are recorded. Simulated temperature was compared with hourly measured data from pond 3 of the Napa?Sonoma Salt Pond Complex and monthly measured data from pond A14 of the Alviso Salt-Pond Complex. Comparison showed good agreement of measured and simulated pond temperature on the daily and monthly time scales.

  3. Electrodialysis-based separation process for salt recovery and recycling from waste water

    DOEpatents

    Tsai, S.P.

    1997-07-08

    A method for recovering salt from a process stream containing organic contaminants is provided, comprising directing the waste stream to a desalting electrodialysis unit so as to create a concentrated and purified salt permeate and an organic contaminants-containing stream, and contacting said concentrated salt permeate to a water-splitting electrodialysis unit so as to convert the salt to its corresponding base and acid. 6 figs.

  4. Electrodialysis-based separation process for salt recovery and recycling from waste water

    DOEpatents

    Tsai, Shih-Perng

    1997-01-01

    A method for recovering salt from a process stream containing organic contaminants is provided, comprising directing the waste stream to a desalting electrodialysis unit so as to create a concentrated and purified salt permeate and an organic contaminants containing stream, and contacting said concentrated salt permeate to a water-splitting electrodialysis unit so as to convert the salt to its corresponding base and acid.

  5. Solubility of uranium oxide in molten salt electrolysis bath of LiF-BaF2 with LaF3 additive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alangi, Nagaraj; Mukherjee, Jaya; Gantayet, L. M.

    2016-03-01

    The solubility of UO2 in the molten mixtures of equimolar LiF-BaF2(1:1) with LaF3 as additive was studied in the range of 1423 K-1523 K. The molten fluoride salt mixture LiF-BaF2 LaF3 was equilibrated with a sintered uranium oxide pellet at 1423 K, 1473 K, 1523 K and the salt samples were collected after equilibration. Studies were conducted in the range of 10%-50% by weight additions of LaF3 in the equimolar LiF-BaF2(1:1) base fluoride salt bath. Solubility of UO2 increased with rise in LaF3 concentration in the molten fluoride in the temperature range of 1423 K-1523 K. At a given concentration of LaF3, the UO2 solubility increased monotonously with temperature. With mixed solvent, when UF4 was added as a replacement of part of LaF3 in LiF-BaF2(1:1)-10 wt% LaF3 and LiF-BaF2(1:1)-30 wt% LaF3, there was an enhancement of solubility of UO2.

  6. Effects of Complementary DNA and Salt on the Thermoresponsiveness of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-DNA.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Masahiro; Hiramine, Hayato; Pan, Pengju; Hikima, Takaaki; Maeda, Mizuo

    2016-02-02

    The thermoresponsive structural transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-b-DNA copolymers was explored. Molecular assembly of the block copolymers was facilitated by adding salt, and this assembly was not nucleated by the association between DNA strands but by the coil-globule transition of PNIPAAm blocks. Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAAm, the copolymer solution remained transparent even at high salt concentrations, regardless of whether DNA was hybridized with its complementary partner to form a double-strand (or single-strand) structure. At the LCST, the hybridized copolymer assembled in spherical nanoparticles, surrounded by double-stranded DNA; subsequently, the non-cross-linking aggregation occurred, while the nanoparticles were dispersed if the salt concentration was low or DNA blocks were unhybridized. When the DNA duplex was denatured to a single-stranded state by heating, the aggregated nanoparticles redispersed owing to the recovery of the steric repulsion of the DNA strands. The changes in the steric and electrostatic effects by hybridization and the addition of salt did not result in any specific attraction between DNA strands but merely decreased the repulsive interactions. The van der Waals attraction between the nanoparticles overcame such repulsive interactions so that the non-cross-linking aggregation of the micellar particles was mediated.

  7. Tuneable enhancement of the salt and thermal stability of polymeric micelles by cyclized amphiphiles

    PubMed Central

    Honda, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Takuya; Tezuka, Yasuyuki

    2013-01-01

    Cyclic molecules provide better stability for their aggregates. Typically in nature, the unique cyclic cell membrane lipids allow thermophilic archaea to inhabit extreme conditions. By mimicking the biological design, the robustness of self-assembled synthetic nanostructures is expected to be improved. Here we report topology effects by cyclized polymeric amphiphiles against their linear counterparts, demonstrating a drastic enhancement in the thermal, as well as salt stability of self-assembled micelles. Furthermore, through coassembly of the linear and cyclic amphiphiles, the stability was successfully tuned for a wide range of temperatures and salt concentrations. The enhanced thermal/salt stability was exploited in a halogen exchange reaction to stimulate the catalytic activity. The mechanism for the enhancement was also investigated. These topology effects by the cyclic amphiphiles offer unprecedented opportunities in polymer materials design unattainable by traditional means. PMID:23481382

  8. Influences of hydrological regime on heavy metal and salt ion concentrations in intertidal sediment from Chongming Dongtan, Changjiang River estuary, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Jiale; Gao, Xiaojiang; Yang, Jin

    2017-11-01

    The tidal flat along the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary has long been reclaimed for the agricultural purposes, with the prevailing hydrological conditions during such pedogenic transformations being of great importance to their successful development. In this study, samples of surface sediment from Chongming Dongtan, situated at the mouth of the Changjiang River estuary, were collected and analyzed in order to understand how hydrological management can influence the concentrations of heavy metals and salt ions in pore water, and chemical fractionation of heavy metals during the reclamation process. We performed a series of experiments that simulated three different hydrological regimes: permanent flooding (R1), alternative five-day periods of wetting and drying (R2), continuous field capacity (R3). Our results exhibited good Pearson correlations coefficients between heavy metals and salt ions in the pore water for both R1 and R2. In particular, the concentrations of salt ions in the pore water decreased in all three regimes, but showed the biggest decline in R2. With this R2 experiment, the periodic concentration patterns in the pore water varied for Fe and Mn, but not for Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. Neither the fractionation of Ni nor the residual fractions of any metals changed significantly in any regime. In R1, the reducible fractions of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb) in the sediment decreased, while the acid extractable fractions increased. In R2, the acid extractable and the reducible fractions of Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb both decreased, as did the oxidizable fraction of Cu. These data suggest that an alternating hydrological regime can reduce both salinity and the availability of heavy metals in sediments.

  9. High concentration agglomerate dynamics at high temperatures.

    PubMed

    Heine, M C; Pratsinis, S E

    2006-11-21

    The dynamics of agglomerate aerosols are investigated at high solids concentrations that are typical in industrial scale manufacture of fine particles (precursor mole fraction larger than 10 mol %). In particular, formation and growth of fumed silica at such concentrations by chemical reaction, coagulation, and sintering is simulated at nonisothermal conditions and compared to limited experimental data and commercial product specifications. Using recent chemical kinetics for silica formation by SiCl4 hydrolysis and neglecting aerosol polydispersity, the evolution of the diameter of primary particles (specific surface area, SSA), hard- and soft-agglomerates, along with agglomerate effective volume fraction (volume occupied by agglomerate) is investigated. Classic Smoluchowski theory is fundamentally limited for description of soft-agglomerate Brownian coagulation at high solids concentrations. In fact, these high concentrations affect little the primary particle diameter (or SSA) but dominate the soft-agglomerate diameter, structure, and volume fraction, leading to gelation consistent with experimental data. This indicates that restructuring and fragmentation should affect product particle characteristics during high-temperature synthesis of nanostructured particles at high concentrations in aerosol flow reactors.

  10. In vitro susceptibility of spiroplasmas to heavy-metal salts.

    PubMed

    Whitmore, S C; Rissler, J F; Davis, R E

    1983-01-01

    The susceptibility of six spiroplasma strains to heavy-metal salt was characterized in terms of minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal biocidal concentrations in broth tube dilution tests. The strains were most susceptible to mercuric chloride and silver nitrate; less susceptible to copper sulfate, cobalt chloride, lead nitrate, and cadmium sulfate; and least susceptible to nickel chloride and zinc sulfate. Spiroplasma citri strains Maroc R8A2 and C189 were the most susceptible to five of eight heavy-metal salts, and honeybee spiroplasma strain AS576 and Spiroplasma floricola strain 23-6 were generally the least susceptible. The difference between the minimal biocidal concentrations and the minimal inhibitory concentrations was greater for certain heavy-metal salts than for others.

  11. Salting out of proteins using ammonium sulfate precipitation.

    PubMed

    Duong-Ly, Krisna C; Gabelli, Sandra B

    2014-01-01

    Protein solubility is affected by ions. At low ion concentrations (<0.5 M), protein solubility increases along with ionic strength. Ions in the solution shield protein molecules from the charge of other protein molecules in what is known as 'salting-in'. At a very high ionic strength, protein solubility decreases as ionic strength increases in the process known as 'salting-out'. Thus, salting out can be used to separate proteins based on their solubility in the presence of a high concentration of salt. In this protocol, ammonium sulfate will be added incrementally to an E. coli cell lysate to isolate a recombinantly over-expressed protein of 20 kDa containing no cysteine residues or tags. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of Salted Ice Bags on Surface and Intramuscular Tissue Cooling and Rewarming Rates.

    PubMed

    Hunter, Eric J; Ostrowski, Jennifer; Donahue, Matthew; Crowley, Caitlyn; Herzog, Valerie

    2016-02-01

    Many researchers have investigated the effectiveness of different cryotherapy agents at decreasing intramuscular tissue temperatures. However, no one has looked at the effectiveness of adding salt to an ice bag. To compare the cooling effectiveness of different ice bags (wetted, salted cubed, and salted crushed) on cutaneous and intramuscular temperatures. Repeated-measures counterbalanced design. University research laboratory. 24 healthy participants (13 men, 11 women; age 22.46 ± 2.33 y, height 173.25 ± 9.78 cm, mass 74.51 ± 17.32 kg, subcutaneous thickness 0.63 ± 0.27 cm) with no lower-leg injuries, vascular diseases, sensitivity to cold, compromised circulation, or chronic use of NSAIDs. Ice bags made of wetted ice (2000 mL ice and 300 mL water), salted cubed ice (intervention A; 2000 mL of cubed ice and 1/2 tablespoon of salt), and salted crushed ice (intervention B; 2000 mL of crushed ice and 1/2 tablespoon of salt) were applied to the posterior gastrocnemius for 30 min. Each participant received all conditions with at least 4 d between treatments. Cutaneous and intramuscular (2 cm plus adipose thickness) temperatures of nondominant gastrocnemius were measured during a 10-min baseline period, a 30-min treatment period, and a 45-min rewarming period. Differences from baseline were observed for all treatments. The wetted-ice and salted-cubed-ice bags produced significantly lower intramuscular temperatures than the salted-crushed-ice bag. Wetted-ice bags produced the greatest temperature change for cutaneous tissues. Wetted- and salted-cubed-ice bags were equally effective at decreasing intramuscular temperature at 2 cm subadipose. Clinical practicality may favor salted-ice bags over wetted-ice bags.

  13. Method for making a uranium chloride salt product

    DOEpatents

    Miller, William E [Naperville, IL; Tomczuk, Zygmunt [Lockport, IL

    2004-10-05

    The subject apparatus provides a means to produce UCl.sub.3 in large quantities without incurring corrosion of the containment vessel or associated apparatus. Gaseous Cl is injected into a lower layer of Cd where CdCl.sub.2 is formed. Due to is lower density, the CdCl.sub.2 rises through the Cd layer into a layer of molten LiCl--KCL salt where a rotatable basket containing uranium ingots is suspended. The CdCl.sub.2 reacts with the uranium to form UCl.sub.3 and Cd. Due to density differences, the Cd sinks down to the liquid Cd layer and is reused. The UCl.sub.3 combines with the molten salt. During production the temperature is maintained at about 600.degree. C. while after the uranium has been depleted the salt temperature is lowered, the molten salt is pressure siphoned from the vessel, and the salt product LiCl--KCl-30 mol % UCl.sub.3 is solidified.

  14. New insights into saline water evaporation from porous media: Complex interaction between evaporation rates, precipitation, and surface temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shokri-Kuehni, Salomé M. S.; Vetter, Thomas; Webb, Colin; Shokri, Nima

    2017-06-01

    Understanding salt transport and deposition patterns during evaporation from porous media is important in many engineering and hydrological processes such as soil salinization, ecosystem functioning, and land-atmosphere interaction. As evaporation proceeds, salt concentration increases until it exceeds solubility limits, locally, and crystals precipitate. The interplay between transport processes, crystallization, and evaporation influences where crystallization occurs. During early stages, the precipitated salt creates an evolving porous structure affecting the evaporation kinetics. We conducted a comprehensive series of experiments to investigate how the salt concentration and precipitation influence evaporation dynamics. Our results illustrate the contribution of the evolving salt crust to the evaporative mass losses. High-resolution thermal imaging enabled us to investigate the complex temperature dynamics at the surface of precipitated salt, providing further confirmation of salt crust contribution to the evaporation. We identify different phases of saline water evaporation from porous media with the corresponding dominant mechanisms in each phase and extend the physical understanding of such processes.

  15. Experimental characterization of a solar cooker with thermal energy storage based on solar salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coccia, G.; Di Nicola, G.; Tomassetti, S.; Gabrielli, G.; Chieruzzi, M.; Pierantozzi, M.

    2017-11-01

    High temperature solar cooking allows to cook food fast and with good efficiency. An unavoidable drawback of this technology is that it requires nearly clear-sky conditions. In addition, evening cooking is difficult to be accomplished, particularly on the winter season during which solar radiation availability is limited to a few hours in the afternoon in most of countries. These restrictions could be overcome using a cooker thermal storage unit (TSU). In this work, a TSU based on solar salt was studied. The unit consists of two metal concentric cylindrical vessels, connected together to form a double-walled vessel. The volume between walls was filled with a certain amount of nitrate based phase change material (solar salt). In order to characterize the TSU, a test bench used to assess solar cooker performance was adopted. Experimental load tests with the TSU were carried out to evaluate the cooker performance. The obtained preliminary results show that the adoption of the solar salt TSU seems to allow both the opportunity of evening cooking and the possibility to better stabilize the cooker temperature when sky conditions are variable.

  16. Microstructural observations of reconsolidated granular salt to 250°C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mills, M. M.; Hansen, F.; Bauer, S. J.; Stormont, J.

    2014-12-01

    Very low permeability is a principal reason salt formations are considered viable hosts for disposal of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel. Granular salt is likely to be used as back-fill material and as a seal system component. Granular salt is expected to reconsolidate to a low permeability condition because of external pressure from the surrounding salt formation. Understanding the consolidation processes--known to depend on the stress state, moisture availability and temperature--is important for predicting achievement of sealing functions and long-term repository performance. As granular salt consolidates, initial void reduction is accomplished by brittle processes of grain rearrangement and cataclastic flow. At porosities of less than 10%, grain boundary processes and crystal-plastic mechanisms govern further porosity reduction. We investigate the micro-mechanisms operative in granular salt that has been consolidated under high temperatures to relatively low porosity. These conditions would occur proximal to heat-generating canisters. Mine-run salt from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant was used to create cylindrical samples which were consolidated at 250°C and stresses to 20 MPa. From samples consolidated to fractional densities of 86% and 97% polished thin sections, etched cleavage chips, and fragments were fabricated. Microstructural techniques included scanning electron and optical microscopy. Microstructure of undeformed mine-run salt was compared to the deformed granular salt. Observed deformation mechanisms include glide, cross slip, climb, fluid-assisted creep, pressure-solution redeposition, and annealing. Documentation of operative deformation mechanisms within the consolidating granular salt, particularly at grain boundaries, is essential to establish effects of moisture, stress, and temperature. Future work will include characterization of pore structures. Information gleaned in these studies supports evaluation of a constitutive model for

  17. High temperature in-situ synchrotron-based XRD study on the crystal structure evolution of C/C composite impregnated by FLiNaK molten salt.

    PubMed

    Feng, Shanglei; Yang, Yingguo; Li, Li; Zhang, Dongsheng; Yang, Xinmei; Xia, Huihao; Yan, Long; Tsang, Derek K L; Huai, Ping; Zhou, Xingtai

    2017-09-06

    An in-situ real-time synchrotron-based grazing incidence X-ray diffraction was systematically used to investigate the crystal structural evolution of carbon fiber reinforced carbon matrix (C/C) composite impregnated with FLiNaK molten salt during the heat-treatment process. It was found that the crystallographic thermal expansion and contraction rate of interlayer spacing d 002 in C/C composite with FLiNaK salt impregnation is smaller than that in the virgin sample, indicating the suppression on interlayer spacing from FLiNaK salt impregnated. Meanwhile the crystallite size L C002 of C/C composite with FLiNaK salt impregnation is larger than the virgin one after whole heat treatment process, indicating that FLiNaK salt impregnation could facilitate the crystallization of C/C composite after heat treatment process. This improved crystallization in C/C composite with FLiNaK salt impregnation suggests the synthetic action of the salt squeeze effect on crooked carbon layer and the release of internal residual stress after heating-cooling process. Thus, the present study not only contribute to reveal the interaction mechanism between C/C composite and FLiNaK salt in high temperature environment, but also promote the design of safer and more reliable C/C composite materials for the next generation molten salt reactor.

  18. Hygroscopic salts and the potential for life on Mars.

    PubMed

    Davila, Alfonso F; Duport, Luis Gago; Melchiorri, Riccardo; Jänchen, Jochen; Valea, Sergio; de Los Rios, Asunción; Fairén, Alberto G; Möhlmann, Diedrich; McKay, Christopher P; Ascaso, Carmen; Wierzchos, Jacek

    2010-01-01

    Hygroscopic salts have been detected in soils in the northern latitudes of Mars, and widespread chloride-bearing evaporitic deposits have been detected in the southern highlands. The deliquescence of hygroscopic minerals such as chloride salts could provide a local and transient source of liquid water that would be available for microorganisms on the surface. This is known to occur in the Atacama Desert, where massive halite evaporites have become a habitat for photosynthetic and heterotrophic microorganisms that take advantage of the deliquescence of the salt at certain relative humidity (RH) levels. We modeled the climate conditions (RH and temperature) in a region on Mars with chloride-bearing evaporites, and modeled the evolution of the water activity (a(w)) of the deliquescence solutions of three possible chloride salts (sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride) as a function of temperature. We also studied the water absorption properties of the same salts as a function of RH. Our climate model results show that the RH in the region with chloride-bearing deposits on Mars often reaches the deliquescence points of all three salts, and the temperature reaches levels above their eutectic points seasonally, in the course of a martian year. The a(w) of the deliquescence solutions increases with decreasing temperature due mainly to the precipitation of unstable phases, which removes ions from the solution. The deliquescence of sodium chloride results in transient solutions with a(w) compatible with growth of terrestrial microorganisms down to 252 K, whereas for calcium chloride and magnesium chloride it results in solutions with a(w) below the known limits for growth at all temperatures. However, taking the limits of a(w) used to define special regions on Mars, the deliquescence of calcium chloride deposits would allow for the propagation of terrestrial microorganisms at temperatures between 265 and 253 K, and for metabolic activity (no growth) at

  19. Structural and Dynamical Properties of Alkaline Earth Metal Halides in Supercritical Water: Effect of Ion Size and Concentration.

    PubMed

    Keshri, Sonanki; Tembe, B L

    2017-11-22

    Constant temperature-constant pressure molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for aqueous alkaline earth metal chloride [M 2+ -Cl - (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba)] solutions over a wide range of concentrations (0.27-5.55 m) in supercritical (SC) and ambient conditions to investigate their structural and dynamical properties. A strong influence of the salt concentration is observed on the ion-ion pair correlation functions in both ambient and SC conditions. In SC conditions, significant clustering is observed in the 0.27 m solution, whereas the reverse situation is observed at room temperature and this is also supported by the residence times of the clusters. The concentration and ion size (cation size) seem to have opposite effects on the average number of hydrogen bonds. The simulation results show that the self-diffusion coefficients of water, cations, and the chloride ion increase with increasing temperature, whereas they decrease with increasing salt concentration. The cluster size distribution shows a strong density dependence in both ambient and SC conditions. In SC conditions, cluster sizes display a near-Gaussian distribution, whereas the distribution decays monotonically in ambient conditions.

  20. The effect of molten salt on high temperature behavior of stainless steel and titanium alloy with the presence of water vapor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baharum, Azila; Othman, Norinsan Kamil; Salleh, Emee Marina

    2018-04-01

    The high temperature oxidation experiment was conducted to study the behavior of titanium alloy Ti6A14V and stainless steel 316 in Na2SO4-50%NaCl + Ar-20%O2 (molten salt) and Na2SO4-50%NaCl + Ar-20%O2 + 12% H2O (molten salt + water vapor) environment at 900°C for 30 hours using horizontal tube furnace. The sample then was investigated using weight change measurement analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis to study the weight gained and the phase oxidation that occurred. The weight gained of the titanium alloy was higher in molten salt environment compared to stainless steel due to the rapid growth in the oxide scale but showed almost no change of weight gained upon addition of water vapor. This is due to the alloy was fully oxidized. Stainless steel showed more protection and better effect in molten salt environment compared to mixed environment showed by slower weight gain and lower oxidation rate. Meanwhile, the phase oxidation test of the samples showed that the titanium alloy consist of multi oxide layer of rutile (TiO2) and Al2O3 on the surface of the exposed sample. While stainless steel show the formation of both protective Cr-rich oxide and non-protective Fe-rich oxide layer. This can be concluded that stainless steel is better compared to Ti alloy due to slow growing of chromia oxide. Therefore it is proven that stainless steel has better self-protection upon high temperature exposure.

  1. Inhibition of bubble coalescence: effects of salt concentration and speed of approach.

    PubMed

    Del Castillo, Lorena A; Ohnishi, Satomi; Horn, Roger G

    2011-04-01

    Bubble coalescence experiments have been performed using a sliding bubble apparatus, in which mm-sized bubbles in an aqueous electrolyte solution without added surfactant rose toward an air meniscus at different speeds obtained by varying the inclination of a closed glass cylinder containing the liquid. The coalescence times of single bubbles contacting the meniscus were monitored using a high speed camera. Results clearly show that stability against coalescence of colliding air bubbles is influenced by both the salt concentration and the approach speed of the bubbles. Contrary to the widespread belief that bubbles in pure water are unstable, we demonstrate that bubbles formed in highly purified water and colliding with the meniscus at very slow approach speeds can survive for minutes or even hours. At higher speeds, bubbles in water only survive for a few seconds, and at still higher speeds they coalesce instantly. Addition of a simple electrolyte (KCl) removes the low-speed stability and shifts the transition between transient stability and instant coalescence to higher approach speeds. At high electrolyte concentration no bubbles were observed to coalesce instantly. These observations are consistent with recent results of Yaminsky et al. (Langmuir 26 (2010) 8061) and the transitions between different regions of behavior are in semi-quantitative agreement with Yaminsky's model. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Self-Healing Characteristics of Damaged Rock Salt under Different Healing Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jie; Ren, Song; Yang, Chunhe; Jiang, Deyi; Li, Lin

    2013-01-01

    Salt deposits are commonly regarded as ideal hosts for geologic energy reservoirs. Underground cavern construction-induced damage in salt is reduced by self-healing. Thus, studying the influencing factors on such healing processes is important. This research uses ultrasonic technology to monitor the longitudinal wave velocity variations of stress-damaged rock salts during self-recovery experiments under different recovery conditions. The influences of stress-induced initial damage, temperature, humidity, and oil on the self-recovery of damaged rock salts are analyzed. The wave velocity values of the damaged rock salts increase rapidly during the first 200 h of recovery, and the values gradually increase toward stabilization after 600 h. The recovery of damaged rock salts is subjected to higher initial damage stress. Water is important in damage recovery. The increase in temperature improves damage recovery when water is abundant, but hinders recovery when water evaporates. The presence of residual hydraulic oil blocks the inter-granular role of water and restrains the recovery under triaxial compression. The results indicate that rock salt damage recovery is related to the damage degree, pore pressure, temperature, humidity, and presence of oil due to the sealing integrity of the jacket material. PMID:28811444

  3. Self-Healing Characteristics of Damaged Rock Salt under Different Healing Conditions.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jie; Ren, Song; Yang, Chunhe; Jiang, Deyi; Li, Lin

    2013-08-12

    Salt deposits are commonly regarded as ideal hosts for geologic energy reservoirs. Underground cavern construction-induced damage in salt is reduced by self-healing. Thus, studying the influencing factors on such healing processes is important. This research uses ultrasonic technology to monitor the longitudinal wave velocity variations of stress-damaged rock salts during self-recovery experiments under different recovery conditions. The influences of stress-induced initial damage, temperature, humidity, and oil on the self-recovery of damaged rock salts are analyzed. The wave velocity values of the damaged rock salts increase rapidly during the first 200 h of recovery, and the values gradually increase toward stabilization after 600 h. The recovery of damaged rock salts is subjected to higher initial damage stress. Water is important in damage recovery. The increase in temperature improves damage recovery when water is abundant, but hinders recovery when water evaporates. The presence of residual hydraulic oil blocks the inter-granular role of water and restrains the recovery under triaxial compression. The results indicate that rock salt damage recovery is related to the damage degree, pore pressure, temperature, humidity, and presence of oil due to the sealing integrity of the jacket material.

  4. Using Encapsulated Phase Change Material in Thermal Energy Storage for Baseload Concentrating Solar Power (EPCM-TES)

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

    Mathur, Anoop

    2013-12-15

    Terrafore successfully demonstrated and optimized the manufacturing of capsules containing phase-changing inorganic salts. The phase change was used to store thermal energy collected from a concentrating solar-power plant as latent heat. This latent heat, in addition to sensible heat increased the energy density (energy stored per unit weight of salt) by over 50%, thus requiring 40% less salt and over 60% less capsule container. Therefore, the cost to store high-temperature thermal energy collected in a concentrating solar power plant will be reduced by almost 40% or more, as compared to conventional two-tank, sensible-only storage systems. The cost for thermal energymore » storage (TES) system is expected to achieve the Sun Shot goal of $15 per kWh(t). Costs associated with poor heat-transfer in phase change materials (PCM) were also eliminated. Although thermal energy storage that relies on the latent heat of fusion of PCM improves energy density by as much as 50%, upon energy discharge the salt freezes and builds on the heat transfer surfaces. Since these salts have low thermal conductivity, large heat-transfer areas, or larger conventional heat-exchangers are needed, which increases costs. By encapsulating PCM in small capsules we have increased the heat transfer area per unit volume of salt and brought the heat transfer fluid in direct contact with the capsules. These two improvements have increased the heat transfer coefficient and boosted heat transfer. The program was successful in overcoming the phenomenon of melt expansion in the capsules, which requires the creation of open volume in the capsules or shell to allow for expansion of the molten salt on melting and is heated above its melting point to 550°C. Under contract with the Department of Energy, Terrafore Inc. and Southwest Research Institute, developed innovative method(s) to economically create the open volume or void in the capsule. One method consists of using a sacrificial polymer coating as

  5. Effects of combustion and operating conditions on PCDD/PCDF emissions from power boilers burning salt-laden wood waste.

    PubMed

    Leclerc, Denys; Duo, Wen Li; Vessey, Michelle

    2006-04-01

    This paper discusses the effects of combustion conditions on PCDD/PCDF emissions from pulp and paper power boilers burning salt-laden wood waste. We found no correlation between PCDD/PCDF emissions and carbon monoxide emissions. A good correlation was, however, observed between PCDD/PCDF emissions and the concentration of stack polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the absence of TDF addition. Thus, poor combustion conditions responsible for the formation of products of incomplete combustion (PICs), such as PAHs and PCDD/PCDF precursors, increase PCDD/PCDF emissions. PAH concentrations increased with higher boiler load and/or low oxygen concentrations at the boiler exit, probably because of lower available residence times and insufficient excess air. Our findings are consistent with the current understanding that high ash carbon content generally favours heterogeneous reactions leading to either de novo synthesis of PCDD/PCDFs or their direct formation from precursors. We also found that, in grate-fired boilers, a linear increase in the grate/lower furnace temperature produces an exponential decrease in PCDD/PCDF emissions. Although the extent of this effect appears to be mill-specific, particularly at low temperatures, the results indicate that increasing the combustion temperature may decrease PCDD/PCDF emissions. It must be noted, however, that there are other variables, such as elevated ESP and stack temperatures, a high hog salt content, the presence of large amounts of PICs and a high Cl/S ratio, which contribute to higher PCDD/PCDFs emissions. Therefore, higher combustion temperatures, by themselves, will not necessarily result in low PCDD/PCDFs emissions.

  6. Unintended consequences of management actions in salt pond restoration: cascading effects in trophic interactions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Takekawa, John Y.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Brand, Arriana; Graham, Tanya R.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herzog, Mark; Topping, Brent R.; Shellenbarger, Gregory; Kuwabara, James S.; Mruz, Eric; Piotter, Sara L.; Athearn, Nicole D.

    2015-01-01

    Salt evaporation ponds have played an important role as habitat for migratory waterbirds across the world, however, efforts to restore and manage these habitats to maximize their conservation value has proven to be challenging. For example, salinity reduction has been a goal for restoring and managing former salt evaporation ponds to support waterbirds in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project in San Francisco Bay, California, USA. Here, we describe a case study of unexpected consequences of a low-dissolved oxygen (DO) event on trophic interactions in a salt pond system following management actions to reduce salinity concentrations. We document the ramifications of an anoxic event in water quality including salinity, DO, and temperature, and in the response of the biota including prey fish biomass, numerical response by California Gulls (Larus californicus), and chick survival of Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri). Management actions intended to protect receiving waters resulted in decreased DO concentrations that collapsed to zero for ≥ 4 consecutive days, resulting in an extensive fish kill. DO depletion likely resulted from an algal bloom that arose following transition of the pond system from high to low salinity as respiration and decomposition outpaced photosynthetic production. We measured a ≥ 6-fold increase in biomass of fish dropped on the levee by foraging avian predators compared with weeks prior to and following the low-DO event. California Gulls rapidly responded to the availability of aerobically-stressed and vulnerable fish and increased in abundance by two orders of magnitude. Mark-recapture analysis of 254 Forster's Tern chicks indicated that their survival declined substantially following the increase in gull abundance. Thus, management actions to reduce salinity concentrations resulted in cascading effects in trophic interactions that serves as a cautionary tale illustrating the importance of understanding the interaction of water quality

  7. Unintended Consequences of Management Actions in Salt Pond Restoration: Cascading Effects in Trophic Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Takekawa, John Y.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Brand, L. Arriana; Graham, Tanya R.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herzog, Mark P.; Topping, Brent R.; Shellenbarger, Gregory G.; Kuwabara, James S.; Mruz, Eric; Piotter, Sara L.; Athearn, Nicole D.

    2015-01-01

    Salt evaporation ponds have played an important role as habitat for migratory waterbirds across the world, however, efforts to restore and manage these habitats to maximize their conservation value has proven to be challenging. For example, salinity reduction has been a goal for restoring and managing former salt evaporation ponds to support waterbirds in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project in San Francisco Bay, California, USA. Here, we describe a case study of unexpected consequences of a low-dissolved oxygen (DO) event on trophic interactions in a salt pond system following management actions to reduce salinity concentrations. We document the ramifications of an anoxic event in water quality including salinity, DO, and temperature, and in the response of the biota including prey fish biomass, numerical response by California Gulls (Larus californicus), and chick survival of Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri). Management actions intended to protect receiving waters resulted in decreased DO concentrations that collapsed to zero for ≥ 4 consecutive days, resulting in an extensive fish kill. DO depletion likely resulted from an algal bloom that arose following transition of the pond system from high to low salinity as respiration and decomposition outpaced photosynthetic production. We measured a ≥ 6-fold increase in biomass of fish dropped on the levee by foraging avian predators compared with weeks prior to and following the low-DO event. California Gulls rapidly responded to the availability of aerobically-stressed and vulnerable fish and increased in abundance by two orders of magnitude. Mark-recapture analysis of 254 Forster's Tern chicks indicated that their survival declined substantially following the increase in gull abundance. Thus, management actions to reduce salinity concentrations resulted in cascading effects in trophic interactions that serves as a cautionary tale illustrating the importance of understanding the interaction of water quality

  8. Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy application for sea salt quality evaluation.

    PubMed

    Galvis-Sánchez, Andrea C; Lopes, João Almeida; Delgadillo, Ivonne; Rangel, António O S S

    2011-10-26

    Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance mode was explored with the objective of discriminating sea salts according to their quality type (traditional salt vs "flower of salt") and geographical origin (Atlantic vs Mediterranean). Sea salts were also analyzed in terms of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+), alkalinity, and sulfate concentrations to support spectroscopic results. High concentrations of Mg(2+) and K(+) characterized Atlantic samples, while a high Ca(2+) content was observed in traditional sea salts. A partial least-squares discriminant analysis model considering the 8500-7500 cm(-1) region permitted the discrimination of salts by quality types. The regions 4650-4350 and 5900-5500 cm(-1) allowed salts classification according to their geographical origin. It was possible to classify correctly 85.3 and 94.8% of the analyzed samples according to the salt type and to the geographical origin, respectively. These results demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy is a suitable and very efficient tool for sea salt quality evaluation.

  9. Genetic Diversity of Salt Tolerance in Miscanthus

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Chang-Lin; van der Schoot, Hanneke; Dehghan, Shiva; Alvim Kamei, Claire L.; Schwarz, Kai-Uwe; Meyer, Heike; Visser, Richard G. F.; van der Linden, C. Gerard

    2017-01-01

    Miscanthus is a woody rhizomatous C4 grass that can be used as a CO2 neutral biofuel resource. It has potential to grow in marginal areas such as saline soils, avoiding competition for arable lands with food crops. This study explored genetic diversity for salt tolerance in Miscanthus and discovered mechanisms and traits that can be used to improve the yield under salt stress. Seventy genotypes of Miscanthus (including 57 M. sinensis, 5 M. sacchariflorus, and 8 hybrids) were evaluated for salt tolerance under saline (150 mM NaCl) and normal growing conditions using a hydroponic system. Analyses of shoot growth traits and ion concentrations revealed the existence of large variation for salt tolerance in the genotypes. We identified genotypes with potential for high biomass production both under control and saline conditions that may be utilized for growth under marginal, saline conditions. Several relatively salt tolerant genotypes had clearly lower Na+ concentrations and showed relatively high K+/Na+ ratios in the shoots under salt stress, indicating that a Na+ exclusion mechanism was utilized to prevent Na+ accumulation in the leaves. Other genotypes showed limited reduction in leaf expansion and growth rate under saline conditions, which may be indicative of osmotic stress tolerance. The genotypes demonstrating potentially different salt tolerance mechanisms can serve as starting material for breeding programs aimed at improving salinity tolerance of Miscanthus. PMID:28261243

  10. Response of salt marsh and mangrove wetlands to changes in atmospheric CO2, climate, and sea-level

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mckee, Karen L.; Rogers, Kerrylee; Saintilan, Neil; Middleton, Beth A.

    2012-01-01

    Coastal salt marsh and mangrove ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations and associated climate and climate-induced changes. We provide a review of the literature detailing theoretical predictions and observed responses of coastal wetlands to a range of climate change stressors, including CO2, temperature, rainfall, and sea-level rise. This review incorporates a discussion of key processes controlling responses in different settings and thresholds of resilience derived from experimental and observational studies. We specifically consider the potential and observed effects on salt marsh and mangrove vegetation of changes in (1) elevated [CO2] on physiology, growth, and distribution; (2) temperature on distribution and diversity; (3) rainfall and salinity regimes on growth and competitive interactions; and (4) sea level on geomorphological, hydrological, and biological processes.

  11. Effect of concentration and temperature on the rheological behavior of collagen solution.

    PubMed

    Lai, Guoli; Li, Yang; Li, Guoying

    2008-04-01

    Dynamic viscoelastic properties of collagen solutions with concentrations of 0.5-1.5% (w/w) were characterized by means of oscillatory rheometry at temperatures ranging from 20 to 32.5 degrees C. All collagen solutions showed a shear-thinning flow behavior. The complex viscosity exhibited an exponential increase and the loss tangent decreased with the increase of collagen concentration (C(COL)) when the C(COL)> or =0.75%. Both storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') increased with the increase of frequency and concentration, but decreased with the increase of temperature and behaved without regularity at 32.5 degrees C. The relaxation times decreased with the increase of temperature for 1.0% collagen solution. According to a three-zone model, dynamic modulus of collagen solutions showed terminal-zone and plateau-zone behavior when C(COL) was no more than 1.25% or the stated temperature was no more than 30 degrees C. The concentrated solution (1.5%) behaved being entirely in plateau zone. An application of the time-temperature superposition (TTS) allowed the construction of master curve and an Arrhenius-type TTS principle was used to yield the activation energy of 161.4 kJ mol(-1).

  12. Effect of salts on the properties of aqueous sugar systems, in relation to biomaterial stabilization. 1. Water sorption behavior and ice crystallization/melting.

    PubMed

    Mazzobre, M F; Longinotti, M P; Corti, H R; Buera, M P

    2001-11-01

    Trehalose and sucrose, two sugars that are involved in the protection of living organisms under extreme conditions, and their mixtures with salts were employed to prepare supercooled or freeze-dried glassy systems. The objective of the present work was to explore the effects of different salts on water sorption, glass transition temperature (T(g)), and formation and melting of ice in aqueous sugar systems. In the sugar-salt mixtures, water adsorption was higher than expected on the basis of the water uptake by each pure component. In systems with a reduced mass fraction of water (w less-than-or-equal 0.4), salts delayed water crystallization, probably due to ion-water interactions. In systems where > 0.6, water crystallization could be explained by the known colligative properties of the solutes. The glass transition temperature of the maximally concentrated matrix (T(g)') was decreased by the presence of salts. However, the actual T(g) values of the systems were not modified. Thus, the effect of salts on sorption behavior and formation of ice may reflect dynamic water-salt-sugar interactions which take place at a molecular level and are related to the charge/mass ratio of the cation present without affecting supramolecular or macroscopic properties. Copyright 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).

  13. Prokaryotic diversity and community composition in the Salar de Uyuni, a large scale, chaotropic salt flat.

    PubMed

    dC Rubin, Sergio S; Marín, Irma; Gómez, Manuel J; Morales, Eduardo A; Zekker, Ivar; San Martín-Uriz, Patxi; Rodríguez, Nuria; Amils, Ricardo

    2017-09-01

    Salar de Uyuni (SdU), with a geological history that reflects 50 000 years of climate change, is the largest hypersaline salt flat on Earth and is estimated to be the biggest lithium reservoir in the world. Its salinity reaches saturation levels for NaCl, a kosmotropic salt, and high concentrations of MgCL 2 and LiCl, both salts considered important chaotrophic stressors. In addition, extreme temperatures, anoxic conditions, high UV irradiance, high albedo and extremely low concentrations of phosphorous, make SdU a unique natural extreme environment in which to contrast hypotheses about limiting factors of life diversification. Geophysical studies of brines from different sampling stations show that water activity is rather constant along SdU. Geochemical measurements show significant differences in magnesium concentration, ranging from 0.2 to 2M. This work analyses the prokaryotic diversity and community structure at four SdU sampling stations, selected according to their location and ionic composition. Prokaryotic communities were composed of both Archaea (with members of the classes Halobacteria, Thermoplasmata and Nanohaloarchaea, from the Euryarchaeota and Nanohaloarcheota phyla respectively) and Bacteria (mainly belonging to Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria phyla). The important differences in composition of microbial communities inversely correlate with Mg 2+ concentration, suggesting that prokaryotic diversity at SdU is chaotropic dependent. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. The formation of supercooled brines, viscous liquids, and low-temperature perchlorate glasses in aqueous solutions relevant to Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toner, J. D.; Catling, D. C.; Light, B.

    2014-05-01

    Salt solutions on Mars can stabilize liquid water at low temperatures by lowering the freezing point of water. The maximum equilibrium freezing-point depression possible, known as the eutectic temperature, suggests a lower temperature limit for liquid water on Mars; however, salt solutions can supercool below their eutectic before crystallization occurs. To investigate the magnitude of supercooling and its variation with salt composition and concentration, we performed slow cooling and warming experiments on pure salt solutions and saturated soil-solutions of MgSO4, MgCl2, NaCl, NaClO4, Mg(ClO4)2, and Ca(ClO4)2. By monitoring solution temperatures, we identified exothermic crystallization events and determined the composition of precipitated phases from the eutectic melting temperature. Our results indicate that supercooling is pervasive. In general, supercooling is greater in more concentrated solutions and with salts of Ca and Mg. Slowly cooled MgSO4, MgCl2, NaCl, and NaClO4 solutions investigated in this study typically supercool 5-15 °C below their eutectic temperature before crystallizing. The addition of soil to these salt solutions has a variable effect on supercooling. Relative to the pure salt solutions, supercooling decreases in MgSO4 soil-solutions, increases in MgCl2 soil-solutions, and is similar in NaCl and NaClO4 soil-solutions. Supercooling in MgSO4, MgCl2, NaCl, and NaClO4 solutions could marginally extend the duration of liquid water during relatively warm daytime temperatures in the martian summer. In contrast, we find that Mg(ClO4)2 and Ca(ClO4)2 solutions do not crystallize during slow cooling, but remain in a supercooled, liquid state until forming an amorphous glass near -120 °C. Even if soil is added to the solutions, a glass still forms during cooling. The large supercooling effect in Mg(ClO4)2 and Ca(ClO4)2 solutions has the potential to prevent water from freezing over diurnal and possibly annual cycles on Mars. Glasses are also

  15. Synthesis of chalcogenide and pnictide crystals in salt melts using a steady-state temperature gradient

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chareev, D. A.; Volkova, O. S.; Geringer, N. V.; Koshelev, A. V.; Nekrasov, A. N.; Osadchii, V. O.; Osadchii, E. G.; Filimonova, O. N.

    2016-07-01

    Some examples of growing crystals of metals, alloys, chalcogenides, and pnictides in melts of halides of alkali metals and aluminum at a steady-state temperature gradient are described. Transport media are chosen to be salt melts of eutectic composition with the participation of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, CsCl, AlCl3, AlBr3, KBr, and KI in a temperature range of 850-150°C. Some crystals have been synthesized only using a conducting contour. This technique of crystal growth is similar to the electrochemical method. In some cases, to exclude mutual influence, some elements have been isolated and forced to migrate to the crystal growth region through independent channels. As a result, crystals of desired quality have been obtained using no special equipment and with sizes sufficient for study under laboratory conditions.

  16. Potential sea salt aerosol sources from frost flowers in the pan-Arctic region

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

    Xu, Li; Russell, Lynn M.; Burrows, Susannah M.

    In order to better represent observed wintertime aerosol concentrations at Barrow, Alaska, we implemented an observationally-based parameterization for estimating sea salt production from frost flowers in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). In this work, we evaluate the potential influence of this sea salt source on the pan-Arctic (60ºN-90ºN) climate. Results show that frost flower salt emissions substantially increase the modeled surface sea salt aerosol concentration in the winter months when new sea ice and frost flowers are present. The parameterization reproduces both the magnitude and seasonal variation of the observed submicron sea salt aerosol concentration at surface in Barrowmore » during winter much better than the standard CESM simulation without a frost-flower salt particle source. Adding these frost flower salt particle emissions increases aerosol optical depth by 10% and results in a small cooling at surface. The increase in salt particle mass concentrations of a factor of 8 provides nearly two times the cloud condensation nuclei concentration, as well as 10% increases in cloud droplet number and 40% increases in liquid water content near coastal regions adjacent to continents. These cloud changes reduce longwave cloud forcing by 3% and cause a small surface warming, increasing the downward longwave flux at the surface by 2 W m-2 in the pan-Arctic under the present-day climate.« less

  17. Investigation of the source of residual phthalate in sundried salt.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin Hyo; Lee, Jin Hwan; Kim, So-Young

    2014-03-01

    Phthalate contamination in sundried salt has recently garnered interest in Korea. Phthalate concentrations were investigated in Korean sundried salts, source waters, and aqueous extracts from polyvinyl chloride materials used in salt ponds. Preliminary screening results for phthalates in Korean sundried salts revealed that only di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) was over the limit of detection, with an 8.6% detection rate, and the concentration ranged from below the limit of detection to 0.189 mg/kg. The tolerable daily intake contribution ratio of the salt was calculated to be only 0.001%. Residual phthalates were below 0.026 mg/liter in source water, and the aqueous extracted di-n-butylphthalate, benzylbutylphthalate, and DEHP, which are considered endocrine disruptors, were below 0.029 mg/kg as derived from the polyvinyl chloride materials in salt ponds. The transfer ratios of the six phthalates from seawater to sundried salts were investigated; transfer ratio was correlated with vapor pressure (r(2) = 0.9875). Thus, di-n-butylphthalate, benzylbutylphthalate, DEHP, and di-n-octylphthalate can be considered highly likely residual pollutants in some consumer salts.

  18. Is It Possible to Distinguish Between Dust and Salt Aerosol Over Waters with Unknown Chlorophyll Concentrations Using Spectral Remote Sensing?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Levy, R. C.; Kaufman, Y. J.

    1999-01-01

    Atmospheric aerosol has uncertain impacts on the global climate system, as well as on atmospheric and bio-geo-chemical processes of regional and local scales. EOS-MODIS is one example of a satellite sensor designed to improve understanding of the aerosols' type, size and distribution at all temporal and spatial scales. Ocean scientists also plan to use data from EOS-MODIS to assess the temporal and spatial coverage of in-water chlorophyll. MODIS is the first sensor planned to observe the combined ocean-atmosphere system with a wide spectral range (from 410 to 2200 nm). Dust aerosol and salt aerosol have similar spectral signals for wavelengths longer than 550 nm, but because dust selectively absorbs blue light, they have divergent signals in the blue wavelength regions (412 to 490 nm). Chlorophyll also selectively absorbs blue radiation, so that varying chlorophyll concentrations produces a highly varying signal in the blue regions, but less variability in the green, and almost no signal in the red to mid-infrared regions. Thus, theoretically, it may be difficult to differentiate dust and salt in the presence of unknown chlorophyll in the ocean. This study attempts to address the cases in which aerosol and chlorophyll signals can and cannot be separated. For the aerosol spectra, we use the aerosol lookup table from the operational MODIS aerosol-over-ocean algorithm, and for chlorophyll spectra, we use the SeaBAM data set (created for SeaWiFS). We compare the signals using Principal Component Analysis and attempt to retrieve both chlorophyll and aerosol properties using a variant of the operational MODIS aerosol-over-ocean algorithm. Results show that for small optical depths, less than 0.5, it is not possible to differentiate between dust and salt and to determine the chlorophyll concentration at the same time. For larger aerosol optical depths, the chlorophyll signals are comparatively insignificant, and we can hope to distinguish between dust and salt.

  19. Process for improving the energy density of feedstocks using formate salts

    DOEpatents

    Wheeler, Marshall Clayton; van Heiningen, Adriaan R.P.; Case, Paige A.

    2015-09-01

    Methods of forming liquid hydrocarbons through thermal deoxygenation of cellulosic compounds are disclosed. Aspects cover methods including the steps of mixing a levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock with a formic acid salt, exposing the mixture to a high temperature condition to form hydrocarbon vapor, and condensing the hydrocarbon vapor to form liquid hydrocarbons, where both the formic acid salt and the levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock decompose at the high temperature condition and wherein one or more of the mixing, exposing, and condensing steps is carried out a pressure between about vacuum and about 10 bar.

  20. Lead salt room-temperature MWIR FPA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murphy, Paul F.; Jost, Steven R.; Barrett, John L.; Reese, Dan; Winn, Michael L.

    2001-10-01

    The development of low-cost uncooled thermal LWIR FPAs is resulting in the emergence of a new generation of infrared sensors for applications where affordability is the prerequisite for volume production. Both ferroelectric detector arrays and silicon-based microbolometers are finding numerous applications from gun sights to automotive FLIRs. There would be significant interest in a similar uncooled offering in the MWIR, but to date, thermal detectors have lacked sufficient sensitivity. The existing uncooled MWIR photon detector technology, based on polycrystalline lead salts, has been relegated to single-element detectors and relatively small linear arrays due to the high dark current and the stigma of being a 50-year-old technology.

  1. Determination of the solubility of inorganic salts by headspace gas chromatography.

    PubMed

    Chai, X S; Zhu, J Y

    2003-05-09

    This work reports a novel method for determination of salt solubility using headspace gas chromatography. A very small amount of volatile compound (such as methanol) is added in the studied solution. Due to the molecular interaction in the solution, the vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) partitioning coefficient of the volatile species will change with different salt contents in the solution. Therefore, the concentration of volatile species in the vapor phase is proportional to the salt concentration in the liquid phase, which can be easily determined by headspace gas chromatography. Until the salt concentration in the solution is saturated, the concentration of volatile compound in the vapor phase will continue to increase further and a breakpoint will appear on the VLE curve. The solubility of the salts can be determined by the identification of the breakpoint. It was found that the measured solubility of sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate in aqueous solutions is slightly higher (about 6-7%) than those reported in the literature method. The present method can be easily applied to industrial solution systems.

  2. Systematic interpolation method predicts protein chromatographic elution with salt gradients, pH gradients and combined salt/pH gradients.

    PubMed

    Creasy, Arch; Barker, Gregory; Carta, Giorgio

    2017-03-01

    A methodology is presented to predict protein elution behavior from an ion exchange column using both individual or combined pH and salt gradients based on high-throughput batch isotherm data. The buffer compositions are first optimized to generate linear pH gradients from pH 5.5 to 7 with defined concentrations of sodium chloride. Next, high-throughput batch isotherm data are collected for a monoclonal antibody on the cation exchange resin POROS XS over a range of protein concentrations, salt concentrations, and solution pH. Finally, a previously developed empirical interpolation (EI) method is extended to describe protein binding as a function of the protein and salt concentration and solution pH without using an explicit isotherm model. The interpolated isotherm data are then used with a lumped kinetic model to predict the protein elution behavior. Experimental results obtained for laboratory scale columns show excellent agreement with the predicted elution curves for both individual or combined pH and salt gradients at protein loads up to 45 mg/mL of column. Numerical studies show that the model predictions are robust as long as the isotherm data cover the range of mobile phase compositions where the protein actually elutes from the column. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Transport Properties of LiTFSI-Acetamide Room Temperature Molten Salt Electrolytes Applied in an Li-Ion Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chao-Chen; Hsu, Hsin-Yi; Hsu, Chen-Ruei

    2007-11-01

    In the present work some transport properties of the binary room temperature molten salt (RTMS) lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfone)imide (LiTFSI)-acetamide [LiN(SO2CF3)2-CH3CONH2], applied in an Li-ion battery, have been investigated. The phase diagram was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The result reveals that the binary RTMS has an eutectic point at 201 K and the 30 mol% LiTFSI composition. The electric conductivity was measured using a direct current computerized method. The result shows that the conductivities of the melts increase with increasing temperature and acetamide content. The densities of all melts decrease with increasing temperature and acetamide content. The equivalent conductivities were fitted by the Arrhenius equation, where the activation energies were 18.15, 18.52, 20.35, 25.08 kJ/mol for 10, 20, 30, 40 mol% LiTFSI, respectively. Besides the relationships between conductivity, density composition and temperature, of the ion interaction is discussed.

  4. Integrated processes for desalination and salt production: A mini-review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wenten, I. Gede; Ariono, Danu; Purwasasmita, Mubiar; Khoirudin

    2017-03-01

    The scarcity of fresh water due to the rapid growth of population and industrial activities has increased attention on desalination process as an alternative freshwater supply. In desalination process, a large volume of saline water is treated to produce freshwater while a concentrated brine is discharged back into the environment. The concentrated brine contains a high concentration of salt and also chemicals used during desalination operations. Due to environmental impacts arising from improper treatment of the brine and more rigorous regulations of the pollution control, many efforts have been devoted to minimize, treat, or reuse the rejected brine. One of the most promising alternatives for brine handling is reusing the brine which can reduce pollution, minimize waste volume, and recover valuable salt. Integration of desalination and salt production can be implemented to reuse the brine by recovering water and the valuable salts. The integrated processes can achieve zero liquid discharge, increase water recovery, and produce the profitable salt which can reduce the overall desalination cost. This paper gives an overview of desalination processes and the brine impacts. The integrated processes, including their progress and advantages in dual-purpose desalination and salt production are discussed.

  5. Highly-resolved Modeling of Emissions and Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, and Fine Particulate Matter in Salt Lake City, Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendoza, D. L.; Lin, J. C.; Mitchell, L.; Ehleringer, J. R.

    2014-12-01

    Accurate, high-resolution data on air pollutant emissions and concentrations are needed to understand human exposures and for both policy and pollutant management purposes. An important step in this process is also quantification of uncertainties. We present a spatially explicit and highly resolved emissions inventory for Salt Lake County, Utah, and trace gas concentration estimates for carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particles (PM2.5) within Salt Lake City. We assess the validity of this approach by comparing measured concentrations against simulated values derived from combining the emissions inventory with an atmospheric model. The emissions inventory for the criteria pollutants was constructed using the 2011 National Emissions Inventory (NEI). The spatial and temporal allocation methods from the Emission Modeling Clearinghouse data set are used to downscale the NEI data from annual to hourly scales and from county-level to 500 m x 500 m resolution. Onroad mobile source emissions were estimated by combining a bottom-up emissions calculation approach for large roadway links with a top-down spatial allocation approach for other roadways. Vehicle activity data for road links were derived from automatic traffic responder data. The emissions inventory for CO2 was obtained from the Hestia emissions data product at an hourly, building, facility, and road link resolution. The AERMOD and CALPUFF dispersion models were used to transport emissions and estimate air pollutant concentrations at an hourly temporal and 500 m x 500 m spatial resolution. Modeled results were compared against measurements from a mobile lab equipped with trace gas measurement equipment traveling on pre-determined routes in the Salt Lake City area. The comparison between both approaches to concentration estimation highlights spatial locations and hours of high variability/uncertainty. Results presented here will inform understanding of variability and

  6. Concentration and temperature effects on ovostatin activity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moriarity, Debra M.

    1994-01-01

    Light scattering experiments performed at Mississippi State University using MSFC ovostatin preparations indicated that at low ovostatin concentrations, below 0.2 mg/ml, the protein was dissociating from a tetramer into dimers. Since the proposed mechanism of action involved the tetrameric form of the protein, we hypothesized that perhaps under the conditions of our assays at various O/T ratios the ovostatin was becoming dissociated into an inactive dimer. To examine this possibility we assayed the ovostatin activity as a function of ovostatin concentration and of temperature of the assay. Data are presented that show the results of these assays at 23 C, 30 C, 37 C and 42 C respectively. The data are highly suggestive that there is a decrease in ovostatin activity as the concentration of the protein falls below 0.06 mg/ml. This may not be of any physiological importance, however, since the concentration of ovostatin in the egg is about 0.5 mg/ml. Curiously, the dissociation of the tetramer into dimers does not show a significant temperature dependence as would be expected for an equilibrium reaction. Whether this is in fact the case, or whether the differences are so small as to not be discerned from the current data remains to be seen. Another aspect to consider is that in the egg the primary role of the ovostatin may or may not be as a protease inhibitor. Although the inhibition of collagenase by ovostatin may be an important aspect of embryogenesis, it is also possible that it functions as a binding protein for some substance. In this regard, all ovostatin preparations from MSFC have shown an approximately 88,000 MW protein associated with the ovostatin. The identity of this protein is not currently known and may be the subject of future studies.

  7. Salt stress signals shape the plant root.

    PubMed

    Galvan-Ampudia, Carlos S; Testerink, Christa

    2011-06-01

    Plants use different strategies to deal with high soil salinity. One strategy is activation of pathways that allow the plant to export or compartmentalise salt. Relying on their phenotypic plasticity, plants can also adjust their root system architecture (RSA) and the direction of root growth to avoid locally high salt concentrations. Here, we highlight RSA responses to salt and osmotic stress and the underlying mechanisms. A model is presented that describes how salinity affects auxin distribution in the root. Possible intracellular signalling pathways linking salinity to root development and direction of root growth are discussed. These involve perception of high cytosolic Na+ concentrations in the root, activation of lipid signalling and protein kinase activity and modulation of endocytic pathways. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Thermodynamics Calculation and Experimental Study on Separation of Bismuth from a Bismuth Glance Concentrate Through a Low-Temperature Molten Salt Smelting Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Jian-Guang; He, De-Wen; Tang, Chao-Bo; Chen, Yong-Ming; Sun, Ya-Hui; Tang, Mo-Tang

    2011-08-01

    The main purpose of this study is to characterize and separate bismuth from a bismuth glance concentrate through a low-temperature, sulfur-fixing smelting process. This article reports on a study conducted on the optimization of process parameters, such as Na2CO3 and zinc oxide wt pct in charging, smelting temperature, smelting duration on the bismuth yield, resultant crude bismuth grade, and sulfur-fixing rate. A maximum bismuth recovery of 97.31 pct, crude bismuth grade of 96.93 pct, and 98.23 pct sulfur-fixing rate are obtained when a charge (containing 63.50 wt pct of Na2CO3 and 22.50 wt pct of bismuth glance, as well as 5 pct in excess of the stoichiometric requirement of zinc oxide dosage) is smelted at 1000 K (727 °C) for 150 minutes. This smelting operation is free from atmospheric pollution because zinc oxide is used as the sulfur-fixing agent, which can capture sulfur from bismuth sulfide and form the more thermodynamic-stable compound, zinc sulfide. The solid residue is subjected to a mineral dressing operation to obtain suspension, which is filtered to produce a cake, representing the solid particles of zinc sulfide. Based on the results of the chemical content analysis of the as-resultant zinc sulfide, more than 93 pct zinc sulfide can be recovered, and the recovered zinc sulfide grade can reach 60.20 pct. This material can be sold as zinc sulfide concentrate or roasted to be regenerated as zinc oxide.

  9. Evaluation of the Impact of Excipients and an Albendazole Salt on Albendazole Concentrations in Upper Small Intestine Using an In Vitro Biorelevant Gastrointestinal Transfer (BioGIT) System.

    PubMed

    Kourentas, Alexandros; Vertzoni, Maria; Khadra, Ibrahim; Symillides, Mira; Clark, Hugh; Halbert, Gavin; Butler, James; Reppas, Christos

    2016-09-01

    An in vitro biorelevant gastrointestinal transfer (BioGIT) system was assessed for its ability to mimic recently reported albendazole concentrations in human upper small intestine after administration of free base suspensions to fasted adults in absence and in presence of supersaturation promoting excipients (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and lipid self-emulsifying vehicles). The in vitro method was also used to evaluate the likely impact of using the sulfate salt on albendazole concentrations in upper small intestine. In addition, BioGIT data were compared with equilibrium solubility data of the salt and the free base in human aspirates and biorelevant media. The BioGIT system adequately simulated the average albendazole gastrointestinal transfer process and concentrations in upper small intestine after administration of the free base suspensions to fasted adults. However, the degree of supersaturation observed in the duodenal compartment was greater than in vivo. Albendazole sulfate resulted in minimal increase of albendazole concentrations in the duodenal compartment of the BioGIT, despite improved equilibrium solubility observed in human aspirates and biorelevant media, indicating that the use of a salt is unlikely to lead to any significant oral absorption advantage for albendazole. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Impact of slope inclination on salt accumulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nachshon, Uri

    2017-04-01

    Field measurements indicated on high variability in salt accumulation along natural and cultivated slopes, even for relatively homogeneous soil conditions. It was hypothesised that slope inclination has an impact on the location of salt accumulation along the slope. A set of laboratory experiments and numerical models were used to explore the impact of slope inclination on salt accumulation. It was shown, experimentally, that for conditions of saline water source at the lower boundary of the slope - salt accumulates in low concentrations and homogeneously along the entire slope, for moderate slopes. However, as inclination increases high salt concentrations were observed at the upper parts of the slope, leaving the lower parts of the slope relatively free of salt. The traditional flow and transport models did not predict the experimental observations as they indicated also for the moderate slopes on salt accumulation in the elevated parts of the slope, away of the saline water source. Consequently - a conceptual model was raised to explain the laboratory observations. It was suggested that the interactions between slope angle, evaporation rates, hydraulic conductivity of the medium and distribution of wetness along the slope affect the saline water flow path through the medium. This lead to preferential flow path close to the soil-atmosphere interface for the steep slopes, which leads to constant wash of the salts from the evaporation front upward towards the slope upper parts, whereas for the moderate slopes, flow path is below the soil-atmosphere interface, therefore salt that accumulates at the evaporation front is not being transported upward. Understanding of salt dynamics along slopes is important for agricultural and natural environments, as well as for civil engineering purposes. Better understanding of the salt transport processes along slopes will improve our ability to minimize and to cope with soil salinization processes. The laboratory experiments and

  11. Salt and cocrystals of sildenafil with dicarboxylic acids: solubility and pharmacokinetic advantage of the glutarate salt.

    PubMed

    Sanphui, Palash; Tothadi, Srinu; Ganguly, Somnath; Desiraju, Gautam R

    2013-12-02

    Sildenafil is a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Because of poor aqueous solubility of the drug, the citrate salt, with improved solubility and pharmacokinetics, has been marketed. However, the citrate salt requires an hour to reach its peak plasma concentration. Thus, to improve solubility and bioavailability characteristics, cocrystals and salts of the drug have been prepared by treating aliphatic dicarboxylic acids with sildenafil; the N-methylated piperazine of the drug molecule interacts with the carboxyl group of the acid to form a heterosynthon. Salts are formed with oxalic and fumaric acid; salt monoanions are formed with succinic and glutaric acid. Sildenafil forms cocrystals with longer chain dicarboxylic acids such as adipic, pimelic, suberic, and sebacic acids. Auxiliary stabilization via C-H···O interactions is also present in these cocrystals and salts. Solubility experiments of sildenafil cocrystal/salts were carried out in 0.1N HCl aqueous medium and compared with the solubility of the citrate salt. The glutarate salt and pimelic acid cocrystal dissolve faster than the citrate salt in a two hour dissolution experiment. The glutarate salt exhibits improved solubility (3.2-fold) compared to the citrate salt in water. Solubilities of the binary salts follow an inverse correlation with their melting points, while the solubilities of the cocrystals follow solubilities of the coformer. Pharmacokinetic studies on rats showed that the glutarate salt exhibits doubled plasma AUC values in a single dose within an hour compared to the citrate salt. The high solubility of glutaric acid, in part originating from the strained conformation of the molecule and its high permeability, may be the reason for higher plasma levels of the drug.

  12. Stress Corrosion Cracking of Annealed and Cold Worked Titanium Grade 7 and Alloy 22 in 110 C Concentrated Salt Environments

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

    P. Andresen

    2000-11-08

    Stress corrosion crack growth studies have been performed on annealed and cold worked Titanium Grade 7 and Alloy 22 in 110 C, aerated, concentrated, high pH salt environments characteristic of concentrated ground water. Following a very careful transition from fatigue precracking conditions to SCC conditions, the long term behavior under very stable conditions was monitored using reversing dc potential drop. Titanium Grade 7 exhibited continuous crack growth under both near-static and complete static loading conditions. Alloy 22 exhibited similar growth rates, but was less prone to maintain stable crack growth as conditions approached fully static loading.

  13. ELECTROPHORESIS OF BACTERIA AS INFLUENCED BY HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION AND THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM AND CALCIUM SALTS

    PubMed Central

    Winslow, C.-E. A.; Falk, I. S.; Caulfield, M. F.

    1923-01-01

    1. We have confirmed the results of earlier workers particularly of Northrop and De Kruif in regard to the following points: (a) the general tendency of the bacterial cell when suspended in distilled water near the zone of neutrality to move toward the anode of an electrical field; (b) the fact that the migration of bacterial cells in the electrical field is a function of the reaction of the menstruum. The curve obtained by plotting velocity of migration against pH passes through an isoelectric point at about pH 3.0, at greater acidity the direction of migration becomes reversed (toward the cathode) and in still more acid solution (pH = 1.0) again disappears; while at reactions less acid than pH 3.0 the velocity is toward the anode and increases with increasing alkalinity; (c) the fact that neutral salts depress the velocity of migration, calcium salts being much more effective than sodium salts of the same concentration. 2. We further find: (a) that on the extreme alkaline side of the curve of velocity of migration plotted against pH a maximum value is reached at about pH 10 with a fall at about pH 12.0 which in many experiments reaches an isopotential point; (b) that the depressing effect of salts is accompanied by a general shifting of the curve of migration velocity so that a maximum velocity (of course absolutely less than that manifest in the absence of salts) appears at about pH 7.0 and an abolition of velocity at pH 9.0 to 10.0; (c) that an apparent "antagonistic" effect is indicated between CaCl2 and NaCl, the presence of a certain concentration of the latter salt diminishing to a slight but definite degree the depressing effect produced by the former; (d) that heat-killed bacterial cells exhibit essentially the same curve of migration velocity as that of the living cells; (e) that bacterial spores exhibit the same general curve of migration velocity as vegetative cells, although the actual velocity is apparently slightly less. 3. All of the observed

  14. Halotolerance and effect of salt on hydrophobicity in hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.

    PubMed

    Longang, Adégilns; Buck, Chris; Kirkwood, Kathlyn M

    2016-01-01

    Hydrocarbon-contaminated environments often also experience co-contamination with elevated levels of salt. This paper investigates the occurrence of halotolerance among several hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, as an initial assessment of the importance of salt contamination to bioremediation strategies. Halotolerance was common, but not ubiquitous, among the 12 hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria tested, with many strains growing at up to 75 or 100 g NaCl L(-1) in rich medium. Greater sensitivity to elevated salt concentrations was observed among aromatics degraders compared to saturates degraders, and in defined medium compared to rich medium. Observed effects of high salt concentrations included increased lag times and decreased maximum growth. Many strains exhibited flocculation at elevated salt concentrations, but this did not correlate to any patterns in cell surface hydrophobicity, measured using the Bacterial Adhesion to Hydrocarbon assay. The occurrence of halotolerance in hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria suggests the potential for native microorganisms to contribute to the bioremediation of oil and salt co-contaminated sites, and indicates the need for a better understanding of the relationship between halotolerance and hydrocarbon biodegradation capabilities.

  15. Dahl salt-sensitive rats develop hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism when fed a standard diet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thierry-Palmer, Myrtle; Cephas, Stacy; Sayavongsa, Phouyong; Doherty, Akins; Arnaud, Sara B.

    2005-01-01

    The Dahl salt-sensitive rat (S), a model for salt-sensitive hypertension, excretes protein-bound 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) into urine when fed a low salt diet. Urinary 25-OHD increases during high salt intake. We tested the hypothesis that continuous loss of 25-OHD into urine would result in low plasma 25-OHD concentration in mature S rats raised on a standard diet. Dahl S and salt-resistant (R) male rats were raised to maturity (12-month-old) on a commercial rat diet (1% salt) and switched to 0.3% (low) or 2% (high) salt diets 3 weeks before euthanasia. Urine (24 h) was collected at the end of the dietary treatments. Urinary 25-OHD and urinary 25-OHD binding activity of S rats were three times that of R rats, resulting in lower plasma 25-OHD and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations in S rats than in R rats (P < 0.001). Plasma parathyroid hormone concentrations of S rats were twice that of R rats. S rats fed 2% salt had higher plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations than those fed 0.3% salt (P = 0.002). S rats excreted more calcium into urine than R rats (P < 0.001) and did not exhibit the expected calciuric response to salt. Proteinuria of the S rats was three times that of the R rats, suggesting kidney damage in the S rats. Low plasma 25-OHD and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and high plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and PTH concentrations seen in the mature S rats have also been reported for elderly patients with low-renin (salt-induced) hypertension. An implication of this study is that low vitamin D status may occur with age in salt-sensitive individuals, even when salt intake is normal.

  16. Discontinuous hygroscopic growth of an aqueous surfactant/salt aerosol particle levitated in an electrodynamic balance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soonsin, V.; Krieger, U. K.; Peter, T.

    2010-12-01

    Organic compounds are a major fraction of tropospheric aerosol. The organic fraction is usually internally mixed with inorganic salts. Surface-active organic matter or surfactants, enriched in the oceanic surface layer and transferred to the atmosphere by bubble-bursting processes, are the most likely candidates to contribute the observed organic fraction in sea salt aerosol [1, 2]. If the organic substance is a surfactant, it will lower the surface tension. In addition aggregates of the organic monomers, called micelles, will form if the concentration of the organic exceeds a certain limit (critical micelle concentration). These aggregates do have different morphology (spheres or globular or rod like micelles, or spherical bilayer vesicles etc.) and size, depending on the nature of the organic molecule, its concentration and the concentration of inorganic salts [3]. These aggregate may promote solubilisation of organic compounds in aqueous atmospheric aerosol. We performed measurements of ternary aqueous solution particles consisting of tetraethylene glycol monooctyl ether (C8E4) as organic surfactant and sodium chloride (NaCl) as inorganic salt and water (H2O) using single levitated aerosol particles in an electrodynamic balance. The particles can be stored contact-free in a temperature and humidity controlled chamber and optical resonance spectroscopy is used to monitor radius change [4]. Mie resonance spectra of ternary droplets show discontinuous growth with increasing relative humidity (RH) and also discontinuous shrinkage with decreasing relative humidity. We observe this behavior at temperatures and RHs at which the salt is completely deliquesced and the concentration of the organic surfactant is larger than the critical micelle concentration. Independent measurements of particle mass show also discontinuous water uptake. We speculate that this discontinuous, step-like, growth is caused by disaggregation of a micelle needed to conserve the monolayer of

  17. Candidate Low-Temperature Glass Waste Forms for Technetium-99 Recovered from Hanford Effluent Management Facility Evaporator Concentrate

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

    Ding, Mei; Tang, Ming; Rim, Jung Ho

    Alternative treatment and disposition options may exist for technetium-99 (99Tc) in secondary liquid waste from the Hanford Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) process. One approach includes development of an alternate glass waste form that is suitable for on-site disposition of technetium, including salts and other species recovered by ion exchange or precipitation from the EMF evaporator concentrate. By recovering the Tc content from the stream, and not recycling the treated concentrate, the DFLAW process can potentially be operated in a more efficient manner that lowers the cost to the Department of Energy. This report provides a survey of candidate glass formulationsmore » and glass-making processes that can potentially incorporate technetium at temperatures <700 °C to avoid volatilization. Three candidate technetium feed streams are considered: (1) dilute sodium pertechnetate loaded on a non-elutable ion exchange resin; (2) dilute sodium-bearing aqueous eluent from ion exchange recovery of pertechnetate, or (3) technetium(IV) oxide precipitate containing Sn and Cr solids in an aqueous slurry. From the technical literature, promising candidate glasses are identified based on their processing temperatures and chemical durability data. The suitability and technical risk of three low-temperature glass processing routes (vitrification, encapsulation by sintering into a glass composite material, and sol-gel chemical condensation) for the three waste streams was assessed, based on available low-temperature glass data. For a subset of candidate glasses, their long-term thermodynamic behavior with exposure to water and oxygen was modeled using Geochemist’s Workbench, with and without addition of reducing stannous ion. For further evaluation and development, encapsulation of precipitated TcO2/Sn/Cr in a glass composite material based on lead-free sealing glasses is recommended as a high priority. Vitrification of pertechnetate in aqueous anion exchange eluent

  18. Techniques for Measuring Solubility and Electrical Conductivity in Molten Salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Shizhao; Villalon, Thomas; Pal, Uday; Powell, Adam

    Eutectic MgF2-CaF2 based salt containing YF3, CaO and Al2O3 additions were used in this study. The electrical conductivity was measured as a function of temperature by a calibration-free coaxial electrode setup. The materials selection and setup design were optimized to accurately measure the electrical conductivity of the highly conductive molten salts (>1 S/cm). The solubility and diffusion behavior of alumina and zirconia in the molten salts were investigated by drawing and holding the molten salt for different lengths of time within capillary tubes made of alumina and zirconia, respectively. After the time-dependent high temperature holds, the samples were cooled and the solubility of the solute within the molten salt was determined using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis.

  19. Development of a TDLAS sensor for temperature and concentration of H2 O in high speed and high temperature flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sheehe, Suzanne; O'Byrne, Sean

    2017-06-01

    The development of a sensor for simultaneous temperature concentration of H2 O and temperature in high speed flows is presented. H2 O is a desirable target sensing species because it is a primary product in combustion systems; both temperature and concentration profiles can be used to assess both the extent of the combustion and the flow field characteristics. Accurate measurements are therefore highly desirable. The sensor uses a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) scanned at 50 kHz from 7172 to 7186 cm-1. Temperatures and concentrations are extracted from the spectra by fitting theoretical spectra to the experimental data. The theoretical spectra are generated using GENSPECT in conjunction with line parameters from the HITRAN 2012 database. To validate the theoretical spectra, experimental spectra of H2 O were obtained at known temperatures (290-550 K) and pressures (30 torr) in a heated static gas cell. The results show that some theoretical lines deviate from the experimental lines. New line-strengths are calculated assuming that the line assignments and broadening parameters in HITRAN are correct. This data is essential for accurate H2 O concentration and temperature measurements at low pressure and high temperature conditions. US Air Force Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development Grant FA2386-16-1-4092.

  20. Diversity and Evolution of Salt Tolerance in the Genus Vigna

    PubMed Central

    Iseki, Kohtaro; Takahashi, Yu; Muto, Chiaki; Naito, Ken; Tomooka, Norihiko

    2016-01-01

    Breeding salt tolerant plants is difficult without utilizing a diversity of wild crop relatives. Since the genus Vigna (family Fabaceae) is comprised of many wild relatives adapted to various environmental conditions, we evaluated the salt tolerance of 69 accessions of this genus, including that of wild and domesticated accessions originating from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America. We grew plants under 50 mM and 200 mM NaCl for two weeks and then measured the biomass, relative quantum yield of photosystem II, leaf Na+ concentrations, and leaf K+ concentrations. The accessions were clustered into four groups: the most tolerant, tolerant, moderately susceptible, and susceptible. From the most tolerant group, we selected six accessions, all of which were wild accessions adapted to coastal environments, as promising sources of salt tolerance because of their consistently high relative shoot biomass and relative quantum yield. Interestingly, variations in leaf Na+ concentration were observed between the accessions in the most tolerant group, suggesting different mechanisms were responsible for their salt tolerance. Phylogenetic analysis with nuclear DNA sequences revealed that salt tolerance had evolved independently at least four times in the genus Vigna, within a relatively short period. The findings suggested that simple genetic changes in a few genes might have greatly affected salt tolerances. The elucidation of genetic mechanisms of salt tolerances in the selected accessions may contribute to improving the poor salt tolerance in legume crops. PMID:27736995

  1. Assessment of the iodine concentration in table salt at the production stage in South Africa.

    PubMed Central

    Jooste, Pieter L.

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine the iodine content of iodized salt at the production stage, to assess the perceptions and knowledge of salt producers about the prevention and control of iodine deficiency, and to examine the internal quality control procedures used during iodization in South Africa. METHOD: Salt samples were collected for iodine analysis by titration from the 12 producers iodizing salt in South Africa. Information on the producers' knowledge of iodine deficiency disorders and on internal quality control was obtained by means of questionnaires. FINDINGS: The legal requirement of 40-60 ppm iodine was met in 30.9% of salt samples; 57.9% contained more than 30 ppm iodine; 34.8% contained under 20 ppm iodine. There were shortcomings in perceptions and knowledge about iodine deficiency disorders and in the internal quality control procedures of a substantial proportion of the producers. CONCLUSION: In order to encourage and support salt producers to achieve optimal iodization there should be an information, education and communication strategy aimed at improving knowledge of iodine deficiency disorders and at raising the standard of internal quality control procedures. External monitoring should continue. PMID:12973644

  2. Application of a new dynamic transport model to predict the evolution of performances throughout the nanofiltration of single salt solutions in concentration and diafiltration modes.

    PubMed

    Déon, Sébastien; Lam, Boukary; Fievet, Patrick

    2018-06-01

    Although many knowledge models describing the rejection of ionic compounds by nanofiltration membranes are available in literature, they are all used in full recycling mode. Indeed, both permeate and retentate streams are recycled in order to maintain constant concentrations in the feed solution. However, nanofiltration of real effluents is implemented either in concentration or diafiltration modes, for which the permeate stream is collected. In these conditions, concentrations progressively evolve during filtration and classical models fail to predict performances. In this paper, an improvement of the so called "Donnan Steric Pore Model", which includes both volume and concentration variations over time is proposed. This dynamic model is used here to predict the evolution of volumes and concentrations in both permeate and retentate streams during the filtration of salt solutions. This model was found to predict accurately the filtration performances with various salts whether the filtration is performed in concentration or diafiltration modes. The parameters of the usual model can be easily assessed from full batch experiments before being used in the dynamic version. Nevertheless, it is also highlighted that the variation of the membrane charge due to the evolution of feed concentration over time has to be taken into account in the model through the use of adsorption isotherms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Fluoride salts as phase change materials for thermal energy storage in the temperature range 1000-1400 K

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Misra, Ajay K.

    1988-01-01

    Eutectic compositions and congruently melting intermediate compounds in binary and ternary fluoride salt systems were characterized for potential use as latent heat of fusion phase change materials to store thermal energy in the temperature range 1000-1400 K. The melting points and eutectic compositions for many systems with published phase diagrams were experimentally verified and new eutectic compositions having melting points between 1000 and 1400 K were identified. Heats of fusion of several binary and ternary eutectics and congruently melting compounds were experimentally measured by differential scanning calorimetry. For a few systems in which heats of mixing in the melts have been measured, heats of fusion of the eutectics were calculated from thermodynamic considerations and good agreement was obtained between the measured and calculated values. Several combinations of salts with high heats of fusion per unit mass (greater than 0.7 kJ/g) have been identified for possible use as phase change materials in advanced solar dynamic space power applications.

  4. Salt materials testing for a spacecraft adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Savage, M. L.; Kittel, P.; Roellig, T.

    1990-01-01

    As part of a technology development effort to qualify adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators for use in a NASA spacecraft, such as the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, a study of low temperature characteristics, heat capacity and resistance to dehydration was conducted for different salt materials. This report includes results of testing with cerrous metaphosphate, several synthetic rubies, and chromic potassium alum (CPA). Preliminary results show that CPA may be suitable for long-term spacecraft use, provided that the salt is property encapsulated. Methods of salt pill construction and testing for all materials are discussed, as well as reliability tests. Also, the temperature regulation scheme and the test cryostat design are briefly discussed.

  5. Comparison of the reaction of bone-derived cells to enhanced MgCl2-salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Burmester, Anna; Luthringer, Bérengère; Willumeit, Regine; Feyerabend, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Magnesium-based implants exhibit various advantages such as biodegradability and potential for enhanced in vivo bone formation. However, the cellular mechanisms behind this possible osteoconductivity remain unclear. To determine whether high local magnesium concentrations can be osteoconductive and exclude other environmental factors that occur during the degradation of magnesium implants, magnesium salt (MgCl2) was used as a model system. Because cell lines are preferred targets in studies of non-degradable implant materials, we performed a comparative study of 3 osteosarcoma-derived cell lines (MG63, SaoS2 and U2OS) with primary human osteoblasts. The correlation among cell count, viability, cell size and several MgCl2 concentrations was used to examine the influence of magnesium on proliferation in vitro. Moreover, bone metabolism alterations during proliferation were investigated by analyzing the expression of genes involved in osteogenesis. It was observed that for all cell types, the cell count decreases at concentrations above 10 mM MgCl2. However, detailed analysis showed that MgCl2 has a relevant but very diverse influence on proliferation and bone metabolism, depending on the cell type. Only for primary cells was a clear stimulating effect observed. Therefore, reliable results demonstrating the osteoconductivity of magnesium implants can only be achieved with primary osteoblasts.

  6. Entropy Drives the Formation of Salt Bridges in the Protein GB3.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ning; Wang, Yefei; An, Liaoyuan; Song, Xiangfei; Huang, Qingshan; Liu, Zhijun; Yao, Lishan

    2017-06-19

    Salt bridges are very common in proteins. But what drives the formation of protein salt bridges is not clear. In this work, we determined the strength of four salt bridges in the protein GB3 by measuring the ΔpK a values of the basic residues that constitute the salt bridges with a highly accurate NMR titration method at different temperatures. The results show that the ΔpK a values increase with temperature, thus indicating that the salt bridges are stronger at higher temperatures. Fitting of ΔpK a values to the van't Hoff equation yields positive ΔH and ΔS values, thus indicating that entropy drives salt-bridge formation. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the protein and solvent make opposite contributions to ΔH and ΔS. Specifically, the enthalpic gain contributed from the protein is more than offset by the enthalpic loss contributed from the solvent, whereas the entropic gain originates from the desolvation effect. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Mathematical model of salt cavern leaching for gas storage in high-insoluble salt formations.

    PubMed

    Li, Jinlong; Shi, Xilin; Yang, Chunhe; Li, Yinping; Wang, Tongtao; Ma, Hongling

    2018-01-10

    A mathematical model is established to predict the salt cavern development during leaching in high-insoluble salt formations. The salt-brine mass transfer rate is introduced, and the effects of the insoluble sediments on the development of the cavern are included. Considering the salt mass conservation in the cavern, the couple equations of the cavern shape, brine concentration and brine velocity are derived. According to the falling and accumulating rules of the insoluble particles, the governing equations of the insoluble sediments are deduced. A computer program using VC++ language is developed to obtain the numerical solution of these equations. To verify the proposed model, the leaching processes of two salt caverns of Jintan underground gas storage are simulated by the program, using the actual geological and technological parameters. The same simulation is performed by the current mainstream leaching software in China. The simulation results of the two programs are compared with the available field data. It shows that the proposed software is more accurate on the shape prediction of the cavern bottom and roof, which demonstrates the reliability and applicability of the model.

  8. Consumer acceptance of broiler breast fillets marinated with varying levels of salt.

    PubMed

    Saha, A; Lee, Y; Meullenet, J F; Owens, C M

    2009-02-01

    Marination is an increasingly popular trend in the meat industry for meat quality enhancement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects different levels of salt in marinated poultry breast meat on consumer acceptance. A total of 100 broiler carcasses were deboned at 5 h postmortem, and breast fillets were marinated with 1 of 4 concentrations of salt: 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.25%. All marinated treatments had 0.45% phosphate concentration. A nonmarinated control was also included. Sensory evaluations of left fillets for moistness, texture, tenderness, saltiness, flavor, and overall impression were obtained on all treatments using hedonic and just about right (JAR) scales. Instrumental tenderness analysis was conducted on right fillets using Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear analysis methods. Hedonic data showed no significant difference in the marinated products (0.5 to 1.25% salt) for overall impression, flavor, and texture. However, according to the JAR scale, as the percentage of salt in the formulation increased (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25%), the percentage of consumers who considered the product as not salty enough generally decreased. The products with the greater concentrations of salt (1.0 and 1.25%) resulted in high percentages of consumers who considered the product too salty. For juiciness and tenderness, a large percentage (>70%) of the consumers considered 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0% treatments to be JAR. Greater than 20% of consumers considered fillets marinated with 1% or greater salt concentration as too salty. Fillets marinated with lower levels of salt (0.5 and 0.75%) were considered JAR for saltiness by most consumers, whereas very few consumers considered the fillets to be too salty. Using instrumental tenderness analysis, salt concentrations above 1.0% were more tender than other treatments; however, all marinated treatments were significantly more tender than nonmarinated controls. These results suggest that using low salt concentrations, 0.5 to 0.75%, is

  9. Effect of Pre-rigor Salting Levels on Physicochemical and Textural Properties of Chicken Breast Muscles.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyun-Wook; Hwang, Ko-Eun; Song, Dong-Heon; Kim, Yong-Jae; Ham, Youn-Kyung; Yeo, Eui-Joo; Jeong, Tae-Jun; Choi, Yun-Sang; Kim, Cheon-Jei

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pre-rigor salting level (0-4% NaCl concentration) on physicochemical and textural properties of pre-rigor chicken breast muscles. The pre-rigor chicken breast muscles were de-boned 10 min post-mortem and salted within 25 min post-mortem. An increase in pre-rigor salting level led to the formation of high ultimate pH of chicken breast muscles at post-mortem 24 h. The addition of minimum of 2% NaCl significantly improved water holding capacity, cooking loss, protein solubility, and hardness when compared to the non-salting chicken breast muscle (p<0.05). On the other hand, the increase in pre-rigor salting level caused the inhibition of myofibrillar protein degradation and the acceleration of lipid oxidation. However, the difference in NaCl concentration between 3% and 4% had no great differences in the results of physicochemical and textural properties due to pre-rigor salting effects (p>0.05). Therefore, our study certified the pre-rigor salting effect of chicken breast muscle salted with 2% NaCl when compared to post-rigor muscle salted with equal NaCl concentration, and suggests that the 2% NaCl concentration is minimally required to ensure the definite pre-rigor salting effect on chicken breast muscle.

  10. Diagnostic system for measuring temperature, pressure, CO2 concentration and H2O concentration in a fluid stream

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

    Partridge, Jr., William P.; Jatana, Gurneesh Singh; Yoo, Ji-Hyung

    A diagnostic system for measuring temperature, pressure, CO.sub.2 concentration and H.sub.2O concentration in a fluid stream is described. The system may include one or more probes that sample the fluid stream spatially, temporally and over ranges of pressure and temperature. Laser light sources are directed down pitch optical cables, through a lens and to a mirror, where the light sources are reflected back, through the lens to catch optical cables. The light travels through the catch optical cables to detectors, which provide electrical signals to a processer. The processer utilizes the signals to calculate CO.sub.2 concentration based on the temperaturesmore » derived from H.sub.2O vapor concentration. A probe for sampling CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O vapor concentrations is also disclosed. Various mechanical features interact together to ensure the pitch and catch optical cables are properly aligned with the lens during assembly and use.« less

  11. Isoprene function in two contrasting poplars under salt and sunflecks.

    PubMed

    Behnke, K; Ghirardo, A; Janz, D; Kanawati, B; Esperschütz, J; Zimmer, I; Schmitt-Kopplin, P; Niinemets, Ü; Polle, A; Schnitzler, J P; Rosenkranz, M

    2013-06-01

    In the present study, biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and photosynthetic gas exchange of salt-sensitive (Populus x canescens (Aiton) Sm.) and salt-tolerant (Populus euphratica Oliv.) isoprene-emitting and non-isoprene-emitting poplars were examined under controlled high-salinity and high-temperature and -light episode ('sunfleck') treatments. Combined treatment with salt and sunflecks led to an increased isoprene emission capacity in both poplar species, although the photosynthetic performance of P. × canescens was reduced. Indeed, different allocations of isoprene precursors between the cytosol and the chloroplast in the two species were uncovered by means of (13)CO2 labeling. Populus × canescens leaves, moreover, increased their use of 'alternative' carbon (C) sources in comparison with recently fixed C for isoprene biosynthesis under salinity. Our studies show, however, that isoprene itself does not have a function in poplar survival under salt stress: the non-isoprene-emitting leaves showed only a slightly decreased photosynthetic performance compared with wild type under salt treatment. Lipid composition analysis revealed differences in the double bond index between the isoprene-emitting and non-isoprene-emitting poplars. Four clear metabolomics patterns were recognized, reflecting systemic changes in flavonoids, sterols and C fixation metabolites due to the lack/presence of isoprene and the absence/presence of salt stress. The studies were complemented by long-term temperature stress experiments, which revealed the thermotolerance role of isoprene as the non-isoprene-emitting leaves collapsed under high temperature, releasing a burst of BVOCs. Engineered plants with a low isoprene emission potential might therefore not be capable of resisting high-temperature episodes.

  12. Salt preference: age and sex related variability.

    PubMed

    Verma, Punam; Mittal, Sunita; Ghildiyal, Archana; Chaudhary, Lalita; Mahajan, K K

    2007-01-01

    Salt preference was assessed in 60 adults of 18-21 yrs of age (30 males and 30 females) and in 60 children of 7-12 yrs of age (30 boys and 30 girls). Subjects rated the preference on Likert scale for popcorns of five salt concentrations (OM, 1M, 2M, 3M and +3M). Statistical analysis using Two way ANOVA revealed statistically significant effect of age and sex on salt preference (F4,100 = 15.027, P < 0.01) and One Way ANOVA revealed statistically significant sex difference in salt preference of adults (F4,50 = 16.26, P < 0.01) but no statistically significant sex difference in salt preference of children (F4,50 = 4.08, P > 0.05). Dietary experiences during development and more physical activity in children may be responsible for higher salt preference in children while finding no sex variability in children favours the role of sex hormones in salt preference of male and females.

  13. Spectral and Concentration Sensitivity of Multijunction Solar Cells at High Temperature: Preprint

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

    Friedman, Daniel J.; Steiner, Myles A.; Perl, Emmett E.

    2017-06-14

    We model the performance of two-junction solar cells at very high temperatures of ~400 degrees C and beyond for applications such as hybrid PV/solar-thermal power production, and identify areas in which the design and performance characteristics behave significantly differently than at more conventional near-room-temperature operating conditions. We show that high-temperature operation reduces the sensitivity of the cell efficiency to spectral content, but increases the sensitivity to concentration, both of which have implications for energy yield in terrestrial PV applications. For other high-temperature applications such as near-sun space missions, our findings indicate that concentration may be a useful tool to enhancemore » cell efficiency.« less

  14. Mesocarbon microbead based graphite for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Yajuan; Zhang, Junpeng; Lin, Jun; Xu, Liujun; Zhang, Feng; Xu, Hongxia; Chen, Yu; Jiang, Haitao; Li, Ziwei; Zhu, Zhiyong; Guo, Quangui

    2017-07-01

    Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) and quasi-isostatic pressing method were used to prepare MCMB based graphite (MG) for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor (MSR). Characteristics of mercury infiltration and molten salt infiltration in MG were investigated and compared with A3-3 (graphite for spherical fuel element in high temperature gas cooled reactor) to identify the infiltration behaviors. The results indicated that MG had a low porosity about 14%, and an average pore diameter of 96 nm. Fluoride salt occupation of A3-3 (average pore diameter was 760 nm) was 10 wt% under 6.5 atm, whereas salt gain did not infiltrate in MG even up to 6.5 atm. It demonstrated that MG could inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt effectively. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of MG lies in 6.01 × 10-6 K-1 (α∥) and 6.15 × 10-6 K-1 (α⊥) at the temperature range of 25-700 °C. The anisotropy factor of MG calculated by CTE maintained below 1.02, which could meet the requirement of the spherical fuel element (below 1.30). The constant isotropic property of MG is beneficial for the integrity and safety of the graphite used in the spherical fuel element for a MSR.

  15. Molten salts and nuclear energy production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Brun, Christian

    2007-01-01

    Molten salts (fluorides or chlorides) were considered near the beginning of research into nuclear energy production. This was initially due to their advantageous physical and chemical properties: good heat transfer capacity, radiation insensitivity, high boiling point, wide range solubility for actinides. In addition it was realised that molten salts could be used in numerous situations: high temperature heat transfer, core coolants with solid fuels, liquid fuel in a molten salt reactor, solvents for spent nuclear solid fuel in the case of pyro-reprocessing and coolant and tritium production in the case of fusion. Molten salt reactors, one of the six innovative concepts chosen by the Generation IV international forum, are particularly interesting for use as either waste incinerators or thorium cycle systems. As the neutron balance in the thorium cycle is very tight, the possibility to perform online extraction of some fission product poisons from the salt is very attractive. In this article the most important questions that must be addressed to demonstrate the feasibility of molten salt reactor will be reviewed.

  16. Resolution Mechanism and Characterization of an Ammonium Chloride-Tolerant, High-Thermostable, and Salt-Tolerant Phenylalanine Dehydrogenase from Bacillus halodurans.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Wei; Wang, Ya-Li; Fang, Bai-Shan

    2018-05-09

    As phenylalanine dehydrogenase (PheDH) plays an important role in the synthesis of chiral drug intermediates and detection of phenylketonuria, it is significant to obtain a PheDH with specific and high activity. Here, a PheDH gene, pdh, encoding a novel BhPheDH with 61.0% similarity to the known PheDH from Microbacterium sp., was obtained. The BhPheDH showed optimal activity at 60 °C and pH 7.0, and it showed better stability in hot environment (40-70 °C) than the PheDH from Nocardia sp. And its activity and thermostability could be significantly increased by sodium salt. After incubation for 2 h in 3 M NaCl at 60 °C, the residual activity of the BhPheDH was found to be 1.8-fold higher than that of the control group (without NaCl). The BhPheDH could tolerate high concentration of ammonium chloride and its activity could be also enhanced by the high concentration of ammonium salts. These characteristics indicate that the BhPheDH possesses better thermostability, ammonium chloride tolerance, halophilic mechanism, and high salt activation. The mechanism of thermostability and high salt tolerance of the BhPheDH was analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation. These results provide useful information about the enzyme with high-temperature activity, thermostability, halophilic mechanism, tolerance to high concentration of ammonium chloride, higher salt activation and enantio-selectivity, and the application of molecular dynamics simulation in analyzing the mechanism of these distinctive characteristics.

  17. Specific ion-protein interactions dictate solubility behavior of a monoclonal antibody at low salt concentrations.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Le; Zhang, Jifeng

    2012-09-04

    The perturbation of salt ions on the solubility of a monoclonal antibody was systematically studied at various pHs in Na(2)SO(4), NaNO(3), NaCl, NaF, MgSO(4), Mg(NO(3))(2) and MgCl(2) solutions below 350 mM. At pH 7.1, close to the pI, all of the salts increased the solubility of the antibody, following the order of SO(4)(2-) > NO(3)(-) > Cl(-) > F(-) for anions and Mg(2+) > Na(+) for cations. At pH 5.3 where the antibody had a net positive charge, the anions initially followed the order of SO(4)(2-) > NO(3)(-) > Cl(-) > F(-) for effectiveness in reducing the solubility and then switched to increasing the solubility retaining the same order. Furthermore, the antibody was more soluble in the Mg(2+) salt solutions than in the corresponding Na(+) salt solutions with the same anion. At pH 9.0 where the antibody had a net negative charge, an initial decrease in the protein solubility was observed in the solutions of the Mg(2+) salts and NaF, but not in the rest of the Na(+) salt solutions. Then, the solubility of the antibody was increased by the anions in the order of SO(4)(2-) > NO(3)(-) > Cl(-) > F(-). The above complex behavior is explained based on the ability of both cation and anion from a salt to modulate protein-protein interactions through their specific binding to the protein surface.

  18. Thermal modelling and control of 130kw direct contact (salt/air) heat exchanger

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qureshi, Omer A.; Calvet, Nicolas; Armstrong, Peter R.

    2017-06-01

    This work investigates the transient response of a certain type of direct contact heat exchanger (DCHX) that consists of packing (Raschig Rings) to increase the surface area for effective heat transfer between molten salt and air. Molten salt from the hot tank enters the heat exchanger (HX) and exit after heating the air still in the molten form. Thermal capacitance of the HX, mainly due to packing and resident salt inside the HX, results in strong transient response. Pure delay from salt residence time may also impact transient response. Both phenomena have been modelled in this paper. A Proportional-Integral controller (PI control) performance has been evaluated to maintain the minimum salt temperature above avoid crystallization temperature of the salt.

  19. Significant Enhancement in the Thermoelectric Properties of PEDOT:PSS Films through a Treatment with Organic Solutions of Inorganic Salts.

    PubMed

    Fan, Zeng; Du, Donghe; Yu, Zhimeng; Li, Pengcheng; Xia, Yijie; Ouyang, Jianyong

    2016-09-07

    Conducting polymers have promising thermoelectric application because they have many advantages including abundant elements, mechanical flexibility, and nontoxicity. The thermoelectric properties of conducting polymers strongly depend on their chemical structure and microstructure. Here, we report a novel and facile method to significantly enhance the thermoelectric properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) films through a treatment with organic solutions of inorganic salts. N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) and a common inorganic salt like zinc chloride (ZnCl2) are used as the solvent and solute of the solutions, respectively. The treatments can significantly increase both the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the PSS films. The thermoelectric properties of the PSS films are sensitive to the experimental conditions, such as the salt concentration, treatment temperature, and the cation of the salts. After treatment at the optimal experimental conditions, the PSS films can exhibit a Seebeck coefficient of 26.1 μV/K and an electrical conductivity of over 1400 S/cm at room temperature. The corresponding power factor is 98.2 μW/(m·K(2)). The mechanism for the enhancement in the thermoelectric properties is attributed to the segregation of some PSSH chains from PSS and the conformation change of PEDOT chains as a result of the synergetic effects of inorganic salts and DMF.

  20. Combined effect of salt and drought on boron toxicity in Puccinellia tenuiflora.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chunguang; Dai, Zheng; Xia, Jingye; Chang, Can; Sun, Hongwen

    2018-08-15

    Boron toxicity is a worldwide problem, usually accompanied by salt (NaCl) and drought. The combined stresses may induce complex toxicity to the plant. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the combined stresses of salt and drought affect B toxicity in plants. Puccinellia tenuiflora seedlings were planted in vermiculite. A three (B) × three (salt) × three (drought) factorial experiment (for a total of 27 treatments) was conducted. After a 30-day cultivation, plants were harvested to determine dry weight and the concentrations of B, Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ . Plant growth was inhibited by B toxicity, which was alleviated by salt and drought. B stress enhanced B uptake and transport of the plant, which was inhibited by salt and drought. B stress had a little effect on K + and Na + concentration and caused Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ accumulation in the plant. Salt addition increased Na + concentration and inhibited Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ accumulation. Drought addition inhibited Na + accumulation and enhanced Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ accumulation. The combined stresses of salt and drought had a greater alleviation on the inhibition of dry weight caused by B than individual salt and drought. Besides, the combined stresses of salt and drought also enhanced B uptake and inhibited B transport. The results indicate that salt, drought, and the combined stresses of salt and drought all can alleviate B toxicity in P. tenuiflora, the main mechanism of which is the restriction of B and Na + uptake caused by salt and drought. The combined stresses of salt and drought have a greater effect on B toxicity than individual salt and drought. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Direct Numerical Simulations of Concentration and Temperature Polarization in Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lou, Jincheng; Tilton, Nils

    2017-11-01

    Membrane distillation (MD) is a method of desalination with boundary layers that are challenging to simulate. MD is a thermal process in which warm feed and cool distilled water flow on opposite sides of a hydrophobic membrane. The temperature difference causes water to evaporate from the feed, travel through the membrane, and condense in the distillate. Two challenges to MD are temperature and concentration polarization. Temperature polarization represents a reduction in the transmembrane temperature difference due to heat transfer through the membrane. Concentration polarization describes the accumulation of solutes near the membrane. These phenomena reduce filtration and lead to membrane fouling. They are difficult to simulate due to the coupling between the velocity, temperature, and concentration fields on the membrane. Unsteady regimes are particularly challenging because noise at the outlets can pollute the near-membrane flow fields. We present the development of a finite-volume method for the simulation of fluid flow, heat, and mass transport in MD systems. Using the method, we perform a parametric study of the polarization boundary layers, and show that the concentration boundary layer shows self-similar behavior that satisfies power laws for the downstream growth. Funded by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

  2. Liquid salt environment stress-rupture testing

    DOEpatents

    Ren, Weiju; Holcomb, David E.; Muralidharan, Govindarajan; Wilson, Dane F.

    2016-03-22

    Disclosed herein are systems, devices and methods for stress-rupture testing selected materials within a high-temperature liquid salt environment. Exemplary testing systems include a load train for holding a test specimen within a heated inert gas vessel. A thermal break included in the load train can thermally insulate a load cell positioned along the load train within the inert gas vessel. The test specimen can include a cylindrical gage portion having an internal void filled with a molten salt during stress-rupture testing. The gage portion can have an inner surface area to volume ratio of greater than 20 to maximize the corrosive effect of the molten salt on the specimen material during testing. Also disclosed are methods of making a salt ingot for placement within the test specimen.

  3. Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Frozen Chloride Salts on Icy Bodies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, P. V.; Thomas, E. C.; Hodyss, R. P.; Vu, T. H.; Choukroun, M.

    2016-12-01

    Understanding the habitability of Europa's ocean is of great interest to astrobiology and is the focus of missions currently being considered to explore Europa. Currently, our best means of constraining the subsurface ocean composition and its subsequent habitability is by further study of Europa's surface chemical composition. Analysis of existing (and future) remote sensing data is limited by the availability of spectral libraries of candidate materials under relevant conditions (temperature, thermal/radiation history, etc.). Geochemical predictions of Europa's ocean composition suggest that chloride salts are likely to exist on the surface of Europa as well as other ocean worlds. We have conducted a study of frozen chloride-salt brines prepared at temperatures, pressures and radiation conditions (UV) in order to simulate conditions on the surface of Europa and other airless bodies. Hydration states of various chloride salts as a function of temperature were determined using Raman spectroscopy. Near IR reflectance spectra of identically prepared samples were measured to provide reference spectra of the identified hydrated salts. We find that the freezing of NaCl at temperatures ranging from 80 K to 233 K forms hydrohalite. In contrast, KCl hydrates are not formed from the freezing of KCl brines. In addition, a stable hexahydrate forms from the freezing of MgCl2 solutions, while a hexahydrate, a tetrahydrate, and a dihydrate, form upon freezing of CaCl2 solutions. Salts were observed to dehydrated with increasing temperatures, leading to a succession of hydration states in the case of CaCl2. Irradiation with vacuum ultraviolet light was observed to lead to dehydration as well.

  4. Molten salt destruction of energetic waste materials

    DOEpatents

    Brummond, W.A.; Upadhye, R.S.; Pruneda, C.O.

    1995-07-18

    A molten salt destruction process is used to treat and destroy energetic waste materials such as high explosives, propellants, and rocket fuels. The energetic material is pre-blended with a solid or fluid diluent in safe proportions to form a fluid fuel mixture. The fuel mixture is rapidly introduced into a high temperature molten salt bath. A stream of molten salt is removed from the vessel and may be recycled as diluent. Additionally, the molten salt stream may be pumped from the reactor, circulated outside the reactor for further processing, and delivered back into the reactor or cooled and circulated to the feed delivery system to further dilute the fuel mixture entering the reactor. 4 figs.

  5. Molten salt destruction of energetic waste materials

    DOEpatents

    Brummond, William A.; Upadhye, Ravindra S.; Pruneda, Cesar O.

    1995-01-01

    A molten salt destruction process is used to treat and destroy energetic waste materials such as high explosives, propellants, and rocket fuels. The energetic material is pre-blended with a solid or fluid diluent in safe proportions to form a fluid fuel mixture. The fuel mixture is rapidly introduced into a high temperature molten salt bath. A stream of molten salt is removed from the vessel and may be recycled as diluent. Additionally, the molten salt stream may be pumped from the reactor, circulated outside the reactor for further processing, and delivered back into the reactor or cooled and circulated to the feed delivery system to further dilute the fuel mixture entering the reactor.

  6. Road salt in the environment: loads, lags and consequences.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Findlay, S.; Kelly, V.; Martin, L.

    2014-12-01

    Increased use of road salt over the past few decades has, not surprisingly, led to higher Na and Cl concentrations in dispersed parts of the environment. We have tracked these changes over southeastern New York for the past 20+ years and can show a clear link to road density as an explanatory factor for local concentrations. The unexpected findings center around retention of Cl in streams and shallow groundwaters long after the winter season has passed and this can result in average summertime concentrations as high as monthly mean concentrations during the snoa and ice season. These persisten concentrations have consequences for aquatic life as well as local water resources. Literature suggests these high summer values may cause harm to some sensitive organisms.Experiments show both susceptibility and adaptation by local stream algal communities. Analysis of reported data from private drinking water wells shows a sub-set has Cl levels above the EPA secondary standard and these exceedances are apparently associated with local salt application rates. The problems of rising salt are significant given the magnitude of salt release to the environment but also tractable in the sense that there are multiple motivations for minimizing application rates while maintaining public safety. The salinization issue has also proven a useful tool for public engagement since the problem is widespread yet comprehensible.

  7. Conformations of gelatin in trivalent chromium salt solutions: Viscosity and dynamic light scattering study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiao, Congde; Zhang, Jianlong; Kong, Aiqun

    2017-02-01

    An investigation of the influences of pH, salt type, and salt concentration on the conformations of gelatin molecules in trivalent chromium salt solutions was performed by viscosity and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. It was found that the viscosity behaviors as polyelectrolytes or polyampholytes depended on the charge distribution on the gelatin chains, which can be tuned by the value of pH of the gelatin solution. The intrinsic viscosity of gelatin in basic chromium sulfate aqueous solution at pH = 2.0 first decreased and then increased with increasing Cr(OH)SO4 concentration, while a monotonic decrease of the intrinsic viscosity of gelatin was observed in CrCl3 solution. However, the intrinsic viscosity of gelatin at pH = 5.0 was found to be increased first and then decreased with an increase in salt concentration in Cr(OH)SO4 solution, as well as in CrCl3 solution. We suggested that the observed viscosity behavior of gelatin in trivalent chromium salt solutions was attributed to the comprehensive effects of shielding, overcharging, and crosslinking (complexation) caused by the introduction of the different counterions. In addition, the average hydrodynamic radius ( R h ) of gelatin molecules in various salt solutions was determined by DLS. It was found that the change trend of R h with salt concentration was the same as the change of intrinsic viscosity. Based on the results of the viscosity and DLS, a possible mechanism for the conformational transition of gelatin chains with external conditions including pH, salt concentration, and salt type is proposed.

  8. Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Dacheng Dunhuang 50MW Molten Salt

    Science.gov Websites

    project Status Date: September 29, 2016 Project Overview Project Name: Dacheng Dunhuang 50MW Molten Salt ., Ltd Technology: Linear Fresnel reflector Turbine Capacity: Net: 50.0 MW Gross: 50.0 MW Status: Under reflector Status: Under development Country: China City: Dunhuang Region: Gansu Province Contact(s

  9. Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Chabei 64MW Molten Salt Parabolic

    Science.gov Websites

    project Status Date: September 29, 2016 Project Overview Project Name: Chabei 64MW Molten Salt Parabolic Technology: Parabolic trough Turbine Capacity: Net: 64.0 MW Gross: 64.0 MW Status: Under development Do you have more information, corrections, or comments? Background Technology: Parabolic trough Status: Under

  10. Free energetics of carbon nanotube association in aqueous inorganic NaI salt solutions: Temperature effects using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.

    PubMed

    Ou, Shu-Ching; Cui, Di; Wezowicz, Matthew; Taufer, Michela; Patel, Sandeep

    2015-06-15

    In this study, we examine the temperature dependence of free energetics of nanotube association using graphical processing unit-enabled all-atom molecular dynamics simulations (FEN ZI) with two (10,10) single-walled carbon nanotubes in 3 m NaI aqueous salt solution. Results suggest that the free energy, enthalpy and entropy changes for the association process are all reduced at the high temperature, in agreement with previous investigations using other hydrophobes. Via the decomposition of free energy into individual components, we found that solvent contribution (including water, anion, and cation contributions) is correlated with the spatial distribution of the corresponding species and is influenced distinctly by the temperature. We studied the spatial distribution and the structure of the solvent in different regions: intertube, intratube and the bulk solvent. By calculating the fluctuation of coarse-grained tube-solvent surfaces, we found that tube-water interfacial fluctuation exhibits the strongest temperature dependence. By taking ions to be a solvent-like medium in the absence of water, tube-anion interfacial fluctuation shows similar but weaker dependence on temperature, while tube-cation interfacial fluctuation shows no dependence in general. These characteristics are discussed via the malleability of their corresponding solvation shells relative to the nanotube surface. Hydrogen bonding profiles and tetrahedrality of water arrangement are also computed to compare the structure of solvent in the solvent bulk and intertube region. The hydrophobic confinement induces a relatively lower concentration environment in the intertube region, therefore causing different intertube solvent structures which depend on the tube separation. This study is relevant in the continuing discourse on hydrophobic interactions (as they impact generally a broad class of phenomena in biology, biochemistry, and materials science and soft condensed matter research), and

  11. Hofmeister effect on thermo-responsive poly(propylene oxide): Role of polymer molecular weight and concentration.

    PubMed

    Moghaddam, Saeed Zajforoushan; Thormann, Esben

    2016-03-01

    Although a vast amount of research has been dedicated to investigate the Hofmeister effect on the stability of polymer solutions, a clear understanding of the role of polymer properties in this phenomenon is still missing. Here, the Hofmeister effect of NaCl (destabilizing) and NaSCN (stabilizing) salts on aqueous solutions of poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) is studied. Four different molecular weights of PPO were investigated, to determine how the variation in the polymer coil size affects the Hofmeister effect. The investigation was further conducted for different PPO concentrations, in order to understand the effect of inter-chain interactions on the response to addition of salt. The temperature-driven phase separation of the solutions was monitored by differential scanning calorimetry, which provides the precise value of the phase separation temperature, as well as the enthalpy change accompanied with the transition. It was observed that increasing the molecular weight weakens the effect of the both salts, which is interpreted in terms of a scaling law between the molecular weight and the accessible surface area of the polymers. Increasing the PPO concentration further diminished the NaCl effect, but amplified the NaSCN effect. This difference is attributed to an electrostatic stabilization mechanism in the case of NaSCN. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Catalytic actions of alkaline salts in reactions between 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid and cellulose: II. Esterification.

    PubMed

    Ji, Bolin; Tang, Peixin; Yan, Kelu; Sun, Gang

    2015-11-05

    1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) reacts with cellulose in two steps with catalysis of alkaline salts such as sodium hypophosphite: anhydride formation and esterification of anhydride with cellulose. The alkali metal ions were found effective in catalyzing formation of BTCA anhydride in a previous report. In this work, catalytic functions of the alkaline salts in the esterification reaction between BTCA anhydride and cellulose were investigated. Results revealed that acid anions play an important role in the esterification reaction by assisting removal of protons on intermediates and completion of the esterification between cellulose and BTCA. Besides, alkaline salts with lower pKa1 values of the corresponding acids are more effective ones for the reaction since addition of these salts could lead to lower pH values and higher acid anion concentrations in finishing baths. The mechanism explains the results of FTIR and wrinkle recovery angles of the fabrics cured under different temperatures and times. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. 28-homobrassinolide regulates antioxidant enzyme activities and gene expression in response to salt- and temperature-induced oxidative stress in Brassica juncea.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Harpreet; Sirhindi, Geetika; Bhardwaj, Renu; Alyemeni, M N; Siddique, Kadambot H M; Ahmad, Parvaiz

    2018-06-07

    Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of naturally occurring plant steroid hormones that can induce plant tolerance to various plant stresses by regulating ROS production in cells, but the underlying mechanisms of this scavenging activity by BRs are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of 28-homobrassinolide (28-HBL) seed priming on Brassica juncea seedlings subjected to the combined stress of extreme temperatures (low, 4 °C or high, 44 °C) and salinity (180 mM), either alone or supplemented with 28-HBL treatments (0, 10 -6 , 10 -9 , 10 -12  M). The combined temperature and salt stress treatments significantly reduced shoot and root lengths, but these improved when supplemented with 28-HBL although the response was dose-dependent. The combined stress alone significantly increased H 2 O 2 content, but was inhibited when supplemented with 28-HBL. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) increased in response to 28-HBL. Overall, the 28-HBL seed priming treatment improved the plant's potential to combat the toxic effects imposed by the combined temperature and salt stress by tightly regulating the accumulation of ROS, which was reflected in the improved redox state of antioxidants.

  14. Thermoresponsive Poly(Ionic Liquid)s in Aqueous Salt Solutions: Salting-Out Effect on Their Phase Behavior and Water Absorption/Desorption Properties.

    PubMed

    Okafuji, Akiyoshi; Kohno, Yuki; Ohno, Hiroyuki

    2016-07-01

    Here, a thermoresponsive phase behavior of polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) composed of poly([tri-n-alkyl(vinylbenzyl)phosphonium]chloride) (poly([Pnnn VB ]Cl) is reported, where n (the number of carbon atoms of an alkyl chain) = 4, 5, or 6 after mixing with aqueous sodium chloride solutions. Both monomeric [P555VB ]Cl and the resulting poly([P555VB ]Cl) linear homopolymer show a lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type phase behavior in aq. NaCl solutions. The phase transition temperature of the PIL shifts to lower value by increasing concentration of NaCl. Also the swelling degree of cross-linked poly([P555VB ]Cl) gel decreases by increasing NaCl concentration, clearly suggesting the "salting-out" effect of NaCl results in a significant dehydration of the poly([P555VB ]Cl) gel. The absorbed water in the PIL gel is desorbed by moderate heating via the LCST behavior, and the absolute absorption/desorption amount is improved by copolymerization of [P555VB ]Cl with more hydrophilic [P444VB ]Cl monomer. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Utah: Salt Lake Region

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2014-05-15

    ... scheduled events are at city (indoor) locations, and five in mountain (outdoor) facilities. All ten can be found within the area contained ... Lake City is surrounded by mountains including the Wasatch Range to the east, and the temperature difference between the Great Salt Lake ...

  16. Assessment of the Use of Nitrogen Trifluoride for Purifying Coolant and Heat Transfer Salts in the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor

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

    Scheele, Randall D.; Casella, Andrew M.

    2010-09-28

    This report provides an assessment of the use of nitrogen trifluoride for removing oxide and water-caused contaminants in the fluoride salts that will be used as coolants in a molten salt cooled reactor.

  17. Ionomic and metabolic responses to neutral salt or alkaline salt stresses in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings.

    PubMed

    Guo, Rui; Shi, LianXuan; Yan, Changrong; Zhong, Xiuli; Gu, FengXue; Liu, Qi; Xia, Xu; Li, Haoru

    2017-02-10

    Soil salinity and alkalinity present a serious threat to global agriculture. However, most of the studies have focused on neutral salt stress, and the information on the metabolic responses of plants to alkaline salt stress is limited. This investigation aimed at determining the influence of neutral salt and alkaline salt stresses on the content of metal elements and metabolites in maize plant tissues, by using mixtures of various proportions of NaCl, NaHCO 3 , Na 2 SO 4 , and Na 2 CO 3 . We found that alkaline salt stress suppressed more pronouncedly the photosynthesis and growth of maize plants than salinity stress. Under alkaline salt stress conditions, metal ions formed massive precipitates, which ultimately reduced plant nutrient availability. On the other hand, high neutral salt stress induced metabolic changes in the direction of gluconeogenesis leading to the enhanced formation of sugars as a reaction contributing to the mitigation of osmotic stress. Thus, the active synthesis of sugars in shoots was essential to the development of salt tolerance. However, the alkaline salt stress conditions characterized by elevated pH values suppressed substantially the levels of photosynthesis, N metabolism, glycolysis, and the production of sugars and amino acids. These results indicate the presence of different defensive mechanisms responsible for the plant responses to neutral salt and alkaline salt stresses. In addition, the increased concentration of organic acids and enhanced metabolic energy might be potential major factors that can contribute to the maintenance intracellular ion balance in maize plants and counteract the negative effects of high pH under alkaline salt stress.

  18. Alloys compatibility in molten salt fluorides: Kurchatov Institute related experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ignatiev, Victor; Surenkov, Alexandr

    2013-10-01

    In the last several years, there has been an increased interest in the use of high-temperature molten salt fluorides in nuclear power systems. For all molten salt reactor designs, materials selection is a very important issue. This paper summarizes results, which led to selection of materials for molten salt reactors in Russia. Operating experience with corrosion thermal convection loops has demonstrated good capability of the “nickel-molybdenum alloys + fluoride salt fueled by UF4 and PuF3 + cover gas” system up to 750 °C. A brief description is given of the container material work in progress. Tellurium corrosion of Ni-based alloys in stressed and unloaded conditions studies was also tested in different molten salt mixtures at temperatures up to 700-750 °C, also with measurement of the redox potential. HN80MTY alloy with 1% added Al is the most resistant to tellurium intergranular cracking of Ni-base alloys under study.

  19. Ethylenediamine salt of 5-nitrotetrazole and preparation

    DOEpatents

    Lee, Kien-yin; Coburn, Michael D.

    1985-01-01

    Ethylenediamine salt of 5-nitrotetrazole and preparation. This salt has been found to be useful as an explosive alone and in eutectic mixtures with ammonium nitrate and/or other explosive compounds. Its eutectic with ammonium nitrate has been demonstrated to behave in a similar manner to a monomolecular explosive such as TNT, and is less sensitive than the pure salt. Moreover, this eutectic mixture, which contains 87.8 mol % of ammonium nitrate, is close to the CO.sub.2 -balanced composition of 90 mol %, and has a relatively low melting point of 110.5 C. making it readily castable. The ternary eutectic system containing the ethylenediamine salt of 5-nitrotetrazole, ammonium nitrate and ethylenediamine dinitrate has a eutectic temperature of 89.5 C. and gives a measured detonation pressure of 24.8 GPa, which is 97.6% of the calculated value. Both the pure ethylenediamine salt and its known eutectic compounds behave in substantially ideal manner. Methods for the preparation of the salt are described.

  20. Salt tolerant plants increase nitrogen removal from biofiltration systems affected by saline stormwater.

    PubMed

    Szota, Christopher; Farrell, Claire; Livesley, Stephen J; Fletcher, Tim D

    2015-10-15

    Biofiltration systems are used in urban areas to reduce the concentration and load of nutrient pollutants and heavy metals entering waterways through stormwater runoff. Biofilters can, however be exposed to salt water, through intrusion of seawater in coastal areas which could decrease their ability to intercept and retain pollutants. We measured the effect of adding saline stormwater on pollutant removal by six monocotyledonous species with different levels of salt-tolerance. Carex appressa, Carex bichenoviana, Ficinia nodosa, Gahnia filum, Juncus kraussii and Juncus usitatus were exposed to six concentrations of saline stormwater, equivalent to electrical conductivity readings of: 0.09, 2.3, 5.5, 10.4, 20.0 and 37.6 mS cm(-1). Salt-sensitive species: C. appressa, C. bichenoviana and J. usitatus did not survive ≥10.4 mS cm(-1), removing their ability to take up nitrogen (N). Salt-tolerant species, such as F. nodosa and J. kraussii, maintained N-removal even at the highest salt concentration. However, their levels of water stress and stomatal conductance suggest that N-removal would not be sustained at concentrations ≥10.4 mS cm(-1). Increasing salt concentration indirectly increased phosphorus (P) removal, by converting dissolved forms of P to particulate forms which were retained by filter media. Salt concentrations ≥10 mS cm(-1) also reduced removal efficiency of zinc, manganese and cadmium, but increased removal of iron and lead, regardless of plant species. Our results suggest that biofiltration systems exposed to saline stormwater ≤10 mS cm(-1) can only maintain N-removal when planted with salt-tolerant species, while P removal and immobilisation of heavy metals is less affected by species selection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Climatology of salt transitions and implications for stone weathering.

    PubMed

    Grossi, C M; Brimblecombe, P; Menéndez, B; Benavente, D; Harris, I; Déqué, M

    2011-06-01

    This work introduces the notion of salt climatology. It shows how climate affects salt thermodynamic and the potential to relate long-term salt damage to climate types. It mainly focuses on specific sites in Western Europe, which include some cities in France and Peninsular Spain. Salt damage was parameterised using the number of dissolution-crystallisation events for unhydrated (sodium chloride) and hydrated (sodium sulphate) systems. These phase transitions have been calculated using daily temperature and relative humidity from observation meteorological data and Climate Change models' output (HadCM3 and ARPEGE). Comparing the number of transitions with meteorological seasonal data allowed us to develop techniques to estimate the frequency of salt transitions based on the local climatology. Results show that it is possible to associate the Köppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. Temperate fully humid climates seem to offer the highest potential for salt damage and possible higher number of transitions in summer. Climates with dry summers tend to show a lesser frequency of transitions in summer. The analysis of temperature, precipitation and relative output from Climate Change models suggests changes in the Köppen-Geiger climate types and changes in the patterns of salt damage. For instance, West Europe areas with a fully humid climate may change to a more Mediterranean like or dry climates, and consequently the seasonality of different salt transitions. The accuracy and reliability of the projections might be improved by simultaneously running multiple climate models (ensembles). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Increased Isoprenoid Quinone Concentration Modulates Membrane Fluidity in Listeria monocytogenes at Low Growth Temperatures.

    PubMed

    Seel, Waldemar; Flegler, Alexander; Zunabovic-Pichler, Marija; Lipski, André

    2018-07-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food pathogen capable of growing at a broad temperature range from 50°C to refrigerator temperatures. A key requirement for bacterial activity and growth at low temperatures is the ability to adjust the membrane lipid composition to maintain cytoplasmic membrane fluidity. In this study, we confirmed earlier findings that the extents of fatty acid profile adaptation differed between L. monocytogenes strains. We were able to demonstrate for isolates from food that growth rates at low temperatures and resistance to freeze-thaw stress were not impaired by a lower adaptive response of the fatty acid composition. This indicated the presence of a second adaptation mechanism besides temperature-regulated fatty acid synthesis. For strains that showed weaker adaptive responses in their fatty acid profiles to low growth temperature, we could demonstrate a significantly higher concentration of isoprenoid quinones. Three strains even showed a higher quinone concentration after growth at 6°C than at 37°C, which is contradictory to the reduced respiratory activity at lower growth temperatures. Analyses of the membrane fluidity in vivo by measuring generalized polarization and anisotropy revealed modulation of the transition phase. Strains with increased quinone concentrations showed an expanded membrane transition phase in contrast to strains with pronounced adaptations of fatty acid profiles. The correlation between quinone concentration and membrane transition phase expansion was confirmed by suppression of quinone synthesis. A reduced quinone concentration resulted in a narrower transition phase. Expansion of the phase transition zone by increasing the concentration of non-fatty acid membrane lipids is discussed as an additional mechanism improving adaptation to temperature shifts for L. monocytogenes strains. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen with an outstanding temperature range for growth. The ability for growth at

  3. Effect of Pre-rigor Salting Levels on Physicochemical and Textural Properties of Chicken Breast Muscles

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Yun-Sang

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pre-rigor salting level (0-4% NaCl concentration) on physicochemical and textural properties of pre-rigor chicken breast muscles. The pre-rigor chicken breast muscles were de-boned 10 min post-mortem and salted within 25 min post-mortem. An increase in pre-rigor salting level led to the formation of high ultimate pH of chicken breast muscles at post-mortem 24 h. The addition of minimum of 2% NaCl significantly improved water holding capacity, cooking loss, protein solubility, and hardness when compared to the non-salting chicken breast muscle (p<0.05). On the other hand, the increase in pre-rigor salting level caused the inhibition of myofibrillar protein degradation and the acceleration of lipid oxidation. However, the difference in NaCl concentration between 3% and 4% had no great differences in the results of physicochemical and textural properties due to pre-rigor salting effects (p>0.05). Therefore, our study certified the pre-rigor salting effect of chicken breast muscle salted with 2% NaCl when compared to post-rigor muscle salted with equal NaCl concentration, and suggests that the 2% NaCl concentration is minimally required to ensure the definite pre-rigor salting effect on chicken breast muscle. PMID:26761884

  4. Molecular dynamics study of salt-solution interface: solubility and surface charge of salt in water.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Kazuya; Liang, Yunfeng; Sakka, Tetsuo; Matsuoka, Toshifumi

    2014-04-14

    The NaCl salt-solution interface often serves as an example of an uncharged surface. However, recent laser-Doppler electrophoresis has shown some evidence that the NaCl crystal is positively charged in its saturated solution. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we have investigated the NaCl salt-solution interface system, and calculated the solubility of the salt using the direct method and free energy calculations, which are kinetic and thermodynamic approaches, respectively. The direct method calculation uses a salt-solution combined system. When the system is equilibrated, the concentration in the solution area is the solubility. In the free energy calculation, we separately calculate the chemical potential of NaCl in two systems, the solid and the solution, using thermodynamic integration with MD simulations. When the chemical potential of NaCl in the solution phase is equal to the chemical potential of the solid phase, the concentration of the solution system is the solubility. The advantage of using two different methods is that the computational methods can be mutually verified. We found that a relatively good estimate of the solubility of the system can be obtained through comparison of the two methods. Furthermore, we found using microsecond time-scale MD simulations that the positively charged NaCl surface was induced by a combination of a sodium-rich surface and the orientation of the interfacial water molecules.

  5. Bioretention column study of bacteria community response to salt-enriched artificial stormwater.

    PubMed

    Endreny, Theodore; Burke, David J; Burchhardt, Kathleen M; Fabian, Mark W; Kretzer, Annette M

    2012-01-01

    Cold climate cities with green infrastructure depend on soil bacteria to remove nutrients from road salt-enriched stormwater. Our research examined how bacterial communities in laboratory columns containing bioretention media responded to varying concentrations of salt exposure from artificial stormwater and the effect of bacteria and salt on column effluent concentrations. We used a factorial design with two bacteria treatments (sterile, nonsterile) and three salt concentrations (935, 315, and 80 ppm), including a deionized water control. Columns were repeatedly saturated with stormwater or deionized and then drained throughout 5 wk, with the last week of effluent analyzed for water chemistry. To examine bacterial communities, we extracted DNA from column bioretention media at time 0 and at week 5 and used molecular profiling techniques to examine bacterial community changes. We found that bacterial community taxa changed between time 0 and week 5 and that there was significant separation between taxa among salt treatments. Bacteria evenness was significantly affected by stormwater treatment, but there were no differences in bacterial richness or diversity. Soil bacteria and salt treatments had a significant effect on the effluent concentration of NO, PO, Cu, Pb, and Zn based on ANOVA tests. The presence of bacteria reduced effluent NO and Zn concentrations by as much as 150 and 25%, respectively, while having a mixed effect on effluent PO concentrations. Our results demonstrate how stormwater can affect bacterial communities and how the presence of soil bacteria improves pollutant removal by green infrastructure. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  6. Thermal-gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yagnik, S. K.

    1982-09-01

    High level nuclear waste disposal in a geologic repository was proposed. Natural salt deposits which are considered contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In this work, thermal gradient migration of both all liquid and gas liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusion shape and size are discussed.

  7. Thermal-hydraulics of internally heated molten salts and application to the Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fiorina, Carlo; Cammi, Antonio; Luzzi, Lelio; Mikityuk, Konstantin; Ninokata, Hisashi; Ricotti, Marco E.

    2014-04-01

    The Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) are an innovative kind of nuclear reactors and are presently considered in the framework of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF-IV) for their promising performances in terms of low resource utilization, waste minimization and enhanced safety. A unique feature of MSRs is that molten fluoride salts play the distinctive role of both fuel (heat source) and coolant. The presence of an internal heat generation perturbs the temperature field and consequences are to be expected on the heat transfer characteristics of the molten salts. In this paper, the problem of heat transfer for internally heated fluids in a straight circular channel is first faced on a theoretical ground. The effect of internal heat generation is demonstrated to be described by a corrective factor applied to traditional correlations for the Nusselt number. It is shown that the corrective factor can be fully characterized by making explicit the dependency on Reynolds and Prandtl numbers. On this basis, a preliminary correlation is proposed for the case of molten fluoride salts by interpolating the results provided by an analytic approach previously developed at the Politecnico di Milano. The experimental facility and the related measuring procedure for testing the proposed correlation are then presented. Finally, the developed correlation is used to carry out a parametric investigation on the effect of internal heat generation on the main out-of-core components of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR), the reference circulating-fuel MSR design in the GIF-IV. The volumetric power determines higher temperatures at the channel wall, but the effect is significant only in case of large diameters and/or low velocities.

  8. Secondary Confinement of Water Observed in Eutectic Melting of Aqueous Salt Systems in Nanopores.

    PubMed

    Meissner, Jens; Prause, Albert; Findenegg, Gerhard H

    2016-05-19

    Freezing and melting of aqueous solutions of alkali halides confined in the cylindrical nanopores of MCM-41 and SBA-15 silica was probed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We find that the confinement-induced shift of the eutectic temperature in the pores can be significantly greater than the shift of the melting temperature of pure water. Greatest shifts of the eutectic temperature are found for salts that crystallize as oligohydrates at the eutectic point. This behavior is explained by the larger fraction of pore volume occupied by salt hydrates as compared to anhydrous salts, on the assumption that precipitated salt constitutes an additional confinement for ice/water in the pores. A model based on this secondary confinement effect gives a good representation of the experimental data. Salt-specific secondary confinement may play a role in a variety of fields, from salt-impregnated advanced adsorbents and catalysts to the thermal weathering of building materials.

  9. Effects of salting treatment on the physicochemical properties, textural properties, and microstructures of duck eggs.

    PubMed

    Xu, Lilan; Zhao, Yan; Xu, Mingsheng; Yao, Yao; Nie, Xuliang; Du, Huaying; Tu, Yong-Gang

    2017-01-01

    In order to illuminate the forming process of salted egg, the effects of the brine solution with different salt concentrations on the physicochemical properties, textural properties, and microstructures of duck eggs were evaluated using conventional physicochemical property determination methods. The results showed that the moisture contents of both the raw and cooked egg whites and egg yolks, the springiness of the raw egg yolks and cooked egg whites exhibited a decreasing trend with the increase in the salting time and salt concentration. The salt content, oil exudation and the hardness of the raw egg yolks showed a constantly increasing trend. Viscosity of the raw egg whites showed an overall trend in which it first deceased and then increased and decreased again, which was similar to the trend of the hardness of the cooked egg whites and egg yolks. As the salting proceeded, the pH value of the raw and cooked egg whites declined remarkably and then declined slowly, whereas the pH of the raw and cooked egg yolks did not show any noticeable changes. The effect of salting on the pH value varied significantly with the salt concentration in the brine solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that salted yolks consist of spherical granules and embedded flattened porosities. It was concluded that the treatment of salt induces solidification of yolk, accompanied with higher oil exudation and the development of a gritty texture. Different salt concentrations show certain differences.

  10. Effects of salting treatment on the physicochemical properties, textural properties, and microstructures of duck eggs

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Lilan; Zhao, Yan; Xu, Mingsheng; Yao, Yao; Nie, Xuliang; Du, Huaying

    2017-01-01

    In order to illuminate the forming process of salted egg, the effects of the brine solution with different salt concentrations on the physicochemical properties, textural properties, and microstructures of duck eggs were evaluated using conventional physicochemical property determination methods. The results showed that the moisture contents of both the raw and cooked egg whites and egg yolks, the springiness of the raw egg yolks and cooked egg whites exhibited a decreasing trend with the increase in the salting time and salt concentration. The salt content, oil exudation and the hardness of the raw egg yolks showed a constantly increasing trend. Viscosity of the raw egg whites showed an overall trend in which it first deceased and then increased and decreased again, which was similar to the trend of the hardness of the cooked egg whites and egg yolks. As the salting proceeded, the pH value of the raw and cooked egg whites declined remarkably and then declined slowly, whereas the pH of the raw and cooked egg yolks did not show any noticeable changes. The effect of salting on the pH value varied significantly with the salt concentration in the brine solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that salted yolks consist of spherical granules and embedded flattened porosities. It was concluded that the treatment of salt induces solidification of yolk, accompanied with higher oil exudation and the development of a gritty texture. Different salt concentrations show certain differences. PMID:28797071

  11. Salt-induced enhancement of antifreeze protein activity: a salting-out effect.

    PubMed

    Kristiansen, Erlend; Pedersen, Sindre Andre; Zachariassen, Karl Erik

    2008-10-01

    Antifreeze proteins are a structurally diverse group of proteins characterized by their unique ability to cause a separation of the melting- and growth-temperatures of ice. These proteins have evolved independently in different kinds of cold-adapted ectothermic animals, including insects and fish, where they protect against lethal freezing of the body fluids. There is a great variability in the capacity of different kinds of antifreeze proteins to evoke the antifreeze effect, but the basis of these differences is not well understood. This study reports on salt-induced enhancement of the antifreeze activity of an antifreeze protein from the longhorn beetle Rhagium inquisitor (L.). The results imply that antifreeze activity is predetermined by a steady-state distribution of the antifreeze protein between the solution and the ice surface region. The observed salt-induced enhancement of the antifreeze activity compares qualitatively and quantitatively with salt-induced lowering of protein solubility. Thus, salts apparently enhance antifreeze activity by evoking a solubility-induced shift in the distribution pattern of the antifreeze proteins in favour of the ice. These results indicate that the solubility of antifreeze proteins in the solution surrounding the ice crystal is a fundamental physiochemical property in relation to their antifreeze potency.

  12. Novel ideas about salt, blood pressure, and pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Rakova, Natalia; Muller, Dominik N; Staff, Anne Cathrine; Luft, Friedrich C; Dechend, Ralf

    2014-03-01

    The molecular mechanisms leading to preeclampsia are poorly understood. It has been related to certain immune mechanisms, as well as the pathological regulation of the renin-angiotensin system together with perturbed salt and plasma volume regulation. Finally, a non-specific, vascular, inflammatory response is generated, which leads to the clinical syndrome. Here, we present novel findings in salt (NaCl) metabolism implying that salt is not only important in blood pressure control and volume homeostasis, but also in immune regulation. Sodium and chloride can be stored without accumulation of water in the interstitium at hypertonic concentrations through interactions with proteoglycans. Macrophages in the interstitium act as osmosensors for salt, producing increased amounts of vascular endothelial factor C, which increases the density of the lymph-capillary network and the production of nitric oxide in vessels. An increased interstitial salt concentration activates the innate immune system, especially Th17 cells, and may be an important trigger for autoimmune diseases. The novel findings with the idea of sodium storage and local mechanisms of volume and immune regulation are appealing for preeclampsia and may unify the "immune" and "vascular" hypotheses of preeclampsia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Quality and sources of ground water used for public supply in Salt Lake Valley, Salt Lake County, Utah, 2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thiros, Susan A.; Manning, Andrew H.

    2004-01-01

    Ground water supplies about one-third of the water used by the public in Salt Lake Valley, Utah. The occurrence and distribution of natural and anthropogenic compounds in ground water used for public supply in the valley were evaluated. Water samples were collected from 31 public-supply wells in 2001 and analyzed for major ions, trace elements, radon, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, methylene blue active substances, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. The samples also were analyzed for the stable isotopes of water (oxygen-18 and deuterium), tritium, chlorofluorocarbons, and dissolved gases to determine recharge sources and ground-water age.Dissolved-solids concentration ranged from 157 to 1,280 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in water from the 31 public-supply wells. Comparison of dissolved-solids concentration of water sampled from the principal aquifer during 1988-92 and 1998-2002 shows a reduction in the area where water with less than 500 mg/L occurs. Nitrate concentration in water sampled from 12 of the 31 public-supply wells was higher than an estimated background level of 2 mg/L, indicating a possible human influence. At least one pesticide or pesticide degradation product was detected at a concentration much lower than drinking-water standards in water from 13 of the 31 wells sampled. Chloroform was the most frequently detected volatile organic compound (17 of 31 samples). Its widespread occurrence in deeper ground water is likely a result of the recharge of chlorinated public-supply water used to irrigate lawns and gardens in residential areas of Salt Lake Valley.Environmental tracers were used to determine the sources of recharge to the principal aquifer used for public supply in the valley. Oxygen-18 values and recharge temperatures computed from dissolved noble gases in the ground water were used to differentiate between mountain and valley recharge. Maximum recharge temperatures in the eastern part of the valley generally are below the range

  14. Fluoride content in table salt distributed in Mexico City, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Guerrero, Juan Carlos; de la Fuente-Hernández, Javier; Jiménez-Farfán, Maria Dolores; Ledesma-Montes, Constantino; Castañeda-Castaneira, Enrique; Molina-Frechero, Nelly; Jacinto-Alemán, Luís Fernando; Juárez-Lopez, Lilia Adriana; Moreno-Altamirano, Alejandra

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze table salt available in Mexico City's market to identify the fluoride concentrations and to compare these with the Mexican regulations. We analyzed 44 different brands of table salt. All samples were purchased at random in different stores, supermarkets, and groceries from Mexico City's metropolitan area and analyzed in triplicate in three different laboratories (nine determinations per sample) with an Orion 720 A potentiometer and an Orion 9609 BN ion-specific electrode. Fluoride concentration in the samples varied from 0 ppm to 485 ppm. It was found that fluoride concentration varied widely among the analyzed brands. Also, we found that fluoride concentration in 92 percent of the analyzed samples did not match with that printed on the label. Only 6.8 percent of the analyzed samples contained fluoride concentrations that meet Mexican and WHO regulations. The broad variation in the analyzed samples suggests that Mexican Public Health authorities must implement more stringent regulation guidelines and procedures for controlling the distribution of salt and its fluoride concentration for human consumption.

  15. Comparison of the reaction of bone-derived cells to enhanced MgCl2-salt concentrations

    PubMed Central

    Burmester, Anna; Luthringer, Bérengère; Willumeit, Regine; Feyerabend, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Magnesium-based implants exhibit various advantages such as biodegradability and potential for enhanced in vivo bone formation. However, the cellular mechanisms behind this possible osteoconductivity remain unclear. To determine whether high local magnesium concentrations can be osteoconductive and exclude other environmental factors that occur during the degradation of magnesium implants, magnesium salt (MgCl2) was used as a model system. Because cell lines are preferred targets in studies of non-degradable implant materials, we performed a comparative study of 3 osteosarcoma-derived cell lines (MG63, SaoS2 and U2OS) with primary human osteoblasts. The correlation among cell count, viability, cell size and several MgCl2 concentrations was used to examine the influence of magnesium on proliferation in vitro. Moreover, bone metabolism alterations during proliferation were investigated by analyzing the expression of genes involved in osteogenesis. It was observed that for all cell types, the cell count decreases at concentrations above 10 mM MgCl2. However, detailed analysis showed that MgCl2 has a relevant but very diverse influence on proliferation and bone metabolism, depending on the cell type. Only for primary cells was a clear stimulating effect observed. Therefore, reliable results demonstrating the osteoconductivity of magnesium implants can only be achieved with primary osteoblasts. PMID:25482335

  16. Salinization of the Upper Colorado River - Fingerprinting Geologic Salt Sources

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Grauch, Richard I.

    2009-01-01

    Salt in the upper Colorado River is of concern for a number of political and socioeconomic reasons. Salinity limits in the 1974 U.S. agreement with Mexico require the United States to deliver Colorado River water of a particular quality to the border. Irrigation of crops, protection of wildlife habitat, and treatment for municipal water along the course of the river also place restrictions on the river's salt content. Most of the salt in the upper Colorado River at Cisco, Utah, comes from interactions of water with rock formations, their derived soil, and alluvium. Half of the salt comes from the Mancos Shale and the Eagle Valley Evaporite. Anthropogenic activities in the river basin (for example, mining, farming, petroleum exploration, and urban development) can greatly accelerate the release of constituents from these geologic materials, thus increasing the salt load of nearby streams and rivers. Evaporative concentration further concentrates these salts in several watersheds where agricultural land is extensively irrigated. Sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate show the greatest promise for fingerprinting the geologic sources of salts to the upper Colorado River and its major tributaries and estimating the relative contribution from each geologic formation. Knowing the salt source, its contribution, and whether the salt is released during natural weathering or during anthropogenic activities, such as irrigation and urban development, will facilitate efforts to lower the salt content of the upper Colorado River.

  17. Predicting Salt Permeability Coefficients in Highly Swollen, Highly Charged Ion Exchange Membranes.

    PubMed

    Kamcev, Jovan; Paul, Donald R; Manning, Gerald S; Freeman, Benny D

    2017-02-01

    This study presents a framework for predicting salt permeability coefficients in ion exchange membranes in contact with an aqueous salt solution. The model, based on the solution-diffusion mechanism, was tested using experimental salt permeability data for a series of commercial ion exchange membranes. Equilibrium salt partition coefficients were calculated using a thermodynamic framework (i.e., Donnan theory), incorporating Manning's counterion condensation theory to calculate ion activity coefficients in the membrane phase and the Pitzer model to calculate ion activity coefficients in the solution phase. The model predicted NaCl partition coefficients in a cation exchange membrane and two anion exchange membranes, as well as MgCl 2 partition coefficients in a cation exchange membrane, remarkably well at higher external salt concentrations (>0.1 M) and reasonably well at lower external salt concentrations (<0.1 M) with no adjustable parameters. Membrane ion diffusion coefficients were calculated using a combination of the Mackie and Meares model, which assumes ion diffusion in water-swollen polymers is affected by a tortuosity factor, and a model developed by Manning to account for electrostatic effects. Agreement between experimental and predicted salt diffusion coefficients was good with no adjustable parameters. Calculated salt partition and diffusion coefficients were combined within the framework of the solution-diffusion model to predict salt permeability coefficients. Agreement between model and experimental data was remarkably good. Additionally, a simplified version of the model was used to elucidate connections between membrane structure (e.g., fixed charge group concentration) and salt transport properties.

  18. Direct absorption spectroscopy sensor for temperature and H2O concentration of flat flame burner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, Jin-hu; Jin, Xing; Wang, Guang-yu; Qu, Dong-sheng

    2016-01-01

    A tunable diode laser absorption sensor, based on direct absorption spectroscopy and time division multiplexing scheme, was developed to measure H2O concentration and temperature of flat flame burner. At the height of 15mm from the furnace surface, temperature and concentration were measured at different equivalence ratios. Then the distance between the laser and the furnace surface was changed while the equivalence ratio was fixed at 1 and experiments were performed to measure temperature and H2O concentration at every height. At last flame temperatures and H2O concentrations were obtained by simulation and computational analysis and these combustion parameters were compared with the reference. The results showed that the experimental results were in accordance with the reference values. Temperature errors were less than 4% and H2O component concentration errors were less than 5%and both of them reached their maximum when the equivalent ratio was set at 1. The temperature and H2O concentration increased with the height from furnace surface to laser when it varied from 3mm to 9mm and it decreased when it varied from 9mm to 30mm and they reached their maximum at the height of 9mm. Keywords: tunable diode laser, direct absorption spectroscopy

  19. Investigation and Taguchi Optimization of Microbial Fuel Cell Salt Bridge Dimensional Parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarma, Dhrupad; Barua, Parimal Bakul; Dey, Nabendu; Nath, Sumitro; Thakuria, Mrinmay; Mallick, Synthia

    2018-01-01

    One major problem of two chamber salt bridge microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is the high resistance offered by the salt bridge to anion flow. Many researchers who have studied and optimized various parameters related to salt bridge MFC, have not shed much light on the effect of salt bridge dimensional parameters on the MFC performance. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of length and cross sectional area of salt bridge and the effect of solar radiation and atmospheric temperature on MFC current output. An experiment has been designed using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, taking length and cross sectional area of salt bridge as factors having three levels. Nine MFCs were fabricated as per the nine trial conditions. Trials were conducted for 3 days and output current of each of the MFCs along with solar insolation and atmospheric temperature were recorded. Analysis of variance shows that salt bridge length has significant effect both on mean (with 53.90% contribution at 95% CL) and variance (with 56.46% contribution at 87% CL), whereas the effect of cross sectional area of the salt bridge and the interaction of these two factors is significant on mean only (with 95% CL). Optimum combination was found at 260 mm salt bridge length and 506.7 mm2 cross sectional area with 4.75 mA of mean output current. The temperature and solar insolation data when correlated with each of the MFCs average output current, revealed that both external factors have significant impact on MFC current output but the correlation coefficient varies from MFC to MFC depending on salt bridge dimensional parameters.

  20. Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Salt Diffusion in Polyelectrolyte Assemblies.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ran; Duan, Xiaozheng; Ding, Mingming; Shi, Tongfei

    2018-06-05

    The diffusion of salt ions and charged probe molecules in polyelectrolyte assemblies is often assumed to follow a theoretical hopping model, in which the diffusing ion is hopping between charged sites of chains based on electroneutrality. However, experimental verification of diffusing pathway at such microscales is difficult, and the corresponding molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we perform all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of salt diffusion in polyelectrolyte (PE) assembly of poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDAC). Besides the ion hopping mode, the diffusing trajectories are found presenting common features of a jump process, i.e., subjecting to PE relaxation, water pockets in the structure open and close, thus the ion can move from one pocket to another. Anomalous subdiffusion of ions and water is observed due to the trapping scenarios in these water pockets. The jump events are much rarer compared with ion hopping but significantly increases salt diffusion with increasing temperature. Our result strongly indicates that salt diffusion in hydrated PDAC/PSS is a combined process of ion hopping and jump motion. This provides new molecular explanation for the coupling of salt motion with chain motion and the nonlinear increase of salt diffusion at glass transition temperature.

  1. Whey protein concentrate storage at elevated temperature and humidity

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Dairy processors are finding new export markets for whey protein concentrate (WPC), a byproduct of cheesemaking, but they need to know if full-sized bags of this powder will withstand high temperature and relative humidity (RH) levels during unrefrigerated storage under tropical conditions. To answ...

  2. The molecular basis for attractive salt-taste coding in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yali V; Ni, Jinfei; Montell, Craig

    2013-06-14

    Below a certain level, table salt (NaCl) is beneficial for animals, whereas excessive salt is harmful. However, it remains unclear how low- and high-salt taste perceptions are differentially encoded. We identified a salt-taste coding mechanism in Drosophila melanogaster. Flies use distinct types of gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) to respond to different concentrations of salt. We demonstrated that a member of the newly discovered ionotropic glutamate receptor (IR) family, IR76b, functioned in the detection of low salt and was a Na(+) channel. The loss of IR76b selectively impaired the attractive pathway, leaving salt-aversive GRNs unaffected. Consequently, low salt became aversive. Our work demonstrated that the opposing behavioral responses to low and high salt were determined largely by an elegant bimodal switch system operating in GRNs.

  3. Enhanced cycling performance of a Li metal anode in a dimethylsulfoxide-based electrolyte using highly concentrated lithium salt for a lithium-oxygen battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Togasaki, Norihiro; Momma, Toshiyuki; Osaka, Tetsuya

    2016-03-01

    Stable charge-discharge cycling behavior for a lithium metal anode in a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-based electrolyte is strongly desired of lithium-oxygen batteries, because the Li anode is rapidly exhausted as a result of side reactions during cycling in the DMSO solution. Herein, we report a novel electrolyte design for enhancing the cycling performance of Li anodes by using a highly concentrated DMSO-based electrolyte with a specific Li salt. Lithium nitrate (LiNO3), which forms an inorganic compound (Li2O) instead of a soluble product (Li2S) on a lithium surface, exhibits a >20% higher coulombic efficiency than lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, and lithium perchlorate, regardless of the loading current density. Moreover, the stable cycling of Li anodes in DMSO-based electrolytes depends critically on the salt concentration. The highly concentrated electrolyte 4.0 M LiNO3/DMSO displays enhanced and stable cycling performance comparable to that of carbonate-based electrolytes, which had not previously been achieved. We suppose this enhancement is due to the absence of free DMSO solvent in the electrolyte and the promotion of the desolvation of Li ions on the solid electrolyte interphase surface, both being consequences of the unique structure of the electrolyte.

  4. Diverse Microhabitats Experienced by Halomonas variabilis on Salt-Secreting Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Burch, Adrien Y.; Finkel, Omri M.; Cho, Juliana K.; Belkin, Shimshon

    2013-01-01

    The leaf surfaces of the salt-excreting tree Tamarix aphylla harbor a wide diversity of halophilic microorganisms, including Halomonas sp., but little is known of the factors that shape community composition in this extreme habitat. We isolated a strain of Halomonas variabilis from the leaf surface of T. aphylla and used it to determine the heterogeneity of salt concentrations experienced by bacteria in this environment. This halophilic strain was transformed with a proU::gfp reporter gene fusion, the fluorescence of which was responsive to NaCl concentrations up to 200 g liter−1. These bioreporting cells were applied to T. aphylla leaves and were subsequently recovered from dew droplets adhering to the leaf surface. Although cells from within a given dew droplet exhibited similar green fluorescent protein fluorescence, the fluorescence intensity varied between droplets and was correlated with the salt concentration measured in each drop. Growth of H. variabilis was observed in all droplets, regardless of the salt concentration. However, cells found in desiccated microniches between dew drops were low in abundance and generally dead. Other bacteria recovered from T. aphylla displayed higher desiccation tolerance than H. variabilis, both in culture and on inoculated plants, despite having lower osmotic tolerance. Thus, the Tamarix leaf surface can be described as a salty desert with occasional oases where water droplets form under humid conditions. While halotolerant bacteria such as Halomonas grow in high concentrations of salt in such wet microniches, other organisms are better suited to survive desiccation in sites that are not wetted. PMID:23160133

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  6. Tissue dissolution by sodium hypochlorite: effect of concentration, temperature, agitation, and surfactant.

    PubMed

    Stojicic, Sonja; Zivkovic, Slavoljub; Qian, Wei; Zhang, Hui; Haapasalo, Markus

    2010-09-01

    Sodium hypochlorite is the most commonly used endodontic irrigant because of its antimicrobial and tissue-dissolving activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of concentration, temperature, and agitation on the tissue-dissolving ability of sodium hypochlorite. In addition, a hypochlorite product with added surface active agent was compared with conventional hypochlorite solutions. Three sodium hypochlorite solutions from two different manufacturers in concentrations of 1%, 2%, 4%, and 5.8% were tested at room temperature, 37 degrees C, and 45 degrees C with and without agitation by ultrasonic and sonic energy and pipetting. Distilled and sterilized tap water was used as controls. Pieces of bovine muscle tissue (68 +/- 3 mg) were placed in 10 mL of each solution for five minutes. In selected samples, agitation was performed for one, two, or four 15-second periods per each minute. The tissue specimens were weighed before and after treatment, and the percentage of weight loss was calculated. The contact angle on dentin of the three solutions at concentrations of 1% and 5.8% was measured. Weight loss (dissolution) of the tissue increased almost linearly with the concentration of sodium hypochlorite. Higher temperatures and agitation considerably enhanced the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite. The effect of agitation on tissue dissolution was greater than that of temperature; continuous agitation resulted in the fastest tissue dissolution. Hypochlorite with added surface active agent had the lowest contact angle on dentin and was most effective in tissue dissolution in all experimental situations. Optimizing the concentration, temperature, flow, and surface tension can improve the tissue-dissolving effectiveness of hypochlorite even 50-fold. Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Effect of temperature and concentration on benzoyl peroxide bleaching efficacy and benzoic acid levels in whey protein concentrate.

    PubMed

    Smith, T J; Gerard, P D; Drake, M A

    2015-11-01

    Much of the fluid whey produced in the United States is a by-product of Cheddar cheese manufacture and must be bleached. Benzoyl peroxide (BP) is currently 1 of only 2 legal chemical bleaching agents for fluid whey in the United States, but benzoic acid is an unavoidable by-product of BP bleaching. Benzoyl peroxide is typically a powder, but new liquid BP dispersions are available. A greater understanding of the bleaching characteristics of BP is necessary. The objective of the study was to compare norbixin destruction, residual benzoic acid, and flavor differences between liquid whey and 80% whey protein concentrates (WPC80) bleached at different temperatures with 2 different benzoyl peroxides (soluble and insoluble). Two experiments were conducted in this study. For experiment 1, 3 factors (temperature, bleach type, bleach concentration) were evaluated for norbixin destruction using a response surface model-central composite design in liquid whey. For experiment 2, norbixin concentration, residual benzoic acid, and flavor differences were explored in WPC80 from whey bleached by the 2 commercially available BP (soluble and insoluble) at 5 mg/kg. In liquid whey, soluble BP bleached more norbixin than insoluble BP, especially at lower concentrations (5 and 10 mg/kg) at both cold (4°C) and hot (50°C) temperatures. The WPC80 from liquid whey bleached with BP at 50°C had lower norbixin concentration, benzoic acid levels, cardboard flavor, and aldehyde levels than WPC80 from liquid whey bleached with BP at 4°C. Regardless of temperature, soluble BP destroyed more norbixin at lower concentrations than insoluble BP. The WPC80 from soluble-BP-bleached wheys had lower cardboard flavor and lower aldehyde levels than WPC80 from insoluble-BP-bleached whey. This study suggests that new, soluble (liquid) BP can be used at lower concentrations than insoluble BP to achieve equivalent bleaching and that less residual benzoic acid remains in WPC80 powder from liquid whey

  8. Modeling the rheological behavior of thermosonic extracted guava, pomelo, and soursop juice concentrates at different concentration and temperature using a new combination model

    PubMed Central

    Abdullah, Norazlin; Yusof, Yus A.; Talib, Rosnita A.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract This study has modeled the rheological behavior of thermosonic extracted pink‐fleshed guava, pink‐fleshed pomelo, and soursop juice concentrates at different concentrations and temperatures. The effects of concentration on consistency coefficient (K) and flow behavior index (n) of the fruit juice concentrates was modeled using a master curve which utilized the concentration‐temperature shifting to allow a general prediction of rheological behaviors covering a wide concentration. For modeling the effects of temperature on K and n, the integration of two functions from the Arrhenius and logistic sigmoidal growth equations has provided a new model which gave better description of the properties. It also alleviated the problems of negative region when using the Arrhenius model alone. The fitted regression using this new model has improved coefficient of determination, R 2 values above 0.9792 as compared to using the Arrhenius and logistic sigmoidal models alone, which presented minimum R 2 of 0.6243 and 0.9440, respectively. Practical applications In general, juice concentrate is a better form of food for transportation, preservation, and ingredient. Models are necessary to predict the effects of processing factors such as concentration and temperature on the rheological behavior of juice concentrates. The modeling approach allows prediction of behaviors and determination of processing parameters. The master curve model introduced in this study simplifies and generalized rheological behavior of juice concentrates over a wide range of concentration when temperature factor is insignificant. The proposed new mathematical model from the combination of the Arrhenius and logistic sigmoidal growth models has improved and extended description of rheological properties of fruit juice concentrates. It also solved problems of negative values of consistency coefficient and flow behavior index prediction using existing model, the Arrhenius equation. These rheological

  9. Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Frozen Chloride Salts on Icy Bodies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Paul; Thomas, Elena C.; Hodyss, Robert; Vu, Tuan; Choukroun, Mathieu

    2016-10-01

    Currently, our understanding of the chemical composition of Europa's surface is our best means of inferring constraints on the subsurface ocean composition and its subsequent habitability. The bulk of our knowledge of Europa surface chemistry can be traced to near infrared spectra recorded by the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on the Galileo spacecraft. However, the usefulness of this and other remote sensing data is limited by the availability of spectral libraries of candidate materials under relevant conditions (temperature, thermal/radiation history, etc.). Chloride salts are expected to exist on the surface of Europa, and other icy bodies, based on geochemical predictions of the ocean composition. In order to help improve our understanding of Europa's surface composition, we have conducted a study of frozen chloride-salt brines prepared under simulated Europa surface conditions (vacuum, temperature, and UV irradiation) using both near IR and Raman spectroscopies. Specifically, Raman spectroscopy was used to determine the hydration states of various chloride salts as a function of temperature. Near IR spectroscopy of identically prepared samples was used to provide reference reflectance spectra of the identified hydrated salts. Our results indicate that at temperatures ranging from 80 K to 233 K, hydrohalite is formed from the freezing of NaCl brines, while the freezing of KCl solutions does not form KCl hydrates. In addition, the freezing of MgCl2 solutions forms a stable hexahydrate, and the freezing of CaCl2 solutions forms a hexahydrate, a tetrahydrate, and a dihydrate. Dehydration of the salts was observed as temperatures were increased, leading to a succession of hydration states in the case of CaCl2.

  10. Advanced Instrumentation for Molten Salt Flow Measurements at NEXT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tuyishimire, Olive

    2017-09-01

    The Nuclear Energy eXperiment Testing (NEXT) Lab at Abilene Christian University is building a Molten Salt Loop to help advance the technology of molten salt reactors (MSR). NEXT Lab's aim is to be part of the solution for the world's top challenges by providing safe, clean, and inexpensive energy, clean water and medical Isotopes. Measuring the flow rate of the molten salt in the loop is essential to the operation of a MSR. Unfortunately, there is no flow meter that can operate in the high temperature and corrosive environment of a molten salt. The ultrasonic transit time method is proposed as one way to measure the flow rate of high temperature fluids. Ultrasonic flow meter uses transducers that send and receive acoustic waves and convert them into electrical signals. Initial work presented here focuses on the setup of ultrasonic transducers. This presentation is the characterization of the pipe-fluid system with water as a baseline for future work.

  11. Diurnal trends in methylmercury concentration in a wetland adjacent to Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Naftz, D.L.; Cederberg, J.R.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.; Beisner, K.R.; Whitehead, J.; Gardberg, J.

    2011-01-01

    A 24-h field experiment was conducted during July 2008 at a wetland on the eastern shore of Great Salt Lake (GSL) to assess the diurnal cycling of methylmercury (MeHg). Dissolved (<0.45??m) MeHg showed a strong diurnal variation with consistently decreasing concentrations during daylight periods and increasing concentrations during non-daylight periods. The proportion of MeHg relative to total Hg in the water column consistently decreased with increasing sunlight duration, indicative of photodegradation. During the field experiment, measured MeHg photodegradation rates ranged from 0.02 to 0.06ngL-1h-1. Convective overturn of the water column driven by nighttime cooling of the water surface was hypothesized as the likely mechanism to replace the MeHg in the water column lost via photodegradation processes. A hydrodynamic model of the wetland successfully simulated convective overturn of the water column during the field experiment. Study results indicate that daytime monitoring of selected wetlands surrounding GSL may significantly underestimate the MeHg content in the water column. Wetland managers should consider practices that maximize the photodegradation of MeHg during daylight periods. ?? 2011.

  12. Synthesized tissue-equivalent dielectric phantoms using salt and polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions.

    PubMed

    Ianniello, Carlotta; de Zwart, Jacco A; Duan, Qi; Deniz, Cem M; Alon, Leeor; Lee, Jae-Seung; Lattanzi, Riccardo; Brown, Ryan

    2018-07-01

    To explore the use of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) for simulated materials with tissue-equivalent dielectric properties. PVP and salt were used to control, respectively, relative permittivity and electrical conductivity in a collection of 63 samples with a range of solute concentrations. Their dielectric properties were measured with a commercial probe and fitted to a 3D polynomial in order to establish an empirical recipe. The material's thermal properties and MR spectra were measured. The empirical polynomial recipe (available at https://www.amri.ninds.nih.gov/cgi-bin/phantomrecipe) provides the PVP and salt concentrations required for dielectric materials with permittivity and electrical conductivity values between approximately 45 and 78, and 0.1 to 2 siemens per meter, respectively, from 50 MHz to 4.5 GHz. The second- (solute concentrations) and seventh- (frequency) order polynomial recipe provided less than 2.5% relative error between the measured and target properties. PVP side peaks in the spectra were minor and unaffected by temperature changes. PVP-based phantoms are easy to prepare and nontoxic, and their semitransparency makes air bubbles easy to identify. The polymer can be used to create simulated material with a range of dielectric properties, negligible spectral side peaks, and long T 2 relaxation time, which are favorable in many MR applications. Magn Reson Med 80:413-419, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  13. Salt

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Franson, J.C.; Friend, M.

    1999-01-01

    Animals become victims of salt poisoning or toxicosis when toxic levels of sodium and chloride accumulate in the blood after they ingest large amounts of salt or, in some species, are deprived of water. For birds, salt sources may include saline water and road salt.Normally, the salt glands of birds (Fig. 47.1) excrete sodium and chloride to maintain the proper physiologic chemical balance. However, when there has been insufficient time for acclimation of the salt gland to the saline environment, or when salt gland function is compromised by exposure to certain pesticides or oil, the electrolyte balance of the blood may be upset by the excess sodium and chloride, resulting in toxicosis. Salt accumulation on the outside of the body, or salt encrustation, is a greater problem for waterbirds that use very saline waters than is salt toxicosis. Salt encrustation can lead to exertion, acute muscle degeneration, and eventual drowning during the struggle to escape entrapment.

  14. Preliminary Study on LiF4-ThF4-PuF4 Utilization as Fuel Salt of miniFUJI Molten Salt Reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waris, Abdul; Aji, Indarta K.; Pramuditya, Syeilendra; Widayani; Irwanto, Dwi

    2016-08-01

    miniFUJI reactor is molten salt reactor (MSR) which is one type of the Generation IV nuclear energy systems. The original miniFUJI reactor design uses LiF-BeF2-ThF4-233UF4 as a fuel salt. In the present study, the use of LiF4-ThF4-PuF4 as fuel salt instead of LiF-BeF2-ThF4-UF4 will be discussed. The neutronics cell calculation has been performed by using PIJ (collision probability method code) routine of SRAC 2006 code, with the nuclear data library is JENDL-4.0. The results reveal that the reactor can attain the criticality condition with the plutonium concentration in the fuel salt is equal to 9.16% or more. The conversion ratio diminishes with the enlarging of plutonium concentration in the fuel. The neutron spectrum of miniFUJI MSR with plutonium fuel becomes harder compared to that of the 233U fuel.

  15. Do freshwater mussel shells record road-salt pollution?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Neil, Dane D.; Gillikin, David P.

    2014-11-01

    Road-salt pollution in streams in the Northeastern United States has become a major concern, but historical data are scarce. Freshwater bivalve shells have the ability to record past environmental information, and may act as archives of road-salt pollution. We sampled Elliptio complanata shells from four streams, as well as specimens collected in 1877. Average [Na/Ca]shell was highest in modern shells from the stream with the highest sodium concentrations, and low in shells collected from this same stream in 1877 as well as in the shells from other streams, suggesting that [Na/Ca]shell serves as a proxy for road-salt pollution. We expected higher [Na/Ca]shell in winter and spring. However, high-resolution [Na/Ca]shell analyses along the growth axis of one shell did not reveal any clear subannual patterns, which could be the result of shell growth cessation in winter and/or during periods of high stream sodium concentrations. Therefore, bulk [Na/Ca]shell analysis from multiple shells can be used as a proxy of large changes in stream sodium concentrations, but high-resolution variations in stream sodium concentrations do not seem to be recorded in the shells.

  16. Do freshwater mussel shells record road-salt pollution?

    PubMed Central

    O'Neil, Dane D.; Gillikin, David P.

    2014-01-01

    Road-salt pollution in streams in the Northeastern United States has become a major concern, but historical data are scarce. Freshwater bivalve shells have the ability to record past environmental information, and may act as archives of road-salt pollution. We sampled Elliptio complanata shells from four streams, as well as specimens collected in 1877. Average [Na/Ca]shell was highest in modern shells from the stream with the highest sodium concentrations, and low in shells collected from this same stream in 1877 as well as in the shells from other streams, suggesting that [Na/Ca]shell serves as a proxy for road-salt pollution. We expected higher [Na/Ca]shell in winter and spring. However, high-resolution [Na/Ca]shell analyses along the growth axis of one shell did not reveal any clear subannual patterns, which could be the result of shell growth cessation in winter and/or during periods of high stream sodium concentrations. Therefore, bulk [Na/Ca]shell analysis from multiple shells can be used as a proxy of large changes in stream sodium concentrations, but high-resolution variations in stream sodium concentrations do not seem to be recorded in the shells. PMID:25418687

  17. On the hydrophilicity of polyzwitterion poly (N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-(methacrylamido)propyl)ammoniopropane sulfonate) in water, deuterated water, and aqueous salt solutions.

    PubMed

    Hildebrand, Viet; Laschewsky, André; Zehm, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    A series of zwitterionic model polymers with defined molar masses up to 150,000 Da and defined end groups are prepared from sulfobetaine monomer N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-(methacrylamido)propyl)ammoniopropanesulfonate (SPP). Polymers are synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) using a functional chain transfer agent labeled with a fluorescent probe. Their upper critical solution temperature-type coil-to-globule phase transition in water, deuterated water, and various salt solutions is studied by turbidimetry. Cloud points increase with polyzwitterion concentration and molar mass, being considerably higher in D2O than in H2O. Moreover, cloud points are strongly affected by the amount and nature of added salts. Typically, they increase with increasing salt concentration up to a maximum value, whereas further addition of salt lowers the cloud points again, mostly down to below freezing point. The different salting-in and salting-out effects of the studied anions can be correlated with the Hofmeister series. In physiological sodium chloride solution and in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), the cloud point is suppressed even for high molar mass samples. Accordingly, SPP-polymers behave strongly hydrophilic under most conditions encountered in biomedical applications. However, the direct transfer of results from model studies in D2O, using, e.g. (1)H NMR or neutron scattering techniques, to 'normal' systems in H2O is not obvious.

  18. Low temperature molten-salt synthesis of nanocrystalline cubic Sr{sub 2}SbMnO{sub 6}

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

    Baral, Antara; Varma, K.B.R., E-mail: kbrvarma@mrc.iisc.ernet.i

    2009-12-15

    Sr{sub 2}SbMnO{sub 6} (SSM) powders were successfully synthesized at reasonably low temperatures via molten-salt synthesis (MSS) method using eutectic composition of 0.635 Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-0.365 Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4} (flux). High-temperature cubic phase SSM was stabilized at room temperature by calcining the as-synthesized powders at 900 deg. C/10 h. The phase formation and morphology of these powders were characterized via X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The SSM phase formation associated with {approx}60 nm sized crystallites was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The activation energy associated with the particle growth was found to be 95+-5 kJ mol{sup -1}.more » The dielectric constant of the tetragonal phase of the ceramic (fabricated using this cubic phase powder) with and without the flux (sulphates) has been monitored as a function of frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) at room temperature. Internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) model was invoked to rationalize the dielectric properties. - Graphical abstract: The as synthesized powders of Sr{sub 2}SbMnO{sub 6} calcined at 900 deg. C/10 h yielded a cubic phase ({approx}60 nm sized crystallites). Centrosymmetric tetragonal (I4/mcm) phase was obtained by increasing the calcination temperature to 1000 deg. C. Display Omitted« less

  19. Context-driven Salt Seeking Test (Rats)

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Stephen E.; Smith, Kyle S.

    2018-01-01

    Changes in reward seeking behavior often occur through incremental learning based on the difference between what is expected and what actually happens. Behavioral flexibility of this sort requires experience with rewards as better or worse than expected. However, there are some instances in which behavior can change through non-incremental learning, which requires no further experience with an outcome. Such an example of non-incremental learning is the salt appetite phenomenon. In this case, animals such as rats will immediately seek out a highly-concentrated salt solution that was previously undesired when they are put in a novel state of sodium deprivation. Importantly, this adaptive salt-seeking behavior occurs despite the fact that the rats never tasted salt in the depleted state, and therefore never tasted it as a highly desirable reward. The following protocol is a method to investigate the neural circuitry mediating adaptive salt seeking using a conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. The procedure is designed to provide an opportunity to discover possible dissociations between the neural circuitry mediating salt seeking and salt consumption to replenish the bodily deficit after sodium depletion. Additionally, this procedure is amenable to incorporating a number of neurobiological techniques for studying the brain basis of this behavior.

  20. Reduction of salt content of fish sauce by ethanol treatment.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yu; Xu, Ying; He, Xiaoxia; Wang, Dongfeng; Hu, Shiwei; Li, Shijie; Jiang, Wei

    2017-08-01

    Fish sauce is a traditional condiment in Southeast Asia, normally containing high concentration of salt. The solubility of salt is lower in ethanol than in water. In the present study, fish sauce was desalted by ethanol treatment (including the processes of ethanol addition, mixing, standing and rotary evaporation). The salt concentration of fish sauce decreased significantly from 29.72 to 19.72 g/100 mL when the treated ethanol concentration was 21% (v/v). The addition of more than 12% (v/v) of ethanol significantly reduced dry weight, total soluble nitrogen content and amino acids nitrogen content. Besides, the quality of fish sauce remained first grade if no more than 21% (v/v) of ethanol was used. Furthermore, sensory analyses showed that ethanol treatment significantly reduced the taste of salty and the odor of ammonia. This study demonstrates that ethanol treatment is a potential way to decrease salt content in fish sauce, which meanwhile limits the losses of nutritional and sensorial values within an acceptable range.