Sample records for solids content ph

  1. Heavy metal, pH, and total solid content of maple sap and syrup produced in eastern Canada.

    PubMed

    Robinson, A R; MacLean, K S; MacConnell, H M

    1989-01-01

    Maple sap and syrups in eastern Canada were analyzed for pH, total solids, and the heavy metals Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn. The levels of heavy metals found were within the range normally contained in food and water samples except for Pb. The concentration factor found in reducing sap to syrup did not reflect the same concentration change for the measured parameters. This indicates removal or conversion of heavy metals and organic acids with the sugar sands. There was no statistical difference among provinces with respect to the heavy metal, pH, and total solids content of sap. The only significant difference in syrup occurred with Cu and this appeared to be the result of the processing procedure. As the season progressed, the Cu, Pb, pH, and total solids content of the sap decreased while Zn increased and Fe showed little change. Syrups reflected a similar change. Statistical differences occurred in sap composition among sites within each province.

  2. Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid wastes containing variable proportions of waste types.

    PubMed

    Akunna, J C; Abdullahi, Y A; Stewart, N A

    2007-01-01

    In many parts of the world there are significant seasonal variations in the production of the main organic wastes, food and green wastes. These waste types display significant differences in their biodegradation rates. This study investigated the options for ensuring process stability during the start up and operation of thermophilic high-solids anaerobic digestion of feedstock composed of varying proportions of food and green wastes. The results show that high seed sludge to feedstock ratio (or low waste loading rate) is necessary for ensuring process pH stability without chemical addition. It was also found that the proportion of green wastes in the feedstock can be used to regulate process pH, particularly when operating at high waste loading rates (or low seed sludge to feedstock ratios). The need for chemical pH correction during start-up and digestion operation decreased with increase in green wastes content of the feedstock. Food wastes were found to be more readily biodegradable leading to higher solids reduction while green wastes brought about pH stability and higher digestate solid content. Combining both waste types in various proportions brought about feedstock with varying buffering capacity and digestion performance. Thus, careful selection of feedstock composition can minimise the need for chemical pH regulation as well as reducing the cost for digestate dewatering for final disposal.

  3. Coagulant from Leucaena leucocephala for Chromium Removal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razak, N. H. Abd; Khairuddin, N.; Ismail, K. N.; Musa, M.

    2018-05-01

    This research investigated the effectiveness of leucaena leucocephala as a natural coagulant for chromium removal. Leucaena leucocephala is a permanent non-climbing shrub tree which is wild and abundant in Malaysia and commonly known as petai belalang. Coagulation experiment using jar test were performed where the effect of coagulant dosage and pH were examined. The parameters investigated were suspended solid (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity and chromium content. The optimum of leucaena leucocephala coagulant dosage for removal of suspended solid, turbidity, COD, BOD and Chromium is at range 400-600 mg/L which yielded 45, 31.4, 38.5, 27.5 and 4.05% removal respectively. While the optimum pH is at pH 2-4 (acidic) which give 33.3, 26.8, 33.75, 31.4 and 14.06% removal of suspended solid, COD, BOD, turbidity and chromium content respectively. It is concluded that the leucaena leucocephala showed tremendous potential for chromium removal.

  4. [Spatial distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in the tidal reach and its adjacent sea estuary of Daliaohe area, China ].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lei; Qin, Yan-wen; Ma, Ying-qun; Zhao, Yan-min; Shi, Yao

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this article was to explore the pollution level of heavy metals in the tidal reach and its adjacent sea estuary of Daliaohe area. The contents and spatial distribution of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ph and Zn in surface water, suspended solids and surface sediments were analyzed respectively. The integrated pollution index and geoaccumulation index were used to evaluate the contamination degree of heavy metals in surface water and surface sediments respectively. The results indicated that the contents of heavy metals in surface water was in the order of Pb < Cu < Cd < Cr < As < Zn. The heavy metal contents in surface water increased from river to sea. Compared with the contents of heavy metals in surface water of the typical domestic estuary in China, the overall contents of heavy metals in surface water were at a higher level. The contents of heavy metals in suspended solids was in the order of Cd < Cu < As < Cr

  5. Combining sorption experiments and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to study the adsorption of propranolol onto environmental solid matrices - Influence of copper(II).

    PubMed

    Smith, Rose-Michelle; Sayen, Stéphanie; Nuns, Nicolas; Berrier, Elise; Guillon, Emmanuel

    2018-05-23

    The bioavailability of pharmaceuticals is governed by their sorption in soils/sediments, as the retention processes determine their concentration in surface- and ground-water. The adsorption of these contaminants can involve various solid components such as organic matter, clays and metallic oxides, and their distribution among these solid components depends on contaminant and solid properties. In this paper we studied the adsorption of the pharmaceutical propranolol - a beta-blocker - on eight different solids (six soils, one sediment and one kaolinite-based sample) by batch experiments. The influence of contact time, propranolol concentration and pH was considered, as well as the presence of copper(II). The investigated solids displayed a wide variability in terms of CEC (cationic exchange capacity) and organic carbon and carbonates contents. The influence of pH was negligible in the pH range from 5.5 to 8.6. The adsorbed amounts were greatly dependent on the solid and two groups of solids were evidenced: three soils of high CEC and organic carbon contents which retained high amounts of propranolol, and three soils, the sediment and the kaolinite-based sample (low CEC and organic carbon content) displaying a low adsorption capacity for the beta-blocker. A linear model enabling the determination of the sorption parameters K d and K oc was pertinent to describe the adsorption isotherms but the K oc values showed a great variability. It was shown that organic carbon content alone could not explain propranolol adsorption. The CEC value was identified as influent parameter and a simple empirical model was proposed to describe propranolol adsorption. At microscopic and molecular scales, ToF-SIMS experiments indicated (i) a decrease of potassium on the surface upon propranolol adsorption with a distribution of the beta-blocker similarly to alumino-silicates, iron and organic carbon on the surface confirming a cation exchange mechanism and (ii) the absence of degradation products and copper-propranolol complexes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Optimization of CMCase production from sorghum straw by Aspergillus terreus SUK-1 under solid substrate fermentation using response surface methodology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tibin, El Mubarak Musa; Al-Shorgani, Najeeb Kaid Naseer; Abuelhassan, Nawal Noureldaim; Hamid, Aidil Abdul; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid; Yusoff, Wan Mohtar Wan

    2013-11-01

    The cellulase production using sorghum straw as substrate by fungal culture of Aspergillus terreus SUK-1 was investigated in solid substrate fermentation (SSF). The optimum CMCase was achieved by testing most effective fermentation parameters which were: incubation temperature, pH and moisture content using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD). The carboxymethyl cellulase activity (CMCase) was measured as the defining factor. The results were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the regression quadratic model was obtained. The model was found to be significant (p<0.05) and the effect of temperature (25-40°C) and pH (4-7) was found to be not significant on CMCase activity whereas the moisture content was significant in the SSF conditions employed. The high yield of predicted CMCase activity (0.2 U/ml) was obtained under the optimized conditions (temperature 40 □C, pH 5.4 and moisture content of 80%). The model was validated by applying the optimized conditions and it was found that the model was valid.

  7. Evolution of some physicochemical and antioxidant properties of black garlic whole bulbs and peeled cloves.

    PubMed

    Toledano-Medina, M Angeles; Pérez-Aparicio, Jesús; Moreno-Rojas, Rafael; Merinas-Amo, Tania

    2016-05-15

    Black garlic was processed at three different temperatures of heat treatment (72°, 75° and 78°C) and close to 90% of relative humidity. Two types of material source were used: whole bulbs and peeled cloves. Total soluble solids content (°Brix), pH, water activity (aw), browning intensive (L value), total polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol index of the raw and heated garlic were determined. This study showed the changes occurring in the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of the garlic during the heat-treatment evolution. The soluble solids content (°Brix) in garlic increased gradually and the pH decreased in whole bulbs and peeled garlics. The polyphenol content measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method showed a significant increase during the heat-treatment in all the cases. Also, the antioxidant capacity measured by the ABTS radical increased significantly during the heat-treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [Effect of microbial nutrient concentration on improvement of municipal sewage sludge dewaterability through bioleaching].

    PubMed

    Song, Yong-wei; Liu, Fen-wu; Zhou, Li-xiang

    2012-08-01

    In this study, shaking flask batch experiments and practical engineering application tests were performed to investigate the effect of microbial nutrient concentration on the dewaterability of municipal sewage sludge with 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% solid contents via bioleaching. Meanwhile, the changes of pH value and the utilization efficiency of microbial nutrients during bioleaching were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the pH value decreased gradually at the beginning and then maintained a stable state in the treatments with different solid contents, and the nutrients were completely used up by the microorganisms after 2 days of bioleaching. It was found that the SRF of 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% sludges decreased quickly and then rose gradually with the extension of bioleaching time. In addition, the higher solid content the greater the increase. It was determined that the optimum microbial nutrient dosage for sludge with solid content of 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% were 3.0 g x L(-1), 4.5 g x L(-1), 8.3 g x L(-1) and 12.8 g x L(-1) respectively. At this point, the lowest SRF of sludge with each solid content were 0.61 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), 1.22 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), 3.09 x 10(12) m x kg(-1) and 4.83 x 10(12) m x kg(-1), respectively. Through the engineering application, it was showed that diluting the solid content of sewage sludge from 5% to 3% before bioleaching was feasible. It could not only improve the dewaterability of bioleached sewage sludge (the SRF declined from 3.29 x 10(12) m x kg(-1) to 1.10 x 10(12) m x kg(-1)), but also shorten the sludge nutrient time (shortened from 4 days to 2.35 days) and reduce the operation costs. Therefore, the results of this study have important significance for the engineering application of bioleaching of municipal sewage sludge with high solid content.

  9. Improved methane production from waste activated sludge with low organic content by alkaline pretreatment at pH 10.

    PubMed

    Feng, L Y; Yang, L Q; Zhang, L X; Chen, H L; Chen, J

    2013-01-01

    Sludge with low organic content always results in an unsatisfactory performance, even failure of anaerobic digestion. The alkaline pretreatment effect on anaerobic digestion of sludge with low organic content has seldom been studied although it gives many benefits for sludge with high organic content. In this study the influence of alkaline pretreatment (pH 10, an effective alkaline pH) on the solubilization and methane production from waste activated sludge (WAS) with low organic content was investigated. Results from biochemical methane potential (BMP) experiments showed that anaerobic biodegradability of WAS was greatly improved by alkaline pretreatment at pH 10. Methane production from the current WAS under conditions of pretreatment time 4 h and digestion time 15 d was 139.6 mL/g VS (volatile solids), much higher than that from the unpretreated WAS with digestion time of 20 d (75.2 mL/g VS). Also, the solubilization of WAS was significantly accelerated by alkaline pretreatment. Mechanism exploration indicated that the general activities of anaerobic microorganisms, specific activities of key enzymes and the amounts of methanogens were enhanced by alkaline pretreatment at pH 10, showing good agreement with methane production.

  10. Can we predict uranium bioavailability based on soil parameters? Part 1: effect of soil parameters on soil solution uranium concentration.

    PubMed

    Vandenhove, H; Van Hees, M; Wouters, K; Wannijn, J

    2007-01-01

    Present study aims to quantify the influence of soil parameters on soil solution uranium concentration for (238)U spiked soils. Eighteen soils collected under pasture were selected such that they covered a wide range for those parameters hypothesised as being potentially important in determining U sorption. Maximum soil solution uranium concentrations were observed at alkaline pH, high inorganic carbon content and low cation exchange capacity, organic matter content, clay content, amorphous Fe and phosphate levels. Except for the significant correlation between the solid-liquid distribution coefficients (K(d), L kg(-1)) and the organic matter content (R(2)=0.70) and amorphous Fe content (R(2)=0.63), there was no single soil parameter significantly explaining the soil solution uranium concentration (which varied 100-fold). Above pH=6, log(K(d)) was linearly related with pH [log(K(d))=-1.18 pH+10.8, R(2)=0.65]. Multiple linear regression analysis did result in improved predictions of the soil solution uranium concentration but the model was complex.

  11. A solid-state pH sensor for nonaqueous media including ionic liquids.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Brianna C; Winther-Jensen, Orawan; Winther-Jensen, Bjorn; MacFarlane, Douglas R

    2013-04-02

    We describe a solid state electrode structure based on a biologically derived proton-active redox center, riboflavin (RFN). The redox reaction of RFN is a pH-dependent process that requires no water. The electrode was fabricated using our previously described 'stuffing' method to entrap RFN into vapor phase polymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene). The electrode is shown to be capable of measuring the proton activity in the form of an effective pH over a range of different water contents including nonaqueous systems and ionic liquids (ILs). This demonstrates that the entrapment of the redox center facilitates direct electron communication with the polymer. This work provides a miniaturizable system to determine pH (effective) in nonaqueous systems as well as in ionic liquids. The ability to measure pH (effective) is an important step toward the ability to customize ILs with suitable pH (effective) for catalytic reactions and biotechnology applications such as protein preservation.

  12. Effect of fermentation and sterilization on anthocyanins in blueberry.

    PubMed

    Nie, Qixing; Feng, Lei; Hu, Jielun; Wang, Sunan; Chen, Haihong; Huang, Xiaojun; Nie, Shaoping; Xiong, Tao; Xie, Mingyong

    2017-03-01

    Blueberry products have various health benefits due to their high content of dietary anthocyanins. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fermentation and sterilization on total anthocyanin content, composition and some quality attributes of blueberry puree. The blueberry puree used here was fermented for 40 h at 37 °C by Lactobacillus after sterilization. The method of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was optimized for the rapid analysis of anthocyanins. Quality attributes including pH, color, total soluble solids and viscosity were measured. A total of 21 anthocyanins and five anthocyanidins were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Fermented blueberry had reduced total anthocyanin content (29%) and levels of individual anthocyanins compared with fresh blueberry. Total anthocyanin content was decreased 46% by sterilization, and different degradation behavior of individual anthocyanin was appeared between fermented and sterilized-fermented blueberry puree. Fermentation and sterilization decreased the total soluble solids and pH and changed color parameters, while minimally influencing viscosity. The loss of total anthocyanin content by fermentation was related to the unstable structure of blueberry anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are sensitive to temperature (>80 °C), and degradation of anthocyanins by sterilization in blueberry should be considered in the fermentation procedure. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Leachate concentrations from water leach and column leach tests on fly ash-stabilized soils

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

    Bin-Shafique, S.; Benson, C.H.; Edil, T.B.

    2006-01-15

    Batch water leaching tests (WLTs) and column leaching tests (CLTs) were conducted on coal-combustion fly ashes, soil, and soil-fly ash mixtures to characterize leaching of Cd, Cr, Se, and Ag. The concentrations of these metals were also measured in the field at two sites where soft fine-grained soils were mechanically stabilized with fly ash. Concentrations in leachate from the WLTs on soil-fly ash mixtures are different from those on fly ash alone and cannot be accurately estimated based on linear dilution calculations using concentrations from WLTs on fly ash alone. The concentration varies nonlinearly with fly ash content due tomore » the variation in pH with fly ash content. Leachate concentrations are low when the pH of the leachate or the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil is high. Initial concentrations from CLTs are higher than concentrations from WLTs due to differences in solid-liquid ratio, pH, and solid-liquid contact. However, both exhibit similar trends with fly ash content, leachate pH, and soil properties. Scaling factors can be applied to WLT concentrations (50 for Ag and Cd, 10 for Cr and Se) to estimate initial concentrations for CLTs. Concentrations in leachate collected from the field sites were generally similar or slightly lower than concentrations measured in CLTs on the same materials. Thus, CLTs appear to provide a good indication of conditions that occur in the field provided that the test conditions mimic the field conditions. In addition, initial concentrations in the field can be conservatively estimated from WLT concentrations using the aforementioned scaling factors provided that the pH of the infiltrating water is near neutral.« less

  14. Controlling mechanisms of metals release form cement-based waste form in acetic acid solution

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

    Cheng, Kuang Ye.

    1991-01-01

    The purpose of this dissertation is to identify the individual leaching mechanisms of metals by knowing the pH profile within the leached specimen and the physical and chemical properties of the leached material. Leaching of cement-based waste form in acetic acid solutions with different acidic strengths has been investigated in this work. The pH profile along the acid penetration route in the cement-based waste form was identified by various pH color indicators. The pH in the surface altered layer varies from 5.0 to 6.0, which is very close to the pH in the bulk leachate. A reacting zone, where themore » pH abruptly changes from 6 to 12, sharply divides the altered surface layer from the remaining unleached waste form or kernel. Leaching of metals is controlled by the acidity available in the leachant. Dissolution of alkaline materials leaves a silica-rich layer on the surface of the cement-based waste form. This surface layer exhibits different properties than those of the unleached material. The surface layer has a higher water content, is lighter weight, and is soft and friable. Furthermore, the abundant silicate content on the solid surface detains portion of the leached metals, while they are moving through the leached layer into bulk solution. The leaching of metals is a consequence of acid penetration. The distance from the solid/solution interface to the front of the leaching boundary can be regarded as the depth of leaching zone, where the metals dissolve and diffuse out of the waste form. The metal ions diffuse through the leached layer may be retarded on the solid surface by the pH-dependent adsorption reactions. It is found that the leaching process through the leached layer is diffusion-controlled for calcium and cadmium, whereas diffusion and adsorption occur simultaneously in the leached layer for lead and arsenic.« less

  15. Stabilization of pH in solid-matrix hydroponic systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frick, J.; Mitchell, C. A.

    1993-01-01

    2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid (MES) buffer or Amberlite DP-1 (cation-exchange resin beads) were used to stabilize substrate pH of passive-wicking, solid-matrix hydroponic systems in which small canopies of Brassica napus L. (CrGC 5-2, genome : ACaacc) were grown to maturity. Two concentrations of MES (5 or 10 mM) were included in Hoagland 1 nutrient solution. Alternatively, resin beads were incorporated into the 2 vermiculite : 1 perlite (v/v) growth medium at 6% or 12% of total substrate volume. Both strategies stabilized pH without toxic side effects on plants. Average seed yield rates for all four pH stabilization treatments (13.3 to 16.9 g m-2 day-1) were about double that of the control (8.2 g m-2 day-1), for which there was no attempt to buffer substrate pH. Both the highest canopy seed yield rate (16.9 g m-2 day-1) and the highest shoot harvest index (19.5%) occurred with the 6% resin bead treatment, even though the 10 mM MES and 12% bead treatments maintained pH within the narrowest limits. The pH stabilization methods tested did not significantly affect seed oil and protein contents.

  16. Influence of Boiling Duration of GCSB-5 on Index Compound Content and Antioxidative and Anti-inflammatory Activity.

    PubMed

    Lee, In-Hee; Chung, Hwa-Jin; Shin, Joon-Shik; Ha, In-Hyuk; Kim, Me-Riong; Koh, Wonil; Lee, Jinho

    2017-01-01

    GCSB-5, an herbal drug composition with an anti-inflammatory effect, is prepared by boiling, which is the most common herbal extraction method in traditional Korean medicine. Several parameters are involved in the process, i.e., extractant type, herb-to-extractant ratio, extraction temperature and pressure, and total boiling time. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of boiling time on index compound amount and the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of GCSB-5. Different samples of GCSB-5 were obtained by decocting for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 240 min. Each sample was tested for hydrogen ion concentration (pH), total soluble solid content (TSSC), marker compound profiles, and antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity. pH was found to decrease while TSSC increased with extended decoction. Marker compound contents for GCSB-5 (acanthoside D for Acanthopanax sessiliflorus Seem, 20-hydroxyecdysone for Achyranthes japonica Nakai, and pinoresinol diglucoside for Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) remained relatively constant regardless of the length of boiling. Total D-glucose amount increased with longer boiling. The antioxidative and anti-inflammatory potentials of GCSB-5 were not substantially affected by decoction duration. Biological characteristics and marker compound content of GCSB-5 were not altered significantly in prolonged boiling. Longer boiling duration of GCSB-5 did not increase yield in a time-dependent manner, but yields of 210 and 240 min samples were significantly higherHydrogen ion concentration of GCSB-5 samples decreased while total soluble solid content and D-glucose concentration levels increased with boiling durationAlthough concentrations of some index compounds increased with extended boiling duration of GCSB-5, increase was small and not in a direct proportional relationshipAntioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of GCSB-5 were not substantially affected by decoction duration. Abbreviations used: CAM: Complementary and alternative medicine; KIOM: Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine; KMD: Korean medicine doctor; TSSC: Total soluble solid content; pH: Hydrogen ion concentration; HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; NO: Nitric oxide; NO 2 : Nitric dioxide; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide.

  17. Synthesis and formation mechanism of pinnoite by the phase transition process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Feng; Dong, Yaping; Peng, Jiaoyu; Wang, Liping; Li, Wu

    2016-06-01

    Pinnoite (MgB2O(OH)6) for the first time was synthesized using the solid-liquid-solid conversion method. The effects of reaction time, pH value and concentrations of magnesium and borate were investigated. Pinnoite was synthesized under the optimum condition of 8 mmol hungtsaoite and 1% boric acid solution at 80 °C. The products were determined using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, TG-DSC and a UV-vis spectrometer. The change processes of the surface morphology of pinnoite were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the formation mechanism of pinnoite was discussed according to the changes in the content of precipitation and pH value.

  18. Effects of Comprehensive Technologies on the Improvement of Acidified Vineyard Soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Hongguo; Wang, Qiunan; Xu, Feng; Jin, Jun; Wang, Guoyu; Liu, Jianguo

    2018-01-01

    Soil acidification is an important factor that restricts the yield and quality of fruits. In this study, the comprehensive improving technologies were applied on the vineyards in which the soil pH is below 5.5. The technologies include application of soil conditioner, organic fertilizer and bacterial manure, and growth of green manure and natural grass. The results show that the comprehensive improving technologies can raise the pH of 0-15 cm soil layer by 0.5-0.8 unit and the pH of 15-30 cm soil layer by 0.3-0.6 unit. The soil bulk densities are decreased by 0.77-10.42%. The contents of organic matter, total N, available P and K in the soils are all increased. Therefore, the soil fertilities are improved. The yields of grape fruits are increased by 12.77-14.94%, and the contents of soluble solid in the grapes are raised by 7.01-9.55%, by the comprehensive measure of seaweed liquid silicon plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure. The comprehensive measure of soil conditioner Naduoli No. 1 plus bacterial manure plus natural grass increases the yields of grape by 7.67%, raises the content of soluble solid in the grape by 8.6%. But the effect of the comprehensive measure of unslaked lime plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure is not clear.

  19. Effect of Incubation Time and Sucrose Addition on the Characteristics of Cheese Whey Yoghurt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurhartadi, E.; Utami, R.; Nursiwi, A.; Sari, A. M.; Widowati, E.; Sanjaya, A. P.; Esnadewi, E. A.

    2017-04-01

    The effect of incubation time and concentration of sucrose addition on the characteristics of cheese whey yogurt (lactic acid content, pH, total lactic acid bacteria, antioxidant activity, viscosity) and sensory characteristics (color, odor, flavor, consistency, and overalls) were investigated. The cheese whey yogurt fermentation process was carried out for 24h and 36h with the addition of sucrose 8, 10, and 12% (w/w) of total solid, respectively. The results showed that the lactic acid content, total lactic acid bacteria, antioxidant activity, and viscosity of cheese whey yogurt were affected by the incubation time and sucrose addition. The level of pH of yogurt which was incubated at 24h and 36h were relatively in the same levels, which were 4.51 up to 4.63. Due the sensory characteristic of cheese whey yogurt the panellists gave the high score for the cheese whey yogurt which was incubated at 24h and sucrose addition 12% (w/w) of total solid. The cheese whey yogurt has 0.41% lactic acid content; pH 4.51; 7.09 log total lactic acid bacteria cells / ml; 5.78% antioxidant activity; and 5.97 cP viscosity. The best sensory and physico-chemical characteristic of cheese whey yogurt was achieved by 24h incubation time and 12% concentration of sucrose addition.

  20. In Vivo Monitoring of pH, Redox Status, and Glutathione Using L-Band EPR for Assessment of Therapeutic Effectiveness in Solid Tumors

    PubMed Central

    Bobko, Andrey A.; Eubank, Timothy D.; Voorhees, Jeffrey L.; Efimova, Olga V.; Kirilyuk, Igor A.; Petryakov, Sergey; Trofimiov, Dmitrii G.; Marsh, Clay B.; Zweier, Jay L.; Grigor’ev, Igor A.; Samouilov, Alexandre; Khramtsov, Valery V.

    2011-01-01

    Approach for in vivo real-time assessment of tumor tissue extracellular pH (pHe), redox, and intracellular glutathione based on L-band EPR spectroscopy using dual function pH and redox nitroxide probe and disulfide nitroxide biradical, is described. These parameters were monitored in PyMT mice bearing breast cancer tumors during treatment with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. It was observed that tumor pHe is about 0.4 pH units lower than that in normal mammary gland tissue. Treatment with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor decreased the value of pHe by 0.3 units compared with PBS control treatment. Tumor tissue reducing capacity and intracellular glutathione were elevated compared with normal mammary gland tissue. Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor treatment resulted in a decrease of the tumor tissue reducing capacity and intracellular glutathione content. In addition to spectroscopic studies, pHe mapping was performed using recently proposed variable frequency proton–electron double-resonance imaging. The pH mapping superimposed with MRI image supports probe localization in mammary gland/tumor tissue, shows high heterogeneity of tumor tissue pHe and a difference of about 0.4 pH units between average pHe values in tumor and normal mammary gland. In summary, the developed multifunctional approach allows for in vivo, noninvasive pHe, extracellular redox, and intracellular glutathione content monitoring during investigation of various therapeutic strategies for solid tumors. Magn Reson Med 000:000–000, 2011. PMID:22113626

  1. Statistical optimization for lipase production from solid waste of vegetable oil industry.

    PubMed

    Sahoo, Rajesh Kumar; Kumar, Mohit; Mohanty, Swati; Sawyer, Matthew; Rahman, Pattanathu K S M; Sukla, Lala Behari; Subudhi, Enketeswara

    2018-04-21

    The production of biofuel using thermostable bacterial lipase from hot spring bacteria out of low-cost agricultural residue olive oil cake is reported in the present paper. Using a lipase enzyme from Bacillus licheniformis, a 66.5% yield of methyl esters was obtained. Optimum parameters were determined, with maximum production of lipase at a pH of 8.2, temperature 50.8°C, moisture content of 55.7%, and biosurfactant content of 1.693 mg. The contour plots and 3D surface responses depict the significant interaction of pH and moisture content with biosurfactant during lipase production. Chromatographic analysis of the lipase transesterification product was methyl esters, from kitchen waste oil under optimized conditions, generated methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, and methyl linoleate.

  2. The effect of pH control and 'hydraulic flush' on hydrolysis and Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) production and profile in anaerobic leach bed reactors digesting a high solids content substrate.

    PubMed

    Cysneiros, Denise; Banks, Charles J; Heaven, Sonia; Karatzas, Kimon-Andreas G

    2012-11-01

    The effect of hydraulic flush and pH control on hydrolysis, Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) production and profile in anaerobic leach bed reactors was investigated for the first time. Six reactors were operated under different regimes for two consecutive batches of 28days each. Buffering at pH ∼6.5 improved hydrolysis (Volatile Solid (VS) degradation) and VFA production by ∼50%. Butyric and acetic acid were dominant when reactors were buffered, while only butyric acid was produced at low pH. Hydraulic flush enhanced VS degradation and VFA production by ∼15% and ∼32%, respectively. Most Probable Number (MPN) of cellulolytic microorganisms indicated a wash out when hydraulic flush was applied, but pH control helped to counteract this. The highest VS degradation (∼89%), VFA yield (0.84kgCODkg(-1)VS(added)) and theoretical methane potential (0.37m(3)CH(4)kg(-1)VS(added)) were obtained when pH control and hydraulic flush were applied, and therefore, these conditions are recommended. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Characteristic of Fermented Whey Beverage with Addition of Tomato Juice (Lycopersicum esculentum)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nursiwi, A.; Nurhartadi, E.; Utami, R.; Sari, A. M.; Laksono, P. W.; Aprilia, E. N.

    2017-04-01

    Whey is the liquid resulting from the coagulation of milk from cheese manufacture. The availability of lactose in whey and presence of other essential nutrients for the growth of microorganisms makes it one of the potential substrate for the production of different bio-products through fermentation process. Lactic acid production through fermentation from lactic acid bacteria could be an alternative processing route for whey lactose utilization. However, a problem with such approaches is the low total solids content. Sucrose and tomato juice added to increases the total solids content. The aim of this work was to study the characteristic of fermented whey beverage with different tomato juice concentration (5, 10, 15%) using probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum. Lactic acid content, pH, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties of fermented whey beverage samples were examined after 18hours fermentation. Fermented whey beverage with 5% tomato juice obtained the highest scores for color, aroma, flavor, texture and overall attributes. The lactic acid content and pH of fermented whey beverage ranged from 0.326 to 0.437% and from 4.13 to 4.64, respectively. The highest antioxidant activity (9.073%) was found in sample with 15% tomato juice concentration. The best formulation is the sample with 5% of tomato juice concentration.

  4. Kinetics of ascorbic acid degradation in un-pasteurized Iranian lemon juice during regular storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Abbasi, A; Niakousari, M

    2008-05-15

    The aim of this research was to determine shelf life stability of un-pasteurized lemon juice filled in clear or dark green glass bottles. Presence of light, time and temperature affect the ascorbic acid retention in citrus juices. Bottles were stored at room temperature (27 +/- 3 degrees C) and in the refrigerator (3 +/- 1 degrees C). Total soluble solids, total titrable acidity and pH value were measured every three weeks and analysis was carried out on ascorbic acid content by means of titration method in the presence of 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol. The study was carried out for 12 weeks after which slight changes in color, taste and apparent texture in some samples were observed and ascorbic acid content reduced by 50%. Soluble solids content, pH value and total acidity were 5.5 degrees Brix, 2.73 and 5 g/100 mL, respectively which appeared not to be significantly influenced by storage time or conditions. Ascorbic acid content initially at 38.50 mg/100 mL was sharply reduced to about 22 mg/100 mL within the first three weeks of storage. The final ascorbic acid content of all samples was about 15 mg/100 mL. The deteriorative reaction of ascorbic acid in the juice at all conditions followed a first-order kinetic model with activation energy of 137 cal mol(-1).

  5. The influence of total solids content and initial pH on batch biohydrogen production by solid substrate fermentation of agroindustrial wastes.

    PubMed

    Robledo-Narváez, Paula N; Muñoz-Páez, Karla M; Poggi-Varaldo, Hector M; Ríos-Leal, Elvira; Calva-Calva, Graciano; Ortega-Clemente, L Alfredo; Rinderknecht-Seijas, Noemí; Estrada-Vázquez, Carlos; Ponce-Noyola, M Teresa; Salazar-Montoya, J Alfredo

    2013-10-15

    Hydrogen is a valuable clean energy source, and its production by biological processes is attractive and environmentally sound and friendly. In México 5 million tons/yr of agroindustrial wastes are generated; these residues are rich in fermentable organic matter that can be used for hydrogen production. On the other hand, batch, intermittently vented, solid substrate fermentation of organic waste has attracted interest in the last 10 years. Thus the objective of our work was to determine the effect of initial total solids content and initial pH on H2 production in batch fermentation of a substrate that consisted of a mixture of sugarcane bagasse, pineapple peelings, and waste activated sludge. The experiment was a response surface based on 2(2) factorial with central and axial points with initial TS (15-35%) and initial pH (6.5-7.5) as factors. Fermentation was carried out at 35 °C, with intermittent venting of minireactors and periodic flushing with inert N2 gas. Up to 5 cycles of H2 production were observed; the best treatment in our work showed cumulative H2 productions (ca. 3 mmol H2/gds) with 18% and 6.65 initial TS and pH, respectively. There was a significant effect of TS on production of hydrogen, the latter decreased with initial TS increase from 18% onwards. Cumulative H2 productions achieved in this work were higher than those reported for organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and mixtures of OFMSW and fruit peels waste from fruit juice industry, using the same process. Specific energetic potential due to H2 in our work was attractive and fell in the high side of the range of reported results in the open literature. Batch dark fermentation of agrowastes as practiced in our work could be useful for future biorefineries that generate biohydrogen as a first step and could influence the management of this type of agricultural wastes in México and other countries and regions as well. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Optimisation of microwave-assisted processing in production of pineapple jam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail, Nur Aisyah Mohd; Abdullah, Norazlin; Muhammad, Norhayati

    2017-10-01

    Pineapples are available all year round since they are unseasonal fruits. Due to the continuous harvesting of the fruit, the retailers and farmers had to find a solution such as the processing of pineapple into jam, to treat the unsuccessfully sold pineapples. The direct heating of pineapple puree during the production of pineapple jam can cause over degradation of quality of the fresh pineapple. Thus, this study aims to optimise the microwave-assisted processing conditions for producing pineapple jam which could reduce water activity and meets minimum requirement for pH and total soluble solids contents of fruit jam. The power and time of the microwave processing were chosen as the factors, while the water activity, pH and total soluble solids (TSS) content of the pineapple jam were determined as responses to be optimised. The microwave treatment on the pineapple jam was able to give significant effect on the water activity and TSS content of the pineapple jam. The optimum power and time for the microwave processing of pineapple jam is 800 Watt and 8 minutes, respectively. The use of domestic microwave oven for the pineapple jam production results in acceptable pineapple jam same as conventional fruit jam sold in the marketplace.

  7. Improved cellulase production by Botryosphaeria rhodina from OPEFB at low level moisture condition through statistical optimization.

    PubMed

    Bahrin, E K; Ibrahim, M F; Abd Razak, M N; Abd-Aziz, S; Shah, U K Md; Alitheen, N; Salleh, M Md

    2012-01-01

    The response surface method was applied in this study to improve cellulase production from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) by Botryosphaeria rhodina. An experimental design based on a two-level factorial was employed to screen the significant environmental factors for cellulase production. The locally isolated fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina was cultivated on OPEFB under solid-state fermentation (SSF). From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the initial moisture content, amount of substrate, and initial pH of nutrient supplied in the SSF system significantly influenced cellulase production. Then the optimization of the variables was done using the response surface method according to central composite design (CCD). Botryosphaeria rhodina exhibited its best performance with a high predicted value of FPase enzyme production (17.95 U/g) when the initial moisture content was at 24.32%, initial pH of nutrient was 5.96, and 3.98 g of substrate was present. The statistical optimization from actual experiment resulted in a significant increment of FPase production from 3.26 to 17.91 U/g (5.49-fold). High cellulase production at low moisture content is a very rare condition for fungi cultured in solid-state fermentation.

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-01-01

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

  9. Solid state fermentation of Trichoderma viride for enhancement phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in ginger.

    PubMed

    Saleh, Rashad M; Kabli, Saleh A; Al-Garni, Saleh M; Al-Ghamdi, Maryam A; Abdel-Aty, Azza M; Mohamed, Saleh A

    2018-05-04

    The phenolic content of methanolic and water extracts of ginger fermented by Trichoderma spp. during solid state fermentation (SSF) was detected as compared with unfermented ginger. The total phenolic content of fermented ginger increased several times. The highest phenolic content of ginger was detected after SSF by T. viride. The optimal physiological conditions for the maximum production of the phenolic content and β-glucosidase activity of fermented ginger by T. viride were detected at day 7 incubation, pH 6.0, 30°C and 30% moisture. There are consistent between the maximum production of β-glucosidase and phenolic content. The SSF of ginger by T. viride greatly enhanced the antioxidant potency of phenolic compounds by using DPPH and ABTS assays. Potent antibacterial activity was appeared by phenolic compounds of fermented ginger against all the tested human-pathogenic bacteria. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  10. Resin characterization

    Treesearch

    Robert L. Geimer; Robert A. Follensbee; Alfred W. Christiansen; James A. Koutsky; George E. Myers

    1990-01-01

    Currently, thermosetting adhesives are characterized by physical andchemical features such as viscosity, solids content, pH, and molecular distribution, and their reaction in simple gel tests. Synthesis of a new resin for a particular application is usually accompanied by a series of empirical laboratory and plant trials. The purpose of the research outlined in this...

  11. Hydrogen sulfide formation control and microbial competition in batch anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater sludge: Effect of initial sludge pH.

    PubMed

    Yan, Li; Ye, Jie; Zhang, Panyue; Xu, Dong; Wu, Yan; Liu, Jianbo; Zhang, Haibo; Fang, Wei; Wang, Bei; Zeng, Guangming

    2018-07-01

    High sulfur content in excess sludge impacts the production of biomethane during anaerobic digestion, meanwhile leads to hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) formation in biogas. Effect of initial sludge pH on H 2 S formation during batch mesophilic anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater sludge was studied in this paper. The results demonstrated that when the initial sludge pH increased from 6.5 to 8.0, the biogas production increased by 10.1%, the methane production increased by 64.1%, while the H 2 S content in biogas decreased by 44.7%. The higher initial sludge pH inhibited the competition of sulfate-reducing bacteria with methane-producing bacteria, and thus benefitted the growth of methanogens. Positive correlation was found between the relative abundance of Desulfomicrobium and H 2 S production, as well as the relative abundance of Methanosarcina and methane production. More sulfates and organic sulfur were transferred to solid and liquid rather than H 2 S formation at a high initial pH. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Agrochemical characterisation of the solid by-products and residues from the winery and distillery industry.

    PubMed

    Bustamante, M A; Moral, R; Paredes, C; Pérez-Espinosa, A; Moreno-Caselles, J; Pérez-Murcia, M D

    2008-01-01

    The winery and distillery industry produces a great quantity of residues, whose management and disposal are environmental problems due to their seasonal character and some polluting characteristics. The main solid by-products and residues generated are grape stalk, grape pomace or marc, wine lee, exhausted grape marc and winery sludge. In this study, 87 samples of winery and distillery residues were collected from different Spanish wineries and distilleries. Electrical conductivity, pH, total organic matter, organic carbon, polyphenols and contents of plant nutrients and heavy metals were determined. The purpose of this research was to study the composition of these wastes and to find relationships in order to use easily analysable parameters to estimate their composition. In general, the winery and distillery residues showed low pH (mean values ranged from 3.8 to 6.8) and electrical conductivity values (1.62-6.15 dS m(-1)) and high organic matter (669-920 g kg(-1)) and macronutrient contents, especially in K (11.9-72.8 g kg(-1)). However, a notable polyphenol concentration (1.2-19.0 g kg(-1)) and low micronutrient and heavy metal contents were also observed, some of these properties being incompatible with agricultural requirements. Therefore, conditioning treatments are necessary prior to possible use of these wastes. In all wastes, significant correlations were found between easily determined parameters, such as pH, electrical conductivity and total organic matter, and most of the parameters studied. The regression models obtained are also discussed.

  13. Effect of process temperature, pH and suspended solids content upon pasteurization of a model agricultural waste during thermophilic aerobic digestion.

    PubMed

    Ugwuanyi, J O; Harvey, L M; McNeil, B

    1999-09-01

    Thermophilic aerobic digestion(TAD), or liquid composting, is a versatile new process for the treatment and stabilization of high strength wastes of liquid or, perhaps more importantly, slurry consistency. The pattern of inactivation of various pathogenic and indicator organisms was studied using batch digestions under conditions that may be expected to be found in full-scale TAD processes. Rapid inactivation of test populations occurred within the first 10 min from the start of digestion. The inactivation rate was slightly lower when digestions were conducted below 60 degrees C. In some instances, a 'tail' was apparent, possibly indicating the survival of relatively resistant sub-populations particularly in the case of Serratia marcescens and Enterococcus faecalis, or of clumping or attachment of cells to particulate materials. The effect of pH on the inactivation of the test populations depended on the temperature of digestion, but varied with the test population. At 55 degrees C Escherichia coli was more sensitive to temperature effects at pH 7 than at pH 8, but was more sensitive at pH 8, 60 degrees C. The reverse was the case at 60 degrees C for Ent. faecalis. An increase in the solid content of the digesting waste caused a progressive increase in the protection of test organisms from thermal inactivation. Challenging a TAD process with test strains allows (via estimation of D-values) a quantification of the cidal effects of such processes, with a view to manipulating process variables to enhance such effects.

  14. Release behavior of uranium in uranium mill tailings under environmental conditions.

    PubMed

    Liu, Bo; Peng, Tongjiang; Sun, Hongjuan; Yue, Huanjuan

    2017-05-01

    Uranium contamination is observed in sedimentary geochemical environments, but the geochemical and mineralogical processes that control uranium release from sediment are not fully appreciated. Identification of how sediments and water influence the release and migration of uranium is critical to improve the prevention of uranium contamination in soil and groundwater. To understand the process of uranium release and migration from uranium mill tailings under water chemistry conditions, uranium mill tailing samples from northwest China were investigated with batch leaching experiments. Results showed that water played an important role in uranium release from the tailing minerals. The uranium release was clearly influenced by contact time, liquid-solid ratio, particle size, and pH under water chemistry conditions. Longer contact time, higher liquid content, and extreme pH were all not conducive to the stabilization of uranium and accelerated the uranium release from the tailing mineral to the solution. The values of pH were found to significantly influence the extent and mechanisms of uranium release from minerals to water. Uranium release was monitored by a number of interactive processes, including dissolution of uranium-bearing minerals, uranium desorption from mineral surfaces, and formation of aqueous uranium complexes. Considering the impact of contact time, liquid-solid ratio, particle size, and pH on uranium release from uranium mill tailings, reducing the water content, decreasing the porosity of tailing dumps and controlling the pH of tailings were the key factors for prevention and management of environmental pollution in areas near uranium mines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Physical and Chemical Properties of Bio-Oils From Microwave Pyrolysis of Corn Stover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Fei; Deng, Shaobo; Chen, Paul; Liu, Yuhuan; Wan, Yiqin; Olson, Andrew; Kittelson, David; Ruan, Roger

    This study was aimed to understand the physical and chemical properties of pyrolytic bio-oils produced from microwave pyrolysis of corn stover regarding their potential use as gas turbine and home heating fuels. The ash content, solids content, pH, heating value, minerals, elemental ratio, moisture content, and viscosity of the bio-oils were determined. The water content was approx 15.2 wt%, solids content 0.22 wt%, alkali metal content 12 parts per million, dynamic viscosity 185 mPa·s at 40°C, and gross high heating value 17.5 MJ/kg for a typical bio-oil produced. Our aging tests showed that the viscosity and water content increased and phase separation occurred during the storage at different temperatures. Adding methanol and/or ethanol to the bio-oils reduced the viscosity and slowed down the increase in viscosity and water content during the storage. Blending of methanol or ethanol with the bio-oils may be a simple and cost-effective approach to making the pyrolytic bio-oils into a stable gas turbine or home heating fuels.

  16. Physical and chemical properties of bio-oils from microwave pyrolysis of corn stover.

    PubMed

    Yu, Fei; Deng, Shaobo; Chen, Paul; Liu, Yuhuan; Wan, Yiqin; Olson, Andrew; Kittelson, David; Ruan, Roger

    2007-04-01

    This study was aimed to understand the physical and chemical properties of pyrolytic bio-oils produced from microwave pyrolysis of corn stover regarding their potential use as gas turbine and home heating fuels. The ash content, solids content, pH, heating value, minerals, elemental ratio, moisture content, and viscosity of the bio-oils were determined. The water content was approx 15.2 wt%, solids content 0.22 wt%, alkali metal content 12 parts per million, dynamic viscosity 185 mPa.s at 40 degrees C, and gross high heating value 17.5 MJ/kg for a typical bio-oil produced. Our aging tests showed that the viscosity and water content increased and phase separation occurred during the storage at different temperatures. Adding methanol and/or ethanol to the bio-oils reduced the viscosity and slowed down the increase in viscosity and water content during the storage. Blending of methanol or ethanol with the bio-oils may be a simple and cost-effective approach to making the pyrolytic bio-oils into a stable gas turbine or home heating fuels.

  17. A degradation model for high kitchen waste content municipal solid waste.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yunmin; Guo, Ruyang; Li, Yu-Chao; Liu, Hailong; Zhan, Tony Liangtong

    2016-12-01

    Municipal solid waste (MSW) in developing countries has a high content of kitchen waste (KW), and therefore contains large quantities of water and non-hollocellulose degradable organics. The degradation of high KW content MSW cannot be well simulated by the existing degradation models, which are mostly established for low KW content MSW in developed countries. This paper presents a two-stage anaerobic degradation model for high KW content MSW with degradations of hollocellulose, sugars, proteins and lipids considered. The ranges of the proportions of chemical compounds in MSW components are summarized with the recommended values given. Waste components are grouped into rapidly or slowly degradable categories in terms of the degradation rates under optimal water conditions for degradation. In the proposed model, the unionized VFA inhibitions of hydrolysis/acidogenesis and methanogenesis are considered as well as the pH inhibition of methanogenesis. Both modest and serious VFA inhibitions can be modeled by the proposed model. Default values for the parameters in the proposed method can be used for predictions of degradations of both low and high KW content MSW. The proposed model was verified by simulating two laboratory experiments, in which low and high KW content MSW were used, respectively. The simulated results are in good agreement with the measured data of the experiments. The results show that under low VFA concentrations, the pH inhibition of methanogenesis is the main inhibition to be considered, while the inhibitions of both hydrolysis/acidogenesis and methanogenesis caused by unionized VFA are significant under high VFA concentrations. The model is also used to compare the degradation behaviors of low and high KW content MSW under a favorable environmental condition, and it shows that the gas potential of high KW content MSW releases more quickly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-04-01

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

  19. [Super sweet corn hybrids adaptability for industrial processing. I freezing].

    PubMed

    Alfonzo, Braunnier; Camacho, Candelario; Ortiz de Bertorelli, Ligia; De Venanzi, Frank

    2002-09-01

    With the purpose of evaluating adaptability to the freezing process of super sweet corn sh2 hybrids Krispy King, Victor and 324, 100 cobs of each type were frozen at -18 degrees C. After 120 days of storage, their chemical, microbiological and sensorial characteristics were compared with a sweet corn su. Industrial quality of the process of freezing and length and number of rows in cobs were also determined. Results revealed yields above 60% in frozen corns. Length and number of rows in cobs were acceptable. Most of the chemical characteristics of super sweet hybrids were not different from the sweet corn assayed at the 5% significance level. Moisture content and soluble solids of hybrid Victor, as well as total sugars of hybrid 324 were statistically different. All sh2 corns had higher pH values. During freezing, soluble solids concentration, sugars and acids decreased whereas pH increased. Frozen cobs exhibited acceptable microbiological rank, with low activities of mesophiles and total coliforms, absence of psychrophiles and fecal coliforms, and an appreciable amount of molds. In conclusion, sh2 hybrids adapted with no problems to the freezing process, they had lower contents of soluble solids and higher contents of total sugars, which almost doubled the amount of su corn; flavor, texture, sweetness and appearance of kernels were also better. Hybrid Victor was preferred by the evaluating panel and had an outstanding performance due to its yield and sensorial characteristics.

  20. Effect of the presence of cationic polyacrylamide on the surface properties of aqueous alumina suspension-stability mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiśniewska, Małgorzata; Chibowski, Stanisław; Urban, Teresa

    2014-11-01

    The effects of solution pH and the content of cationic groups in polyacrylamide (PAM) macromolecules on the stability mechanism of aqueous alumina suspension were investigated. The following experimental techniques were applied: spectrophotometry, potentiometric titration, microelectrophoresis, viscosimetry and turbidimetry. They enable determination of polymer adsorbed amount, surface charge density and zeta potential of solid particles in the presence and absence of PAM, as well as thickness of polymer adsorption layer, size of macromolecules in the solution and stability of the Al2O3-polymer systems, respectively. The obtained results indicate that adsorption of PAM increases with the increasing pH, whereas the thickness of polymeric adsorption layer decreases. Additionally, the greater the number of cationic groups in the PAM chains is, the higher adsorption was found. The polymer presence influences on the alumina suspension stability. At pH 3 and 6 the slight deterioration of stability conditions of solid particle covered with polyacrylamide was observed. At pH 9 the systems containing polymer are unstable, similarly to the suspension without PAM, but the mechanism of their destabilization is different.

  1. Effect of agitation on methanogenesis stage of two-stage anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent (POME) into biogas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trisakti, Bambang; Irvan, Zahara, Intan; Taslim, Turmuzi, Muhammad

    2017-05-01

    This study is an assessment of the effect of agitation on biogas production on methanogenesis stage. Methanogenesis is the second stage of two-stage anaerobic digestion of palm oil effluent (POME) into biogas. The purpose of this study is to get the effect of agitation on growth of microorganisms, degradation of organic substances, and biogas production and composition. Initially, the suitable loading up was determined by varying the HRT at 100, 40, 6, and 4 days in the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with agitation rate 100 rpm, pH 6.7-7.5, at room temperature. Next, effect of agitation on the process was determined by varying agitation rate at 50, 100, 150, and 200 rpm. The substrate used was the effluent of the acidogenesis stage that fed to the CSTR four times a day. Analysis of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were conducted in order to study the growth of microorganisms and their abilities in converting organic compound to produce biogas. Production and composition of biogas were also determined by measuring the volume of biogas and content of H2S and CO2. The result showed that the pH and alkalinity it was still within the range of methanogenesis process. The growth of microorganisms were increased with the increasing of agitation rate. However, the best degradation of organic substances, biogas production, and biogas composition were achieved at 100 rpm. The VS decomposition, COD removal, biogas production, CO2 content, and CH4 content at 100 rpm were 67.44 ± 3.59%, 81.00%, 58.87 ± 6.27 L/kg-ΔVS, 23.36%, and 76.64%, respectively.

  2. Measurement of process variables in solid-state fermentation of wheat straw using FT-NIR spectroscopy and synergy interval PLS algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Hui; Liu, Guohai; Mei, Congli; Yu, Shuang; Xiao, Xiahong; Ding, Yuhan

    2012-11-01

    The feasibility of rapid determination of the process variables (i.e. pH and moisture content) in solid-state fermentation (SSF) of wheat straw using Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was studied. Synergy interval partial least squares (siPLS) algorithm was implemented to calibrate regression model. The number of PLS factors and the number of subintervals were optimized simultaneously by cross-validation. The performance of the prediction model was evaluated according to the root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV), the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and the correlation coefficient (R). The measurement results of the optimal model were obtained as follows: RMSECV = 0.0776, Rc = 0.9777, RMSEP = 0.0963, and Rp = 0.9686 for pH model; RMSECV = 1.3544% w/w, Rc = 0.8871, RMSEP = 1.4946% w/w, and Rp = 0.8684 for moisture content model. Finally, compared with classic PLS and iPLS models, the siPLS model revealed its superior performance. The overall results demonstrate that FT-NIR spectroscopy combined with siPLS algorithm can be used to measure process variables in solid-state fermentation of wheat straw, and NIR spectroscopy technique has a potential to be utilized in SSF industry.

  3. Enhanced viability of Lactobacillus reuteri for probiotics production in mixed solid-state fermentation in the presence of Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yi-Ran; Xiong, Hai-Rong; Guo, Xiao-Hua

    2014-01-01

    In order to develop a multi-microbe probiotic preparation of Lactobacillus reuteri G8-5 and Bacillus subtilis MA139 in solid-state fermentation, a series of parameters were optimized sequentially in shake flask culture. The effect of supplementation of B. subtilis MA139 as starters on the viability of L. reuteri G8-5 was also explored. The results showed that the optimized process was as follows: water content, 50 %; initial pH of diluted molasses, 6.5; inocula volume, 2 %; flask dry contents, 30∼35 g/250 g without sterilization; and fermentation time, 2 days. The multi-microbial preparations finally provided the maximum concentration of Lactobacillus of about 9.01 ± 0.15 log CFU/g and spores of Bacillus of about 10.30 ± 0.08 log CFU/g. Compared with pure fermentation of L. reuteri G8-5, significantly high viable cells, low value of pH, and reducing sugar in solid substrates were achieved in mixed fermentation in the presence of B. subtilis MA139 (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the mixed fermentation showed the significantly higher antimicrobial activity against E. coli K88 (P < 0.05). Based on the overall results, the optimized process enhanced the production of multi-microbe probiotics in solid-state fermentation with low cost. Moreover, the viability of L. reuteri G8-5 could be significantly enhanced in the presence of B. subtilis MA139 in solid-state fermentation, which favored the production of probiotics for animal use.

  4. Influences of Extracellular Polymeric Substances on the Dewaterability of Sewage Sludge during Bioleaching

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xueying; Zhou, Lixiang

    2014-01-01

    Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play important roles in regulating the dewaterability of sludge. This study sought to elucidate the influence of EPS on the dewaterability of sludge during bioleaching process. Results showed that, in bioleaching system with the co-inoculation of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans TS6 and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5 (A. t+A. f system), the capillary suction time (CST) of sludge reduced from 255.9 s to 25.45 s within 48 h, which was obviously better than the controls. The correlation analysis between sludge CST and sludge EPS revealed that the sludge EPS significantly impacted the dewaterability of sludge. Sludge CST had correlation with protein content in slime and both protein and polysaccharide contents in TB-EPS and Slime+LB+TB layers, and the decrease of protein content in slime and decreases of both protein and polysaccharide contents in TB-EPS and Slime+LB+TB layers improved sludge dewaterability during sludge bioleaching process. Moreover, the low sludge pH (2.92) and the increasing distribution of Fe in the solid phase were another two factors responsible for the improvement of sludge dewaterability during bioleaching. This study suggested that during sludge bioleaching the growth of Acidithiobacillus species resulted in the decrease of sludge pH, the increasing distribution of Fe in the solid phase, and the decrease of EPS content (mainly including protein and/or polysaccharide) in the slime, TB-EPS, and Slime+LB+TB layers, all of which are helpful for sludge dewaterability enhancement. PMID:25050971

  5. Influences of extracellular polymeric substances on the dewaterability of sewage sludge during bioleaching.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jun; Zheng, Guanyu; Zhang, Xueying; Zhou, Lixiang

    2014-01-01

    Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play important roles in regulating the dewaterability of sludge. This study sought to elucidate the influence of EPS on the dewaterability of sludge during bioleaching process. Results showed that, in bioleaching system with the co-inoculation of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans TS6 and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5 (A. t+A. f system), the capillary suction time (CST) of sludge reduced from 255.9 s to 25.45 s within 48 h, which was obviously better than the controls. The correlation analysis between sludge CST and sludge EPS revealed that the sludge EPS significantly impacted the dewaterability of sludge. Sludge CST had correlation with protein content in slime and both protein and polysaccharide contents in TB-EPS and Slime+LB+TB layers, and the decrease of protein content in slime and decreases of both protein and polysaccharide contents in TB-EPS and Slime+LB+TB layers improved sludge dewaterability during sludge bioleaching process. Moreover, the low sludge pH (2.92) and the increasing distribution of Fe in the solid phase were another two factors responsible for the improvement of sludge dewaterability during bioleaching. This study suggested that during sludge bioleaching the growth of Acidithiobacillus species resulted in the decrease of sludge pH, the increasing distribution of Fe in the solid phase, and the decrease of EPS content (mainly including protein and/or polysaccharide) in the slime, TB-EPS, and Slime+LB+TB layers, all of which are helpful for sludge dewaterability enhancement.

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

    PubMed

    Zaslona, Halina; Trusek-Holownia, Anna

    2015-01-01

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

  7. [Characteristics and mechanism of sodium removal by the synergistic action of flue gas and waste solid].

    PubMed

    Yi, Yuan-Rong; Han, Min-Fang

    2012-07-01

    The carbon dioxide (CO2) in flue gas was used to remove the sodium in the red mud (RM) , a kind of alkaline solid waste generated during alumina production. The reaction characteristics and mechanism of sodium removal by the synergistic action of CO2 and RM were studied with different medium pH, reaction time and temperature. It was demonstrated that the remove of sodium by RM was actually the result of the synergistic action of sodium-based solid waste in RM with the CO2-H2O and OH(-)-CO2 systems. The sodium removal efficiency was correlated with pH, reaction temperature and time. The characteristics of RM before and after sodium removal were analyzed using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the results showed that the alkaline materials in the red mud reacted with CO2 and the sodium content in solid phases decreased significantly after reaction. The sodium removal efficiency could reach up to 70% with scientific procedure. The results of this research will offer an efficient way for low-cost sodium removal.

  8. Harvest-time prediction of apple physiological indices using fiber optic Fourier transform near-infrared spectrometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yande; Ying, Yibin; Lu, Huishan; Fu, Xiaping

    2004-12-01

    This work evaluates the feasibility of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrometry for rapid determining the total soluble solids content and acidity of apple fruit. Intact apple fruit were measured by reflectance FT-NIR in 800-2500 nm range. FT-NIR models were developed based on partial least square (PLS) regression and principal component regress (PCR) with respect to the reflectance and its first derivative, the logarithms of the reflectance reciprocal and its second derivative. The above regression models, related the FT-NIR spectra to soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and available acidity (pH). The best combination, based on the prediction results, was PLS models with respect to the logarithms of the reflectance reciprocal. Predictions with PLS models resulted standard errors of prediction (SEP) of 0.455, 0.044 and 0.068, and correlation coefficients of 0.968, 0.728 and 0.831 for SSC, TA and pH, respectively. It was concluded that by using the FT-NIR spectrometry measurement system, in the appropriate spectral range, it is possible to nondestructively assess the maturity factors of apple fruit.

  9. The effect of moisture regimes on the anaerobic degradation of municipal solid waste from Metepec (México).

    PubMed

    Hernández-Berriel, Ma C; Márquez-Benavides, L; González-Pérez, D J; Buenrostro-Delgado, O

    2008-01-01

    The State of México, situated in central México, has a population of about 14 million, distributed in approximately 125 counties. Solid waste management represents a serious and ongoing pressure to local authorities. The final disposal site ("El Socavón") does not comply with minimum environmental requirements as no liners or leachate management infrastructure are available. Consequently, leachate composition or the effects of rain water input on municipal solid waste degradation are largely unknown. The aim of this work was to monitor the anaerobic degradation of municipal solid waste (MSW), simulating the water addition due to rainfall, under two different moisture content regimes (70% and 80% humidity). The study was carried out using bioreactors in both laboratory and pilot scales. The variation of organic matter and pH was followed in the solid matrix of the MSW. The leachate produced was used to estimate the field capacity of the MSW and to determine the pH, COD, BOD and heavy metals. Some leachate parameters were found to be within permitted limits, but further research is needed in order to analyze the leachate from lower layers of the disposal site ("El Socavón").

  10. Vaginal lactobacilli inhibiting growth of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus and other bacterial species cultured from vaginal content of women with bacterial vaginosis.

    PubMed

    Skarin, A; Sylwan, J

    1986-12-01

    On a solid agar medium the growth-inhibitory effect of 9 Lactobacillus strains cultured from vaginal content was tested on bacteria cultured from vaginal content of women with bacterial vaginosis: Mobiluncus, Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides and anaerobic cocci. Inhibition zones were observed in the growth of all of the strains isolated from women with bacterial vaginosis around all lactobacilli. The inhibitory effect of the lactobacilli was further tested on various anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic species, both type strains and fresh extragenitally cultured strains. Four Bacteroides fragilis strains as well as 2 out of 4 Staphylococcus aureus strains were clearly inhibited by the lactobacilli. The inhibition zones were generally wider at pH 5.5 than at 6.0. For all inhibited strains, (the S. aureus excepted) a low pH on the agar around the lactobacilli correlated to wider growth-inhibition zones.

  11. Effect of biochars produced from solid organic municipal waste on soil quality parameters.

    PubMed

    Randolph, P; Bansode, R R; Hassan, O A; Rehrah, Dj; Ravella, R; Reddy, M R; Watts, D W; Novak, J M; Ahmedna, M

    2017-05-01

    New value-added uses for solid municipal waste are needed for environmental and economic sustainability. Fortunately, value-added biochars can be produced from mixed solid waste, thereby addressing solid waste management issues, and enabling long-term carbon sequestration. We hypothesize that soil deficiencies can be remedied by the application of municipal waste-based biochars. Select municipal organic wastes (newspaper, cardboard, woodchips and landscaping residues) individually or in a 25% blend of all four waste streams were used as feedstocks of biochars. Three sets of pyrolysis temperatures (350, 500, and 750 °C) and 3 sets of pyrolysis residence time (2, 4 and 6 h) were used for biochar preparation. The biochar yield was in the range of 21-62% across all feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions. We observed variations in key biochar properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, bulk density and surface area depending on the feedstocks and production conditions. Biochar increased soil pH and improved its electrical conductivity, aggregate stability, water retention and micronutrient contents. Similarly, leachate from the soil amended with biochar showed increased pH and electrical conductivity. Some elements such as Ca and Mg decreased while NO 3 -N increased in the leachates of soils incubated with biochars. Overall, solid waste-based biochar produced significant improvements to soil fertility parameters indicating that solid municipal wastes hold promising potential as feedstocks for manufacturing value-added biochars with varied physicochemical characteristics, allowing them to not only serve the needs for solid waste management and greenhouse gas mitigation, but also as a resource for improving the quality of depleted soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Bioleaching of arsenic from highly contaminated mine tailings using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eunseong; Han, Yosep; Park, Jeonghyun; Hong, Jeongsik; Silva, Rene A; Kim, Seungkon; Kim, Hyunjung

    2015-01-01

    The behavior of arsenic (As) bioleaching from mine tailings containing high amount of As (ca. 34,000 mg/kg) was investigated using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans to get an insight on the optimal conditions that would be applied to practical heap and/or tank bioleaching tests. Initial pH (1.8-2.2), temperature (25-40 °C), and solid concentration (0.5-4.0%) were employed as experimental parameters. Complementary characterization experiments (e.g., XRD, SEM-EDS, electrophoretic mobility, cell density, and sulfate production) were also carried out to better understand the mechanism of As bioleaching. The results showed that final As leaching efficiency was similar regardless of initial pH. However, greater initial As leaching rate was observed at initial pH 1.8 than other conditions, which could be attributed to greater initial cell attachment to mine tailings. Unlike the trend observed when varying the initial pH, the final As leaching efficiency varied with the changes in temperature and solid concentration. Specifically, As leaching efficiency tended to decrease with increasing temperature due to the decrease in the bacterial growth rate at higher temperature. Meanwhile, As leaching efficiency tended to increase with decreasing solid concentration. The results for jarosite contents in mine tailings residue after bioleaching revealed that much greater amount of the jarosite was formed during the bioleaching reaction at higher solid concentration, suggesting that the coverage of the surface of the mine tailings by jarosite and/or the co-precipitation of the leached As with jarosite could be a dominant factor reducing As leaching efficiency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Sources of variability in livestock water quality over 5 years in the Northern Great Plains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Mineral content of livestock water grazing rangelands can be a source of minerals affecting health and drinkability. To estimate yearly variation in water mineral concentrations, 11 indicators of quality were measured (Ca, Cl, Fe, Fl, Mg, Mn, Na, NO3-N, pH, SO4, total dissolved solids (TDS) and temp...

  14. Measurement of process variables in solid-state fermentation of wheat straw using FT-NIR spectroscopy and synergy interval PLS algorithm.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Hui; Liu, Guohai; Mei, Congli; Yu, Shuang; Xiao, Xiahong; Ding, Yuhan

    2012-11-01

    The feasibility of rapid determination of the process variables (i.e. pH and moisture content) in solid-state fermentation (SSF) of wheat straw using Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was studied. Synergy interval partial least squares (siPLS) algorithm was implemented to calibrate regression model. The number of PLS factors and the number of subintervals were optimized simultaneously by cross-validation. The performance of the prediction model was evaluated according to the root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV), the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and the correlation coefficient (R). The measurement results of the optimal model were obtained as follows: RMSECV=0.0776, R(c)=0.9777, RMSEP=0.0963, and R(p)=0.9686 for pH model; RMSECV=1.3544% w/w, R(c)=0.8871, RMSEP=1.4946% w/w, and R(p)=0.8684 for moisture content model. Finally, compared with classic PLS and iPLS models, the siPLS model revealed its superior performance. The overall results demonstrate that FT-NIR spectroscopy combined with siPLS algorithm can be used to measure process variables in solid-state fermentation of wheat straw, and NIR spectroscopy technique has a potential to be utilized in SSF industry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Biogas production and microbial community shift through neutral pH control during the anaerobic digestion of pig manure.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Rui; Liu, Fenwu; Yong, Xiaoyu; Wu, Xiayuan; Zheng, Tao; Jiang, Min; Jia, Honghua

    2016-10-01

    Laboratory-scale reactors, in which the pH could be auto-adjusted, were employed to investigate the mesophilic methane fermentation with pig manure (7.8% total solids) at pH 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0. Results showed that the performance of anaerobic digestion was strongly dependent on pH value. Biogas production and methane content at neutral pH 7.0 were significantly higher (16,607mL, 51.81%) than those at pH 6.0 (6916mL, 42.9%) and 8.0 (9739mL, 35.6%). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting and Shannon's index indicated that the samples contained highly diverse microbial communities. The major genus at pH 7.0 was Methanocorpusculum, compared with that was Methanosarcina at both pH 6.0 and 8.0. Our research revealed that cultures maintained at pH 7.0 could support increased biogas production, which has significant implications for the scale-up biogas engineering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Synthesis and Thermal Degradation Studies of Melamine Formaldehyde Resins

    PubMed Central

    Ullah, Sami; Bustam, M. A.; Nadeem, M.; Tan, W. L.; Shariff, A. M.

    2014-01-01

    Melamine formaldehyde (MF) resins have been synthesized at different reaction temperature and pH values. Different molar ratios of melamine and formaldehyde were used to synthesize the corresponding resins. The prepared resin samples were characterized by using molecular weight determination viscometry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The maximum percentage of solid content (69.7%) was obtained at pH 8.5 and 75°C temperature. The molecular weight of MF resin was increased with an increase of melamine monomer concentration. The highest residual weight 14.125 wt.% was obtained with sample 10. PMID:25436237

  17. Cellulase production in a new mutant strain of Penicillium decumbens ML-017 by solid state fermentation with rice bran.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yun-Tao; Luo, Ze-Yu; Long, Chuan-Nan; Wang, Hai-Dong; Long, Min-Nan; Hu, Zhong

    2011-10-01

    To produce cellulolytic enzyme efficiently, Penicillium decumbens strain L-06 was used to prepare mutants with ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and UV-irradiation. A mutant strain ML-017 is shown to have a higher cellulase activity than others. Box-Behnken's design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were adopted to optimize the conditions of cellulase (filter paper activity, FPA) production in strain ML-017 by solid-state fermentation (SSF) with rice bran as the substrate. And the result shows that the initial pH, moisture content and culture temperature all have significant effect on the production of cellulase. The optimized condition shall be initial pH 5.7, moisture content 72% and culture temperature 30°C. The maximum cellulase (FPA) production was obtained under the optimized condition, which is 5.76 IU g(-1), increased by 44.12% to its original strain. It corresponded well with the calculated results (5.15 IU g(-1)) by model prediction. The result shows that both BBD and RSM are the cellulase optimization methods with good prospects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. [Transformation of baicalin and wogonoside through liquid fermentation with Bacillus natto].

    PubMed

    Long, Hou-ning; Zhang, Shuo; Yao, Lei; Zhang, Min; Wang, Peng-jiao; Meng, Xiao-xia; Gao, Xiu; Zhang, Rong-ping

    2015-12-01

    This experiment aimed to explore and research the process of preparing baicalein and wogonin through liquid fermentation with Bacillus natto. Active enzymes of produced by B. natto was used for the biological transformation of baclin and wogonoside, in order to increase the content of the haicalein and wogonin in the scutellaria. With the content of the baicalein and wogonin as evaluating indexes, the effects of carbon source, nitrogen source, the types and suitable concentration of inorganic salt, medium pH, granularities of medical materials, liquid volume in flask, shaking speed, liquid-to-solid ratio, fermentation time on the fermentation process were studied. The optimal process conditions for liquid fermentation of scutellaria were 1.0% of peptone, 0.05% of NaCl, pH at 6, the granularities of medical materials of the scutellaria screened through 40-mesh sifter, 33% of liquid, shaker incubator speed at 200 r x min(-1), liquid-to-solid ratio of 5:1, temperature at 37 degrees C, fermentation for 6 days, baclin's conversion rate at 97.6% and wogonoside's conversion rate at 97% in the scutellaria. According to the verification test, the process was stable and feasible, and could provide data reference for the industrial production.

  19. Solid state production of polygalacturonase and xylanase by Trichoderma species using cantaloupe and watermelon rinds.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Saleh A; Al-Malki, Abdulrahman L; Khan, Jalaluddin A; Kabli, Saleh A; Al-Garni, Saleh M

    2013-10-01

    Different solid state fermentation (SSF) sources were tested such as cantaloupe and watermelon rinds, orange and banana peels, for the production of polygalacturonase (PG) and xylanase (Xyl) by Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma virens. The maximum production of both PG and Xyl were obtained by T. harzianum and T. virnes grown on cantaloupe and watermelon rinds, respectively. Time course, moisture content, temperature, pH, supplementation with carbon and nitrogen sources were optimized to achieve the maximum production of both PG and Xyl of T. harzianum and T. virens using cantaloupe and watermelon rinds, respectively. The maximum production of PG and Xyl of T. harzianum and T. virens was recorded at 4-5 days of incubation, 50-66% moisture, temperature 28-35°C and pH 6-7. The influence of supplementary carbon and nitrogen sources was studied. For T. harzianum, lactose enhanced PG activity from 87 to 120 units/g solid, where starch and maltose enhanced Xyl activity from 40 to 55-60 units/g solid for T. virnes. Among the nitrogen sources, ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, yeast extract and urea increased PG activity from 90 to 110-113 units/g solid for T. harzianum. Similarly, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulphate and yeast extract increased Xyl activity from 45 to 55-70 units/g solid for T. virens.

  20. Determining total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity of loquat cultivars grown in Hatay.

    PubMed

    Polat, A Aytekin; Calişkan, Oğuzhan; Serçe, Sedat; Saraçoğlu, Onur; Kaya, Cemal; Ozgen, Mustafa

    2010-01-01

    Several fruit characteristics of five loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) cultivars/selections grown in Dörtyol, Hatay, Turkey were investigated in 2008. The cultivars/selections included 'Baduna 5', Güzelyurt 1, 'Hafif Cukurgöbek', 'Ottaviani,' and Type 1. The characteristics evaluated included fruit weight, width, length, seed number and weight, flesh/seed ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, acidity, total phenolic (TP) content, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The analyses were conducted by three replicates, with 30 fruits in each replicate. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the cultivars, for all the traits tested. For example, 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' and 'Ottaviani' had smaller fruits than others, although 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had heavier seeds. The flesh/seed ratio was the highest in Type 1, while 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had the highest pH and high soluble solids. 'Baduna 5' and 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had the highest acidity. The TP ranged from 129 ('Baduna 5') to 578 ('Hafif Cukurgöbek') mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/kg fresh fruit (fw). 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' also had the highest FRAP mean (12.1 mmol Trolox Equivalent (TE)/kg fw). The results suggest that loquat cultivars have a variable range of TP content and a relatively high total antioxidant capacity, which is crucial for human health.

  1. Ability of organic and inorganic bedding materials to promote growth of environmental bacteria.

    PubMed

    Godden, S; Bey, R; Lorch, K; Farnsworth, R; Rapnicki, P

    2008-01-01

    The major objective of this study was to contrast the ability of 4 commonly utilized bedding materials to promote growth of environmental bacteria under controlled conditions. A second objective was to describe the relationship between bacterial growth and specific biochemical or nutritional properties of these bedding materials. Unused samples of clean sand (CS; n = 20), recycled sand (RS; n = 21), digested manure solids (DS; n = 15), and shavings (SH; n = 15) were collected from bedding storage areas on 49 commercial Minnesota and Wisconsin dairy farms. Sterilized bedding samples were inoculated with Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecium then incubated, in triplicate, for 72 h at 37 degrees C. Subsamples were collected after 0, 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation for culture and enumeration of bacteria. Subsamples of bedding were also tested for pH, total C content (%), and total N content (%). If bacterial growth occurred, peak levels were typically achieved within 24 h. Digested manure solids promoted the greatest amounts of growth of K. pneumoniae, followed by RS and then SH, whereas CS promoted the least. There would seem to be a tradeoff in selecting SH as a bedding material, because it supported moderate growth of K. pneumoniae but caused a rapid decline in the numbers of E. faecium. However, RS, CS, and DS each only supported relatively small amounts of growth of E. faecium, so the benefit of SH relative to other bedding materials is limited. High bedding pH may partially explain why some bedding materials supported growth of E. faecium (e.g., DS and RS). Both high bedding pH (e.g., as for DS or RS) and high total C (%) content (e.g., as for DS and SH) may partially explain why some bedding materials supported growth of K. pneumoniae.

  2. Effect of cultivating conditions on alpha-galactosidase production by a novel Aspergillus foetidus ZU-G1 strain in solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Liu, Cai-qin; Chen, Qi-he; Cheng, Qian-jun; Wang, Jin-ling; He, Guo-qing

    2007-05-01

    The work is intended to achieve optimum culture conditions of alpha-galactosidase production by a mutant strain Aspergillus foetidus ZU-G1 in solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain fermentation parameters involving moisture content, incubation temperature, cultivation period of seed, inoculum volume, initial pH value, layers of pledget, load size of medium and period of cultivation were investigated separately. The optimal cultivating conditions of alpha-galactosidase production in SSF were 60% initial moisture of medium, 28 degrees C incubation temperature, 18 h cultivation period of seed, 10% inoculum volume, 5.0 approximately 6.0 initial pH of medium, 6 layers of pledget and 10 g dry matter loadage. Under the optimized cultivation conditions, the maximum alpha-galactosidase production was 2 037.51 U/g dry matter near the 144th hour of fermentation.

  3. Effect of cultivating conditions on α-galactosidase production by a novel Aspergillus foetidus ZU-G1 strain in solid-state fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Cai-qin; Chen, Qi-he; Cheng, Qian-jun; Wang, Jin-ling; He, Guo-qing

    2007-01-01

    The work is intended to achieve optimum culture conditions of α-galactosidase production by a mutant strain Aspergillus foetidus ZU-G1 in solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain fermentation parameters involving moisture content, incubation temperature, cultivation period of seed, inoculum volume, initial pH value, layers of pledget, load size of medium and period of cultivation were investigated separately. The optimal cultivating conditions of α-galactosidase production in SSF were 60% initial moisture of medium, 28 °C incubation temperature, 18 h cultivation period of seed, 10% inoculum volume, 5.0~6.0 initial pH of medium, 6 layers of pledget and 10 g dry matter loadage. Under the optimized cultivation conditions, the maximum α-galactosidase production was 2 037.51 U/g dry matter near the 144th hour of fermentation. PMID:17542067

  4. An analysis on flavonoids, phenolics and organic acids contents in brewed red wines of both non-skin contact and skin contact fermentation techniques of Mao Luang ripe fruits (Antidesma bunius) harvested from Phupan Valley in Northeast Thailand.

    PubMed

    Samappito, S; Butkhup, L

    2008-07-01

    The experiment was carried out at the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Northeast Thailand during the 2006. The study aimed to determine amounts of flavonoids, phenolics and organic acids in ripe fruits and brewed red wines of both non-skin contact and skin contact winemaking techniques where Mao Luang ripe fruits of both Fapratan and Sangkrow2 cultivars were used. The experiment was laid in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) with four replications. The results showed that mean values of primary data of fresh Mao Luang ripe fruits on weight of 100 berries (g) and mean values of juice:solids, pH, total soluble solid (TSS, 0brix), total organic acids (TOA, mg L(-1)), TSS:TOA (%), total flavonoids contents (TFC, mg L(-l)), total phenolic acids (TPA, mg L(-1)), total procyanidins contents (TPC, mg L(-1)) and reducing sugar (g L(-1)) were 65.62, 3.28, 3.51, 16.50, 49.36, 28.10, 397.90, 76.04, 156.21 and 184.32, respectively. Skin contact Mao Luang red wine gave higher amounts of flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins of procyanidin B1 and procyanidin B2, organic acids than non-skin contact red wine. The differences were highly significant. Furthermore, ethanol (%) and total acidity (g L(-1) citric acid) were much higher for skin contact wine than non-skin contact wine but a reverse was found with total soluble solids (0brix), pH where non-skin contact wine gave higher mean values than skin contact wine.

  5. pH Variance in Aerosols Undergoing Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eddingsaas, N. C.; Dallemagne, M.; Huang, X.

    2014-12-01

    The water content of aerosols is largely governed by relative humidity (RH). As the relative humidity decreases, and thus the water content of aerosols, a number of processes occur including the shrinking of aerosols, the increase in concentration of components, and potentially the formation of liquid liquid phase separation (llps) due to the salting out of inorganic salts. The most ubiquitous salt in atmospheric aerosols is ammonium sulfate which results in many aerosols to be at least mildly acidic. However, during llps, the pH of the different phases is not necessarily the same. Many reactions that take place within atmospheric aerosols are acid catalyzed so a better understanding of the pH of the individual phases as well as the interface between the phases is important to understanding aerosol processing and aging. Through the use of pH sensitive dyes and confocal microscopy we have directly measured the pH of micron sized model aerosols during high RH where the aerosols are in a single phase, at intermediate while the aerosols are in llps, and low RH where the aerosols consist of one liquid phase and one solid phase. We will discuss the variation in RH during these different phase states in the presence and absence of excess sulfuric acid. We will also discuss how this variation in pH affects aging of aerosols.

  6. Determining Sala mango qualities with the use of RGB images captured by a mobile phone camera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yahaya, Ommi Kalsom Mardziah; Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat; Aziz, Azlan Abdul; Omar, Ahmad Fairuz

    2015-04-01

    Sala mango (Mangifera indicia) is one of the Malaysia's most popular tropical fruits that are widely marketed within the country. The degrees of ripeness of mangoes have conventionally been evaluated manually on the basis of color parameters, but a simple non-destructive technique using the Samsung Galaxy Note 1 mobile phone camera is introduced to replace the destructive technique. In this research, color parameters in terms of RGB values acquired using the ENVI software system were linked to detect Sala mango quality parameters. The features of mango were extracted from the acquired images and then used to classify of fruit skin color, which relates to the stages of ripening. A multivariate analysis method, multiple linear regression, was employed with the purpose of using RGB color parameters to estimate the pH, soluble solids content (SSC), and firmness. The relationship between these qualities parameters of Sala mango and its mean pixel values in the RGB system is analyzed. Findings show that pH yields the highest accuracy with a correlation coefficient R = 0.913 and root mean square of error RMSE = 0.166 pH. Meanwhile, firmness has R = 0.875 and RMSE = 1.392 kgf, whereas soluble solid content has the lowest accuracy with R = 0.814 and RMSE = 1.218°Brix with the correlation between color parameters. Therefore, this non-invasive method can be used to determine the quality attributes of mangoes.

  7. Solid lipid nanoparticles suspension versus commercial solutions for dermal delivery of minoxidil.

    PubMed

    Padois, Karine; Cantiéni, Céline; Bertholle, Valérie; Bardel, Claire; Pirot, Fabrice; Falson, Françoise

    2011-09-15

    Solid lipid nanoparticles have been reported as possible carrier for skin drug delivery. Solid lipid nanoparticles are produced from biocompatible and biodegradable lipids. Solid lipid nanoparticles made of semi-synthetic triglycerides stabilized with a mixture of polysorbate and sorbitan oleate were loaded with 5% of minoxidil. The prepared systems were characterized for particle size, pH and drug content. Ex vivo skin penetration studies were performed using Franz-type glass diffusion cells and pig ear skin. Ex vivo skin corrosion studies were realized with a method derived from the Corrositex(®) test. Solid lipid nanoparticles suspensions were compared to commercial solutions in terms of skin penetration and skin corrosion. Solid lipid nanoparticles suspensions have been shown as efficient as commercial solutions for skin penetration; and were non-corrosive while commercial solutions presented a corrosive potential. Solid lipid nanoparticles suspensions would constitute a promising formulation for hair loss treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Transport of soil-aged silver nanoparticles in unsaturated sand.

    PubMed

    Kumahor, Samuel K; Hron, Pavel; Metreveli, George; Schaumann, Gabriele E; Klitzke, Sondra; Lang, Friederike; Vogel, Hans-Jörg

    2016-12-01

    Engineered nanoparticles released into soils may be coated with humic substances, potentially modifying their surface properties. Due to their amphiphilic nature, humic coating is expected to affect interaction of nanoparticle at the air-water interface. In this study, we explored the roles of the air-water interface and solid-water interface as potential sites for nanoparticle attachment and the importance of hydrophobic interactions for nanoparticle attachment at the air-water interface. By exposing Ag nanoparticles to soil solution extracted from the upper soil horizon of a floodplain soil, the mobility of the resulting "soil-aged" Ag nanoparticles was investigated and compared with the mobility of citrate-coated Ag nanoparticles as investigated in an earlier study. The mobility was determined as a function of hydrologic conditions and solution chemistry using column breakthrough curves and numerical modeling. Specifically, we compared the mobility of both types of nanoparticles for different unsaturated flow conditions and for pH=5 and pH=9. The soil-aged Ag NP were less mobile at pH=5 than at pH=9 due to lower electrostatic repulsion at pH=5 for both types of interfaces. Moreover, the physical flow field at different water contents modified the impact of chemical forces at the solid-water interface. An extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (eDLVO) model did not provide satisfactory explanation of the observed transport phenomena unlike for the citrate-coated case. For instance, the eDLVO model assuming sphere-plate geometry predicts a high energy barrier (>90 kT) for the solid-water interface, indicating that nanoparticle attachment is less likely. Furthermore, retardation through reversible sorption at the air-water interface was probably less relevant for soil-aged nanoparticles than for citrate-coated nanoparticles. An additional cation bridging mechanism and straining within the flow field may have enhanced nanoparticle retention at the solid-water interface. The results indicate that the mobility of engineered Ag nanoparticles is sensitive to solution chemistry, especially pH and the concentration of multivalent cations, and to the unsaturated flow conditions influencing particle interaction at biogeochemical interfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Transport of soil-aged silver nanoparticles in unsaturated sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumahor, Samuel K.; Hron, Pavel; Metreveli, George; Schaumann, Gabriele E.; Klitzke, Sondra; Lang, Friederike; Vogel, Hans-Jörg

    2016-12-01

    Engineered nanoparticles released into soils may be coated with humic substances, potentially modifying their surface properties. Due to their amphiphilic nature, humic coating is expected to affect interaction of nanoparticle at the air-water interface. In this study, we explored the roles of the air-water interface and solid-water interface as potential sites for nanoparticle attachment and the importance of hydrophobic interactions for nanoparticle attachment at the air-water interface. By exposing Ag nanoparticles to soil solution extracted from the upper soil horizon of a floodplain soil, the mobility of the resulting ;soil-aged; Ag nanoparticles was investigated and compared with the mobility of citrate-coated Ag nanoparticles as investigated in an earlier study. The mobility was determined as a function of hydrologic conditions and solution chemistry using column breakthrough curves and numerical modeling. Specifically, we compared the mobility of both types of nanoparticles for different unsaturated flow conditions and for pH = 5 and pH = 9. The soil-aged Ag NP were less mobile at pH = 5 than at pH = 9 due to lower electrostatic repulsion at pH = 5 for both types of interfaces. Moreover, the physical flow field at different water contents modified the impact of chemical forces at the solid-water interface. An extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (eDLVO) model did not provide satisfactory explanation of the observed transport phenomena unlike for the citrate-coated case. For instance, the eDLVO model assuming sphere-plate geometry predicts a high energy barrier (> 90 kT) for the solid-water interface, indicating that nanoparticle attachment is less likely. Furthermore, retardation through reversible sorption at the air-water interface was probably less relevant for soil-aged nanoparticles than for citrate-coated nanoparticles. An additional cation bridging mechanism and straining within the flow field may have enhanced nanoparticle retention at the solid-water interface. The results indicate that the mobility of engineered Ag nanoparticles is sensitive to solution chemistry, especially pH and the concentration of multivalent cations, and to the unsaturated flow conditions influencing particle interaction at biogeochemical interfaces.

  10. Physical and chemical quality characteristics and antioxidant properties of strawberry cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) in Greece: assessment of their sensory impact.

    PubMed

    Zeliou, Konstantina; Papasotiropoulos, Vassilis; Manoussopoulos, Yiannis; Lamari, Fotini N

    2018-02-01

    There are many factors determining the strawberry organoleptic profile and they are difficult to define. In this study, the sensory, physical, and chemical quality characteristics, the antioxidant properties as examined using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, the lactone concentration, and the FaFAD1 expression of ripe strawberries (cv. Camarosa, Florida Fortuna, and Sabrina) from Greece were evaluated and their interrelationships were investigated. 'Camarosa' had the highest antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content, although significant intra-cultivar variations of sugars, solid soluble content/titratable acidity (SSC/TA), red color intensity, sweetness, and hardness were recorded. In 'Sabrina' there was a constant lactone presence and FaFAD1 expression; it also had the lowest ascorbic acid content, the highest pH, SSC/TA index, firmness, and sweetness. 'Fortuna' showed the lowest sweetness and aroma indices, whereas 'Camarosa' had intermediate ones. Overall, firmness was correlated with hardness, while pH and SSC/TA index correlated with juiciness and sweetness. Both γ-decalactone and γ-dodecalactone concentrations were correlated with FaFAD1 expression and pH, but they did not solely determine the aroma sensory perception. In total, FRAP values were positively correlated with ascorbic acid and polyphenol content, and negatively with pH. Significant inter- and intra-cultivar variation was recorded, revealing the impact of the genotype and underlining the effect of microenvironmental and cultivation conditions on quality and sensory perception. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Screening of agricultural wastes as a medium production of catalase for enzymatic fuel cell by Neurospora crassa InaCC F226

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santoso, Pugoh; Yopi

    2017-12-01

    Explorations of local microorganisms from Indonesia that can produce of catalase are still limited. Neurospora crassa is a fungus which resulting of two kinds of catalase, namely catalase-1 and catalase-3. We studied the production of catalase by Neurospora crassa (no. F226) from Indonesia Culture Collection (InaCC) in Solid State Fermentation (SSF). Among four screened agro wastes (corn cob, rice straw, oil palm empty fruit bunches, and bagasse), rice straw and oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) were remarked as the most promising substrate suited for the excellent growth and adequate production of catalase. Based on the result, the method of solid state fermentation was suitable to production of catalase. It is caused that the medium served to maintain microbial growth and metabolism. The filamentous filament is more suitable for living on solid media because it has a high tolerance to low water activity, and it has a high potential to excrete hydrolytic enzymes that caused of its morphology. The filamentous filament morphology allows the fungus to form colonies and penetrate the solid substrates in order to obtain nutrients. The results showed that the highest catalase activity was obtained on rice straw and oil palm empty fruit bunches medium with catalase activity of 39.1 U/mL and 37,7 U/mL in 50% moisture content medium, respectively. Optimization of humidity and pH medium in the rice straw were investigated which is the highest activity obtained in 30% moisture content and pH medium of 6. The catalase activity was reached in the value of 53.761 U/mL and 56.903 U/mL by incubated 48 hours and 96 hours, respectively.

  12. Effects of different fermentation parameters on quality characteristics of kefir.

    PubMed

    Kök-Taş, Tuğba; Seydim, Atif C; Ozer, Barbaros; Guzel-Seydim, Zeynep B

    2013-02-01

    The main objective of the study was to determine the effects of different fermentation parameters on kefir quality. Kefir samples were produced using kefir grains or natural kefir starter culture, and fermentation was carried out under normal or modified atmosphere (10% CO(2)) conditions. The microbiological (lactobacilli, lactococci, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium spp., and yeasts), chemical (pH, lactic acid, total solids, protein, ethanol, exopolysaccharide contents), rheological, and sensory properties of kefir samples were investigated during a 21-d storage period. The use of different fermentation parameters or the choice of grain versus natural kefir starter culture did not significantly affect the content of microorganisms. Lactobacilli, lactococci, and yeast contents of kefir samples varied between 9.21 and 9.28, 9.23 and 9.29, and 4.71 and 5.53 log cfu/mL, respectively, on d 1 of storage. Contents of L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium spp. were between 5.78 and 6.43 and between 3.19 and 6.14 log cfu/mL, respectively, during 21 d of storage. During the storage period, pH, lactic acid (%), total solids (%), protein (%), acetaldehyde, and ethanol contents of kefir samples ranged from 4.29 to 4.53, from 0.81 to 0.95%, from 7.81 to 8.21%, from 3.09 to 3.48%, from 3.8 to 23.6 mg/L, and from 76.5 to 5,147 mg/L, respectively. The exopolysaccharide contents of the samples decreased during 21 d of cold storage; the samples fermented under modified atmosphere had relatively higher exopolysaccharide contents, indicating higher potential therapeutic properties. The kefir samples exhibited non-Newtonian pseudoplastic flow behavior according to the power law model. According to the sensory results, kefir produced from natural kefir starter culture under CO(2) atmosphere had the highest overall evaluation score at d 1. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparison study of phosphorus adsorption on different waste solids: Fly ash, red mud and ferric-alum water treatment residues.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ying; Yu, Yange; Li, Haiyan; Shen, Chanchan

    2016-12-01

    The adsorption of phosphorus (P) onto three industrial solid wastes (fly ash, red mud and ferric-alum water treatment residual (FAR)) and their modified materials was studied systematically via batch experiments. Compared with two natural adsorbents (zeolite and diatomite), three solid wastes possessed a higher adsorption capacity for P because of the higher Fe, Al and Ca contents. After modification (i.e., the fly ash and red mud modified by FeCl 3 and FARs modified by HCl), the adsorption capacity increased, especially for the modified red mud, where more Fe bonded P was observed. The P adsorption kinetics can be satisfactorily fitted using the pseudo-second-order model. The Langmuir model can describe well the P adsorption on all of the samples in our study. pH and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are two important factors for P adsorption. Under neutral conditions, the maximum adsorption amount on the modified materials was observed. With the deviation from pH7, the adsorption amount decreased, which resulted from the change of P species in water and surface charges of the adsorbents. The DOM in water can promote P adsorption, which may be due to the promotion effects of humic-Fe(Al) complexes and the pH buffer function exceeds the depression of competitive adsorption. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Synergetic effect of pH and biochemical components on bacterial diversity during mesophilic anaerobic fermentation of biomass-origin waste.

    PubMed

    Lü, F; Shao, L M; Bru, V; Godon, J J; He, P J

    2009-02-01

    To investigate the synergetic effect of pH and biochemical components on bacterial community structure during mesophilic anaerobic degradation of solid wastes with different origins, and under acidic or neutral conditions. The bacterial community in 16 samples of solid wastes with different biochemical compositions and origins was evaluated during mesophilic anaerobic degradation at acidic and neutral pH. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) were used to compare the communities. Multivariate analysis of the DGGE and SSCP results revealed that most of the dominant microbes were dependent on the content of easily degradable carbohydrates in the samples. Furthermore, the dominant microbes were divided into two types, those that preferred an acid environment and those that preferred a neutral environment. A shift in pH was found to change their preference for medium substrates. Although most of the substrates with similar origin and biochemical composition had similar microbial diversity during fermentation, some microbes were found only in substrates with specific origins. For example, two microbes were only found in substrate that contained lignocellulose and animal protein without starch. These microbes were related to micro-organisms that are found in swine manure, as well as in other intestinal or oral niches. In addition, the distribution of fermentation products was less sensitive to the changes in pH and biochemical components than the microbial community. Bacterial diversity during anaerobic degradation of organic wastes was affected by both pH and biochemical components; however, pH exerted a greater effect. The results of this study reveal that control of pH may be an effective method to produce a stable bacterial community and relatively similar product distribution during anaerobic digestion of waste, regardless of variation in the waste feedstocks.

  15. Optimization of pH, temperature and CaCl2 concentrations for Ricotta cheese production from Buffalo cheese whey using Response Surface Methodology.

    PubMed

    Rashid, Abdul Ahid; Huma, Nuzhat; Zahoor, Tahir; Asgher, Muhammad

    2017-02-01

    The recovery of milk constituents from cheese whey is affected by various processing conditions followed during production of Ricotta cheese. The objective of the present investigation was to optimize the temperature (60-90 °C), pH (3-7) and CaCl2 concentration (2·0-6·0 mm) for maximum yield/recovery of milk constituents. The research work was carried out in two phases. In 1st phase, the influence of these processing conditions was evaluated through 20 experiments formulated by central composite design (CCD) keeping the yield as response factor. The results obtained from these experiments were used to optimize processing conditions for maximum yield using response surface methodology (RSM). The three best combinations of processing conditions (90 °C, pH 7, CaCl2 6 mm), (100 °C, pH 5, CaCl2 4 mm) and (75 °C, pH 8·4, CaCl2 4 mm) were exploited in the next phase for Ricotta cheese production from a mixture of Buffalo cheese whey and skim milk (9 : 1) to determine the influence of optimized conditions on the cheese composition. Ricotta cheeses were analyzed for various physicochemical (moisture, fat, protein, lactose, total solids, pH and acidity indicated) parameters during storage of 60 d at 4 ± 2 °C after every 15 d interval. Ricotta cheese prepared at 90 °C, pH 7 and CaCl2 6 mm exhibited the highest cheese yield, proteins and total solids, while high fat content was recorded for cheese processed at 100 °C, pH 5 and 4 mm CaCl2 concentration. A significant storage-related increase in acidity and NPN was recorded for all cheese samples.

  16. Data on the chemical properties of commercial fish sauce products.

    PubMed

    Nakano, Mitsutoshi; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Koizumi, Ryosuke; Nakazawa, Yozo; Yamazaki, Masao; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Takano, Katsumi; Sato, Hiroaki

    2017-12-01

    This data article reports on the chemical properties of commercial fish sauce products associated with the fish sauce taste and flavor. All products were analyzed in triplicate. Dried solid content was analyzed by moisture analyzer. Fish sauce salinity was determined by a salt meter. pH was measured using a pH meter. The acidity was determined using a titration assay. Amino nitrogen and total nitrogen were evaluated using a titration assay and Combustion-type nitrogen analyzer, respectively. The analyzed products originated from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Italy. Data on the chemical properties of the products are provided in table format in the current article.

  17. Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated fungi in solid waste medium.

    PubMed

    Zahra, Sahebnazar; Abbas, Shojaosadati Seyed; Mahsa, Mohammad-Taheri; Mohsen, Nosrati

    2010-03-01

    In this study, biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated landfill-source fungi was evaluated in a controlled solid waste medium. The fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium solani, were isolated from samples taken from an aerobic aged municipal landfill in Tehran. These fungi could degrade LDPE via the formation of a biofilm in a submerged medium. In the sterilized solid waste medium, LPDE films were buried for 100 days in a 1-L flask containing 400 g sterile solid waste raw materials at 28 degrees C. Each fungus was added to a separate flask. The moisture content and pH of the media were maintained at the optimal levels for each fungus. Photo-oxidation (25 days under UV-irradiation) was used as a pretreatment of the LDPE samples. The progress of the process was monitored by measurement of total organic carbon (TOC), pH, temperature and moisture. The results obtained from monitoring the process using isolated fungi under sterile conditions indicate that these fungi are able to grow in solid waste medium. The results of FT-IR and SEM analyses show that A. terreus and A. fumigatus, despite the availability of other organic carbon of materials, could utilize LDPE as carbon source. While there has been much research in the field of LDPE biodegradation under solid conditions, this is the first report of degradation of LDPE by A. fumigatus. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of Mass Proportion of Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash Layer to Municipal Solid Waste Layer on the Cu and Zn Discharge from Landfill.

    PubMed

    Kong, Qingna; Yao, Jun; Qiu, Zhanhong; Shen, Dongsheng

    2016-01-01

    Municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash is often used as the protection layer for the geomembrane and intermediate layer in the landfill. In this study, three sets of simulated landfills with different mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer to municipal solid waste (MSW) layer were operated. Cu and Zn concentrations in the leachates and MSW were monitored to investigate the effect of MSWI bottom ash layer on the Cu and Zn discharge from the landfill. The results showed that the Zn discharge was dependent on the mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer. The pH of landfill was not notably increased when the mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer to MSW layer was 1 : 9, resulting in the enhancement of the Zn discharge. However, Zn discharge was mitigated when the mass proportion was 2 : 8, as the pH of landfill was notably promoted. The discharge of Cu was not dependent on the mass proportion, due to the great affinity of Cu to organic matter. Moreover, Cu and Zn contents of the sub-MSW layer increased due to the MSWI bottom ash layer. Therefore, the MSWI bottom ash layer can increase the potential environmental threat of the landfill.

  19. Physicochemical and sensory properties of ice-cream formulated with virgin coconut oil.

    PubMed

    Choo, S Y; Leong, S K; Henna Lu, F S

    2010-12-01

    The substitution of milk fat with virgin coconut oil (VCO) was used to produce nutritious ice cream with pleasant coconut flavor and aroma. Three formulations were developed whereby formulation VCO4, VCO8 and VCO12 was substituted with 4%, 8% and 12% of VCO, respectively. The physicochemical properties of ice creams analyzed include overrun, meltdown, pH, titratable acidity, total solid, protein and fat content. The fatty acids profile of VCO formulated ice creams and their stabilities over 3 and 6 weeks storage were studied respectively using gas chromatography (GC). Qualitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and consumer affective test were performed among the trained and untrained panelists. Significant differences (p < 0.05) of overrun, pH, total solid, protein and fat content between ice cream formulations were observed except titratable acidity. Increased VCO content in ice cream formulations lowered the melting resistance of ice cream. For GC analysis, the major fatty acid identified was lauric acid. Upon storage time, the concentration of unsaturated fatty acid decreased but the concentration of saturated fatty acid increased. The result of QDA showed that formulation VCO4, VCO8 and VCO12 were significantly (p < 0.05) different in attributes of color, firmness and smoothness as compared to the control ice cream. Formulation VCO12 was highly accepted by panelists in terms of the acceptance level of appearance, aroma, texture, flavor and overall acceptability. Hence, it has a potential marketable value.

  20. Heavy metal contents of play dough, face and finger paint samples sold in turkish markets.

    PubMed

    Erbas, Zeliha; Karatepe, Aslihan; Soylak, Mustafa

    2017-08-01

    Lead, cadmium, nickel, manganese, cobalt and copper contents of some play dough, face and finger paint samples were determined by using a new solid phase extraction method which has been developed by using multi-walled carbon nanotube with patent blue (V) sodium salt to selectively separate and preconcentrate these metal ions. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the metal ions. Analytical parameters affecting the complex formation and solid phase extraction performance such as pH, the amount of ligand and volume of sample solution were investigated. The recoveries of the studied metal ions were not affected by the foreign ions. Analytes were recovered quantitatively at pH 5.5 and with a nitric acid of 2molL -1 as eluent. Analysis of a certified reference material was performed to validate the method before applying it to determine the metal ions in the real samples. Detection limits were found to be as Pb(II): 7.71μgL -1 , Cu(II): 1.43μgL -1 , Cd(III): 0.21μgL -1 , Mn(II): 0.47μgL -1 , Ni(II): 3.52μgL -1 and Co(II): 1.96μgL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Effect of temperature on methanogenesis stage of two-stage anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent (POME) into biogas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trisakti, B.; Irvan, Mahdalena; Taslim; Turmuzi, M.

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to determine the effect of temperature on methanogenesis stage of conversion of palm oil mill effluent into biogas. Methanogenesis is the second stage of methanogenic anaerobic digestion. Improved performance of the methanogenesis process was determined by measuring the growth of microorganisms, degradation of organic materials, biogas production and composition. Initially, the suitable loading up was determined by varying the HRT 100, 40, 6, and 4.0 days in the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with mixing rate 100 rpm, pH 6.7-7.5 at room temperature. Next, effect of temperature on the process was determined by varying temperature at mesophilic range (30-42°C) and thermophilic range (43-55°C). Analysis of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were conducted in order to study the growth of microorganisms and their abilities in converting organic compound to produce biogas. Degradation of organic content i.e. VS decomposition and COD removal increased with the increasing of temperature. At mesophilic range, VS decomposition and COD removal were 51.56 ± 8.30 and 79.82 ± 6.03, respectively. Meanwhile at thermopilic range, VS decomposition and COD removal were 67.44 ± 3.59 and 79.16 ± 1.75, respectively. Biogas production and its methane content also increased with the increasing of temperature, but CO2 content also increased. Biogas production at mesophilic range was 31.77 ± 3.46 L/kg-ΔVS and methane content was 75 . Meanwhile, biogas production at thermopilic range was 37.03 ± 5.16 L/kg-ΔVS and methane content was 62.25 ± 5.50 .

  2. The effect of lignin removal by alkaline peroxide pretreatment on the susceptibility of corn stover to purified cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes.

    PubMed

    Selig, Michael J; Vinzant, Todd B; Himmel, Michael E; Decker, Stephen R

    2009-05-01

    Pretreatment of corn stover with alkaline peroxide (AP) at pH 11.5 resulted in reduction of lignin content in the residual solids as a function of increasing batch temperature. Scanning electron microscopy of these materials revealed notably more textured surfaces on the plant cell walls as a result of the delignifying pretreatment. As expected, digestion of the delignified samples with commercial cellulase preparations showed an inverse relationship between the content of lignin present in the residual solids after pretreatment and the extent of both glucan and xylan conversion achievable. Digestions with purified enzymes revealed that decreased lignin content in the pretreated solids did not significantly impact the extent of glucan conversion achievable by cellulases alone. Not until purified xylanolytic activities were included with the cellulases were significant improvements in glucan conversion realized. In addition, an inverse relationship was observed between lignin content after pretreatment and the extent of xylan conversion achievable in a 24-h period with the xylanolytic enzymes in the absence of the cellulases. This observation, coupled with the direct relationship between enzymatic xylan and glucan conversion observed in a number of cases, suggests that the presence of lignins may not directly occlude cellulose present in lignocelluloses but rather impact cellulase action indirectly by its association with xylan.

  3. Evaluation of the effect of process variables on the fatty acid profile of single cell oil produced by Mortierella using solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Asadi, Seyedeh Zeinab; Khosravi-Darani, Kianoush; Nikoopour, Houshang; Bakhoda, Hossein

    2015-03-01

    This article reviews some of the aspects of single cell oil (SCO) production using solid-state fermentation (SSF) by fungi of the genus Mortierella. This article provides an overview of the advantages of SSF for SCO formation by the aforementioned fungus and demonstrates that the content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) depend on the type of fermentation media and culture conditions. Process variables that influence lipid accumulation by Mortierella spp. and the profile of the fatty acids are discussed, including incubation temperature, time, aeration, growth phase of the mycelium, particle size of the substrate, carbon to nitrogen ratio, initial moisture content and pH as well as supplementation of the substrate with nitrogen and oil. Finally, the article highlights future research trends for the scaled-up production of PUFAs in SSF.

  4. Condition of copper and organic matter in the soil contaminated with metal remediation of humic substances.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolchanova, Kseniia; Barsova, Natalia; Motuzova, Galina; Stepanov, Andrey; Karpukhin, Mikhail

    2017-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the forms of copper and transformation of organic matter in the soil under the influence of humic substances (potassium humate, which was obtained from coal). The object of research was the top layer of soil model field experience. Field experiments were carried out in 10-liter plastic containers.The upper layers were constructed artificially as mixture of loam, sand and peat. Below it was a layer of loam, then gravel and under it we installed lysimeters. The experiment was conducted in 3 settings: 1) control, 2) control + Cu, and 3) control + Cu + potassium humate . Copper was deposited into upper layer at soil column construction as dry powder (CuSO4*5H2O), which is 1000mg per kg. Humic substance was introduced on surface as liquid form. The focus was the state of the copper and organic matter of solid and liquid phase. In the solid phase pH, carbon content, the molecular-mass distributions for the organic matter, total (HNO3 conc.+ H2O2; decomposition in a microwave oven) and acid-soluble (1H HNO3) copper content, sequential extraction of copper (1 M MgCl2, acetate buffer pH 4,8 (AAB), 1% EDTA) were determined. For liquid phase characteristics aqueous extract was obtained and identified therein: pH, total activity and copper content and water-soluble organic matter(WOM) amphiphilic properties. The introduction of copper is accompanied by a decrease in pH in soils from 7 to 6,3. The introduction of the humic substance softens this effect. Introducing humic preparation gives an increase in carbon at 0.5%. HS and copper has no significant effect on the molecular-mass distribution of solid organic matter. Only about 4% introduced copper accounted for the exchangeable form (MgCl2) for the variant only copper contaminated. Copper, mainly precipitated as hydroxides, moved in an AAB extract. And compared with the exchangeable forms its quantity increases by 10 times. Still more copper goes into an extract of EDTA, about half of the total. That is, the introduction of humic substances increases the amount of copper associated with organic matter in complexes with high stability constants. The total amount of copper of the results of extraction is 88-96% of the all total content. Water-soluble copper contains only 0.5% of the total. But the introduction of humic substances increases the amount of water-soluble copper is 3 times. This is due to the increase in the content of the WOM by 2.5-3 times, both due to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic factions of WOM. And this leads to a sharp reduction in the activity of copper in the liquid phase. Dual effect of introducing humic substances was obtained on the results of the work. On the one hand the introduction of humic substances contributes the immobilization of copper by increasing the fraction associated with organic matter in the solid phase. On the other hand the introduction of humic substances contributes the mobilization of copper in the liquid phase due to the increase of WOM.

  5. Characteristic of Fermented Drink from Whey Cheese with Addition of Mango (Mangifera x odorata) Juice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Desnilasari, D.; Kumalasari, R.

    2017-12-01

    Whey cheese could be utilized become product such as fermented drink which is added by mango kweni juice to improve their acceptance. The aim of this research was to characterized physicochemical, sensory, and microbiology of fermented drink based on whey cheese with addition different concentration mango kweni juice of (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) by Lactobacillus casei. Color scale, viscosity, pH, total soluble solid, total free acid, fat, protein, total L. casei and sensory evaluation from panelist were examined after 24 hour of fermentation. Result showed that addition mango juice significantly affects the color scale, viscosity, pH, protein and number of L. casei of the product. The color of the product becomes more dark, red, and yellow. The product becomes more viscous. pH of the product become more acid and reduces protein content. Respectively total number of L. casei of the product increased 1 log. But addition of mango juice significantly did not affect sensory acceptance, total soluble solid, total free acid, and fat of the product. Sensory acceptance of the product range in dislike slightly and slightly like score that means formulation of the product need to be improved again.

  6. Relationship between pH and Medium Dissolved Solids in Terms of Growth and Metabolism of Lactobacilli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Ethanol Production

    PubMed Central

    Narendranath, Neelakantam V.; Power, Ronan

    2005-01-01

    The specific growth rates of four species of lactobacilli decreased linearly with increases in the concentration of dissolved solids (sugars) in liquid growth medium. This was most likely due to the osmotic stress exerted by the sugars on the bacteria. The reduction in growth rates corresponded to decreased lactic acid production. Medium pH was another factor studied. As the medium pH decreased from 5.5 to 4.0, there was a reduction in the specific growth rate of lactobacilli and a corresponding decrease in the lactic acid produced. In contrast, medium pH did not have any significant effect on the specific growth rate of yeast at any particular concentration of dissolved solids in the medium. However, medium pH had a significant (P < 0.001) effect on ethanol production. A medium pH of 5.5 resulted in maximal ethanol production in all media with different concentrations of dissolved solids. When the data were analyzed as a 4 (pH levels) by 4 (concentrations of dissolved solids) factorial experiment, there was no synergistic effect (P > 0.2923) observed between pH of the medium and concentration of dissolved solids of the medium in reducing bacterial growth and metabolism. The data suggest that reduction of initial medium pH to 4.0 for the control of lactobacilli during ethanol production is not a good practice as there is a reduction (P < 0.001) in the ethanol produced by the yeast at pH 4.0. Setting the mash (medium) with ≥30% (wt/vol) dissolved solids at a pH of 5.0 to 5.5 will minimize the effects of bacterial contamination and maximize ethanol production by yeast. PMID:15870306

  7. Arsenic in ground-water under oxidizing conditions, south-west United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robertson, F.N.

    1989-01-01

    Concentrations of dissolved arsenic in ground-water in alluvial basins of Arizona commonly exceed 50 ??g L-1 and reach values as large as 1,300 ??g L-1. Arsenic speciation analyses show that arsenic occurs in the fully oxidized state of plus 5 (As+5), most likely in the form of HAsO4???2, under existing oxidizing and pH conditions. Arsenic in source areas presumably is oxidized to soluble As before transport into the basin or, if after transport, before burial. Probable sources of arsenic are the sulphide and arsenide deposits in the mineralized areas of the mountains surrounding the basins. Arsenic content of alluvial material ranged from 2 to 88 ppm. Occurrence and removal of arsenic in ground-water are related to the pH and the redox condition of the ground-water, the oxidation state of arsenic, and sorption or exchange. Within basins, dissolved arsenic correlates (P<0.01) with dissolved molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, and fluoride and with pH, suggesting sorption of negative ions. The sorption hypothesis is further supported by enrichment of teachable arsenic in the basin-fill sediments by about tenfold relative to the crustal abundance and by as much as a thousandfold relative to concentrations found in ground-water. Silicate hydrolysis reactions, as defined within the alluvial basins, under closed conditions cause increases in pH basinward and would promote desorption. Within the region, large concentrations of arsenic are commonly associated with the central parts of basins whose chemistries evolve under closed conditions. Arsenic does not correlate with dissolved iron (r = 0.09) but may be partly controlled by iron in the solid phase. High solid-phase arsenic contents were found in red clay beds. Large concentrations of arsenic also were found in water associated with red clay beds. Basins that contain the larger concentrations are bounded primarily by basalt and andesite, suggesting that the iron content as well as the arsenic content of the basin fill may play a role in the occurrence of arsenic in ground-water. Under oxidizing conditions in Arizona, arsenic in ground-water appears to be controlled in part by sorption or desorption of HAsO4???2 on active ferric oxyhydroxide surfaces. ?? 1989 Sciences and Technology Letters.

  8. A feasibility study of hydrothermal treatment of rice straw for multi-production of solid fuel and liquid fertilizer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samnang, S.; Prawisudha, P.; Pasek, A. D.

    2017-05-01

    Energy use has increased steadily over the last century due to population and industry increase. With the growing of GHG, biomass becomes an essential contributor to the world energy need. Indonesia is the third rice producer in the world. Rice straw has been converted to solid fuel by Hydrothermal Treatment (HT) for electricity generation. HT is a boiling solid organic or inorganic substance in water at high pressure and temperature within a holding time. HT converts high moisture content biomass into dried, uniform, pulverized, and higher energy density solid fuels. HT can effectively transport nutrient components in biomass into a liquid product known as fertilizer. This paper deals with an evaluation of hydrothermal treatment of rice straw for solid fuel and liquid fertilizer. An investigation of rice straw characteristics were completed for Bandung rice straw with various condition of temperature, biomass-water ratio, and holding time in the purpose to find the changes of calorific value for solid product and (N, P, K, and pH) for liquid product. The results showed that solid product at 225 °C and 90 min consists in a heating value 13.8 MJ/kg equal to lignite B. Liquid product at 225 °C and 90 min had the NPK content similar to that of micronutrients compound liquid fertilizer. The dried solid product should be useful for Coal Fire Power Plant, and the liquid product is suitable for plants. This research proves that hydrothermal process can be applied to rice straw to produce solid fuel and liquid fertilizer with adequate quality.

  9. Dissolution-modulating mechanism of pH modifiers in solid dispersion containing weakly acidic or basic drugs with poor water solubility.

    PubMed

    Tran, Phuong Ha-Lien; Tran, Thao Truong-Dinh; Lee, Kyoung-Ho; Kim, Dong-Jin; Lee, Beom-Jin

    2010-05-01

    Although the solid dispersion method has been known to increase the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs by dispersing them in hydrophilic carriers, one obstacle of the solid dispersion method is its limited solubilization capacity, especially for pH-dependent soluble drugs. pH-modified solid dispersion, in which pH modifiers are incorporated, may be a useful method for increasing the dissolution rate of weakly acidic or basic drugs. Sufficient research, including the most recent reports, was undertaken in this review. How could the inclusion of the pH the pH modifiers in the solid dispersion system change drug structural behaviors, molecular interactions, microenvironmental pH, and/or release rate of pH modifiers, relating with the enhanced dissolution of weakly acidic or weakly basic drugs with poor water solubility? These questions have been investigated to determine the dissolution-modulating mechanism of pH modifiers in solid dispersion containing weakly acidic or basic drugs. It is believed that step-by-step mechanistic approaches could provide the ultimate solution for solubilizing several poorly water-soluble drugs with pH-dependent solubility from a solid dispersion system, as well as provide ideas for developing future dosage systems.

  10. Heavy metals content in acid mine drainage at abandoned and active mining area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hatar, Hazirah; Rahim, Sahibin Abd; Razi, Wan Mohd; Sahrani, Fathul Karim

    2013-11-01

    This study was conducted at former Barite Mine, Tasik Chini and former iron mine Sungai Lembing in Pahang, and also active gold mine at Lubuk Mandi, Terengganu. This study was conducted to determine heavy metals content in acid mine drainage (AMD) at the study areas. Fourteen water sampling stations within the study area were chosen for this purpose. In situ water characteristic determinations were carried out for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), redox potential (ORP) and total dissolved solid (TDS) using multi parameter YSI 556. Water samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory for sulfate, total acidity and heavy metals which follow the standard methods of APHA (1999) and HACH (2003). Heavy metals in the water samples were determined directly using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Data obtained showed a highly acidic mean of pH values with pH ranged from 2.6 ± 0.3 to 3.2 ± 0.2. Mean of electrical conductivity ranged from 0.57 ± 0.25 to 1.01 ± 0.70 mS/cm. Redox potential mean ranged from 487.40 ± 13.68 to 579.9 ± 80.46 mV. Mean of total dissolved solids (TDS) in AMD ranged from 306.50 ± 125.16 to 608.14 ± 411.64 mg/L. Mean of sulfate concentration in AMD ranged from 32.33 ± 1.41 to 207.08 ± 85.06 mg/L, whereas the mean of total acidity ranged from 69.17 ± 5.89 to 205.12 ± 170.83 mgCaCO3/L. Heavy metals content in AMD is dominated by Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn with mean concentrations range from 2.16 ± 1.61 to 36.31 ± 41.02 mg/L, 0.17 ± 0.13 to 11.06 ± 2.85 mg/L, 1.12 ± 0.65 to 7.17 ± 6.05 mg/L and 0.62 ± 0.21 to 6.56 ± 4.11 mg/L, respectively. Mean concentrations of Ni, Co, As, Cd and Pb were less than 0.21, 0.51, 0.24, 0.05 and 0.45 mg/L, respectively. Significant correlation occurred between Fe and Mn, Cu, Zn, Co and Cd. Water pH correlated negatively with all the heavy metals, whereas total acidity, sulfate, total dissolved solid, and redox potential correlated positively. The concentration of heavy metals in the AMD appeared to be influenced by acidity and the formation of Fe, Mn oxide and hydroxide.

  11. Use of cold microfiltration retentates produced with polymeric membranes for standardization of milks for manufacture of pizza cheese.

    PubMed

    Govindasamy-Lucey, S; Jaeggi, J J; Johnson, M E; Wang, T; Lucey, J A

    2007-10-01

    Pizza cheese was manufactured with milk (12.1% total solids, 3.1% casein, 3.1% fat) standardized with microfiltered (MF) and diafiltered retentates. Polymeric, spiral-wound MF membranes were used to process cold (<7 degrees C) skim milk, and diafiltration of MF retentates resulted in at least 36% removal of serum protein on a true protein basis. Cheese milks were obtained by blending the MF retentate (16.4% total solids, 11.0% casein, 0.4% fat) with whole milk (12.1% total solids, 2.4% casein, 3.4% fat). Control cheese was made with part-skim milk (10.9% total solids, 2.4% casein, 2.4% fat). Initial trials with MF standardized milk resulted in cheese with approximately 2 to 3% lower moisture (45%) than control cheese ( approximately 47 to 48%). Cheese-making procedures (cutting conditions) were then altered to obtain a similar moisture content in all cheeses by using a lower setting temperature, increasing the curd size, and lowering the wash water temperature during manufacture of the MF cheeses. Two types of MF standardized cheeses were produced, one with preacidification of milk to pH 6.4 (pH6.4MF) and another made from milk preacidified to pH 6.3 (pH6.3MF). Cheese functionality was assessed by dynamic low-amplitude oscillatory rheology, University of Wisconsin MeltProfiler, and performance on pizza. Nitrogen recoveries were significantly higher in MF standardized cheeses. Fat recoveries were higher in the pH6.3MF cheese than the control or pH6.4MF cheese. Moisture-adjusted cheese yield was significantly higher in the 2 MF-fortified cheeses compared with the control cheese. Maximum loss tangent (LT(max)) values were not significantly different among the 3 cheeses, suggesting that these cheeses had similar meltability. The LT(max) values increased during ripening. The temperature at which the LT(max) was observed was highest in control cheese and was lower in the pH6.3MF cheese than in the pH6.4MF cheese. The temperature of the LT(max) decreased with age for all 3 cheeses. Values of 12% trichloroacetic acid soluble nitrogen levels were similar in all cheeses. Performance on pizza was similar for all cheeses. The use of MF retentates derived with polymeric membranes was successful in increasing cheese yield, and cheese quality was similar in the control and MF standardized cheeses.

  12. Microbial and nutritional regulation of high-solids anaerobic mono-digestion of fruit and vegetable wastes.

    PubMed

    Mu, Hui; Li, Yan; Zhao, Yuxiao; Zhang, Xiaodong; Hua, Dongliang; Xu, Haipeng; Jin, Fuqiang

    2018-02-01

    The anaerobic digestion of single fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) can be easily interrupted by rapid acidogenesis and inhibition of methanogen, and the digestion system tends to be particularly unstable at high solid content. In this study, the anaerobic digestion of FVW in batch experiments under mesophilic condition at a high solid concentration of 10% was successfully conducted to overcome the acidogenesis problem through several modifications. Firstly, compared with the conventional anaerobic sludge (CAS), the acclimated anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) was found to be a better inoculum due to its higher Archaea abundance. Secondly, waste activated sludge (WAS) was chosen to co-digest with FVW, because WAS had abundant proteins that could generate intermediate ammonium. The ammonium could neutralize the accumulated volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and prevent the pH value of the digestion system from rapidly decreasing. Co-digestion of FVW and WAS with TS ratio of 60:40 gave the highest biogas yield of 562 mL/g-VS and the highest methane yield of 362 mL/g-VS. Key parameters in the digestion process, including VFAs concentration, pH, enzyme activity, and microbial activity, were also examined.

  13. Monitoring of impact of anthropogenic inputs on water quality of mangrove ecosystem of Uran, Navi Mumbai, west coast of India.

    PubMed

    Pawar, Prabhakar R

    2013-10-15

    Surface water samples were collected from substations along Sheva creek and Dharamtar creek mangrove ecosystems of Uran (Raigad), Navi Mumbai, west coast of India. Water samples were collected fortnightly from April 2009 to March 2011 during spring low and high tides and were analyzed for pH, Temperature, Turbidity, Total solids (TS), Total dissolved solids (TDS), Total suspended solids (TSS), Dissolved oxygen (DO), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Salinity, Orthophosphate (O-PO4), Nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), Nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), and Silicates. Variables like pH, turbidity, TDS, salinity, DO, and BOD show seasonal variations. Higher content of O-PO4, NO3-N, and silicates is recorded due to discharge of domestic wastes and sewage, effluents from industries, oil tanking depots and also from maritime activities of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), hectic activities of Container Freight Stations (CFS), and other port wastes. This study reveals that water quality from mangrove ecosystems of Uran is deteriorating due to industrial pollution and that mangrove from Uran is facing the threat due to anthropogenic stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Physiochemical and antioxidant properties of roselle-mango juice blends; effects of packaging material, storage temperature and time

    PubMed Central

    Mgaya-Kilima, Beatrice; Remberg, Siv Fagertun; Chove, Bernard Elias; Wicklund, Trude

    2015-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the effects of packaging materials, seasonality, storage temperature and time on physiochemical and antioxidant properties of roselle-mango juice blends. Roselle extract (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) was mixed with mango juice and stored in glass and plastic bottles at 4°C and 28°C. Total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, reducing sugar, color, vitamin C, total monomeric anthocyanins, total phenols, and antioxidant activity (FRAP) were evaluated in freshly prepared juice, and after, 2, 4, and 6 months of storage. The results showed that total soluble solids, reducing sugars, and pH increased with storage times under different storage time, irrespective of packaging materials. The acidity, color, total monomeric anthocyanin, vitamin C, total phenols, and antioxidant activity decreased during storage irrespective of storage temperature and packaging material. Loss of anthocyanins, total phenols, and vitamin C content were higher in blends stored at 28°C than 4°C. PMID:25838888

  15. Pharmaceutical evaluation of different shampoo brands in local Saudi market.

    PubMed

    AlQuadeib, Bushra T; Eltahir, Eram K D; Banafa, Rana A; Al-Hadhairi, Lama A

    2018-01-01

    Shampooing is the most common form of hair treatment. Shampoos are primarily products aimed at cleansing the hair and scalp. There are many brands of shampoos in Saudi Arabia, available from different sources, locally and imported from other countries. This study aims to investigate whether such brands comply with the Saudi standard specifications for shampoos, issued by the National Center for Specifications and Standards, and to what extent these specifications are applied. Six shampoo brands were randomly collected from Riyadh market (Pantene®, Sunsilk®, Herbal essences®, Garnier Ultra Doux®, Syoss® and L'Oreal Elvive®). The selected shampoos were evaluated according to their physicochemical properties, including organoleptic characterization, pH measurement, percentage of solid content, rheological measurements, dirt dispersion level, foaming ability and foam stability, and surface tension. All shampoos had a good percentage of solids, excellent foam formation with stable foam and a highly viscous nature. Regarding the pH measurement, all shampoo samples were within the specified range with good wetting ability.

  16. Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 40 tropical juices from Malaysia and identification of phenolics from the bioactive fruit juices of Barringtonia racemosa and Phyllanthus acidus.

    PubMed

    Sulaiman, Shaida Fariza; Ooi, Kheng Leong

    2014-10-01

    The present study compared pH, total soluble solids, vitamin C, and total phenolic contents, antioxidant activities, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 40 fresh juices. The juice of Baccaurea polyneura showed the highest yield (74.17 ± 1.44%) and total soluble solids (32.83 ± 0.27 °Brix). The highest and lowest pH values were respectively measured from the juices of Dimocarpus longan (6.87 ± 0.01) and Averrhoa bilimbi (1.67 ± 0.67). The juice of Psidium guajava gave the highest total phenolic (857.24 ± 12.65 μg GAE/g sample) and vitamin C contents (590.31 ± 7.44 μg AAE/g sample). The juice of Phyllanthus acidus with moderate contents of total phenolics and vitamin C was found to exhibit the greatest scavenging (613.71 ± 2.59 μg VCEAC/g sample), reducing (2784.89 ± 3.93 μg TEAC/g sample), and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (95.37 ± 0.15%). The juice of Barringtonia racemosa was ranked second in the activities and total phenolic content. Gallic and ellagic acids, which were quantified as the major phenolics of the respective juices, are suggested to be the main contributors to the antioxidant activities. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the juices could be derived from myricetin and quercetin (that were previously reported as potent α-glucosidase inhibitors) in the hydrolyzed juice extracts. The juice of Syzygium samarangense, which was found to be highest in metal chelating activity (82.28 ± 0.10%), also was found to have these phenolics.

  17. Protein enrichment, cellulase production and in vitro digestion improvement of pangolagrass with solid state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Hu, Chan-Chin; Liu, Li-Yun; Yang, Shang-Shyng

    2012-02-01

    Pangolagrass, Digitaria decumbens Stent, is a major grass for cow feeding, and may be a good substrate for protein enrichment. To improve the quality of pangolagrass for animal feeding, cellulolytic microbes were isolated from various sources and cultivated with solid state fermentation to enhance the protein content, cellulase production and in vitro digestion. The microbes, culture conditions and culture media were studied. Cellulolytic microbes were isolated from pangolagrass and its extracts, and composts. Pangolagrass supplemented with nitrogen and minerals was used to cultivate the cellulolytic microbes with solid state fermentation. The optimal conditions for protein enrichment and cellulase activity were pangolagrass substrate at initial moisture 65-70%, initial pH 6.0-8.0, supplementation with 2.5% (NH(4))(2)SO(4), 2.5% KH(2)PO(4) and K(2)HPO(4) mixture (2:1, w/w) and 0.3% MgSO(4).7H(2)O and cultivated at 30(o)C for 6 days. The protein content of fermented pangolagrass increased from 5.97-6.28% to 7.09-16.96% and the in vitro digestion improved from 4.11-4.38% to 6.08-19.89% with the inoculation of cellulolytic microbes by solid state fermentation. Each 1 g of dried substrate yielded Avicelase 0.93-3.76 U, carboxymethylcellulase 1.39-4.98 U and β-glucosidase 1.20-6.01 U. The isolate Myceliophthora lutea CL3 was the strain found to be the best at improving the quality of pangolagrass for animal feeding with solid state fermentation. Solid state fermentation of pangolagrass inoculated with appropriate microbes is a feasible process to enrich protein content, increase in vitro digestibility and improve the quality for animal feeding. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Real-time monitoring of ischemia inside stomach.

    PubMed

    Tahirbegi, Islam Bogachan; Mir, Mònica; Samitier, Josep

    2013-02-15

    The low pH in the gastric juice of the stomach makes it difficult to fabricate stable and functional all-solid-state pH ISE sensors to sense ischemia, mainly because of anion interference and adhesion problem between the ISE membrane and the electrode surface. In this work, the adhesion of ISE membrane on solid surface at low pH was improved by modifying the surface with a conductive substrate containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. This creates a stable and robust candidate for low pH applications. Moreover, anion interference problem at low pH was solved by integration of all-solid-state ISE and internal reference electrodes on an array. So, the same tendencies of anion interferences for all-solid-state ISE and all-solid-state reference electrodes cancel each other in differential potentiometric detection. The developed sensor presents a novel all-solid-state potentiometric, miniaturized and mass producible pH ISE sensor for detecting ischemia on the stomach tissue on an array designed for endoscopic applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Chemical quality of water in abandoned zinc mines in northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Playton, Stephen J.; Davis, Robert Ellis; McClaflin, Roger G.

    1978-01-01

    Onsite measurements of pH, specific conductance, and water temperature show that water temperatures in seven mine shafts in northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas is stratified. With increasing sampling depth, specific conductance and water temperature tend to increase, and pH tends to decrease. Concentrations of dissolved solids and chemical constituents in mine-shaft water, such as total, and dissolved metals and dissolved sulfate also increase with depth. The apparently unstable condition created by cooler, denser water overlying warmer, less-dense water is offset by the greater density of the lower water strata due to higher dissolved solids content.Correlation analysis showed that several chemical constituents and properties of mine-shaft water, including dissolved solids, total hardness, and dissolved sulfate, calcium, magnesium, and lithium, are linearly related to specific conductance. None of the constituents or properties of mine-shaft water tested had a significant linear relationship to pH. However, when values of dissolved aluminum, zinc, and nickel were transformed to natural or Napierian logarithms, significant linear correlation to pH resulted. During the course of the study - September 1975 to June 1977 - the water level in a well penetrating the mine workings rose at an average rate of 1.2 feet per month.  Usually, the rate of water-level rise was greater than average after periods of relatively high rainfall, and lower than average during periods of relatively low rainfall.Water in the mine shafts is unsuited for most uses without treatment.  The inability of current domestic water treatment practices to remove high concentrations of toxic metals, such as cadmium and lead, precludes use of the water for a public supply.

  20. Structural response of phyllomanganates to wet aging and aqueous Mn(II)

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

    Hinkle, Margaret A. G.; Flynn, Elaine D.; Catalano, Jeffrey G.

    Naturally occurring Mn(IV/III) oxides are often formed through microbial Mn(II) oxidation, resulting in reactive phyllomanganates with varying Mn(IV), Mn(III), and vacancy contents. Residual aqueous Mn(II) may adsorb in the interlayer of phyllomanganates above vacancies in their octahedral sheets. The potential for interlayer Mn(II)-layer Mn(IV) comproportionation reactions and subsequent formation of structural Mn(III) suggests that aqueous Mn(II) may cause phyllomanganate structural changes that alters mineral reactivity or trace metal scavenging. Here we examine the effects of aging phyllomanganates with varying initial vacancy and Mn(III) content in the presence and absence of dissolved Mn(II) at pH 4 and 7. Three phyllomanganates weremore » studied: two exhibiting turbostratic layer stacking (δ-MnO2 with high vacancy content and hexagonal birnessite with both vacancies and Mn(III) substitutions) and one with rotationally ordered layer stacking (triclinic birnessite containing predominantly Mn(III) substitutions). Structural analyses suggest that during aging at pH 4, Mn(II) adsorbs above vacancies and promotes the formation of phyllomanganates with rotationally ordered sheets and mixed symmetries arranged into supercells, while structural Mn(III) undergoes disproportionation. These structural changes at pH 4 correlate with reduced Mn(II) uptake onto triclinic and hexagonal birnessite after 25 days relative to 48 h of reaction, indicating that phyllomanganate reactivity decreases upon aging with Mn(II), or that recrystallization processes involving Mn(II) uptake occur over 25 days. At pH 7, Mn(II) adsorbs and causes limited structural effects, primarily increasing sheet stacking in δ-MnO2. These results show that aging-induced structural changes in phyllomanganates are affected by aqueous Mn(II), pH, and initial solid-phase Mn(III) content. In conclusion, such restructuring likely alters manganese oxide reactions with other constituents in environmental and geologic systems, particularly trace metals and redox-active compounds.« less

  1. Structural response of phyllomanganates to wet aging and aqueous Mn(II)

    DOE PAGES

    Hinkle, Margaret A. G.; Flynn, Elaine D.; Catalano, Jeffrey G.

    2016-08-06

    Naturally occurring Mn(IV/III) oxides are often formed through microbial Mn(II) oxidation, resulting in reactive phyllomanganates with varying Mn(IV), Mn(III), and vacancy contents. Residual aqueous Mn(II) may adsorb in the interlayer of phyllomanganates above vacancies in their octahedral sheets. The potential for interlayer Mn(II)-layer Mn(IV) comproportionation reactions and subsequent formation of structural Mn(III) suggests that aqueous Mn(II) may cause phyllomanganate structural changes that alters mineral reactivity or trace metal scavenging. Here we examine the effects of aging phyllomanganates with varying initial vacancy and Mn(III) content in the presence and absence of dissolved Mn(II) at pH 4 and 7. Three phyllomanganates weremore » studied: two exhibiting turbostratic layer stacking (δ-MnO2 with high vacancy content and hexagonal birnessite with both vacancies and Mn(III) substitutions) and one with rotationally ordered layer stacking (triclinic birnessite containing predominantly Mn(III) substitutions). Structural analyses suggest that during aging at pH 4, Mn(II) adsorbs above vacancies and promotes the formation of phyllomanganates with rotationally ordered sheets and mixed symmetries arranged into supercells, while structural Mn(III) undergoes disproportionation. These structural changes at pH 4 correlate with reduced Mn(II) uptake onto triclinic and hexagonal birnessite after 25 days relative to 48 h of reaction, indicating that phyllomanganate reactivity decreases upon aging with Mn(II), or that recrystallization processes involving Mn(II) uptake occur over 25 days. At pH 7, Mn(II) adsorbs and causes limited structural effects, primarily increasing sheet stacking in δ-MnO2. These results show that aging-induced structural changes in phyllomanganates are affected by aqueous Mn(II), pH, and initial solid-phase Mn(III) content. In conclusion, such restructuring likely alters manganese oxide reactions with other constituents in environmental and geologic systems, particularly trace metals and redox-active compounds.« less

  2. Impact of drainage on wettability of fen peat-moorsh soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szajdak, L.; Szatyłowicz, J.; Brandyk, T.

    2009-04-01

    High water retention in peat is attributed to structural voids (macro-pores) due to the partial degradation of the structure of peat-forming plants, and molecular absorption sites (micro-pores) associated with the formation of humic substances. Water retention by the heterogeneously-structured system in peat organic matter depends on the chemical structure of solid surfaces. These naturally wet solids, if dried sufficiently, lose the ability to rewet quickly when immersed in water. The ability of peat surfaces to attract and hold water is attributed to hydrophilic functional groups which characterize the organic substances of peat. The investigations of chemical and physical properties were performed for three different peat-moorsh soils located in the Biebrza River Valley in Poland. All examined soils were used as meadow. Soil samples were taken from two depths: 5-10 cm (moorsh) and 50-80 cm (peat). Total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and humic acids (HA) extracted from these samples were analysed. Also basic physical properties such as ash content and bulk density were measured. Wetting behavior of soils was quantified using water drop penetration time test (WDPT) and measured values of the soil-water contact angle using sessile drop method. The measurements were conducted on air-dry soil samples which volumetric moisture content was not exceeding 7%. The significant differences in the concentrations of TOC, DOC and properties of HA between two investigated depth of among peat and moorsh samples were observed. The measured concentrations of total organic carbon in the considered soils ranged from 37.2 to 45.6%. Generally, the decrease of total organic carbon concentration with depth of profiles was observed. The contents of dissolved organic carbon in the soils ranged from 5.3 to 19.4%. The quantities of dissolved organic carbon decreased simultaneously with E4/E6 values and with the depth of the soil profiles. For the investigated peat's, an increase of the depth is accompanied by the decrease in the degree of humification or an increase in chemical maturity of HA. The measured values of the contact angle for investigated soils were in the range from 81.4˚ to 114.3˚ what indicates their high water repellency. The WDPT was positively correlated with total organic carbon, organic matter and humic acids content while ash content, soil bulk density, pH and absorbance were correlated negatively. The highest value of correlation coefficient (statistically significant) was obtained for relation between WDPT and ash content. The soil water contact angle was less correlated with peat-moorsh soil properties in comparison with WDPT with one exception pH. The pH against the contact angle indicates tendency of increasing the contact angle with decreasing pH.

  3. Utilization of vinasses as soil amendment: consequences and perspectives.

    PubMed

    Moran-Salazar, R G; Sanchez-Lizarraga, A L; Rodriguez-Campos, J; Davila-Vazquez, G; Marino-Marmolejo, E N; Dendooven, L; Contreras-Ramos, S M

    2016-01-01

    Vinasses are a residual liquid generated after the production of beverages, such as mezcal and tequila, from agave (Agave L.), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) or sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). These effluents have specific characteristics such as an acidic pH (from 3.9 to 5.1), a high chemical oxygen demand (50,000-95,000 mg L(-1)) and biological oxygen demand content (18,900-78,300 mg L(-1)), a high total solids content (79,000 and 37,500 mg L(-1)), high total volatile solids 79,000 and 82,222 mg L(-1), and K(+) (10-345 g L(-1)) content. Vinasses are most commonly discarded onto soil. Irrigation of soil with vinasses, however, may induce physical, chemical and biochemical changes and affect crop yields. Emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, might increase from soils irrigated with vinasses. An estimation of GHG emission from soil irrigated with vinasses is given and discussed in this review.

  4. Effect of Mass Proportion of Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash Layer to Municipal Solid Waste Layer on the Cu and Zn Discharge from Landfill

    PubMed Central

    Kong, Qingna; Qiu, Zhanhong; Shen, Dongsheng

    2016-01-01

    Municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash is often used as the protection layer for the geomembrane and intermediate layer in the landfill. In this study, three sets of simulated landfills with different mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer to municipal solid waste (MSW) layer were operated. Cu and Zn concentrations in the leachates and MSW were monitored to investigate the effect of MSWI bottom ash layer on the Cu and Zn discharge from the landfill. The results showed that the Zn discharge was dependent on the mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer. The pH of landfill was not notably increased when the mass proportion of MSWI bottom ash layer to MSW layer was 1 : 9, resulting in the enhancement of the Zn discharge. However, Zn discharge was mitigated when the mass proportion was 2 : 8, as the pH of landfill was notably promoted. The discharge of Cu was not dependent on the mass proportion, due to the great affinity of Cu to organic matter. Moreover, Cu and Zn contents of the sub-MSW layer increased due to the MSWI bottom ash layer. Therefore, the MSWI bottom ash layer can increase the potential environmental threat of the landfill. PMID:28044139

  5. Determining total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity of loquat cultivars grown in Hatay

    PubMed Central

    Polat, A. Aytekin; Çalişkan, Oğuzhan; Serçe, Sedat; Saraçoğlu, Onur; Kaya, Cemal; Özgen, Mustafa

    2010-01-01

    Several fruit characteristics of five loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) cultivars/selections grown in Dörtyol, Hatay, Turkey were investigated in 2008. The cultivars/selections included ‘Baduna 5’, Güzelyurt 1, ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’, ‘Ottaviani,’ and Type 1. The characteristics evaluated included fruit weight, width, length, seed number and weight, flesh/seed ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, acidity, total phenolic (TP) content, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The analyses were conducted by three replicates, with 30 fruits in each replicate. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the cultivars, for all the traits tested. For example, ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’ and ‘Ottaviani’ had smaller fruits than others, although ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’ had heavier seeds. The flesh/seed ratio was the highest in Type 1, while ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’ had the highest pH and high soluble solids. ‘Baduna 5’ and ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’ had the highest acidity. The TP ranged from 129 (‘Baduna 5’) to 578 (‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’) mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/kg fresh fruit (fw). ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’ also had the highest FRAP mean (12.1 mmol Trolox Equivalent (TE)/kg fw). The results suggest that loquat cultivars have a variable range of TP content and a relatively high total antioxidant capacity, which is crucial for human health. PMID:20548929

  6. Chromatographic Separations Using Solid-Phase Extraction Cartridges: Separation of Wine Phenolics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brenneman, Charles A.; Ebeler, Susan E.

    1999-12-01

    We describe a simple laboratory experiment that demonstrates the principles of chromatographic separation using solid-phase extraction columns and red wine. By adjusting pH and mobile phase composition, the wine is separated into three fractions of differing polarity. The content of each fraction can be monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. When the experiment is combined with experiments involving HPLC or GC separations, students gain a greater appreciation for and understanding of the highly automated instrumental systems currently available. In addition, they learn about the chemistry of polyphenolic compounds, which are present in many foods and beverages and which are receiving much attention for their potentially beneficial health effects.

  7. Comparative characterization of sewage sludge compost and soil: Heavy metal leaching characteristics.

    PubMed

    Fang, Wen; Wei, Yonghong; Liu, Jianguo

    2016-06-05

    The leaching and accumulation of heavy metals are major concerns following the land application of sewage sludge compost (SSC). We comparatively characterized SSC, the reference soil, and the SSC amended soil to investigate their similarities and differences regarding heavy metal leaching behavior and then to evaluate the effect of SSC land application on the leaching behavior of soil. Results showed that organic matter, including both of particulate organic matter (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM), were critical factors influencing heavy metal leaching from both of SSC and the soil. When SSC was applied to soil at the application rate of 48t/ha, the increase of DOM content slightly enhanced heavy metal leaching from the amended soil over the applicable pH domain (6

  8. Effects of soil characteristics on grape juice nutrient concentrations and other grape quality parameters in Shiraz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Concepción Ramos, Maria; Romero, Maria Paz

    2017-04-01

    This study investigated the response of grapes to soil properties in the variety Shiraz (SH) cultivated in the Costers de Segre Designation of Origin (NE, Spain). The research was carried out in two areas with differences in vigor, which was examined using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Soil properties such as organic matter content, pH, electrical conductivity and nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn and Mn) were analysed in the two areas. Soil analyses were limited to the upper 40 cm. Soil N-NO3 was measured in 2M KCl extracts. Assimilable phosphorus was analysed by extraction with 0.5 M NaHCO3 at pH 8.5 using the Olsen method. The available K, Ca and Mg were evaluated in hemaaxinecobalt trichloride extracts and the available fraction of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe in DTPA- trietanolamine extracts, by spectroscopy atomic emission/absorption. Berry grapes were collected at maturity. Nutrients in grape juice (K, Ca, Mg Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe) were determined after a microwave hydrogen peroxide digestion in a closed vessel microwave digestion system and measured by spectroscopy. Other grape properties that determine grape quality such as pH, berry weight and sugar content were analysed using the methods proposed by the OIV. Differences in soil properties were observed between plots, which determined the differences in vigour. The vines with lower vigour were grown in the soils with higher pH, electrical conductivity and silt content, which had in addition higher Ca, Mg and K available levels as well as higher levels of Fe and Mn than the soil in which vines had higher vigour. However, the available fraction of Cu and Zn was smaller. Similar differences in nutrient concentration in the berry were observed for all nutrients except for Cu. Grape juice pH and total soluble solids (°Brix) were higher in the most vigorous vines. However, the differences in berry weight and total acidity at ripening were not significant. Keywords: acidity; berry weight; nutrients; pH; soil characteristics, sugar content.

  9. Effect of the pH in the adsorption and in the immersion enthalpy of monohydroxylated phenols from aqueous solutions on activated carbons.

    PubMed

    Blanco-Martínez, D A; Giraldo, L; Moreno-Piraján, J C

    2009-09-30

    An activated carbon Carbochem--PS230 was modified by chemical and thermal treatment in flow of H(2) in order to evaluate the influence of the activated carbon chemical surface in the adsorption of the monohydroxylated phenols. The solid-solution interaction was determined by analyzing the adsorption isotherms at 298 K at pH 7, 9 and 11 during 48 h. The adsorption capacity of activated carbons increases when the pH solution decreases. The amount adsorbed increases in the reduced carbon at the maximum adsorption pH and decreases in the oxidized carbon. In the sample of granulated activated carbon, CAG, the monohydroxylated phenols adsorption capacity diminishes in the following order catechol >hydroquinone >resorcinol, at the three pH values. The experimental data are evaluated with Freundlich's and Langmuir's models. The immersion enthalpies are determined and increase with the retained amount, ranging between 21.5 and 45.7 J g(-1). In addition, the immersion enthalpies show more interaction with the reduced activated carbon that has lower total acidity contents.

  10. Transient changes in milk production efficiency and bacterial community composition resulting from near-total exchange of ruminal contents between high- and low-efficiency Holstein cows.

    PubMed

    Weimer, Paul J; Cox, Madison S; Vieira de Paula, Tania; Lin, Miao; Hall, Mary Beth; Suen, Garret

    2017-09-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine if milk production efficiency (MPE) is altered by near-total exchange of ruminal contents between high- (HE) and low-MPE (LE) cows and to characterize ruminal bacterial community composition (BCC) before exchange and over time postexchange. Three pairs of ruminally cannulated, third-lactation cows were selected whose MPE (energy-corrected milk per unit of dry matter intake) differed over their first 2 lactations. Approximately 95% of ruminal contents were exchanged between cows within each pair. Ruminal pH and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles, along with BCC (characterized by sequencing of the variable 4 region of 16S rRNA genes), were assessed just before feeding on d -8, -7, -5, -4, -1, 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 56, relative to the exchange date. High-MPE cows had higher total ruminal VFA concentrations, higher molar percentages of propionate and valerate, and lower molar percentages of acetate and butyrate than did LE cows, and re-established these differences 1 d after contents exchange. Across all LE cows, MPE increased during 7 d postexchange but declined thereafter. Two of the 3 HE cows displayed decreases in MPE following introduction of the ruminal contents from the corresponding LE cow, but MPE increased in the third HE cow, which was determined to be an outlier. For all 6 cows, both liquid- and solids-associated BCC differed between individuals within a pair before contents exchange. Upon exchange, BCC of both phases in all 3 pairs was more similar to that of the donor inoculum than to preexchange host BCC. For 5 of 6 cows, the solids-associated community returned within 10 d to more resemble the preexchange community of that host than that of the donor community. Individual variability before the exchange was greater in liquids than in solids, as was the variability in response of bacterial communities to the exchange. Individual cows varied in their response, but generally moved toward re-establishment of their preexchange communities by 10 d after contents exchange. By contrast, ruminal pH and VFA profiles returned to preexchange levels within 1 d. Despite the small number of cows studied, the data suggest an apparent role for the ruminal bacterial community as a determinant of MPE. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Lovastatin Production by Aspergillus terreus Using Agro-Biomass as Substrate in Solid State Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Faseleh Jahromi, Mohammad; Liang, Juan Boo; Ho, Yin Wan; Mohamad, Rosfarizan; Goh, Yong Meng; Shokryazdan, Parisa

    2012-01-01

    Ability of two strains of Aspergillus terreus (ATCC 74135 and ATCC 20542) for production of lovastatin in solid state fermentation (SSF) using rice straw (RS) and oil palm frond (OPF) was investigated. Results showed that RS is a better substrate for production of lovastatin in SSF. Maximum production of lovastatin has been obtained using A. terreus ATCC 74135 and RS as substrate without additional nitrogen source (157.07 mg/kg dry matter (DM)). Although additional nitrogen source has no benefit effect on enhancing the lovastatin production using RS substrate, it improved the lovastatin production using OPF with maximum production of 70.17 and 63.76 mg/kg DM for A. terreus ATCC 20542 and A. terreus ATCC 74135, respectively (soybean meal as nitrogen source). Incubation temperature, moisture content, and particle size had shown significant effect on lovastatin production (P < 0.01) and inoculums size and pH had no significant effect on lovastatin production (P > 0.05). Results also have shown that pH 6, 25°C incubation temperature, 1.4 to 2 mm particle size, 50% initial moisture content, and 8 days fermentation time are the best conditions for lovastatin production in SSF. Maximum production of lovastatin using optimized condition was 175.85 and 260.85 mg/kg DM for A. terreus ATCC 20542 and ATCC 74135, respectively, using RS as substrate. PMID:23118499

  12. Impact of soil properties on critical concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, and mercury in soil and soil solution in view of ecotoxicological effects.

    PubMed

    de Vries, Wim; Lofts, Steve; Tipping, Ed; Meili, Markus; Groenenberg, Jan E; Schütze, Gudrun

    2007-01-01

    Risk assessment for metals in terrestrial ecosystems, including assessments of critical loads, requires appropriate critical limits for metal concentrations in soil and soil solution. This chapter presents an overview of methodologies used to derive critical (i) reactive and total metal concentrations in soils and (ii) free metal ion and total metal concentrations in soil solution for Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Hg, taking into account the effect of soil properties related to ecotoxicological effects. Most emphasis is given to the derivation of critical free and total metal concentrations in soil solution, using available NOEC soil data and transfer functions relating solid-phase and dissolved metal concentrations. This approach is based on the assumption that impacts on test organisms (plants, microorganisms, and soil invertebrates) are mainly related to the soil solution concentration (activity) and not to the soil solid-phase content. Critical Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Hg concentrations in soil solution vary with pH and DOC level. The results obtained are generally comparable to those derived for surface waters based on impacts to aquatic organisms. Critical soil metal concentrations, related to the derived soil solution limits, can be described as a function of pH and organic matter and clay content, and varying about one order of magnitude between different soil types.

  13. [Stability of anthocyanins in pasteurized juice of blackberry ((Rubus glaucus benth].

    PubMed

    Moreno-Alvarez, Mario José; Viloria Matos, Alfredo; López, Eliezer; Belén, Douglas

    2002-06-01

    In this research the chemical stability of total anthocyanins in three pasteurized juices elaborated from 12% of blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) pulp, and addition of ascorbic acid (Formulation A: 0.1%, Formulation B: 0.05% and Formulation C: 0.01%), was evaluated by means of absorption visible spectra (400-580 nm). Physicol-chemical characterization (acidity, soluble solids content in degree Brix, pH), and count of mesophilic microorganism, fungi, yeasts, fecal coliforms (PMN/mL) and Escherichia coli, were evaluated. Sensorial parameters (color, smell, flavor) were investigated by means of un-trained panel using a hedonic scale (Fridman, P < 0.05). The study was performed during storage for 9 days. The total anthocyanins were reported as pelargonidin-3-glycoside g/L, and no significant differences were founded among the evaluated in each formulation during storage (P > 0.05). Bactocromic effect due to oxidation as not observed. Acidity (6.0-7.2 mL NaOH 0.079 N), soluble solids content (9.0-9.8 degrees Brix) and pH (3.4) did not show significant differences (P > 0.05). The microbiological evaluation showed minimum values for pasturized products (fungi CFU/mL < 10, yeast CFU/mL < 10, fecal coliforms CFU/mL < 10 and mesophilic microorganism CFU/mL between 120-140 on first day in storage). Sensorial analysis did not show significant differences (Fridman, P > 0.05).

  14. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in cooked meats.

    PubMed

    Busquets, R; Puignou, L; Galceran, M T; Wakabayashi, K; Skog, K

    2007-10-31

    Several cooked meats such as beef (fried, coated-fried), pork (fried, coated-fried), and chicken (fried, griddled, coated-fried, roasted) were analyzed for the heterocyclic amine 2-amino-1-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5- b]pyridine (4'-OH-PhIP) not commonly determined in food and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5- b]pyridine (PhIP). The highest content of 4'-OH-PhIP was found in fried and griddled chicken breast, the concentration being 43.7 and 13.4 ng/g, respectively, whereas the corresponding PhIP concentrations were 19.2 and 5.8 ng/g. The estimated concentration of both pyridines in fried pork loin, in fried pork sausages, and in coated-fried chicken was below 2.5 ng/g. In the rest of the samples, 4'-OH-PhIP was not detected. The analyses were performed by solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS. The fragmentation of 4'-OH-PhIP in an ion trap mass analyzer was studied in order to provide information for the identification of 4'-OH-PhIP. Additionally, the effect of red wine marinades on the formation of 4'-OH-PhIP in fried chicken was examined, finding a notable reduction (69%) in the amine's occurrence.

  15. Aluminum(III) speciation with acetate and oxalate. A potentiometric and sup 27 Al NMR study

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

    Thomas, F.; Rouiller, J.; Genevrier, F.

    1991-09-01

    Aluminum (III) hydrolysis and precipitation in the presence of acetic acid and oxalic acid have been studied by combining potentiometric titration and liquid-state {sup 27}Al NMR. The main aluminum species have thus been identified and quantified: unreacted hydrolyzed, complexed monomers, and the Al{sub 13} tridecamer. A solid species appeared when precipitation occurred and was quantified by difference with the other species. The quantitative evolution of these species was followed for pH values up to 5. Acetate forms weak complexes with aluminum. The precipitated phase was hypothesized to be aggregated Al{sub 13}. Oxalate forms strong multiligand complexes to form Al{sub 13}more » requires higher hydroxyl content. High oxalate contents (L/M > 1) inhibit tridecamer formation and precipitation occurs only at high pH values. With oxalate the precipitated phase seems to be devoid of Al{sub 13} and of a more condensed nature than it is with acetate.« less

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rusdianasari; Arita, Susila; Ibrahim, Eddy; Ngudiantoro

    2013-04-01

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

  17. Hydrogeochemical, Stable Isotopes and Hydrology of Fogo Volcano Perched Aquifers: São Miguel Island, Azores (Portugal)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antunes, P. C.; Boutt, D. F.; Martini, A. M.; Ferstad, J.; Rodrigues, F. C.

    2012-12-01

    Fogo Volcano is located at central part of São Miguel Island and corresponds to a polygenetic volcano with a caldera made by an intercalated accumulation of volcaniclastic deposits and lava flows. São Miguel Island is one of the nine volcanic islands that form the Azores Archipelago. The volcano is 950 meters high, with a caldera diameter of 3.2 Km, which holds a lake inside. The last eruption occurred in 1563-1564, as one of a group of seven traquitic eruptions occurring within the last 5000 years. The volcanic activity is related to hydrothermal activity in a geothermal field located in the volcanoes North flank. The hydrology of Fogo Volcano is characterized by a series of perched-water bodies drained by a large number of springs grouped at different altitudes on the volcano flanks. It is possible to identify three types of water (1) Fresh water, cold temperature (12 - 17 C) with low dissolved solids contents (average conductivity of 179 μS/cm), pH range between 6.60 and 7.82, dominated by the major ions Na, K, HCO3, and Cl, and correspond mainly to sodium bicarbonate type water. (2) Mineral water, cold temperature (12.5 - 19.4 C) with low dissolved solids contents (average conductivity of 261 μS/cm), acid pH range between 4.62 and 6.79, and correspond mainly to sodium bicarbonate type water. (3) Thermal water, with temperature of 32 C, high dissolved solids content (4.62 mS/cm), with a pH around 4.50 and belongs to sodium sulfate type water. South Fogo volcano have only fresh water springs and at high elevation, springs drained from pumice fall deposits near 700 m of altitude. Water dissolved solids contents increased slightly with springs at lower altitude due to water-rock interaction. Springs sampled around 700 m high have a conductivity average of 85 μS/cm, at 520 m an average of 129 μS/cm, at 430 m an average of 182 μS/cm, at 200 m an average of 192 μS/cm and at 12 m high sea level and average of 472 μS/cm. This trend is observed at North Fogo volcano flank for fresh water springs. Mineral and thermal waters show an influence of magmatic input, a natural water pollution source in areas with volcanic activity. Rainwater isotopic composition showed elevation effect variation with lighter δ18O and δD values and recharge appear to be at highest altitudes with influence of sea salt from atmospheric contamination. Evaporation is clearly associated with mineral and thermal waters. Hydrogeochemistry differentiates the low altitude springs at South volcano flank where they are separated by ultramafic intrusions supporting the existence of dike impounded aquifers as Peterson (1972) proposed with the Hawaiian conceptual model for volcanic islands.

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-04-01

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

  19. Vermicomposting as an advanced biological treatment for industrial waste from the leather industry.

    PubMed

    Nunes, Ramom R; Bontempi, Rhaissa M; Mendonça, Giovane; Galetti, Gustavo; Rezende, Maria Olímpia O

    2016-01-01

    The leather industry (tanneries) generates high amounts of toxic wastes, including solid and liquid effluents that are rich in organic matter and mineral content. Vermicomposting was studied as an alternative method of treating the wastes from tanneries. Vermicompost was produced from the following tannery residues: tanned chips of wet-blue leather, sludge from a liquid residue treatment station, and a mixture of both. Five hundred earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were added to each barrel. During the following 135 days the following parameters were evaluated: pH, total organic carbon (TOC), organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), C:N ratio, and chromium content as Cr (III) and Cr (VI). The results for pH, TOC and OM contents showed decreases in their values during the composting process, whereas values for CEC and total nitrogen rose, indicating that the vermicompost reached maturity. For chromium, at 135 days, all values of Cr (VI) were below the detectable level. Therefore, the Cr (VI) content had probably been biologically transformed into Cr (III), confirming the use of this technique as an advanced biological treatment. The study reinforces the idea that vermicomposting could be introduced as an effective technology for the treatment of industrial tannery waste and the production of agricultural inputs.

  20. Physico-chemical studies on adulteration of honey in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Lawal, R A; Lawal, A K; Adekalu, J B

    2009-08-01

    The extent of adulteration of honey samples from various geographical locations in Nigeria was evaluated. In order to ascertain the quality and extent of adulteration of the honey samples, the total titrable acidity, brix content, pH, colour, viscosity, moisture content, total solids, ash content, hydroxymethyl furfural and microbiological analysis were carried out. Honey samples from Akwa-Ibom, Ondo and Ogun had a high hydroxymethyl furfural with coliforms and total bacteria counts being absent, while honey samples from Shaki, Yola and Ibadan had a low hydroxymethyl furfural and some total viable counts were present in them. These results indicate that honey samples from Akwa-Ibom, Ondo and Ogun were completely free of adulteration. However, honey samples obtained from Shaki, Yola and Ibadan were discovered to have undergone some form of adulteration.

  1. Mode of alpha-amylase production by the shochu koji mold Aspergillus kawachii.

    PubMed

    Nagamine, Kazuki; Murashima, Kenji; Kato, Taku; Shimoi, Hitoshi; Ito, Kiyoshi

    2003-10-01

    Aspergillus kawachii produces two kinds of alpha-amylase, one is an acid-unstable alpha-amylase and the other is an acid-stable alpha-amylase. Because the quality of the shochu depends strongly on the activities of the alpha-amylases, the culture conditions under which these alpha-amylases are produced were examined. In liquid culture, acid-unstable alpha-amylase was produced abundantly, but, acid-stable alpha-amylase was not produced. The acid-unstable alpha-amylase was produced significantly when glycerol or glucose was used as a carbon source, similarly to the use of inducers such as starch or maltose. In liquid culture, A. kawachii assimilated starch at pH 3.0, but no alpha-amylase activity was recognized in the medium. Instead, the alpha-amylase was found to be trapped in the cell wall. The trapped form was identified as acid-unstable alpha-amylase. Usually, acid-unstable alpha-amylase is unstable at pH 3.0, so its stability appeared to be due to its immobilization in the cell wall. In solid-state culture, both kinds of alpha-amylase were produced. The production of acid-stable alpha-amylase seems to be solid-state culture-specific and was affected by the moisture content in the solid medium.

  2. Biobased, Internally pH-Sensitive Materials: Immobilized Yellow Fluorescent Protein as an Optical Sensor for Spatiotemporal Mapping of pH Inside Porous Matrices.

    PubMed

    Consolati, Tanja; Bolivar, Juan M; Petrasek, Zdenek; Berenguer, Jose; Hidalgo, Aurelio; Guisán, Jose M; Nidetzky, Bernd

    2018-02-28

    The pH is fundamental to biological function and its measurement therefore crucial across all biosciences. Unlike homogenous bulk solution, solids often feature internal pH gradients due to partition effects and confined biochemical reactions. Thus, a full spatiotemporal mapping for pH characterization in solid materials with biological systems embedded in them is essential. In here, therefore, a fully biocompatible methodology for real-time optical sensing of pH within porous materials is presented. A genetically encoded ratiometric pH sensor, the enhanced superfolder yellow fluorescent protein (sYFP), is used to functionalize the internal surface of different materials, including natural and synthetic organic polymers as well as silica frameworks. By using controlled, tailor-made immobilization, sYFP is homogenously distributed within these materials and so enables, via self-referenced imaging analysis, pH measurements in high accuracy and with useful spatiotemporal resolution. Evolution of internal pH is monitored in consequence of a proton-releasing enzymatic reaction, the hydrolysis of penicillin by a penicillin acylase, taking place in solution or confined to the solid surface of the porous matrix. Unlike optochemical pH sensors, which often interfere with biological function, labeling with sYFP enables pH sensing without altering the immobilized enzyme's properties in any of the materials used. Fast response of sYFP to pH change permits evaluation of biochemical kinetics within the solid materials. Thus, pH sensing based on immobilized sYFP represents a broadly applicable technique to the study of biology confined to the internally heterogeneous environment of solid matrices.

  3. Isolation and characterization of formacell Lignins from oil empty fruits bunches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hidayati, S.; Zuidar, A. S.; Satyajaya, W.; Murhadi; Retnowati, D.

    2018-04-01

    Lignin is the largest component in black liquor, it is about 46% of solids total and can be isolated by precipitation using acid and base method. The purpose of this study was to get the best NaOH concentration to produce lignin with yield, solids total content, metoxyle lignins content, weights equivalent of lignin in the black liquor by pulping formacell process from oil empty fruits bunches. This study was done with isolation lignin process in black liquor used by NaOH concentration were 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% from volume black liquor and then precipitationed for 10 hours. The result of this research showed the isolation of lignin with NaOH concentration 30% get the pH 5,42%, yield of lignin was 5,67%, solids black liquor total was 65,11%, levels of metoxyle lignin 14,61%, and equivalent weights of lignin was 1787,23. The result of FT-IR identifications of isolates lignin in NaOH concentration 25 and 30% showed a pattern infiltration spektro IR that almost a part that have the same infiltration at the wave numbers that showed lignin had one of the rings lignin was guaiasil, it was building blocks of non wood lignin.

  4. Cadmium Accumulation Risk in Vegetables and Rice in Southern China: Insights from Solid-Solution Partitioning and Plant Uptake Factor.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Wang, Meie; Chen, Weiping; Li, Yanling; Peng, Chi

    2017-07-12

    Solid-solution partitioning coefficient (K d ) and plant uptake factor (PUF) largely determine the solubility and mobility of soil Cd to food crops. A four-year regional investigation was conducted in contaminated vegetable and paddy fields of southern China to quantify the variability in K d and PUF. The distributions of K d and PUF characterizing transfers of Cd from soil to vegetable and rice are probabilistic in nature. Dynamics in soil pH and soil Zn greatly affected the variations of K d . In addition to soil pH, soil organic matter had a major influence on PUF variations in vegetables. Heavy leaching of soil Mn caused a higher Cd accumulation in rice grain. Dietary ingestion of 85.5% of the locally produced vegetable and rice would have adverse health risks, with rice consumption contributing 97.2% of the risk. A probabilistic risk analysis based on derived transfer function reveals the amorphous Mn oxide content exerts a major influence on Cd accumulation in rice in pH conditions below 5.5. Risk estimation and field experiments show that to limit the Cd concentration in rice grains, soil management strategies should include improving the pH and soil Mn concentration to around 6.0 and 345 mg kg -1 , respectively. Our work illustrates that re-establishing a balance in trace elements in soils' labile pool provides an effective risk-based approach for safer crop practices.

  5. Solid-phase microextraction of methadone in urine samples by electrochemically co-deposited sol-gel/Cu nanocomposite fiber.

    PubMed

    Mohammadiazar, Sirwan; Hasanli, Fateme; Maham, Mehdi; Payami Samarin, Somayeh

    2017-08-01

    Electrochemically co-deposited sol-gel/Cu nanocomposites have been introduced as a novel, simple and single-step technique for preparation of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coating to extract methadone (MDN) (a synthetic opioid) in urine samples. The porous surface structure of the sol-gel/Cu nanocomposite coating was revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Direct immersion SPME followed by HPLC-UV determination was employed. The factors influencing the SPME procedure, such as the salt content, desorption solvent type, pH and equilibration time, were optimized. The best conditions were obtained with no salt content, acetonitrile as desorption solvent type, pH 9 and 10 min equilibration time. The calibration graphs for urine samples showed good linearity. The detection limit was about 0.2 ng mL -1 . Also, the novel method for preparation of nanocomposite fiber was compared with previously reported techniques for MDN determination. The results show that the novel nanocomposite fiber has relatively high extraction efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Modelling mono-digestion of grass silage in a 2-stage CSTR anaerobic digester using ADM1.

    PubMed

    Thamsiriroj, T; Murphy, J D

    2011-01-01

    This paper examines 174 days of experimental data and modelling of mono-digestion of grass silage in a two stage wet process with recirculation of liquor; the two vessels have an effective volume of 312 L each. The organic loading rate is initiated at 0.5 kg VS m(-3) d(-1) (first 74 days) and subsequently increased to 1 kg VS m(-3) d(-1). The experimental data was used to generate a mathematical model (ADM1) which was calibrated over the first 74 days of operation. Good accuracy with experimental data was found for the subsequent 100 days. Results of the model would suggest starting the process without recirculation and thus building up the solids content of the liquor. As the level of VFA increases, recirculation should be employed to control VFA. Recirculation also controls solids content and pH. Methane production was estimated at 88% of maximum theoretical production. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Effect of total solid content and pretreatment on the production of lactic acid from mixed culture dark fermentation of food waste.

    PubMed

    Yousuf, Ahasa; Bastidas-Oyanedel, Juan-Rodrigo; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

    2018-04-28

    Food waste landfilling causes environmental degradation, and this work assesses a sustainable food valorization technique. In this study, food waste is converted into lactic acid in a batch assembly by dark fermentation without pH control and without the addition of external inoculum at 37 °C. The effect of total solid (TS), enzymatic and aeration pretreatment was investigated on liquid products concentration and product yield. The maximum possible TS content was 34% of enzymatic pretreated waste, and showed the highest lactic acid concentration of 52 g/L, with a lactic acid selectivity of 0.6 g lactic /g totalacids . The results indicated that aeration pretreatment does not significantly improve product concentration or yield. Non-pretreated waste in a 29% TS system showed a lactic acid concentration of 31 g/L. The results showed that enzymatic pretreated waste at TS of 34% results in the highest production of lactic acid. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Variations in the chemical properties of landfill leachate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chu, L. M.; Cheung, K. C.; Wong, M. H.

    1994-01-01

    Landfill leachates were collected and their chemical properties analyzed once every two months over a ten-month period from the Gin Drinkers' Bay (GDB) and Junk Bay (JB) landfills. The contents of solids, and inorganic and organic components fluctuated considerably with time. In general, the chemical properties of the two leachates correlated negatively ( P<0.05) with the amounts of rainfall prior to the sampling periods. However, magnesium and pH of the leachates remained relatively constant with respect to sampling time. The JB leachate contained higher average contents of solids and inorganic and organic matter than those of GDB with the exception of trace metals. Trace metals were present in the two leachates in trace quantities (<1.0 mg/liter). The concentrations of average ammoniacal nitrogen were 1040 and 549 mg/liter, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) values were 767 and 695 mg/liter for JB and GDB leachates, respectively. These results suggest that the leachates need further treatment before they can be discharged to the coastal waters.

  9. Improve biogas production from low-organic-content sludge through high-solids anaerobic co-digestion with food waste.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chuanyang; Li, Huan; Zhang, Yuyao; Liu, Can

    2016-11-01

    Anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste was tested at two different total solid (TS) concentrations. In the low-solids group with TS 4.8%, the biogas production increased linearly as the ratio of food waste in substrate increased from 0 to 100%, but no synergetic effect was found between the two substrates. Moreover, the additive food waste resulted in the accumulation of volatile fatty acids and decelerated biogas production. Thus, the blend ratio of food waste should be lower than 50%. While in the high-solids group with TS 14%, the weak alkaline environment with pH 7.5-8.5 avoided excessive acidification but high concentration of free ammonia was a potential risk. However, good synergetic effect was found between the two substrates because the added food waste improved mass transfer in sludge cake. Thus, 50% was recommended as the optimum ratio of food waste in substrate because of the best synergetic effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Chromium and yttrium-doped magnesium aluminum oxides prepared from layered double hydroxides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-García, J. M.; Pérez-Bernal, M. E.; Ruano-Casero, R. J.; Rives, V.

    2007-12-01

    Layered double hydroxides with the hydrotalcite-like structures, containing Mg 2+ and Al 3+, doped with Cr 3+ and Y 3+, have been prepared by precipitation at constant pH. The weight percentages of Cr 3+ and Y 3+ were 1, 2, or 3%, and 0.5 or 1%, respectively. Single phases were obtained in all cases, whose crystallinity decreased as the content in Cr and Y was increased. The solids have been characterised by element chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analyses (differential, thermogravimetric and programmed reduction), FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopies; the specific surface areas have been determined from nitrogen adsorption isotherms at -196 °C. Upon calcination at 1200 °C for 5 h in air all solids display a mixed structure (spinel and rock salt for MgO); these solids have also been characterised by these techniques and their chromatic coordinates (CIE - L∗a∗b∗) have been determined. Their pink colour makes these solids suitable for being used as ceramic pigments.

  11. Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity in Yogurt Fortified with Red Ginseng Extract.

    PubMed

    Jung, Jieun; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Yoon, Hyun Joo; Jang, Hye Ji; Jeewanthi, Renda Kankanamge Chaturika; Jee, Hee-Sook; Li, Xiang; Lee, Na-Kyoung; Lee, Si-Kyung

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate characteristics and functionality of yogurt applied red ginseng extract. Yogurts added with red ginseng extract (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) were produced using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus and stored at refrigerated temperature. During fermentation, pH was decreased whereas titratable aicidity and viable cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were increased. The composition of yogurt samples was measured on day 1, an increase of red ginseng extract content in yogurt resulted in an increase in lactose, protein, total solids, and ash content, whereas fat and moisture content decreased. The pH value and cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were declined, however titratable acidity was increased during storage period. The antioxidant capacity was measured as diverse methods. During refrigerated storage time, the value of antioxidant effect was decreased, however, yogurt fortified with red ginseng extract had higher capacity than plain yogurt. The antioxidant effect was improved in proportion to concentration of red ginseng extract. These data suggests that red ginseng extract could affect to reduce fermentation time of yogurt and enhance antioxidant capacity.

  12. Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity in Yogurt Fortified with Red Ginseng Extract

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Jieun; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Yoon, Hyun Joo; Jang, Hye Ji; Jeewanthi, Renda Kankanamge Chaturika; Jee, Hee-Sook; Lee, Na-Kyoung

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate characteristics and functionality of yogurt applied red ginseng extract. Yogurts added with red ginseng extract (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) were produced using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus and stored at refrigerated temperature. During fermentation, pH was decreased whereas titratable aicidity and viable cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were increased. The composition of yogurt samples was measured on day 1, an increase of red ginseng extract content in yogurt resulted in an increase in lactose, protein, total solids, and ash content, whereas fat and moisture content decreased. The pH value and cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were declined, however titratable acidity was increased during storage period. The antioxidant capacity was measured as diverse methods. During refrigerated storage time, the value of antioxidant effect was decreased, however, yogurt fortified with red ginseng extract had higher capacity than plain yogurt. The antioxidant effect was improved in proportion to concentration of red ginseng extract. These data suggests that red ginseng extract could affect to reduce fermentation time of yogurt and enhance antioxidant capacity. PMID:27433113

  13. Complete nutrient recovery from source-separated urine by nitrification and distillation.

    PubMed

    Udert, K M; Wächter, M

    2012-02-01

    In this study we present a method to recover all nutrients from source-separated urine in a dry solid by combining biological nitrification with distillation. In a first process step, a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor was operated stably for more than 12 months, producing a nutrient solution with a pH between 6.2 and 7.0 (depending on the pH set-point), and an ammonium to nitrate ratio between 0.87 and 1.15 gN gN(-1). The maximum nitrification rate was 1.8 ± 0.3 gN m(-2) d(-1). Process stability was achieved by controlling the pH via the influent. In the second process step, real nitrified urine and synthetic solutions were concentrated in lab-scale distillation reactors. All nutrients were recovered in a dry powder except for some ammonia (less than 3% of total nitrogen). We estimate that the primary energy demand for a simple nitrification/distillation process is four to five times higher than removing nitrogen and phosphorus in a conventional wastewater treatment plant and producing the equivalent amount of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers. However, the primary energy demand can be reduced to values very close to conventional treatment, if 80% of the water is removed with reverse osmosis and distillation is operated with vapor compression. The ammonium nitrate content of the solid residue is below the limit at which stringent EU safety regulations for fertilizers come into effect; nevertheless, we propose some additional process steps that will increase the thermal stability of the solid product. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Implementation of reverse flotation method to reduce reactive and non-reactive silica in bauxite ore from West Kalimantan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wulandari, Winny; Purwasasmita, Mubiar; Sanwani, Edy; Pixelina, Adinda Asri; Maulidan, Agus

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports a study that implements reverse flotation method to separate silica from West Kalimantan bauxite ores. The study is aimed to find the good process condition to obtain low-silica bauxite as the feed for the Bayer process. The experiments were carried out in a 1 L of flotation cell tank. Dodecylamine was used as the collector, starch as the depressant, and MIBC as the frother. The varied parameters were solid content to solution (15-30% w/w), and pH (6 - 10). The results of XRF of products show that in all reverse flotation experiments, the ratio of alumina to silica (Al/Si) are increased from 7 up to 14. The increase of solid percentage in the flotation gives a good result for Al/Si ratio as well as alumina and silica recovery in concentrate, with 30% w/w solid percentage to solution increases Al/Si ratio to 14.38, with silica recovery of 20%. The good separation with variation of depressants is obtained with depressant concentration of 400 g/ton bauxite, with Al/Si ratio in concentrate 15 and ratio in tailing 7. For the pH variation, the good condition is obtained at pH 8, while for collector concentration, the good condition is obtained at 200 g/ton bauxite. XRD analysis of the feed indicates that bauxite ore consists of gibbsite, diaspore, kaolinite, halloysite, quartz, boehmite, hematite and rutile. It is found that the concentrate has similar minerals, but halloysite became very minor or classified as a trace.

  15. Influence of cultivating conditions on the alpha-galactosidase biosynthesis from a novel strain of Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Wang, C L; Li, D F; Lu, W Q; Wang, Y H; Lai, C H

    2004-01-01

    The work is intended to achieve optimum culture conditions of alpha-galactosidase production by a mutant strain Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain fermentation parameters involving incubation temperature, moisture content, initial pH value, inoculum and load size of medium, and incubation time were investigated separately. The optimal temperature and moisture level for alpha-galactosidase biosynthesis was found to be 30 degrees C and 50%, respectively. The range of pH 5.5-6.5 was favourable. About 40-50 g of medium in 250-ml flask and inoculum over 1.0 x 10(6) spores were suitable for enzyme production. Seventy-five hours of incubation was enough for maximum alpha-galactosidase production. Substrate as wheat bran supplemented with soyabean meal and beet pulp markedly improved the enzyme yield in trays. Under optimum culture conditions, the alpha-galactosidase activity from Penicillium sp. MAFIC-6 indicated 185.2 U g(-1) in tray of SSF. The process on alpha-galactosidase production in laboratory scale may have a potentiality of scaling-up.

  16. Efficient acetone-butanol-ethanol production by Clostridium beijerinckii from sugar beet pulp.

    PubMed

    Bellido, Carolina; Infante, Celia; Coca, Mónica; González-Benito, Gerardo; Lucas, Susana; García-Cubero, María Teresa

    2015-08-01

    Sugar beet pulp (SBP) has been investigated as a promising feedstock for ABE fermentation by Clostridium beijerinckii. Although lignin content in SBP is low, a pretreatment is needed to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation yields. Autohydrolysis at pH 4 has been selected as the best pretreatment for SBP in terms of sugars release and acetone and butanol production. The best overall sugars release yields from raw SBP ranged from 66.2% to 70.6% for this pretreatment. The highest ABE yield achieved was 0.4g/g (5.1g/L of acetone and 6.6g/L butanol) and 143.2g ABE/kg SBP (62.3g acetone and 80.9g butanol) were obtained when pretreated SBP was enzymatically hydrolyzed at 7.5% (w/w) solid loading. Higher solid loadings (10%) offered higher acetone and butanol titers (5.8g/L of acetone and 7.8g/L butanol). All the experiments were carried out under not-controlling pH conditions reaching about 5.3 in the final samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Evaluation of Amazon fruits: chemical and nutritional studies on Borojoa sorbilis.

    PubMed

    Rabelo Rodrigues, Francimilton; de Souza Ramos, Aline; Fernandes Amaral, Ana Claudia; Pinto Ferreira, José Luiz; da Silva Carneiro, Carla; Rocha de Andrade Silva, Jefferson

    2018-01-31

    Borojoa sorbilis (Ducke) is an Amazonian species with edible fruits that are widely consumed by the local population, but little studied and not yet economically explored. Thus the aim of this study was to describe the chemical composition, volatile compounds, nutritional aspects and antioxidant activity of the fruit pulp and peel of B. sorbilis. Headspace solid-phase microextraction, using polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene (PDMS-DVB) fiber, resulted in the identification of 59 substances in the pulp and peel of B. sorbilis fruits after analysis of the chromatograms obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using polar and nonpolar columns. Esters were the most abundant. Moisture, lipids, protein, dietary fiber, ash, carbohydrate, total energy value, titratable acid, soluble solids and pH were measured. Protein amount, fat content and antioxidant activity were low in both pulp and peel. Carbohydrate content was 179.2 and 134.9 g kg -1 in pulp and peel, respectively. This is the first report on the chemical characteristics, flavor and nutritional aspects of B. sorbilis fruit, which is essential to its economic exploitation. The high energy value associated with the carbohydrate content, plus the low fat content, contribute to a possible use of B. sorbilis fruits as a food supplement. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Analysis of a whole diet in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity: effects of a simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

    PubMed

    Koehnlein, Eloá Angélica; Koehnlein, Érica Marcela; Corrêa, Rúbia Carvalho Gomes; Nishida, Verônica Sayuri; Correa, Vanesa Gesser; Bracht, Adelar; Peralta, Rosane Marina

    2016-09-01

    This work compares the phenolic contents and the total antioxidant capacity of the 36 most popular Brazilian foods submitted to aqueous extraction or in vitro digestion. The purpose was to evaluate the extent by which digestion differs from the simple aqueous extraction procedures of several food matrices. After in vitro digestion, cereals, legumes, vegetables, tuberous vegetables, chocolates and fruits showed higher phenolic contents and higher antioxidant activities than those obtained by aqueous extraction. Contrarily, the digestion caused a reduction in the phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of beverages (red wine, coffee and yerba mate). Our results suggest that the phenolics of food groups with solid and complex matrix are protected against enzymatic action and alteration in pH during the digestion, what does not occur in liquid food matrices such as the beverages. This fact would overestimate the antioxidant activities of beverages submitted solely to aqueous extraction.

  19. 40 CFR 421.144 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 19.370 Mercury 4.687 1.875 Total suspended solids 468.700 375.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7... Antimony 30.150 13.440 Arsenic 21.720 9.687 Mercury 2.344 0.937 Total suspended solids 234.400 187.500 pH... Arsenic 21.720 9.687 Mercury 2.344 0.937 Total suspended solids 234.400 187.500 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the...

  20. 40 CFR 421.74 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... bullion produced Lead 4.340 2.015 Zinc 15.810 6.510 Total suspended solids 232.500 186.000 pH (1) (1... solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b) Subpart G—Blast Furnace... Zinc .000 .000 Total suspended solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all...

  1. 40 CFR 421.74 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... bullion produced Lead 4.340 2.015 Zinc 15.810 6.510 Total suspended solids 232.500 186.000 pH (1) (1... solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b) Subpart G—Blast Furnace... Zinc .000 .000 Total suspended solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all...

  2. Characterization and pollution potential assessment of Tunceli, Turkey municipal solid waste open dumping site leachates.

    PubMed

    Demirbilek, Deniz; Öztüfekçi Önal, Ayten; Demir, Veysel; Uslu, Gulsad; Arslanoglu-Isık, Hilal

    2013-11-01

    Environmental monitoring of leachate quality from an open municipal solid waste dumping site in Tunceli, Turkey was studied in this research. The most commonly examined pollution parameters were determined on a seasonal basis. The annual average 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values of station points were measured as 70 and 425 mg/L, respectively, and also the average BOD₅/COD ratio (a measure of biodegradability) was calculated as 0.20. The low ratio of biodegradability and slightly alkaline pH values in the leachate samples indicated that the site was characterized by methanogenic conditions. The mean ammonium-nitrogen (NH4 (+)-N) and corresponding phosphate (orthophosphate) values were assayed as 70 and 11 mg/L, respectively. The average solids content in the leachates was measured as 4,681 mg/L (total solids) and 144 mg/L (suspended solids). Very low concentrations of iron, manganese, copper, and zinc in the leachate samples were found and the concentration of cadmium was measured below detection limits. Excessive amount of nutrients and high organic and inorganic pollutant content in the leachates pose serious pollution potential to the environment. Since no drainage system or bio treatment exists in this open dumping site, high permeability of natural soil at the site and in the surrounding area and very fractured and crackled rocks under natural soil are indicators of high groundwater pollution potential in this site.

  3. Quantification of octacalcium phosphate, authigenic apatite and detrital apatite in coastal sediments using differential dissolution and standard addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oxmann, J. F.; Schwendenmann, L.

    2014-06-01

    Knowledge of calcium phosphate (Ca-P) solubility is crucial for understanding temporal and spatial variations of phosphorus (P) concentrations in water bodies and sedimentary reservoirs. In situ relationships between liquid- and solid-phase levels cannot be fully explained by dissolved analytes alone and need to be verified by determining particular sediment P species. Lack of quantification methods for these species limits the knowledge of the P cycle. To address this issue, we (i) optimized a specifically developed conversion-extraction (CONVEX) method for P species quantification using standard additions, and (ii) simultaneously determined solubilities of Ca-P standards by measuring their pH-dependent contents in the sediment matrix. Ca-P minerals including various carbonate fluorapatite (CFAP) specimens from different localities, fluorapatite (FAP), fish bone apatite, synthetic hydroxylapatite (HAP) and octacalcium phosphate (OCP) were characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR and elemental analysis. Sediment samples were incubated with and without these reference minerals and then sequentially extracted to quantify Ca-P species by their differential dissolution at pH values between 3 and 8. The quantification of solid-phase phosphates at varying pH revealed solubilities in the following order: OCP > HAP > CFAP (4.5% CO3) > CFAP (3.4% CO3) > CFAP (2.2% CO3) > FAP. Thus, CFAP was less soluble in sediment than HAP, and CFAP solubility increased with carbonate content. Unspiked sediment analyses together with standard addition analyses indicated consistent differential dissolution of natural sediment species vs. added reference species and therefore verified the applicability of the CONVEX method in separately determining the most prevalent Ca-P minerals. We found surprisingly high OCP contents in the coastal sediments analyzed, which supports the hypothesis of apatite formation by an OCP precursor mechanism.

  4. Quantification of octacalcium phosphate, authigenic apatite and detrital apatite in coastal sediments using differential dissolution and standard addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oxmann, J. F.; Schwendenmann, L.

    2014-01-01

    Knowledge of calcium phosphate (Ca-P) solubility is crucial for understanding temporal and spatial variations of phosphorus (P) concentrations in water bodies and sedimentary reservoirs. In-situ relationships between liquid and solid-phase levels cannot be fully explained by dissolved analytes alone and need to be verified by determination of particular sediment P species. Lack of quantification methods for these species limits the knowledge of the P cycle. To address this issue, we (i) optimized a specifically developed conversion-extraction (CONVEX) method for P species quantification using standard additions; and (ii) simultaneously determined solubilities of Ca-P standards by measuring their pH-dependent contents in the sediment matrix. Ca-P minerals including various carbonate fluorapatite (CFAP) specimens from different localities, fluorapatite (FAP), fish bone apatite, synthetic hydroxylapatite (HAP) and octacalcium phosphate (OCP) were characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR and elemental analysis. Sediment samples were incubated with and without these reference minerals and then sequentially extracted to quantify Ca-P species by their differential dissolution at pH values between 3 and 8. The quantification of solid-phase phosphates at varying pH revealed solubilities in the following order: OCP > HAP > CFAP (4.5% CO3) > CFAP (3.4% CO3) > CFAP (2.2% CO3) > FAP. Thus, CFAP was less soluble in sediment than HAP, and CFAP solubility increased with carbonate content. Unspiked sediment analyses together with standard addition analyses indicated consistent differential dissolution of natural sediment species vs. added reference species and therefore verified the applicability of the CONVEX method in separately determining the most prevalent Ca-P minerals. We found surprisingly high OCP contents in the analyzed coastal sediments which supports the hypothesis of apatite formation by an OCP precursor.

  5. Effects of Cultivating Conditions on the Water Soluble Polysaccharides Content of Ganoderma lucidum Mycelium in Submerged Flask Culture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosyida, V. T.; Hayati, S. N.; Apriyana, W.; Darsih, C.; Hernawan; Poeloengasih, C. D.

    2017-12-01

    The carcinostatic substance in Ganoderma lucidum (Fr.) Karst (Polyporaceae) is a water soluble polysaccharides (WSP) which might be useful in immunotherapy. Attempt to produce effective substances from cultured mycelia is important to carry out since solid cultivation is a time consuming and quality fluctuating. The effects of cultivating conditions on the water soluble polysaccharides content of G. Lucidum mycelium were investigated in submerged flask cultures. Culture from fruiting bodies was maintained on potato dextrose-agar slope. Slopes were inoculated and incubated at 30°C for 7 days, and stored at 4°C. The flask experiments were performed in 100 ml erlenmeyer flasks containing 20 ml of the sterilized media. Actively growing mycelia (1 piece, 5 mm X 5 mm) from a newly prepared slant culture (about 7 days incubation at 30°C) were inoculated into the flask. The pH was measured and adjusted to the desired value by addition of either 4 M HCl or 2.5 M NaOH. Incubation temperature were 20, 25, and 30°C. At the end of inoculation period (14 days) mycelium consisting of individual pellets was harvested and wash for the analysis. WSP content was analysed using phenol-sulfuric acid method. The optimal initial pH for metabolite production would depend on the culture medium. Generally, high values of pH, such as 9, negatively affect both cell growth and WSP production. The optimum temperature range for the high G. lucidum mycelium and WSP production were found to be 25 - 30 °C at pH values 5 - 7 in both of media.

  6. Composting of a solid olive-mill by-product ("alperujo") and the potential of the resulting compost for cultivating pepper under commercial conditions.

    PubMed

    Alburquerque, J A; Gonzálvez, J; García, D; Cegarra, J

    2006-01-01

    A pollutant solid material called "alperujo" (AL), which is the main by-product from the Spanish olive oil industry, was composted with a cotton waste as bulking agent, and the compost obtained (ALC) was compared with a cattle manure (CM) and a sewage sludge compost (SSC) for use as organic amendment on a calcareous soil. The experiment was conducted with a commercial pepper crop in a greenhouse using fertigation. Composting AL involved a relatively low level of organic matter biodegradation, an increase in pH and clear decreases in the C/N and the fat, water-soluble organic carbon and phenol contents. The resulting compost, which was rich in organic matter and free of phytotoxicity, had a high potassium and organic nitrogen content but was low in phosphorus and micronutrients. The marketable yields of pepper obtained with all three organic amendments were similar, thus confirming the composting performance of the raw AL. When CM and SSC were used for soil amendment, the soil organic matter content was significantly reduced after cultivation, while it remained almost unchanged in the ALC-amended plots.

  7. 40 CFR 421.334 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ....170 Nickel 4.948 3.329 Ammonia (as N) 1,199.000 527.200 Total suspended solids 135.000 108.000 pH (1... Nickel 6.335 4.262 Ammonia (as N) 1,535.000 675.000 Total suspended solids 172.800 138.200 pH (1) (1) 1... Nickel 0.312 0.210 Ammonia (as N) 75.710 33.280 Total suspended solids 8.520 6.816 pH (1) (1) 1 Within...

  8. 40 CFR 467.34 - New source performance standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Suspended solids 5.10 4.07 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Extrusion....126 Aluminum 1.82 0.81 Oil and grease 2.98 2.98 Suspended solids 4.47 3.58 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the... Suspended solids 30.56 24.45 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Cleaning...

  9. 40 CFR 421.114 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 82.910 36.450 Fluoride 21.770 12.440 Total suspended solids 9.330 7.464 pH (1) (1) 1 Within....100 Total Suspended Solids 138.900 111.100 pH (1) (1) AA 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all... solids 3.690 2.952 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Subpart K—Precipitation...

  10. 40 CFR 421.244 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 24.410 12.850 Nickel 24.670 16.320 Total suspended solids 526.800 250.500 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the... Nickel 9.590 6.344 Total suspended solids 204.800 97.400 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at....523 Total suspended solids 49.160 23.380 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. ...

  11. 40 CFR 421.334 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....170 Nickel 4.948 3.329 Ammonia (as N) 1,199.000 527.200 Total suspended solids 135.000 108.000 pH (1... Nickel 6.335 4.262 Ammonia (as N) 1,535.000 675.000 Total suspended solids 172.800 138.200 pH (1) (1) 1... Nickel 0.312 0.210 Ammonia (as N) 75.710 33.280 Total suspended solids 8.520 6.816 pH (1) (1) 1 Within...

  12. 40 CFR 467.34 - New source performance standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Suspended solids 5.10 4.07 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Extrusion....126 Aluminum 1.82 0.81 Oil and grease 2.98 2.98 Suspended solids 4.47 3.58 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the... Suspended solids 30.56 24.45 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Cleaning...

  13. 40 CFR 421.132 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... suspended solids 107.000 50.900 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (c) Subpart M... .323 .135 Ammonia (as N) .000 .000 Total suspended solids 9.061 4.310 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of... Lead .283 .135 Zinc .983 .411 Ammonia (as N) .000 .000 Total suspended solids 27.600 13.130 pH (1) (1...

  14. Physical, chemical and microbial analysis of bottled drinking water.

    PubMed

    Sasikaran, S; Sritharan, K; Balakumar, S; Arasaratnam, V

    2012-09-01

    People rely on the quality of the bottled drinking water, expecting it to be free of microbial contamination and health hazards. To evaluate the quality of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula by analysing the physical, chemical and microbial contents and comparing with the recommended Sri Lankan Standard (SLS) values. All bottled water samples sold in Jaffna peninsula were collected. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, pH, calcium, nitrate, total aerobic and anaerobic count, coliform bacterial count and faecal contamination were checked. These are 22 brands of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula. The sample had very low electrical conductivity when compared with SLS (750 μS/ cm) and varied from 19 to 253 μS/cm with the mean of 80.53 (±60.92) μS/cm. The pH values of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 4.11 to 7.58 with a mean of 6.2 (±0.75). The total dissolved solid content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 9 to 123.67 mg/l with a mean of 39.5 (±30.23) mg/l. The calcium content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 6.48 to 83.77 mg/l with a mean of 49.9 (±25.09) mg/l. The nitrate content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 0.21 to 4.19 mg/l with the mean of 1.26 (±1.08) mg/l. Aerobic bacterial count varied from 0 to 800 colony forming unit per ml (cfu/ml) with a mean of 262.6 (±327.50) cfu/ml. Among the 22 drinking bottled water brands 14 and 9% of bottled drinking water brands showed fungal and coliform bacterial contaminants respectively. The water brands which contained faecal contamination had either Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. The bottled drinking water available for sale do not meet the standards stipulated by SLS.

  15. Natural red dyes extraction on roselle petals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inggrid, H. M.; Jaka; Santoso, H.

    2016-11-01

    Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) has a high quantity of anthocyanin pigment and is a good colorant. The anthocyanin pigment can be used as a natural colorant and antioxidant. An antioxidant is an organic compound that has the ability to inhibit free radical reactions in the human body. The objective of this research is to study the effect of pH and temperature on total anthocyanin and antioxidant activity in roselle extract, and to evaluate the effect of temperature and sunlight on the stability of the red color from roselle. Dried roselle petals were extracted with solid liquid extraction method using water as solvent. The variables in this study are temperature (5°C, 30°C, and 55°C) and pH (2, 7, and 12). Total anthocyanin was analysed using the pH differential method. The antioxidant activities were determined using the DPPH method. The highest total anthocyanin in the roselle petals was 80.4 mg/L at a temperature of 5°C and pH 2. The highest antioxidant activity and yield content in the roselle were 90.4% and 71.6 % respectively, obtained at 55°C and pH 2.

  16. Alternative treatment for septic tank sludge: co-digestion with municipal solid waste in bioreactor landfill simulators.

    PubMed

    Valencia, R; den Hamer, D; Komboi, J; Lubberding, H J; Gijzen, H J

    2009-02-01

    Co-disposal of septic tank sludge had a positive effect on the municipal solid waste (MSW) stabilisation process in Bioreactor Landfill simulators. Co-disposal experiments were carried out using the Bioreactor Landfill approach aiming to solve the environmental problems caused by indiscriminate and inadequate disposal of MSW and especially of septic tank sludge. The simulator receiving septic tank sludge exhibited a 200 days shorter lag-phase as compared to the 350 days required by the control simulator to start the exponential biogas production. Additionally, the simulator with septic sludge apparently retained more moisture (>60% w/w), which enhanced the overall conversion of organic matter hence increasing the biogas production (0.60 m3 biogas kg(-1)VS(converted)) and removal efficiency of 60% for VS from the simulator. Alkaline pH values (pH>8.5) did not inhibit the biogas production; moreover it contributed to reduce partially the negative effects of NH(4)(+) (>2 g L(-1)) due to NH(3) volatilisation thus reducing the nitrogen content of the residues. Associated risks and hazards with septage disposal were practically eliminated as total coliform and faecal coliform contents were reduced by 99% and 100%, respectively at the end of the experiment. These results indicate that co-disposal has two direct benefits, including the safe and environmentally sound disposal of septic tank sludge and an improvement of the overall performance of the Bioreactor Landfill by increasing moisture retention and supplying a more acclimatised bacterial population.

  17. Changes in soil properties and in the growth of Lolium multiflorum in an acid soil amended with a solid waste from wineries.

    PubMed

    Nóvoa-Muñoz, J C; Simal-Gándara, J; Fernández-Calviño, D; López-Periago, E; Arias-Estévez, M

    2008-10-01

    The agronomic utility of a solid waste, waste perlite (WP), from wine companies was assessed. In this sense, the natural characteristics of the waste were measured, followed by the monitoring of its effects on the chemical properties of acid soils and the growth of Lolium multiflorum. Taking into account that heavy metals associated to the waste (such as Cu, Zn and Mn) could cause problems when used as amendment, the changes in their total levels and in their soil fractionation were also studied, together with their total contents in L. multiflorum. The high content in C (214gkg(-1)), N (25gkg(-1)), P (534mgkg(-1)) and K (106gkg(-1)) of WP turned it into an appropriate amendment to increase soil fertility, solving at the same time its disposal. WP contributed to increase soil pH (in 2 pH units) and cation exchange capacity (CEC increased in 3cmolckg(-1)units), but reduced the potential Cu phytotoxicity due to a change in Cu distribution towards less soluble fractions. The growth of L. multiflorum adequately responds to the treatment with WP at addition rates below 2.5gkg(-1), whereas the imbalance between nutrients can justify the reduction in biomass production at higher WP addition rates. The levels of heavy metals analyzed in L. multiflorum biomass (8-85gkg(-1)) do not seem to cause undesirable effects on its growth.

  18. Determination of trace heavy metals in harvested rainwater used for drinking in Hebron (south West Bank, Palestine) by ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Malassa, Husam; Al-Rimawi, Fuad; Al-Khatib, Mahmoud; Al-Qutob, Mutaz

    2014-10-01

    Rainwater samples harvested for drinking from the west part of Hebron (south of West Bank in Palestine), the largest city in the West Bank, were analyzed for the content of different trace heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd, Bi, and Pb) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This study was conducted to determine the water quality of harvested rainwater used for drinking of south West Bank (case study, Hebron area). A total of 44 water samples were collected in November 2012 from 44 house cisterns used to collect rainwater from the roofs of houses. The samples were analyzed for their pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and different heavy metal contents. The pH of all water samples was within the US Environmental Protection Agency limits (6.5-8.5), while some water samples were found to exceed the allowed WHO limit for total dissolved solids (TDSs) in drinking water. Results showed that concentrations of the heavy metals vary significantly between the 44 samples. Results also showed that the concentration of five heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Ni, Ag, and Pb) is higher than the WHO limits for these heavy metals in drinking water. Overall, our findings revealed that harvested rainwater used for drinking of this part of south West Bank is contaminated with heavy metals that might affect human health.

  19. Formulation and evaluation of voriconazole ophthalmic solid lipid nanoparticles in situ gel.

    PubMed

    Pandurangan, Dinesh Kumar; Bodagala, Prathima; Palanirajan, Vijayaraj Kumar; Govindaraj, Saravanan

    2016-01-01

    In the present investigation, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)-loaded in situ gel with voriconazole drug was formulated. Further, the formulation was characterized for pH, gelling capacity, entrapment efficiency, in vitro drug release, drug content, and viscosity. Voriconazole is an antifungal drug used to treat various infections caused by yeast or other types of fungi. Film hydration technique was used to prepared SLNs from lecithin and cholesterol. Based on the entrapment efficiency 67.2-97.3% and drug release, the optimized formulation NF1 of SLNs was incorporated into in situ gels. The in situ gels were prepared using viscosity-enhancing polymers such as Carbopol and (hydroxypropyl)methyl cellulose (HPMC). Formulated SLN in situ gel formulations were characterized, which showed pH 4.9-7.1, drug content 65.69-96.3%, and viscosity (100 rpm) 120-620 cps. From the characterizations given above, F6 was optimized and evaluated for microbial assay and ocular irritation studies. Microbial assay was conducted by the cup-plate method using Candida albicans as the test organism. An ocular irritation study was conducted on albino rabbits. The results revealed that there was no ocular damage to the cornea, conjunctiva, or iris. Stability studies were carried out on the F6 formulation for 3 months, which showed that the formulation had good stability. These results indicate that the studied SLNs-loaded in situ gel is a promising vehicle for ocular delivery.

  20. Chitosan coating of red kiwifruit (Actinidia melanandra) for extending of the shelf life.

    PubMed

    Kaya, Murat; Česonienė, Laima; Daubaras, Remigijus; Leskauskaitė, Daiva; Zabulionė, Donata

    2016-04-01

    Commercial production of red kiwifruit (Actinidia melanandra) has been unsuccessful because of its short shelf life. Here in this study, we used chitosan to extend the shelf life of red kiwifruit berries. Chitosan (with 70-75% deacetylation degree and low molecular weight) was dissolved in acetic acid (at pH 2.0-2.3) to obtain gel material, which was used for coating of the fruit. The coated and uncoated samples were kept for 26 days at room temperature (20±2°C). The changes in the weight loss, firmness, soluble solid content, total polyphenol content and ascorbic acid content were evaluated. All these findings showed that chitosan could be an effective coating material for berries of red kiwifruit to extend its short shelf life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. 40 CFR 421.102 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 4,773.000 2,098.000 Total suspended solids 1,468.000 698.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... 59.900 25.030 Ammonia (as N) 5,469.000 2,404.00 Total suspended solids 1,682.000 800.000 pH (1) (1) 1... suspended solids 0.000 0.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Subpart J—Alkali...

  2. 40 CFR 421.102 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 4,773.000 2,098.000 Total suspended solids 1,468.000 698.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... 59.900 25.030 Ammonia (as N) 5,469.000 2,404.00 Total suspended solids 1,682.000 800.000 pH (1) (1) 1... suspended solids 0.000 0.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Subpart J—Alkali...

  3. 40 CFR 421.154 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...,700.0 4,378.0 Total Suspended solids 3,300.0 2,640.0 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at....000 Total Suspended solids 33,690.000 26,950.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all...,269.000 Total Suspended solids 3,218.000 2,574.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all...

  4. 40 CFR 421.122 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ....833 3.070 Zinc 4.482 1.873 Ammonia (as N) 409.300 179.900 Total suspended solids 125.900 59.870 pH (1... Ammonia (as N) 6,712.000 2,951.000 Total suspended solids 2,065.000 981.800 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... (as N) 129.300 56.840 Total suspended solids 39.770 18.920 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10...

  5. 40 CFR 421.122 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....833 3.070 Zinc 4.482 1.873 Ammonia (as N) 409.300 179.900 Total suspended solids 125.900 59.870 pH (1... Ammonia (as N) 6,712.000 2,951.000 Total suspended solids 2,065.000 981.800 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... (as N) 129.300 56.840 Total suspended solids 39.770 18.920 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10...

  6. Investigation of the solid state properties of amoxicillin trihydrate and the effect of powder pH.

    PubMed

    Ghassempour, Alireza; Rafati, Hasan; Adlnasab, Laleh; Bashour, Yosef; Ebrahimzadeh, Homeira; Erfan, Mohammad

    2007-11-09

    The purpose of this research was to investigate some physicochemical and solid-state properties of amoxicillin trihydrate (AMT) with different powder pH within the pharmacopoeia-specified range. AMT batches prepared using Dane salt method with the pH values from 4.39 to 4.97 were subjected to further characterization studies. Optical and scanning electron microscopy showed that different batches of AMT powders were similar in crystal habit, but the length of the crystals increased as the pH increased. Further solid-state investigations using powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) demonstrated the same PXRD pattern, but the intensity of the peaks raised by the powder pH, indicated increased crystallinity. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies further confirmed that as the powder pH increased, the crystallinity and, hence, thermal stability of AMT powders increased. Searching for the possible cause of the variations in the solid state properties, HPLC analysis showed that despite possessing the requirements of the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) for purity/impurity profile, there was a direct relationship between the increase of the powder pH and the purity of AMT, and also decrease in the impurity I (alpha-Hydroxyphenylglycine) concentration in AMT powder. Recrystallization studies confirmed that the powder pH could be controlled by adjusting the pH of the crystallization.

  7. Evaluation of Low-Temperature Phosphine Fumigation for Control of Oriental Fruit Fly in Loquat Fruit.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tao; Li, Li; Li, Baishu; Zhan, Guoping; Wang, Yuejin

    2018-05-28

    Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel; Diptera: Tephritidae), is recognized as a quarantine pest and a threat to Chinese loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit exports. Since loquat fruit is very sensitive to methyl bromide (MB) fumigation and cold treatment, in this study, low-temperature phosphine (PH3) fumigation was investigated to develop an alternative phytosanitary treatment method. Tolerance tests showed that the third instar was the most tolerant of all life stages of B dorsalis to PH3 gas at 8°C. Toxicity assay with 500-3000 ppm PH3 and subsequent probit analysis showed that 2000 ppm PH3 was optimal for fumigation and 152.75 h of treatment duration were required to achieve 99.9968% mortality. In the verification test, 144 and 168 h of treatment duration with 2000 ppm PH3 completely killed 35,277 and 35,134 B. dorsalis third instars, respectively. However, 13 live larvae were found after 120 h of treatment. Furthermore, these treatments reduced fruit respiration rates while causing no adverse effects on other fruit quality parameters, including firmness, soluble solid content, and titratable acidity over 192 h storage at 8°C. The results strongly suggest that low-temperature PH3 fumigation could be used for the postharvest control of B. dorsalis in loquat fruit.

  8. Communication: H-atom reactivity as a function of temperature in solid parahydrogen: The H + N2O reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mutunga, Fredrick M.; Follett, Shelby E.; Anderson, David T.

    2013-10-01

    We present low temperature kinetic measurements for the H + N2O association reaction in solid parahydrogen (pH2) at liquid helium temperatures (1-5 K). We synthesize 15N218O doped pH2 solids via rapid vapor deposition onto an optical substrate attached to the cold tip of a liquid helium bath cryostat. We then subject the solids to short duration 193 nm irradiations to generate H-atoms produced as byproducts of the in situ N2O photodissociation, and monitor the subsequent reaction kinetics using rapid scan FTIR. For reactions initiated in solid pH2 at 4.3 K we observe little to no reaction; however, if we then slowly reduce the temperature of the solid we observe an abrupt onset to the H + N2O → cis-HNNO reaction at temperatures below 2.4 K. This abrupt change in the reaction kinetics is fully reversible as the temperature of the solid pH2 is repeatedly cycled. We speculate that the observed non-Arrhenius behavior (negative activation energy) is related to the stability of the pre-reactive complex between the H-atom and 15N218O reagents.

  9. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Algerian honey.

    PubMed

    Khalil, Ibrahim; Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Boukraâ, Laïd; Benhanifia, Mokhtar; Islam, Asiful; Islam, Nazmul; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah; Gan, Siew Hua

    2012-09-20

    The aim of the present study was to characterize the physical, biochemical and antioxidant properties of Algerian honey samples (n = 4). Physical parameters, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), color intensity, total sugar and sucrose content were measured. Several biochemical and antioxidant tests were performed to determine the antioxidant properties of the honey samples. The mean pH was 3.84 ± 0.01, and moisture the content was 13.21 ± 0.16%. The mean EC was 0.636 ± 0.001, and the mean TDS was 316.92 ± 0.92. The mean color was 120.58 ± 0.64 mm Pfund, and the mean 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content was 21.49 mg/kg. The mean total sugar and reducing sugar contents were 67.03 ± 0.68 g/mL and 64.72 ± 0.52 g/g, respectively. The mean sucrose content was 2.29 ± 0.65%. High mean values of phenolic (459.83 ± 1.92 mg gallic acid/kg), flavonoid (54.23 ± 0.62 mg catechin/kg), ascorbic acid (159.70 ± 0.78 mg/kg), AEAC (278.15 ± 4.34 mg/kg), protein (3381.83 ± 6.19 mg/kg) and proline (2131.47 ± 0.90) contents, as well as DPPH (39.57% ± 4.18) and FRAP activities [337.77 ± 1.01 µM Fe (II)/100 g], were also detected, indicating that Algerian honey has a high antioxidant potential. Strong positive correlations were found between flavonoid, proline and ascorbic acid contents and color intensity with DPPH and FRAP values. Thus, the present study revealed that Algerian honey is a good source of antioxidants.

  10. Fermentation and quality of yellow pigments from golden brown rice solid culture by a selected Monascus mutant.

    PubMed

    Yongsmith, Busaba; Thongpradis, Panida; Klinsupa, Worawan; Chantrapornchai, Withida; Haruthaithanasan, Vichai

    2013-10-01

    A single peak (λmax 370) yellow pigment-producing mutant derived from Monascus sp. TISTR 3179 was used for the pigment production in solid rice culture. Various factors affecting yellow tones were investigated. Hom-mali rice variety was the best amongst five Thai local varieties used for fungus culture. It was also better than corn, mungbean, soybean, potato, sweet potato, or cassava tubers. The moisture content and temperature were the key environmental factors affecting the color tones of creamy, tangerine, and golden brown rice solid cultures. The golden brown rice culture gave the highest yellow pigment concentration. Under an optimum room temperature of 28-32 °C, an initial moisture content of 42 %, and 7-day-old inoculum size of 2 % (v/w) the maximum yield at 2,224.63 A370U/gdw of yellow pigment was produced. A mellow yellow powder at 550 A370U/gdw could be obtained using spray-drying techniques. The powder had a moisture content of 5.15 %, a water activity value of 0.398, a hue angle of 73.70 ° (yellowish orange), high lightness (L) of 74.63, color saturation (C) of 28.97, a neutral pH of 7.42, 0.12 % acidity and solubility of 0.211 g/10 ml. It was noteworthy that the Chinese fresh noodle with spray-dried yellow powder showed no discoloration during 8-day storage.

  11. Water Quality Characteristics of Sembrong Dam Reservoir, Johor, Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohd-Asharuddin, S.; Zayadi, N.; Rasit, W.; Othman, N.

    2016-07-01

    A study of water quality and heavy metal content in Sembrong Dam water was conducted from April - August 2015. A total of 12 water quality parameters and 6 heavy metals were measured and classified based on the Interim National Water Quality Standard of Malaysia (INWQS). The measured and analyzed parameter variables were divided into three main categories which include physical, chemical and heavy metal contents. Physical and chemical parameter variables were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS), turbidity, pH, nitrate, phosphate, ammonium, conductivity and salinity. The heavy metals measured were copper (Cu), lead (Pb), aluminium (Al), chromium (Cr), ferum (Fe) and zinc (Zn). According to INWQS, the water salinity, conductivity, BOD, TSS and nitrate level fall under Class I, while the Ph, DO and turbidity lie under Class IIA. Furthermore, values of COD and ammonium were classified under Class III. The result also indicates that the Sembrong Dam water are not polluted with heavy metals since all heavy metal readings recorded were falls far below Class I.

  12. Mobility and persistence of the herbicide fomesafen in soils cultivated with bean plants using SLE/LTP and HPLC/DAD.

    PubMed

    Costa, Anna I G; Queiroz, Maria Eliana L R; Neves, Antônio A; de Assis, Roberta C; dos Soares, Carlos E S; da Silva, Antônio A; D'Antonino, Leonardo; de Oliveira, André F; Bellato, Carlos R

    2015-03-01

    A method has been optimized and validated for the determination of fomesafen in soils using solid-liquid extraction with low-temperature partitioning (SLE/LTP) and analysis by liquid chromatography with a high-efficiency diode array detector (HPLC/DAD). The method was used to evaluate the persistence and mobility of this herbicide in different soils cultivated with bean plants. Recovery values were ≥98.9 %, with variations in the repeatability coefficients of ≤15 %, and a detection limit of 7.3 μg kg(-1). Half-life values of fomesafen were between 60 and 71 days in soil cultivated using a no-till system and 99 and 114 days in soil cultivated using a conventional tillage system. The mobility of fomesafen was moderate and mainly influenced by the organic matter content, pH, and soil type. In Red-Yellow Argisol, which has a higher content of organic matter, the leaching of fomesafen was less pronounced. In Red-Yellow Latosol, which has smaller amounts of organic matter and high pH, the leaching of fomesafen was more pronounced.

  13. Biogas recirculation for simultaneous calcium removal and biogas purification within an expanded granular sludge bed system treating leachate.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jinghuan; Lu, Xueqin; Liu, Jianyong; Qian, Guangren; Lu, Yongsheng

    2014-12-01

    Biogas, generated from an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor treating municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate, was recirculated for calcium removal from the leachate via a carbonation process with simultaneous biogas purification. Batch trials were performed to optimize the solution pH and imported biogas (CO2) for CaCO3 precipitation. With applicable pH of 10-11 obtained, continuous trials achieved final calcium concentrations of 181-375 mg/L (removal efficiencies≈92.8-96.5%) in the leachate and methane contents of 87.1-91.4% (purification efficiencies≈65.4-82.2%) in the biogas. Calcium-balance study indicates that 23-986 mg Ca/d was released from the bio-system under the carbonized condition where CaCO3 precipitating was moved outside the bioreactor, whereas 7918-9517 mg Ca/d was trapped into the system for the controlled one. These findings demonstrate that carbonation removal of calcium by biogas recirculation could be a promising alternative to pretreat calcium-rich MSW leachate and synergistically to improve methane content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The effects of tea catechins on fecal conditions of elderly residents in a long-term care facility.

    PubMed

    Goto, K; Kanaya, S; Ishigami, T; Hara, Y

    1999-01-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of tea catechins on fecal contents and metabolites of elderly people who were on a diet of solid food. The subjects were 35 residents in a long-term care facility who were all on the same diet, consisting of rice gruel and minced food. Tea catechins (300 mg), which were divided into 3 doses a day, were a meal supplement every day for 6 weeks. Fecal specimens were collected by the nursing staff, and their moisture content, pH, ammonia, sulfide, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) were determined before, during, and after the administration of tea catechins. In a comparison of values before the administration, all these fecal parameters decreased significantly during the tea catechin administration. After termination of the administration, these data tended to return toward the levels before administration. The reduction of such fecal parameters as moisture, pH, ammonia, sulfide, and ORP by tea catechin administration indicated very favorable improvements of the subjects' bowel conditions.

  15. Production and Characterization of Lipases by Two New Isolates of Aspergillus through Solid-State and Submerged Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Colla, Luciane Maria; Ficanha, Aline M. M.; Rizzardi, Juliana; Bertolin, Telma Elita; Reinehr, Christian Oliveira; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira

    2015-01-01

    Due to the numerous applications of lipases in industry, there is a need to study their characteristics, because lipases obtained from different sources may present different properties. The aim of this work was to accomplish the partial characterization of lipases obtained through submerged fermentation and solid-state fermentation by two species of Aspergillus. Fungal strains were isolated from a diesel-contaminated soil and selected as good lipases producers. Lipases obtained through submerged fermentation presented optimal activities at 37°C and pH 7.2 and those obtained through solid-state fermentation at 35°C and pH 6.0. The enzymes produced by submerged fermentation were more temperature-stable than those obtained by solid-state fermentation, presenting 72% of residual activity after one hour of exposition at 90°C. Lipases obtained through submerged fermentation had 80% of stability in acidic pH and those obtained through solid-state fermentation had stability greater than 60% in alkaline pH. PMID:26180809

  16. Mechanisms of arsenic-containing pyrite oxidation by aqueous arsenate under anoxic conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Guohong; Gao, Tianyu; Hong, Jun; Tan, Wenfeng; Liu, Fan; Zheng, Lirong

    2017-11-01

    Adsorption and redox reactions occur between arsenic-containing pyrite and arsenate, which affect the migration and conversion of arsenic in soils and waters. However, the influence of arsenic incorporated in pyrite on the interaction processes is still enigmatic. In this work, arsenic-containing pyrites were hydrothermally synthesized with composition similar to naturally surface-oxidized pyrites in supergene environments. The effects of arsenic incorporation on the chemical composition and physicochemical properties were analyzed, and the interaction mechanism between arsenic-containing pyrites and aqueous arsenate was also studied within pH 3.0-11.0. Arsenic-containing pyrites with the arsenic contents of 0 (Apy0), 4.4 (Apy5) and 9.9 wt.% (Apy10) were produced in hydrothermal systems. As(III) and As(-I) respectively substituted Fe(II) and S2(-II) in the pyrite, and their relative contents respectively reached 76.6% and 17.2% in Apy5, and 91.0% and 8.0% in Apy10. Arsenic substitution resulted in a high content of Fe(III) in the form of Fe(III)sbnd S and a decrease in pyrite crystallinity. During the redox processes of arsenic-containing pyrites and arsenate, elemental S0, SO42- and goethite were formed as the main products with the adsorption of As(III,V), and As(III) was released due to the collapse of the crystal structure of pyrite and the oxidation of As(-I). Different redox mechanisms were achieved with pH increasing from 3.0 to 11.0 in the reaction system. At pH 3.0-6.0, Fe(III) contributed much to the oxidation of arsenic-containing pyrites, and arsenate and released As(III) were adsorbed on the surface of solid products. At pH 7.0-11.0, aqueous arsenate worked as the major oxidant, and its oxidation capacity increased with increasing pH. When the pH was increased from 3.0 to 7.0 and 11.0, the release ratio of incorporated arsenic from Apy10 particles increased from 34.1% to 45.0% and 56.8%, respectively. The present study facilitates a better understanding about the interaction mechanisms between arsenic-containing pyrite and arsenate in supergene environments.

  17. Influence of a deficit irrigation regime during ripening on berry composition in grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) grown in semi-arid areas.

    PubMed

    López, María-Isabel; Sánchez, María-Teresa; Díaz, Antonio; Ramírez, Pilar; Morales, José

    2007-11-01

    A study was made of the effects of irrigation management strategies during ripening on the quality of Spanish field-grown grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars (Baladi, Airén, Montepila, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Pedro Ximénez) grown under the "Montilla-Moriles" Appellation of Origin in Cordoba, Spain. From 1999 to 2002, two water-availability regimes were established: irrigation and non-irrigation. The study aimed to ascertain the effect of irrigation on berry development and ripening, and hence on grape juice quality. Changes in phenological stages, vegetative growth, vineyard yield, berry weight, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, pH, tartaric acid, malic acid, and potassium content were monitored. No significant differences were noted in phenological phases between the non-irrigation and deficit irrigation regimes. The Ravaz index, pruning weight, vineyard yield and berry weight were significantly higher in all varieties and years under deficit irrigation. Deficit irrigation induced higher titrable acidity, higher malic acid and potassium contents and a lower pH, but had no significant effects on berry sugar accumulation or tartaric acid content. Deficit irrigation thus appears to be a promising technique for the production of quality young wines in semi-arid areas.

  18. Microwave enhanced oxidation treatment of organic fertilizers.

    PubMed

    More, Abhilasha; Srinivasan, Asha; Liao, Ping Huang; Lo, Kwang Victor

    2017-08-01

    Liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs) are relatively easier to degrade than those of solid organic fertilizers, and the nutrients are readily available for plant uptake. Microwave enhanced advanced oxidation treatment (MW/H 2 O 2 -AOP) was used to convert solid organic fertilizers (insoluble blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, sunflower ash and a mixture) into LOF. After the MW/H 2 O 2 -AOP treatment, high soluble nitrogen (11-29%), soluble phosphorus (64%) and potassium (92%), as well as low total suspended solids content could be obtained. The resulting LOF would make the nutrients more bioavailable, and would provide some of them for the plant uptake immediately. Temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage were found to be significant factors affecting nitrogen release from blood meal and feather meal, while temperature and pH were found to be significant factors for solubilizing phosphorus and potassium from bone meal and ash, respectively. The MW/H 2 O 2 -AOP reduced suspended solids, and released nutrients into solution; therefore, it was an effective treatment method to make LOFs. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  19. Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time on Anaerobic Digestion of Wheat Straw in the Semicontinuous Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactors

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Xiao-Shuang; Yu, Jun-Hong; Yin, Hua; Hu, Shu-Min; Huang, Shu-Xia

    2017-01-01

    Three semicontinuous continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR) operating at mesophilic conditions (35°C) were used to investigate the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on anaerobic digestion of wheat straw. The results showed that the average biogas production with HRT of 20, 40, and 60 days was 46.8, 79.9, and 89.1 mL/g total solid as well as 55.2, 94.3, and 105.2 mL/g volatile solids, respectively. The methane content with HRT of 20 days, from 14.2% to 28.5%, was the lowest among the three reactors. The pH values with HRT of 40 and 60 days were in the acceptable range compared to that with HRT of 20 days. The propionate was dominant in the reactor with HRT of 20 days, inhibiting the activities of methanogens and causing the lower methane content in biogas. The degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and crystalline cellulose based on XRD was also strongly influenced by HRTs. PMID:28589134

  20. Role of the cultivar in choosing Clementine fruits with a high level of health-promoting compounds.

    PubMed

    Milella, Luigi; Caruso, Marisa; Galgano, Fernanda; Favati, Fabio; Padula, Maria Carmela; Martelli, Giuseppe

    2011-05-25

    Thirteen cultivars and two hybrids of Clementine fruits (Citrus clementina Hort. Ex. Tan) cultivated in Italy were characterized according to pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamin C, hesperidin, rutin, narirutin and naringin and radical scavenging activity. The presence of rutin in Clementine fruit juice is reported for the first time here. The results indicated that all chemical parameters statistically differentiated each cultivar (P < 0.001). In particular, principal component analysis showed a clear discrimination of five cultivars from all the other varieties based on vitamin C and total polyphenols for the Caffin cultivar, which showed also the highest antioxidant activity; narirutin for the Etna hybrid cultivar; hesperidin, rutin and total soluble solids for the SRA 89 cultivar; and naringin, hesperidin and rutin for the Esbal cultivar. Moreover, the Mandalate hybrid cultivar showed the lowest antioxidant activity as well as vitamin C and total polyphenols content, while titratable acidity and naringin level were the highest. The antioxidant activity assessed in all the fruits was closely correlated with vitamin C and total polyphenols content, rather than with the flavonoid compounds.

  1. Preservation of anthocyanins in solid lipid nanoparticles: Optimization of a microemulsion dilution method using the Placket-Burman and Box-Behnken designs.

    PubMed

    Ravanfar, Raheleh; Tamaddon, Ali Mohammad; Niakousari, Mehrdad; Moein, Mahmoud Reza

    2016-05-15

    Anthocyanins are the main polyphenol components from red cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Var. Capitata f. Rubra) extracts that have inherent antioxidant activities. Anthocyanins are effectively stable in acidic gastric digestion conditions, with nearly 100% phenol content recovery. However, the total phenol content recovery after simulated pancreatic digestion was approximately 25%. To protect anthocyanins against harsh environmental conditions (e.g., pH and temperature), solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared by the dilution of water in oil (w/o) microemulsions containing anthocyanins in aqueous media. The formulations were characterized for particle size and encapsulation efficiency. The formulation parameters (e.g., volume of the internal aqueous phase, homogenization time and the percentages of total lipid, total surfactant or stabilizer) were optimized using the Placket-Burman and Box-Behnken experimental designs. Entrapment efficiency (89.2 ± 0.3%) was calculated when the mean particle size was 455 ± 2 nm. A scanning electron microscopy study revealed the spherical morphology of the particles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Nitrogen losses and chemical parameters during co-composting of solid wastes and liquid pig manure.

    PubMed

    Vázquez, M A; de la Varga, D; Plana, R; Soto, M

    2017-07-04

    The aim of this research was to study nitrogen losses during the treatment of the liquid fraction (LF) of pig manure by co-composting and to establish the best conditions for compost production with higher nitrogen and low heavy metal contents. Windrows were constituted with the solid fraction (SF) of pig manure, different organic waste (SF of pig manure, sawdust and grape bagasse) as co-substrate and Populus spp. wood chips as bulking material and watered intensely with the LF. Results show that nitrogen losses ranged from 30% to 66% of initial nitrogen and were mainly governed by substrate to bulking mass ratio and liquid fraction to substrate (LF/S) ratio, and only secondarily by operational parameters. Nitrogen losses decreased from 55-65% at low LF/S ratios (1.7-1.9 m 3 /t total solids (TS)) to 30-39% at high LF/S ratios (4.4-4.7 m 3 /t TS). Therefore, integrating the LF in the composting process at high LF/S ratios favoured nitrogen recovery and conservation. Nitrogen in the fine fraction (ranging from 27% to 48% of initial nitrogen) was governed by operational parameters, namely pH and temperature. Final compost showed low content in most heavy metals, but Zn was higher than the limits for compost use in agriculture. Zn content in the obtained compost varied from 1863 to 3269 mg/kg dm, depending on several factors. The options for obtaining better quality composts from the LF of pig manure are selecting co-substrates with low heavy metal content and using them instead of the SF of pig manure.

  3. Development of solid dispersions of artemisinin for transdermal delivery.

    PubMed

    Shahzad, Yasser; Sohail, Sadia; Arshad, Muhammad Sohail; Hussain, Talib; Shah, Syed Nisar Hussain

    2013-11-30

    Solid dispersions of the poorly soluble drug artemisinin were developed using polymer blends of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the aim of enhancing solubility and in vitro permeation of artemisinin through skin. Formulations were characterised using a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Solubility of artemisinin was determined in two solvents: de-ionised water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS; pH 7.4), while in vitro drug permeation studies were carried out using rabbit skin as a model membrane. MD simulations revealed miscibility between the drug and polymers. DSC confirmed the molecular dispersion of the drug in the polymer blend. Decrease in crystallinity of artemisinin with respect to polymer content and the absence of specific drug-polymer interactions were confirmed using XRD and FT-IR, respectively. The solubility of artemisinin was dramatically enhanced for the solid dispersions, as was the permeation of artemisinin from saturated solid-dispersion vehicles relative to that from saturated solutions of the pure drug. The study suggests that high energy solid forms of artemisinin could possibly enable transdermal delivery of artemisinin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Start-up of a multi-stage system for biogas production and solid waste treatment in low-tech countries.

    PubMed

    Biey, E M; Musibono, E D; Verstraete, W

    2003-01-01

    Vegetable fruit garden wastes were treated anaerobically using a multistage Dranco system. The digesters were composed of three 50 L vessels kept in mesophilic conditions. They were operating at 14.5-17% TS. By controlling the pH in the system, the start-up for biogas production was shortened to 60 days. The pH correction was a buffering which enhanced methanogenic activity in the digesters. With a loading rate of 4.1 kg VS/m3 reactor/day, the production of biogas was 5 m3/m3 reactor/ day, and 60-70% methane content. This allowed making a multisystem by starting every 3 weeks with new vessels in order to maintain biogas production, to be used in industries or in local communities in low-tech countries. The designed model was started in Kinshasa (Congo) where a project is expected to treat one ton of solid waste on a daily basis, for a production of 100 m3 biogas. This cost effectiveness of the system is demonstrated and presents the opportunity for biowaste treatment coupled with environmental protection and substantial energy recovery.

  5. Enhancement of dewatering performance of digested paper mill sludge by chemical pretreatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y. Q.; Zeng, C.; Wu, H. H.; Zeng, B. X.

    2016-08-01

    The wide application of anaerobic digestion (AD) for waste sludge results in a huge amount of digested sludge, while the appropriate reuse of digested sludge depends on effective solid-liquid separation. Thus, chemical (acid/alkali) pretreatment effects on dewaterability of digested paper mill sludge (DPMS) for better downstream reuse based on enhanced solid- liquid separation were investigated in this research. The dewatering properties of paper mill sludge (PMS) were also investigated to elucidate the impact of AD on sludge dewaterability. The results indicated that a higher DPMS dewaterability was noted with acid pretreatment (pH5). A 41.37% moisture content and 74.41% dewatering efficiency were determined for DPMS after acid (pH5) pretreatment within 25 min. In addition, a 7.13 mg•g-1 VSS of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and 101.50 μm of average particle size were observed. It was also observed that both EPS concentrations and particle sizes were key parameters influencing DPMS dewaterability. Lower EPS concentrations with larger average particle sizes contributed to enhanced sludge dewaterability. Moreover, dewaterability of PMS was higher than that of DPMS, which illustrated that AD would decrease the sludge dewaterability.

  6. Production of L-asparaginase, an anticancer agent, from Aspergillus niger using agricultural waste in solid state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Abha

    2006-10-01

    This article reports the production of high levels of L-asparaginase from a new isolate of Aspergillus niger in solid state fermentation (SSF) using agro-wastes from three leguminous crops (bran of Cajanus cajan, Phaseolus mungo, and Glycine max). When used as the sole source for growth in SSF, bran of G. max showed maximum enzyme production followed by that of P. mungo and C. cajan. A 96-h fermentation time under aerobic condition with moisture content of 70%, 30 min of cooking time and 1205-1405 micro range of particle size in SSF appeared optimal for enzyme production. Enzyme yield was maximum (40.9 +/- 3.35 U/g of dry substrate) at pH 6.5 and temperature 30 +/- 2 degrees C. The optimum temperature and pH for enzyme activity were 40 degrees C and 6.5, respectively. The study suggests that choosing an appropriate substrate when coupled with process level optimization improves enzyme production markedly. Developing an asparaginase production process based on bran of G. max as a substrate in SSF is economically attractive as it is a cheap and readily available raw material in agriculture-based countries.

  7. Chemical evaluation, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptance of several oak infusions.

    PubMed

    Rocha-Guzmán, Nuria Elizabeth; Medina-Medrano, Jose Roberto; Gallegos-Infante, José Alberto; Gonzalez-Laredo, Rubén Francisco; Ramos-Gómez, Minerva; Reynoso-Camacho, Rosalía; Guzmán-Maldonado, Horacio; González-Herrera, Silvia Marina

    2012-02-01

    As part of an ongoing screening on natural products, 4 oak leaves were analyzed as potential nutraceutical beverages. The phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and sensory preferences of leaves infusions from Quercus resinosa, Q. sideroxyla, Q. eduadii, and Q. durifolia in comparison with 2 commercial green teas were investigated. Herbal infusions from oak leaves and Green teas (1%, 80 °C, 10 min) were evaluated for total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), HPLC analysis, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), soluble solids, pH, color, and consumer preference analysis. Q. resinosa leaves infusions have shown the highest TPC, TEAC, and ORAC values but they have attained the lowest preference score. Quercus leaves infusions with higher content of gallic acid and catechins showed best antioxidant capacity but lower consumer preference. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  8. Validation of enhanced stabilization of municipal solid waste under controlled leachate recirculation using FTIR and XRD.

    PubMed

    Sethi, Sapna; Kothiyal, N C; Nema, Arvind K

    2012-07-01

    Leachate recirculation at neutral PH accompanied with buffer/nutrients addition has been used successfully in earlier stabilization of municipal solid waste in bioreactor landfills. In the present study, efforts were made to enhance the stabilization rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) and organic solid waste (OSW) in simulated landfill bioreactors by controlling the pH of recirculated leachate towards slightly alkaline side in absence of additional buffer and nutrients addition. Enhanced stabilization in waste samples was monitored with the help of analytical tools like Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Predominance of bands assigned to inorganic compounds and comparatively lower intensities of bands for organic compounds in the FTIR spectra of waste samples degraded with leachate recirculation under controlled pH confirmed higher rate of biodegradation and mineralization of waste than the samples degraded without controlled leachate recirculation. XRD spectra also confirmed to a greater extent of mineralization in the waste samples degraded under leachate recirculation with controlled pH. Comparison of XRD spectra of two types of wastes pointed out higher degree of mineralization in organic solid waste as compared to municipal solid waste.

  9. Teaching pH Measurements with a Student-Assembled Combination Quinhydrone Electrode

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scholz, Fritz; Steinhardt, Tim; Kahlert, Heike; Porksen, Jens R.; Behnert, Jurgen

    2005-01-01

    A simple combination pH electrode consisting of a solid-state quinhydrone sensor and a solid-state quinhydrone reference electrode is described. Both electrodes are essentially rubber stoppers that are inserted into a special doublewalled holder.

  10. Composition, physicochemical properties and thermal inactivation kinetics of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase from coconut (Cocos nucifera) water obtained from immature, mature and overly-mature coconut.

    PubMed

    Tan, Thuan-Chew; Cheng, Lai-Hoong; Bhat, Rajeev; Rusul, Gulam; Easa, Azhar Mat

    2014-01-01

    Composition, physicochemical properties and enzyme inactivation kinetics of coconut water were compared between immature (IMC), mature (MC) and overly-mature coconuts (OMC). Among the samples studied, pH, turbidity and mineral contents for OMC water was the highest, whereas water volume, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and total phenolics content for OMC water were the lowest. Maturity was found to affect sugar contents. Sucrose content was found to increase with maturity, and the reverse trend was observed for fructose and glucose. Enzyme activity assessment showed that polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in all samples was more heat resistant than peroxidase (POD). Compared to IMC and MC, PPO and POD from OMC water showed the lowest thermal resistance, with D83.3°C=243.9s (z=27.9°C), and D83.3°C=129.9s (z=19.5°C), respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Demonstration of in situ product recovery of butyric acid via CO2 -facilitated pH swings and medium development in two-phase partitioning bioreactors.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Eric C; Daugulis, Andrew J

    2014-03-01

    Production of organic acids in solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactors (TPPBs) is challenging, and highly pH-dependent, as cell growth occurs near neutral pH, while acid sorption occurs only at low pH conditions. CO2 sparging was used to achieve acidic pH swings, facilitating undissociated organic acid uptake without generating osmotic stress inherent in traditional acid/base pH control. A modified cultivation medium was formulated to permit greater pH reduction by CO2 sparging (pH 4.8) compared to typical media (pH 5.3), while still possessing adequate nutrients for extensive cell growth. In situ product recovery (ISPR) of butyric acid (pKa = 4.8) produced by Clostridium tyrobutyricum was achieved through intermittent CO2 sparging while recycling reactor contents through a column packed with absorptive polymer Hytrel® 3078. This polymer was selected on the basis of its composition as a polyether copolymer, and the use of solubility parameters for predicting solute polymer affinity, and was found to have a partition coefficient for butyric acid of 3. Total polymeric extraction of 3.2 g butyric acid with no CO2 mediated pH swings was increased to 4.5 g via CO2 -facilitated pH shifting, despite the buffering capacity of butyric acid, which resists pH shifting. This work shows that CO2 -mediated pH swings have an observable positive effect on organic acid extraction, with improvements well over 150% under optimal conditions in early stage fermentation compared to CO2 -free controls, and this technique can be applied other organic acid fermentations to achieve or improve ISPR. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Preliminary results of geothermal desalting operations at the East Mesa test site Imperial Valley, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Suemoto, S. H.; Mathias, K. E.

    1974-01-01

    The Bureau of Reclamation has erected at its Geothermal Resource Development site two experimental test vehicles for the purpose of desalting hot fluids of geothermal origin. Both plants have as a feed source geothermal well Mesa 6-1 drilled to a total depth of 8,030 feet and having a bottom hole temperature of 400 F. Formation fluid collected at the surface contained 24,800 mg/1 total dissolved solids. The dissolved solids consist mainly of sodium chloride. A multistage distillation (3-stage) plant has been operated intermittently for one year with no operational problems. Functioning at steady-state conditions with a liquid feed rate of 70 g/m and a temperature of 221 F, the final brine blowdown temperature was 169 F. Product water was produced at a rate of about 2 g/m; average total dissolved solids content of the product was 170 mg/1. A product quality of 27.5 mg/1 at a pH of 9.5 was produced from the first stage.

  13. Utilization of deoiled Jatropha curcas seed cake for production of xylanase from thermophilic Scytalidium thermophilum.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Chetna; Khare, S K

    2011-01-01

    Jatropha curcas is a major biodiesel crop. Large amount of deoiled cake is generated as by-product during biodiesel production from its seeds. Deoiled J. curcas seed cake was assessed as substrate for the production of xylanase from thermophilic fungus Scytalidium thermophilum by solid-state fermentation. The seed cake was efficiently utilized by S. thermophilum for its growth during which it produced good amount of heat stable extracellular xylanase. The solid-state fermentation conditions were optimized for maximum xylanase production. Under the optimized conditions viz. deoiled seed cake supplemented with 1% oat-spelt xylan, adjusted to pH 9.0, moisture content 1:3 w/v, inoculated with 1×10(6) spores per 5 g cake and incubated at 45 °C, 1455 U xylanase/g deoiled seed cake was obtained. The xylanase was useful in biobleaching of paper pulp. Solid-state fermentation of deoiled cake appears a potentially viable approach for its effective utilization. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Quantifying fat, oil, and grease deposit formation kinetics.

    PubMed

    Iasmin, Mahbuba; Dean, Lisa O; Ducoste, Joel J

    2016-01-01

    Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) deposits formed in sanitary sewers are calcium-based saponified solids that are responsible for a significant number of nationwide sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) across United States. In the current study, the kinetics of lab-based saponified solids were determined to understand the kinetics of FOG deposit formation in sewers for two types of fat (Canola and Beef Tallow) and two types of calcium sources (calcium chloride and calcium sulfate) under three pH (7 ± 0.5, 10 ± 0.5, and ≈14) and two temperature conditions (22 ± 0.5 and 45 ± 0.5 °C). The results of this study displayed quick reactions of a fraction of fats with calcium ions to form calcium based saponified solids. Results further showed that increased palmitic fatty acid content in source fats, the magnitude of the pH, and temperature significantly affect the FOG deposit formation and saponification rates. The experimental data of the kinetics were compared with two empirical models: a) Cotte saponification model and b) Foubert crystallization model and a mass-action based mechanistic model that included alkali driven hydrolysis of triglycerides. Results showed that the mass action based mechanistic model was able to predict changes in the rate of formation of saponified solids under the different experimental conditions compared to both empirical models. The mass-action based saponification model also revealed that the hydrolysis of Beef Tallow was slower compared to liquid Canola fat resulting in smaller quantities of saponified solids. This mechanistic saponification model, with its ability to track the saponified solids chemical precursors, may provide an initial framework to predict the spatial formation of FOG deposits in municipal sewers using system wide sewer collection modeling software. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Solid-State Fermentation of Carrot Pomace for the Production of Inulinase by Penicillium oxalicum BGPUP-4.

    PubMed

    Singh, Ram Sarup; Chauhan, Kanika; Singh, Jagroop; Pandey, Ashok; Larroche, Christian

    2018-03-01

    Inulinases are an important class of industrial enzymes which are used for the production of high-fructose syrup and fructooligosaccharides. Inulin, a polyfructan, is generally employed for the production of inulinase, which is a very expensive substrate. A number of agroindustrial residues have been used for cost-effective production of inulinases. In the present study, carrot pomace was selected as a substrate for the production of inulinase by Penicillium oxalicum BGPUP-4 in solid-state fermentation. Carrot pomace is one of the good substrates for bioprocesses, because it is rich in soluble and insoluble carbohydrates. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) used in response surface methodology was employed for the optimal production of inulinase from carrot pomace. Using CCRD, 15 runs were practiced to optimize the range of three independent variables: moisture content (70-90%), incubation time (4-6 days) and pH (5.0-7.0) for inulinase production. Carrot pomace supplemented with 0.5% inulin as an inducer, 0.2% NH 4 H 2 PO 4 , 0.2% NaNO 3 , 0.2% KH 2 PO 4 , 0.05% MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O and 0.001% FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O was used for the production of inulinase in solid-state fermentation at 30 °C. Inulinase production (322.10 IU per g of dry substrate) was obtained under the optimized conditions, i.e . moisture content of 90%, incubation time 4 days and pH=7.0. The corresponding inulinase/invertase (I/S) ratio (3.38) was also high, which indicates the inulolytic nature of the enzyme. Multiple correlation coefficients R for inulinase production and I/S ratio were 0.9995 and 0.9947, respectively. The R value very close to one indicates an excellent correlation between experimental and predicted results.

  16. Solid-State Fermentation of Carrot Pomace for the Production of Inulinase by Penicillium oxalicum BGPUP-4

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Summary Inulinases are an important class of industrial enzymes which are used for the production of high-fructose syrup and fructooligosaccharides. Inulin, a polyfructan, is generally employed for the production of inulinase, which is a very expensive substrate. A number of agroindustrial residues have been used for cost-effective production of inulinases. In the present study, carrot pomace was selected as a substrate for the production of inulinase by Penicillium oxalicum BGPUP-4 in solid-state fermentation. Carrot pomace is one of the good substrates for bioprocesses, because it is rich in soluble and insoluble carbohydrates. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) used in response surface methodology was employed for the optimal production of inulinase from carrot pomace. Using CCRD, 15 runs were practiced to optimize the range of three independent variables: moisture content (70-90%), incubation time (4-6 days) and pH (5.0-7.0) for inulinase production. Carrot pomace supplemented with 0.5% inulin as an inducer, 0.2% NH4H2PO4, 0.2% NaNO3, 0.2% KH2PO4, 0.05% MgSO4·7H2O and 0.001% FeSO4·7H2O was used for the production of inulinase in solid-state fermentation at 30 °C. Inulinase production (322.10 IU per g of dry substrate) was obtained under the optimized conditions, i.e. moisture content of 90%, incubation time 4 days and pH=7.0. The corresponding inulinase/invertase (I/S) ratio (3.38) was also high, which indicates the inulolytic nature of the enzyme. Multiple correlation coefficients R for inulinase production and I/S ratio were 0.9995 and 0.9947, respectively. The R value very close to one indicates an excellent correlation between experimental and predicted results. PMID:29795994

  17. Biological treatment of wastewater discharged from biodiesel fuel production plant with alkali-catalyzed transesterification.

    PubMed

    Suehara, Ken-ichiro; Kawamoto, Yoshihiro; Fujii, Eiko; Kohda, Jiro; Nakano, Yasuhisa; Yano, Takuo

    2005-10-01

    The biological treatment of wastewater discharged from a biodiesel fuel (BDF) production plant conducting alkali catalysis transesterification was investigated. BDF wastewater has a high pH and high hexane-extracted oil and low nitrogen concentrations, and inhibits the growth of microorganisms. The biological treatment of BDF wastewater is difficult because the composition of such wastewater is not suitable for microbial growth. To apply the microbiological treatment of BDF wastewater using an oil degradable yeast, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, the pH was adjusted to 6.8 and several nutrients such as a nitrogen source (ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride or urea), yeast extract, KH2PO4 and MgSO4.7H2O were added to the wastewater. The optimal initial concentration of yeast extract was 1 g/l and the optimal C/N ratio was between 17 and 68 when using urea as a nitrogen source. A growth inhibitor was also present in the BDF wastewater, and this growth inhibitor could be detected by measuring the solid content in an aqueous phase after the hexane extraction of the wastewater. Microorganisms could not grow at solid contents higher than 2.14 g/l in the wastewater. To avoid the growth inhibition, the BDF wastewater was diluted with the same volume of water. Oil degradation in the diluted BDF wastewater was observed and the best result was obtained under the determined optimal conditions. This treatment system is simple because no controllers, except for a temperature, are necessary. These results suggest that the biological treatment system developed for BDF wastewater is useful for small-scale BDF production plants.

  18. Fluidized Bed Hot-Melt Granulation as a Tool to Improve Curcuminoid Solubility.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, Cristiane C C; de Paiva Junior, Elias; de Freitas, Luis Alexandre Pedro

    2018-04-01

    Curcumin is the main bioactive component of Curcuma longa L. and has recently aroused growing interest from the scientific community. Unfortunately, the medicinal properties attributed to curcuminoids are impaired by their low oral bioavailability or low solubility in aqueous solutions. Many strategies have been studied to improve curcumin solubility; however, the preparation of granules using hydrophilic materials has never been attempted. The aim of this work was to develop curcumin granules by fluidized bed hot-melt granulation using the hydrophilic carrier Gelucire® 50:13. A two-level factorial design was used to verify the influence of Gelucire® 50:13 and lactose contents found in the granules on their size, morphology, bulk and tapped densities, flow, moisture content, and water activity. The granules obtained were also evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and infrared spectrometry. The curcumin solubility and dissolution rates in water were determined by liquid chromatography. The best formulation provides an increase of curcumin solubility of 4642-fold and 3.8-fold compared to the physical mixture. The dissolution tests showed a maximum drug release from granules after 45 min of 70% at pH 1.2 and 80% at pH 5.8 and 7.4, while for non-granulated curcumin, the release was below 20% in all pH. The solid-state characterization and solubility measurement showed good stability of granules over 9 months. The results attest that the fluidized bed hot-melt granulation with hydrophilic binders is an attractive and promising alternative to obtain solid forms of curcumin with enhanced bioavailability.

  19. Leaching of different elements from subbase layers of alternative aggregates in pavement constructions.

    PubMed

    Flyhammar, P; Bendz, D

    2006-09-01

    The objective of this study was to analyze the accumulated effects of leaching in two test roads were municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash and aggregate from a railway embankment, respectively, were used as subbase aggregates. Solid samples from the subbase and the subgrade were collected in trenches, which were excavated perpendicular to the road extension. The samples were analyzed with respect to pH, water content, electrical conductivity and extractable fractions of macro and trace constituents. To conclude, spatial distribution patterns of different constituents in subbase and subgrade layers confirms the existence of two major transport processes in a road with permeable shoulders: diffusion underneath surface asphalt layers driven by a concentration gradient directed horizontally towards the shoulder of the road where the dissolved elements are carried away by advection.

  20. The chitosan affects severely the carbon metabolism in mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Palmer) fruit during storage.

    PubMed

    Cosme Silva, Gláucia Michelle; Silva, Willian Batista; Medeiros, David B; Salvador, Acácio Rodrigues; Cordeiro, Maria Helena Menezes; da Silva, Natália Martins; Santana, Diederson Bortolini; Mizobutsi, Gisele Polete

    2017-12-15

    Mango is a highly perishable fruit with a short post-harvest time due to the intense metabolic activity after harvesting. In attempt to evaluate the effects of chitosan in mango fruits, it was treated with 0%, 1%, 2% or 3% of chitosan solutions, placed into plastic trays, and stored at room temperature. Changes in physical and chemical parameters were evaluated. Chitosan delayed the climacteric peak, water loss and firmness. Further, few changes in soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH of the pulp as well as in sugar content and decreased starch degradation were observed. Altogether, our results suggest chitosan edible coating effectively prolongs the quality attributes, affecting basic mitochondrial respiration and starch degradation rate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Optimisation of lactic acid fermentation for improved vinegar flavour during rosy vinegar brewing.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yujian; Guo, Jianna; Li, Yudong; Lin, Sen; Wang, Li; Li, Jianrong

    2010-06-01

    Rosy vinegar is a well-known traditional Chinese product whose flavour is affected by its lactic acid content. In this study, Lactobacillus bacteria were employed to increase the content of lactic acid during the ethanol fermentation stage. The optimised fermentation parameters were determined as an inoculation amount of 3% (v/v), a temperature of 30 degrees C and an initial pH value of 4.0. Fermentation under these optimal conditions resulted in an alcohol degree of 6.2% (v/v), a total acidity of 49.5 g L(-1) and a lactic acid content of 4.14 g L(-1). The content of lactic acid (4.14 g L(-1)), which approached the level achieved by solid state fermentation, was 3.56-fold higher than that in vinegar fermented without lactic acid bacteria (1.16 g L(-1)). The results indicate that mixed fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains greatly increases the lactic acid content and improves the flavour of rosy vinegar. Copyright (c) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Factors Affecting the Levels of Heavy Metals in Juices Processed with Filter Aids.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhengfang; Jackson, Lauren S; Jablonski, Joseph E

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated factors that may contribute to the presence of arsenic and other heavy metals in apple and grape juices processed with filter aids. Different types and grades of filter aids were analyzed for arsenic, lead, and cadmium with inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry. Potential factors affecting the transfer of heavy metals to juices during filtration treatments were evaluated. Effects of washing treatments on removal of heavy metals from filter aids were also determined. Results showed that diatomaceous earth (DE) generally contained a higher level of arsenic than perlite, whereas perlite had a higher lead content than DE. Cellulose contained the lowest level of arsenic among the surveyed filter aids. All samples of food-grade filter aids contained arsenic and lead levels that were below the U.S. Pharmacopeia and National Formulary limits of 10 ppm of total leachable arsenic and lead for food-grade DE filter aids. Two samples of arsenic-rich (>3 ppm) food-grade filter aids raised the level of arsenic in apple and grape juices during laboratory-scale filtration treatments, whereas three samples of low-arsenic (<1 ppm) food-grade filter aids did not affect arsenic levels in filtered juices. Filtration tests with simulated juices (pH 2.9 to 4.1, Brix [°Bx] 8.2 to 18.1, total suspended solids [TSS] 0.1 to 0.5%) showed that pH or sugar content had no effect on arsenic levels of filtered juices, whereas arsenic content of filtered juice was elevated when higher amounts of filter aid were used for filtration. Authentic unfiltered apple juice (pH 3.6, °Bx 12.9, TSS 0.4%) and grape juice (pH 3.3, °Bx 16.2, TSS 0.05%) were used to verify results obtained with simulated juices. However, body feed ratio did not affect the arsenic content of filtered authentic juices. Washing treatments were effective at reducing arsenic, but not cadmium or lead, concentrations in a DE filter aid. This study identified ways to reduce the amount of arsenic transferred to juices during filtration.

  3. An All-Solid-State pH Sensor Employing Fluorine-Terminated Polycrystalline Boron-Doped Diamond as a pH-Insensitive Solution-Gate Field-Effect Transistor.

    PubMed

    Shintani, Yukihiro; Kobayashi, Mikinori; Kawarada, Hiroshi

    2017-05-05

    A fluorine-terminated polycrystalline boron-doped diamond surface is successfully employed as a pH-insensitive SGFET (solution-gate field-effect transistor) for an all-solid-state pH sensor. The fluorinated polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) channel possesses a pH-insensitivity of less than 3mV/pH compared with a pH-sensitive oxygenated channel. With differential FET (field-effect transistor) sensing, a sensitivity of 27 mv/pH was obtained in the pH range of 2-10; therefore, it demonstrated excellent performance for an all-solid-state pH sensor with a pH-sensitive oxygen-terminated polycrystalline BDD SGFET and a platinum quasi-reference electrode, respectively.

  4. Biomethanization of mixtures of fruits and vegetables solid wastes and sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

    PubMed

    Gomez-Lahoz, C; Fernández-Giménez, B; Garcia-Herruzo, F; Rodriguez-Maroto, J M; Vereda-Alonso, C

    2007-03-01

    The possible management of Fruit and Vegetable Solid Wastes (FVSWs) through their simultaneous digestion with the primary sludge of Municipal Wastewater Treatment plants is investigated. This alternative allows the recovery of energy and a solid product that can be used as an amendment for soils that generated the residue, while is not expensive. Results indicate that the ratio of FVSWs to sludge and the pH control are the main variables determining the methane production and concentration. NaHCO3 was selected to achieve the pH control. The results for a ratio of 50% sludge together with 10 g NaHCO3/kg of residue are among the best obtained, with a methane yield of about 90 L per kg of volatile solids, and a methane concentration of 40% (v/v) of the biogas. A 50% reduction of the total solids; 21% reduction of the volatile solids (in terms of total solids); and a pH value of the sludge, which is 6.9 indicate that the digested sludge can be a good material for soil amendment.

  5. Erosive and cariogenicity potential of pediatric drugs: study of physicochemical parameters

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Pediatric medications may possess a high erosive potential to dental tissues due to the existence of acid components in their formulations. The purpose was to determine the erosive and cariogenic potential of pediatric oral liquid medications through the analysis of their physicochemical properties in vitro. Methods A total of 59 substances were selected from the drug reference list of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), which belong to 11 therapeutic classes, as follows: analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, corticosteroids, antihistamines, antitussives, bronchodilators, antibacterials, antiparasitics, antiemetics, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics. Measurement of pH was performed by potentiometry, using a digital pH meter. For the Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) chemical assay, a 0.1 N NaOH standard solution was used, which was titrated until drug pH was neutralized. The Total Soluble Solids Contents (TSSC) quantification was carried out by refractometry using Brix scale and the analysis of Total Sugar Content was performed according to Fehling’s method. In addition, it was analyzed the information contained in the drug inserts with regard to the presence of sucrose and type of acid and sweetener added to the formulations. Results All drug classes showed acidic pH, and the lowest mean was found for antipsychotics (2.61 ± 0.08). There was a large variation in the TTA (0.1% - 1.18%) and SST (10.44% - 57.08%) values. High total sugar contents were identified in the antitussives (53.25%) and anticonvulsants (51.75%). As described in the drug inserts, sucrose was added in 47.5% of the formulations, as well as citric acid (39.0%), sodium saccharin (36.4%) and sorbitol (34.8%). Conclusion The drugs analyzed herein showed physicochemical characteristics indicative of a cariogenic and erosive potential on dental tissues. Competent bodies’ strategies should be implemented in order to broaden the knowledge of health professionals, drug manufacturers and general consuming public about the risks from the consumption of medicines potentially harmful to dental tissues. PMID:24325544

  6. Erosive and cariogenicity potential of pediatric drugs: study of physicochemical parameters.

    PubMed

    Xavier, Alidianne Fábia C; Moura, Eline F F; Azevedo, Waldeneide F; Vieira, Fernando F; Abreu, Mauro H N G; Cavalcanti, Alessandro L

    2013-12-10

    Pediatric medications may possess a high erosive potential to dental tissues due to the existence of acid components in their formulations. The purpose was to determine the erosive and cariogenic potential of pediatric oral liquid medications through the analysis of their physicochemical properties in vitro. A total of 59 substances were selected from the drug reference list of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), which belong to 11 therapeutic classes, as follows: analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, corticosteroids, antihistamines, antitussives, bronchodilators, antibacterials, antiparasitics, antiemetics, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics. Measurement of pH was performed by potentiometry, using a digital pH meter. For the Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) chemical assay, a 0.1 N NaOH standard solution was used, which was titrated until drug pH was neutralized. The Total Soluble Solids Contents (TSSC) quantification was carried out by refractometry using Brix scale and the analysis of Total Sugar Content was performed according to Fehling's method. In addition, it was analyzed the information contained in the drug inserts with regard to the presence of sucrose and type of acid and sweetener added to the formulations. All drug classes showed acidic pH, and the lowest mean was found for antipsychotics (2.61 ± 0.08). There was a large variation in the TTA (0.1% - 1.18%) and SST (10.44% - 57.08%) values. High total sugar contents were identified in the antitussives (53.25%) and anticonvulsants (51.75%). As described in the drug inserts, sucrose was added in 47.5% of the formulations, as well as citric acid (39.0%), sodium saccharin (36.4%) and sorbitol (34.8%). The drugs analyzed herein showed physicochemical characteristics indicative of a cariogenic and erosive potential on dental tissues. Competent bodies' strategies should be implemented in order to broaden the knowledge of health professionals, drug manufacturers and general consuming public about the risks from the consumption of medicines potentially harmful to dental tissues.

  7. [Determination of process variable pH in solid-state fermentation by FT-NIR spectroscopy and extreme learning machine (ELM)].

    PubMed

    Liu, Guo-hai; Jiang, Hui; Xiao, Xia-hong; Zhang, Dong-juan; Mei, Cong-li; Ding, Yu-han

    2012-04-01

    Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was attempted to determine pH, which is one of the key process parameters in solid-state fermentation of crop straws. First, near infrared spectra of 140 solid-state fermented product samples were obtained by near infrared spectroscopy system in the wavelength range of 10 000-4 000 cm(-1), and then the reference measurement results of pH were achieved by pH meter. Thereafter, the extreme learning machine (ELM) was employed to calibrate model. In the calibration model, the optimal number of PCs and the optimal number of hidden-layer nodes of ELM network were determined by the cross-validation. Experimental results showed that the optimal ELM model was achieved with 1040-1 topology construction as follows: R(p) = 0.961 8 and RMSEP = 0.104 4 in the prediction set. The research achievement could provide technological basis for the on-line measurement of the process parameters in solid-state fermentation.

  8. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian honeys produced by Apis cerana, Apis dorsata and Apis mellifera.

    PubMed

    Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Khalil, Md Ibrahim; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah; Gan, Siew Hua

    2013-02-23

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian monofloral honey samples-acacia, pineapple and borneo honey-and compare them with tualang honey. Acacia and pineapple honey are produced by Apis mellifera bees while borneo and tualang honey are produced by Apis cerana and Apis dorsata bees, respectively. The physical parameters of honey, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), color intensity, total sugar and apparent sucrose content, were measured. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was measured using high performance liquid chromatography, and a number of biochemical and antioxidant tests were performed to determine the antioxidant properties of the honey samples. Acacia honey was the most acidic (pH 3.53), whereas pineapple honey had the lowest moisture content (14.86%), indicating that both types of honey can resist microbial spoilage more effectively when compared to tualang honey (pH 3.80 and 17.53% moisture content). Acacia honey contained the highest EC (0.76 mS/cm), whereas borneo honey had the highest (377 ppm) TDS. The mean HMF content in Malaysian honey was 35.98 mg/kg. Tualang honey, which is amber color, had the highest color intensity (544.33 mAU). Acacia honey is the sweetest, and contained the highest concentration of total sugar, reducing sugar and apparent sucrose. Tualang honey had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds (352.73 ± 0.81 mg galic acid/kg), flavonoids (65.65 ± 0.74 mg catechin/kg), DPPH (59.89%), FRAP values (576.91 ± 0.64 μM Fe (II)/100 g) and protein content (4.83 ± 0.02 g/kg) as well as the lowest AEAC values (244.10 ± 5.24 mg/kg), indicating its strong antioxidant properties. Proline, an important amino acid that is present in honey was also measured in the present study and it was found at the highest concentration in pineapple honey. Several strong correlations were found among the biochemical and antioxidant parameters of all the Malaysian honeys. Although Malaysian honeys are of good quality, tualang honey contains the strongest antioxidant properties by far.

  9. Chemical properties and colors of fermenting materials in salmon fish sauce production.

    PubMed

    Nakano, Mitsutoshi; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Koizumi, Ryosuke; Nakazawa, Yozo; Yamazaki, Masao; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Takano, Katsumi; Sato, Hiroaki

    2018-02-01

    This data article reports the chemical properties (moisture, pH, salinity, and soluble solid content) and colors of fermenting materials in salmon fish sauce products. The fish sauce was produced by mixing salt with differing proportions of raw salmon materials and fermenting for three months; the salmon materials comprised flesh, viscera, an inedible portion, and soft roe. Chemical properties and colors of the unrefined fish sauce ( moromi ), and the refined fish sauce, were analyzed at one, two, and three months following the start of fermentation. Data determined for all products are provided in table format.

  10. Assessment of anaerobic biodegradability of five different solid organic wastes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kristanto, Gabriel Andari; Asaloei, Huinny

    2017-03-01

    The concept of waste to energy emerges as an alternative solution to increasing waste generation and energy crisis. In the waste to energy concept, waste will be used to produce renewable energy through thermochemical, biochemical, and physiochemical processes. In an anaerobic digester, organic matter brake-down due to anaerobic bacteria produces methane gas as energy source. The organic waste break-down is affected by various characteristics of waste components, such as organic matter content (C, N, O, H, P), solid contents (TS and VS), nutrients ratio (C/N), and pH. This research aims to analyze biodegradability and potential methane production (CH4) from organic waste largely available in Indonesia. Five solid wastes comprised of fecal sludge, cow rumen, goat farm waste, traditional market waste, and tofu dregs were analyzed which showed tofu dregs as waste with the highest rate of biodegradability compared to others since the tofu dregs do not contain any inhibitor which is lignin, have 2.7%VS, 14 C/N ratios and 97.3% organic matter. The highest cumulative methane production known as Biochemical Methane Potential was achieved by tofu dregs with volume of 77 ml during 30-day experiment which then followed by cow rumen, goat farm waste, and traditional market waste. Subsequently, methane productions were calculated through percentage of COD reduction, which showed the efficiency of 99.1% that indicates complete conversion of the high organic matter into methane.

  11. 40 CFR 421.264 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 599.900 263.700 Total suspended solids 67.500 54.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5....269 Combined metals 0.192 Ammonia (as N) 85.310 37.500 Total suspended solids 9.600 7.680 pH (1) (1) 1....000 12.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Spent cyanide stripping...

  12. 40 CFR 421.124 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....671 2.703 Zinc 4.519 1.861 Ammonia (as N) 590.500 259.600 Total suspended solids 66.450 53.160 pH (1... 755.300 604.200 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b) Subpart L—Film... Zinc .990 .408 Ammonia (as N) 129.300 56.840 Total suspended solids 14.550 11.640 pH (1) (1) 1 Within...

  13. The production of paper soaps from coconut oil and Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) with the addition of glycerine as plasticizer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widyasanti, Asri; Miracle Lenyta Ginting, Anastasia; Asyifani, Elgina; Nurjanah, Sarifah

    2018-03-01

    Hand washing with soap is important because it is proven to clean hands from germs and bacteria. The paper soapswere made from coconut oil and virgin coconut oil (VCO) with the addition of glycerin as a plasticizer. The aims of this research were to determine both formulation of paper soap using coconut oil and VCO based with addition of glycerin, and to determine the quality of the paper soapswhich is a disposable hand soap. This research used laboratory experimental method using descriptive analysis. The treatments of this research were treatment A (paper soap without the addition of glycerin), treatment B (paper soap with the addition of glycerin 10% (w/w)), treatment C (paper soap with the addition of glycerin 15% (w/w)), treatment D (paper soap with the addition of glycerin of 20% (w/w)). Parameters tested were moisture content, stability of foam, pH value, insoluble material in ethanol, free alkali content, unsaponified fat, antibacterial activity test, and organoleptic test. The result of physicochemical characteristics for bothcoconut oil-paper soap and VCO-paper soap revealed that treatment C (the addition of glycerin 15% (w/w) was the best soap formulation. Coconut Oil papersoap 15% w/w glicerin had water content 13.72%, the content of insoluble material in ethanol 3.93%, the content of free alkali 0.21%, and the content of unsaponified fat 4.06%, pH value 10.78, stability of foam 97.77%, and antibacterial activity against S. aureus 11.66 mm. Meanwhile, VCO paper soap 15% w/w glicerin had the value of water content of 18.47%, the value stability of foam of 96.7%, the pH value of 10.03, the value of insoluble material in ethanol of 3.49%, the value of free alkali content 0.17%, the value of unsaponified fat 4.91%, and the value of inhibition diameter on the antibacterial activity test 15.28 mm. Based on Mandatory Indonesian National Standard of solid soap SNI 3532:2016 showed that both of paper soap had not been accorded with SNI 3532:2016, unless the value of the insoluble material in ethanol. Moreover, organoleptic tests performed that both paper soap treatment D (20% w/w glicerine) were preferred by the most panelists.

  14. Metronidazole prodrugs: synthesis, physicochemical properties, stability, and ex vivo release studies.

    PubMed

    Mura, Carla; Valenti, Donatella; Floris, Costantino; Sanna, Roberta; De Luca, Maria Antonietta; Fadda, Anna Maria; Loy, Giuseppe

    2011-09-01

    The aim of the present study was to develop a colon targeted delivery system for metronidazole using polymeric prodrug formulation. Two chitosan amide conjugates of metronidazole were prepared by using two different spacers to covalently link the drug to the amino group of the chitosan glucosamine units. Glutaric and succinic hemiesters of metronidazole were thus prepared and then coupled to chitosan to obtain metronidazole-glutaryl- and metronidazole-succinyl-chitosan conjugates. Polymeric prodrugs were characterized by solid state NMR method, namely carbon 13 cross polarization magic angle spinning ((13)C NMR CPMAS). Prodrug stability study was carried out in acid (pH = 1.2) and in alkaline (pH = 7.4) buffers in a thermostatic bath at 37 °C. Drug release from the two prodrugs was studied by incubating each of them with 10% w/v cecal and colonic content of rats. Obtained results showed that both prodrugs were adequately stable in acid environment, while the succinyl conjugate was more stable than the glutaryl one in alkaline buffer. Both the prodrugs released the drug in cecal and colonic content, showing that the two systems could serve as colon specific delivery systems of metronidazole. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Enhanced dissolution of cinnabar (mercuric sulfide) by dissolved organic matter isolated from the Florida Everglades

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ravichandran, Mahalingam; Aiken, George R.; Reddy, Michael M.; Ryan, Joseph N.

    1998-01-01

    Organic matter isolated from the Florida Everglades caused a dramatic increase in mercury release (up to 35 μM total dissolved mercury) from cinnabar (HgS), a solid with limited solubility. Hydrophobic (a mixture of both humic and fulvic) acids dissolved more mercury than hydrophilic acids and other nonacid fractions of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Cinnabar dissolution by isolated organic matter and natural water samples was inhibited by cations such as Ca2+. Dissolution was independent of oxygen content in experimental solutions. Dissolution experiments conducted in DI water (pH = 6.0) had no detectable (<2.5 nM) dissolved mercury. The presence of various inorganic (chloride, sulfate, or sulfide) and organic ligands (salicylic acid, acetic acid, EDTA, or cysteine) did not enhance the dissolution of mercury from the mineral. Aromatic carbon content in the isolates (determined by 13C NMR) correlated positively with enhanced cinnabar dissolution. ζ-potential measurements indicated sorption of negatively charged organic matter to the negatively charged cinnabar (pHpzc = 4.0) at pH 6.0. Possible mechanisms of dissolution include surface complexation of mercury and oxidation of surface sulfur species by the organic matter.

  16. Production of Star Fruit Alcoholic Fermented Beverage.

    PubMed

    Valim, Flávia de Paula; Aguiar-Oliveira, Elizama; Kamimura, Eliana Setsuko; Alves, Vanessa Dias; Maldonado, Rafael Resende

    2016-12-01

    Star fruit ( Averrhoa carambola ) is a nutritious tropical fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of a star fruit alcoholic fermented beverage utilizing a lyophilized commercial yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ). The study was conducted utilizing a 2 3 central composite design and the best conditions for the production were: initial soluble solids between 23.8 and 25 °Brix (g 100 g -1 ), initial pH between 4.8 and 5.0 and initial concentration of yeast between 1.6 and 2.5 g L -1 . These conditions yielded a fermented drink with an alcohol content of 11.15 °GL (L 100 L -1 ), pH of 4.13-4.22, final yeast concentration of 89 g L -1 and fermented yield from 82 to 94 %. The fermented drink also presented low levels of total and volatile acidities.

  17. Production, purification and biochemical characterization of two laccase isoforms produced by Trametes versicolor grown on oak sawdust.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Morales, Fernando; Bertrand, Brandt; Pasión Nava, Angélica A; Tinoco, Raunel; Acosta-Urdapilleta, Lourdes; Trejo-Hernández, María R

    2015-02-01

    Two laccase isoforms (lcc1 and lcc2) produced by Trametes versicolor, grown on oak sawdust under solid-state fermentation conditions, were purified and characterized. The two isoforms showed significant biochemical differences. Lcc1 and lcc2 had MWs of 60 and 100 kDa, respectively. Both isoforms had maximal activity at pH 3 with ABTS and 2,6-dimethyloxyphenol (DMP). Lcc1 was the most attractive isoform due to its greater affinity towards all the laccase substrates used. Lcc1 had Km values of 12, 10, 15 and 17 mM towards ABTS, DMP, guaiacol and syringaldazine, respectively. Lcc2 had equivalent values of 45, 47, 15 and 39 mM. The biochemical properties of lcc1 substantiate the potential of this enzyme for application in the treatment of contaminated water with low pH values and high phenolic content.

  18. Chemical and sensory characteristics of frozen wheygurt with the addition of taro and lesser yam flours as thickening agent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurhartadi, E.; Utami, R.; Widowati, E.; Karunawati, B. M.

    2018-01-01

    Cheese whey is a waste product from cheese processing. It has low solid contents thus required the addition of a thickening agent. Lactic acid bacteria could utilize it in the fermented drink. This research aims to study the effect of taro and lesser yam flour addition as a thickening agent on chemical and sensory characteristics of frozen wheygurt. This research used Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor that is variation ratio of taro and lesser yam flour F1 (4: 0), F2 (3: 1), F3 (2: 2), F4 (1: 3), F5 (0: 4). The number of lactic acid bacteria cell determined by using hemocytometer. The lactic acid content determined by the titrimetric method by using 0.1 N NaOH and phenolphthalein as indicator. pH value measured with pH meter. Sensory characteristics evaluated using hedonic test. The result showed that the addition of taro and lesser yam flour have a significant effect on the number of lactic acid bacteria in frozen wheygurt. The higher lesser yam flour addition, the higher lactic acid bacteria count on frozen wheygurt, due to lesser yam higher glucose and fructo-oligosaccharide content than taro. The higher lesser yam addition, the higher the lactic acid produced. The higher the total bacteria and higher levels of lactic acid, the lower the pH obtained. The conclusion of this study is addition ratio of taro and lesser yam flour effect on the chemical characteristics of frozen wheygurt. There is no difference in the level of acceptance of the panelists in sensory evaluation.

  19. Extracellular Alkaline Lipase from a Novel Fungus
Curvularia sp. DHE 5: Optimisation of Physicochemical Parameters, Partial Purification and Characterisation

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Summary Thirty isolated fungal strains were screened for lipase production using Phenol Red plates, containing tributyrin as lipidic substrate, and a novel fungus identified genetically as Curvularia sp. DHE 5 was found as the most prominent strain. Various agro-industrial substrates were evaluated as inert supports for lipase production in solid-state fermentation. The highest yield of lipase ((83.4±2.2) U/g on dry mass basis) was reported with wheat bran medium after seven days of fermentation at pH=7.0, temperature of 30 °C, 70% moisture content, inoculum size of 1.27·107 spore/mL and 2% olive oil as an inducer. Supplementation of the medium with 0.05% KCl as an ion source further increased lipase production to (88.9±1.2) U/g on dry mass basis. The enzyme was partially purified through ammonium sulphate fractionation (40%) followed by dialysis, and its optimum pH and temperature were reported at 8.0 and 50 °C, respectively, with remarkable pH and thermal stability. PMID:28867950

  20. Effect of Increasing Total Solids Contents on Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste under Mesophilic Conditions: Performance and Microbial Characteristics Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Jin, Jingwei; Dai, Xiaohu

    2014-01-01

    The total solids content of feedstocks affects the performances of anaerobic digestion and the change of total solids content will lead the change of microbial morphology in systems. In order to increase the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, it is necessary to understand the role of the total solids content on the behavior of the microbial communities involved in anaerobic digestion of organic matter from wet to dry technology. The performances of mesophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste with different total solids contents from 5% to 20% were compared and the microbial communities in reactors were investigated using 454 pyrosequencing technology. Three stable anaerobic digestion processes were achieved for food waste biodegradation and methane generation. Better performances mainly including volatile solids reduction and methane yield were obtained in the reactors with higher total solids content. Pyrosequencing results revealed significant shifts in bacterial community with increasing total solids contents. The proportion of phylum Chloroflexi decreased obviously with increasing total solids contents while other functional bacteria showed increasing trend. Methanosarcina absolutely dominated in archaeal communities in three reactors and the relative abundance of this group showed increasing trend with increasing total solids contents. These results revealed the effects of the total solids content on the performance parameters and the behavior of the microbial communities involved in the anaerobic digestion of food waste from wet to dry technologies. PMID:25051352

  1. Effect of increasing total solids contents on anaerobic digestion of food waste under mesophilic conditions: performance and microbial characteristics analysis.

    PubMed

    Yi, Jing; Dong, Bin; Jin, Jingwei; Dai, Xiaohu

    2014-01-01

    The total solids content of feedstocks affects the performances of anaerobic digestion and the change of total solids content will lead the change of microbial morphology in systems. In order to increase the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, it is necessary to understand the role of the total solids content on the behavior of the microbial communities involved in anaerobic digestion of organic matter from wet to dry technology. The performances of mesophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste with different total solids contents from 5% to 20% were compared and the microbial communities in reactors were investigated using 454 pyrosequencing technology. Three stable anaerobic digestion processes were achieved for food waste biodegradation and methane generation. Better performances mainly including volatile solids reduction and methane yield were obtained in the reactors with higher total solids content. Pyrosequencing results revealed significant shifts in bacterial community with increasing total solids contents. The proportion of phylum Chloroflexi decreased obviously with increasing total solids contents while other functional bacteria showed increasing trend. Methanosarcina absolutely dominated in archaeal communities in three reactors and the relative abundance of this group showed increasing trend with increasing total solids contents. These results revealed the effects of the total solids content on the performance parameters and the behavior of the microbial communities involved in the anaerobic digestion of food waste from wet to dry technologies.

  2. 40 CFR 421.264 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 599.900 263.700 Total suspended solids 67.500 54.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5....269 Combined metals 0.192 Ammonia (as N) 85.310 37.500 Total suspended solids 9.600 7.680 pH (1) (1) 1... 0.080 Zinc 1.020 0.420 Combined metals 0.300 Ammonia (as N) 133.300 58.600 Total suspended solids 15...

  3. 40 CFR 421.264 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 599.900 263.700 Total suspended solids 67.500 54.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5....269 Combined metals 0.192 Ammonia (as N) 85.310 37.500 Total suspended solids 9.600 7.680 pH (1) (1) 1... 0.080 Zinc 1.020 0.420 Combined metals 0.300 Ammonia (as N) 133.300 58.600 Total suspended solids 15...

  4. 40 CFR 421.264 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 599.900 263.700 Total suspended solids 67.500 54.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5....269 Combined metals 0.192 Ammonia (as N) 85.310 37.500 Total suspended solids 9.600 7.680 pH (1) (1) 1... 0.080 Zinc 1.020 0.420 Combined metals 0.300 Ammonia (as N) 133.300 58.600 Total suspended solids 15...

  5. 40 CFR 421.264 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Ammonia (as N) 599.900 263.700 Total suspended solids 67.500 54.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5....269 Combined metals 0.192 Ammonia (as N) 85.310 37.500 Total suspended solids 9.600 7.680 pH (1) (1) 1... 0.080 Zinc 1.020 0.420 Combined metals 0.300 Ammonia (as N) 133.300 58.600 Total suspended solids 15...

  6. Pork Quality Traits According to Postmortem pH and Temperature in Berkshire

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Tae Wan; Kim, Chul Wook; Yang, Mi Ra; No, Gun Ryoung; Kim, Il-Suk

    2016-01-01

    This study was performed to investigate the role of pH and temperature postmortem, and to demonstrate the importance of these factors in determining meat quality. Postmortem pH45min (pH at 45 min postmortem or initial pH) via analysis of Pearson’s correlation showed high positive correlation with pH change pHc24 (pH change from pH45min to pH24h postmortem). However, postmortem pH after 24 h (pH24h or ultimate pH) had a high negative correlation with pH change, pHc24, CIE L*, and protein content. Initial temperature postmortem (T1h ) was positively associated with a change in temperature from 45 min to 24 h postmortem (Tc24) and cooking loss, but negatively correlated with water holding capacity. Temperature at 24 h postmortem (T24h) was negatively associated with Tc24. Collectively, these results indicate that higher initial pH was associated with higher pHc24, T1h, and Tc24. However, higher initial pH was associated with a reduction in carcass weight, backfat thickness, CIE a* and b*, water holding capacity, collagen and fat content, drip loss, and cooking loss as well as decreased shear force. In contrast, CIE a* and b*, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force in higher ultimate pH was showed by a similar pattern to higher initial pH, whereas pHc24, carcass weight, backfat thickness, water holding capacity, fat content, moisture content, protein content, T1h, T24h, and Tc24 were exhibited by completely differential patterns (p<0.05). Therefore, we suggest that initial pH, ultimate pH, and temperatures postmortem are important factors in determining the meat quality of pork. PMID:27499661

  7. 40 CFR 421.254 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Oil and Grease 4.000 4.000 Total suspended solids 6.000 4.800 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to....000 Total suspended solids 19.500 15.600 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b... pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Electrolyte preparation wet air...

  8. 40 CFR 421.234 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... solids 0.508 0.406 pH 1 1 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (c) Nickel reduction decant... Total suspended solids 1.155 0.924 pH 1 1 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b) Nickel....400 152.300 pH 1 1 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Cobalt reduction decant. NSPS...

  9. Effects of acid rain on grapevines

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

    Forsline, P.L.; Musselman, R.C.; Dee, R.J.

    1983-01-01

    Mature vineyard-growing Concord grapevines (Vitis labrusca, Bailey) were sprayed with simulated acid rain solutions ranging from pH 2.5 to pH 5.5 both as acute treatments at anthesis and chronically throughout the season in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, eight additional varieties were also treated with simulated acid rain solutions at pH 2.75 and pH 3.25. With Concord in 1981, few foliar lesions on leaves were visible at pH 2.75. In contrast, many leaf lesions with decreased fruit soluble solids in the absence of acid rain leaf lesions at pH>2.5 remains unclear. Acute sprays (pH 2.75) at anthesis reduced pollen germinationmore » in four grape cultivars. However, fruit set was reduced in only one of these. Only the cultivars de Chaunac and Ives had reduced berry soluble solids with chronic weekly sprays at pH 2.75. Reduction in soluble solids was not associated with increased oxidant stipple (ozone injury) in Concord and de Chaunac cultivars, but this association was observed in Ives. There was no evidence that acid rain in combination with ozone increased oxidant stipple as occurs when ozone and SO/sub 2/ are combined. Grape yields were not influenced by acid rain treatments. There was no evidence that acid rain at ambient pH levels had negative effects on grape production or fruit quality.« less

  10. Determining the Release of Radionuclides from Tank 18F Waste Residual Solids: FY2016 Report

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

    King, William D.; Hobbs, David T.

    Pore water leaching studies were conducted on actual Savannah River Site (SRS) Tank 18F residual waste solids to support Liquid Waste tank closure efforts. A test methodology was developed during previous simulant testing to produce slurries of tank residual solids and grout-representative solids in grout pore water solutions (based on SRS groundwater compositions) with pH and E h values expected during the aging of the closed waste tank. The target conditions are provided below where the initial pore water has a reducing potential and a relatively high pH (Reducing Region II). The pore water is expected to become increasingly oxidizingmore » with time (Oxidizing Region II) and during the latter stages of aging (Oxidizing Region III) the pH is expected to decrease. For the reducing case, tests were conducted with both unwashed and washed Tank 18F residual solids. For the oxidizing cases (Oxidizing Regions II and III), all samples were washed with simulated grout pore water solutions prior to testing, since it is expected that these conditions will occur after considerable pore water solution has passed through the system. For the reducing case, separate tests were conducted with representative ground grout solids and with calcium carbonate reagent, which is the grout phase believed to be controlling the pH. Ferrous sulfide (FeS) solids were also added to the reducing samples to lower the slurry E h value. Calcium carbonate solids were used as the grout-representative solid phase for each of the oxidizing cases. Air purge-gas with and without CO 2 removed was transferred through the oxidizing test samples and nitrogen purge-gas was transferred through the reducing test samples during leach testing. The target pH values were achieved to within 0.5 pH units for all samples. Leaching studies were conducted over an E h range of approximately 0.7 V. However, the highest and lowest E h values achieved of ~+0.5 V and ~-0.2 V were significantly less positive and less negative, respectively, than the target values. Achievement of more positive and more negative E h values is believed to require the addition of non-representative oxidants and reductants, respectively.« less

  11. Biochar contribution to soil pH buffer capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tonutare, Tonu; Krebstein, Kadri; Utso, Maarius; Rodima, Ako; Kolli, Raimo; Shanskiy, Merrit

    2014-05-01

    Biochar as ecologically clean and stable form of carbon has complex of physical and chemical properties which make it a potentially powerful soil amendment (Mutezo, 2013). Therefore during the last decade the biochar application as soil amendment has been a matter for a great number of investigations. For the ecological viewpoint the trend of decreasing of soil organic matter in European agricultural land is a major problem. Society is faced with the task to find possibilities to stabilize or increase soil organic matter content in soil and quality. The availability of different functional groups (e.g. carboxylic, phenolic, acidic, alcoholic, amine, amide) allows soil organic matter to buffer over a wide range of soil pH values (Krull et al. 2004). Therefore the loss of soil organic matter also reduces cation exchange capacity resulting in lower nutrient retention (Kimetu et al. 2008). Biochar can retain elements in soil directly through the negative charge that develops on its surfaces, and this negative charge can buffer acidity in the soil. There are lack of investigations about the effect of biochar to soil pH buffering properties, The aim of our investigation was to investigate the changes in soil pH buffer capacity in a result of addition of carbonizated material to temperate region soils. In the experiment different kind of softwood biochars, activated carbon and different soil types with various organic matter and pH were used. The study soils were Albeluvisols, Leptosols, Cambisols, Regosols and Histosols . In the experiment the series of the soil: biochar mixtures with the biochar content 0 to 100% were used. The times of equiliberation between solid and liquid phase were from 1 to 168 hours. The suspension of soil: biochar mixtures was titrated with HCl solution. The titration curves were established and pH buffer capacities were calculated for the pH interval from 3.0 to 10.0. The results demonstrate the dependence of pH buffer capacity from soil type, organic matter and type of added carbonizated material. Our study showed that the biochar content has significant role in total pH buffer capacity in soil:biochar system . References. Kimetu, J.M., Lehmann, J., Ngoze, S.O., Mugendi, D.N., Kinyangi, J., Riha, S.J., Verchot, L., Recha, J.W., Pell, A.N. 2008. Reversibility of Soil Productivity Decline with Organic Matter of Differing Quality Along a Degradation Gradient. Ecosystems, 11, 726-739. Krull, E. S., Skjemstad, J.O., Baldock, J.A. 2004 'Functions of Soil Organic Matter and the Effect on Soil Properties'. GRDC report. Project CSO 00029. Mutezo, W.T., 2013. Early crop growth and yield responses of maize (Zea mays) to biochar applied on soil. International Working Paper Series, 13/03, 50 pp.

  12. Trace determination of safranin O dye using ultrasound assisted dispersive solid-phase micro extraction: Artificial neural network-genetic algorithm and response surface methodology.

    PubMed

    Dil, Ebrahim Alipanahpour; Ghaedi, Mehrorang; Asfaram, Arash; Mehrabi, Fatemeh; Bazrafshan, Ali Akbar; Ghaedi, Abdol Mohammad

    2016-11-01

    In this study, ultrasound assisted dispersive solid-phase micro extraction combined with spectrophotometry (USA-DSPME-UV) method based on activated carbon modified with Fe2O3 nanoparticles (Fe2O3-NPs-AC) was developed for pre-concentration and determination of safranin O (SO). It is known that the efficiency of USA-DSPME-UV method may be affected by pH, amount of adsorbent, ultrasound time and eluent volume and the extent and magnitude of their contribution on response (in term of main and interaction part) was studied by using central composite design (CCD) and artificial neural network-genetic algorithms (ANN-GA). Accordingly by adjustment of experimental conditions suggested by ANN-GA at pH 6.5, 1.1mg of adsorbent, 10min ultrasound and 150μL of eluent volume led to achievement of best operation performance like low LOD (6.3ngmL(-1)) and LOQ (17.5ngmL(-1)) in the range of 25-3500ngmL(-1). In following stage, the SO content in real water and wastewater samples with recoveries between 93.27-99.41% with RSD lower than 3% was successfully determined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Use of drinking water treatment solids for arsenate removal from desalination concentrate.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xuesong; Lin, Lu; Papelis, Charalambos; Myint, Maung; Cath, Tzahi Y; Xu, Pei

    2015-05-01

    Desalination of impaired water can be hindered by the limited options for concentrate disposal. Selective removal of specific contaminants using inexpensive adsorbents is an attractive option to address the challenges of concentrate management. In this study, two types of ferric-based drinking water treatment solids (DWTS) were examined for arsenate removal from reverse osmosis concentrate during continuous-flow once-through column experiments. Arsenate sorption was investigated under different operating conditions including pH, arsenate concentration, hydraulic retention time, loading rate, temperature, and moisture content of the DWTS. Arsenate removal by the DWTS was affected primarily by surface complexation, electrostatic interactions, and arsenate speciation. Results indicated that arsenate sorption was highly dependent on initial pH and initial arsenate concentration. Acidic conditions enhanced arsenate sorption as a result of weaker electrostatic repulsion between predominantly monovalent H2AsO4(-) and negatively charged particles in the DWTS. High initial arsenate concentration increased the driving force for arsenate sorption to the DWTS surface. Tests revealed that the potential risks associated with the use of DWTS include the leaching of organic contaminants and ammonia, which can be alleviated by using wet DWTS or discarding the initially treated effluent that contains high organic concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Effect of Storage on the Physico-Chemical and Antioxidant Properties of Strawberry and Kiwi Leathers.

    PubMed

    Concha-Meyer, Anibal A; D'Ignoti, Valeria; Saez, Barbara; Diaz, Ricardo I; Torres, Carolina A

    2016-03-01

    Strawberry and kiwi leathers were used to develop a new healthy and preservative-free fruit snack for new markets. Fruit puree was dehydrated at 60 °C for 20 h and subjected to accelerated storage. Soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, water activity (aw ), total phenolic (TP), antioxidant activity (AOA) and capacity (ORAC), and color change (browning index) were measured in leathers, cooked, and fresh purees. An untrained panel was used to evaluate consumer acceptability. Soluble solids of fresh purees were 11.24 to 13.04 °Brix, whereas pH was 3.46 to 3.39. Leathers presented an aw of 0.59 to 0.67, and a moisture content of 21 kg water/100 kg. BI decreased in both leathers over accelerated storage period. TP and AOA were higher (P ≤ 0.05) in strawberry formulations. ORAC decreased 57% in strawberry and 65% in kiwi leathers when compared to fruit puree. TP and AOA increased in strawberries during storage. Strawberry and Kiwi leathers may be a feasible new, natural, high antioxidant, and healthy snack for the Chilean and other world markets, such as Europe, particularly the strawberry leather, which was preferred by untrained panelists. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  15. Value addition of vegetable wastes by solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus niger for use in aquafeed industry.

    PubMed

    Rajesh, N; Imelda-Joseph; Raj, R Paul

    2010-11-01

    Vegetable waste typically has high moisture content and high levels of protein, vitamins and minerals. Its value as an agricultural feed can be enhanced through solid-state fermentation (SSF). Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional status of the products derived by SSF of a mixture of dried vegetable waste powder and oil cake mixture (soybean flour, wheat flour, groundnut oil cake and sesame oil cake at 4:3:2:1 ratio) using fungi Aspergillus niger S(1)4, a mangrove isolate, and A. niger NCIM 616. Fermentation was carried out for 9 days at 35% moisture level and neutral pH. Significant (p<0.05) increase in crude protein and amino acids were obtained in both the trials. The crude fat and crude fibre content showed significant reduction at the end of fermentation. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) showed a gradual decrease during the fermentation process. The results of the study suggest that the fermented product obtained on days 6 and 9 in case of A. niger S(1)4 and A. niger NCIM 616 respectively contained the highest levels of crude protein. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Effect of fortification with various types of milk proteins on the rheological properties and permeability of nonfat set yogurt.

    PubMed

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

    2009-01-01

    Yogurt base was prepared from reconstituted skim milk powder (SMP) with 2.5% protein and fortified with additional 1% protein (wt/wt) from 4 different milk protein sources: SMP, milk protein isolate (MPI), micellar casein (MC), and sodium caseinate (NaCN). Heat-treated yogurt mixes were fermented at 40 degrees C with a commercial yogurt culture until pH 4.6. During fermentation pH was monitored, and storage modulus (G') and loss tangent (LT) were measured using dynamic oscillatory rheology. Yield stress (sigma(yield)) and permeability of gels were analyzed at pH 4.6. Addition of NaCN significantly reduced buffering capacity of yogurt mix by apparently solubilizing part of the indigenous colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) in reconstituted SMP. Use of different types of milk protein did not affect pH development except for MC, which had the slowest fermentation due to its very high buffering. NaCN-fortified yogurt had the highest G' and sigma(yield) values at pH 4.6, as well as maximum LT values. Partial removal of CCP by NaCN before fermentation may have increased rearrangements in yogurt gel. Soluble casein molecules in NaCN-fortified milks may have helped to increase G' and LT values of yogurt gels by increasing the number of cross-links between strands. Use of MC increased the CCP content but resulted in low G' and sigma(yield) at pH 4.6, high LT and high permeability. The G' value at pH 4.6 of yogurts increased in the order: SMP = MC < MPI < NaCN. Type of milk protein used to standardize the protein content had a significant impact on physical properties of yogurt. Practical Application: In yogurt processing, it is common to add additional milk solids to improve viscosity and textural attributes. There are many different types of milk protein powders that could potentially be used for fortification purposes. This study suggests that the type of milk protein used for fortification impacts yogurt properties and sodium caseinate gave the best textural results.

  17. Isolation of indigenous enteroviruses from chemically treated and dewatered sludge samples.

    PubMed Central

    Goddard, M R; Bates, J; Butler, M

    1982-01-01

    Samples of wastewater sludge were examined for infectious enteroviruses before and after they had been chemically conditioned and dewatered. The least virus was recovered from the cake produced by filter pressing of sludge, which had a greatly increased solids content (39 to 45% [wt/vol]) relative to the untreated sludge (4.2 to 6.2% [wt/vol]) and in one plant was at pH 11 due to the lime conditioner used. Conditioning with a cationic polyelectrolyte before dewatering by centrifugation produced a watery sludge (2.7 to 5.3% [wt/vol]) from which high titers of infectious virus were recovered which were often greater than those isolated from the untreated sludge (0.6 to 1.4% [wt/vol]). This was thought to be due to saturation of virus and sludge floc adsorption sites by the polyelectrolyte, resulting in the liberation of virions from the sludge solids. PMID:6295275

  18. Radionuclide solubility and speciation studies for the Yucca Mountain site characterization project

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

    Nitsche, H.; Roberts, K.; Prussin, T.

    1992-12-01

    Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA, is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a geologic nuclear waste repository. As part of the site characterization studies, actinide solubilities and speciations were studied at pH 6, 7, and 8.5 at 25{degrees}C in two different groundwaters from the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The groundwaters differ substantially in total dissolved carbonate concentration, and to a lesser extent in ionic strength. In the waters with higher carbonate content, the solubilities of neptunium(V) decreased, whereas those americium(III) increased at 25{degrees}KC and decreased at 60{degrees}C. The solids formed were sodium neptunium carbonates and americium hydroxycarbonates.more » Plutonium solubilities did not significantly change with changing water composition because the solubility-controlling solids were mostly amorphous Pu(IV) polymers that contained only small amounts of carbonate.« less

  19. Radionuclide solubility and speciation studies for the Yucca Mountain site characterization project

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

    Nitsche, H.; Roberts, K.; Prussin, T.

    1993-12-31

    Yucca Mountain, Nevada, U.S.A., is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a geologic nuclear waste repository. As part of the site characterization studies, actinide solubilities and speciations were studied at pH 6, 7, and 8.5 at 25{degrees} and 60{degrees}C in two different groundwaters from the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The groundwaters differ substantially in total dissolved carbonate concentration, and to a lesser extent in ionic strength. In the waters with higher carbonate content, the solubilities of neptunium(V) decreased, whereas those of americium (III) increased at 25{degrees}C and decreased at 60{degrees}C. The solids formed were sodium neptuniummore » carbonates and americium hydroxycarbonates. Plutonium solubilities did not significantly change with changing water composition because the solubility-controlling solids were mostly amorphous Pu(IV) polymers that contained only small amounts of carbonate.« less

  20. Monascus pigment production by solid-state fermentation with corn cob substrate.

    PubMed

    Velmurugan, Palanivel; Hur, Hyun; Balachandar, Vellingiri; Kamala-Kannan, Seralathan; Lee, Kui-Jae; Lee, Sang-Myung; Chae, Jong-Chan; Shea, Patrick J; Oh, Byung-Taek

    2011-12-01

    Natural pigments are an important alternative to potentially harmful synthetic dyes. We investigated the feasibility of corn cob powder as a substrate for production of pigments by Monascus purpureus KACC 42430 in solid-state fermentation. A pigment yield of 25.42 OD Units/gram of dry fermented substrate was achieved with corn cob powder and optimized process parameters, including 60% (w/w) initial moisture content, incubation at 30°C, inoculation with 4mL of spores/gram of dry substrate, and an incubation period of 7 days. Pigment yield using corn cobs greatly exceeded those of most other agricultural waste substrates. The pigments were stable at acidic pH, high temperatures, and in salt solutions; all important considerations for industrial applications. Our results indicate the viability of corn cob substrate in combination with M. purpureus for industrial applications. Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.

  1. Physicochemical characterization of a new pineapple hybrid (FLHORAN41 Cv.).

    PubMed

    Brat, Pierre; Hoang, Lan Nguyen Thi; Soler, Alain; Reynes, Max; Brillouet, Jean-Marc

    2004-10-06

    The physicochemical characteristics (pH, total and soluble solids, and titratable acidity), sugars, organic acids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, volatile compounds, and cell wall polysaccharides of a new pineapple hybrid (FLHORAN41 cultivar) were measured throughout maturation and compared with the Smooth Cayenne cv. At full maturity, the FLHORAN41 cv. has a higher titratable acidity and soluble solids content than the Smooth Cayenne cv. The golden yellow flesh and red-orange to scarlet shell of ripe FLHORAN41 cv. fruits are due to carotenoid and anthocyanin levels that are, respectively, 2.5 and 1.5 times higher than those of the flesh and shell of the ripe Smooth Cayenne cv., respectively. During maturation of the FLHORAN41 cv., there was an increase in all classes of aroma compounds (mainly terpene hydrocarbons and esters), although their relative proportions were similar in both cultivars at full maturity. Cell wall polysaccharides undergo little change during maturation.

  2. Solid-phase extraction of heavy metal ions on bucky tubes disc in natural water and herbal plant samples.

    PubMed

    Soylak, Mustafa; Unsal, Yunus Emre

    2011-10-01

    A preconcentration-separation procedure has been established based on solid-phase extraction of Fe(III) and Pb(II) on bucky tubes (BTs) disc. Fe(III) and Pb(II) ions were quantitatively recovered at pH 6. The influences of the analytical parameters like sample volume, flow rates on the recoveries of analytes on BT disc were investigated. The effects of co-existing ions on the recoveries were also studied. The detection limits for iron and lead were found 1.6 and 4.9 μg L⁻¹, respectively. The validation of the presented method was checked by the analysis of TMDA-51.3 fortified water certified reference material. The presented procedure was successfully applied to the separation-preconcentration and determination of iron and lead content of some natural water and herbal plant samples from Kayseri, Turkey.

  3. Impacts of ocean acidification on the carbonate system at the sediment-water interface: a case-study in the NW Mediterranean Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rassmann, Jens; Lansard, Bruno; Gazeau, Frédéric; Grenz, Christian; Alliouane, Samir; Petit, Franck; Pozzato, Lara; Bombled, Bruno; Rabouille, Christophe

    2016-04-01

    According to common predictions, carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake from the atmosphere into the oceans will decrease the average pH of seawater by 0.06-0.32 pH units by 2100. Ocean acidification alters chemical equilibria in seawater and thus potentially impacts marine ecosystem structure and functioning. Shelf regions play a key role for an important fraction of marine life and represent an important part of the global carbon cycle. Due to shallow water depth, chemistry in the water column is strongly coupled with biogeochemistry in the sediments. The aim of the present work is to investigate the impact of ocean acidification on carbonate chemistry. It focuses especially on exchange fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA) and calcium through the sediment-water interface, and its impact on calcium carbonate precipitation or dissolution. For this purpose, sediment cores were incubated ex situ with an open flow of CO2 enriched seawater for 22 days (pHT=7,4, pH reported on the total proton scale). In parallel, sediment cores were incubated as a control with untreated seawater. Incubations took place in a water bath in a dark room with controlled temperature (14°C). Oxygen and pH microprofiles were recorded in the top first mm of the sediment during the whole experiment every 3 days. On 7 occasions, cores were isolated and incubated for 12 hours to estimate fluxes of DIC, TA, oxygen and nutrients. Porewater profiles of DIC, TA, calcium and nutrients were analyzed before and after incubation. On the solid phase, the content of particulate organic carbon, the C:N ratio and its isotopic δ15N and δ13C signature have been determined. In addition, total carbon contents have been measured and X-Ray diffraction was used to look for phase shifts between calcite and aragonite. A net decrease of pH was observed in the upper sediment layers, as well as an increase of DIC and TA pore water concentrations. The acidified cores showed higher DIC and TA exchange fluxes during the incubations in isolation, whereas oxygen exchange fluxes were independent of pH. Significant changes in the solid phase of the sediments could not be identified and the calcium pore water concentrations seemed not to be affected by acidification of the overlying waters during the given time scale. These results are put in the framework of coastal ocean acidification and are used to understand how the acidification changes the carbonate chemistry in the pore waters and constrain dissolution/precipitation of calcium carbonate.

  4. Evaporative concentration of skimmed milk: effect on casein micelle hydration, composition, and size.

    PubMed

    Liu, Dylan Z; Dunstan, David E; Martin, Gregory J O

    2012-10-01

    Understanding the effect of evaporative concentration on casein micelle composition is of high importance for milk processing. Alterations to the hydration, composition and size of casein micelles were investigated in skimmed milk evaporated to concentrations of 12-45% total solids content. The size of casein micelles was determined by dynamic light scattering, and the water content and composition determined by analysis of supernatants and pellets obtained by ultracentrifugation. The mass balance and hydration results showed that during the evaporation process, while micelles were dehydrated, water was removed preferentially from the serum. The amount of soluble casein and calcium in the serum decreased as a function of increasing solids content, indicating a shift of these components to the micelles. The formation of a small proportion of micelle aggregates at high concentrations appeared dependent on the time kept at these concentrations. Upon redilution with water, casein micelles were immediately rehydrated and aggregates were broken up in a matter of minutes. Soluble calcium and pH returned to their original state over a number of hours; however, only a small percentage of original soluble casein returned to the serum over the 5h period investigated. These results showed that casein micelles are significantly affected by evaporative concentration and that the alterations are not completely and rapidly reversible. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Strain Selection and Optimization of Mixed Culture Conditions for Lactobacillus pentosus K1-23 with Antibacterial Activity and Aureobasidium pullulans NRRL 58012 Producing Immune-Enhancing β-Glucan.

    PubMed

    Sekar, Ashokkumar; Kim, Myoungjin; Jeong, Hyeong Chul; Kim, Keun

    2018-05-28

    Lactobacillus pentosus K1-23 was selected from among 25 lactic acid bacterial strains owing to its high inhibitory activity against several pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli , Salmonella typhimurium , S. gallinarum , Staphylococcus aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Clostridium perfringens , and Listeria monocytogenes . Additionally, among 13 strains of Aureobasidium spp., A. pullulans NRRL 58012 was shown to produce the highest amount of β-glucan (15.45 ± 0.07%) and was selected. Next, the optimal conditions for a solid-phase mixed culture with these two different microorganisms (one bacterium and one yeast) were determined. The optimal inoculum sizes for L. pentosus and A. pullulans were 1% and 5%, respectively. The appropriate inoculation time for L. pentosus K1-23 was 3 days after the inoculation of A. pullulans to initiate fermentation. The addition of 0.5% corn steep powder and 0.1% FeSO₄ to the basal medium resulted in the increased production of lactic acid bacterial cells and β-glucan. The following optimal conditions for solid-phase mixed culture were also statistically determined by using the response surface method: 37.84°C, pH 5.25, moisture content of 60.82%, and culture time of 6.08 days for L. pentosus ; and 24.11°C, pH 5.65, moisture content of 60.08%, and culture time of 5.71 days for A. pullulans. Using the predicted optimal conditions, the experimental production values of L. pentosus cells and β-glucan were 3.15 ± 0.10 × 10⁸ CFU/g and 13.41 ± 0.04%, respectively. This mixed culture may function as a highly efficient antibiotic substitute based on the combined action of its anti-pathogenic bacterial and immune-enhancing activities.

  6. Characterization of pH-fractionated humic acids derived from Chinese weathered coal.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuiqin; Yuan, Liang; Li, Wei; Lin, Zhian; Li, Yanting; Hu, Shuwen; Zhao, Bingqiang

    2017-01-01

    To reduce the compositional and structural heterogeneity of humic acids (HAs) and achieve better use of HA resources, in this study, we report a new sequential dissolution method for HAs derived from Chinese weathered coal. This method was used to separate HAs into seven fractions by adjusting the pH (3-10) of the extraction solution. The results showed that the HA fractions derived from Chinese weathered coal were concentrated up to 90.31% in the lower pH solutions (3-7). The compositional and structural characteristics of the HA fractions were determined by elemental analysis; ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and solid-state 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies; and other techniques. The results showed significant differences among the HA fractions. The concentrations of the total acidic groups and the carboxyl groups decreased with the increasing pH of the extraction solution. However, the HA fractions derived from extraction solutions with pH 3-4 had relatively lower aromaticity but a higher protonated carbon content. The HA fractions derived from extraction solutions with pH 6-7 had the highest aromaticity and the greatest abundance of COO/N-C=O. This study demonstrated that adjusting the pH of the extraction solution is one way to fractionate HAs from Chinese weathered coal and to obtain HA fractions with compositions and structures that could serve as useful material for study and utilization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Groundwater fluoride and dental fluorosis in southwestern Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Gbadebo, A M

    2012-10-01

    This study was carried out to assess the fluoride levels of groundwater from open wells, consumed by the residents of three communities located in two distinct geological terrains of southwestern Nigeria. Fluoride concentration was determined using spectrophotometric technique, while analysis of other parameters like temperature, pH and total dissolve solids followed standard methods. Results of the analysis indicated that groundwater samples from Abeokuta Metropolis (i.e., basement complex terrain) had fluoride content in the range of 0.65 ± 0.21 and 1.20 ± 0.14. These values were found to be lower than the fluoride contents in the groundwater samples from Ewekoro peri-urban and Lagos metropolis where the values ranged between 1.10 ± 0.14-1.45 ± 0.07 and 0.15 ± 0.07-2.20 ± 1.41 mg/l, respectively. The fluoride contents in almost all locations were generally higher than the WHO recommended 0.6 mg/l. Analysis of Duncan multiple range test indicated that there is similarity in the level of significance of fluoride contents between different locations of same geological terrain at p ≤ 0.05. It was also observed that fluoride distribution of groundwater samples from the different geological terrain was more dependent on factors like pH and TDS than on temperature. The result of the analyzed social demographic characteristics of the residents indicated that the adults (between the age of 20 and >40 years) showed dental decay than the adolescent (<20 years). This signifies incidence of dental fluorosis by the high fluoride content in the drinking water of the populace. Further investigation on all sources of drinking water and other causes of tooth decay in the area is suggested.

  8. Evaluation of soil pH and moisture content on in-situ ozonation of pyrene in soils.

    PubMed

    Luster-Teasley, S; Ubaka-Blackmoore, N; Masten, S J

    2009-08-15

    In this study, pyrene spiked soil (300 ppm) was ozonated at pH levels of 2, 6, and 8 and three moisture contents. It was found that soil pH and moisture content impacted the effectiveness of PAH oxidation in unsaturated soils. In air-dried soils, as pH increased, removal increased, such that pyrene removal efficiencies at pH 6 and pH 8 reached 95-97% at a dose of 2.22 mg O(3)/mg pyrene. Ozonation at 16.2+/-0.45 mg O(3)/ppm pyrene in soil resulted in 81-98% removal of pyrene at all pH levels tested. Saturated soils were tested at dry, 5% or 10% moisture conditions. The removal of pyrene was slower in moisturized soils, with the efficiency decreasing as the moisture content increased. Increasing the pH of the soil having a moisture content of 5% resulted in improved pyrene removals. On the contrary, in the soil having a moisture content of 10%, as the pH increased, pyrene removal decreased. Contaminated PAH soils were stored for 6 months to compare the efficiency of PAH removal in freshly contaminated soil and aged soils. PAH adsorption to soil was found to increase with longer exposure times; thus requiring much higher doses of ozone to effectively oxidize pyrene.

  9. 40 CFR 467.32 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... and grease 7.32 4.39 Suspended solids 15.0 7.13 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all... solids 60.60 28.82 pH (1) (1) 1 With the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Direct Chill... wastewater in which case the pH shall be within the range of 6.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Press Heat...

  10. 40 CFR 421.152 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (c) Beryllium Carbonate Filtrate. BPT... suspended solids 9,430.0 4,485.0 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (g) Process... Fluoride 3.535 2.010 Total Suspended Solids 4.141 1.970 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all...

  11. 40 CFR 467.32 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... and grease 7.32 4.39 Suspended solids 15.0 7.13 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all... solids 60.60 28.82 pH (1) (1) 1 With the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Direct Chill... wastewater in which case the pH shall be within the range of 6.0 to 10.0 at all times. Subpart C Press Heat...

  12. Physico-chemical and antioxidant properties of four mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars in China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Feng-Xia; Fu, Shu-Fang; Bi, Xiu-Fang; Chen, Fang; Liao, Xiao-Jun; Hu, Xiao-Song; Wu, Ji-Hong

    2013-05-01

    Four principal mango cultivars (Tainong No.1, Irwin, JinHwang and Keitt) grown in southern China were selected, and their physico-chemical and antioxidant properties were characterized and compared. Of all the four cultivars, Tainong No.1 had highest content of total phenols, ρ-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, quercetin, titratable acidity, citric acid, malic acid, fructose, higher antioxidant activities (DPPH, FRAP) and L(*), lower pH, PPO activity and individual weight. Keitt mangoes showed significantly (p<0.05) higher contents of β-carotene, ρ-hydroxybenzoic acid, sucrose, total sugar, total soluble solid, catechin, succinic acid and higher PPO activity. JinHwang mangoes exhibited significantly (p<0.05) higher individual weight and PPO activity, but had lower content of total phenols, β-carotene and lower antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis (PCA) allowed the four mango cultivars to be differentiated clearly based on all these physico-chemical and antioxidant properties determined in the study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Ultraviolet Irradiation Effect on Apple Juice Bioactive Compounds during Shelf Storage

    PubMed Central

    Juarez-Enriquez, Edmundo; Salmerón, Ivan; Gutierrez-Mendez, Nestor; Ortega-Rivas, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    Clarified and standardized apple juice was ultraviolet-irradiated to inactivate polyphenol oxidase enzyme and microbiota, and its effect on bioactive compounds and stability during storage was also evaluated. Apple juice was irradiated with 345.6 J/cm2 and treatment effect was evaluated in terms of color, antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids. Using a linear regression design, inactivation kinetic of polyphenol oxidase enzyme was also described. In addition, a repeated measures design was carried out to evaluate apple juice during 24 days of storage at 4 °C and 20 °C. After irradiation, reduction of antioxidant capacity was observed while during storage, ascorbic acid content decreased up to 40% and total polyphenol content remain stable. Ultraviolet irradiation achieved a complete inactivation of polyphenol oxidase enzyme and microbiota, keeping apple juice antioxidants during ultraviolet treatment and storage available until juice consumption. UV-treated apple juice can be used as a regular beverage, ensuring antioxidant intake. PMID:28231106

  14. Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity in cashew apple juice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Queiroz, C.; Moreira, C. F. F.; Lavinas, F. C.; Lopes, M. L. M.; Fialho, E.; Valente-Mesquita, V. L.

    2010-12-01

    The cashew apple is native to Brazil, but there is insufficient information regarding the nutritional properties of this fruit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of high pressure processing (HPP) at room temperature (25 °C) on phenolic compound and ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant capacity of cashew apple juice. This study showed that HPP at 250 or 400 MPa for 3, 5 and 7 min did not change pH, acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid or hydrolysable polyphenol contents. However, juice pressurized for 3 and 5 min showed higher soluble polyphenol contents. Antioxidant capacity, measured by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power method, was not altered by HPP, but when treated at 250 MPa for 3 min, it resulted in an increased value when 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl was used. These data demonstrate that HPP can be used in the food industry for the generation of products with higher nutritional quality.

  15. Development of quantitative methods for the detection of enteroviruses in sewage sludges during activation and following land disposal.

    PubMed Central

    Hurst, C J; Farrah, S R; Gerba, C P; Melnick, J L

    1978-01-01

    The development and evaluation of methods for the quantitative recovery of enteroviruses from sewage sludge are reported. Activated sewage sludge solids were collected by centrifugation, and elution of the solid-associated virus was accomplished by mechanical agitation in glycine buffer at pH 11.0. Eluted viruses were concentrated either onto an aluminum hydroxide floc or by association with a floc which formed de novo upon adjustment of the glycine eluate to pH 3.5. Viruses which remained in the liquid phase after lowering the pH of glycine eluate were concentrated by adsorption to and elution from membrane filters. The method of choice included high pH glycine elution and subsequent low pH concentration; it yielded an efficiency of recovery from activated sludge of 80% for poliovirus type 1, 68% for echovirus type 7, and 75% for coxsackievirus B3. This method was used to study the survival of naturally occurring virus in sludge at a sewage treatment plant and after subsequent land disposal of the solids after aerobic digestion. Reduction of enterovirus titers per gram (dry weight) of solids were modest during sludge activation but increased to a rate of 2 log 10/week after land disposal. PMID:29559

  16. Development of quantitative methods for the detection of enteroviruses in sewage sludges during activation and following land disposal.

    PubMed

    Hurst, C J; Farrah, S R; Gerba, C P; Melnick, J L

    1978-07-01

    The development and evaluation of methods for the quantitative recovery of enteroviruses from sewage sludge are reported. Activated sewage sludge solids were collected by centrifugation, and elution of the solid-associated virus was accomplished by mechanical agitation in glycine buffer at pH 11.0. Eluted viruses were concentrated either onto an aluminum hydroxide floc or by association with a floc which formed de novo upon adjustment of the glycine eluate to pH 3.5. Viruses which remained in the liquid phase after lowering the pH of glycine eluate were concentrated by adsorption to and elution from membrane filters. The method of choice included high pH glycine elution and subsequent low pH concentration; it yielded an efficiency of recovery from activated sludge of 80% for poliovirus type 1, 68% for echovirus type 7, and 75% for coxsackievirus B3. This method was used to study the survival of naturally occurring virus in sludge at a sewage treatment plant and after subsequent land disposal of the solids after aerobic digestion. Reduction of enterovirus titers per gram (dry weight) of solids were modest during sludge activation but increased to a rate of 2 log 10/week after land disposal.

  17. Sensitivity of Clay Suspension Rheological Properties to pH, Temperature, Salinity, and Smectite-Quartz Ratio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kameda, Jun; Morisaki, Tomonori

    2017-10-01

    Understanding the rheological properties of clay suspensions is critical to assessing the behavior of sediment gravity flows such as debris flow or turbidity current. We conducted rheological measurements of composite smectite-quartz suspensions at a temperature of 7°C and a salt concentration of 0.6 M. This is representative of smectite-bearing sediments under conditions on the seafloor. The flow curves obtained were fitted by the Bingham fluid model, from which we determined the Bingham yield stress and dynamic viscosity of each suspension. At a constant smectite-quartz mixing ratio, the yield stress and the dynamic viscosity tend to increase as the solid/water ratio of the suspension is increased. In the case of a constant solid/water ratio, these values increase with increasing smectite content in the smectite-quartz mixture. Additional experiments exploring differing physicochemical conditions (pH 1.0-9.0; temperature 2-30°C; and electrolyte (NaCl) concentration 0.2-0.6 M) revealed that the influence of temperature is negligible, while pH moderately affects the rheology of the suspension. More significantly, the electrolyte concentration greatly affects the flow behavior. These variations can be explained by direct and/or indirect (double-layer) interactions between smectite-smectite particles as well as between smectite-quartz particles in the suspension. Although smectite is known as a frictionally weak material, our experimental results suggest that its occurrence can reduce the likelihood that slope failure initiates. Furthermore, smectite can effectively suppress the spreading distance once the slope has failed.

  18. Physicochemical properties of the Harenna forest honey, Bale, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Belay, Abera; Solomon, W K; Bultossa, Geremew; Adgaba, Nuru; Melaku, Samuel

    2013-12-15

    In this study, the physicochemical properties of the Harenna forest honey were characterised. The Harenna forest honey moisture, reducing sugar, sucrose, water insoluble solids, ash, free acid, pH, HMF contents, electrical conductivity and specific rotation were found to be 17.89±1.02 g/100 g, 69.48±1.72 g/100 g, 2.43±1.02 g/100 g, 0.12±0.08 g/100 g, 0.19±0.09 g/100 g, 34.57±4.80 meq/kg, 3.87±0.16, 0.84±0.46 mg/1000 g, 0.70±0.04 mS/cm and -132±15.27 [α]D(20), respectively. All quality indicators of honey from traditional and frame hives were within the criteria set by Codex Alimentarus (CA), European Union (EU) and Ethiopian standard, except for water insoluble solids. The type of hives significantly affected the moisture (p<0.01), reducing sugar (p<0.05), ash (p<0.05) and HMF (p<0.05) contents of the Harenna forest honey. The sampling location also significantly affected the moisture (p<0.001), water insoluble solids (p<0.01), ash (p<0.01), electrical conductivity (p<0.001) and specific rotation (p<0.001) values of the Harenna forest honey. Significant correlations were observed between moisture content and electrical conductivity (r=0.76, p<0.01), and electrical conductivity and specific rotation (r=0.74, p<0.01). Traditional hive has no negative effect on quality factors of honey if honey harvesting, handling and processing is properly carried out. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Production of lipopeptides by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens XZ-173 in solid state fermentation using soybean flour and rice straw as the substrate.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Zhen; Zhang, Guoyi; Luo, Yi; Ran, Wei; Shen, Qirong

    2012-05-01

    This work was aimed to produce lipopeptides by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens XZ-173 in solid state fermentation using agro-industrial byproducts. A central composite design was used to get the highest lipopeptides production. Results revealed that the optimal conditions for maximum lipopeptides production were 1.79% starch and 1.91% yeast extract by employing 5.58 g soybean flour and 3.67 g rice straw as the solid substrate with initial pH 7.5, moisture content 55% and a 10% inoculum level at 30°C for 2 days. Under these conditions, the experimental yield of lipopeptides reached 50.01 mg/gds, which was very close to the predicted value (49.91 mg/gds). At high concentration, the lipopeptides extracted from fermented substrates showed strong antibiotic activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Ralstonia solanacearum and certain emulsification but good emulsion stability. This is the first report on lipopeptides production that uses rice straw as a major substrate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Use of spent mushroom substrate for production of Bacillus thuringiensis by solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Wu, Songqing; Lan, Yanjiao; Huang, Dongmei; Peng, Yan; Huang, Zhipeng; Xu, Lei; Gelbic, Ivan; Carballar-Lejarazu, Rebeca; Guan, Xiong; Zhang, Lingling; Zou, Shuangquan

    2014-02-01

    The aim of this study was to explore a cost-effective method for the mass production of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) by solid-state fermentation. As a locally available agroindustrial byproduct, spent mushroom substrate (SMS) was used as raw material for Bt cultivation, and four combinations of SMS-based media were designed. Fermentation conditions were optimized on the best medium and the optimal conditions were determined as follows: temperature 32 degrees C, initial pH value 6, moisture content 50%, the ratio of sieved material to initial material 1:3, and inoculum volume 0.5 ml. Large scale production of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) LLP29 was conducted on the optimal medium at optimal conditions. High toxicity (1,487 international toxic units/milligram) and long larvicidal persistence of the product were observed in the study, which illustrated that SMS-based solid-state fermentation medium was efficient and economical for large scale industrial production of Bt-based biopesticides. The cost of production of 1 kg of Bt was approximately US$0.075.

  1. Trace matrix solid phase dispersion using a molecular sieve as the sorbent for the determination of flavonoids in fruit peels by ultra-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Cao, Wan; Hu, Shuai-Shuai; Ye, Li-Hong; Cao, Jun; Pang, Xiao-Qing; Xu, Jing-Jing

    2016-01-01

    A simple, rapid, and highly selective trace matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) technique, coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection, was proposed for extracting flavonoids from orange fruit peel matrices. Molecular sieve SBA-15 was applied for the first time as a solid support in trace MSPD. Parameters, such as the type of dispersant, mass ratio of the sample to the dispersant, grinding time, and elution pH, were optimized in detail. The optimal extraction conditions involved dispersing a powdered fruit peel sample (25 mg) into 25mg of SBA-15 and then eluting the target analytes with 500 μL of methanol. A satisfactory linearity (r(2) > 0.9990) was obtained, and the calculated limits of detection reached 0.02-0.03 μg/mL for the compounds. The results showed that the method developed was successfully applied to determine the content of flavonoids in complex fruit peel matrices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effects of total solids content on waste activated sludge thermophilic anaerobic digestion and its sludge dewaterability.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tianfeng; Chen, Jie; Shen, Honglang; An, Dong

    2016-10-01

    The role of total solids content on sludge thermophilic anaerobic digestion was investigated in batch reactors. A range of total solids content from 2% to 10% was evaluated with two replicates. The lowest inhibitory concentration for free ammonia and total ammonia of sludge thermophilic anaerobic digestion was 110.9-171.4mg/L and 1313.1-1806.7mg/L, respectively. The volumetric biogas production rate increased with increasing of total solids content, but the corresponding biogas yield per gram volatile solid decreased. The result of normalized capillary suction time indicated that the dewaterability of digested sludge at high total solids content was poor, while solid content of sediment obtained by centrifuging sludge at 2000g for 10min increased with increasing of total solids content of sludge. The results suggest that thickened sludge mixed with dewatered sludge at an appropriate ratio could get high organic loading rate, high biogas yield and adequate dewatering effort. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Quality profile of litchi ( Litchi chinensis) cultivars from India and effect of radiation processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hajare, Sachin N.; Saxena, Sudhanshu; Kumar, Sanjeev; Wadhawan, Surbhi; More, Varsha; Mishra, B. B.; Narayan Parte, Madan; Gautam, Satyendra; Sharma, Arun

    2010-09-01

    Litchi ( Litchi chinensis) is a non-climacteric tropical fruit. The fruit has a short shelf-life making its marketing difficult. Physical, biochemical, microbiological, and organoleptic properties of two major commercially grown Indian cultivars of litchi, 'Shahi' and 'China' were studied. The effect of gamma radiation processing and low temperature storage on the above parameters was evaluated to standardize the optimal process parameters for shelf-life extension of litchi. Physical and biochemical parameters analyzed included weight, moisture, pH, titratable acidity, texture, color, total and reducing sugar, total soluble solids, vitamin C, and flavonoid content. Weight, moisture content, and pH in the fresh fruit ranged between 21-26 g, 74-77%, and 3.7-4.4, respectively, whereas, total and reducing sugar ranged 10-15, and 10-13 g%, respectively. In 'Shahi' vitamin C content was found to be around 17-19 mg%, whereas, in 'China' it was 22-28 mg%. Flavonoid content was in the range of 26-34 μg catechin equivalents/g of fresh fruit. Total surface and internal bacterial load was around 4 and 3 log cfu/g, respectively. Surface yeast-mold count (YMC) was ˜3 log cfu/g whereas internal YMC was ˜2 log cfu/g. Radiation treatment reduced microbial load in a dose dependent manner. Treatment at 0.5 kGy did not significantly affect the quality parameters of the fruit. Treated fruits retained the "good" organoleptic rating during storage. Thus, radiation treatment (0.5 kGy) in combination with low temperature (4 °C) storage achieved a shelf-life of 28 days for litchi fruit.

  4. Effect of cooking methods on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in chicken and duck breast.

    PubMed

    Liao, G Z; Wang, G Y; Xu, X L; Zhou, G H

    2010-05-01

    Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), potent mutagens/carcinogens, are pyrolysis formed during the cooking of meat and fish. In the present study, the effects of various cooking methods, pan-frying, deep-frying, charcoal grilling and roasting on the formation of HAAs in chicken breast and duck breast were studied. The various HAAs formed during cooking were isolated by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that chicken breast cooked by charcoal grilling contained the highest content of total HAAs, as high as 112 ng/g, followed by pan-fried duck breast (53.3 ng/g), charcoal grilled duck breast (32 ng/g), pan-fried chicken breast (27.4 ng/g), deep-fried chicken breast (21.3 ng/g), deep-fried duck breast (14 ng/g), roasted duck breast (7 ng/g) and roasted chicken breast (4 ng/g). For individual HAA, the most abundant HAA was 9H-pyrido-[4,3-b]indole (Norharman), which was detected in charcoal grilled chicken breast at content as high as 32.2 ng/g, followed by 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[4,3-b] indole (Harman) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]pyridine(PhIP) at 32 and 31.1 ng/g in charcoal grilled chicken breast, respectively. The content of PhIP in pan-fried duck and chicken breast were 22 and 18.3 ng/g, respectively. Generally, the type and content of HAAs in cooked poultry meat varies with cooking method and cooking conditions. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Comparison of solid-state and submerged-state fermentation for the bioprocessing of switchgrass to ethanol and acetate by Clostridium phytofermentans.

    PubMed

    Jain, Abhiney; Morlok, Charles K; Henson, J Michael

    2013-01-01

    The conversion of sustainable energy crops using microbiological fermentation to biofuels and bioproducts typically uses submerged-state processes. Alternatively, solid-state fermentation processes have several advantages when compared to the typical submerged-state processes. This study compares the use of solid-state versus submerged-state fermentation using the mesophilic anaerobic bacterium Clostridium phytofermentans in the conversion of switchgrass to the end products of ethanol, acetate, and hydrogen. A shift in the ratio of metabolic products towards more acetate and hydrogen production than ethanol production was observed when C. phytofermentans was grown under solid-state conditions as compared to submerged-state conditions. Results indicated that the end product concentrations (in millimolar) obtained using solid-state fermentation were higher than using submerged-state fermentation. In contrast, the total fermentation products (in weight of product per weight of carbohydrates consumed) and switchgrass conversion were higher for submerged-state fermentation. The conversion of xylan was greater than glucan conversion under both fermentation conditions. An initial pH of 7 and moisture content of 80 % resulted in maximum end products formation. Scanning electron microscopy study showed the presence of biofilm formed by C. phytofermentans growing on switchgrass under submerged-state fermentation whereas bacterial cells attached to surface and no apparent biofilm was observed when grown under solid-state fermentation. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting consolidated bioprocessing of a lignocellulosic substrate by a mesophilic anaerobic bacterium under solid-state fermentation conditions.

  6. The isoelectric point/point-of zero-charge of interfaces formed by aqueous solutions and nonpolar solids, liquids, and gases.

    PubMed

    Healy, Thomas W; Fuerstenau, Douglas W

    2007-05-01

    From our previous work on the role of the electrostatic field strength in controlling the pH of the iso-electric point (iep)/point-of-zero-charge (pzc) of polar solids we have extended the analysis to predict that the pH of the iep/pzc of a nonpolar solid, liquid or gas-aqueous interface should occur at pH 1.0-3.0, dependent on the value assigned to water molecules or clusters at the interface. Consideration of a wide range of experimental results covering nonpolar solids such as molybdenite, stibnite, paraffin, etc. as well as hydrocarbon liquids such as xylene, decalin, and long chain (>C8) alkane oils, as well as nitrogen and hydrogen gases, all in various simple 1:1 electrolyte solutions confirm the general validity of the result. We further consider various models of the origin of the charge on nonpolar material-water interfaces.

  7. 40 CFR 421.72 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... .000 .000 Zinc .000 .000 Total suspended solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0... solids 153,000.000 72,740.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Subpart G... granulated Lead 9,499.000 4,318.000 Zinc 8,405.000 3,512.000 Total suspended solids 236,000.000 112,300.000 p...

  8. 40 CFR 421.72 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... .000 .000 Zinc .000 .000 Total suspended solids .000 .000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0... solids 153,000.000 72,740.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) Subpart G... granulated Lead 9,499.000 4,318.000 Zinc 8,405.000 3,512.000 Total suspended solids 236,000.000 112,300.000 p...

  9. Laboratory test investigations on soil water characteristic curve and air permeability of municipal solid waste.

    PubMed

    Shi, Jianyong; Wu, Xun; Ai, Yingbo; Zhang, Zhen

    2018-05-01

    The air permeability coefficient has a high correlation with the water content of municipal solid waste. In this study, continuous drying methodology using a tension meter was employed to construct the soil water characteristic curve of municipal solid waste (M-SWCC). The municipal solid waste air permeability test was conducted by a newly designed apparatus. The measured M-SWCC was well reproduced by the van Genuchten (V-G) model and was used to predict the parameters of typical points in M-SWCC, including saturated water content, field capacity, residual water content and water content at the inflection point. It was found that the M-SWCC was significantly influenced by void ratio. The final evaporation and test period of M-SWCC increase with the increase in void ratio of municipal solid waste. The evolution of air permeability coefficient with water content of municipal solid waste depicted three distinct characteristic stages. It was observed that the water contents that corresponded to the two cut-off points of the three stages were residual water content and water content at the inflection point, respectively. The air permeability coefficient of municipal solid waste decreased with the increase of the water content from zero to the residual water content. The air permeability coefficient was almost invariable when the water content increased from residual water content to the water content at the inflection point. When the water content of municipal solid waste exceeded the water content at the inflection point, the air permeability coefficient sharply decreased with the increase of water content.

  10. Structural Characterization of Poorly-Crystalline Scorodite, Iron (III)-arsenate Co-precipitates and Uranium Millneutralized Raffinate Solids using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

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

    Chen, N.; Jiang, D; Cutler, J

    X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) is used to characterize the mineralogy of the iron(III)-arsenate(V) precipitates produced during the raffinate (aqueous effluent) neutralization process at the McClean Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. To facilitate the structural characterization of the precipitated solids derived from the neutralized raffinate, a set of reference compounds were synthesized and analyzed. The reference compounds include crystalline scorodite, poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates obtained under different pH conditions, and arsenate-adsorbed on goethite. The poorly-crystalline scorodite (prepared at pH 4 with Fe/As = 1) has similar As local structure as that of crystalline scorodite. Both As and Femore » K-edge XAFS of poorly-crystalline scorodite yield consistent results on As-Fe (or Fe-As) shell. From As K-edge analysis the As-Fe shell has an inter-atomic distance of 3.33 {+-} 0.02 A and coordination number of 3.2; while from Fe K-edge analysis the Fe-As distance and coordination number are 3.31 {+-} 0.02 A and 3.8, respectively. These are in contrast with the typical arsenate adsorption on bidentate binuclear sites on goethite surfaces, where the As-Fe distance is 3.26 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number is close to 2. A similar local structure identified in the poorly-crystalline scorodite is also found in co-precipitation solids (Fe(III)/As(V) = 3) when precipitated at the same pH (pH = 4): As-Fe distance 3.30 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number 3.9; while at pH = 8 the co-precipitate has As-Fe distance of 3.27 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number about 2, resembling more closely the adsorption case. The As local structure in the two neutralized raffinate solid series (precipitated at pH values up to 7) closely resembles that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite. All of the raffinate solids have the same As-Fe inter-atomic distance as that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite, and a systematic decrease in the As-Fe coordination is observed when pH is progressively increased; the basic poorly-crystalline scorodite structural feature remains in the raffinate solid up to pH 7.« less

  11. Structural characterization of poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates and uranium mill neutralized raffinate solids using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

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

    Chen, N; Jiang, D T; Cutler, J

    X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) is used to characterize the mineralogy of the iron(III)-arsenate(V) precipitates produced during the raffinate (aqueous effluent) neutralization process at the McClean Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. To facilitate the structural characterization of the precipitated solids derived from the neutralized raffinate, a set of reference compounds were synthesized and analyzed. The reference compounds include crystalline scorodite, poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates obtained under different pH conditions, and arsenate-adsorbed on goethite. The poorly-crystalline scorodite (prepared at pH 4 with Fe/As = 1) has similar As local structure as that of crystalline scorodite. Both As and Femore » K-edge XAFS of poorly-crystalline scorodite yield consistent results on As-Fe (or Fe-As) shell. From As K-edge analysis the As-Fe shell has an inter-atomic distance of 3.33 ± 0.02 Å and coordination number of 3.2; while from Fe K-edge analysis the Fe-As distance and coordination number are 3.31 ± 0.02 Å and 3.8, respectively. These are in contrast with the typical arsenate adsorption on bidentate binuclear sites on goethite surfaces, where the As-Fe distance is 3.26 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number is close to 2. A similar local structure identified in the poorly-crystalline scorodite is also found in co-precipitation solids (Fe(III)/As(V) = 3) when precipitated at the same pH (pH = 4): As-Fe distance 3.30 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number 3.9; while at pH = 8 the co-precipitate has As-Fe distance of 3.27 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number about 2, resembling more closely the adsorption case. The As local structure in the two neutralized raffinate solid series (precipitated at pH values up to 7) closely resembles that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite. All of the raffinate solids have the same As-Fe inter-atomic distance as that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite, and a systematic decrease in the As-Fe coordination is observed when pH is progressively increased; the basic poorly-crystalline scorodite structural feature remains in the raffinate solid up to pH 7.« less

  12. Optimisation of the reaction conditions for the production of cross-linked starch with high resistant starch content.

    PubMed

    Kahraman, Kevser; Koksel, Hamit; Ng, Perry K W

    2015-05-01

    The optimum reaction conditions (temperature and pH) for the preparation of cross-linked (CL) corn and wheat starches with maximum resistant starch (RS) content were investigated by using response surface methodology (RSM). According to the preliminary results, five levels were selected for reaction temperature (38-70 °C) and pH (10-12) in the main study. RS contents of the CL corn and wheat starch samples increased with increasing temperature and pH, and pH had a greater influence on RS content than had temperature. The maximum RS content (with a maximum p value of 0.4%) was obtained in wheat starch cross-linked at 38 °C and pH 12. In the case of CL corn starch, the optimum condition was 70 °C and pH 12. CL corn and wheat starch samples were also produced separately under the optimum conditions and their RS contents were 80.4% and 83.9%, respectively. These results were also in agreement with the values predicted by RSM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Manufacture and application of RuO2 solid-state metal-oxide pH sensor to common beverages.

    PubMed

    Lonsdale, W; Wajrak, M; Alameh, K

    2018-04-01

    A new reproducible solid-state metal-oxide pH sensor for beverage quality monitoring is developed and characterised. The working electrode of the developed pH sensor is based on the use of laser-etched sputter-deposited RuO 2 on Al 2 O 3 substrate, modified with thin layers of sputter-deposited Ta 2 O 5 and drop-cast Nafion for minimisation of redox interference. The reference electrode is manufactured by further modifying a working electrode with a porous polyvinyl butyral layer loaded with fumed SiO 2 . The developed pH sensor shows excellent performance when applied to a selection of beverage samples, with a measured accuracy within 0.08 pH of a commercial glass pH sensor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Zinc fractionation in contaminated soils by sequential and single extractions: influence of soil properties and zinc content.

    PubMed

    Voegelin, Andreas; Tokpa, Gerome; Jacquat, Olivier; Barmettler, Kurt; Kretzschmar, Ruben

    2008-01-01

    We studied the fractionation of zinc (Zn) in 49 contaminated soils as influenced by Zn content and soil properties using a seven-step sequential extraction procedure (F1: NH4NO3; F2: NH4-acetate, pH 6; F3: NH3OHCl, pH 6; F4: NH4-EDTA, pH 4.6; F5: NH4-oxalate, pH 3; F6: NH4-oxalate/ascorbic acid, pH 3; F7: residual). The soils had developed from different geologic materials and covered a wide range in soil pH (4.0-7.3), organic C content (9.3-102 g kg(-1)), and clay content (38-451 g kg(-1)). Input of aqueous Zn with runoff water from electricity towers during 26 to 74 yr resulted in total soil Zn contents of 3.8 to 460 mmol kg(-1). In acidic soils (n = 24; pH <6.0), Zn was mainly found in the mobile fraction (F1) and the last two fractions (F6 and F7). In neutral soils (n = 25; pH > or =6.0), most Zn was extracted in the mobilizable fraction (F2) and the intermediate fractions (F4 and F5). The extractability of Zn increased with increasing Zn contamination of the soils. The sum of mobile (F1) and mobilizable (F2) Zn was independent of soil pH, the ratio of Zn in F1 over F1+F2 plotted against soil pH, exhibited the typical shape of a pH sorption edge and markedly increased from pH 6 to pH 5, reflecting the increasing lability of mobilizable Zn with decreasing soil pH. In conclusion, the extractability of Zn from soils contaminated with aqueous Zn after decades of aging under field conditions systematically varied with soil pH and Zn content. The same trends are expected to apply to aqueous Zn released from decomposing Zn-bearing contaminants, such as sewage sludge or smelter slag. The systematic trends in Zn fractionation with varying soil pH and Zn content indicate the paramount effect of these two factors on molecular scale Zn speciation. Further research is required to characterize the link between the fractionation and speciation of Zn and to determine how Zn loading and soil physicochemical properties affect Zn speciation in soils.

  15. Mapping of fluoride endemic areas and correlation studies of fluoride with other quality parameters of drinking water of Veppanapalli block of Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu.

    PubMed

    Karthikeyan, G; Sundarraj, A Shunmuga; Elango, K P

    2003-10-01

    193 drinking water samples from water sources of 27 panchayats of Veppanapalli block of Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu were analysed for chemical quality parameters. Based on the fluoride content of the water sources, fluoride maps differentiating regions with high / low fluoride levels were prepared using Isopleth mapping technique. The interdependence among the important chemical quality parameters were assessed using correlation studies. The experimental results of the application of linear and multiple regression equations on the influence of hardness, alkalinity, total dissolved solids and pH on fluoride are discussed.

  16. Itraconazole solid dispersion prepared by a supercritical fluid technique: preparation, in vitro characterization, and bioavailability in beagle dogs.

    PubMed

    Yin, Xuezhi; Daintree, Linda Sharon; Ding, Sheng; Ledger, Daniel Mark; Wang, Bing; Zhao, Wenwen; Qi, Jianping; Wu, Wei; Han, Jiansheng

    2015-01-01

    This research aimed to develop a supercritical fluid (SCF) technique for preparing a particulate form of itraconazole (ITZ) with good dissolution and bioavailability characteristics. The ITZ particulate solid dispersion was formulated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Pluronic F-127, and L-ascorbic acid. Aggregated particles showed porous structure when examined by scanning electron microscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated an interaction between ITZ and excipients and showed that ITZ existed in an amorphous state in the composite solid dispersion particles. The solid dispersion obtained by the SCF process improved the dissolution of ITZ in media of pH 1.0, pH 4.5, and pH 6.8, compared with a commercial product (Sporanox(®)), which could be ascribed to the porous aggregated particle shape and amorphous solid state of ITZ. While the solid dispersion did not show a statistical improvement (P=0.50) in terms of oral bioavailability of ITZ compared with Sporanox(®), the C max (the maximum plasma concentration of ITZ in a pharmacokinetic curve) of ITZ was raised significantly (P=0.03) after oral administration. Thus, the SCF process has been shown to be an efficient, single step process to form ITZ-containing solid dispersion particles with good dissolution and oral bioavailability characteristics.

  17. Effect of xylanase supplementation of cellulase on digestion of corn stover solids prepared by leading pretreatment technologies.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Rajeev; Wyman, Charles E

    2009-09-01

    Solids resulting from pretreatment of corn stover by ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), controlled pH, dilute acid, lime, and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) technologies were hydrolyzed by enzyme cocktails based on cellulase supplemented with beta-glucosidase at an activity ratio of 1:2, respectively, and augmented with up to 11.0 g xylanase protein/g cellulase protein for combined cellulase and beta-glucosidase mass loadings of 14.5 and 29.0 mg protein (about 7.5 and 15 FPU, respectively)/g of original potential glucose. It was found that glucose release increased nearly linearly with residual xylose removal by enzymes for all pretreatments despite substantial differences in their relative yields. The ratio of the fraction of glucan removed by enzymes to that for xylose was defined as leverage and correlated statistically at two combined cellulase and beta-glucosidase mass loadings with pretreatment type. However, no direct relationship was found between leverage and solid features following different pretreatments such as residual xylan or acetyl content. However, acetyl content not only affected how xylanase impacted cellulase action but also enhanced accessibility of cellulose and/or cellulase effectiveness, as determined by hydrolysis with purified CBHI (Cel7A). Statistical modeling showed that cellulose crystallinity, among the main substrate features, played a vital role in cellulase-xylanase interactions, and a mechanism is suggested to explain the incremental increase in glucose release with xylanase supplementation.

  18. Geochemical study of stream waters affected by mining activities in the SE Spain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia-Lorenzo, Maria Luz; Perez-Sirvent, Carmen; Martinez-Sanchez, Maria Jose; Bech, Jaime

    2015-04-01

    Water pollution by dissolved metals in mining areas has mainly been associated with the oxidation of sulphide-bearing minerals exposed to weathering conditions, resulting in low quality effluents of acidic pH and containing a high level of dissolved metals. According to transport process, three types of pollution could be established: a) Primary contamination, formed by residues placed close to the contamination sources; b) Secondary contamination, produced as a result of transport out of its production areas; c) Tertiary contamination. The aim of this work was to study trace element in water samples affected by mining activities and to apply the MINTEQ model for calculating aqueous geochemical equilibria. The studied area constituted an important mining centre for more than 2500 years, ceasing activity in 1991. The ore deposits of this zone have iron, lead and zinc as the main metal components. As a result, a lot of contaminations sources, formed by mining steriles, waste piles and foundry residues are present. For this study, 36 surficial water samples were collected after a rain episode in 4 different areas. In these samples, the trace element content was determined by by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (Fe and Zn), electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry (Pb and Cd), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (As) and ICP-MS for Al. MINTEQA2 is a geochemical equilibrium speciation model capable of computing equilibria among the dissolved, adsorbed, solid, and gas phases in an environmental setting and was applied to collected waters. Zone A: A5 is strongly influenced by tailing dumps and showed high trace element content. In addition, is influenced by the sea water and then showed high bromide, chloride, sodium and magnesium content, together with a basic pH. The MINTEQ model application suggested that Zn and Cd could precipitate as carbonate (hidrocincite, smithsonite and otavite). A9 also showed acid pH and high trace element content; is influenced by tailing dumps and also by waters from gully watercourses, transporting materials from Sierra Minera. The MINTEQ simulation showed that Pb and Ca could precipitate as sulphates (anglesite and gypsum). Waters affected by secondary contamination have been mixed with carbonate materials, present in the zone increasing the pH. Some elements have precipitated, such as Cu and Pb, while Cd, Zn and As are soluble. The MINTEQ model results showed that in A10 and A14, Al could precipitate as diaspore but also carbonates could be formed, particularly dolomite. These model in A12 sample showed that soluble Zn could precipitate as carbonate and Al as oxyhydroxide, similarly than in A13. A2 and A6 waters are affected by tertiary contamination and showed basic pH, soluble carbonates and lower trace element content. Only Zn, Cd and Al are present. The speciation model showed that in A2, Cd and Zn could precipitate as carbonates while Al as oxihydroxide. In A6, the model suggested that soluble Pb could precipitate as carbonate (hidrocerusite and cerusite) or as hydroxide; Al as diaspore, Ca as calcite and Fe as hematite. Zone B: All waters are strongly affected by mining activities and showed acid pH, high trace element content and high content of soluble sulphates. The MINTEQ results showed that in B8, Fe could precipitate as hydroxychloride and in B12 could form alunite. In B9, B10, B13 y B14, the model estimates the precipitation of anglesite, gypsum and Fe hydroxichloride (B9 and B10), diaspore in B13 and B14, and gypsum and Fe hydroxychloride in B13. All the sampling points collected in Zone C are affected by primary contamination, because there are a lot of tailing dumps. C1 showed high trace element content because is a reception point of a lot of tailing dumps. Water samples from C3 to C8 also had acid pH and high trace element content, particularly As, Zn and Cd. In addition, they showed high soluble sulphates. C2 water showed neutral pH, soluble carbonate and low trace element content because is influenced by a stabilised tailing dump. In all samples, except C2, the MINTEQ model showed that a lot of efflorescences could be formed, mainly sulphates. Zone D: All waters collected in this zone showed acid pH and high trace element content, mainly Zn, Cd and As. MINTEQ model results showed that elements could precipitate as jarosite but also anglesite in D8 and gypsum in D9, D11 and D12. D1 is affected by secondary contamination, which showed higher pH (still acid) and lower content in soluble salts and trace elements. The MINTEQ model suggested that Al could precipitate as diaspore, gibbsite and alunite. The applied model is an appropriate tool for the analysis of waters affected by mining activities. The obtained simulations confirm natural attenuation processes.

  19. High-solid Anaerobic Co-digestion of Sewage Sludge and Cattle Manure: The Effects of Volatile Solid Ratio and pH

    PubMed Central

    Dai, Xiaohu; Chen, Yang; Zhang, Dong; Yi, Jing

    2016-01-01

    High-solid anaerobic digestion is an attractive solution to the problem of sewage sludge disposal. One method that can be used to enhance the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and the generation of methane from anaerobic digestion involves combining an alkaline pretreatment step with the synergistic effects of sewage sludge and cattle manure co-digestion, which improves the activity of key enzymes and microorganisms in the anaerobic co-digestion system to promote the digestion of organic waste. In this study, we describe an efficient strategy that involves adjusting the volatile solid (VS) ratio (sewage sludge/cattle manure: 3/7) and initial pH (9.0) to improve VFA production and methane generation from the co-digestion of sludge and manure. The experimental results indicate that the maximum VFA production was 98.33 g/kg-TS (total solid) at the optimal conditions. Furthermore, methane generation in a long-term semi-continuously operated reactor (at a VS ratio of 3/7 and pH of 9.0) was greater than 120.0 L/kg-TS. PMID:27725704

  20. High-solid Anaerobic Co-digestion of Sewage Sludge and Cattle Manure: The Effects of Volatile Solid Ratio and pH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Xiaohu; Chen, Yang; Zhang, Dong; Yi, Jing

    2016-10-01

    High-solid anaerobic digestion is an attractive solution to the problem of sewage sludge disposal. One method that can be used to enhance the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and the generation of methane from anaerobic digestion involves combining an alkaline pretreatment step with the synergistic effects of sewage sludge and cattle manure co-digestion, which improves the activity of key enzymes and microorganisms in the anaerobic co-digestion system to promote the digestion of organic waste. In this study, we describe an efficient strategy that involves adjusting the volatile solid (VS) ratio (sewage sludge/cattle manure: 3/7) and initial pH (9.0) to improve VFA production and methane generation from the co-digestion of sludge and manure. The experimental results indicate that the maximum VFA production was 98.33 g/kg-TS (total solid) at the optimal conditions. Furthermore, methane generation in a long-term semi-continuously operated reactor (at a VS ratio of 3/7 and pH of 9.0) was greater than 120.0 L/kg-TS.

  1. Determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) content in samples of household-prepared meat dishes.

    PubMed

    Warzecha, L; Janoszka, B; Błaszczyk, U; Strózyk, M; Bodzek, D; Dobosz, C

    2004-03-25

    Aminoazaarene content was investigated in 10 meat samples (including pork, beef, turey and chicken) thermally processed at home according to common recipes used by residents of Upper Silesia region in Poland. The clean-up procedure included tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) using Extrelut-type columns filled with diatomaceous earth, propylsulphonic acid and chemically bounded phase-C18. Identification and quantitative analysis of HAs fraction was carried out using a HPLC system with DAD-type detector. Separation was achieved using TSK-gel ODS 80-TM column and a mixture of 5% acetonitrile and 95% triethylamine phosphate buffer (pH 3.3) as a mobile phase. The results of qualitative determinations were confirmed by GC-MS method. To achieve this, HAs fractions were derivatized to pentafluoropropionic acid (PFPA) amide derivatives. The summary content of five aminoazaarenes determined in investigated meat samples, i.e. 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) falls within the range of 1.9-77.4 ng/g of sample. The calculated values of theoretically daily human exposure to five determined HAs were in the range of 0.2-7.7 microg per day per person.

  2. Geochemical modeling of reactions and partitioning of trace metals and radionuclides during titration of contaminated acidic sediments.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Fan; Luo, Wensui; Parker, Jack C; Spalding, Brian P; Brooks, Scott C; Watson, David B; Jardine, Philip M; Gu, Baohua

    2008-11-01

    Many geochemical reactions that control aqueous metal concentrations are directly affected by solution pH. However, changes in solution pH are strongly buffered by various aqueous phase and solid phase precipitation/dissolution and adsorption/desorption reactions. The ability to predict acid-base behavior of the soil-solution system is thus critical to predict metal transport under variable pH conditions. This studywas undertaken to develop a practical generic geochemical modeling approach to predict aqueous and solid phase concentrations of metals and anions during conditions of acid or base additions. The method of Spalding and Spalding was utilized to model soil buffer capacity and pH-dependent cation exchange capacity by treating aquifer solids as a polyprotic acid. To simulate the dynamic and pH-dependent anion exchange capacity, the aquifer solids were simultaneously treated as a polyprotic base controlled by mineral precipitation/ dissolution reactions. An equilibrium reaction model that describes aqueous complexation, precipitation, sorption and soil buffering with pH-dependent ion exchange was developed using HydroGeoChem v5.0 (HGC5). Comparison of model results with experimental titration data of pH, Al, Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn, Ni, Co, and SO4(2-) for contaminated sediments indicated close agreement suggesting that the model could potentially be used to predictthe acid-base behavior of the sediment-solution system under variable pH conditions.

  3. Electrodialytic removal of nitrate from pineapple juice: effect on selected physicochemical properties, amino acids, and aroma components of the juice.

    PubMed

    Ackarabanpojoue, Yuwadee; Chindapan, Nathamol; Yoovidhya, Tipaporn; Devahastin, Sakamon

    2015-05-01

    This study aimed at investigating the effect of nitrate removal from pineapple juice by electrodialysis (ED) on selected properties of the ED-treated juice. Single-strength pineapple juice with reduced pulp content was treated by ED to reduce the nitrate concentration to 15, 10, or 5 ppm. After ED, the removed pulp was added to the ED-treated juice and its properties, including electrical conductivity, acidity, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), color, amino acids, and selected aroma compounds, were determined and compared with those of the untreated juice. ED could reduce the nitrate content of 1 L of pineapple juice from an initial value of 50 ppm to less than 5 ppm within 30 min. A significant decrease in the electrical conductivity, acidity, pH, TSS, and yellowness, but a significant increase in the lightness, of the juice was observed upon ED. Concentrations of almost all amino acids of the ED-treated juice significantly decreased. The concentrations of 8 major compound contributors to the pineapple aroma also significantly decreased. Adding the pulp back to the ED-treated juice increased the amino acids concentrations; however, it led to a significant decrease in the concentrations of the aroma compounds. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  4. Reduction of pollutants and disinfection of industrial wastewater by an integrated system of copper electrocoagulation and electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Barrera-Díaz, Carlos E; Frontana-Uribe, Bernardo A; Roa-Morales, Gabriela; Bilyeu, Bryan W

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of copper electrocoagulation and hydrogen peroxide on COD, color, turbidity, and bacterial activity in a mixed industry wastewater. The integrated system of copper electrocoagulation and hydrogen peroxide is effective at reducing the organic and bacterial content of industrial wastewater. The copper electrocoagulation alone reduces COD by 56% in 30 min at pH 2.8, but the combined system reduces COD by 78%, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) by 81%, and color by 97% under the same conditions. Colloidal particles are flocculated effectively, as shown by the reduction of zeta potential and the 84% reduction in turbidity and 99% reduction in total solids. Additionally, the total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and bacteria are all reduced by 99%. The integrated system is effective and practical for the reduction of both organic and bacterial content in industrial wastewater.

  5. Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) synthesis of Lactobacillus in fermentation of defatted rice bran extract

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dat, Lai Quoc; Ngan, Tran Thi Kim; Nu, Nguyen Thi Xuan

    2017-09-01

    This research focused on the synthesis of GABA by Lactobacillus bacteria in fermentation of defatted rice bran extract without adding glutamate. Two strains of Lactobacillus were investigated into capacity of GABA synthesis. Result indicates that, Lactobacillus brevis VTCC - B - 454 exhibited the higher capacity of GABA synthesis in fermentation of defatted rice bran extract than that of Lactobacillus plantarum VTCC - B - 890. Total dissolved solid (TDS), free amino acids (AA) and reducing sugar (RS) contents in fermentation of defatted rice bran extract with two strains also significantly decreased. At pH 5 and 9 %w/w of TDS content in defatted rice bran extract, Lactobacillus brevis VTCC - B - 454 accumulated 2,952 ppm of GABA in 24 hours of fermentation. The result implies that fermentation with Lactobacillus brevis VTCC - B - 454 can be applied for GABA production from defatted rice bran extract.

  6. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian honeys produced by Apis cerana, Apis dorsata and Apis mellifera

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian monofloral honey samples—acacia, pineapple and borneo honey—and compare them with tualang honey. Acacia and pineapple honey are produced by Apis mellifera bees while borneo and tualang honey are produced by Apis cerana and Apis dorsata bees, respectively. Methods The physical parameters of honey, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), color intensity, total sugar and apparent sucrose content, were measured. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was measured using high performance liquid chromatography, and a number of biochemical and antioxidant tests were performed to determine the antioxidant properties of the honey samples. Results Acacia honey was the most acidic (pH 3.53), whereas pineapple honey had the lowest moisture content (14.86%), indicating that both types of honey can resist microbial spoilage more effectively when compared to tualang honey (pH 3.80 and 17.53% moisture content). Acacia honey contained the highest EC (0.76 mS/cm), whereas borneo honey had the highest (377 ppm) TDS. The mean HMF content in Malaysian honey was 35.98 mg/kg. Tualang honey, which is amber color, had the highest color intensity (544.33 mAU). Acacia honey is the sweetest, and contained the highest concentration of total sugar, reducing sugar and apparent sucrose. Tualang honey had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds (352.73 ± 0.81 mg galic acid/kg), flavonoids (65.65 ± 0.74 mg catechin/kg), DPPH (59.89%), FRAP values (576.91 ± 0.64 μM Fe (II)/100 g) and protein content (4.83 ± 0.02 g/kg) as well as the lowest AEAC values (244.10 ± 5.24 mg/kg), indicating its strong antioxidant properties. Proline, an important amino acid that is present in honey was also measured in the present study and it was found at the highest concentration in pineapple honey. Several strong correlations were found among the biochemical and antioxidant parameters of all the Malaysian honeys. Conclusion Although Malaysian honeys are of good quality, tualang honey contains the strongest antioxidant properties by far. PMID:23433009

  7. Factors affecting variation of different measures of cheese yield and milk nutrient recovery from an individual model cheese-manufacturing process.

    PubMed

    Cipolat-Gotet, C; Cecchinato, A; De Marchi, M; Bittante, G

    2013-01-01

    Cheese yield (CY) is the most important technological trait of milk, because cheese-making uses a very high proportion of the milk produced worldwide. Few studies have been carried out at the level of individual milk-producing animals due to a scarcity of appropriate procedures for model-cheese production, the complexity of cheese-making, and the frequent use of the fat and protein (or casein) contents of milk as a proxy for cheese yield. Here, we report a high-throughput cheese manufacturing process that mimics all phases of cheese-making, uses 1.5-L samples of milk from individual animals, and allows the simultaneous processing of 15 samples per run. Milk samples were heated (35°C for 40 min), inoculated with starter culture (90 min), mixed with rennet (51.2 international milk-clotting units/L of milk), and recorded for gelation time. Curds were cut twice (10 and 15 min after gelation), separated from the whey, drained (for 30 min), pressed (3 times, 20 min each, with the wheel turned each time), salted in brine (for 60 min), weighed, and sampled. Whey was collected, weighed, and sampled. Milk, curd, and whey samples were analyzed for pH, total solids, fat content, and protein content, and energy content was estimated. Three measures of percentage cheese yield (%CY) were calculated: %CY(CURD), %CY(SOLIDS), and %CY(WATER), representing the ratios between the weight of fresh curd, the total solids of the curd, and the water content of the curd, respectively, and the weight of the milk processed. In addition, 3 measures of daily cheese yield (dCY, kg/d) were defined, considering the daily milk yield. Three measures of nutrient recovery (REC) were computed: REC(FAT), REC(PROTEIN), and REC(SOLIDS), which represented the ratio between the weights of the fat, protein, and total solids in the curd, respectively, and the corresponding components in the milk. Energy recovery, REC(ENERGY), represented the energy content of the cheese compared with that in the milk. This procedure was used to process individual milk samples obtained from 1,167 Brown Swiss cows reared in 85 herds of the province of Trento (Italy). The assessed traits exhibited almost normal distributions, with the exception of REC(FAT). The average values (± SD) were as follows: %CY(CURD)=14.97±1.86, %CY(SOLIDS)=7.18±0.92, %CY(WATER)=7.77±1.27, dCY(CURD)=3.63±1.17, dCY(SOLIDS)=1.74±0.57, dCY(WATER)=1.88±0.63, REC(FAT)=89.79±3.55, REC(PROTEIN)=78.08±2.43, REC(SOLIDS)=51.88±3.52, and REC(ENERGY)=67.19±3.29. All traits were highly influenced by herd-test-date and days in milk of the cow, moderately influenced by parity, and weakly influenced by the utilized vat. Both %CY(CURD) and dCY(CURD) depended not only on the fat and protein (casein) contents of the milk, but also on their proportions retained in the curd; the water trapped in curd presented an higher variability than that of %CY(SOLIDS). All REC traits were variable and affected by days in milk and parity of the cows. The described model cheese-making procedure and the results obtained provided new insight into the phenotypic variation of cheese yield and recovery traits at the individual level. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Milk processed by pulsed electric fields: evaluation of microbial quality, physicochemical characteristics, and selected nutrients at different storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Bermúdez-Aguirre, Daniela; Fernández, Sulmer; Esquivel, Heracleo; Dunne, Patrick C; Barbosa-Cánovas, Gustavo V

    2011-01-01

    Pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology was used to pasteurize raw milk under selected treatments. Processing conditions were: temperature 20, 30, and 40 °C, electric field 30.76 to 53.84 kV/cm, and pulse numbers 12, 24, and 30 for skim milk (SM), and 12, 21, and 30 for whole milk (WM) (2 μs pulse width, monopolar). Physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, density, color, solids nonfat [SNF]) and composition (protein and fat content) were measured after processing. Shelf life of SM and WM was assessed after processing at 46.15 kV/cm, combined with temperature (20 to 60 °C) and 30 pulses. Mesophilic and psychrophilic loads and pH were evaluated during storage at 4 and 21 °C. Results showed minor variations in physicochemical properties after processing. There was an interesting trend in SM in SNF, which decreased as treatment became stronger; similar behavior was observed for fat and protein, showing a 0.18% and 0.17% decrease, respectively, under the strongest conditions. Protein and fat content decreased in WM samples treated at 40 °C, showing a decrease in protein (0.11%), and an even higher decrease in fat content. During storage, PEF-treated milk samples showed higher stability at 4 °C with minor variations in pH; after 33 d, pH was higher than 6. However samples at 21 °C showed faster spoilage and pH dropped to 4 after 5 d. Growth of mesophilic bacteria was delayed in both milks after PEF processing, showing a 6- and 7-log cycles for SM and WM, respectively, after day 25 (4 °C); however, psychrophilic bacteria grew faster in both cases. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology in the pasteurization of liquid food products has shown positive results. Processing times can be reduced considerably, which in turn reduces the loss of nutrients and offers important savings in energy. PEF has been used successfully to pasteurize some liquid foods, but it is still not used commercially in milk pasteurization, although several trials have shown the positive effects of PEF milk pasteurization, which could allow for its future use at the industrial level. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

  9. Effect of pH on dissociation of casein micelles in yak skim milk.

    PubMed

    Yang, M; Zhang, G D; Yang, J T; Sun, D; Wen, P C; Zhang, W B

    2018-04-01

    The dissociation of yak casein (CN) micelles was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, particle size, fluorescence properties, and soluble mineral and CN molecule content at pH 4.6 to 8.2. The results showed that the size of CN micelles remained constant with decreasing pH from 8.2 to 5.8 but sharply increased at pH ≤5.4. Casein micelles began to aggregate at pH 5.4, and the serum magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese levels had their minimum values at this pH level. During acidification, colloidal calcium phosphate dramatically disassociated from yak CN micelles, but the soluble CN monomer content decreased slightly. During alkalization, the soluble calcium and phosphorus content decreased below pH 6.8 but increased with pH increases from 6.8 to 8.2. However, the soluble CN content increased markedly during alkalization. The emission wavelength of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid sodium salt fluorescence decreased during both acidification and alkalization from pH 6.6, whereas the opposite was found for intrinsic fluorescence. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Conversion of spent mushroom substrate to biofertilizer using a stress-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing Pichia farinose FL7.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Hong-Ji; Sun, Li-Fan; Zhang, Yan-Fei; Zhang, Xiao-Li; Qiao, Jian-Jun

    2012-05-01

    To develop high-efficient biofertilizer, an environmental stress-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing microorganism (PSM) was isolated from agricultural wastes compost, and then applied to spent mushroom substrate (SMS). The isolate FL7 was identified as Pichia farinose with resistance against multiple environmental stresses, including 5-45°C temperature, 3-10 pH range, 0-23% (w/v) NaCl and 0-6M ammonium ion. Under the optimized cultivation condition, 852.8 mg/l total organic acids can be produced and pH can be reduced to 3.8 after 60 h, meanwhile, the soluble phosphate content reached 816.16 mg/l. The P. farinose was used to convert SMS to a phosphate biofertilizer through a semi-solid fermentation (SSF) process. After fermentation of 10 days, cell density can be increased to 5.6 × 10(8)CFU/g in biomass and pH in this medium can be decreased to 4.0. SMS biofertilizer produced by P. farinose significantly improved the growth of soybean in pot experiments, demonstrating a tremendous potential in agricultural application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated fungi in solid waste medium

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

    Zahra, Sahebnazar; Abbas, Shojaosadati Seyed, E-mail: sa_shoja@modares.ac.i; Mahsa, Mohammad-Taheri

    In this study, biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated landfill-source fungi was evaluated in a controlled solid waste medium. The fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium solani, were isolated from samples taken from an aerobic aged municipal landfill in Tehran. These fungi could degrade LDPE via the formation of a biofilm in a submerged medium. In the sterilized solid waste medium, LPDE films were buried for 100 days in a 1-L flask containing 400 g sterile solid waste raw materials at 28 deg. C. Each fungus was added to a separate flask. The moisture content and pHmore » of the media were maintained at the optimal levels for each fungus. Photo-oxidation (25 days under UV-irradiation) was used as a pretreatment of the LDPE samples. The progress of the process was monitored by measurement of total organic carbon (TOC), pH, temperature and moisture. The results obtained from monitoring the process using isolated fungi under sterile conditions indicate that these fungi are able to grow in solid waste medium. The results of FT-IR and SEM analyses show that A. terreus and A. fumigatus, despite the availability of other organic carbon of materials, could utilize LDPE as carbon source. While there has been much research in the field of LDPE biodegradation under solid conditions, this is the first report of degradation of LDPE by A. fumigatus.« less

  12. Application of a thiourea-containing task-specific ionic liquid for the solid-phase extraction cleanup of lead ions from red lipstick, pine leaves, and water samples.

    PubMed

    Saljooqi, Asma; Shamspur, Tayebeh; Mohamadi, Maryam; Mostafavi, Ali

    2014-07-01

    Here, task-specific ionic liquid solid-phase extraction is proposed for the first time. In this approach, a thiourea-functionalized ionic liquid is immobilized on the solid sorbent, multiwalled carbon nanotubes. These modified nanotubes packed into a solid-phase extraction column are used for the selective extraction and preconcentration of ultra-trace amounts of lead(II) from aqueous samples prior to electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy determination. The thiourea functional groups act as chelating agents for lead ions retaining them and so, give the selectivity to the sorbent. Elution of the retained ions can be performed using an acidic thiourea solution. The effects of experimental parameters including pH of the aqueous solution, type and amount of eluent, and the flow rates of sample and eluent solutions on the separation efficiency are investigated. The linear dependence of absorbance of lead on its concentration in the initial solution is in the range of 0.5-40.0 ng/mL with the detection limit of 0.13 ng/mL (3(Sb)/m, n = 10). The proposed method is applicable to the analysis of red lipstick, pine leaves, and water samples for their lead contents. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Personal hygiene among military personnel: developing and testing a self-administered scale.

    PubMed

    Saffari, Mohsen; Koenig, Harold G; Pakpour, Amir H; Sanaeinasab, Hormoz; Jahan, Hojat Rshidi; Sehlo, Mohammad Gamal

    2014-03-01

    Good personal hygiene (PH) behavior is recommended to prevent contagious diseases, and members of military forces may be at high risk for contracting contagious diseases. The aim of this study was to develop and test a new questionnaire on PH for soldiers. Participants were all male and from different military settings throughout Iran. Using a five-stage guideline, a panel of experts in the Persian language (Farsi) developed a 21-item self-administered questionnaire. Face and content validity of the first-draft items were assessed. The questionnaire was then translated and subsequently back-translated into English, and both the Farsi and English versions were tested in pilot studies. The consistency and stability of the questionnaire were tested using Cronbach's alpha and the test-retest strategy. The final scale was administered to a sample of 502 military personnel. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses evaluated the structure of the scale. Both the convergent and discriminative validity of the scale were also determined. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were >0.85. Principal component analysis demonstrated a uni-dimensional structure that explained 59 % of the variance in PH behaviors. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.902; comparative fitness index = 0.923; root mean square error of approximation = 0.0085). The results show that this new PH scale has solid psychometric properties for testing PH behaviors among an Iranian sample of military personnel. We conclude that this scale can be a useful tool for assessing PH behaviors in military personnel. Further research is needed to determine the scale's value in other countries and cultures.

  14. Energy properties of solid fossil fuels and solid biofuels

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

    Holubcik, Michal, E-mail: michal.holubcik@fstroj.uniza.sk; Jandacka, Jozef, E-mail: jozef.jandacka@fstroj.uniza.sk; Kolkova, Zuzana, E-mail: zuzana.kolkova@rc.uniza.sk

    The paper deals about the problematic of energy properties of solid biofuels in comparison with solid fossil fuels. Biofuels are alternative to fossil fuels and their properties are very similar. During the experiments were done in detail experiments to obtain various properties of spruce wood pellets and wheat straw pellets like biofuels in comparison with brown coal and black coal like fossil fuels. There were tested moisture content, volatile content, fixed carbon content, ash content, elementary analysis (C, H, N, S content) and ash fusion temperatures. The results show that biofuels have some advantages and also disadvantages in comparison withmore » solid fossil fuels.« less

  15. Application of visible/near infrared spectroscopy to quality control of fresh fruits and vegetables in large-scale mass distribution channels: a preliminary test on carrots and tomatoes.

    PubMed

    Beghi, Roberto; Giovenzana, Valentina; Tugnolo, Alessio; Guidetti, Riccardo

    2018-05-01

    The market for fruits and vegetables is mainly controlled by the mass distribution channel (MDC). MDC buyers do not have useful instruments to rapidly evaluate the quality of the products. Decisions by the buyers are driven primarily by pricing strategies rather than product quality. Simple, rapid and easy-to-use methods for objectively evaluating the quality of postharvest products are needed. The present study aimed to use visible and near-infrared (vis/NIR) spectroscopy to estimate some qualitative parameters of two low-price products (carrots and tomatoes) of various brands, as well as evaluate the applicability of this technique for use in stores. A non-destructive optical system (vis/NIR spectrophotometer with a reflection probe, spectral range 450-1650 nm) was tested. The differences in quality among carrots and tomatoes purchased from 13 stores on various dates were examined. The reference quality parameters (firmness, water content, soluble solids content, pH and colour) were correlated with the spectral readings. The models derived from the optical data gave positive results, in particular for the prediction of the soluble solids content and the colour, with better results for tomatoes than for carrots. The application of optical techniques may help MDC buyers to monitor the quality of postharvest products, leading to an effective optimization of the entire supply chain. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Managing soil nutrients with compost in organic farms of East Georgia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghambashidze, Giorgi

    2013-04-01

    Soil Fertility management in organic farming relies on a long-term integrated approach rather than the more short-term very targeted solutions common in conventional agriculture. Increasing soil organic matter content through the addition of organic amendments has proven to be a valuable practice for maintaining or restoring soil quality. Organic agriculture relies greatly on building soil organic matter with compost typically replacing inorganic fertilizers and animal manure as the fertility source of choice. In Georgia, more and more attention is paid to the development of organic farming, occupying less than 1% of total agricultural land of the country. Due to increased interest towards organic production the question about soil amendments is arising with special focus on organic fertilizers as basic nutrient supply sources under organic management practice. In the frame of current research two different types of compost was prepared and their nutritional value was studied. The one was prepared from organic fraction municipal solid waste and another one using fruit processing residues. In addition to main nutritional properties both composts were tested on heavy metals content, as one of the main quality parameter. The results have shown that concentration of main nutrient is higher in municipal solid waste compost, but it contains also more heavy metals, which is not allowed in organic farming system. Fruit processing residue compost also has lower pH value and is lower in total salt content being is more acceptable for soil in lowlands of East Georgia, mainly characterised by alkaline reaction. .

  17. 40 CFR 421.144 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Antimony 30.150 13.440 Arsenic 21.720 9.687 Mercury 2.344 0.937 Total suspended solids 234.400 187.500 pH... Arsenic 21.720 9.687 Mercury 2.344 0.937 Total suspended solids 234.400 187.500 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the... per million pounds) of antimony metal produced by electrowinning Antimony 60.310 26.870 Arsenic 43.430...

  18. The construction and operation of a low-cost poultry waste digester.

    PubMed

    Steinsberger, S C; Shih, J C

    1984-05-01

    A simple and low-cost poultry waste digester (PWD) was constructed to treat the waste from 4000 caged laying hens on University Research Unit No. 2 at North Carolina State University. The system was built basically of a plastic lining with insulation, a heating system, a hot-water tank, and other metering equipment. It was operated at 50 degrees C and pH 7.5-8.0. The initiation of methane production was achieved using the indigenous microflora in the poultry waste. At an optimal loading rate (7.5 kg volatile solids/m(3) day), the PWD produced biogas (55% methane) at a rate of 4.0 m(3)/m(3) day. The PWD was biologically stable and able to tolerate temporary overloads and shutdowns. A higher loading rate failed to maintain a high gas production rate and caused drops in methane content and pH value. Under optimal conditions, a positive energy balance was demonstrated with a net surplus of 50.6% of the gross energy. For methane production, the PWD system was proved to be technically feasible. The simple design and inexpensive materials used for this model could significantly reduce the cost of digestion compared to more conventional systems. More studies are needed to determine the durability, the required maintenance of the system, and the most economical method of biogas and solid residue utilization.

  19. Phosphated Cellulose as an Efficient Biomaterial for Aqueous Drug Ranitidine Removal

    PubMed Central

    Bezerra, Roosevelt D. S.; Silva, Márcia M. F.; Morais, Alan I. S.; Osajima, Josy A.; Santos, Maria R. M. C.; Airoldi, Claudio; Silva Filho, Edson C.

    2014-01-01

    Crystalline cellulose chemically modified through a reaction with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) in an acidic or basic condition yielded Cel-P4 and Cel-P10. These phosphated solids were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at the solid state for phosphorus nucleus and dispersive X-ray energy. The elemental results demonstrated that the phosphorylation reaction was more efficient in the basic medium, as supported by the amount of phosphorous content. The synthesized biomaterials decreased in crystallinity in comparison to the precursor cellulose, with an increase in roughness and present two distinct phosphorus environments in the formed structure. The phosphated cellulose in an alkaline condition was applied to sorb the drug ranitidine. This process was applied in varying pH, time, temperature and concentration. The best sorption kinetic model to fit the experimental data was the pseudo-second-order with a coefficient correlation of 0.8976, and the Langmuir isotherm model was the most adjusted to the variation in concentration. The efficient drug sorption has a low dependence on temperature, with maximum values of 85.0, 82.0 mg and 85.7 mg·g−1 for Cel-P10 at 298, 308 and 318 K, respectively. The best sorption occurred at pH = 6 with a saturation time of 210 min. PMID:28788283

  20. Restoration of acidic mine spoils with sewage sludge: II measurement of solids applied

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

    Stucky, D.J.; Zoeller, A.L.

    1980-01-01

    Sewage sludge was incorporated in acidic strip mine spoils at rates equivalent to 0, 224, 336, and 448 dry metric tons (dmt)/ha and placed in pots in a greenhouse. Spoil parameters were determined 48 hours after sludge incorporation, Time Planting (P), and five months after orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) was planted, Time Harvest (H), in the pots. Parameters measured were: pH, organic matter content (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC) and yield. Values for each parameter were significantly different at the two sampling times. Correlation coefficient values were calculated for all parameters versus rates of applied sewage sludgemore » and all parameters versus each other. Multiple regressions were performed, stepwise, for all parameters versus rates of applied sewage sludge. Equations to predict amounts of sewage sludge incorporated in spoils were derived for individual and multiple parameters. Generally, measurements made at Time P achieved the highest correlation coefficient and multiple correlation coefficient values; therefore, the authors concluded data from Time P had the greatest predictability value. The most important value measured to predict rate of applied sewage sludge was pH and some additional accuracy was obtained by including CEC in equation. This experiment indicated that soil properties can be used to estimate amounts of sewage sludge solids required to reclaim acidic mine spoils and to estimate quantities incorporated.« less

  1. Enzymatic hydrolysis of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-pretreated newspaper for cellulosic ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis.

    PubMed

    Xin, Fengxue; Geng, Anli; Chen, Ming Li; Gum, Ming Jun Marcus

    2010-10-01

    Fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysate of waste newspaper was investigated for cellulosic ethanol production in this study. Various nonionic and ionic surfactants were applied for waste newspaper pretreatment to increase the enzymatic digestibility. The surfactant-pretreated newspaper was enzymatically digested in 0.05 M sodium citrate buffer (pH 4.8) with varying solid content, filter paper unit loading (FPU/g newspaper), and ratio of filter paper unit/beta-glucosidase unit (FPU/CBU). Newspaper pretreated with the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) demonstrated the highest sugar yield. The addition of Tween-80 in the enzymatic hydrolysis process enhanced the enzymatic digestibility of newspaper pretreated with all of the surfactants. Enzymatic hydrolysis of SDS-pretreated newspaper with 15% solid content, 15 FPU/g newspaper, and FPU/CBU of 1:4 resulted in a newspaper hydrolysate conditioning 29.07 g/L glucose and 4.08 g/L xylose after 72 h of incubation at 50 degrees C. The fermentation of the enzymatic hydrolysate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia stipitis, and their co-culture produced 14.29, 13.45, and 14.03 g/L of ethanol, respectively. Their corresponding ethanol yields were 0.43, 0.41, and 0.42 g/g.

  2. [Super sweet corn hybrid sh2 adaptability for industrial canning process].

    PubMed

    Ortiz de Bertorelli, Ligia; De Venanzi, Frank; Alfonzo, Braunnier; Camacho, Candelario

    2002-12-01

    The super sweet corns Krispy king, Victor and 324 (sh2 hybrids) were evaluated to determine their adaptabilities to the industrial canning process as whole kernels. All these hybrids and Bonanza (control) were sown in San Joaquín (Carabobo, Venezuela), harvested and canned. After 110 days storage at room temperature they were analyzed to be compared physically, chemically and sensorially with Bonanza hybrid. Results did not show significant differences among most of the physical characteristics, except for percentage of broken kernels which was higher in 324 hybrid. Chemical parameters showed significant differences (P < 0.05) comparing each super sweet hybrid with Bonanza. The super sweet hybrids presented a higher sugar content and soluble solid of the brine than Bonanza, also a lower pH. The super sweet whole kernel presented a lower soluble solids content than Bonanza but they were not significant (Krispy king and 324). Appearance, odor and overall quality were the same for super sweet hybrids and Bonanza (su). Color, flavor and sweetness were better for 324 than all the other hybrids. Super sweet hybrids presented a very good adaptation to the canning process, having as an advantage that doesn't require sugar addition in the brine and a very good texture (firm and crispy).

  3. Synthesis and characterization of hydrogel films of carboxymethyl tamarind gum using citric acid.

    PubMed

    Mali, Kailas K; Dhawale, Shashikant C; Dias, Remeth J

    2017-12-01

    The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize citric acid crosslinked carboxymethyl tamarind gum (CMTG) hydrogels films. The hydrogel films were characterized by Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, solid state 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The prepared hydrogel films were evaluated for the carboxyl content and swelling ratio. The model drug moxifloxacin hydrochloride was loaded into hydrogels films and drug release was studied at pH 7.4. The hemolysis assay was used to study the biocompatibility of hydrogel films. The results of ATR-FTIR, solid state 13 C NMR and DSC confirmed the formation of ester crosslinks between citric acid and CMTG. The total carboxyl content of hydrogel film was found to be decreased when amount of CMTG was increased. The swelling of hydrogel film was found to be decreased with increase in curing temperature and time. CMTG hydrogel films showed high drug loading with non-Fickian release mechanism suggesting controlled release of drug. The hydrogel films were found to be biocompatible. It can be concluded that the citric acid can be used for the preparation of CMTG hydrogel films. Further, CMTG hydrogel film can be used potentially for controlled release of drug. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of methods of preparation on distribution of heavy metals in different size fractions of municipal solid waste composts.

    PubMed

    Saha, J K; Panwar, N R; Coumar, M Vassanda

    2013-11-01

    The present study compares the distribution and nature of heavy metals in composts from 12 cities of India, prepared from different types of processed urban solid wastes, namely mixed wastes (MWC), partially segregated wastes (PSWC), and segregated bio-wastes (BWC). Compost samples were physically fractionated by wet sieving, followed by extraction of heavy metals by dilute HCl and NaOH. Bigger particles (>0.5 mm) constituted the major fraction in all three types of composts and had a relatively lower concentration of organic matter and heavy metals, the effect being more pronounced in MWC and PSWC in which a significant portion of the heavy metals was distributed in finer size fractions. Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were extracted to a greater extent by acid than by alkali, the difference being greater in MWC, which contained a higher amount of mineral matter. In contrast, Cu and Cr were extracted to a greater extent by dilute alkali, particularly from BWC containing a higher amount of organic matter. Water-soluble heavy metals were generally related to the water-soluble C or total C content as well as to pH, rather than to their total contents. This study concludes that wet sieving with dilute acid can effectively reduce heavy metal load in MWC and PSWC.

  5. Investigation of antimicrobial activity and statistical optimization of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant production in solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Ghribi, Dhouha; Abdelkefi-Mesrati, Lobna; Mnif, Ines; Kammoun, Radhouan; Ayadi, Imen; Saadaoui, Imen; Maktouf, Sameh; Chaabouni-Ellouze, Semia

    2012-01-01

    During the last years, several applications of biosurfactants with medical purposes have been reported. Biosurfactants are considered relevant molecules for applications in combating many diseases. However, their use is currently extremely limited due to their high cost in relation to that of chemical surfactants. Use of inexpensive substrates can drastically decrease its production cost. Here, twelve solid substrates were screened for the production of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant and the maximum yield was found with millet. A Plackett-Burman design was then used to evaluate the effects of five variables (temperature, moisture, initial pH, inoculum age, and inoculum size). Statistical analyses showed that temperature, inoculum age, and moisture content had significantly positive effect on SPB1 biosurfactant production. Their values were further optimized using a central composite design and a response surface methodology. The optimal conditions of temperature, inoculum age, and moisture content obtained under the conditions of study were 37°C, 14 h, and 88%, respectively. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of this compound was carried out against 11 bacteria and 8 fungi. The results demonstrated that this biosurfactant exhibited an important antimicrobial activity against microorganisms with multidrug-resistant profiles. Its activity was very effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumonia, and so forth.

  6. Characterization of pH-sensitive hydrogels by conductimetry and calorimetry

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

    Sheppard, N.F. Jr.; Chen, Jey-Hsin; Lawson, H.C.

    1993-12-31

    The total and freezing water contents, and electrical conductivity of pH-sensitive hydrogels formed from poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate - co - dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) were measured as a function of copolymer composition and pH. For an 80/20 HEMA/DMAEMA gel (mole ratio), the water content increases from 37% at pH 10 of the bathing solution value at pH 10 to 90% at low pH. The difference between total and freezing water content in the gels is approximately 25%, consistent with values reported in the literature. An examination of the results in the context of the Yasuda free- volume model suggests that freezing water content,more » rather than total water content, may be suitable for modelling of hydrogel conductivity.« less

  7. Evaluation of physicochemical and antioxidant properties of sourwood and other Malaysian honeys: a comparison with manuka honey.

    PubMed

    Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah; Khalil, Md Ibrahim; Gan, Siew Hua

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physical, biochemical and antioxidant properties of four Malaysian monofloral types of honey (gelam, longan, rubber tree and sourwood honeys) compared to manuka honey. Several physical parameters of honey, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), color intensity, total sugar and sucrose content, were measured. A number of biochemical and antioxidant tests were performed to determine the antioxidant properties of the honey samples. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) levels were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The mean pH, moisture content, EC and TDS of Malaysian honey were 3.90 ± 0.12, 17.01 ± 3.07%, 0.59 ± 0.17 mS/cm and 294.87 ± 81.96 ppm, respectively. The mean color and HMF level was 102.07 ± 41.77 mm Pfund and 49.51 ± 0.12 mg/kg, respectively. Sourwood honey contained the highest contents of phenolics (580.03 ± 0.38 mggalic acid/kg) and flavonoids (156.82 ± 0.47 mgcatechin/kg) with high DPPH radical scavenging activity (59.26 ± 3.77%) as well as ferric reducing power [648.25 ± 0.90 μM Fe (II)/100 g]. Sourwood honey also exhibited the highest color intensity. Several strong positive correlations were observed amongst the different antioxidant parameters and the various antioxidant tests. This is the first time that the antioxidant potential of both sourwood and rubber tree honeys have been reported. Our results indicated that Malaysian honey (specifically sourwood honey and longan honey) is a good source of antioxidants compared to Manuka honey.

  8. Phenolic contents, antioxidant and anticholinesterase potentials of crude extract, subsequent fractions and crude saponins from Polygonum hydropiper L

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background We investigated Polygonum hydropiper L. (P. hydropiper) for phenolic contents, antioxidant, anticholinesterase activities, in an attempt to rationalize its use in neurological disorders. Methods Plant crude extract (Ph.Cr), its subsequent fractions: n-hexane (Ph.Hex), chloroform (Ph.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ph.EtAc), n-Butanol (Ph.Bt), aqueous (Ph.Aq) and saponins (Ph.Sp) were evaluated for 1,1-diphenyl,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging potential. Further, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) & butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities were performed using Ellman's assay. Moreover, total phenolic contents of plant extracts were determined and expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry sample (mg GAE/g dry weight). Results Among different fractions, Ph.Cr (90.82), Ph.Chf (178.16), Ph.EtAc (203.44) and Ph.Bt (153.61) exhibited high phenolic contents. All fractions showed concentration dependent DPPH scavenging activity, with Ph.EtAc 71.33% (IC50 15 μg/ml), Ph.Bt 71.40% (IC50 3 μg/ml) and Ph.Sp 71.40% (IC50 35 μg/ml) were most potent. The plant extracts exhibited high ABTS scavenging ability i.e. Ph.Bt (91.03%), Ph.EtAc (90.56%), Ph.Sp (90.84%), Ph.Aq (90.56%) with IC50 < 0.01 μg/ml. All fractions showed moderate to high AChE inhibitory activity as; Ph.Cr, 86.87% (IC50 330 μg/ml), Ph.Hex, 87.49% (IC50 35 μg/ml), Ph.Chf, 84.76% (IC50 55 μg/ml), Ph.Sp, 87.58% (IC50 108 μg/ml) and Ph.EtAc 79.95% (IC50 310 μg/ml) at 1 mg/ml). Furthermore the BChE inhibitory activity was most prominent in Ph.Hex 90.30% (IC50 40 μg/ml), Ph.Chf 85.94% (IC50 215 μg/ml), Ph.Aq 87.62% (IC50 3 μg/ml) and Ph.EtAc 81.01% (IC50 395 μg/ml) fractions. Conclusions In this study, for the first time, we determined phenolic contents, isolated crude saponins, investigated antioxidant and anticholinestrase potential of P. hydropiper extracts. The results indicate that P. hydropiper is enriched with potent bioactive compounds and warrant further investigation by isolation and structural elucidation to find novel and affordable compounds for the treatment of various neurological disorders. PMID:24884823

  9. Phenolic contents, antioxidant and anticholinesterase potentials of crude extract, subsequent fractions and crude saponins from Polygonum hydropiper L.

    PubMed

    Ayaz, Muhammad; Junaid, Muhammad; Ahmed, Jawad; Ullah, Farhat; Sadiq, Abdul; Ahmad, Sajjad; Imran, Muhammad

    2014-05-03

    We investigated Polygonum hydropiper L. (P. hydropiper) for phenolic contents, antioxidant, anticholinesterase activities, in an attempt to rationalize its use in neurological disorders. Plant crude extract (Ph.Cr), its subsequent fractions: n-hexane (Ph.Hex), chloroform (Ph.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ph.EtAc), n-Butanol (Ph.Bt), aqueous (Ph.Aq) and saponins (Ph.Sp) were evaluated for 1,1-diphenyl,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging potential. Further, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) & butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities were performed using Ellman's assay. Moreover, total phenolic contents of plant extracts were determined and expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry sample (mg GAE/g dry weight). Among different fractions, Ph.Cr (90.82), Ph.Chf (178.16), Ph.EtAc (203.44) and Ph.Bt (153.61) exhibited high phenolic contents. All fractions showed concentration dependent DPPH scavenging activity, with Ph.EtAc 71.33% (IC50 15 μg/ml), Ph.Bt 71.40% (IC50 3 μg/ml) and Ph.Sp 71.40% (IC50 35 μg/ml) were most potent. The plant extracts exhibited high ABTS scavenging ability i.e. Ph.Bt (91.03%), Ph.EtAc (90.56%), Ph.Sp (90.84%), Ph.Aq (90.56%) with IC50<0.01 μg/ml. All fractions showed moderate to high AChE inhibitory activity as; Ph.Cr, 86.87% (IC50 330 μg/ml), Ph.Hex, 87.49% (IC50 35 μg/ml), Ph.Chf, 84.76% (IC50 55 μg/ml), Ph.Sp, 87.58% (IC50 108 μg/ml) and Ph.EtAc 79.95% (IC50 310 μg/ml) at 1 mg/ml). Furthermore the BChE inhibitory activity was most prominent in Ph.Hex 90.30% (IC50 40 μg/ml), Ph.Chf 85.94% (IC50 215 μg/ml), Ph.Aq 87.62% (IC50 3 μg/ml) and Ph.EtAc 81.01% (IC50 395 μg/ml) fractions. In this study, for the first time, we determined phenolic contents, isolated crude saponins, investigated antioxidant and anticholinestrase potential of P. hydropiper extracts. The results indicate that P. hydropiper is enriched with potent bioactive compounds and warrant further investigation by isolation and structural elucidation to find novel and affordable compounds for the treatment of various neurological disorders.

  10. Metal/Metal Oxide Differential Electrode pH Sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    West, William; Buehler, Martin; Keymeulen, Didier

    2007-01-01

    Solid-state electrochemical sensors for measuring the degrees of acidity or alkalinity (in terms of pH values) of liquid solutions are being developed. These sensors are intended to supplant older electrochemical pH sensors that include glass electrode structures and reference solutions. The older sensors are fragile and subject to drift. The present developmental solid-state sensors are more rugged and are expected to be usable in harsh environments. The present sensors are based on a differential-electrode measurement principle. Each sensor includes two electrodes, made of different materials, in equilibrium with the solution of interest.

  11. Carbon-Based Solid-State Calcium Ion-Selective Microelectrode and Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy: A Quantitative Study of pH-Dependent Release of Calcium Ions from Bioactive Glass.

    PubMed

    Ummadi, Jyothir Ganesh; Downs, Corey J; Joshi, Vrushali S; Ferracane, Jack L; Koley, Dipankar

    2016-03-15

    Solid-state ion-selective electrodes are used as scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) probes because of their inherent fast response time and ease of miniaturization. In this study, we report the development of a solid-state, low-poly(vinyl chloride), carbon-based calcium ion-selective microelectrode (Ca(2+)-ISME), 25 μm in diameter, capable of performing an amperometric approach curve and serving as a potentiometric sensor. The Ca(2+)-ISME has a broad linear response range of 5 μM to 200 mM with a near Nernstian slope of 28 mV/log[a(Ca(2+))]. The calculated detection limit for Ca(2+)-ISME is 1 μM. The selectivity coefficients of this Ca(2+)-ISME are log K(Ca(2+),A) = -5.88, -5.54, and -6.31 for Mg(2+), Na(+), and K(+), respectively. We used this new type of Ca(2+)-ISME as an SECM probe to quantitatively map the chemical microenvironment produced by a model substrate, bioactive glass (BAG). In acidic conditions (pH 4.5), BAG was found to increase the calcium ion concentration from 0.7 mM ([Ca(2+)] in artificial saliva) to 1.4 mM at 20 μm above the surface. In addition, a solid-state dual SECM pH probe was used to correlate the release of calcium ions with the change in local pH. Three-dimensional pH and calcium ion distribution mapping were also obtained by using these solid-state probes. The quantitative mapping of pH and Ca(2+) above the BAG elucidates the effectiveness of BAG in neutralizing and releasing calcium ions in acidic conditions.

  12. [Effects of thiourea on pH and availability of metal ions in acid red soil].

    PubMed

    Yang, Bo; Wang, Wen; Zeng, Qing-Ru; Zhou, Xi-Hong

    2014-03-01

    Through the simulation research, the effects of application of thiourea and urea on pH and availability of metal ions in acid red soil were studied, and the results showed that after applying urea, the soil pH increased in the first experimental stage and then reduced gradually to a low level, however, decreased trends of soil pH values were inhibited by the application of thiourea, especially when the concentration of thiourea reached to 5.0 mmol x kg(-1) dry soil, the soil pH was stable at high level, which exceeded to 6.0. It proved that the application of thiourea could inhibit the soil acidification due to urea application. After applying urea with different concentrations of thiourea, the available contents of Zn and Al decreased with the increasing concentration of thiourea, nevertheless, when the concentration of thiourea reached to 5.0 mmol x kg(-1), the available content of Mn was stable at high level which was over 110 mg x kg(-1). In addition, the results showed a highly significant negative correlation between the soil pH and the available content of Cu, Zn and Al, but for Mn, no discipline was found between the soil pH and the availability after applying thiourea. Moreover, the soil pH became higher after applying urea with thiourea compared to add urea only, which led to the decreasing of available content of Al, and it was benefited for the control of the phytotoxic effect of Al. The available content of Mn in the soil not only depended on soil pH but also the content of thiourea due to its redox and complexing reaction with Mn.

  13. Effects of Mo Content on Microstructure and Mechanical Property of PH13-8Mo Martensitic Precipitation-Hardened Stainless Steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yubing, Pei; Tianjian, Wang; Zhenhuan, Gao; Hua, Fan; Gongxian, Yang

    This paper introduces the effects of Mo content on microstructure and mechanical property of PH13-8Mo martensitic precipitation-hardened stainless steel which is used for LP last stage blade in steam turbine. Thermodynamic software Thermo-Calc has been used to calculate precipitation temperature and the mass fraction of precipitated phases in PH13-8Mo steel with different Mo content. The result shows that when the mass of Mo is below 0.6wt.%, chi-phase mu-phase and sigma-phase could disappear. The microstructure and mechanical property of high Mo PH13-8Mo (Mo=0.57wt.%) and low Mo PH13-8Mo (Mo=2.15wt.%)have been investigated in different heat treatments. The investigations reveal that austenitizing temperature decrease with the reduce of Mo content, so the optimum solution temperature for low Mo PH13-8Mo is lower than that for high Mo PH13-8Mo.The influence of solution temperature on grain size is weakened with the increase of Mo content, Mo rich carbides could retard coarsening of grain. An enormous amount of nano-size uniformly distributed β-NiAl particles are found in both kinds of steels using transmission electron microscopy, they are the most important strengthening phase in PH13-8Mo.

  14. Evolution of temperature and chemical parameters during composting of the pig slurry solid fraction amended with natural zeolite.

    PubMed

    Venglovsky, J; Sasakova, N; Vargova, M; Pacajova, Z; Placha, I; Petrovsky, M; Harichova, D

    2005-01-01

    A 3-month experiment was conducted at a 300 kg scale to observe decomposition processes in pig slurry solids amended with two different doses of natural Slovak zeolite-clinoptilolite (substrates S1 and S2, 1% and 2% of zeolite by weight, respectively) in comparison with the control (unamended solids). The experimental and control substrates were stored outdoors in sheltered static piles at ambient temperatures ranging from 8.0 to 34.7 degrees C. The solid fraction (SF) of pig slurry was obtained by separation on vibration sieves prior to slurry treatment with activated sludge. The initial water content of the SF was 77.1% and no water was added to the piles during the storage. The temperature in the core of the piles was recorded throughout the experiment. By day 3 and 5 of storage (1% and 2% zeolite, resp.), the temperature in the substrates S1 and S2 exceeded 55 degrees C and remained above this level for 15 days while the highest temperature recorded in the control during the experiment was 29.8 degrees C. Samples from the core of the piles were taken periodically to determine pH, dry matter at 105 degrees C (DM), ash (550 degrees C/4 h), ammonia nitrogen (N-NH(4)(+)), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO(3)(-)), total nitrogen (N(t)), total phosphorus (P(t)); total organic carbon (TOC) was computed. The results showed that pH levels in S1 and S2 remained below that in the control for most of the thermophilic stage. This may be related to water-soluble ammonia and the affinity of zeolites to ammonium ions. A significant decrease in the level of ammonia nitrogen in water extracts from S1 and S2 was observed between days 5 and 35 in comparison with the control. The values of ash also differed and corresponded to the intensity of the decomposition processes in the respective substrates.

  15. Accuracy of the evaluation method for alkaline agents’ bactericidal efficacies in solid, and the required time of bacterial inactivation

    PubMed Central

    HAKIM, Hakimullah; TOYOFUKU, Chiharu; OTA, Mari; SUZUKI, Mayuko; KOMURA, Miyuki; YAMADA, Masashi; ALAM, Md. Shahin; SANGSRIRATANAKUL, Natthanan; SHOHAM, Dany; TAKEHARA, Kazuaki

    2016-01-01

    An alkaline agent, namely food additive grade calcium hydroxide (FdCa (OH)2) in the powder form, was evaluated for its bactericidal efficacies in chicken feces at pH 13. The point for this evaluation was neutralization of the alkaline agent’s pH at the time of bacterial recovery, since otherwise the results are substantially misleading. Without neutralization of the FdCa (OH)2 pH, the spiked bacteria were killed within min at the time of recovery in aqueous phase, but not in the solid form in feces, hence, it has been demonstrated that when bacteria were in solid, it took longer time than in liquid for the alkaline agent to inactivate them down to the acceptable level (≥3 log10 CFU/ml). PMID:27890906

  16. Management and characteristics of recycled manure solids used for bedding in Midwest freestall dairy herds.

    PubMed

    Husfeldt, A W; Endres, M I; Salfer, J A; Janni, K A

    2012-04-01

    Interest in using recycled manure solids (RMS) as a bedding material for dairy cows has grown in the US Midwest. Cost of common bedding materials has increased in recent years and availability has decreased. Information regarding the composition of RMS and its use as a bedding material for dairy cows in the Midwest is very limited. The objectives of this study were to characterize RMS as a bedding material, observe bedding management practices, document methods of obtaining RMS, and describe housing facilities. We visited 38 Midwest dairy operations bedding freestalls with RMS to collect data. Methods of obtaining RMS for bedding included separation of anaerobic digested manure, separation of raw manure, and separation of raw manure followed by mechanical drum-composting for 18 to 24 h. Average bedding moisture of unused RMS was 72.4% with a pH of 9.16. Unused samples contained (on a dry basis) 1.4% N, 44.9% C, 32.7C:N ratio, 0.44% P, 0.70% K, 76.5% neutral detergent fiber, 9.4% ash, 4.4% nonfiber carbohydrates, and 1.1% fat. Moisture was lowest for drum-composted solids before and after use as freestall bedding. After use in the stalls, digested solids had lower neutral detergent fiber content (70.5%) than drum-composted (75.0%) and separated raw (73.1%) solids. Total N content was greater in digested solids (2.0%) than in separated raw (1.7%) solids. Total bacterial populations in unused bedding were greatest in separated raw manure solids but were similar between digested and drum-composted manure solids. Drum-composted manure solids had no coliform bacteria before use as freestall bedding. After use as bedding, digested manure solids had lower total bacteria counts compared with drum-composted and separated raw manure solids, which had similar counts. Used bedding samples of digested solids contained fewer environmental streptococci than drum-composted and separated raw solids and had reduced Bacillus counts compared with separated raw solids. Coliform counts were similar for all 3 bedding sources. Addition of a mechanical blower post-separation and use of a shelter for storage were associated with reduced fresh-bedding moisture but not associated with bacterial counts. This was the first survey of herds using RMS for bedding in the Midwest. We learned that RMS was being used successfully as a source of bedding for dairy cows. For most farms in the study, somatic cell count was comparable to the average in the region and not excessively high. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Geochemical Modeling of Reactions and Partitioning of Trace Metals and Radionuclides during Titration of Contaminated Acidic Sediments

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

    Zhang, Fan; Parker, Jack C.; Luo, Wensui

    2008-01-01

    Many geochemical reactions that control aqueous metal concentrations are directly affected by solution pH. However, changes in solution pH are strongly buffered by various aqueous phase and solid phase precipitation/dissolution and adsorption/desorption reactions. The ability to predict acid-base behavior of the soil-solution system is thus critical to predict metal transport under variable pH conditions. This study was undertaken to develop a practical generic geochemical modeling approach to predict aqueous and solid phase concentrations of metals and anions during conditions of acid or base additions. The method of Spalding and Spalding was utilized to model soil buffer capacity and pH-dependent cationmore » exchange capacity by treating aquifer solids as a polyprotic acid. To simulate the dynamic and pH-dependent anion exchange capacity, the aquifer solids were simultaneously treated as a polyprotic base controlled by mineral precipitation/dissolution reactions. An equilibrium reaction model that describes aqueous complexation, precipitation, sorption and soil buffering with pH-dependent ion exchange was developed using HydroGeoChem v5.0 (HGC5). Comparison of model results with experimental titration data of pH, Al, Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn, Ni, Co, and SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} for contaminated sediments indicated close agreement, suggesting that the model could potentially be used to predict the acid-base behavior of the sediment-solution system under variable pH conditions.« less

  18. Effect of phosphogypsum on growth, physiology, and the antioxidative defense system in sunflower seedlings.

    PubMed

    Elloumi, Nada; Zouari, Mohamed; Chaari, Leila; Abdallah, Ferjani Ben; Woodward, Steve; Kallel, Monem

    2015-10-01

    Phosphogypsum (PG) is the solid waste product of phosphate fertilizer production and is characterized by high concentrations of salts, heavy metals, and certain natural radionuclides. The work reported in this paper examined the influence of PG amendment on soil physicochemical proprieties, along with its potential impact on several physiological traits of sunflower seedlings grown under controlled conditions. Sunflower seedlings were grown on agricultural soil substrates amended with PG at rates of 0, 2.5, and 5 %. The pH of the soil decreased but electrical conductivity and organic matter, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and heavy metal contents increased in proportion to PG concentration. In contrast, no variations were observed in magnesium content and small increases were recorded in potassium content. The effects of PG on sunflower growth, leaf chlorophyll content, nutritional status, osmotic regulator content, heavy metal accumulation, and antioxidative enzymes were investigated. Concentrations of trace elements in sunflower seedlings grown in PG-amended soil were considerably lower than ranges considered phytotoxic for vascular plants. The 5 % PG dose inhibited shoot extension and accumulation of biomass and caused a decline in total protein content. However, chlorophyll, lipid peroxidation, proline and sugar contents, and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase increased. Collectively, these results strongly support the hypothesis that enzymatic antioxidation capacity is an important mechanism in tolerance of PG salinity in sunflower seedlings.

  19. Postharvest conservation of the tuberous roots of Pachyrhizus Ahipa (Wedd) Parodi.

    PubMed

    Mussury, Rosilda M; Scalon, Silvana P Q; Silva, Magaiver A; Silva, Tatiane F; Gomes, Hellen; Gassi, Rosimeire

    2013-01-01

    This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of storage periods on the conservation of Pachyrhizus ahipa roots at different temperatures and packaging materials. The roots were harvested, washed, packed in PVC, plastic bags, without wrappings (control) and stored in polystyrene trays in refrigerators, or cold chambers, or at room temperature. Total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, as well as their ash, lipid, total carbohydrate and protein (dry basis) contents were analyzed. The lowest loss of root fresh weight was observed in the cold chamber and plastic bags. The TTA remained higher among roots stored in the cold chamber and in PVC packaging. The lowest TSS contents were observed for roots stored in the cold chamber, and these did not vary among the packing materials. The average carbohydrate content percentage for all treatments was 84.9%. The percentage of lipids was highest in roots stored at room temperature while protein and ash contents were highest in roots under refrigeration. The best storage conditions for roots are plastic bags packaging in a cold chamber, with the roots retaining appropriate quality for commercialization for up to 30 days.

  20. Understanding the spatial formation and accumulation of fats, oils and grease deposits in the sewer collection system.

    PubMed

    Dominic, Christopher Cyril Sandeep; Szakasits, Megan; Dean, Lisa O; Ducoste, Joel J

    2013-01-01

    Sanitary sewer overflows are caused by the accumulation of insoluble calcium salts of fatty acids, which are formed by the reaction between fats, oils and grease (FOG) and calcium found in wastewaters. Different sewer structural configurations (i.e., manholes, pipes, wet wells), which vary spatially, along with other obstructions (roots intrusion) and pipe deformations (pipe sags), may influence the detrimental buildup of FOG deposits. The purpose of this study was to quantify the spatial variation in FOG deposit formation and accumulation in a pilot-scale sewer collection system. The pilot system contained straight pipes, manholes, roots intrusion, and a pipe sag. Calcium and oil were injected into the system and operated at alkaline (pH = 10) and neutral (pH = 7) pH conditions. Results showed that solid accumulations were slightly higher at neutral pH. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis on the solids samples confirmed that the solids were indeed calcium-based fatty acid salts. However, the fatty acid profiles of the solids deviated from the profile found from FOG deposits in sewer systems, which were primarily saturated fatty acids. These results confirm the work done previously by researchers and suggest an alternative fate of unsaturated fatty acids that does not lead to their incorporation in FOG deposits in full-scale sewer systems.

  1. Effect of Humic Acid on the Removal of Chromium(VI) and the Production of Solids in Iron Electrocoagulation.

    PubMed

    Pan, Chao; Troyer, Lyndsay D; Liao, Peng; Catalano, Jeffrey G; Li, Wenlu; Giammar, Daniel E

    2017-06-06

    Iron-based electrocoagulation can be highly effective for Cr(VI) removal from water supplies. However, the presence of humic acid (HA) inhibited the rate of Cr(VI) removal in electrocoagulation, with the greatest decreases in Cr(VI) removal rate at higher pH. This inhibition was probably due to the formation of Fe(II) complexes with HA that are more rapidly oxidized than uncomplexed Fe(II) by dissolved oxygen, making less Fe(II) available for reduction of Cr(VI). Close association of Fe(III), Cr(III), and HA in the solid products formed during electrocoagulation influenced the fate of both Cr(III) and HA. At pH 8, the solid products were colloids (1-200 nm) with Cr(III) and HA concentrations in the filtered fraction being quite high, while at pH 6 these concentrations were low due to aggregation of small particles. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy indicated that the iron oxides produced were a mixture of lepidocrocite and ferrihydrite, with the proportion of ferrihydrite increasing in the presence of HA. Cr(VI) was completely reduced to Cr(III) in electrocoagulation, and the coordination environment of the Cr(III) in the solids was similar regardless of the humic acid loading, pH, and dissolved oxygen level.

  2. Modelling the Solid Waste Flow into Sungai Ikan Landfill Sites by Material Flow Analysis Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghani, Latifah A.; Ali, Nora'aini; Hassan, Nur Syafiqah A.

    2017-12-01

    The purpose of this paper is to model the material flow of solid waste flows at Kuala Terengganu by using Material Flow Analysis (MFA) method, generated by STAN Software Analysis. Sungai Ikan Landfill has been operated for about 10 years. Average, Sungai Ikan Landfill receive an amount around 260 tons per day of solid waste. As for the variety source of the solid waste coming from, leachates that accumulated has been tested and measured. Highest reading of pH of the leachate is 8.29 which is still in the standard level before discharging the leachate to open water which pH in between 8.0-9.0. The percentages of the solid waste has been calculated and seven different types of solid waste has been segregated. That is, plastics, organic waste, paper, polystyrene, wood, fabric and can. The estimation of the solid waste that will be end as a residue are around 244 tons per day.

  3. Application and evaluation of scale dissolver treatments

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

    Fielder, G.D.

    1994-12-31

    In order to provide an improved basis for the design of barium sulfate scale dissolver treatments both laboratory testing and monitoring of field applications were carried out. The deleterious effects of mixing produced water with dissolver prior to contacting scale are shown. Increasing total dissolved solids (TDS) levels can reduce dissolution depending upon temperature. Precomplexation with divalent cations reduces the capacity of the dissolver to solubilize solid scales. Magnesium may adversely affect dissolver performance at elevated temperatures. Several oil and gas wells were closely monitored during initial flowback after treatment. Samples were collected on a frequent basis and analyzed formore » pH, dissolver content, chlorides and various cations. The resulting data were used to construct flowback profiles for evaluation of the treatments. Evidence of scale dissolution is presented. The presence of an incompatible flush brine was discovered in one case and possible reverse order of addition of preflush and dissolver in another. The importance of establishing and following treatment procedures is briefly discussed.« less

  4. Quality comparison of hydroponic tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) ripened on and off vine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arias, R.; Lee, T. C.; Specca, D.; Janes, H.

    2000-01-01

    There is a general belief that the quality of tomatoes ripened on vine is better than tomatoes ripened off the vine, influencing among other parameters, the price of this commodity. We compared the quality of hydroponic tomatoes ripened on and off vine by chemical, physical, and sensory evaluation to find what attributes are affected and to what extent. Lycopene, beta-carotene, total and soluble solids, moisture content, ascorbic acid, acidity, pH, texture, and color were analyzed. Tomatoes ripened on vine had significantly more lycopene, beta-carotene, soluble and total solids, higher a* and lower L*, and were firmer. However, a 100-judge panel rated only the color and overall liking of the vine-ripened tomatoes as more intense than the fruit ripened off vine. Therefore, the chemical and physical differences were mostly not large enough to influence the panelist's perception. The characterization of tomatoes ripened on and off vine may help to guide post-harvest handling and treatment and to improve the quality of tomatoes ripened off vine.

  5. Potential of tin (IV) chloride for treatment in Alor Pongsu as stabilized landfill leachate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zainal, Sharifah Farah Fariza Syed; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul

    2017-10-01

    Leachate production from landfilling contributes crucial pollutants to the environment. This study examined the potential of tin (IV) chloride as coagulant that involved charge neutralization and sweep flocculation mechanisms. The negative charge of leachate is neutralized by adding tin (IV) chloride as cationic coagulant which resulted precipitation and swept most of the colloids and dissolved solids that entrapped in the settling as hydrous oxide floc. Parameters such as suspended solid (SS) content, color, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were analyzed using standard jar test procedures. The best condition was observed at pH 8, with removal efficiencies of 75.99 %, 99.29 % and 98.36 % for COD, SS, and color, respectively. At optimum dosage, tin (IV) chloride successfully removed 98.40 % for color, 99.54 % for SS and 71.53 % for COD. These results indicated the satisfactory performance of tin (IV) chloride. Hence, tin (IV) chloride is a potential coagulant for the treatment of Alor Pongsu Landfill leachate.

  6. Determination of Lactones in Wines by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Pérez-Olivero, S. J.; Pérez-Pont, M. L.; Conde, J. E.; Pérez-Trujillo, J. P.

    2014-01-01

    Application of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with high-resolution gas chromatographic (HRGC) analysis was studied for determining lactones in wines. Six different SPME fibers were tested, and the influence of different factors such as temperature and time of desorption, ionic strength, time of extraction, content of sugar, ethanol, tannins and anthocyanins, and pH and influence of SO2 were studied. The proposed HS-SPME-GC method is an appropriate technique for the quantitative analysis of γ-butyrolactone, γ-hexalactone, trans-whiskey lactone, γ-octalactone, cis-whiskey lactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-decalactone, δ-decalactone, and γ-undecalactone in wines. Method reproducibility and repeatability ranged between 0.6 and 5.2% for all compounds. Detection limit for γ-butyrolactone was 0.17 mg/L and a few μg/L for the rest of the compounds. The optimized method has been applied to several wine samples. PMID:24782943

  7. Characterization and open windrow composting of MSW in Jodhpur City, Rajasthan, India.

    PubMed

    Ambade, Bhushan; Sharma, Sunil; Sharma, Yukti; Sharma, Yagya

    2013-07-01

    Solid waste is sometimes not suitable for direct land application. Processing solid waste through composting converts it to a humus-containing organic material advantageous for agriculture/horticulture use. Major advantages of composting are stabilization of the wastes; substantially reduced C/N ratio and gas formation, and virtually elimination of odors and pathogens. Composting is accomplished under aerobic conditions developing temperatures of 55 degrees C or above. The windrow technique is simple and accomplished easily with standard equipments. The open windrow composting of municipal solid waste (MSW) in windrows was analyzed in this study for six weeks. The raw MSW was introduced to active composting without any source segregations. The moisture content of the MSW dropped from 58.88% to 48.06% and windrow attained a thermophillic temperature for about two weeks. It was observed that the pH, C/N ratio and temperature variations were comparable to that of traditional windrow composting. The peak temperature recorded was 68 degrees C and temperature remained above 60 degrees C for more than three weeks. The volume reduction was obtained by using one-cu.m. cage. The results indicate that the bulk composting could reduce by about 29% the total mass of the waste.

  8. Effects of pretreatments on anthocyanin composition, phenolics contents and antioxidant capacities during fermentation of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) drink.

    PubMed

    Liu, Suwen; Chang, Xuedong; Liu, Xiufeng; Shen, Zhanwei

    2016-12-01

    The effect of microwave and heat pretreatment on the content and composition of anthocyanins, phenolics, and the antioxidant capacity of hawthorn drink were studied. Nine anthocyanins were isolated by chromatographic separation from the Zirou hawthorn source and their structure identified using HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis. Heat and microwave pretreatments had a significant impact on the relative contents of hawthorn anthocyanins, such as cyanidin-3-galactoside (82.9% and 76.9%, respectively) and cyanidin-3-glucoside (9.2% and 11.5%, respectively). Pretreatment had no significant effect on pH, total soluble solid or total acid. More anthocyanins remained after heat treatment than after microwaving (0.745mg/100mL), and were 52.4% higher than the control group after storage for 7days. The colour density of the heat treated group was higher than the control group (24.5%) after 12days of fermentation. The main antioxidant capacities of the hawthorn drinks came from total polyphenolics rather than total anthocyanins or total flavonoids. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Comparative study of the physicochemical, nutritional, and antioxidant properties of some commercial refined and non-centrifugal sugars.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jong Suk; Ramalingam, Srinivasan; Jo, Il Guk; Kwon, Ye Som; Bahuguna, Ashutosh; Oh, Young Sook; Kwon, O-Jun; Kim, Myunghee

    2018-07-01

    Three refined and four unrefined branded commercial sugars available in Korea were investigated in terms of pH, soluble solids, moisture, ash content, turbidity, color values, microbial profile, reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activities, cellular antioxidant activity, and total phytoconstituent (i.e. phenolic, flavonoid, mineral, sucrose, glucose, and fructose) contents using standard analytical protocols such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-flame ionization detector/mass spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. All tested physicochemical parameters were within the recommended standard levels. Significantly high nutritional and antioxidant properties were observed for the unrefined sugars, especially AUNO® sugar, whereas a high sucrose content was detected for the refined sugars. Hence, this study revealed that the degree of purification affects the nutritional values and antioxidant potentials of sugars. The present findings also indicate that unrefined sugars can be used as sweeteners in sugar-based cuisine to obtain nutritional and antioxidant-rich foodstuff. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Ethanol extraction of phytosterols from corn fiber

    DOEpatents

    Abbas, Charles; Beery, Kyle E.; Binder, Thomas P.; Rammelsberg, Anne M.

    2010-11-16

    The present invention provides a process for extracting sterols from a high solids, thermochemically hydrolyzed corn fiber using ethanol as the extractant. The process includes obtaining a corn fiber slurry having a moisture content from about 20 weight percent to about 50 weight percent solids (high solids content), thermochemically processing the corn fiber slurry having high solids content of 20 to 50% to produce a hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry, dewatering the hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry to achieve a residual corn fiber having a moisture content from about 30 to 80 weight percent solids, washing the residual corn fiber, dewatering the washed, hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry to achieve a residual corn fiber having a moisture content from about 30 to 80 weight percent solids, and extracting the residual corn fiber with ethanol and separating at least one sterol.

  11. Kinetic study of treatment of wastewater contains food preservative agent by anaerobic baffled reactor : An overview

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

    Sumantri, Indro; Purwanto,; Budiyono

    The characteristic of wastewater of food industries with preservative substances is high content of organic substances, degradable and high total suspended solid. High organic content in this waste forced the treatment is biologically and pointed out to anaerobic treatment. Anaerobic showed the better performance of degradation than aerobic for high content organic and also for toxic materials. During that day the treatment of food wastewater is aerobically which is high consume of energy required and high volume of sludge produced. The advantage of anaerobic is save high energy, less product of sludge, less requirement of nutrients of microorganism and highmore » efficiency reduction of organic load. The high efficiency of reduction will reduce the load of further treatment, so that, the threshold limit based on the regulation would be easy to achieve. Research of treatment of wastewater of food industries would be utilized by both big scale industries and small industries using addition of preservative substances. The type reactor of anaerobic process is anaerobic baffled reactor that will give better contact between wastewater and microorganism in the sludge. The variables conducted in this research are the baffled configuration, sludge height, preservative agent contents, hydralic retention time and influence of micro nutrients. The respons of this research are the COD effluent, remaining preservative agent, pH, formation of volatile fatty acid and total suspended solid. The result of this research is kinetic model of the anaerobic baffled reactor, reaction kinetic of preservative agent degradation and technology of treatment wastewater contains preservative agent. The benefit of this research is to solve the treatment of wastewater of food industries with preservative substance in order to achieve wastewater limit regulation and also to prevent the environmental deterioration.« less

  12. Physical and chemical characterization of waste wood derived biochars.

    PubMed

    Yargicoglu, Erin N; Sadasivam, Bala Yamini; Reddy, Krishna R; Spokas, Kurt

    2015-02-01

    Biochar, a solid byproduct generated during waste biomass pyrolysis or gasification in the absence (or near-absence) of oxygen, has recently garnered interest for both agricultural and environmental management purposes owing to its unique physicochemical properties. Favorable properties of biochar include its high surface area and porosity, and ability to adsorb a variety of compounds, including nutrients, organic contaminants, and some gases. Physical and chemical properties of biochars are dictated by the feedstock and production processes (pyrolysis or gasification temperature, conversion technology and pre- and post-treatment processes, if any), which vary widely across commercially produced biochars. In this study, several commercially available biochars derived from waste wood are characterized for physical and chemical properties that can signify their relevant environmental applications. Parameters characterized include: physical properties (particle size distribution, specific gravity, density, porosity, surface area), hydraulic properties (hydraulic conductivity and water holding capacity), and chemical and electrochemical properties (organic matter and organic carbon contents, pH, oxidation-reduction potential and electrical conductivity, zeta potential, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen (CHN) elemental composition, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and leachable PAHs and heavy metals). A wide range of fixed carbon (0-47.8%), volatile matter (28-74.1%), and ash contents (1.5-65.7%) were observed among tested biochars. A high variability in surface area (0.1-155.1g/m(2)) and PAH and heavy metal contents of the solid phase among commercially available biochars was also observed (0.7-83 mg kg(-1)), underscoring the importance of pre-screening biochars prior to application. Production conditions appear to dictate PAH content--with the highest PAHs observed in biochar produced via fast pyrolysis and lowest among the gasification-produced biochars. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of initial moisture content and chip size on the bioconversion efficiency of softwood lignocellulosics.

    PubMed

    Cullis, Ian F; Saddler, John N; Mansfield, Shawn D

    2004-02-20

    Previous optimization strategies for the bioconversion of lignocellulosics by steam explosion technologies have focused on the effects of temperature, pH, and treatment time, but have not accounted for changes in severity brought about by properties inherent in the starting feedstock. Consequently, this study evaluated the effects of chip properties, feedstock size (40-mesh, 1.5 x 1.5 cm, 5 x 5 cm), and moisture content (12% and 30%) on the overall bioconversion process, and more specifically on the efficacy of removal of recalcitrant lignin from the lignocellulosic substrates following steam explosion. Increasing chip size resulted in an improvement in the solids recovery, with concurrent increases in the water soluble, hemicellulose-derived sugar recovery (7.5%). This increased recovery is a result of a decrease in the "relative severity" of the pretreatment as chip size increases. Additionally, the decreased relative severity minimized the condensation of the recalcitrant residual lignin and therefore increased the efficacy of peroxide fractionation, where a 60% improvement in lignin removal was possible with chips of larger initial size. Similarly, increased initial moisture content reduced the relative severity of the pretreatment, generating improved solids and hemicellulose-derived carbohydrate recovery. Both increased chip size and higher initial moisture content results in a substrate that performs better during peroxide delignification, and consequently enzymatic hydrolysis. Furthermore, a post steam-explosion refining step increased hemicellulose-derived sugar recovery and was most effectively delignified (to as low as 6.5%). The refined substrate could be enzymatically hydrolyzed to very high levels (98%) and relatively fast rates (1.23 g/L/h). Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Kinetic study of treatment of wastewater contains food preservative agent by anaerobic baffled reactor : An overview

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sumantri, Indro; Purwanto, Budiyono

    2015-12-01

    The characteristic of wastewater of food industries with preservative substances is high content of organic substances, degradable and high total suspended solid. High organic content in this waste forced the treatment is biologically and pointed out to anaerobic treatment. Anaerobic showed the better performance of degradation than aerobic for high content organic and also for toxic materials. During that day the treatment of food wastewater is aerobically which is high consume of energy required and high volume of sludge produced. The advantage of anaerobic is save high energy, less product of sludge, less requirement of nutrients of microorganism and high efficiency reduction of organic load. The high efficiency of reduction will reduce the load of further treatment, so that, the threshold limit based on the regulation would be easy to achieve. Research of treatment of wastewater of food industries would be utilized by both big scale industries and small industries using addition of preservative substances. The type reactor of anaerobic process is anaerobic baffled reactor that will give better contact between wastewater and microorganism in the sludge. The variables conducted in this research are the baffled configuration, sludge height, preservative agent contents, hydralic retention time and influence of micro nutrients. The respons of this research are the COD effluent, remaining preservative agent, pH, formation of volatile fatty acid and total suspended solid. The result of this research is kinetic model of the anaerobic baffled reactor, reaction kinetic of preservative agent degradation and technology of treatment wastewater contains preservative agent. The benefit of this research is to solve the treatment of wastewater of food industries with preservative substance in order to achieve wastewater limit regulation and also to prevent the environmental deterioration.

  15. Application of indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from municipal wastewater to selectively bioleach phosphorus from high-phosphorus iron ore: effect of particle size.

    PubMed

    Shen, Shaobo; Rao, Ruirui; Wang, Jincao

    2013-01-01

    The effects of ore particle size on selectively bioleaching phosphorus (P) from high-phosphorus iron ore were studied. The average contents of P and Fe in the iron ore were 1.06 and 47.90% (w/w), respectively. The particle sizes of the ores used ranged from 58 to 3350 microm. It was found that the indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from municipal wastewater could grow well in the slurries of solid high-phosphorus iron ore and municipal wastewater. The minimum bioleaching pH reached for the current work was 0.33. The P content in bioleached iron ore reduced slightly with decreasing particle size, while the removal percentage of Fe decreased appreciably with decreasing particle size. The optimal particle size fraction was 58-75 microm, because the P content in bioleached iron ore reached a minimum of 0.16% (w/w), the removal percentage of P attained a maximum of 86.7%, while the removal percentage of Fe dropped to a minimum of 1.3% and the Fe content in bioleached iron ore was a maximum of 56.4% (w/w) in this case. The iron ores thus obtained were suitable to be used in the iron-making process. The removal percentage of ore solid decreased with decreasing particle size at particle size range of 106-3350 microm. The possible reasons resulting in above phenomena were explored in the current work. It was inferred that the particle sizes of the iron ore used in this work have no significant effect on the viability of the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.

  16. [Effects of root-knot nematodes on cucumber leaf N and P contents, soil pH, and soil enzyme activities].

    PubMed

    Xu, Hua; Ruan, Wei-Bin; Gao, Yu-Bao; Song, Xiao-Yan; Wei, Yu-Kun

    2010-08-01

    A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of inoculation with root-knot nematodes on the cucumber leaf N and P contents, and the rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soil pH and enzyme activities. The rhizospheric soil pH didn't have a significant decrease until the inoculation rate reached 6000 eggs per plant. With the increase of inoculation rate, the leaf N and P contents, rhizospheric soil peroxidase activity, and rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soil polyphenol oxidase activity all decreased gradually, rhizospheric soil catalase activity was in adverse, non-rhizospheric soil pH decreased after an initial increase, and non-rhizospheric soil catalase activity had no regular change. After inoculation, rhizospheric soil urease activity decreased significantly, but rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soil phosphatase activity and non-rhizospheric soil peroxidase activity only had a significant decrease under high inoculation rate. In most cases, there existed significant correlations between rhizospheric soil pH, enzyme activities, and leaf N and P contents; and in some cases, there existed significant correlations between non-rhizospheric soil pH, enzyme activities, and leaf N and P contents.

  17. Carotenoids from new apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) varieties and their relationship with flesh and skin color.

    PubMed

    Ruiz, David; Egea, José; Tomás-Barberán, Francisco A; Gil, María I

    2005-08-10

    Thirty-seven apricot varieties, including four new releases (Rojo Pasión, Murciana, Selene, and Dorada) obtained from different crosses between apricot varieties and three traditional Spanish cultivars (Currot, Mauricio, and Búlida), were separated according to flesh color into four groups. The L*, a*, b*, hue angle, and chroma color measurements on the skin and flesh as well as other quality indices including flesh firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and pH were plotted against the total carotenoid content measured by HPLC. Among the 37 apricot varieties, the total carotenoid content ranged from 1,512 to 16,500 microg 100 g(-1) of edible portion, with beta-carotene as the main pigment followed by beta-cryptoxanthin and gamma-carotene. The wide range of variability in the provitamin A content in the apricot varieties encouraged these studies in order to select the breeding types with enhanced carotenoid levels as the varieties with a higher potential health benefit. The carotenoid content was correlated with the color measurements, and the hue angle in both flesh and peel was the parameter with the best correlation (R = 0.92 and 0.84, respectively). An estimation of the carotenoid content in apricots could be achieved by using a portable colorimeter, as a simple and easy method for field usage applications.

  18. Contents and composition of organic matter in subsurface soils affected by land use and soil mineralogy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ellerbrock, Ruth H.; Kaiser, Michael

    2010-05-01

    Land use and mineralogy affect the ability of surface as well as subsurface soils to sequester organic carbon and their contribution to mitigate the greenhouse effect. This study aimed to investigate the long-term impact of land use (i.e., arable and forest) and soil mineralogy on contents and composition of soil organic matter (SOM) from subsurface soils. Seven soils different in mineralogy (Albic and Haplic Luvisol, Colluvic and Haplic Regosol, Haplic and Vertic Cambisol, Haplic Stagnosol) were selected within Germany. Soil samples were taken from forest and adjacent arable sites. First, particulate and water soluble organic matter were separated from the subsurface soil samples. From the remaining solid residues the OM(PY) fractions were separated, analyzed for its OC content (OCPY) and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. For the arable subsurface soils multiple regression analyses indicate significant positive relationships between the soil organic carbon contents and the contents of i) exchangeable Ca and oxalate soluble Fe, and Alox contents. Further for the neutral arable subsurface soils the contents OCPY weighted by its C=O contents were found to be related to the contents of Ca indicating interactions between OM(PY) and Ca cations. For the forest subsurface soils (pH <5) the OCPY contents were positively related with the contents of Na-pyrophosphate soluble Fe and Al. For the acidic forest subsurface soils such findings indicate interactions between OM(PY) and Fe3+ and Al3+ cations. The effects of land use and soil mineralogy on contents and composition of SOM and OM(PY) will be discussed.

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

    PubMed

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

    2011-11-01

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

  20. Effects of acid rain on grapevines

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

    Forsline, P.L.; Musselman, R.C.; Dee, R.J.

    1983-01-01

    Mature vineyard-growing Concord grapevines were sprayed with simulated acid rain solutions ranging from pH 2.5 to 5.5 both as acute treatments at anthesis and chronically throughout the season in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, 8 additional varieties were also treated with simulated acid rain solutions at pH 2.75 and 3.25. With Concord in 1981, few foliar lesions on leaves were visible at pH 2.75. In contrast, many leaf lesions with decreased fruit soluble solids were observed at pH 2.5 in 1980. The relationship between acid-rain and oxidant stipple, chlorosis, and soluble solids in the absence of acid rain leaf lesionsmore » at pH>2.5 remains unclear. Acute sprays (pH2.75) at anthesis reduced pollen germination in four grape cultivars. However, fruit set was reduced in only one of these. Grape yields were not influenced by acid rain treatments. There was no evidence that acid-rain at ambient pH levels had negative effects on grape production or fruit quality.« less

  1. Honey collected from different floras of Chandigarh Tricity: a comparative study involving physicochemical parameters and biochemical activities.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Pradeep; Sindhu, Rakesh K; Narayan, Shridhar; Singh, Inderbir

    2010-12-01

    Different monofloral honeys have a distinctive flavor and color because of differences in physicochemical parameters because of their principal nectar sources or floral types. Honey samples were collected from Apis mellifera colonies forged on 10 floras to analyze the quality of honey in terms of standards laid by Honey Grading and Marking Rules (HGMR), India, 2008 and Codex Alimentarious Commission (CAC), 1969 . The honey samples were analyzed for various physicochemical parameters of honey quality control, i.e., pH, total acidity, moisture, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars, water insoluble solids (WIS), ash content, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content, and diastase value. The antioxidant potential was estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Further, honey samples were assayed for antibacterial activities against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the hole-plate diffusion method. The physicochemical variation in the composition of honey because of floral source shows Ziziphus honey with high pH and diastase values along with low acidity, whereas Helianthus honey contained high reducing sugar and low moisture content. Amomum, Brassica, Acacia, and Citrus contained lowest amount of non-reducing sugars, ash, WIS, and moisture, respectively. Lowest 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) value was detected in Amomum honey, while highest HMF value was observed with Eucalyptus. The maximum antibacterial and antioxidant potential was observed in Azadirachta and Citrus, respectively. The quality of honey produced by local beekeepers met HGMR and CAC standards, and the chemical composition and biological properties of honey were dependent on the floral source from which it was produced.

  2. Health risk assessment of drinking arsenic-containing groundwater in Hasilpur, Pakistan: effect of sampling area, depth, and source.

    PubMed

    Tabassum, Riaz Ahmad; Shahid, Muhammad; Dumat, Camille; Niazi, Nabeel Khan; Khalid, Sana; Shah, Noor Samad; Imran, Muhammad; Khalid, Samina

    2018-02-10

    Currently, several news channels and research publications have highlighted the dilemma of arsenic (As)-contaminated groundwater in Pakistan. However, there is lack of data regarding groundwater As content of various areas in Pakistan. The present study evaluated As contamination and associated health risks in previously unexplored groundwater of Hasilpur-Pakistan. Total of 61 groundwater samples were collected from different areas (rural and urban), sources (electric pump, hand pump, and tubewell) and depths (35-430 ft or 11-131 m). The water samples were analyzed for As level and other parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, cations, and anions. It was found that 41% (25 out of 61) water samples contained As (≥ 5 μg/L). Out of 25 As-contaminated water samples, 13 water samples exceeded the permissible level of WHO (10 μg/L). High As contents have been found in tubewell samples and at high sampling depths (> 300 ft). The major As-contaminated groundwater in Hasilpur is found in urban areas. Furthermore, health risk and cancer risk due to As contamination were also assessed with respect to average daily dose (ADD), hazard quotient (HQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR). The values of HQ and CR of As in Hasilpur were up to 58 and 0.00231, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed a positive correlation between groundwater As contents, pH, and depth in Hasilpur. The current study proposed the proper monitoring and management of well water in Hasilpur to minimize the As-associated health hazards.

  3. 40 CFR 421.104 - Standards of performance for new sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...,404.000 Total suspended solids 615.400 492.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all...H (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. (c) Subpart J—Alkali Leach Wash. NSPS... Total suspended solids 0.000 0.000 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 7.0 to 10.0 at all times. (d...

  4. Agmatine Production by Aspergillus oryzae is Elevated by Low pH During Solid-State Cultivation.

    PubMed

    Akasaka, Naoki; Kato, Saori; Kato, Saya; Hidese, Ryota; Wagu, Yutaka; Sakoda, Hisao; Fujiwara, Shinsuke

    2018-05-25

    Sake (rice wine) produced by multiple parallel fermentation (MPF) involving Aspergillus oryzae (strain RW) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae under solid-state cultivation conditions contained 3.5 mM agmatine, while that produced from enzymatically saccharified rice syrup by S. cerevisiae contained <0.01 mM agmatine. Agmatine was also produced in ethanol-free rice syrup prepared with A. oryzae under solid-state cultivation (3.1 mM) but not under submerged cultivation, demonstrating that A. oryzae in solid-state culture produces agmatine. The effect of cultivation conditions on agmatine production was examined. Agmatine production was boosted at 30°C and reached the highest level (6.3 mM) at pH 5.3. The addition of l-lactic, succinic, and citric acids reduced the initial culture pH to 3.0, 3.5, and 3.2, respectively, resulting in further increase in agmatine accumulation (8.2, 8.7, and 8.3 mM, respectively). Homogenate from a solid-state culture exhibited a maximum l-arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity (74 pmol min -1 μg -1 ) at pH 3.0 at 30°C; that from a submerged culture exhibited an extremely low activity (<0.3 pmol min -1 μg -1 ) under all conditions tested. These observations indicated that efficient agmatine production in ethanol-free rice syrup is achieved by an unidentified low pH-dependent ADC induced during solid-state cultivation of A. oryzae , even though A. oryzae lacks ADC orthologs and, instead, possesses four ornithine decarboxylases (ODC1-4). Recombinant ODC1 and ODC2 exhibited no ADC activity at acidic pH (pH 4.0>), suggesting that other decarboxylases or an unidentified ADC is involved in agmatine production. IMPORTANCE It has been speculated that, in general, fungi do not synthesize agmatine from l-arginine because they do not possess genes encoding for arginine decarboxylase. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that agmatine exerts pleiotropic effects on various molecular targets, leading to an improved quality of life. In the present study, we first demonstrated that l-arginine was a feasible substrate for agmatine production by the fungus Aspergillus oryzae RW. We observed that the productivity of agmatine by A. oryzae RW was elevated at low pH only during solid-state cultivation. A. oryzae is utilized in the production of various oriental fermented foods. The saccharification conditions optimized in the current study could be employed not only in the production of an agmatine-containing ethanol-free rice syrup but also in the production of many types of fermented foods, such as soy sauce (shoyu), rice vinegar, etc., as well as novel therapeutic agents and nutraceuticals. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

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

    Ma, W.; Edelman, T.; van Beersum, I.

    Soil samples were taken from 31 sites near Eindhoven, The Netherlands, mainly along transects of 1 to 15 km from the nearest zinc smelter. Earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) were taken from the upper 20 cm soil layer and analyzed from accumulation of Cd, Zn, Pb and Cu by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cd, Zn, and Pb appeared to be more strongly accumulated by L. rubellus when present in soil with a low pH value. Cu was the only exception in this regard; its uptake by L. rubellus was not significantly influenced by soil pH. The organic matter content of the soil playedmore » a significant role only in the worm uptake of Pb. Soil Pb content, soil pH, and soil organic matter content together accounted for almost 70% of the variance in worm Pb content. The results indicate that L. rubellus accumulates Pb more strongly in soil with a low pH and low organic matter content than in soil with higher values of these parameters. The demonstrated influence of pH and organic matter content on element concentration in earthworms emphasizes the importance of soil factors in governing the entrance of toxic metal elements into the food web. (JMT)« less

  6. Roles of iron species and pH optimization on sewage sludge conditioning with Fenton's reagent and lime.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wenbo; Yang, Jiakuan; Shi, Yafei; Song, Jian; Shi, Yao; Xiao, Jun; Li, Chao; Xu, Xinyu; He, Shu; Liang, Sha; Wu, Xu; Hu, Jingping

    2016-05-15

    Conditioning sewage sludge with Fenton's reagent could effectively improve its dewaterability. However, drawbacks of conditioning with Fenton's reagent are requirement of acidic conditions to prevent iron precipitation and subsequent neutralization with alkaline additive to obtain the pH of the filtrate close to neutrality. In this study, roles of pH were thoroughly investigated in the acidification pretreatment, Fenton reaction, and the final filtrate after conditioning. Through the response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal dosages of H2SO4, Fe(2+), H2O2, and lime acted as a neutralizer were found to be 0 (no acidification), 47.9, 34.3 and 43.2 mg/g DS (dry solids). With those optimal doses, water content of the dewatered sludge cakes could be reduced to 55.8 ± 0.6 wt%, and pH of the final filtrate was 6.6 ± 0.2. Fenton conditioning without initial acidification can simplify the conditioning process and reduce the usage of lime. The Fe(3+) content in the sludge cakes showed a close correlation with the dewaterability of conditioned sludge, i.e., the water content of sludge cakes, SRF (specific resistance to filtration), CST (capillary suction time), bound water content, and specific surface area. It indicated that the coagulation by Fe(3+) species in Fenton reaction could play an important role, compared to traditional Fenton oxidation effect on sludge conditioning. Thus, a two-step mechanism of Fenton oxidation and Fe(III) coagulation was proposed in sewage sludge conditioning. The mechanisms include the following: (1) extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were firstly degraded into dissolved organics by Fenton oxidation; (2) bound water was converted to free water due to degradation of EPS; (3) the sludge particles were disintegrated into small ones by oxidation; (4) Fe(3+) generated from Fenton reaction acted as a coagulant to agglomerate smaller sludge particles into larger dense particles with less bond water; (5) finally, the dewatered sludge cakes were obtained, with less small pores (1-10 nm) that contributed to water affinity, but with more large pores (>10 nm) that contributed to a permeable, rigid lattice structure. Morphology of the Fenton-conditioned sludge cake exhibited a porous structure. The estimated cost of the composite conditioner, Fenton's reagent and lime, is USD$ 43.8/t DS, which is less than that of ferric chloride and lime (USD$ 54/t DS). Furthermore, pH of the final filtrate using this composite conditioner is about 6.6. Comparatively, that using ferric chloride and lime is as high as 12.4. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Short-time dissolution mechanisms of kaolinitic tropical soils

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

    Malengreau, N.; Sposito, Garrison

    1996-03-01

    Previous research on the short-time dissolution behavior of kaolinitic Oxisols suggested pH-dependent kinetics involving ligand-promoted dissolution, metal readsorption, and colloidal dispersion, with soil organic matter conjectured to play a decisive role. A novel combination of spectroscopy, lightscattering, and batch dissolution experiments, conducted at controlled pH and ionic strength over five dissolution periods ranging from 1 to 12 h, was applied to evaluate this mechanism for samples of a representative kaolinitic Oxisol; collected at both forested and cultivated field sites (leading to significant differences in organic matter content and field soil pH). The overall characteristics of the pH-dependent net release kineticsmore » of Al, Fe, and Si by the soil samples, for any dissolution period in the range investigated, were determined by the pH value at which colloid dispersion commenced, which decreased significantly as the soil organic matter content increased. Plots of log(Si/Al released) (or Si/Fe released) vs. -log [H+] ([H+] is proton concentration) were superimposable for all dissolution periods studied, rising to a plateau value above the point of zero net charge of the soils (pH 3.2). Light-scattering and X-ray diffraction data showed conclusively that this plateau represented the release of siliceous colloids containing kaolinite and X-ray amorphous material. X-ray diffraction, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy, applied to the soil samples before and after dissolution, and after conventional chemical extractions to remove Al, C, Fe, and Si, showed that kaolinite and iron oxide phases (the latter being highly Al-substituted and present in both coatings and occlusions) were essentially unaltered by dissolution, even at -log [H+] = 2, whereas substantial dissolution loss of soil quartz occurred. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy gave strong evidence that C in these soils occurs principally in discrete solid phases, not as a reactive coating on mineral surfaces.« less

  8. Evaluation of quick tests for phosphorus determination in dairy manures.

    PubMed

    Lugo-Ospina, A; Dao, Thanh H; Van Kessel, J A; Reeves, J B

    2005-05-01

    Nutrients in animal manure are valuable inputs in agronomic crop production. Rapid and timely information about manure nutrient content are needed to minimize the risks of phosphorus (P) over-application and losses of dissolved P (DP) in runoff from fields treated with manure. We evaluated the suitability of a commercial hand-held reflectometer, a hydrometer, and an electrical conductivity (EC) meter for determining DP and total P (TP) in dairy manures. Bulk samples (n = 107) collected from farms across CT, MD, NY, PA, and VA were highly variable in total solids (TS) concentration, ranging from 11 to 213gL(-1), in suspensions' pH (6.3-9.2), and EC (6.2-53.3 dS m(-1)). Manure DP concentrations measured using the RQFlex reflectometer (RQFlex-DP(s)) were related to molybdate-reactive P (MRP(s)) concentrations as follows: RQFlex-DP(s) = 0.471 x MRP(s) + 1102 (r2 = 0.29). Inclusion of pH and squared-pH terms improved the prediction of manure DP from RQFlex results (r2 = 0.66). Excluding five outlier samples that had pH < or = 6.9 the coefficient of determination (r2) for the MRP(s) and RQFlex-DP(s) relationship was 0.83 for 95% of the samples. Manure TS were related to hydrometer specific gravity readings (r2 = 0.53) that were in turn related to TP (r2 = 0.34), but not to either RQFlex-DP or MRP. Relationships between suspensions' EC and DP or TP were non-significant. Therefore, the RQFlex method is the only viable option for on-site quick estimates of DP that can be made more robust when complemented with TS and pH measurements. The DP quick test can provide near real-time information on soluble manure nutrient content across a wide range of handling and storage conditions on dairy farms and quick estimates of potential soluble P losses in runoff following land applications of manure.

  9. Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in 20 streams of varying pH and humic content.

    PubMed

    Kullberg, A

    1992-01-01

    The structure of stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities in relation to pH and humic content was studied in 20 second and third-order forest streams in southern Sweden. Streams varied in pH from 4.2 to 8.0, and in humic content from a colour of 5 to 1200 mg Pt litre(-1). There was a positive relationship between pH and species richness, with a discontinuity occurring at pH approximately 5.7. At pH > 5.7, species richness decreased with increasing colour. At pH < 5.7 there was a positive correlation between species richness and humic concentration up to a colour of about 200-300 mg Pt litre(-1). this may be explained by high concentrations, 0.4-0.9 mg litre(-1), of labile monomeric Al occurring in the low coloured acid streams. In streams with a colour > 200 mg Pt litre(-1) labile monomeric Al was less than 0.2 mg litre(-1). There was no significant change in species richness above this threshold, but a shift in species composition towards a dominance of Plecoptera and Chironomidae. This threshold model seems to explain the observed differences in stream benthic community structure better than a simple linear relationship with pH or humic content.

  10. Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of Phaeodactylum tricornutum microalgal residual biomass.

    PubMed

    German-Báez, L J; Valdez-Flores, M A; Félix-Medina, J V; Norzagaray-Valenzuela, C D; Santos-Ballardo, D U; Reyes-Moreno, C; Shelton, L M; Valdez-Ortiz, A

    2017-12-01

    The production of photosynthetic biofuels using microalgae is a promising strategy to combat the use of non-renewable energy sources. The microalgae residual biomass is a waste by-product of biofuel production; however, it could prove to have utility in the development of sustainable nutraceuticals and functional foods. In this study, a comprehensive characterisation of the under-utilised Phaeodactylum tricornutum microalgae residual biomass is presented. Proximal composition, antioxidant capacity (using three different antioxidant assays; oxygen radical absorbance capacity; radical cation activity, ABTS; and radical scavenging activity, DPPH), and total phenolic content of free and bound polyphenols were determined. Additionally, the physicochemical properties of water activity, pH, water absorption index, water solubility index, and dispersibility were evaluated. Results revealed that P. tricornutum microalgae residual biomass exhibits a relatively high protein and carbohydrate content, with values of 36.67% and 46.78%, respectively; and most carbohydrates were found as total dietary fibre (45.57%), of which insoluble dietary fibre was the most predominant (43.54%). Antioxidant capacity values for total phytochemicals of 106.22, 67.93, 9.54 µM TE g -1 dw were determined by oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ABTS, and DPPH assays, respectively. Total phenolic content was found to be 2.90 mg GAE g -1 dw. Interestingly, antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content were higher in bound than in free phytochemical extracts. The physicochemical analysis showed P. tricornutum microalgae residual biomass to have suitable properties for the generation of a beverage with Aw, pH, water absorption index, water solubility index, and dispersibility values of 0.45, 7.12, 3.40 g gel g -1  dw, 2.5 g solids 100 g -1  dw, and 90%, respectively. Hence, P. tricornutum microalgae residual biomass could be considered a potential source of bioactive compounds suitable for the production of functional food exhibiting antioxidant capacity and high dietary fibre content.

  11. Cellular pH regulators: potentially promising molecular targets for cancer chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Izumi, Hiroto; Torigoe, Takayuki; Ishiguchi, Hiroshi; Uramoto, Hidetaka; Yoshida, Yoichiro; Tanabe, Mizuho; Ise, Tomoko; Murakami, Tadashi; Yoshida, Takeshi; Nomoto, Minoru; Kohno, Kimitoshi

    2003-12-01

    One of the major obstacles to the successful treatment of cancer is the complex biology of solid tumour development. Although regulation of intracellular pH has been shown to be critically important for many cellular functions, pH regulation has not been fully investigated in the field of cancer. It has, however, been shown that cellular pH is crucial for biological functions such as cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, drug resistance and apoptosis. Hypoxic conditions are often observed during the development of solid tumours and lead to intracellular and extracellular acidosis. Cellular acidosis has been shown to be a trigger in the early phase of apoptosis and leads to activation of endonucleases inducing DNA fragmentation. To avoid intracellular acidification under such conditions, pH regulators are thought to be up-regulated in tumour cells. Four major types of pH regulator have been identified: the proton pump, the sodium-proton exchanger family (NHE), the bicarbonate transporter family (BCT) and the monocarboxylate transporter family (MCT). Here, we describe the structure and function of pH regulators expressed in tumour tissue. Understanding pH regulation in tumour cells may provide new ways of inducing tumour-specific apoptosis, thus aiding cancer chemotherapy.

  12. State and solubility of cadmium as related to xenotic inorganic phases generated homogeneously in soils

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

    Walker, W.J.

    The state and solubility of cadmium in waste-treated soils was investigated. Three sets of experiments were designed to elucidate solid phase control of soil solution cadmium. First, the soil solution composition of two soils amended with either sludge or metal contaminated mulch was examined to determine the presence of anions capable of precipitating or co-precipitating cadmium. Results indicated that no known pure solid phases of cadmium developed but that high concentrations of phosphate, sulfate and carbonate apparently influenced cadmium solubility. Secondly, three soils were amended with 10 ug of cadmium as cadmium acetate/g of soil. Three different levels of glycerophosphate,more » cysteine and acetate were added to the soils and incubated at constant temperature and water content in order to release phosphate, sulfate and alkalinity under conditions conducive for homogeneous precipitation. Another set of treatments was prepared in the same fashion with an additional amendment of calcium carbonate to raise soil pH's to 7.0. In the presence of sulfate, cadmium solubility increased with no apparent solid phase formation. The addition of calcium carbonate shifted solid phase control to either calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate. The generation of alkalinity by acetate addition produced solid phase calcium carbonate which in turn controlled cadmium solubility through chemisorption of cadmium on calcite surfaces. In the presence of monobasic calcium phosphate, cadmium was interfacially adsorbed. In the presence of dibasic calcium phosphate, however, cadmium was homogeneously precipitated in the host crystal suggesting possible solid solution.« less

  13. pH-Triggered Echogenicity and Contents Release from Liposomes

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Liposomes are representative lipid nanoparticles widely used for delivering anticancer drugs, DNA fragments, or siRNA to cancer cells. Upon targeting, various internal and external triggers have been used to increase the rate for contents release from the liposomes. Among the internal triggers, decreased pH within the cellular lysosomes has been successfully used to enhance the rate for releasing contents. However, imparting pH sensitivity to liposomes requires the synthesis of specialized lipids with structures that are substantially modified at a reduced pH. Herein, we report an alternative strategy to render liposomes pH sensitive by encapsulating a precursor which generates gas bubbles in situ in response to acidic pH. The disturbance created by the escaping gas bubbles leads to the rapid release of the encapsulated contents from the liposomes. Atomic force microscopic studies indicate that the liposomal structure is destroyed at a reduced pH. The gas bubbles also render the liposomes echogenic, allowing ultrasound imaging. To demonstrate the applicability of this strategy, we have successfully targeted doxorubicin-encapsulated liposomes to the pancreatic ductal carcinoma cells that overexpress the folate receptor on the surface. In response to the decreased pH in the lysosomes, the encapsulated anticancer drug is efficiently released. Contents released from these liposomes are further enhanced by the application of continuous wave ultrasound (1 MHz), resulting in substantially reduced viability for the pancreatic cancer cells (14%). PMID:25271780

  14. pH-triggered echogenicity and contents release from liposomes.

    PubMed

    Nahire, Rahul; Hossain, Rayat; Patel, Rupa; Paul, Shirshendu; Meghnani, Varsha; Ambre, Avinash H; Gange, Kara N; Katti, Kalpana S; Leclerc, Estelle; Srivastava, D K; Sarkar, Kausik; Mallik, Sanku

    2014-11-03

    Liposomes are representative lipid nanoparticles widely used for delivering anticancer drugs, DNA fragments, or siRNA to cancer cells. Upon targeting, various internal and external triggers have been used to increase the rate for contents release from the liposomes. Among the internal triggers, decreased pH within the cellular lysosomes has been successfully used to enhance the rate for releasing contents. However, imparting pH sensitivity to liposomes requires the synthesis of specialized lipids with structures that are substantially modified at a reduced pH. Herein, we report an alternative strategy to render liposomes pH sensitive by encapsulating a precursor which generates gas bubbles in situ in response to acidic pH. The disturbance created by the escaping gas bubbles leads to the rapid release of the encapsulated contents from the liposomes. Atomic force microscopic studies indicate that the liposomal structure is destroyed at a reduced pH. The gas bubbles also render the liposomes echogenic, allowing ultrasound imaging. To demonstrate the applicability of this strategy, we have successfully targeted doxorubicin-encapsulated liposomes to the pancreatic ductal carcinoma cells that overexpress the folate receptor on the surface. In response to the decreased pH in the lysosomes, the encapsulated anticancer drug is efficiently released. Contents released from these liposomes are further enhanced by the application of continuous wave ultrasound (1 MHz), resulting in substantially reduced viability for the pancreatic cancer cells (14%).

  15. An Acidic Microenvironment Increases NK Cell Killing of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii by Enhancing Perforin Degranulation

    PubMed Central

    Islam, Anowara; Li, Shu Shun; Oykhman, Paul; Timm-McCann, Martina; Huston, Shaunna M.; Stack, Danuta; Xiang, Richard F.; Kelly, Margaret M.; Mody, Christopher H.

    2013-01-01

    Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans are encapsulated yeasts that can produce a solid tumor-like mass or cryptococcoma. Analogous to malignant tumors, the microenvironment deep within a cryptococcoma is acidic, which presents unique challenges to host defense. Analogous to malignant cells, NK cells kill Cryptococcus. Thus, as in tumor defense, NK cells must kill yeast cells across a gradient from physiologic pH to less than 6 in the center of the cryptococcoma. As acidic pH inhibits anti-tumor activities of NK cells, we sought to determine if there was a similar reduction in the anticryptococcal activity of NK cells. Surprisingly, we found that both primary human NK cells and the human NK cell line, YT, have preserved or even enhanced killing of Cryptococcus in acidic, compared to physiological, pH. Studies to explore the mechanism of enhanced killing revealed that acidic pH does not increase the effector to target ratio, binding of cytolytic cells to Cryptococcus, or the active perforin content in effector cells. By contrast, perforin degranulation was greater at acidic pH, and increased degranulation was preceded by enhanced ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which is essential for killing. Moreover, using a replication defective ras1 knockout strain of Cryptococcus increased degranulation occurred during more rapid replication of the organisms. Finally, NK cells were found intimately associated with C. gattii within the cryptococcoma of a fatal infection. These results suggest that NK cells have amplified signaling, degranulation, and greater killing at low pH and when the organisms are replicating quickly, which would help maintain microbicidal host defense despite an acidic microenvironment. PMID:23853583

  16. Microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of highly fluorescent carbon nanoparticles and its application in intracellular pH sensing.

    PubMed

    Yang, Shenghong; Chen, Xiao; Liu, Shuqin; Wang, Fuxin; Ouyang, Gangfeng

    2018-08-15

    Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (FCNPs) have been deeply researched and widely applied in recent years due to their good optics performance, chemical stability and biocompatibility. Herein, a green and rapid microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis (solvent-free) approach was proposed for the fabrication of highly FCNPs in a very short period of time, 4 min. The as-prepared FCNPs can emit a blue emission with quantum yield of up to 63.2% in water solution and show yellow fluorescence in the solid state. The FCNPs also exhibit special solvent effect that the fluorescence emission can be adjusted by controlling the solvent ratio of ethanol and water. Most importantly, the FCNPs possess a narrow-range pH response. The probe responds linearly and rapidly to minor pH fluctuations within the range of 3.47-5.10 and the correlation coefficient is above 0.99. The proposed FCNPs also exhibit high photostability and reusability. As expected, the cell imaging and intracellular pH monitoring was achieved successfully in living SMMC 7721 hepatoma cells by this probe. The FCNPs is promising as a convenient and general fluorescent pH sensor for bioimaging applications. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Comprehensive reuse of drinking water treatment residuals in coagulation and adsorption processes.

    PubMed

    Jung, Kyung-Won; Hwang, Min-Jin; Park, Dae-Seon; Ahn, Kyu-Hong

    2016-10-01

    While drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs) inevitably lead to serious problems due to their huge amount of generation and limitation of landfill sites, their unique properties of containing Al or Fe contents make it possible to reuse them as a beneficial material for coagulant recovery and adsorbent. Hence, in the present study, to comprehensively handle and recycle DWTRs, coagulant recovery from DWTRs and reuse of coagulant recovered residuals (CRs) were investigated. In the first step, coagulant recovery from DWTRs was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM) for statistical optimization of independent variables (pH, solid content, and reaction time) on response variable (Al recovery). As a result, a highly acceptable Al recovery of 97.5 ± 0.4% was recorded, which corresponds to 99.5% of the predicted Al recovery. Comparison study of recovered and commercial coagulant from textile wastewater treatment indicated that recovered coagulant has reasonable potential for use in wastewater treatment, in which the performance efficiencies were 68.5 ± 2.1% COD, 97.2 ± 1.9% turbidity, and 64.3 ± 1.0% color removals at 50 mg Al/L. Subsequently, in a similar manner, RSM was also applied to optimize coagulation conditions (Al dosage, initial pH, and reaction time) for the maximization of real cotton textile wastewater treatment in terms of COD, turbidity, and color removal. Overall performance revealed that the initial pH had a remarkable effect on the removal performance compared to the effects of other independent variables. This is mainly due to the transformation of metal species form with increasing or decreasing pH conditions. Finally, a feasibility test of CRs as adsorbent for phosphate adsorption from aqueous solution was conducted. Adsorption equilibrium of phosphate at different temperatures (10-30 °C) and initial levels of pH (3-11) indicated that the main mechanisms of phosphate adsorption onto CRs are endothermic and chemical precipitation; the surfaces are energetically heterogeneous for adsorbing phosphate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as an alternative water resource for the Chittagong metropolitan area of Bangladesh: physicochemical characterization in terms of water quality indices.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Ismail Md Mofizur; Islam, M Monirul; Hossain, M Mosharraf; Hossain, M Shahadat; Begum, Zinnat A; Chowdhury, Didarul A; Chakraborty, Milan K; Rahman, M Azizur; Nazimuddin, M; Hasegawa, Hiroshi

    2011-02-01

    The concern over ensuing freshwater scarcity has forced the developing countries to delve for alternative water resources. In this study, we examined the potential of stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as alternative freshwater resources in the densely populated Chittagong metropolitan area (CMPA) of Bangladesh--where there is an acute shortage of urban freshwater supply. Water samples were collected at 1-month intervals for a period of 1 year from 12 stations distributed over the whole metropolis. Samples were analyzed for pH, water temperature (WTemp), turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids, total solids, total hardness, dissolved oxygen (DO), chloride, orthophosphates, ammonia, total coliforms (TC), and trace metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, As, and Fe) concentrations. Based on these parameters, different types of water quality indices (WQIs) were deduced. WQIs showed most of CMPA-SSWBs as good or medium quality water bodies, while none were categorized as bad. Moreover, it was observed that the minimal water quality index (WQIm), computed using five parameters: WTemp, pH, DO, EC, and turbidity, gave a reliable estimate of water quality. The WQIm gave similar results in 72% of the cases compared with other WQIs that were based on larger set of parameters. Based on our finding, we suggest the wider use WQIm in developing countries for assessing health of SSWBs, as it will minimize the analytical cost to overcome the budget constraints involved in this kind of evaluations. It was observed that except turbidity and TC content, all other quality parameters fluctuated within the limit of the World Health Organization suggested standards for drinking water. From our findings, we concluded that if the turbidity and TC content of water from SSWBs in CMPA are taken care of, they will become good candidates as alternative water resources all round the year.

  19. Impact of co-landfill proportion of bottom ash and municipal solid waste composition on the leachate characteristics during the acidogenesis phase.

    PubMed

    He, Pin-Jing; Pu, Hong-Xia; Shao, Li-Ming; Zhang, Hua

    2017-11-01

    Incineration has become an important municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment strategy, and generates a large amount of bottom ash (BA). Although some BA is reused, much BA and pretreatment residues from BA recycling are disposed in landfill. When BA and MSW are co-landfilled together, acid neutralization capacity and alkaline earth metal dissolution of BA, as well as different components of MSW may change environmental conditions within the landfill, so the degradation of organic matter and the physical and chemical properties of leachate would be affected. In this study, the effect of co-landfilled BA and MSW on the leachate characteristics during the hydrolysis and acidogenesis phase was studied using different BA/MSW ratios and MSW compositions. The results showed that the co-landfill system increased leachate pH, electric conductivity and alkalinity. For MSW with a high content of degradable components, the release and degradation of total organic carbon (TOC) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) from MSW were promoted when the BA ratio by wet weight was less than 50%, and the biodegradability of leachate was improved. When the BA ratio exceeded 50%, the degradation of organic matters was inhibited. For MSW with low content of degradable components, when the proportion of BA was less than 20%, the release and degradation of TOC and VFA from MSW were promoted and alkalinity increased. When the BA ratio exceeded 20%, the degradation of organic matters was inhibited. The 50% BA ratio could improve the bio-treatability of leachate indicated by the leachate pH and C/N ratio. However, BA inhibited the release of nitrogen (TN and NH 4 + -N) at all BA ratios and MSW compositions. At the same time, the addition of BA increased the risk of leachate collection system clogging due to the dissolution and re-precipitation of alkaline earth metals contained in BA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Method of preparing a high solids content, low viscosity ceramic slurry

    DOEpatents

    Tiegs, Terry N.; Wittmer, Dale E.

    1995-01-01

    A method for producing a high solids content, low viscosity ceramic slurry composition comprises turbomilling a dispersion of a ceramic powder in a liquid to form a slurry having a viscosity less than 100 centipoise and a solids content equal to or greater than 48 volume percent.

  1. Method of preparing a high solids content, low viscosity ceramic slurry

    DOEpatents

    Tiegs, T.N.; Wittmer, D.E.

    1995-10-10

    A method for producing a high solids content, low viscosity ceramic slurry composition comprises turbomilling a dispersion of a ceramic powder in a liquid to form a slurry having a viscosity less than 100 centipoise and a solids content equal to or greater than 48 volume percent.

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

    PubMed

    Chapman, R A; Cole, C M

    1982-01-01

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

  3. Preparation and evaluation of BSA-based hydrosol nanoparticles cross-linked with genipin for oral administration of poorly water-soluble curcumin.

    PubMed

    Shahgholian, Narges; Rajabzadeh, Ghadir; Malaekeh-Nikouei, Bizhan

    2017-11-01

    One of the most interesting functions of albumin is the ability to interact with bioactive compounds. This study describes preparation of protein-based nanoparticles (NPs) for the preparation of solid dispersion of curcumin (CN). Fabrication of hydrosol system of dispersed CN in bovine serum albumin (BSA) was approached, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (Gta). Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the influence of input factors (pH, CN content and organic phase ratio (r)), on the particle size and CN entrapment efficiency (EE). Particle size, EE and CN loading efficiency (LE) at optimum condition (pH 7, r 10% and 3.4mg of CN content), were found to be in the range of 153-184.4nm, 72.54%, and 14.508μg/mg, respectively. In the optimum formulation, genipin (Gnp) was used at three different levels (0.1-0.2 and 0.3% w/w of BSA), as a safe, natural cross-linker instead of toxic Gta, to address the limitation of oral delivery purpose. AFM and SEM analysis revealed the spherical and smooth surface of Nps. Ninhydrin (NHD) assay and FT-IR analysis confirmed the cross-linking between BSA and Gnp. In vitro release studies ensure the efficiency of the formulation for sustained release of soluble CN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Compositional and biochemical changes in Genestoso cheese, a Spanish raw cow's milk variety, during ripening.

    PubMed

    Arenas, Ricardo; González, Leticia; Sacristán, Noelia; Tornadijo, María E; Fresno, José M

    2015-03-15

    Physicochemical characteristics, proteolysis and lipolysis were studied throughout the ripening of eight batches of a traditional Spanish variety made from raw cow's milk, in order to establish a basis for its industrial production. The main compositional characteristics of this cheese after 60 days of ripening were its high proportion of total solids (TS; 752 g kg⁻¹ of cheese), an average content of protein (452.8 g kg⁻¹ TS) and fat (475.1 g kg⁻¹ TS) and the presence of residual lactose (12.5 g kg⁻¹ TS). Its pH value (4.04) was extremely low. Phosphorus (5.13 g kg⁻¹ TS) and sodium (8.29 g kg⁻¹ TS) were the most abundant mineral elements in cheese, whereas calcium levels (1.92 g kg⁻¹ TS) were very low. Proteolysis extension and depth were very low, which resulted in almost zero degradation of αs1- and β-casein. Fat acidity increased during ripening, reaching final values of 50.1 mg KOH kg⁻¹ of fat. The main free fatty acid was C16:0, followed by C18:1 and C14:0. These results suggest that this variety undergoes a limited proteolysis and moderate lipolysis during ripening. The low pH, low calcium content and limited proteolysis led to a crumbly texture in this cheese variety. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  5. Characterization and 2D structural model of corn straw and poplar leaf biochars.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Nan; Lv, YiZhong; Yang, XiXiang; Huang, Feng; Yang, JianWen

    2017-12-22

    The integrated experimental methods were used to analyze the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics and to build the 2D structural model of two kinds of biochars. Corn straw and poplar leaf biochars were gained by pyrolysing the raw materials slowly in a furnace at 300, 500, and 700 °C under oxygen-deficient conditions. Scanning electron microscope was applied to observe the surface morphology of the biochars. High temperatures destroyed the pore structures of the biochars, forming a particle mixture of varying sizes. The ash content, yield, pH, and surface area were also observed to describe the biochars' properties. The yield decreases as the pyrolysis temperature increases. The biochars are neutral to alkaline. The biggest surface area is 251.11 m 2 /g for 700 °C corn straw biochar. Elemental analysis, infrared microspectroscopy, solid-state C-13 NMR spectroscopy, and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) were also used to study the structural characteristics and build the 2D structural models of biochars. The C content in the corn straw and poplar leaf biochars increases with the increase of the pyrolysis temperature. A higher pyrolysis temperature makes the aryl carbon increase, and C=O, OH, and aliphatic hydrocarbon content decrease in the IR spectra. Solid-state C-13 NMR spectra show that a higher pyrolysis temperature makes the alkyl carbon and alkoxy carbon decrease and the aryl carbon increase. The results of IR microspectra and solid-state C-13 NMR spectra reveal that some noticeable differences exist in these two kinds of biochars and in the same type of biochar but under different pyrolysis temperatures. The conceptual elemental compositions of 500 °C corn straw and poplar leaf biochars are C 61 H 33 NO 13 and C 59 H 41 N 3 O 12 , respectively. Significant differences exist in the SEM images, physicochemical properties, and structural characteristics of corn straw and poplar leaf biochars.

  6. Cr(VI) Sorption by Nanosized FeS-Coated Sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, M.; Jeong, H. Y.; Lee, S.; Kang, N.; Kim, K. H.; Choi, H. J.

    2015-12-01

    Cr(VI) sorption experiments were conducted as a function of pH (4.7, 7.0 and 9.7) using nanosized FeS-coated sand under anoxic environments. Under the experimental conditions, the sand used, with the FeS content of 0.068 mmol per 1 g sand, completely reduced the initially added Cr(VI) to Cr(III) over the pH range examined. The sorption of the once-reduced Cr(III) varied greatly with the solution pH. By the solution-phase analysis, significant amounts of Cr(III) remained as dissolved species at pH 4.7. On the other hands, dissolved Cr was below the detection limit (0.2 μM) at pH 7.0 and 9.7, indicating the greater sorption of Cr(III) at neutral to basic pH than acidic pH. From Cr-K edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis of the solid products, the sorbed Cr was shown to be present predominantly as trivalent state in all samples. Regardless of pH, the second coordination shell around Cr (i.e., the Cr-Cr(Fe) shell) was shown to be located at ~2.6 Å, which was far shorter than those in Cr(III)-bearing model compounds such as Cr(OH)3(s) and [Cr, Fe](OH)3(s). Furthermore, the coordination numbers of the second and third shells in the sorption samples (N = 0.7-1.8) were much lower than those in Cr(OH)3(s) and [Cr, Fe](OH)3(s). Taken together, the sorption of the once-reduced Cr(III) was likely to occur via surface-mediated processes (e.g., surface complexation and/or surface precipitation) rather than the bulk-phase precipitation. Financial support was provided by the "R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 Storage" from the KEITI (Project Number: 2014001810003).

  7. Effects of triacylglycerol structure and solid fat content on fasting responses of mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaosan; Wang, Tong; Spurlock, Michael E; Wang, Xingguo

    2016-06-01

    Fat randomization and interesterification change triacylglycerol (TAG) structure and its solid fat content profile. It has not been thoroughly investigated whether these changes affect lipid metabolism. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of TAG structure and solid fat content on feed intake, body weight change, and serum metabolite concentrations in mice. An experiment used two fats rich in 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-oleoylglycerol (PPO) and 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (POP) as comparative pair of fats to assess the effect of TAG structure since PPO and POP have the same fatty acid composition and solid fat content at 37 °C. Another experiment used a fat rich in 1-palmitoyl-2,3-dioleoylglycerol (POO) with solid fat content of zero at 37 °C and a mixture of fats that had the same general fatty acid composition and palmitic acid positional distribution, but with solid fat content of 22 % at 37 °C. This pair of fats was used to examine the effect of solid fat content on blood lipid profile. After 6-week feeding, the pair of fats with different solid fat contents did not significantly affect the concentrations of total serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, TAG, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), or blood glucose. However, the PPO fat significantly reduced feed intake, body weight, and serum glucose concentration as compared to POP. These results suggest that the presence of solid fat at the level examined does not affect lipid metabolism and lipemia, but PPO diet significantly affects NEFA and glucose concentrations. Palmitic acid at the sn-2 position of the TAG may have significant effect on appetite, which may be mediated via the gut receptors.

  8. Escherichia coli inactivation kinetics in anaerobic digestion of dairy manure under moderate, mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Batch anaerobic digestion experiments using dairy manure as feedstocks were performed at moderate (25°C), mesophilic (37°C), and thermophilic (52.5°C) temperatures to understand E. coli, an indicator organism for pathogens, inactivation in dairy manure. Incubation periods at 25, 37, and 52.5°C, were 61, 41, and 28 days respectively. Results were used to develop models for predicting E. coli inactivation and survival in anaerobic digestion. For modeling we used the decay of E. coli at each temperature to calculate the first-order inactivation rate coefficients, and these rates were used to formulate the time - temperature - E. coli survival relationships. We found the inactivation rate coefficient at 52.5°C was 17 and 15 times larger than the inactivation rate coefficients at 25 and 37°C, respectively. Decimal reduction times (D10; time to achieve one log removal) at 25, 37, and 52.5°C, were 9 -10, 7 - 8 days, and < 1 day, respectively. The Arrhenius correlation between inactivation rate coefficients and temperatures over the range 25 -52.5°C was developed to understand the impacts of temperature on E. coli inactivation rate. Using this correlation, the time - temperature - E. coli survival relationships were derived. Besides E. coli inactivation, impacts of temperature on biogas production, methane content, pH change, ORP, and solid reduction were also studied. At higher temperatures, biogas production and methane content was greater than that at low temperatures. While at thermophilic temperature pH was increased, at mesophilic and moderate temperatures pH were reduced over the incubation period. These results can be used to understand pathogen inactivation during anaerobic digestion of dairy manure, and impacts of temperatures on performance of anaerobic digesters treating dairy manure. PMID:21906374

  9. Drinking Water Quality of Water Vending Machines in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hashim, N. H.; Yusop, H. M.

    2016-07-01

    An increased in demand from the consumer due to their perceptions on tap water quality is identified as one of the major factor on why they are mentally prepared to pay for the price of the better quality drinking water. The thought that filtered water quality including that are commercially available in the market such as mineral and bottled drinking water and from the drinking water vending machine makes they highly confident on the level of hygiene, safety and the mineral content of this type of drinking water. This study was investigated the vended water quality from the drinking water vending machine in eight locations in Parit Raja are in terms of pH, total dissolve solids (TDS), turbidity, mineral content (chromium, arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel), total organic carbon (TOC), pH, total colony-forming units (CFU) and total coliform. All experiments were conducted in one month duration in triplicate samples for each sampling event. The results indicated the TDS and all heavy metals in eight vended water machines in Parit Raja area were found to be below the Food Act 1983, Regulation 360C (Standard for Packaged Drinking Water and Vended water, 2012) and Malaysian Drinking Water Quality, Ministry of Health 1983. No coliform was presence in any of the vended water samples. pH was found to be slightly excess the limit provided while turbidity was found to be 45 to 95 times more higher than 0.1 NTU as required by the Malaysian Food Act Regulation. The data obtained in this study would suggest the important of routine maintenance and inspection of vended water provider in order to maintain a good quality, hygienic and safety level of vended water.

  10. Halloysite nanotubes as a solid sorbent in ultrasound-assisted dispersive micro solid-phase extraction for the determination of bismuth in water samples using high-resolution continuum source graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krawczyk-Coda, Magdalena

    2017-03-01

    In this research, a simple, accurate, and inexpensive preconcentration procedure was developed for the determination of bismuth in water samples, using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS GFAAS). During the preconcentration step, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were used as a solid sorbent in ultrasound-assisted dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (USA DMSPE). The influence of the pH of the sample solution, amount of HNTs, and extraction time, as well as of the main parameters of HR CS GFAAS, on absorbance was investigated. The limit of detection was 0.005 μg L- 1. The preconcentration factor achieved for bismuth was 32. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 4%. The accuracy of this method was validated by analyses of NIST SRM 1643e (Trace elements in water) and TMDA-54.5 (A high level fortified sample for trace elements) certified reference materials. The measured bismuth contents in these certified reference materials were in satisfactory agreement with the certified values according to the t-test for a 95% confidence level. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of bismuth in five different real water samples (seawater, lake water, river water, stream water and rain water).

  11. [Effects of the frequency and intensity of nitrogen addition on soil pH, the contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia, China.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Ji Dong; Shi, Rong Jiu; Zhao, Feng; Han, Si Qin; Zhang, Ying

    2016-08-01

    A four-year simulated nitrogen (N) deposition experiment involving nine N gradients and two N deposition frequencies (N was added either twice yearly or monthly) was conducted in Inner Mongolian grassland, to examine the effects of frequency and intensity of N addition on pH and the contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in soil. The results indicated that the soil pH and total phosphorus content, regardless of the N addition frequency, gradually decreased with the increase of N addition intensity. By contrast, the contents of soil available nitrogen and available phosphorus showed an increasing trend, while no significant variation in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content was observed, and the contents of soil total carbon and total nitrogen had no change. Compared with the monthly N addition, the twice-a-year N addition substantially overestimated the effects of N deposition on decreasing the soil pH and increasing the available phosphorus content, but underestimated the effects of N deposition on increasing the soil available nitrogen content, and the significant difference was found in 0-5 cm soil layer.

  12. Selective removal of heavy metals from metal-bearing wastewater in a cascade line reactor.

    PubMed

    Pavlović, Jelena; Stopić, Srećko; Friedrich, Bernd; Kamberović, Zeljko

    2007-11-01

    This paper is a part of the research work on 'Integrated treatment of industrial wastes towards prevention of regional water resources contamination - INTREAT' the project. It addresses the environmental pollution problems associated with solid and liquid waste/effluents produced by sulfide ore mining and metallurgical activities in the Copper Mining and Smelting Complex Bor (RTB-BOR), Serbia. However, since the minimum solubility for the different metals usually found in the polluted water occurs at different pH values and the hydroxide precipitates are amphoteric in nature, selective removal of mixed metals could be achieved as the multiple stage precipitation. For this reason, acid mine water had to be treated in multiple stages in a continuous precipitation system-cascade line reactor. All experiments were performed using synthetic metal-bearing effluent with chemical a composition similar to the effluent from open pit, Copper Mining and Smelting Complex Bor (RTB-BOR). That effluent is characterized by low pH (1.78) due to the content of sulfuric acid and heavy metals, such as Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn with concentrations of 76.680, 26.130, 0.113, 11.490, 1.020 mg/dm3, respectively. The cascade line reactor is equipped with the following components: for feeding of effluents, for injection of the precipitation agent, for pH measurements and control, and for removal of the process gases. The precipitation agent was 1M NaOH. In each of the three reactors, a changing of pH and temperature was observed. In order to verify. efficiency of heavy metals removal, chemical analyses of samples taken at different pH was done using AES-ICP. Consumption of NaOH in reactors was 370 cm3, 40 cm3 and 80 cm3, respectively. Total time of the experiment was 4 h including feeding of the first reactor. The time necessary to achieve the defined pH value was 25 min for the first reactor and 13 min for both second and third reactors. Taking into account the complete process in the cascade line reactor, the difference between maximum and minimum temperature was as low as 6 degrees C. The quantity of solid residue in reactors respectively was 0.62 g, 2.05 g and 3.91 g. In the case of copper, minimum achieved concentration was 0.62 mg/dm3 at pH = 10.4. At pH = 4.50 content of iron has rapidly decreased to < 0.1 mg/dm3 and maintained constant at all higher pH values. That means that precipitation has already ended at pH=4.5 and maximum efficiency of iron removal was 99.53%. The concentration of manganese was minimum at pH value of 11.0. Minimum obtained concentration of Zn was 2.18 mg/dm3 at a pH value of 11. If pH value is higher than 11, Zn can be re-dissolved. The maximum efficiency of Ni removal reached 76.30% at a pH value of 10.4. Obtained results show that efficiency of copper, iron and manganese removal is very satisfactory (higher than 90%). The obtained efficiency of Zn and Ni removal is lower (72.30% and 76.31%, respectively). The treated effluent met discharge water standard according to The Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances into the aquatic environment of the Community. Maximum changing of temperature during the whole process was 6 degrees C. This technology, which was based on inducing chemical precipitation of heavy metals is viable for selective removal of heavy metals from metal-bearing effluents in three reactor systems in a cascade line. The worldwide increasing concern for the environment and guidelines regarding effluent discharge make their treatment necessary for safe discharge in water receivers. In the case where the effluents contain valuable metals, there is also an additional economic interest to recover these metals and to recycle them as secondary raw materials in different production routes.

  13. Preliminary study on optimization of pH, oxidant and catalyst dose for high COD content: solar parabolic trough collector

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    In the present study, solar photocatalytic oxidation has been investigated through laboratory experiments as an alternative to conventional secondary treatment for the organic content reduction of high COD wastewater. Experiments have been performed on synthetic high COD wastewater for solar photocatalytic oxidation using a parabolic trough reactor. Parameters affecting the oxidation of organics have been investigated. The experimental design followed the sequence of dark adsorption studies of organics, followed by photolytic studies (in absence of catalyst) and finally photocatalytic studies in presence and absence of additional oxidant (H2O2). All the experimental studies have been performed at pH values of 2, 4, 6,8,10 and the initial pH value of the wastewater (normal pH). For photocatalytic studies, TiO2 has been used as a photocatalyst. Optimization of catalyst dose, pH and H2O2 concentration has been done. Maximum reduction of organic content was observed at the normal pH value of the wastewater (pH = 6.8). The reaction rate was significantly enhanced in presence of hydrogen peroxide. The optimum pH other than the Normal was in the alkaline range. Acidic pH was not found to be favourable for organic content reduction. pH was found to be a dominant factor affecting reaction rate even in presence of H2O2 as an additional oxidant. Also, the solar detoxification process was effective in treating a waste with a COD level of more than 7500 mg/L, which is a otherwise a difficult waste to treat. It can therefore be used as a treatment step in the high organic wastewater treatment during the primary stage also as it effectively reduces the COD content by 86%. PMID:23369352

  14. Effects of total solids concentrations of poultry, cattle, and piggery waste slurries on biogas yield

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

    Itodo, I.N.; Awulu, J.O.

    1999-12-01

    The effects of total solids concentrations of poultry, cattle and piggery waste slurries on biogas yield was investigated. Twelve laboratory-size anaerobic batch digesters with 25 L volume were constructed and used for the experiments. Three replicates of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% TS concentrations of poultry, cattle, and piggery waste slurries were anaerobically digested for a 30-day detention period and gas yield was measured by the method of water displacement. Temperature variation within the digesters was measured with a maximum and minimum thermometer. Anaerobic digestion of the slurries was undertaken in the mesophilic temperature range (20--40 C). The carbon:nitrogen ratiomore » of each of the slurries digested was determined. The carbon content was determined using the wackley-Black method, and nitrogen content was determined by the regular kjeldhal method. The pH was measured weekly during the period of digestion from a digital pH meter. Gas quality (% methane fraction) was also measured weekly from an analyzer. Coefficient of variation was computed to ascertain the status of the digestion process. Analysis of variance was used to determine the significant difference in gas yield at p < 0.05. Duncan's New Multiple Range Test at p < 0.05 was used to analyze the difference in gas yield among the various TS concentrations of the slurries investigated. The results indicate that biogas yield is of the order: 5% TS > 10% TS > 15% TS > 20% TS. This result shows that gas yield increases with decreasing TS concentration of the slurries. The ANOVA showed that the gas yield from the various TS % was significantly different (p < 0.05). DNMRT showed that there was significant difference in gas yield from the slurries and wastetypes investigated. Poultry waste slurries had the greatest gas yield (L CH4/kg TS) as the gas yield from the waste types was of the order: Poultry > Piggery > Cattle. The pH of the slurries was of the range 5.5 to 6.8 (weakly acidic). The C:N of the slurries varied between 6:1 and 9:1. The Coefficient of Variation (CV) for 10 consecutive days of digestion was less than 10% indicating a steady state in all the digesters.« less

  15. Biochemical transformation of solid carbonaceous material

    DOEpatents

    Lin, Mow S.; Premuzic, Eugene T.

    2001-09-25

    A method of biochemically transforming macromolecular compounds found in solid carbonaceous materials, such as coal is provided. The preparation of new microorganisms, metabolically weaned through challenge growth processes to biochemically transform solid carbonaceous materials at extreme temperatures, pressures, pH, salt and toxic metal concentrations is also disclosed.

  16. Effect of pH fermentation on production bioethanol from jackfruit seeds (Artocarpus heterophyllus) through separate fermentation hydrolysis method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arif, A. R.; Natsir, H.; Rohani, H.; Karim, A.

    2018-03-01

    Bioethanol is one of the alternative energy sourced from natural products containing carbohydrates through hydrolysis and fermentation process. Jackfruit seeds is one of the feedstock that contain high carbohydrate content but less utilized. The aims of this study to determine the effect of pH hydrolysis in the process of production bioethanol from jackfruit seeds (Artocarpus heterophyllus) through separate fermentation hydrolysis (SHF) method. The hydrolysis process uses H2SO4 as a hydrolyzing agent. The fermentation process used Saccharomyces cereviceae as a fermentor with a variation of pH 2,3 4 and 5 for 70 hours. The results showed that glucose content of 75% and pH 3 was the optimum pH of fermentation with the content of bioethanol 57.94%. The fermentation stage has an important role in increasing the levels of glucose and bioethanol in linear. The content of glucose and bioethanol of jackfruit seeds showed a great potential for development as the feedstock in bioethanol production.

  17. Carboxydocella sporoproducens sp. nov., a novel anaerobic CO-utilizing/H2-producing thermophilic bacterium from a Kamchatka hot spring.

    PubMed

    Slepova, Tatiana V; Sokolova, Tatyana G; Lysenko, Anatoly M; Tourova, Tatyana P; Kolganova, Tatyana V; Kamzolkina, Olga V; Karpov, Genady A; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2006-04-01

    A novel anaerobic, thermophilic, CO-utilizing bacterium, strain KarT, was isolated from a hot spring of Karymskoe Lake, Kamchatka Peninsula. The cells of the novel isolate were Gram-positive, spore-forming, short rods. The bacterium grew chemolithoautotrophically on CO, producing equimolar quantities of H2 and CO2 (according to the equation CO + H2O --> CO2 + H2), and in the absence of CO, under N2 in the gas phase, chemoorganoheterotrophically with yeast extract, sucrose or pyruvate. Growth was observed in the temperature range 50-70 degrees C, with an optimum at 60 degrees C, and in the pH range 6.2-8.0, with an optimum at pH 6.8. The micro-organism did not grow on solid media; it was able to grow only in semi-solid medium containing 0.5 % agar. The generation time under optimal conditions for chemolithoautotrophic growth was 1 h. The G+C content of the DNA was 46.5+/-1 mol%. Growth was completely inhibited by penicillin, novobiocin, streptomycin, kanamycin and neomycin. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the isolate should be assigned to the genus Carboxydocella. On the basis of the results of DNA-DNA hybridization and morphological and physiological analyses, strain KarT represents a novel species of the genus Carboxydocella, for which the name Carboxydocella sporoproducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KarT (=DSM 16521T = VKM B-2358T).

  18. Transport of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles in unsaturated sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumahor, Samuel; Hron, Pavel; Metreveli, George; Schaumann, Gabriele; Vogel, Hans-Jörg

    2015-04-01

    Chemical factors and physical constraints lead to coupled effects during particle transport in unsaturated porous media. Unlike for saturated transport, studies on unsaturated transport as typical for soil are currently scarce. We investigated the mobility of citrate-coated Ag NPs in unsaturated sand (grain diameter: 0.1-0.3 mm). For three flux rates and a given pore-water ionic strength (1 mM KNO3), the citrate-coated Ag NPs were less mobile at pH = 5 compared to pH = 9. The classic Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory suggests unfavorable deposition conditions at both, the air-water interface and solid-water interface. Breakthrough curves measured under quasi-steady state unsaturated flow showed retardation of the citrate-coated Ag NPs compared to inert solute (KBr). After flushing with nanoparticle-free 1 mM KNO3 solution (pH-adjusted), retention was much lower in deeper depths compared to the surface where the particles entered the flow field. The results show a non-linear dependence of nanoparticle (NP) mobility on flux rate and water content. Especially the observed retardation similar to equilibrium sorption is in contrast to observations under saturated flow conditions. A convection-dispersion and reaction model that combines a reversible equilibrium process and a non-equilibrium interaction process reproduced the measured breakthrough curves reasonably well. From comparison between saturated and unsaturated experiments we conclude that the air-water interface is responsible for the reversible equilibrium process while the water-solid interface accounts for irreversible soption.

  19. Capillary electrophoresis for analyzing pesticides in fruits and vegetables using solid-phase extraction and stir-bar sorptive extraction.

    PubMed

    Juan-García, Ana; Picó, Yolanda; Font, Guillermina

    2005-05-06

    Two procedures based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) in combination with micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC)--diode array detection (DAD) were compared for the simultaneous extraction of acrinathrin, bitertanol, cyproconazole, fludioxonil, flutriafol, myclobutanil, pyriproxyfen, and tebuconazole in lettuce, tomato, grape, and strawberry. Selectivity and resolution of the MEKC procedure were studied changing the pH and the molarity of the buffer, the type and the concentration of surfactant, and the methanol content in the mobile phase. A buffer consisting of 6 mM sodium tetraborate decahydrate with 75 mM of cholic acid sodium solution (pH 9.2) gave the best results. Linearity, extraction efficiencies and limits of quantitation (LOQs) of both extraction methods were compared. The recoveries obtained by SPE ranged from 40 to 106% with relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) from 10 to 19% whereas by the SBSE method, the recoveries were 12-47% and the R.S.D.s 3-17%. The LOQs were much better by SPE (0.2-0.5 mg kg(-1) depending on the processed sample amount) than those obtained by SBSE (1 mg kg(-1) for each compound). Advantages and disadvantages of both procedures are also discussed. As SPE is more robust, rapid, and sensitive than SBSE, its application in combination with MEKC is recommended because provided LOQs below the MRLs established, which is not always attained by SBSE.

  20. Predictive relationship between polyphenol and nonfat cocoa solids content of chocolate.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Karen A; Campos-Giménez, Esther; Jiménez Alvarez, Diego; Rytz, Andreas; Nagy, Kornél; Williamson, Gary

    2008-01-09

    Chocolate is often labeled with percent cocoa solids content. It is assumed that higher cocoa solids contents are indicative of higher polyphenol concentrations, which have potential health benefits. However, cocoa solids include polyphenol-free cocoa butter and polyphenol-rich nonfat cocoa solids (NFCS). In this study the strength of the relationship between NFCS content (estimated by theobromine as a proxy) and polyphenol content was tested in chocolate samples with labeled cocoa solids contents in the range of 20-100%, grouped as dark (n = 46), milk (n = 8), and those chocolates containing inclusions such as wafers or nuts (n = 15). The relationship was calculated with regard to both total polyphenol content and individual polyphenols. In dark chocolates, NFCS is linearly related to total polyphenols (r2 = 0.73). Total polyphenol content appears to be systematically slightly higher for milk chocolates than estimated by the dark chocolate model, whereas for chocolates containing other ingredients, the estimates fall close to or slightly below the model results. This shows that extra components such as milk, wafers, or nuts might influence the measurements of both theobromine and polyphenol contents. For each of the six main polyphenols (as well as their sum), the relationship with the estimated NFCS was much lower than for total polyphenols (r2 < 0.40), but these relationships were independent of the nature of the chocolate type, indicating that they might still have some predictive capabilities.

  1. Determining the release of radionuclides from tank waste residual solids. FY2015 report

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

    King, William D.; Hobbs, David T.

    Methodology development for pore water leaching studies has been continued to support Savannah River Site High Level Waste tank closure efforts. For FY2015, the primary goal of this testing was the achievement of target pH and Eh values for pore water solutions representative of local groundwater in the presence of grout or grout-representative (CaCO 3 or FeS) solids as well as waste surrogate solids representative of residual solids expected to be present in a closed tank. For oxidizing conditions representative of a closed tank after aging, a focus was placed on using solid phases believed to be controlling pH andmore » E h at equilibrium conditions. For three pore water conditions (shown below), the target pH values were achieved to within 0.5 pH units. Tank 18 residual surrogate solids leaching studies were conducted over an E h range of approximately 630 mV. Significantly higher Eh values were achieved for the oxidizing conditions (ORII and ORIII) than were previously observed. For the ORII condition, the target Eh value was nearly achieved (within 50 mV). However, E h values observed for the ORIII condition were approximately 160 mV less positive than the target. E h values observed for the RRII condition were approximately 370 mV less negative than the target. Achievement of more positive and more negative E h values is believed to require the addition of non-representative oxidants and reductants, respectively. Plutonium and uranium concentrations measured during Tank 18 residual surrogate solids leaching studies under these conditions (shown below) followed the general trends predicted for plutonium and uranium oxide phases, assuming equilibrium with dissolved oxygen. The highest plutonium and uranium concentrations were observed for the ORIII condition and the lowest concentrations were observed for the RRII condition. Based on these results, it is recommended that these test methodologies be used to conduct leaching studies with actual Tank 18 residual solids material. Actual waste testing will include leaching evaluations of technetium and neptunium, as well as plutonium and uranium.« less

  2. Influence of annealing time on pH sensitivity of ZnO sensing membrane for EGFET sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zulkefle, M. A.; Rahman, R. A.; Yusoff, K. A.; Abdullah, W. F. H.; Rusop, M.; Herman, S. H.

    2018-05-01

    Solid-state materials have becomes essential in recent technological advancements. This study also utilized solid-state material but in form of thin films to sense hydrogen ions in solutions. Fabrication of ZnO thin film was done using sol-gel spin coating technique. In an attempt to increase the pH sensitivity of the produced film, prolonging of annealing time was done. It was found that the increase in annealing time from 15 minutes to 30 minutes had managed to improve the sensitivity by 4.35%. The optimum pH sensitivity and linearity obtained in this study is 50.40 mV/pH and 0.9911 respectively.

  3. Preparation of dual-stimuli-responsive liposomes using methacrylate-based copolymers with pH and temperature sensitivities for precisely controlled release.

    PubMed

    Sugimoto, Takumi; Yamazaki, Naoko; Hayashi, Takaaki; Yuba, Eiji; Harada, Atsushi; Kotaka, Aki; Shinde, Chiharu; Kumei, Takayuki; Sumida, Yasushi; Fukushima, Mitsuhiro; Munekata, Yuki; Maruyama, Keiichi; Kono, Kenji

    2017-07-01

    Dual-signal-sensitive copolymers were synthesized by copolymerization of methoxy diethylene glycol methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and lauroxy tetraethylene glycol methacrylate, which respectively provide temperature sensitivity, pH sensitivity, and anchoring to liposome surfaces. These novel copolymers, with water solubility that differs depending on temperature and pH, are soluble in water under neutral pH and low-temperature conditions, but they become water-insoluble and form aggregates under acidic pH and high-temperature conditions. Liposomes modified with these copolymers exhibited enhanced content release at weakly acidic pH with increasing temperature, although no temperature-dependent content release was observed in neutral conditions. Interaction between the copolymers and the lipid monolayer at the air-water interface revealed that the copolymer chains penetrate more deeply into the monolayer with increasing temperature at acidic pH than at neutral pH, where the penetration of copolymer chains was moderate and temperature-independent at neutral pH. Interaction of the copolymer-modified liposomes with HeLa cells demonstrated that the copolymer-modified liposomes were adsorbed quickly and efficiently onto the cell surface and that they were internalized more gradually than the unmodified liposomes through endocytosis. Furthermore, the copolymer-modified liposomes enhanced the content release in endosomes with increasing temperature, but no such temperature-dependent enhancement of content release was observed for unmodified liposomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Rubus fruticosus (blackberry) use as an herbal medicine

    PubMed Central

    Verma, Rameshwar; Gangrade, Tushar; Punasiya, Rakesh; Ghulaxe, Chetan

    2014-01-01

    Wild grown European blackberry Rubus fruticosus) plants are widespread in different parts of northern countries and have been extensively used in herbal medicine. The result show that European blackberry plants are used for herbal medicinal purpose such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antidysentery, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, and also good antioxidant. Blackberry plant (R. fruticosus) contains tannins, gallic acid, villosin, and iron; fruit contains vitamin C, niacin (nicotinic acid), pectin, sugars, and anthocyanins and also contains of berries albumin, citric acid, malic acid, and pectin. Some selected physicochemical characteristics such as berry weight, protein, pH, total acidity, soluble solid, reducing sugar, vitamin C, total antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial screening of fruit, leaves, root, and stem of R. fruticosus, and total anthocyanins of four preselected wild grown European blackberry (R. fruticosus) fruits are investigated. Significant differences on most of the chemical content detect among the medicinal use. The highest protein content (2%), the genotypes with the antioxidant activity of standard butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) studies 85.07%. Different cultivars grown in same location consistently show differences in antioxidant capacity. PMID:25125882

  5. Evaluation of Antioxidant Compounds and Total Sugar Content in a Nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] Progeny

    PubMed Central

    Abidi, Walid; Jiménez, Sergio; Moreno, María Ángeles; Gogorcena, Yolanda

    2011-01-01

    Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of fruit rich in phenolic compounds is associated with health-protective effects due to their antioxidant properties. For these reasons quality evaluation has become an important issue in fruit industry and in breeding programs. Phytochemical traits such as total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, L-ascorbic acid, sugar content and relative antioxidant capacity (RAC) were analyzed over four years in flesh fruit of an F1 population “Venus” × “Big Top” nectarines. Other traits such as harvesting date, yield, fruit weight, firmness, soluble solids concentration (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA) and ripening index (RI) were also determined in the progeny. Results showed high variability among genotypes for all analyzed traits. Total phenolics and flavonoids showed significant positive correlations with RAC implying that both are important antioxidant bioactive compounds in peaches. We found genotypes with enhanced antioxidant capacity and a better performance than progenitors, and in consequence the best marketability. PMID:22072927

  6. The influence of additional water content towards the spectroscopy and physicochemical properties of genus Apis and stingless bee honey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Omar, Ahmad Fairuz; Mardziah Yahaya, Ommi Kalsom; Tan, Kok Chooi; Mail, Mohd Hafiz; Seeni, Azman

    2016-04-01

    The major issues concerning to food products are related to its authenticity. Honey is one of the common food products that suffer from adulteration, mainly due to its constant high market demand and price. Several studies on the authenticity detection have been done mainly on honey from genus Apis (GA), but less research has been conducted on Stingless Bee Honey (SBH) even the market demand for this food product is increasing, particularly in Malaysia due to its possible health benefits. Thus, identification of unadulterated and authenticity of honey is a very key issue for products processors, retailers, consumers and regulatory authorities. There is an increasing demand for appropriate instruments and methods to shield consumers against fraud and to guarantee a fair competition between honey producers. The study presented in this paper shows the effect of diluting pure honey from both genus Apis and Stingless Bee towards its physicochemical attributes (i.e. soluble solids content and pH) and VIS-NIR spectral absorbance features.

  7. Chemical and sensory quality of fresh pomegranate fruits exposed to gamma radiation as quarantine treatment.

    PubMed

    Shahbaz, Hafiz Muhammad; Ahn, Jae-Jun; Akram, Kashif; Kim, Hyo-Young; Park, Eun-Joo; Kwon, Joong-Ho

    2014-02-15

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture in February 2012 approved the import of fresh pomegranates subjected to irradiation as a quarantine procedure with a minimum absorbed dose of 0.4kGy against different pests. This study evaluated the application of different gamma-irradiation doses (0.4, 1, and 2kGy) in fresh pomegranate fruits and their effect on the chemical and sensory characteristics. The total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and pH values remained unaffected up to 1kGy treatment. Irradiation caused a significant decrease in the total anthocyanins and phenolic content. A strong positive correlation was observed among the antioxidant activities, total phenolics and anthocyanin contents. In general, a stronger preference was shown by sensory panelists for the juice from irradiated fruits. This study provides research-based information about the application of irradiation as a quarantine disinfestation treatment to enhance the marketing and consumer acceptance of pomegranates. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Effects of organic composition on the anaerobic biodegradability of food waste.

    PubMed

    Li, Yangyang; Jin, Yiying; Borrion, Aiduan; Li, Hailong; Li, Jinhui

    2017-11-01

    This work investigated the influence of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids on the anaerobic digestion of food waste (FW) and the relationship between the parameters characterising digestion. Increasing the concentrations of proteins and lipids, and decreasing carbohydrate content in FW, led to high buffering capacity, reduction of proteins (52.7-65.0%) and lipids (57.4-88.2%), and methane production (385-627 mLCH 4 /g volatile solid), while achieving a short retention time. There were no significant correlations between the reduction of organics, hydrolysis rate constant (0.25-0.66d -1 ) and composition of organics. Principal Component Analysis revealed that lipid, C, and N contents as well as the C/N ratio were the principal components for digestion. In addition, methane yield, the final concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen and free ammonia nitrogen, final pH values, and the reduction of proteins and lipids could be predicted by a second-order polynomial model, in terms of the protein and lipid weight fraction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Vacuum infiltration of putrescine enhances bioactive compounds and maintains quality of blood orange during cold storage.

    PubMed

    Habibi, Fariborz; Ramezanian, Asghar

    2017-07-15

    The effects of putrescine (Put) treatment on anthocyanin concentrations and other bioactive compounds of two blood orange ('Moro' and 'Tarocco') cultivars during cold storage have been investigated. Put at 0, 1 and 2mM were applied to fruit by vacuum infiltration at 26.665kPa for 8min and then stored at 5°C, and 90% RH for 60days, plus a simulated shelf life of 2days at 20°C. Put treatment maintained higher fruit firmness and reduced weight loss during storage. Anthocyanin, total phenolic content (TPC), ascorbic acid content, and antioxidant activity were also higher in treated fruit than the control during storage. pH and titratable acidity (TA) were highest in treated fruit, while soluble solids concentration (SSC) and SSC/TA ratios were highest in untreated fruit. Overall, the quality of blood oranges maintained by Put treatment during cold storage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Quality of Delaware River water at Trenton, New Jersey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCarthy, Leo T.; Keighton, Walter B.

    1964-01-01

    Water in the Delaware River at Trenton, NJ, is a mixture of several types--water from the mountainous headwater region, water from the coal-mining regions, and water from the limestone valleys. The quantities of these types of water, in relation to the total quantity of water at Trenton, vary with changes in season and reservoir releases. The chemical quality of the water during the 17-year period 1945-61 was excellent, and the water was suitable for most uses after little or no treatment. The average concentration of dissolved solids was 86 ppm (parts per million), and 90 percent of the time it ranged from 57 to 126 ppm. Usually the pH of the water was close to 7.0 (considered to be a neutral point-neither acid nor alkaline). The hardness was less than 86 ppm 95 percent of the time. The general composition of the dissolved-solids content, in terms of equivalents, is 28 percent calcium, 14 percent magnesium, 8 percent sodium plus potassium, 43 percent bicarbonate plus sulfate, 5 percent chloride, and 2 percent nitrate. Concentrations of minerals in the river water are lowest during March, April and May (median concentration of dissolved solids 66 PPM) and are highest during August and September (median, 107 PPM). Each year an average of 880,000 tons of dissolved solids and 932,000 tons of suspended solids are carried past Trenton by the Delaware River. The greatest monthly loads of dissolved solids are in March and April, and the smallest are from July to October. Suspended-solids loads are greater when the streamflow is high but small the rest of the time. Concentration of suspended solids exceeds 100 PPM only 5 percent of the time. The headwaters in the Delaware River basin are the source of water of excellent quality. Much of this water is stored in reservoirs, and when released during August and September, it improves the quality of the water at Trenton. These releases to augment low flow have the effect of narrowing the range of concentrations of dissolved constituents. In 1952 and 1962, 6 and 19 percent, respectively, of the drainage area above Trenton was regulated by reservoirs. After proposed construction, 60 percent will be regulated by 1975. Thus, it may be that the high concentrations of dissolved constituents observed in the 1945-61 period will not occur again. It is possible that the water quality observed during the period 1945-61 (dissolved solids 57-126 PPM 90 percent of the time, pH close to 7.0, hardness less than 86 PPM 95 percent of the time) is representative of what can be expected in the future, for a variety of hydrologic conditions were experienced in the 17-year period.

  11. Development of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes) polysaccharides injection formulation.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yuji; He, Anle; Liu, Yanhong; Xie, Baogui; Li, Ye; Deng, Youjin; Liu, Xinrui; Liu, Qichao

    2014-01-01

    Biochemical and pharmacological research has demonstrated that Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPS) have significant anticancer, antitumor, and antioxidant activities. To investigate the effect of injecting GLPS into hosts for clinical studies, aqueous polysaccharide extracts from G. lucidum fruit bodies were purified by deproteinization using the Sevage method, anion-exchange chromatography elution (cellulose DEAE-52 chromatography), dialysis, ethanol precipitation, and active carbon and millipore membrane filtration techniques. The purified GLPS were used for injection in mice. Polysaccharide indexes, protein, tannin, heavy metal, arsenic salt, oxalate, potassium ion, resin, pH, ignition residue measurements, evaluation criterion for allergic reactions, and total solids content of the GLPS injection were all performed using the reference methods in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Our results showed that polysaccharide was the key component of injection mixtures. The ignition residue and total solids content in the injection mixture were 1.4% and 2.4%, respectively. The other indices were all within the expected safety ranges. Furthermore, studies from mice functional assays showed that the injection mixture improved the antifatigue capacity of mice without any effect on weight loss/gain. In addition, the injection mixture was safe, which was confirmed by allergy testing in guinea pigs. The development of a GLPS injection offers a novel approach for future medicinal mushroom utilization and holds great commercial promise.

  12. Effect of short-time aerobic digestion on bioflocculation of extracellular polymeric substances from waste activated sludge.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Jiao; Zhao, Jianfu; Xia, Siqing

    2015-02-01

    The effect of short-time aerobic digestion on bioflocculation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) from waste activated sludge (WAS) was investigated. Bioflocculation of the EPS was found to be enhanced by 2∼6 h of WAS aerobic digestion under the conditions of natural sludge pH (about 7), high sludge concentration by gravity thickening, and dissolved oxygen of about 2 mg/L. With the same EPS extraction method, the total suspended solid content reduction of 0.20 and 0.36 g/L and the volatile suspended solid content reduction of 0.19 and 0.26 g/L were found for the WAS samples before and after aerobic digestion of 4 h. It indicates that more EPS is produced by short-time aerobic digestion of WAS. The scanning electron microscopy images of the WAS samples before and after aerobic digestion of 4 h showed that more EPS appeared on the surface of zoogloea by aerobic digestion, which reconfirmed that WAS aerobic digestion induced abundant formation of EPS. By WAS aerobic digestion, the flocculating rate of the EPS showed about 31 % growth, almost consistent with the growth of its yield (about 34 %). The EPSs obtained before and after the aerobic digestion presented nearly the same components, structures, and Fourier transform infrared spectra. These results revealed that short-time aerobic digestion of WAS enhanced the flocculation of the EPS by promoting its production.

  13. Investigation of Antimicrobial Activity and Statistical Optimization of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 Biosurfactant Production in Solid-State Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Ghribi, Dhouha; Abdelkefi-Mesrati, Lobna; Mnif, Ines; Kammoun, Radhouan; Ayadi, Imen; Saadaoui, Imen; Maktouf, Sameh; Chaabouni-Ellouze, Semia

    2012-01-01

    During the last years, several applications of biosurfactants with medical purposes have been reported. Biosurfactants are considered relevant molecules for applications in combating many diseases. However, their use is currently extremely limited due to their high cost in relation to that of chemical surfactants. Use of inexpensive substrates can drastically decrease its production cost. Here, twelve solid substrates were screened for the production of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant and the maximum yield was found with millet. A Plackett-Burman design was then used to evaluate the effects of five variables (temperature, moisture, initial pH, inoculum age, and inoculum size). Statistical analyses showed that temperature, inoculum age, and moisture content had significantly positive effect on SPB1 biosurfactant production. Their values were further optimized using a central composite design and a response surface methodology. The optimal conditions of temperature, inoculum age, and moisture content obtained under the conditions of study were 37°C, 14 h, and 88%, respectively. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of this compound was carried out against 11 bacteria and 8 fungi. The results demonstrated that this biosurfactant exhibited an important antimicrobial activity against microorganisms with multidrug-resistant profiles. Its activity was very effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumonia, and so forth. PMID:22536017

  14. Circular dichroism studies of the mitochondrial channel, VDAC, from Neurospora crassa.

    PubMed Central

    Shao, L; Kinnally, K W; Mannella, C A

    1996-01-01

    The protein that forms the voltage-gated channel VDAC (or mitochondrial porin) has been purified from Neurospora crassa. At room temperature and pH 7, the circular dichoism (CD) spectrum of VDAC suspended in octyl beta-glucoside is similar to those of bacterial porins, consistent with a high beta-sheet content. When VDAC is reconstituted into phospholipid liposomes at pH 7, a similar CD spectrum is obtained and the liposomes are rendered permeable to sucrose. Heating VDAC in octyl beta-glucoside or in liposomes results in thermal denaturation. The CD spectrum irreversibly changes to one consistent with total loss of beta-sheet content, and VDAC-containing liposomes irreversibly lose sucrose permeability. When VDAC is suspended at room temperature in octyl beta-glucoside at pH < 5 or in sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH 7, its CD spectrum is consistent with partial loss of beta-sheet content. The sucrose permeability of VDAC-containing liposomes is decreased at low pH and restored at pH 7. Similarly, the pH-dependent changes in the CD spectrum of VDAC suspended in octyl beta-glucoside also are reversible. These results suggest that VDAC undergoes a reversible conformational change at low pH involving reduced beta-sheet content and loss of pore-forming activity. Images FIGURE 1 PMID:8842216

  15. The acyl-activating enzyme PhAAE13 is an alternative enzymatic source of precursors for anthocyanin biosynthesis in petunia flowers

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Guoju; Liu, Heping; Wei, Qian; Zhao, Huina

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids, are responsible for the orange to blue coloration of flowers and act as visual attractors to aid pollination and seed dispersal. Malonyl-CoA is the precursor for the formation of flavonoids and anthocyanins. Previous studies have suggested that malonyl-CoA is formed almost exclusively by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the ATP-dependent formation of malonyl-CoA from acetyl-CoA and bicarbonate. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of Petunia hybrida acyl-activating enzyme 13 (PhAAE13), a member of clade VII of the AAE superfamily that encodes malonyl-CoA synthetase, was isolated. The expression of PhAAE13 was highest in corollas and was down-regulated by ethylene. Virus-induced gene silencing of petunia PhAAE13 significantly reduced anthocyanin accumulation, fatty acid content, and cuticular wax components content, and increased malonic acid content in flowers. The silencing of PhAAE3 and PhAAE14, the other two genes in clade VII of the AAE superfamily, did not change the anthocyanin content in petunia flowers. This study provides strong evidence indicating that PhAAE13, among clade VII of the AAE superfamily, is specifically involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in petunia flowers. PMID:28204578

  16. Desorption of Arsenic from Drinking Water Distribution System Solids

    EPA Science Inventory

    Given the limited knowledge regarding the soluble release of arsenic from DWDS solids, the objectives of this research were to: 1) investigate the effect of pH on the dissolution/desorption of arsenic from DWDS solids, and 2) examine the effect of orthophosphate on the soluble re...

  17. 40 CFR 421.102 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 59.900 25.030 Ammonia (as N) 5,469.000 2,404.00 Total suspended solids 1,682.000 800.000 pH (1) (1) 1... Ammonia (as N) 4,773.000 2,098.000 Total suspended solids 1,468.000 698.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... sodium tungstate (as W) produced Lead 0.000 0.000 Zinc 0.000 0.000 Ammonia (as N) 0.000 0.000 Total...

  18. 40 CFR 421.102 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 59.900 25.030 Ammonia (as N) 5,469.000 2,404.00 Total suspended solids 1,682.000 800.000 pH (1) (1) 1... Ammonia (as N) 4,773.000 2,098.000 Total suspended solids 1,468.000 698.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... sodium tungstate (as W) produced Lead 0.000 0.000 Zinc 0.000 0.000 Ammonia (as N) 0.000 0.000 Total...

  19. 40 CFR 421.102 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 59.900 25.030 Ammonia (as N) 5,469.000 2,404.00 Total suspended solids 1,682.000 800.000 pH (1) (1) 1... Ammonia (as N) 4,773.000 2,098.000 Total suspended solids 1,468.000 698.300 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range... sodium tungstate (as W) produced Lead 0.000 0.000 Zinc 0.000 0.000 Ammonia (as N) 0.000 0.000 Total...

  20. Bio-phenolic resin from oil palm empty fruit bunches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakaria, Zuhaili; Zakaria, Sarani; Roslan, Rasidi; Chia, Chin Hua; Jaafar, Sharifah Nabihah Syed; Amran, Umar Adli

    2018-04-01

    Utilization of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) in the production of bio-phenolic resin is an alternative way to reduce the dependency of petroleum-based phenol. In this study, resol type bio-phenolic resin (BPR) was synthesized from EFB fibers using sulfuric acid as the catalyst to produce liquefied empty fruit bunches (LEFB) followed by resinification reaction with formaldehyde in alkaline condition. The SEM image of LEFB residue showed separation of fiber bundles into individual fibers. This indicate that lignin was destroyed during the liquefaction process. The increased of formaldehyde/LEFB molar ratio has resulted an increase of viscosity, solid content and pH of the resin. The obtained FTIR spectra confirmed that functional groups of BPR resins was almost similar with commercial resin.

  1. [Effects of soil acidity on Pinus resinosa seedlings photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence].

    PubMed

    Liu, Shuang; Wang, Qing-cheng; Liu, Ya-li; Tian, Yu-ming; Sun, Jing; Xu, Jing

    2009-12-01

    Red pine (Pinus resinosa) is one of the most important tree species for timber plantation in North America, and preliminary success has been achieved in its introduction to the mountainous area of Northeast China since 2004. In order to expand its growth area in other parts of Northeast China, a pot experiment was conducted to study the adaptability of this tree species to varying soil acidity. P. resinosa seedlings were grown in soils with different acidity (pH = 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, and 8.0) to test the responses of their photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to soil pH levels, and the appropriate soil acidity was evaluated. Dramatic responses in chlorophyll a and b contents, Pn and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fo, Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, and phi(PS II)) were detected under different soil acidity (P < 0.05), with the highest chlorophyll content and Pn under soil pH 5.5, and significantly lower chlorophyll content and Pn under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0. The chlorophyll content and Pn were 41% and 50%, and 61% and 88% higher under soil pH 5.5 than under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0. The seedlings had a significant photosynthetic inhibition under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0, but the highest Fv/Fm and phi (PS II) under soil pH 5.5. Comparing with those under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0, the Fv/Fm and phi (PS II) under soil pH 5.5 were 8% and 12%, and 22% and 35% higher, respectively. It was suggested that soil pH 5.5 was most appropriate for P. resinosa growth.

  2. High fluoride and low pH level have been detected in popular flavoured beverages in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Ha Rahim, Zubaidah; M Bakri, Marina; Hm, Zakir; Ia, Ahmed; Na, Zulkifli

    2014-03-01

    In children, excessive ingestion of fluoride from different sources including bottled drinking water and flavoured beverages or soft drinks can lead to the development of dental fluorosis. In addition, the pH level of beverages is important. Low pH can cause dental erosion. In this study we explore the fluoride content and pH level of certain popular beverages available in Malaysian supermarkets and hawkers' stalls. Bottled drinking water and selected popular flavoured packet drinks were purchased from a supermarket and the corresponding flavoured hawkers' drinks, from a hawker's stall in Kuala Lumpur. Fluoride and pH of the beverages were determined using digital fluoride meter and digital pH meter respectively. It was found that fluoride content and pH level vary among the beverages. The mean fluoride content in both packet and hawkers' drinks (7.64±1.88 mg/L, 7.51±1.60 mg/L, respectively) was approximately 7 times higher than the bottled drinking water (1.05±0.35 mg/L). Among the beverages, the tea packet drink was found to contain the highest amount of fluoride (13.02±0.23 mg/L). The mean pH of bottled-drinking water was near neutral (6.96±0.17), but acidic for both supermarket (4.78.00±0.49) and hawkers' drinks (5.73±0.24). The lychee packet drink had the lowest pH level (2.97±0.03). Due to the wide variation of the fluoride content and pH level of the drinks tested in this study, it is recommended that steps should be taken to control the fluoride concentration and pH level in beverages if dental fluorosis and erosion are to be prevented.

  3. Experimental study and numerical simulation of the salinity effect on water-freezing point and ice-melting rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qin, N.; Wu, Y.; Wang, H. W.; Wang, Y. Y.

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, based on the background of snowmelt de-icing tools, we studied the effect of salt on freezing point and melting rate of ice through laboratory test and FLUENT numerical simulation analysis. It was confirmed that the freezing point is inversely proportional to the salt solid content, and with the salt solid content increasing, the freezing process of salt water gradually accepts the curing rule of non-crystal solids. At the same temperature, an increase in the salt solid content, the ice melting rate increase by the empirical formula linking the melting time with temperature and salt content. The theoretical aspects of solid/fluid transformation are discussed in detail.

  4. Development of novel sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersion with gelatin and HPMC: physicochemical characterization and pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs.

    PubMed

    Lim, Hyun-Tae; Balakrishnan, Prabagar; Oh, Dong Hoon; Joe, Kwan Hyung; Kim, Young Ran; Hwang, Doo Hyung; Lee, Yong-Bok; Yong, Chul Soon; Choi, Han-Gon

    2010-09-15

    To develop a novel sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersion with enhanced solubility and bioavailability, various solid dispersions were prepared using a spray drying technique with hydrophilic polymers such as gelatin, HPMC and citric acid. Their solubility, thermal characteristics and crystallinity were investigated. The dissolution and pharmacokinetics of the sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersion were then compared with a sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate-loaded commercial product (Reductil). The solid dispersions prepared with gelatin gave higher drug solubility than those prepared without gelatin, irrespective of the amount of polymer. The sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersions containing hydrophilic polymer and citric acid showed higher drug solubility compared to sibutramine base and sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate. Among the formulations tested, the solid dispersion composed of sibutramine base/gelatin/HPMC/citric acid at the weight ratio of 1/0.8/0.2/0.5 gave the highest solubility of 5.03+/-0.24 mg/ml. Our DSC and powder X-ray diffraction results showed that the drug was present in an altered amorphous form in this solid dispersion. The difference factor (f(1)) values between solid dispersion and commercial product were 2.82, 6.65 and 6.31 at pH 1.2, 4.0 and 6.8, respectively. Furthermore, they had the similarity factor (f(2)) value of 65.68, 53.43 and 58.97 at pH 1.2, 4.0 and 6.8, respectively. Our results suggested that the solid dispersion and commercial product produced a similar correlation of dissolution profiles at all pH ranges. The AUC, C(max) and T(max) of the parent drug and metabolite I and II from the solid dispersion were not significantly different from those of the commercial product, suggesting that the solid dispersion might be bioequivalent to the commercial product in beagle dogs. Thus, the sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersion prepared with gelatin, HPMC and citric acid is a promising candidate for improving the solubility and bioavailability of the poorly water-soluble sibutramine base. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Changes in Acidity, TSS, and Sugar Content at Different Storage Periods of the Postharvest Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Influenced by Bavistin DF

    PubMed Central

    Islam, Md. Khairul; Khan, M. Z. H.; Sarkar, M. A. R.; Absar, Nurul; Sarkar, S. K.

    2013-01-01

    A detailed study was carried out with the postharvest mangoes (namely, the Langra and the Khirshapat) treated with different levels of Bavistin DF (BDF) solution (namely, 250, 500, and 750 ppm) for obtaining results on biochemical changes as well as storability of postharvest mango. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results of the experiments exhibited that only the single effect of varieties was found to be significant in most of the parameters studied. The Langra enriched a greater quantity of titratable acidity and total soluble solid (TSS) at 3rd day, over the Khirshapat. On the other hand, Khirshapat showed increased pulp pH and TSS at all the storage duration. The results explored that some physicochemical properties, namely, pulp pH, TSS, sugar (total, reducing, and nonreducing), and titratable acidity along with shelf life drastically decreased from untreated mangoes. Bavistin DF with the doses of 750 ppm showed better results in delaying the changes in physicochemical properties and extended shelf life. PMID:26904616

  6. Infrared absorption of trans-1-chloromethylallyl and trans-1-methylallyl radicals produced in photochemical reactions of trans-1,3-butadiene and Cl2 in solid para-hydrogen.

    PubMed

    Bahou, Mohammed; Wu, Jen-Yu; Tanaka, Keiichi; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2012-08-28

    The reactions of chlorine and hydrogen atoms with trans-1,3-butadiene in solid para-hydrogen (p-H(2)) were investigated with infrared (IR) absorption spectra. When a p-H(2) matrix containing Cl(2) and trans-1,3-butadiene was irradiated with ultraviolet light at 365 nm, intense lines at 650.3, 809.0, 962.2, 1240.6 cm(-1), and several weaker ones due to the trans-1-chloromethylallyl radical, ●(CH(2)CHCH)CH(2)Cl, appeared. Observed wavenumbers and relative intensities agree with the anharmonic vibrational wavenumbers and IR intensities predicted with the B3PW91/6-311++g(2d, 2p) method. That the Cl atom adds primarily to the terminal carbon atom of trans-1,3-butadiene is in agreement with the path of minimum energy predicted theoretically, but in contrast to the reaction of Cl + propene in solid p-H(2) [J. Amicangelo and Y.-P. Lee, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 1, 2956 (2010)] in which the addition of Cl to the central C atom is favored, likely through steric effects in a p-H(2) matrix. A second set of lines, intense at 781.6, 957.9, 1433.6, 2968.8, 3023.5, 3107.3 cm(-1), were observed when the UV-irradiated Cl(2)/trans-1,3-butadiene/p-H(2) matrix was further irradiated with IR light from a SiC source. These lines are assigned to the trans-1-methylallyl radical, ●(CH(2)CHCH)CH(3), produced from reaction of 1,3-butadiene with a H atom resulted from the reaction of Cl atoms with solid p-H(2) exposed to IR radiation.

  7. Evaluation of the 5 and 8 pH point titration methods for monitoring anaerobic digesters treating solid waste.

    PubMed

    Vannecke, T P W; Lampens, D R A; Ekama, G A; Volcke, E I P

    2015-01-01

    Simple titration methods certainly deserve consideration for on-site routine monitoring of volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and alkalinity during anaerobic digestion (AD), because of their simplicity, speed and cost-effectiveness. In this study, the 5 and 8 pH point titration methods for measuring the VFA concentration and carbonate system alkalinity (H2CO3*-alkalinity) were assessed and compared. For this purpose, synthetic solutions with known H2CO3*-alkalinity and VFA concentration as well as samples from anaerobic digesters treating three different kind of solid wastes were analysed. The results of these two related titration methods were verified with photometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography measurements. It was shown that photometric measurements lead to overestimations of the VFA concentration in the case of coloured samples. In contrast, the 5 pH point titration method provides an accurate estimation of the VFA concentration, clearly corresponding with the true value. Concerning the H2CO3*-alkalinity, the most accurate and precise estimations, showing very similar results for repeated measurements, were obtained using the 8 pH point titration. Overall, it was concluded that the 5 pH point titration method is the preferred method for the practical monitoring of AD of solid wastes due to its robustness, cost efficiency and user-friendliness.

  8. Effect of pH, competitive anions and NOM on the leaching of arsenic from solid residuals.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Amlan; Sáez, A Eduardo; Ela, Wendell

    2006-06-15

    Implementation of the new arsenic MCL in 2006 will lead to the generation of an estimated 6 million pounds of arsenic-bearing solid residuals (ABSRs) every year, which will be disposed predominantly in non-hazardous landfills. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) is typically used to assess whether a waste is hazardous and most solid residuals pass the TCLP. However, recent research shows the TCLP significantly underestimates arsenic mobilization in landfills. A variety of compositional dissimilarities between landfill leachates and the TCLP extractant solution likely play a role. Among the abiotic factors likely to play a key role in arsenic remobilization/leaching from solid sorbents are pH, and the concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM) and anions like phosphate, bicarbonate, sulfate and silicate. This study evaluates the desorption of arsenic from actual treatment sorbents, activated alumina (AA) and granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), which are representative of those predicted for use in arsenic removal processes, and as a function of the specific range of pH and concentrations of the competitive anions and NOM found in landfills. The influence of pH is much more significant than that of competing anions or NOM. An increase in one unit of pH may increase the fraction of arsenic leached by 3-4 times. NOM and phosphate replace arsenic from sorbent surface sites up to three orders of magnitude more than bicarbonate, sulfate and silicate, on a per mole basis. Effects of anions are neither additive nor purely competitive. Leaching tests, which compare the fraction of arsenic mobilized by the TCLP vis-a-vis an actual or more realistic synthetic landfill leachate, indicate that higher pH, and greater concentrations of anions and NOM are all factors, but of varying significance, in causing higher extraction in landfill and synthetic leachates than the TCLP.

  9. A titration approach to identify the capacity for starch digestion in milk-fed calves.

    PubMed

    Gilbert, M S; van den Borne, J J G C; Berends, H; Pantophlet, A J; Schols, H A; Gerrits, W J J

    2015-02-01

    Calf milk replacers (MR) commonly contain 40% to 50% lactose. For economic reasons, starch is of interest as a lactose replacer. Compared with lactose, starch digestion is generally low in calves. It is, however, unknown which enzyme limits the rate of starch digestion. The objectives were to determine which enzyme limits starch digestion and to assess the maximum capacity for starch digestion in milk-fed calves. A within-animal titration study was performed, where lactose was exchanged stepwise for one of four starch products (SP). The four corn-based SP differed in size and branching, therefore requiring different ratios of starch-degrading enzymes for their complete hydrolysis to glucose: gelatinised starch (α-amylase and (iso)maltase); maltodextrin ((iso)maltase and α-amylase); maltodextrin with α-1,6-branching (isomaltase, maltase and α-amylase) and maltose (maltase). When exceeding the animal's capacity to enzymatically hydrolyse starch, fermentation occurs, leading to a reduced faecal dry matter (DM) content and pH. Forty calves (13 weeks of age) were assigned to either a lactose control diet or one of four titration strategies (n=8 per treatment), each testing the stepwise exchange of lactose for one SP. Dietary inclusion of each SP was increased weekly by 3% at the expense of lactose and faecal samples were collected from the rectum weekly to determine DM content and pH. The increase in SP inclusion was stopped when faecal DM content dropped below 10.6% (i.e. 75% of the average initial faecal DM content) for 3 consecutive weeks. For control calves, faecal DM content and pH did not change over time. For 87% of the SP-fed calves, faecal DM and pH decreased already at low inclusion levels, and linear regression provided a better fit of the data (faecal DM content or pH v. time) than non-linear regression. For all SP treatments, faecal DM content and pH decreased in time (P<0.001) and slopes for faecal DM content and pH in time differed from CON; P<0.001 for all SP), but did not differ between SP treatments. Faecal DM content of SP-fed calves decreased by 0.57% and faecal pH by 0.32 per week. In conclusion, faecal DM content and pH sensitively respond to incremental inclusion of SP in calf MR, independently of SP characteristics. All SP require maltase to achieve complete hydrolysis to glucose. We therefore suggest that maltase activity limits starch digestion and that fermentation may contribute substantially to total tract starch disappearance in milk-fed calves.

  10. Production of coconut protein powder from coconut wet processing waste and its characterization.

    PubMed

    Naik, Aduja; Raghavendra, S N; Raghavarao, K S M S

    2012-07-01

    Virgin coconut oil (VCO) has been gaining popularity in recent times. During its production, byproducts such as coconut skim milk and insoluble protein are obtained which are underutilized or thrown away to the environment at present. This study deals with utilization of these byproducts to obtain a value-added product, namely, coconut protein powder. When coconut milk was subjected to centrifugation, three phases, namely, fat phase (coconut cream), aqueous phase (coconut skim milk), and solid phase (insoluble protein) were obtained. The coconut skim milk and insoluble protein were mixed and homogenized before spray drying to obtain a dehydrated protein powder. The proximate analysis of the powder showed high protein content (33 % w/w) and low fat content (3 % w/w). Protein solubility was studied as a function of pH and ionic content of solvent. Functional properties such as water hydration capacity, fat absorption capacity, emulsifying properties, wettability, and dispersibility of coconut protein powder were evaluated along with morphological characterization, polyphenol content, and color analysis. Coconut protein powder has shown to have good emulsifying properties and hence has potential to find applications in emulsified foods. Sensory analysis showed high overall quality of the product, indicating that coconut protein powder could be a useful food ingredient.

  11. Ultrasound-assisted powder-coating technique to improve content uniformity of low-dose solid dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Genina, Natalja; Räikkönen, Heikki; Antikainen, Osmo; Heinämäki, Jyrki; Yliruusi, Jouko

    2010-09-01

    An ultrasound-assisted powder-coating technique was used to produce a homogeneous powder formulation of a low-dose active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The powdered particles of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC; Avicel® PH-200) were coated with a 4% m/V aqueous solution of riboflavin sodium phosphate, producing a uniform drug layer on the particle surfaces. It was possible to regulate the amount of API in the treated powder. The thickness of the API layer on the surface of the MCC particles increased near linearly as the number of coating cycles increased, allowing a precise control of the drug content. The tablets (n = 950) prepared from the coated powder showed significantly improved weight and content uniformity in comparison with the reference tablets compressed from a physical binary powder mixture. This was due to the coated formulation remaining uniform during the entire tabletting process, whereas the physical mixture of the powders was subject to segregation. In conclusion, the ultrasound-assisted technique presented here is an effective tool for homogeneous drug coating of powders of irregular particle shape and broad particle size distribution, improving content uniformity of low-dose API in tablets, and consequently, ensuring the safe delivery of a potent active substance to patients.

  12. Analysis of Stainless Steel Sandwich Panels with a Metal Foam Core for Lightweight Fan Blade Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Min, James B.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Raj, Sai V.; Holland, Frederic A., Jr.; Hebsur, Mohan G.

    2004-01-01

    The quest for cheap, low density and high performance materials in the design of aircraft and rotorcraft engine fan and propeller blades poses immense challenges to the materials and structural design engineers. The present study investigates the use of a sandwich foam fan blade mae up of solid face sheets and a metal foam core. The face sheets and the metal foam core material were an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. The resulting structures possesses a high stiffness while being lighter than a similar solid construction. The material properties of 17-4 PH metal foam are reviewed briefly to describe the characteristics of sandwich structure for a fan blade application. A vibration analysis for natural frequencies and a detailed stress analysis on the 17-4 PH sandwich foam blade design for different combinations of kin thickness and core volume are presented with a comparison to a solid titanium blade.

  13. Non-sticky translocation of bio-molecules through Tween 20-coated solid-state nanopores in a wide pH range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiaoqing; Hu, Rui; Li, Ji; Tong, Xin; Diao, J. J.; Yu, Dapeng; Zhao, Qing

    2016-10-01

    Nanopore-based sensing technology is considered high-throughput and low-cost for single molecule detection, but solid-state nanopores have suffered from pore clogging issues. A simple Tween 20 coating method is applied to ensure long-term (several hours) non-sticky translocation of various types of bio-molecules through SiN nanopores in a wide pH range (4.0-13.0). We also emphasize the importance of choosing appropriate concentration of Tween 20 coating buffer for desired effect. By coating nanopores with a Tween 20 layer, we are able to differentiate between single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA, to identify drift-dominated domain for single-stranded DNA, to estimate BSA volume and to observe the shape of individual nucleosome translocation event without non-specific adsorption. The wide pH endurance from 4.0 to 13.0 and the broad types of detection analytes including nucleic acids, proteins, and biological complexes highlight the great application potential of Tween 20-coated solid-state nanopores.

  14. Influence of porewater sulfide on methylmercury production and partitioning in sulfate-impacted lake sediments.

    PubMed

    Bailey, Logan T; Mitchell, Carl P J; Engstrom, Daniel R; Berndt, Michael E; Coleman Wasik, Jill K; Johnson, Nathan W

    2017-02-15

    In low-sulfate and sulfate-limited freshwater sediments, sulfate loading increases the production of methylmercury (MeHg), a potent and bioaccumulative neurotoxin. Sulfate loading to anoxic sediments leads to sulfide production that can inhibit mercury methylation, but this has not been commonly observed in freshwater lakes and wetlands. In this study, sediments were collected from sulfate-impacted, neutral pH, surface water bodies located downstream from ongoing and historic mining activities to examine how chronic sulfate loading produces porewater sulfide, and influences MeHg production and transport. Sediments were collected over two years, during several seasons from lakes with a wide range of overlying water sulfate concentration. Samples were characterized for in-situ solid phase and porewater MeHg, Hg methylation potentials via incubations with enriched stable Hg isotopes, and sulfur, carbon, and iron content and speciation. Porewater sulfide reflected historic sulfur loading and was strongly related to the extractable iron content of sediment. Overall, methylation potentials were consistent with the accumulation of MeHg on the solid phase, but both methylation potentials and MeHg were significantly lower at chronically sulfate-impacted sites with a low solid-phase Fe:S ratio. At these heavily sulfate-impacted sites that also contained elevated porewater sulfide, both MeHg production and partitioning are influenced: Hg methylation potentials and sediment MeHg concentrations are lower, but occasionally porewater MeHg concentrations in sediment are elevated, particularly in the spring. The dual role of sulfide as a ligand for inorganic mercury (decreasing bioavailability) and methylmercury (increasing partitioning into porewater) means that elucidating the role of iron and sulfur loads as they define porewater sulfide is key to understanding sulfate's influence on MeHg production and partitioning in sulfate-impacted freshwater sediment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Tattoo-based potentiometric ion-selective sensors for epidermal pH monitoring.

    PubMed

    Bandodkar, Amay J; Hung, Vinci W S; Jia, Wenzhao; Valdés-Ramírez, Gabriela; Windmiller, Joshua R; Martinez, Alexandra G; Ramírez, Julian; Chan, Garrett; Kerman, Kagan; Wang, Joseph

    2013-01-07

    This article presents the fabrication and characterization of novel tattoo-based solid-contact ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for non-invasive potentiometric monitoring of epidermal pH levels. The new fabrication approach combines commercially available temporary transfer tattoo paper with conventional screen printing and solid-contact polymer ISE methodologies. The resulting tattoo-based potentiometric sensors exhibit rapid and sensitive response to a wide range of pH changes with no carry-over effects. Furthermore, the tattoo ISE sensors endure repetitive mechanical deformation, which is a key requirement of wearable and epidermal sensors. The flexible and conformal nature of the tattoo sensors enable them to be mounted on nearly any exposed skin surface for real-time pH monitoring of the human perspiration, as illustrated from the response during a strenuous physical activity. The resulting tattoo-based ISE sensors offer considerable promise as wearable potentiometric sensors suitable for diverse applications.

  16. Characterization of pH-fractionated humic acids with respect to their dissociation behaviour.

    PubMed

    Klučáková, Martina

    2016-04-01

    Humic acids were divided into several fractions using buffer solutions as extraction agents with different pH values. Two methods of fractionation were used. The first one was subsequent dissolution of bulk humic acids in buffers adjusted to different pH. The second one was sequential dissolution in buffers with increasing pH values. Experimental data were compared with hypothesis of partial solubility of humic acids in aqueous solutions. Behaviour of humic fractions obtained by sequential dissolution, original bulk sample and residual fractions obtained by subsequent dissolution at pH 10 and 12 agrees with the hypothesis. Results demonstrated that regardless the common mechanism, solubility and dissociation degree of various humic fractions may be very different and can be estimated using parameters of the model based on the proposed mechanism. Presented results suggest that dissolving of solid humic acids in water environment is more complex than conventional solubility behaviour of sparingly soluble solids.

  17. Heavy Metal Uptake by Herbs. IV. Influence of Soil pH on the Content of Heavy Metals in Valeriana officinalis L.

    PubMed

    Adamczyk-Szabela, Dorota; Markiewicz, Justyna; Wolf, Wojciech M

    The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of soil pH on the uptake of copper, zinc, and manganese by Valeriana officinalis . Preliminary studies involved soil analyses to determine acidity, organic matter content, and copper, zinc, and manganese total and bioavailable forms. The study involved atomic absorption spectrometry to determine the concentration of the elements, and mineral soil of pH = 5.1 was used in the study, as being typical for central Poland. The copper, zinc, and manganese contents were determined in plants grown in soils which had been modified to cover a wide range of pH values 3÷13. The intensity of germination was strongly pH dependent with the highest yield obtained in original, unmodified soil. Surprisingly, high soil alkalinity stimulated copper and manganese uptake while at the same time resulting in a decrease in zinc content.

  18. Determination of Total Solids and Ash in Algal Biomass: Laboratory Analytical Procedure (LAP)

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

    Van Wychen, Stefanie; Laurens, Lieve M. L.

    2016-01-13

    This procedure describes the methods used to determine the amount of moisture or total solids present in a freeze-dried algal biomass sample, as well as the ash content. A traditional convection oven drying procedure is covered for total solids content, and a dry oxidation method at 575 deg. C is covered for ash content.

  19. Antioxidant Property Enhancement of Sweet Potato Flour under Simulated Gastrointestinal pH

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Kim Wei; Khong, Nicholas M. H.; Iqbal, Shahid; Umar, Imam Mustapha; Ismail, Maznah

    2012-01-01

    Sweet potato is known to be rich in healthful antioxidants, but the stability of its antioxidant properties under gastrointestinal pH is very much unknown. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in antioxidant properties (total contents of phenolics and flavonoids as well as antioxidant activity) of sweet potato flour (SPF) under simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. It was found that the yield of SPF crude phenolic extract increased from 0.29 to 3.22 g/100 g SPF upon subjection to gastrointestinal pH conditions (p < 0.05). Also elevated significantly were the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity of SPF (p < 0.05). In summary, the antioxidant properties of SPF were enhanced under gastrointestinal pH conditions, suggesting that SPF might possess a considerable amount of bound phenolic and other antioxidative compounds. The antioxidant properties of SPF are largely influenced by pH and thus might be enhanced during the in vivo digestive process. PMID:22942747

  20. Production of xylanase from an alkali tolerant Streptomyces sp. 7b under solid-state fermentation, its purification, and characterization.

    PubMed

    Bajaj, Bijender Kumar; Singh, Narendera Pratap

    2010-11-01

    Streptomyces sp. 7b showed highest xylanase activity among 41 bacterial isolates screened under submerged fermentation. The organism grew over broad pH (5-11) and temperatures range (25-55 degrees C) and displayed maximum xylanase production on wheat bran (1230 U/g) under solid-state fermentation. Xylanase production was enhanced substantially (76%-77%) by inclusion of trypton (2180 U/g) or beef extract (2170 U/g) and moderately (36%-46%) by yeast extract (1800 U/g) or soybean meal (1670 U/g). Inclusion of readily utilizable sugars such as glucose, maltose, fructose, lactose or xylose in the substrate repressed the xylanase production. The optimum initial pH of the medium for maximum enzyme production was 7 to 8; however, appreciable level of activity was obtained at pH 6 (1,680 U/g) and 9 (1,900 U/g). Most appropriate solid to liquid ratio for maximum xylanase production in solid-state fermentation was found to be 1:2.5. The organism produced a single xylanase of molecular weight of approximately 30 kDa as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after purification with ammonium sulfate precipitation, and carboxy methyl sephadex chromatography. The enzyme was purified to the extent of 5.68-fold by salt precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography. Optimum temperature and pH for maximum xylanase activity were 50 degrees C and 6, respectively.

  1. The effect of packaging methods (paper, active paper, and edible coating) on the characteristic of papaya MJ9 in ambient temperature storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suwanti, D.; Utami, R.; Kawiji; Praseptiangga, D.; Khasanah, L. U.

    2018-01-01

    Papaya is one of the export commodities that contain high vitamin C but having short shelf-life. One method that use to extend the shelf-life and maintain the quality of papaya is packaging. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the packaging methods (paper, active paper and edible coating) on the characteristics of papaya MJ9 (weight loss, firmness, total soluble solid (TSS), Total Titratable Acid (TTA), pH, vitamin C and total mold and yeast). The packaging methods were control (F1), wrapping paper (F2), wrapping active paper (F3), combination of edible coating and wrapping paper (F4), and combination of edible coating and wrapping active paper (F5). The result showed that paper packaging, edible coating and active paper packaging significantly affected the weight loss, firmness, total soluble solid, total titratable acids, pH, vitamin C, and total mold and yeast of papaya. The weight loss, total soluble solid and pH of packaged papaya was lower than that of control sample, however, the value of firmness and total titratable acid was higher than that of the control sample. Packaging can inhibit the increase of weight loss, total soluble solids and pH, and the decrease of firmness, total titratable acid, vitamin C and total mold and yeast. Based on the papaya characteristics, the selected packaging method was the combination of edible coating and wrapping active paper.

  2. Chemical and geotechnical assessment of low organic foundation soils across the coastal area of Southwestern Nigeria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adebisi, N. O.; Osammor, J.; Oluwafemi, O. S.

    2018-04-01

    Pressure on land use has caused great site development along the coastal area of south western Nigeria. However, research works for the purpose of evaluating appropriate depths of foundations in the area were without cognizance of engineering challenges that may ensue as a result of the organic content, and associated factors of the soils. This paper evaluates the compositional effects of the soils on foundation materials, and a phenomenological model of compressibility of fines during design and construction of problem-free foundations in the area. Thirty (30) disturbed soils were analysed for moisture content, grain size distribution, consistency limits, chloride, pH and sulphate, while the oedometer consolidation test was carried out on another 30 undisturbed soils. The stratigraphic sequence in the profile comprises medium dense to coarse grained silty clayey sand to 16.80 m depth, below loose grey organic silty clayey sand from the surface. Results show in most cases, that the foundation soils contain insignificant percentages (0.95-5.8%) of organic solids. Moisture content (44-70%), chloride (74.9 ppm), sulphate (420 ppm) ions concentration and pH (8.96) could enhance the corrosive potential of the soils. It is recommended that Portland cement concrete will be suitable in the environment. Foundation settlement with respect to surface area (0.028≤ mv ≤ 0.434m2MN-1 at 200 kNm-2; 0.038mv ≤ 0.776m2MN-1 at 400 kNm-2; 0.038≤ mv ≤ 0.879m2MN-1 at 800 kNm-2) ranges from low to medium compressibility with respect to consolidation pressure. Therefore, footings load need be spread over the soils, and foundation design need be based on site-specific soil information.

  3. Effects of soap and detergents on skin surface pH, stratum corneum hydration and fat content in infants.

    PubMed

    Gfatter, R; Hackl, P; Braun, F

    1997-01-01

    In adults the influence of cleansing preparations on the pH, fat content and hydration of the skin is well documented. Studies in newborn and small infants have not been reported. Our study aimed at examining whether similar effects can be ascertained in infants. Infants without skin disease, aged 2 weeks to 16 months, entered an open, controlled and randomized study. Ten infants each had skin washed with tap water (control group), liquid detergent (pH 5.5), compact detergent (pH 5.5) or alkaline soap (pH 9.5). The pH, fat content and hydration were measured before and 10 min after cleansing. Findings were statistically evaluated by parametric covariance analysis. The skin pH increased from an average of 6.60 after cleansing in all groups. The smallest increase (+0.19) was observed in the control group, the largest (+0.45) after washing with alkaline soap. After treatment with liquid or compact detergent, the increase of the pH was only 0.09 higher than for the control group. In comparison to the compact and liquid detergents, the alkaline soap group had a significantly higher increase in pH. The fat content (mean starting value: 4.34 micrograms/cm2) decreased after washing in all groups; the smallest effect was observed in the control group (decrease of 0.93 micrograms/cm2), the highest for the alkaline soap group (decrease of 4.81 micrograms/cm2). In comparison to the compact and liquid detergents, the alkaline soap group had a higher decrease in fat content. This difference was significant for compact detergents. No statistically significant differences were observed for hydration before versus after washing. Each cleansing agent, even normal tap water, influences the skin surface. The increase of the skin pH irritates the physiological protective 'acid mantle', changes the composition of the cutaneous bacterial flora and the activity of enzymes in the upper epidermis, which have an acid pH optimum. The dissolution of fat from the skin surface may influence the hydration status leading to a dry and squamous skin.

  4. Dependence of particle concentration effect on pH and redox for arsenic removal by FeS-coated sand under anoxic conditions.

    PubMed

    Han, Young-Soo; Demond, Avery H; Gallegos, Tanya J; Hayes, Kim F

    2015-09-01

    FeS has been recognized as a good scavenger for arsenic under anoxic conditions. To create a suitable adsorbent for flow-through reactors such as permeable reactive barriers, it has been suggested that this material may be coated onto sand. However, previous work on FeS-coated sand has focused on batch reactors, while flow-through reactors usually have higher solid-solution ratios. To ascertain whether differences in the solid-solution ratio (SSR) are important in this system, batch sorption experiments were conducted as a function of pH using As(III) and FeS-coated sands at various solid-solution ratios. The results showed little variation in the distribution coefficient with SSR at pH 7 and 9. However, at pH 5, the results showed lower values of the distribution coefficient at lower SSRs, the reverse of typically reported SSR effects. Measured pe values showed a dependence on SSR, which, when coupled with chemical modeling of the Fe-As-S-H2O system, suggested a change in the removal mechanism with SSR, from adsorption to a reduced Fe(II) oxyhydroxide phase (represented by Fe2(OH)5) to precipitation as As2S3 or AsS. On the other hand, at pH 7 and 9, arsenite adsorption is the most probable removal mechanism regardless of the pe. Thus, this study identified variations in pH and redox conditions, and the removal mechanisms that these parameters govern, as the reason for the apparent SSR effect. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    PubMed

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

    2018-06-18

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

  6. Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of Tuticorin coastal waters, southeast coast of India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balakrishnan, S.; Chelladurai, G.; Mohanraj, J.; Poongodi, J.

    2017-07-01

    Physico-chemical parameters were determined along the Vellapatti, Tharuvaikulam and Threspuram coastal waters, southeast coast of India. All the physico-chemical parameters such as sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, total alkalinity, total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen and nutrients like nitrate, nitrite, inorganic phosphate and reactive silicate were studied for a period of 12 months (June 2014-May 2015). Sea surface temperature varied from 26.4 to 29.7 °C. Salinity varied from 26.1 and 36.2 ‰, hydrogen ion concentration ranged between 8.0 and 8.5. Variation in dissolved oxygen content was from 4.125 to 4.963 mg l-1. Total alkalinity ranged from 64 to 99 mg/l. Total suspended solids ranged from 24 to 97 mg/l. Concentrations of nutrients, viz. nitrates (2.047-4.007 μM/l), nitrites (0.215-0.840 μM/l), phosphates (0.167-0.904 µM/l), total phosphorus (1.039-3.479 μM/l), reactive silicates (3.737-8.876 μM/l) ammonia (0.078-0.526 μM/l) and also varied independently.

  7. Protein enrichment of corn cob heteroxylan waste slurry by thermophilic aerobic digestion using Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    PubMed

    Ugwuanyi, J Obeta; Harvey, Linda M; McNeil, Brian

    2008-10-01

    Thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of heteroxylan waste was implemented at waste load of 30gL(-1) with mineral nitrogen supplementation to study effect of the process on waste degradation, protein accretion and quality. Digestions were carried out at 45 50, 55, 60 and 65 degrees C using Bacillusstearothermophilus in a CSTR under batch conditions at 1.0vvm aeration rate, pH 7.0 for a maximum of 120h. Amylase and xylanase activities appeared rapidly in the digest, while basal protease activity appeared early in the digestion and increased towards end of the processes. Highest degradation of volatile suspended solid, hemicellulose and fibre occurred at 55 degrees C while highest degradation of total suspended solid occurred at 60 degrees C. Highest protein accretion (258.8%) and assimilation of mineral nitrogen and soluble protein occurred at 55 degrees C. The % content of amino acids of digest crude protein increased relative to raw waste and with digestion temperature. Quality of digest protein was comparable to the FAO standard for feed use. TAD has potentials for use in the protein enrichment of waste.

  8. Starch degradation and nutrition value improvement in corn grits by solid state fermentation technique with Coriolus versicolor.

    PubMed

    Huang, Mian; Zhang, Song

    2011-10-01

    The study was conducted to evaluate effect of Coriolus versicolor mycelia on degrading starch and improving nutrition value in corn grits through solid state fermentation technique. The results showed that using soybean meal as a nitrogen source, α-amylase secreted from C. versicolor expressed 407.25U/g of activity, leading to 45.15% of starch degraded. The activity grew with fermentation time until the 15(th) day, after that the amylase was deactivated rapidly. An orthogonal experiment designed for the study illustrated that degradation rate of starch in corn grits attained to maximum, 50.51%, when 100g of corn grits, added 16g of soybean meal, were fermented by C. versicolor for 12 days, in an initial pH 5.5. After fermenting, compared to the nonfermented control, contents of amino acids, total sugar, crude fat and crude protein were increased by 21.00%, 38.45%, 55.56%, 69.15% respectively. The significant improvement of nutrition value in corn grits is probably attributed to the intense metabolism of C. versicolor.

  9. Effects of controlled gas environments in microbial enhancement of plant protein recovery

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

    Mudgett, R.E.; Bajracharya, R.

    Controlled gas environments were maintained by a novel aeration system in solid substrate fermentations for enhanced protein recovery from pressed alfalfa residues. High O/sub 2/ pressures stimulated biomass and enzyme production by an Aspergillus species, isolated from alfalfa, which produced cellulase and pectinase activities in growth-associated metabolism. High CO/sub 2/ pressures also stimulated enzyme production, but had less effect on biomass production, as established from the dissimilation of plant solids. Cellulase and pectinase activities were generally related to protein recoveries. Recoveries were greater than or equal to 50% higher than those obtained by mechanical extraction, with maximum recoveries of greatermore » than or equal to 70% of crude protein contents. Protein not recovered at high cellulase and pectinase activities were believed to be in structurally bound forms not amenable to recovery by nonproteolytic enzymes. Buffering at pH 8 and autoclaving of residues prior to fermentation had little effect on protein recoveries. Controlled gas environments are seen to offer an interesting potential for optimizing industrial fermentation processes for the production of microbial enzymes.« less

  10. Starch degradation and nutrition value improvement in corn grits by solid state fermentation technique with Coriolus versicolor

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Mian; Zhang, Song

    2011-01-01

    The study was conducted to evaluate effect of Coriolus versicolor mycelia on degrading starch and improving nutrition value in corn grits through solid state fermentation technique. The results showed that using soybean meal as a nitrogen source, α-amylase secreted from C. versicolor expressed 407.25U/g of activity, leading to 45.15% of starch degraded. The activity grew with fermentation time until the 15th day, after that the amylase was deactivated rapidly. An orthogonal experiment designed for the study illustrated that degradation rate of starch in corn grits attained to maximum, 50.51%, when 100g of corn grits, added 16g of soybean meal, were fermented by C. versicolor for 12 days, in an initial pH 5.5. After fermenting, compared to the nonfermented control, contents of amino acids, total sugar, crude fat and crude protein were increased by 21.00%, 38.45%, 55.56%, 69.15% respectively. The significant improvement of nutrition value in corn grits is probably attributed to the intense metabolism of C. versicolor. PMID:24031762

  11. Production of ε-poly-lysine by Streptomyces albulus PD-1 via solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Xu, Delei; Yao, Haiqing; Xu, Zhaoxian; Wang, Rui; Xu, Zheng; Li, Sha; Feng, Xiaohai; Liu, Youhua; Xu, Hong

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to produce ε-poly-lysine (ε-PL) by Streptomyces albulus PD-1 through solid-state fermentation (SSF) using agro-industrial residues. Maximum ε-PL production (86.62mg/g substrate) was obtained a mixed substrate of rapeseed cake and wheat bran (2:1, w/w) supplemented with glucose (4%, w/w), (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 (3%, w/w), with an initial moisture content of 65%, initial pH of 7.0 and inoculum size of 13% v/w, incubated at 30°C for 8days. The results of scanning electron microscopy indicated that the filamentous thallus could penetrate the substrate surface. Moreover, repeated-batch SSF was successfully conducted 8 times using 10% substrate as seeds for the next fermentation cycle, and the results suggest that repeated-batch SSF is more efficient because of the shortened lag phase. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on ε-PL production using the SSF process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Modeling microbiological and chemical processes in municipal solid waste bioreactor, Part II: Application of numerical model BIOKEMOD-3P.

    PubMed

    Gawande, Nitin A; Reinhart, Debra R; Yeh, Gour-Tsyh

    2010-02-01

    Biodegradation process modeling of municipal solid waste (MSW) bioreactor landfills requires the knowledge of various process reactions and corresponding kinetic parameters. Mechanistic models available to date are able to simulate biodegradation processes with the help of pre-defined species and reactions. Some of these models consider the effect of critical parameters such as moisture content, pH, and temperature. Biomass concentration is a vital parameter for any biomass growth model and often not compared with field and laboratory results. A more complex biodegradation model includes a large number of chemical and microbiological species. Increasing the number of species and user defined process reactions in the simulation requires a robust numerical tool. A generalized microbiological and chemical model, BIOKEMOD-3P, was developed to simulate biodegradation processes in three-phases (Gawande et al. 2009). This paper presents the application of this model to simulate laboratory-scale MSW bioreactors under anaerobic conditions. BIOKEMOD-3P was able to closely simulate the experimental data. The results from this study may help in application of this model to full-scale landfill operation.

  13. The importance of organic matter distribution and extract soil:solution ratio on the desorption of heavy metals from soils.

    PubMed

    Yin, Yujun; Impellitteri, Christopher A; You, Sun-Jae; Allen, Herbert E

    2002-03-15

    The lability (mobility and bioavailability) of metals varies significantly with soil properties for similar total soil metal concentrations. We studied desorption of Cu, Ni and Zn, from 15 diverse, unamended soils. These studies included evaluation of the effects of soil:solution extraction ratio and the roles of soil properties on metal desorption. Dcsorption was examined for each metal by computing distribution coefficients (Kd) for each metal in each soil where Kd = [M]soil/[M]solution, Results from soil:solution ratio studies demonstrated that Kd values for the metals tended to increase with increasing soil:solution ratio. This result also held true for distribution of soil organic matter (SOM). Because the soil:solution ratio has a significant effect on measured metal distributions, we selected a high soil:solution ratio to more closely approach natural soil conditions. Copper showed strong affinity to operationally defined dissolved organic matter (DOM). In this study, DOM was operationally defined based on the total organic carbon (TOC) content in 0.45-microm or 0.22-microm filtrates of the extracts. The Kd of Cu correlated linearly (r2 = 0.91) with the Kd of organic matter (Kd-om) where the Kd-om is equal to SOM as measured by Walkley-Black wet combustion and converted to total carbon (TC) by a factor of 0.59. These values representing solid phase TC were then divided by soluble organic carbon as measured by TOC analysis (DOM). The conversion factor of 0.59 was employed in order to construct Kd-om values based on solid phase carbon and solution phase carbon. SOM plays a significant role in the fate of Cu in soil systems. Soil-solution distribution of Ni and Zn, as well as the activity of free Cu2+, were closely related to SOM, but not to DOM. Kd values for Ni, Zn and free Cu2+ in a particular soil were divided by the SOM content in the same soil. This normalization of the Kd values for Ni, Zn, and free Cu2+ to the SOM content resulted in significant improvements in the linear relationships between non-normalized Kd values and soil pH. The semi-empirical normalized regression equations can be used to predict the solubility of Ni and Zn and the activity of free Cu2+ as a function of pH.

  14. Response surface model for predicting chronic toxicity of cadmium to Paronychiurus kimi (Collembola), with a special emphasis on the importance of soil characteristics in the reproduction test.

    PubMed

    Son, Jino; Shin, Key-il; Cho, Kijong

    2009-11-01

    A central composite design (CCD) was employed to investigate the effects of organic matter (OM) content and soil pH on the reproduction, and chronic toxicity (28-d EC(50-reproduction)) of cadmium for Paronychiurus kimi after 28days exposure in a standard artificial soil. Two statistical models were developed, one describing reproduction in control artificial soils as a function of OM content and pH, and the other describing cadmium toxicity to the same soil parameters. In the reproduction model, pH was the most important factor, followed by two quadratic factors of OM(2) and pH(2). The parameter pH alone could explain 75.5% of the response variation. The reproduction model will allow us to predict a mean reproduction in the non-treated control soils that contain various combinations of OM content and different pH values. In the chronic toxicity model, only the linear factor of the OM content and pH significantly (p<0.05) affect cadmium toxicity, which explains the 78.9% and 14.9% of total response variance, respectively. Therefore, the final polynomial regression describing the chronic toxicity of cadmium to P. kimi is as follows: predicted 28-d EC(50) of cadmium (mgkg(-1))=-21.231+2.794 x OM+4.874 x pH. The present study show that soil characteristics, which can alter the toxicity of cadmium, can also act as stressors themselves in regards to the reproduction of P. kimi. Based on the physico-chemical characteristics of the test media, the response surface model developed in this study can be used to provide initial toxicity information for cadmium within a region of interest in terms of OM content and pH, and may lead to more scientific based risk assessment for metals.

  15. Millisecond coherence time in a tunable molecular electronic spin qubit [An unprecedented coherence time in a tunable molecular V(IV) electronic spin qubit

    DOE PAGES

    Zadrozny, Joseph M.; Niklas, Jens; Poluektov, Oleg G.; ...

    2015-12-02

    Here, quantum information processing (QIP) could revolutionize areas ranging from chemical modeling to cryptography. One key figure of merit for the smallest unit for QIP, the qubit, is the coherence time ( T 2), which establishes the lifetime for the qubit. Transition metal complexes offer tremendous potential as tunable qubits, yet their development is hampered by the absence of synthetic design principles to achieve a long T 2. We harnessed molecular design to create a series of qubits, (Ph 4P) 2[V(C 8S 8) 3] (1), (Ph 4P) 2[V(β-C 3S 5) 3] (2), (Ph 4P) 2[V(α-C 3S 5) 3] (3), andmore » (Ph 4P) 2[V(C 3S 4O) 3] (4), with T 2s of 1–4 μs at 80 K in protiated and deuterated environments. Crucially, through chemical tuning of nuclear spin content in the vanadium(IV) environment we realized a T 2 of ~1 ms for the species ( d 20-Ph 4P) 2[V(C 8S 8) 3] in CS 2, a value that surpasses the coordination complex record by an order of magnitude. This value even eclipses some prominent solid-state qubits. Electrochemical and continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data reveal variation in the electronic influence of the ligands on the metal ion across 1–4. However, pulsed measurements indicate that the most important influence on decoherence is nuclear spins in the protiated and deuterated solvents utilized herein. Our results illuminate a path forward in synthetic design principles, which should unite CS 2 solubility with nuclear spin free ligand fields to develop a new generation of molecular qubits.« less

  16. Sulfamethazine Sorption to Soil: Vegetative Management, pH, and Dissolved Organic Matter Effects.

    PubMed

    Chu, Bei; Goyne, Keith W; Anderson, Stephen H; Lin, Chung-Ho; Lerch, Robert N

    2013-01-01

    Elucidating veterinary antibiotic interactions with soil is important for assessing and mitigating possible environmental hazards. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of vegetative management, soil properties, and >1000 Da dissolved organic matter (DOM) on sulfamethazine (SMZ) behavior in soil. Sorption experiments were performed over a range of SMZ concentrations (2.5-50 μmol L) using samples from three soils (Armstrong, Huntington, and Menfro), each planted to one of three vegetation treatments: agroforestry buffers strips (ABS), grass buffer strips (GBS), and row crops (RC). Our results show that SMZ sorption isotherms are well fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model (log = 0.44-0.93; Freundlich nonlinearity parameter = 0.59-0.79). Further investigation of solid-to-solution distribution coefficients () demonstrated that vegetative management significantly ( < 0.05) influences SMZ sorption (ABS > GBS > RC). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that organic carbon (OC) content, pH, and initial SMZ concentration were important properties controlling SMZ sorption. Study of the two most contrasting soils in our sample set revealed that increasing solution pH (pH 6.0-7.5) reduced SMZ sorption to the Armstrong GBS soil, but little pH effect was observed for the Huntington GBS soil containing 50% kaolinite in the clay fraction. The presence of DOM (150 mg L OC) had little significant effect on the Freundlich nonlinearity parameter; however, DOM slightly reduced SMZ values overall. Our results support the use of vegetative buffers to mitigate veterinary antibiotic loss from agroecosystems, provide guidance for properly managing vegetative buffer strips to increase SMZ sorption, and enhance understanding of SMZ sorption to soil. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  17. Influence of moisture content and temperature on degree of carbonation and the effect on Cu and Cr leaching from incineration bottom ash.

    PubMed

    Lin, Wenlin Yvonne; Heng, Kim Soon; Sun, Xiaolong; Wang, Jing-Yuan

    2015-09-01

    This study investigated the influence of moisture content and temperature on the degree of carbonation of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration bottom ash (IBA) from two different incineration plants in Singapore. The initial rate of carbonation was affected by the nominal moisture content used. Carbonation temperature seemed to play a part in changing the actual moisture content of IBA during carbonation, which in turn affected the degree of carbonation. Results showed that 2h of carbonation was sufficient for the samples to reach a relatively high degree of carbonation that was close to the degree of carbonation observed after 1week of carbonation. Both Cu and Cr leaching also showed significant reduction after only 2h of carbonation. Therefore, the optimum moisture content and temperature were selected based on 2h of carbonation. The optimum moisture content was 15% for both incineration plants while the optimum temperature was different for the two incineration plants, at 35°C and 50°C. The effect on Cu and Cr leaching from IBA after accelerated carbonation was evaluated as a function of carbonation time. Correlation coefficient, Pearson's R, was used to determine the dominant leaching mechanism. The reduction in Cu leaching was found to be contributed by both formation of carbonate mineral and reduction of DOC leaching. On the other hand, Cr leaching seemed to be dominantly controlled by pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Physicochemical, Antioxidant and Sensory Quality of Brazilian Blueberry Wine.

    PubMed

    Santos, Roberta O; Trindade, Simone C; Maurer, Luana H; Bersch, Andriely M; Sautter, Claudia K; Penna, Neidi G

    2016-09-01

    Currently, Rio Grande do Sul state is the main producer of blueberry in Brazil. Practically all production is commercialized in fresh state and only a small portion is subject to processing. The blueberry wine making process is an alternative to expand the beverage industry and offers to the consumer a value-added product as well as a new market for Brazilian blueberry producers. The objectives of this study were to produce wines from blueberries and to evaluate the effect of deacidification (with calcium carbonate) and chaptalization (with glucose syrup or sucrose) on physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant content, and sensory parameters. Samples were analyzed for total soluble solids, pH, total titratable acidity, total sugar content, alcohol content, monomeric and total anthocyanin, total flavonols, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity by DPPH and FRAP methods. The use of calcium carbonate caused a reduction in total titratable acidity, while the use of glucose syrup resulted in wines with low alcohol content. The blueberries wine from Climax and Aliceblue cultivars had higher content of anthocyanin when produced with glucose syrup. The use of calcium carbonate and glucose syrup also provided wines more appreciated by tasters in relation to color. With regard to flavor, George and Aliceblue were the cultivars with lower preference under the control treatments (without carbonate and sugar). The presence of phenolic compounds may have provided a positive influence on wine flavor, once the more preferred wines presented the greater phenolic content.

  19. Interactions between acidified dispersions of milk proteins and dextran or dextran sulfate.

    PubMed

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

    2014-09-01

    Polysaccharides are often used to stabilize cultured milk products, although the nature of these interactions is not entirely clear. The objective of this study was to investigate phase behavior of milk protein dispersions with added dextran (DX; molecular weight = 2 × 10(6) Da) or dextran sulfate (DS; molecular weight = 1.4 × 10(6) Da) as examples of uncharged and charged polysaccharides, respectively. Reconstituted skim milk (5-20% milk solids, wt/wt) was acidified to pH 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, or 4.9 at approximately 0°C (to inhibit gelation) by addition of 3 N HCl. Dextran or DS was added to acidified milk samples to give concentrations of 0 to 2% (wt/wt) and 0 to 1% (wt/wt) polysaccharide, respectively. Milk samples were observed for possible phase separation after storage at 0°C for 1 and 24h. Possible gelation of these systems was determined by using dynamic oscillatory rheology. The type of interactions between caseins and DX or DS was probed by determining the total carbohydrate analysis of supernatants from phase-separated samples. At 5.0 to 7.5% milk solids, phase separation of milk samples occurred after 24h even without DX or DS addition, due to destabilization of caseins in these acidic conditions, and a stabilizing effect was observed when 0.7 or 1.0% DS was added. At higher milk solids content, phase separation was not observed without DX or DS addition. Similar results were observed at all pH levels. Gelation occurred in samples containing high milk solids (≥10%) with the addition of 1.0 to 2.0% DX or 0.4 to 1.0% DS. Based on carbohydrate analysis of supernatants, we believe that DX interacted with milk proteins through a type of depletion flocculation mechanism, whereas DS appeared to interact via electrostatic-type interactions with milk proteins. This study helps to explain how uncharged and charged stabilizers influence the texture of cultured dairy products. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Evaluation of physicochemical and antioxidant properties of sourwood and other Malaysian honeys: a comparison with manuka honey

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physical, biochemical and antioxidant properties of four Malaysian monofloral types of honey (gelam, longan, rubber tree and sourwood honeys) compared to manuka honey. Several physical parameters of honey, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), color intensity, total sugar and sucrose content, were measured. A number of biochemical and antioxidant tests were performed to determine the antioxidant properties of the honey samples. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) levels were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Results The mean pH, moisture content, EC and TDS of Malaysian honey were 3.90 ± 0.12, 17.01 ± 3.07%, 0.59 ± 0.17 mS/cm and 294.87 ± 81.96 ppm, respectively. The mean color and HMF level was 102.07 ± 41.77 mm Pfund and 49.51 ± 0.12 mg/kg, respectively. Sourwood honey contained the highest contents of phenolics (580.03 ± 0.38 mggalic acid/kg) and flavonoids (156.82 ± 0.47 mgcatechin/kg) with high DPPH radical scavenging activity (59.26 ± 3.77%) as well as ferric reducing power [648.25 ± 0.90 μM Fe (II)/100 g]. Sourwood honey also exhibited the highest color intensity. Several strong positive correlations were observed amongst the different antioxidant parameters and the various antioxidant tests. Conclusion This is the first time that the antioxidant potential of both sourwood and rubber tree honeys have been reported. Our results indicated that Malaysian honey (specifically sourwood honey and longan honey) is a good source of antioxidants compared to Manuka honey. PMID:23938192

  1. [Effects of combined application of biochar and inorganic fertilizers on the available phosphorus content of upland red soil].

    PubMed

    Jing, Yan; Chen, Xiao-min; Liu, Zu-xiang; Huang, Qian-ru; LiI, Qiu-xia; Chen, Chen; Lu, Shao-shan

    2013-04-01

    Aiming at the low content of available phosphorus in upland red soil of Southern China, this paper studied the effects of combined application of biochar and inorganic fertilizers on the available phosphorus and organic carbon contents and the pH of this soil. With the combined application of biochar and inorganic fertilizers, the soil physical and chemical properties improved to different degrees. As compared with the control, the soil pH and the soil organic carbon and available phosphorus contents at different growth stages of oil rape after the combined application of biochar and inorganic fertilizers all had an improvement, with the increments at bolting stage, flowering stage, and ripening stage being 16%, 24% and 26%, 23%, 34% and 38%, and 100%, 191% and 317% , respectively. The soil pH and the soil organic carbon and available phosphorus contents were increased with the increasing amount of applied biochar. Under-the application of biochar, the soil available phosphorus had a significant correlation with the soil pH and soil organic carbon content. This study could provide scientific basis to improve the phosphorus deficiency and the physical and chemical properties of upland red soil.

  2. Hydrology and water quality of the Forest County Potawatomi Indian Reservation, Wisconsin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lidwin, R.A.; Krohelski, J.T.

    1993-01-01

    Water quality of three lakes on the Reservation is variable and depends on the degree of connection with the ground-water system. In general, Bug Lake and Devils Lake are in poor hydraulic connection with the ground-water system, and their waters contain low concentrations of dissolved solids and alkalinity and low pH. King Lake is in good hydraulic connection with the ground-water system, and its waters contain higher concentrations of dissolved solids and alkalinity and higher pH than Bug and Devils Lakes.

  3. Leaching of nitrogen, phosphorus, TOC and COD from the biosolids of the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Thessaloniki.

    PubMed

    Batziaka, V; Fytianos, K; Voudrias, E

    2008-05-01

    Biosolids from the WWTP of Thessaloniki were examined for the leaching of phosphorus (as PO4(3-) -P), nitrogen (as NH4+ (-N) and NO3- (-N)), and organic matter (as TOC and COD), using two tests: (1) a pH static leaching test and (2) a characterization test, relating contaminant release to the liquid to solid (L/S) ratio. Moreover, a Microtox toxicity test was conducted, to examine the pH dependency of the toxicity of the sludge leachate on the Vibrio fischeri bacterium. Maximum phosphorus release was observed at pH < 3 and at pH > 10. Ammonium nitrogen exhibited maximum leachability at near neutral pH conditions, while nitrate nitrogen exhibited a mild increase in the leachate, as the leachant pH increased from 2 to 12. Both TOC and COD exhibited an increase in the leachate concentration, as the leachant pH was increased from 2 to 12. Ecotoxicological analysis showed that maximum toxicity occurred at very low and very high pH-conditions. As liquid-to-solid ratio increased, the leachate concentration (in mg/l) of all parameters studied decreased. The results of the study were used to conduct a release assessment estimate for the case of Thessaloniki.

  4. Synthesis and Characterization of Potassium Aryl- and Alkyl-Substituted Silylchalcogenolate Salts

    DOE PAGES

    Brown, Jessica Lynn; Montgomery, Ashley C.; Samaan, Christopher A.; ...

    2016-02-23

    Treatment of either triphenyl(chloro)silane or tert-butyldiphenyl(chloro)silane with potassium metal in THF, followed by addition of 18-crown-6, affords [K(18-crown-6)][SiPh 3] (1) and [K(18-crown-6)][SiPh 2 tBu] (2), respectively, as the reaction products in high yield. Compounds 1 and 2 were fully characterized including by multi-nuclear NMR and IR spectroscopies. Addition of elemental chalcogen to either 1 or 2, results in facile chalcogen insertion into the potassium-silicon bond to afford the silylchalcogenolates, [K(18-crown-6)][E– SiPh2R] (E = S, R = Ph (3); Se, R = Ph (4); E = Te, R = Ph (5); E = S, R = tBu (6); E = Se,more » R = tBu (7); E = Te, R = tBu (8)), in moderate to good yield. The silylchalcogenolates reported herein were characterized by multi-nuclear NMR and IR spectroscopies, and their solid-state molecular structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Importantly, the reported compounds crystallize as discrete monomers in the solid-state, a structural feature not previously observed in silylchalcogenolates, providing well-defined access routes into systematic metal complexation studies.« less

  5. Hydrolysis and acidification of agricultural waste in a non-airtight system: Effect of solid content, temperature, and mixing mode.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jiadong; Zhao, Yubin; Zhang, Huan; Hua, Binbin; Yuan, Xufeng; Zhu, Wanbin; Wang, Xiaofen; Cui, Zongjun

    2017-01-01

    A two-phase digestion system for treating agricultural waste is beneficial for methane production. This study explored the effect of solid content, temperature, and mixing mode on the process of hydrolysis and acidification using rice straw and cow dung launched in non-airtight acidogenic system. The results showed that the substrate could be hydrolyzed efficiently in the initial stage, the hydrolysis coefficient (k) of maximum cellulose and hemicellulose can be increased by 217.9% and 290.5%, respectively, compared with those of middle and last stages. High solid content played a leading role in promoting hydrolysis, resulted in hydrolysate content (sCOD) that was significantly higher than in treatments with low solid content (P<0.01), and led to organic acids accumulation up to 5.8 and 6.7g/L at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures. Thermophilic temperature stimulated the hydrolysis and acidification of low solid content (P<0.05), and improved organic acid accumulation of high solid content only during the middle stage (P<0.01). Mixing mode was not a major factor, but increasing the mixing time was necessary for organic acid accumulation during the last stage (P<0.05). In addition, the study comprehensively analyzed a series of corresponding relationships among each operating parameter during the whole treatment process using canonical correspondence analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Study on Control of NH4 +-N in Surface Water by Photocatalytic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zuo, Xiaoran; He, Honghua; Yang, Yue; Yan, Chao; Zhou, Ying

    2018-01-01

    NH4 +-N has become the main pollution factor affecting the surface water quality in China. Based on the theory of photolysis, the feasibility of photolysis removing NH4 +-N in surface water is studied. The effects of pH, CaO2 content and photolysis time on removal rate of NH4 +-N are studied. The actual study is based on Laboratory studies results. Experimental results show: When the pH<7, photolysis can increase the NH4 +-N content. And when pH>8, the photolysis can greatly reduce the NH4 +-N content in water. CaO2 can greatly remove NH4 +-N. The removal rate of NH4 +-N increased with the increase of photocatalytic time. When irradiated with UV light for 108 hours or the sun is irradiated for about 40 days, NH4 +-N content can be reduced from 4mg/L to 0.5mg/L under the optimum experimental conditions. Adjusting the pH of surface water is the most important condition for controlling NH4 +-N content.

  7. In situ preparation of high relaxivity iron oxide nanoparticles by coating with chitosan: A potential MRI contrast agent useful for cell tracking

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Zei-Tsan; Wang, Jen-Fei; Kuo, Hsiao-Yun; Shen, Chia-Rui; Wang, Jiun-Jie; Yen, Tzu-Chen

    2010-01-01

    Iron oxide nanocrystals are of considerable interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology because of their nanoscale dimensions, nontoxic nature, and superior magnetic properties. Colloidal solutions of magnetic nanoparticles (ferrofluids) with a high magnetite content are highly desirable for most molecular imaging applications. In this paper, we present a method for in situ coating of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) with chitosan in order to increase the content of magnetite. Iron chloride salts (Fe 3+ and Fe 2+) were directly coprecipitated inside a porous matrix of chitosan by Co-60 γ-ray irradiation in an aqueous solution of acetic acid. Following sonication, iron oxide nanoparticles were formed inside the chitosan matrix at a pH value of 9.5 and a temperature of 50 °C. The [Fe 3+]:[Fe 2+]:[NH 4OH] molar ratio was 1.6:1:15.8. The final ferrofluid was formed with a pH adjustment to approximately 2.0/3.0, alongside with the addition of mannitol and lactic acid. We subsequently characterized the particle size, the zeta potential, the iron concentration, the magnetic contrast, and the cellular uptake of our ferrofluid. Results showed a z-average diameter of 87.2 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.251, a zeta potential of 47.9 mV, and an iron concentration of 10.4 mg Fe/mL. The MRI parameters included an R1 value of 22.0 mM -1 s -1, an R2 value of 202.6 mM -1 s -1, and a R2/R1 ratio of 9.2. An uptake of the ferrofluid by mouse macrophages was observed. Altogether, our data show that Co-60 γ-ray radiation on solid chitosan may improve chitosan coating of iron oxide nanoparticles and tackle its aqueous solubility at pH 7. Additionally, our methodology allowed to obtain a ferrofluid with a higher content of magnetite and a fairly unimodal distribution of monodisperse clusters. Finally, MRI and cell experiments demonstrated the potential usefulness of this product as a potential MRI contrast agent that might be used for cell tracking.

  8. A novel technique to determine cobalt exchangeability in soils using isotope dilution.

    PubMed

    Wendling, Laura A; Kirby, Jason K; McLaughlin, Michael J

    2008-01-01

    The environmental risk posed by Co contamination is largely a function of its oxidation state. Our objective was to assess the potential biological availability of Co and the reactions and fate of soluble Co(II) after addition to soils with varying physical and chemical characteristics. A potential risk in quantifying exchangeable Co in soils using isotope dilution techniques is the possible presence of two species of Co in soil solution and adsorbed on soil solid phases [Co(II) and Co(III)], coupled with the possibility that when an isotope of Co is added it may undergo a change in oxidation state during the measurement phase. In this study, we have utilized an isotope dilution technique with cation exchange and high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to determine the isotopically exchangeable Co fraction in several soils with varying characteristics such as differing Al, Fe, and Mn oxide content; pH; and organic carbon content. The application of the cation exchange procedure adjusts measurements of isotopically exchangeable Co to correct for the presence of non-exchangeable 57Co not in equilibrium with the solution phase. Results indicated that oxidation of added 57Co(II) to 57Co(III) or precipitation of 57Co(II) may occur on the surfaces of some soils, particularly those with a high pH or substantial quantities of Mn oxide minerals. No detectable Co(III)(aq) was found in the aqueous extracts of the soils examined.

  9. Assessment of chemical and sensory quality of sugarcane alcoholic fermented beverage.

    PubMed

    Resende Oliveira, Érica; Caliari, Márcio; Soares Soares Júnior, Manoel; Ribeiro Oliveira, Aryane; Cristina Marques Duarte, Renata; Valério de Barros Vilas Boas, Eduardo

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to verify the technological feasibility, chemical quality and sensory acceptance of alcoholic fermented beverage obtained from sugarcane juice. A completely randomized design was applied. Sugar and alcohol content, phenolic (HPLC-MS) and volatile (GS-MS) compounds, pH, density, dry matter and acidity of the fermented beverage of sugarcane were quantified, as well as the acceptance of the product was carried out. The complete fermentation of sugarcane lasted 7 days, and it was obtained an alcohol content of 8.0% v/v. Titrable acidity of the beverage was of 67.31 meq L -1 , pH 4.03, soluble solids of 5 °Brix, reducing sugar of 0.07 g glucose 100 g -1 , density of 0.991 g cm -3 , reduced dry matter of 14.15 g L -1 , sulfates lower than 0.7 g K 2 SO 4  L -1 . Various phenolic compounds, among which, gallic acid (10.97%), catechin (1.73%), chlorogenic acid (3.52%), caffeic acid (1.49%), vanillic acid (0.28%), p -coumaric acid (0.24%), ferulic acid (6.63%), m -coumaric acid (0.36%), and o -coumaric acid (0.04%). Amongst aromatic compounds, were found mainly esters with fruity aromas (ethyl ester hexanoic acid and ethyl ester octanoic acid). The sugarcane juice can be commercialized as an alternative wine, as it presented adequate features to an alcoholic fermented beverage and was sensory accepted by consumers.

  10. Formulation and optimization of spray-dried amlodipine solid dispersion for enhanced oral absorption.

    PubMed

    Jang, Dong-Jin; Sim, Taeyong; Oh, Euichaul

    2013-07-01

    To enhance the oral absorption of photosensitive amlodipine free base, which exhibits a slow dissolution rate and low permeability characteristics, an amorphous solid dispersion system was formulated and characterized. The solid dispersion was prepared by dispersing the amlodipine free base in excess dextrin (1:10 by weight) using a spray-drying technique in the presence of a minimum amount (0.9% w/w) of SLS as an absorption enhancer. The dextrin-based solid dispersion of amlodipine (Amlo-SD) was evaluated in term of formulation, characterization and in vivo absorption study, as well as the spray-drying process was also optimized. The Amlo-SD particles were spherical with a smooth surface and an average particle size of 12.9 μm. Amlodipine was dispersed in an amorphous state and its content remained uniform in the Amlo-SD. The physicochemical stability of the Amlo-SD was maintained at room temperature for 6 months and the photostability was considerably improved. The dissolution of the Amlo-SD was much faster than that of amlodipine at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Amlo-SD produced significantly higher plasma concentrations of amlodipine in rats than amlodipine alone. Amlo-SD with and without SLS provided 2.8- and 2.0-fold increase in AUC, respectively: the difference seems to be attributed to a permeability enhancement effect by SLS. The Amlo-SD with SLS system is a potential formulation option for amlodipine.

  11. Enhanced production of raw starch degrading enzyme using agro-industrial waste mixtures by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus for raw cassava chip saccharification in ethanol production.

    PubMed

    Trakarnpaiboon, Srisakul; Srisuk, Nantana; Piyachomkwan, Kuakoon; Sakai, Kenji; Kitpreechavanich, Vichien

    2017-09-14

    In the present study, solid-state fermentation for the production of raw starch degrading enzyme was investigated by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus TISTR 3531 using a combination of agro-industrial wastes as substrates. The obtained crude enzyme was applied for hydrolysis of raw cassava starch and chips at low temperature and subjected to nonsterile ethanol production using raw cassava chips. The agro-industrial waste ratio was optimized using a simplex axial mixture design. The results showed that the substrate mixture consisting of rice bran:corncob:cassava bagasse at 8 g:10 g:2 g yielded the highest enzyme production of 201.6 U/g dry solid. The optimized condition for solid-state fermentation was found as 65% initial moisture content, 35°C, initial pH of 6.0, and 5 × 10 6 spores/mL inoculum, which gave the highest enzyme activity of 389.5 U/g dry solid. The enzyme showed high efficiency on saccharification of raw cassava starch and chips with synergistic activities of commercial α-amylase at 50°C, which promotes low-temperature bioethanol production. A high ethanol concentration of 102.2 g/L with 78% fermentation efficiency was achieved from modified simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using cofermentation of the enzymatic hydrolysate of 300 g raw cassava chips/L with cane molasses.

  12. Sequential Optimization Methods for Augmentation of Marine Enzymes Production in Solid-State Fermentation: l-Glutaminase Production a Case Study.

    PubMed

    Sathish, T; Uppuluri, K B; Veera Bramha Chari, P; Kezia, D

    There is an increased l-glutaminase market worldwide due to its relevant industrial applications. Salt tolerance l-glutaminases play a vital role in the increase of flavor of different types of foods like soya sauce and tofu. This chapter is presenting the economically viable l-glutaminases production in solid-state fermentation (SSF) by Aspergillus flavus MTCC 9972 as a case study. The enzyme production was improved following a three step optimization process. Initially mixture design (MD) (augmented simplex lattice design) was employed to optimize the solid substrate mixture. Such solid substrate mixture consisted of 59:41 of wheat bran and Bengal gram husk has given higher amounts of l-glutaminase. Glucose and l-glutamine were screened as a finest additional carbon and nitrogen sources for l-glutaminase production with help of Plackett-Burman Design (PBD). l-Glutamine also acting as a nitrogen source as well as inducer for secretion of l-glutaminase from A. flavus MTCC 9972. In the final step of optimization various environmental and nutritive parameters such as pH, temperature, moisture content, inoculum concentration, glucose, and l-glutamine levels were optimized through the use of hybrid feed forward neural networks (FFNNs) and genetic algorithm (GA). Through sequential optimization methods MD-PBD-FFNN-GA, the l-glutaminase production in SSF could be improved by 2.7-fold (453-1690U/g). © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. An integrated automatic system to evaluate U and Th dynamic lixiviation from solid matrices, and to extract/pre-concentrate leached analytes previous ICP-MS detection.

    PubMed

    Ceballos, Melisa Rodas; García-Tenorio, Rafael; Estela, José Manuel; Cerdà, Víctor; Ferrer, Laura

    2017-12-01

    Leached fractions of U and Th from different environmental solid matrices were evaluated by an automatic system enabling the on-line lixiviation and extraction/pre-concentration of these two elements previous ICP-MS detection. UTEVA resin was used as selective extraction material. Ten leached fraction, using artificial rainwater (pH 5.4) as leaching agent, and a residual fraction were analyzed for each sample, allowing the study of behavior of U and Th in dynamic lixiviation conditions. Multivariate techniques have been employed for the efficient optimization of the independent variables that affect the lixiviation process. The system reached LODs of 0.1 and 0.7ngkg -1 of U and Th, respectively. The method was satisfactorily validated for three solid matrices, by the analysis of a soil reference material (IAEA-375), a certified sediment reference material (BCR- 320R) and a phosphogypsum reference material (MatControl CSN-CIEMAT 2008). Besides, environmental samples were analyzed, showing a similar behavior, i.e. the content of radionuclides decreases with the successive extractions. In all cases, the accumulative leached fraction of U and Th for different solid matrices studied (soil, sediment and phosphogypsum) were extremely low, up to 0.05% and 0.005% of U and Th, respectively. However, a great variability was observed in terms of mass concentration released, e.g. between 44 and 13,967ngUkg -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Statistical Optimization of Laccase Production and Delignification of Sugarcane Bagasse by Pleurotus ostreatus in Solid-State Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Karp, Susan Grace; Faraco, Vincenza; Amore, Antonella; Letti, Luiz Alberto Junior; Thomaz Soccol, Vanete; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

    2015-01-01

    Laccases are oxidative enzymes related to the degradation of phenolic compounds, including lignin units, with concomitant reduction of oxygen to water. Delignification is a necessary pretreatment step in the process of converting plant biomass into fermentable sugars. The objective of this work was to optimize the production of laccases and to evaluate the delignification of sugarcane bagasse by Pleurotus ostreatus in solid-state fermentation. Among eight variables (pH, water activity, temperature, and concentrations of CuSO4, (NH4)2SO4, KH2PO4, asparagine, and yeast extract), copper sulfate and ammonium sulfate concentrations were demonstrated to significantly influence laccase production. The replacement of ammonium sulfate by yeast extract and the addition of ferulic acid as inducer provided increases of 5.7- and 2.0-fold, respectively, in laccase activity. Optimization of laccase production as a function of yeast extract, copper sulfate, and ferulic acid concentrations was performed by response surface methodology and optimal concentrations were 6.4 g/L, 172.6 μM, and 1.86 mM, respectively. Experimentally, the maximum laccase activity of 151.6 U/g was produced at the 5th day of solid-state fermentation. Lignin content in sugarcane bagasse was reduced from 31.89% to 26.36% after 5 days and to 20.79% after 15 days by the biological treatment of solid-state fermentation. PMID:26180784

  15. Characterizing the variability of food waste quality: A need for efficient valorisation through anaerobic digestion.

    PubMed

    Fisgativa, Henry; Tremier, Anne; Dabert, Patrick

    2016-04-01

    In order to determine the variability of food waste (FW) characteristics and the influence of these variable values on the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, FW characteristics from 70 papers were compiled and analysed statistically. Results indicated that FW characteristics values are effectively very variable and that 24% of these variations may be explained by the geographical origin, the type of collection source and the season of the collection. Considering the whole range of values for physicochemical characteristics (especially volatile solids (VS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biomethane potential (BMP)), FW show good potential for AD treatment. However, the high carbohydrates contents (36.4%VS) and the low pH (5.1) might cause inhibitions by the rapid acidification of the digesters. As regards the variation of FW characteristics, FW categories were proposed. Moreover, the adequacy of FW characteristics with AD treatment was discussed. Four FW categories were identified with critical characteristics values for AD performance: (1) the high dry matter (DM) and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) content of FW collected with green waste, (2) the high cellulose (CEL) content of FW from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, (3) the low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of FW collected during summer, (4) the high value of TAN and Na of FW from Asia. For these cases, an aerobic pre-treatment or a corrective treatment seems to be advised to avoid instabilities along the digestion. Finally, the results of this review-paper provide a data basis of values for FW characteristics that could be used for AD process design and environmental assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Titration of a Solid Acid Monitored by X-Ray Diffraction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dungey, Keenan E.; Epstein, Paul

    2007-01-01

    An experiment is described to introduce students to an important class of solid-state reactions while reinforcing concepts of titration by using a pH meter and a powder X-ray diffractometer. The experiment was successful in teaching students the abstract concepts of solid-state structure and diffraction by applying the diffraction concepts learned…

  17. pH-Induced precipitation behavior of weakly basic compounds: determination of extent and duration of supersaturation using potentiometric titration and correlation to solid state properties.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Yi-Ling; Ilevbare, Grace A; Van Eerdenbrugh, Bernard; Box, Karl J; Sanchez-Felix, Manuel Vincente; Taylor, Lynne S

    2012-10-01

    To examine the precipitation and supersaturation behavior of ten weak bases in terms of the relationship between pH-concentration-time profiles and the solid state properties of the precipitated material. Initially the compound was dissolved at low pH, followed by titration with base to induce precipitation. Upon precipitation, small aliquots of acid or base were added to induce slight subsaturation and supersaturation respectively and the resultant pH gradient was determined. The concentration of the unionized species was calculated as a function of time and pH using mass and charge balance equations. Two patterns of behavior were observed in terms of the extent and duration of supersaturation arising following an increase in pH and this behavior could be rationalized based on the crystallization tendency of the compound. For compounds that did not readily crystallize, an amorphous precipitate was formed and a prolonged duration of supersaturation was observed. For compounds that precipitated to crystalline forms, the observed supersaturation was short-lived. This study showed that supersaturation behavior has significant correlation with the solid-state properties of the precipitate and that pH-metric titration methods can be utilized to evaluate the supersaturation behavior.

  18. [Effect of stability and dissolution of realgar nano-particles using solid dispersion technology].

    PubMed

    Guo, Teng; Shi, Feng; Yang, Gang; Feng, Nian-Ping

    2013-09-01

    To improve the stability and dissolution of realgar nano-particles by solid dispersion. Using polyethylene glycol 6000 and poloxamer-188 as carriers, the solid dispersions were prepare by melting method. XRD, microscopic inspection were used to determine the status of realgar nano-particles in solid dispersions. The content and stability test of As(2)0(3) were determined by DDC-Ag method. Hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the content of Arsenic and investigated the in vitro dissolution behavior of solid dispersions. The results of XRD and microscopic inspection showed that realgar nano-particles in solid dispersions were amorphous. The dissolution amount and rate of Arsenic from realgar nano-particles of all solid dispersions were increased significantly, the reunion of realgar nano-particles and content of As(2)0(3) were reduced for the formation of solid dispersions. The solid dispersion of realgar nano-particles with poloxamer-188 as carriers could obviously improve stability, dissolution and solubility.

  19. m-Trifluoromethyl-diphenyl Diselenide Regulates Prefrontal Cortical MOR and KOR Protein Levels and Abolishes the Phenotype Induced by Repeated Forced Swim Stress in Mice.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Suzan Gonçalves; Pesarico, Ana Paula; Martini, Franciele; Nogueira, Cristina Wayne

    2018-04-05

    The present study aimed to investigate the m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide [(m-CF 3 -PhSe) 2 ] effects on prefrontal cortical MOR and KOR protein levels and phenotype induced by repeated forced swim stress (FSS) in mice. Adult Swiss mice were subjected to repeated FSS sessions, and after that, they performed the spontaneous locomotor/exploratory activity, tail suspension, and splash tests. (m-CF 3 -PhSe) 2 (0.1 to 5 mg/kg) was administered to mice 30 min before the first FSS session and 30 min before the subsequent repeated FSS. (m-CF 3 -PhSe) 2 abolished the phenotype induced by repeated FSS in mice. In addition, a single FSS session increased μ but reduced δ-opioid receptor contents, without changing the κ content. Mice subjected to repeated FSS had an increase in the μ content when compared to those of naïve group or subjected to single FSS. Repeated FSS induced an increase of δ-opioid receptor content compared to those mice subjected to single FSS. However, the δ-opioid receptor contents were lower than those found in the naïve group. The mice subjected to repeated FSS showed an increase in the κ-opioid receptor content when compared to that of the naïve mice. (m-CF 3 -PhSe) 2 regulated the protein contents of μ and κ receptors in mice subjected to repeated FSS. These findings demonstrate that (m-CF 3 -PhSe) 2 was effective to abolish the phenotype induced by FSS, which was accompanied by changes in the contents of cortical μ- and κ-opioid receptors.

  20. E-cigarette liquids: Constancy of content across batches and accuracy of labeling.

    PubMed

    Etter, Jean-François; Bugey, Aurélie

    2017-10-01

    To assess whether bottles of refill liquids for e-cigarettes were filled true to label, whether their content was constant across two production batches, and whether they contained impurities. In 2013, we purchased on the Internet 18 models from 11 brands of e-liquids. We purchased a second sample of the same models 4months later. We analyzed their content in nicotine, anabasine, propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, and tested their pH. The median difference between the nicotine value on the labels and the nicotine content in the bottles was 0.3mg/mL (range -5.4 to +3.5mg/mL, i.e. -8% to +30%). For 82% of the samples, the actual nicotine content was within 10% of the value on the labels. All models contained glycerol (median 407mg/mL), and all but three models contained propylene glycol (median 650mg/mL). For all samples, levels of anabasine, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol were below our limits of detection. The pH of all the e-liquids was alkaline (median pH=9.1; range 8.1 to 9.9). The measured content of two batches of the same model varied by a median of 0% across batches for propylene glycol, 1% for glycerol, 0% for pH, and 0.5% for nicotine (range -15% to +21%; 5th and 95th percentiles: -15% and +10%). The nicotine content of these e-liquids matched the labels on the bottles, and was relatively constant across production batches. The content of propylene glycol and glycerol was also stable across batches, as was the pH. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Infrared spectra of free radicals and protonated species produced in para-hydrogen matrices.

    PubMed

    Bahou, Mohammed; Das, Prasanta; Lee, Yu-Fang; Wu, Yu-Jong; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2014-02-14

    The quantum solid para-hydrogen (p-H2) has emerged as a new host for matrix isolation experiments. Among several unique characteristics, the diminished cage effect enables the possibility of producing free radicals via either photolysis in situ or bimolecular reactions of molecules with atoms or free radicals that are produced in situ from their precursors upon photo-irradiation. Many free radicals that are unlikely to be produced in noble-gas matrices can be produced readily in solid p-H2. In addition, protonated species can be produced upon electron bombardment of p-H2 containing a small proportion of the precursor during deposition. The application of this novel technique to generate protonated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their neutral counterparts demonstrates its superiority over other methods. The technique of using p-H2 as a matrix host has opened up many possibilities for the preparation of free radicals and unstable species and their spectral characterization. Many new areas of applications and fundamental understanding concerning the p-H2 matrix await further exploration.

  2. "Artificial lymphatic system": a new approach to reduce interstitial hypertension and increase blood flow, pH and pO2 in solid tumors.

    PubMed

    DiResta, G R; Lee, J; Healey, J H; Levchenko, A; Larson, S M; Arbit, E

    2000-05-01

    A mechanical drainage system, the "artificial lymphatic system" (ALS), consisting of a vacuum source and drain, is evaluated for its ability to aspirate the interstitial fluids responsible for the elevated interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) observed in solid tumors. IFP, pH, and pO2 radial profiles were measured before and after aspiration using wick-in-needle (WIN) probes, needle pH and oxygen electrodes, respectively. Laser Doppler flowmetry measured temporal changes in blood flow rate (BFR) at the tumor surface during aspiration. The WIN probe and IFP profile data were analyzed using numerical simulation and distributed mathematical models, respectively. The model parameter, P(E), reflecting central tumor IFP, was reduced from 15.3 to 5.7 mm Hg in neuroblastoma and from 13.3 to 12.1 mm Hg in Walker 256, respectively, following aspiration. The simulation demonstrated that spatial averaging inherent in WIN measurements reduced the calculated magnitude of the model parameter changes. IFP was significantly lower (p<0.05), especially in regions surrounding the drain, and BFR was significantly higher (p<0.05) following 25 and 45 min of aspiration, respectively; pH and pO2 profiles increased following aspiration. The experimental and mathematical findings suggest that ALS aspiration may be a viable way of reducing IFP and increasing BFR, pO2, and pH and should enhance solid tumor chemo and radiation therapy.

  3. Dual functional rhodium oxide nanocorals enabled sensor for both non-enzymatic glucose and solid-state pH sensing.

    PubMed

    Dong, Qiuchen; Huang, Yikun; Song, Donghui; Wu, Huixiang; Cao, Fei; Lei, Yu

    2018-07-30

    Both pH-sensitive and glucose-responsive rhodium oxide nanocorals (Rh 2 O 3 NCs) were synthesized through electrospinning followed by high-temperature calcination. The as-prepared Rh 2 O 3 NCs were systematically characterized using various advanced techniques including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, and then employed as a dual functional nanomaterial to fabricate a dual sensor for both non-enzymatic glucose sensing and solid-state pH monitoring. The sensing performance of the Rh 2 O 3 NCs based dual sensor toward pH and glucose was evaluated using open circuit potential, cyclic voltammetry and amperometric techniques, respectively. The results show that the as-prepared Rh 2 O 3 NCs not only maintain accurate and reversible pH sensitivity of Rh 2 O 3 , but also demonstrate a good electrocatalytic activity toward glucose oxidation in alkaline medium with a sensitivity of 11.46 μA mM -1 cm -2 , a limit of detection of 3.1 μM (S/N = 3), and a reasonable selectivity against various interferents in non-enzymatic glucose detection. Its accuracy in determining glucose in human serum samples was further demonstrated. These features indicate that the as-prepared Rh 2 O 3 NCs hold great promise as a dual-functional sensing material in the development of a high-performance sensor forManjakkal both solid-state pH and non-enzymatic glucose sensing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. High fluoride and low pH level have been detected in popular flavoured beverages in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    HA Rahim, Zubaidah; M Bakri, Marina; HM, Zakir; IA, Ahmed; NA, Zulkifli

    2014-01-01

    Objective: In children, excessive ingestion of fluoride from different sources including bottled drinking water and flavoured beverages or soft drinks can lead to the development of dental fluorosis. In addition, the pH level of beverages is important. Low pH can cause dental erosion. In this study we explore the fluoride content and pH level of certain popular beverages available in Malaysian supermarkets and hawkers’ stalls. Methods: Bottled drinking water and selected popular flavoured packet drinks were purchased from a supermarket and the corresponding flavoured hawkers’ drinks, from a hawker’s stall in Kuala Lumpur. Fluoride and pH of the beverages were determined using digital fluoride meter and digital pH meter respectively. Results: It was found that fluoride content and pH level vary among the beverages. The mean fluoride content in both packet and hawkers’ drinks (7.64±1.88 mg/L, 7.51±1.60 mg/L, respectively) was approximately 7 times higher than the bottled drinking water (1.05±0.35 mg/L). Among the beverages, the tea packet drink was found to contain the highest amount of fluoride (13.02±0.23 mg/L). The mean pH of bottled-drinking water was near neutral (6.96±0.17), but acidic for both supermarket (4.78.00±0.49) and hawkers’ drinks (5.73±0.24). The lychee packet drink had the lowest pH level (2.97±0.03). Conclusions: Due to the wide variation of the fluoride content and pH level of the drinks tested in this study, it is recommended that steps should be taken to control the fluoride concentration and pH level in beverages if dental fluorosis and erosion are to be prevented. PMID:24772152

  5. Effects of Different Growing Regions on Quality Characteristics, Bioactive Compound Contents, and Antioxidant Activity of Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) in Korea.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Eun-Sun; Thi, Nhuan Do

    2016-09-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different growing regions on quality characteristics, total bioactive compound contents, and in vitro antioxidant activity in aronia. Aronia grown in 3 different regions (Sangjoo, Ulju, and Youngcheon) in Korea was obtained and used fresh or as a freeze-dried powder. No statistically significant differences were observed for moisture, ash, crude lipid, and crude protein contents in aronia sampled from the 3 different regions. Aronia grown in Sangjoo had the highest total acid content and the lowest sugar content and pH value. Conversely, aronia grown in Youngcheon possessed the lowest total acid content and the highest sugar content and pH value. Aronia grown in Sangjoo possessed relatively high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, as well as high antioxidant activity in comparison with aronia produced in other regions. Aronia grown in Youngcheon scored the highest for taste and overall acceptability in sensory evaluations, which may be related to the high sugar content and pH, and the low total acidity of the fruits. It is possible that higher sugar contents and pH, and lower total acidity in the aronia grown in Youngcheon result in more preferable sensory characteristics. However, they also contain relatively low levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, and have low antioxidant activity as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging assays.

  6. Effects of Different Growing Regions on Quality Characteristics, Bioactive Compound Contents, and Antioxidant Activity of Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Eun-Sun; Thi, Nhuan Do

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different growing regions on quality characteristics, total bioactive compound contents, and in vitro antioxidant activity in aronia. Aronia grown in 3 different regions (Sangjoo, Ulju, and Youngcheon) in Korea was obtained and used fresh or as a freeze-dried powder. No statistically significant differences were observed for moisture, ash, crude lipid, and crude protein contents in aronia sampled from the 3 different regions. Aronia grown in Sangjoo had the highest total acid content and the lowest sugar content and pH value. Conversely, aronia grown in Youngcheon possessed the lowest total acid content and the highest sugar content and pH value. Aronia grown in Sangjoo possessed relatively high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, as well as high antioxidant activity in comparison with aronia produced in other regions. Aronia grown in Youngcheon scored the highest for taste and overall acceptability in sensory evaluations, which may be related to the high sugar content and pH, and the low total acidity of the fruits. It is possible that higher sugar contents and pH, and lower total acidity in the aronia grown in Youngcheon result in more preferable sensory characteristics. However, they also contain relatively low levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, and have low antioxidant activity as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging assays. PMID:27752502

  7. Germination and Inactivation of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris Spores Induced by Moderate Hydrostatic Pressure.

    PubMed

    Sokołowska, Barbara; Skapska, Sylwia; Fonberg-Broczek, Monika; Niezgoda, Jolanta; Porebska, Izabela; Dekowska, Agnieszka; Rzoska, Sylwester J

    2015-01-01

    Given the importance of spoilage caused by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris for the fruit juice industry, the objective of this work was to study the germination and inactivation of A. acidoterrestris spores induced by moderate hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure treatment can induce the germination and inactivation of A. acidoterrestris spores. At low pH, spore germination of up to 3.59-3.75 log and inactivation of 1.85-2.04 log was observed in a low pressure window (200-300 MPa) applied at 50 degrees C for 20 min. Neutral pH suppressed inactivation, the number of spores inactivated at pH 7.0 was only 0.24-1.06 log. The pressurization temperature significantly affected spore germination and inactivation. The degree of germination in apple juice after pressurization for 30 min with 200 MPa at 20 degrees C was 2.04 log, with only 0.61 log of spores being inactivated, while at 70 degrees C spore germination was 5.94 log and inactivation 4.72 log. This temperature strongly stimulated germination and inactivation under higher (500 MPa) than lower (200 MPa) pressure. When the oscillatory mode was used, the degree of germination and inactivation was slightly higher than at continuous mode. The degree of germination and inactivation was inversely proportional to the soluble solids content and was lowest in concentrated apple juice.

  8. Formation of pH-sensitive cationic liposomes from a binary mixture of monoalkylated primary amine and cholesterol.

    PubMed

    Cui, Zhong-Kai; Bouisse, Anne; Cottenye, Nicolas; Lafleur, Michel

    2012-09-25

    It has been shown that mixtures of monoalkylated amphiphiles and sterols can form liquid-ordered (lo) lamellar phases. These bilayers can be extruded using conventional methods to obtain large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) that have very low permeability and a specific response to a given stimulus. For example, pH variations can trigger the release from LUVs formed with palmitic acid and sterols. In the present work, the possibility to form non phospholipid liposomes with mixtures of stearylamine (SA) and cholesterol (Chol) was investigated. The phase behavior of these mixtures was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared, and (2)H NMR spectroscopy. It is found that this particular mixture can form a lo lamellar phase that is pH-sensitive as the system undergoes a transition from a lo phase to a solid state when pH is increased from 5.5 to 12. LUVs have been successfully extruded from equimolar SA/Chol mixtures. Release experiments as a function of time revealed the relatively low permeability of these systems. The fact that the stability of these liposomes is pH dependent implies that these LUVs display an interesting potential as new cationic carriers for pH-triggered release. This is the first report of non phospholipid liposomes with high sterol content combining an overall positive charge and pH-sensitivity.

  9. Cow dung: a potential biomass substrate for the production of detergent-stable dehairing protease by alkaliphilic Bacillus subtilis strain VV.

    PubMed

    Vijayaraghavan, Ponnuswamy; Vijayan, Aija; Arun, Arumugaperumal; Jenisha, John Kennady; Vincent, Samuel Gnana Prakash

    2012-01-01

    Cow dung, a cheap and easily available source of energy, was used as the substrate for the production of alkaline protease by solid-state fermentation using the Bacillus subtilis strain VV. In order to achieve the maximum yield of this enzyme, the following optimum process parameters are needed: fermentation period (72 h), pH (10.0), moisture content (140%), inoculum (25%), temperature (30-40°C), carbon source (2% (w/w) maltose) and nitrogen source (1% (w/w) urea). The protease was stable over a broad temperature range (30-50°C) and pH (8.0-10.0), with maximum activity at 50°C and pH 10.0. Among the divalent ions tested, Ca(2+) (0.01 M) increased enzyme activity. The purified protease, after being subjected to sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was found to have a molecular mass of 38.5 kDa. The enzyme was solvent-and surfactant-stable and showed activity even after 24 h incubation along with various commercially available detergents. This enzyme possessed dehairing properties for animal hide after 16 h of incubation at room temperature. From these results it is evident that cow dung is a potential substrate for the production of a detergent-stable, dehairing protease by B. subtilis. This enzyme has a lot of potential applications in the detergent and leather-processing industries.

  10. Adsorption of Crystal Violet Dye Using Zeolite A Synthesized From Coal Fly Ash

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jumaeri; Kusumastuti, E.; Santosa, S. J.; Sutarno

    2017-02-01

    Adsorption of Crystal Violet (CV) dye using zeolite A synthesized from coal fly ash (ZA) has been done. Effect of pH, contact time, and the initial concentration of dye adsorption was studied in this adsorption. Model experimental of adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics were also studied. The adsorption is done in a batch reactor at room temperature. A total of 0.01 g of zeolite A was added to the Erlenmeyer flask 50 mL containing 20 mL of the dye solution of Crystal Violet in a variety of conditions of pH, contact time and initial concentration. Furthermore, Erlenmeyer flask and its contents were shaken using an orbital shaker at a speed of 200 rpm. After a specified period of adsorption, the solution was centrifuged for 2 minutes so that the solids separated from the solution. The concentration of the dye after adsorption determined using Genesis-20 Spectrophotometer. The results showed that the Zeolite A synthesized from coal fly ash could be used as an effective adsorbent for Crystal Violet dye. The optimum adsorption occurs at pH 6, and contact time 45 minutes. At the initial concentration of 2 to 6 mg/L, adsorption is reduced from 79 to 62.8%. Crystal Violet dye adsorption in zeolite A fulfilled kinetic model of pseudo-order 2 and model of Freundlich adsorption isotherm.

  11. Characteristics and risks of secondary pollutants generation during compression and transfer of municipal solid waste in Shanghai.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaoyuan; Xie, Bing; Wu, Dong; Hassan, Muhammad; Huang, Changying

    2015-09-01

    The generation and seasonal variations of secondary pollutants were investigated during three municipal solid waste (MSW) compression and transfer in Shanghai, China. The results showed that the raw wastewater generated from three MSW transfer stations had pH of 4.2-6.0, COD 40,000-70,000mg/L, BOD5 15,000-25,000mg/L, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) 400-700mg/L, total nitrogen (TN) 600-1500mg/L, total phosphorus (TP) 50-200mg/L and suspended solids (SS) 1000-80,000mg/L. The pH, COD, BOD5 and NH3-N did not show regular change throughout the year while the concentration of TN, TP and SS were higher in summer and autumn. The animal and vegetable oil content was extremely high. The average produced raw wastewater of three transfer stations ranged from 2.3% to 8.4% of total refuse. The major air pollutants of H2S 0.01-0.17mg/m(3), NH3 0.75-1.8mg/m(3) in transfer stations, however, the regular seasonal change was not discovered. During the transfer process, the generated leachate in container had pH of 5.7-6.4, SS of 9120-32,475mg/L. The COD and BOD5 were 41,633-89,060mg/L and 18,116-34,130mg/L respectively, higher than that in the compress process. The concentration of NH3-N and TP were 587-1422mg/L and 80-216mg/L, respectively, and both increased during transfer process. H2S, VOC, CH4 and NH3 were 0.4-4mg/m(3), 7-19mg/m(3), 0-3.4% and 1-4mg/m(3), respectively. The PCA analysis showed that the production of secondary pollutants is closely related to temperature, especially CH4. Therefore, avoiding high temperature is a key means of reducing the production of gaseous pollutants. And above all else, refuse classification in source, deodorization and anti-acid corrosion are the important processes to control the secondary pollutants during compression and transfer of MSW. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Production of lactic acid from the mixture of softwood pre-hydrolysate and paper mill sludge by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

    PubMed

    Shi, Suan; Kang, Li; Lee, Y Y

    2015-03-01

    Paper mill sludge is a solid waste material composed of pulp residues and ash generated from pulping and paper making process. The carbohydrate portion of the sludges from Kraft/Recycle paper mill has chemical and physical characteristics similar to those of commercial wood pulp. Because of its high carbohydrate content and well-dispersed structure, the sludge can be biologically converted to value-added products without pretreatment. In bioconversion of solid feedstock such as paper mill sludge, a certain amount of water must be present to attain fluidity. In this study, hemicellulose pre-hydrolysate, in place of water, was added to the sludge to increase the concentration of the final product. Pre-hydrolysate was obtained by hot-water treatment of pine wood in which the total sugar concentration reached 4 wt.%. The mixture was processed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using enzymes (cellulase and pectinase) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC-10863). Pectinase was added to hydrolyze mannose oligomers in the pre-hydrolysate to monomers. During the SSF of the mixture, calcium carbonate in the paper sludge acted as a buffer, yielding calcium lactate as the final product. External pH control was unnecessary due to the buffer action of calcium carbonate that maintained the pH near optimum for the SSF. The lactic acid yield in the range of 80-90 % of the theoretical maximum was obtained. Use of the mixed feed of pre-hydrolysate and pulp mill sludges in the SSF raised the product concentration to 60 g of lactate/L.

  13. Development, optimization and evaluation of curcumin loaded biodegradable crosslinked gelatin film for the effective treatment of periodontitis.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Sheetal; Bansal, Monika; Khan, Gayasuddin; Yadav, Sarita K; Singh, Ashish K; Prakash, Pradyot; Mishra, Brahmeshwar

    2018-07-01

    Aim of the present study was to prepare curcumin (CUR) loaded biodegradable crosslinked gelatin (GE) film to alleviate the existing shortcomings in the treatment of periodontitis. Gelatin film was optimized to provide anticipated mucoadhesive strength, mechanical properties, folding endurance, and prolonged drug release over treatment duration, for successful application in the periodontitis. The film was developed by using solvent casting technique and "Design of Experiments" approach was employed for evaluating the influence of independent variables on dependent response variables. Solid-state characterization of the film was performed by FTIR, XRD, and SEM. Further, prepared formulations were evaluated for drug content uniformity, surface pH, folding endurance, swelling index, mechanical strength, mucoadhesive strength, in vitro biodegradation, and in vitro drug release behavior. Solid state characterization of the formulation showed that CUR is physico-chemically compatible with other excipients and CUR was entrapped in an amorphous form inside the smooth and uniform film. The optimized film showed degree of crosslinking 51.04 ± 2.4, swelling index 138.10 ± 1.25, and folding endurance 270 ± 3 with surface pH around 7.0. Crosslinker concentrations positively affected swelling index and biodegradation of film due to altered matrix density of the polymer. Results of in vitro drug release demonstrated the capability of the developed film for efficiently delivering CUR in a sustained manner up to 7 days. The developed optimized film could be considered as a promising delivery strategy to administer medicament locally into the periodontal pockets for the safe and efficient management of periodontitis.

  14. Soil-modified carbon paste electrode: a useful tool in environmental assessment of heavy metal ion binding interactions.

    PubMed

    Svegl, I G; Ogorevc, B

    2000-08-01

    Carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) modified with different soils in their native form were prepared to create a soil-like solid phase suitable for application in studies of heavy metal ion uptake and binding interactions. The preparation of CPEs modified with five different soils was examined and their heavy metal ion uptake behavior investigated using a model Cu(II) aqueous solution. Metal ions were accumulated under open circuit conditions and were determined after a medium exchange using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, applying preelectrolysis at -0.7 V. The soil-modified CPE accumulation behavior, including the linearity of the current response versus Cu(II) concentration, the influence of the pH on the solution, and the uptake kinetics, was thoroughly investigated. The correlation between the soil-modified CPE uptake capability and the standard soil parameters, such as ion exchange capacity, soil pH, organic matter and clay content, were evaluated for all five examined soils. The influence of selected endogenous cations (K(I), Ca(II), Fe(III)) on the transfer of Cu(II) ions from a solution to the simulated soil solid phase was examined and is discussed. Preliminary examinations of the soil-modified CPE uptake behavior with some exogenous heavy metal ions of strong environmental interest (Pb(II), Hg(II), Cd(II) and Ag(I)) are also presented. This work demonstrates some attractive possibilities for the application of a soil-modified CPE in studying soil-heavy metal ion binding interactions, with a further potential use as a new environmental sensor appropriate for fist on-site testing of polluted soils.

  15. Development and characterization of crosslinked hyaluronic acid polymeric films for use in coating processes.

    PubMed

    Sgorla, Débora; Almeida, Andreia; Azevedo, Claudia; Bunhak, Ÿlcio Jose; Sarmento, Bruno; Cavalcanti, Osvaldo Albuquerque

    2016-09-10

    The aim of this work was to develop and characterize new hyaluronic acid-based responsive materials for film coating of solid dosage forms. Crosslinking of hyaluronic acid with trisodium trimetaphosphate was performed under controlled alkaline aqueous environment. The films were produced through casting process by mixing crosslinked or bare biopolymer in aqueous dispersion of ethylcellulose, at different proportions. Films were further characterized regarding morphology by scanning electron microscopy, robustness by permeation to water vapor transmission, and ability to hydrate in simulated gastric and intestinal physiological fluids. The safety and biocompatibility of films were assessed against Caco-2 and HT29-MTX intestinal cells. The permeation to water vapor transmission was favored by increasing hyaluronic acid content in the final formulation. When in simulated gastric fluid, films exhibited lower hydration ability compared to more extensive hydration in simulated intestinal fluids. Simultaneously, in simulated intestinal fluids, films partially lost weight, revealing ability for preventing drug release at gastric pH, but tailoring the release at higher intestinal pH. The physiochemical characterization suggests thermal stability of films and physical interaction between compounds of formulation. Lastly, cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that films and individual components of the formulations, when incubated for 4h, were safe for intestinal cells Overall, these evidences suggest that hyaluronic acid-based responsive films, applied as coating material of oral solid dosage forms, can prevent the premature release of drugs in harsh stomach conditions, but control the release it in gastrointestinal tract distal portion, assuring safety to intestinal mucosa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. CO2 in solid para-hydrogen: spectral splitting and the CO2···(o-H2)n clusters.

    PubMed

    Du, Jun-He; Wan, Lei; Wu, Lei; Xu, Gang; Deng, Wen-Ping; Liu, An-Wen; Chen, Yang; Hu, Shui-Ming

    2011-02-17

    Complicated high-resolution spectral structures are often observed for molecules doped in solid molecular hydrogen. The structures can result from miscellaneous effects and are often interpreted differently in references. The spectrum of the ν(3) band of CO(2) in solid para-H(2) presents a model system which exhibits rich spectral structures. With the help of the potential energy simulation of the CO(2) molecule doped in para-hydrogen matrix, and extensive experiments with different CO(2) isotopologues and different ortho-hydrogen concentrations in the matrix, the spectral features observed in p-H(2) matrix are assigned to the CO(2)···(o-H(2))(n) clusters and also to energy level splitting that is due to different alignments of the doped CO(2) molecules in the matrix. The assignments are further supported by the dynamics analysis and also by the spectrum recorded with sample codoped with O(2) which serves as catalyst transferring o-H(2) to p-H(2) in the matrix at 4 K temperature. The observed spectral features of CO(2)/pH(2) can potentially be used as an alternative readout of the temperature and orthohydrogen concentration in the solid para-hydrogen.

  17. Methods for the collection of geochemical data from the sediments of the tidal Potomac River and estuary and data for 1978-1980

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Goodwin, S.D.; Schultz, B.I.; Parkhurst, D.L.; Simon, N.S.; Callendar, Edward

    1984-01-01

    The chemical composition of bottom sediments and their associated pore waters from the tidal Potomac River and Estuary was studied from May 1978 through June 1980. Pore waters were routinely analyzed for pH, Eh, alkalinity, and concentrations of sulfide, sulfate, phosphate, carbon, ammonium, silica, iron, manganese, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Porosity, weight loss on ignition, and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents were determined for the solid sediments. The range of salinity and chemical composition encountered in the estuary frequently necessitated modifications of standard methods of analysis. Therefore, the methods used, their modifications, and their limitations are presented in some detail. The appendix lists the data obtained from six sampling periods. (USGS)

  18. Controlled atmosphere storage of wild strawberry fruit (Fragaria vesca L.).

    PubMed

    Almenar, Eva; Hernández-Muñoz, Pilar; Lagarón, José M; Catalá, Ramón; Gavara, Rafael

    2006-01-11

    Controlled atmosphere storage technology to extend the shelf life of "Reina de los Valles" wild strawberry fruit (Fragaria vesca L.) was studied. Fruits were stored at 3 degrees C for three weeks in different atmosphere compositions: 0.05% CO2/21% O2 (air), 3% CO2/18% O2, 6% CO2/15% O2, 10% CO2/11% O2, and 15% CO2/6% O2. The effect of gas composition on soluble solids content, titrable acidity, pH, off-flavor, aroma volatiles, and consumer preference was monitored. The result showed that the 10% CO2/11% O2 combination can efficiently prolong the shelf life of wild strawberries by maintaining the quality parameters within acceptable values, through inhibiting the development of Botrytis cinerea, without significantly modifying consumer acceptance.

  19. Calcium Hypochlorite Solutions: Evaluation of Surface Tension and Effect of Different Storage Conditions and Time Periods over pH and Available Chlorine Content.

    PubMed

    Leonardo, Natália Gomes e Silva; Carlotto, Israel Bangel; Luisi, Simone Bonato; Kopper, Patrícia Maria Poli; Grecca, Fabiana Soares; Montagner, Francisco

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the pH and the available chlorine content from sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and calcium hypochlorite (Ca[OCl]2) solutions stored in different conditions and time periods and the surface tension of Ca(OCl)2 solutions in comparison with NaOCl. Solutions at 0.5%, 1%, 2.5%, and 5.25% concentrations were prepared. The pH level and the available chlorine content of freshly prepared solutions and solutions stored for 30, 60, and 90 days at 25°C, 4°C, or 37°C were evaluated in a digital pH meter and by titration, respectively. Surface tension was tested using a Du Nouy tensiometer (Sigma 702, Force Tensiometer; Attension, Espoo, Finland). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. A precipitate formed by 2.5% and 5.25% Ca(OCl)2 solutions was observed. Ca(OCl)2 showed a higher concentration of available chlorine than NaOCl. Both 2.5% and 5.25% NaOCl and Ca(OCl)2 had a decrease in the available chlorine content when compared with freshly prepared solutions; 0.5% and 1% NaOCl tend to have a lower pH compared with 0.5% and 1% Ca(OCl)2. NaOCl, 5.25%, showed higher pH compared with 5.25% Ca(OCl)2. NaOCl and Ca(OCl)2 in 0.5% and 1% concentrations tend to show a reduced pH level, whereas 2.5% and 5.25% solutions showed an increase in pH. The heat contributed to the instability of the solutions. NaOCl showed lower surface tension values than Ca(OCl)2. Ca(OCl)2 solutions are extremely alkaline and tend to have more available chlorine content than NaOCl but have a higher surface tension than NaOCl. Regarding the available chlorine content, these solutions tend to be stable to 30 days of storage when kept at 4°C or at 25°C. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Estimation of intragastric solubility of drugs: in what medium?

    PubMed

    Vertzoni, Maria; Pastelli, Eleni; Psachoulias, Dimitris; Kalantzi, Lida; Reppas, Christos

    2007-05-01

    To measure the solubility of four drugs in human gastric aspirates, canine gastric aspirates (CGF) and simulated gastric fluids in order to propose a medium for estimating intragastric drug solubility relevant to a bioavailability study in the fasted state. Intragastric environment after administration of water to healthy fasted adults and to healthy fasted dogs (this study) was initially characterized. Solubilities were then measured with the shake-flask method in gastric fluid aspirated after the administration of water to healthy fasted adults and to healthy fasted dogs, in various simulated gastric fluids, i.e. SGF(SLS), SGF(Triton), FaSSGF, FaSSGF(NaCl), and in various HCl solutions with pH values ranging from 1.2 to 2.9. In all cases, FaSSGF performed better than canine aspirates, SGF(SLS), SGF(Triton), or FaSSGF(NaCl) in predicting solubility in HGF. However, its superiority over HCl pH 1.6 was not clear. For ketoconazole, dipyridamole, miconazole, and felodipine deviations of solubility data in FaSSGF from solubility data in HGF were non-significant, 34, -39 and 252%, respectively, whereas the corresponding deviations of data in HCl pH 1.6 from data in HGF were non-significant, 24, 70, and 130%, respectively. Combining data in FaSSGF and HCl pH 1.6 is comparatively the most efficient way to get an estimate of drug solubility in the fasting gastric contents during a bioavailability study. However, accurate estimation of intragastric solubility is limited by the changing environment during intragastric residence of solid particles and the degree of simulation of intragastric composition.

  1. A rapid and highly selective method for the estimation of pyro-, tri- and orthophosphates.

    PubMed

    Kamat, D R; Savant, V V; Sathyanarayana, D N

    1995-03-01

    A rapid, highly selective and simple method has been developed for the quantitative determination of pyro-, tri- and orthophosphates. The method is based on the formation of a solid complex of bis(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) species with pyrophosphate at pH 4.2-4.3, with triphosphate at pH 2.0-2.1 and with orthophosphate at pH 8.2-8.6. The proposed method for pyro- and triphosphates differs from the available method, which is based on the formation of an adduct with tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) species. The complexes have the composition [Co(en)(2)HP(2)O(7)]4H(2)O and [Co(en)(2)H(2)P(3)O(10)]2H(2)O, respectively. The precipitation is instantaneous and quantitative under the recommended optimum conditions giving 99.5% gravimetric yield in both cases. There is no interferences from orthophosphate, trimetaphosphate and pyrophosphate species in the triphosphate estimation up to 5% of each component. The efficacy of the method has been established by determining pyrophosphate and triphosphate contents in various matrices. In the case of orthophosphate, the proposed method differs from the available methods such as ammonium phosphomolybdate, vanadophosphomolybdate and quinoline phosphomolybdate, which are based on the formation of a precipitate, followed by either titrimetry or gravimetry. The precipitation is instantaneous and the method is simple. Under the recommended pH and other reaction conditions, gravimetric yields of 99.6-100% are obtainable. The method is applicable to orthophosphoric acid and a variety of phosphate salts.

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

    PubMed

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

    2018-01-01

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

  3. Electrochemical characteristics of bioresorbable binary MgCa alloys in Ringer's solution: Revealing the impact of local pH distributions during in-vitro dissolution.

    PubMed

    Mareci, D; Bolat, G; Izquierdo, J; Crimu, C; Munteanu, C; Antoniac, I; Souto, R M

    2016-03-01

    Biodegradable magnesium-calcium (MgCa) alloy is a very attractive biomaterial. Two MgCa alloys below the solid solubility of Ca were considered, as to solely investigate the effect of Ca content on the behavior of magnesium and the pH changes associated to metal dissolution. X-ray diffraction analysis and optical microscopy showed that both Mg-0.63Ca and Mg-0.89Ca alloys were solely composed of α(Mg) phase. Degradation characteristics and electrochemical characterization of MgCa alloys were investigated during exposure to Ringer's solution at 37 °C by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy. The impedance behavior showed both capacitive and inductive features that are related to the alloy charge transfer reaction and the relaxation of the absorbed corrosion compounds, and can be described in terms of an equivalent circuit. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to view the surface morphology of the MgCa samples after 1 week immersion in Ringer's solution showing extensive precipitation of corrosion products, whereas the substrate shows evidence of a non-uniform corrosion process. Energy dispersive analysis showed that the precipitates contained oxygen, calcium, magnesium and chlorine, and the Mg:Ca ratios were smaller than in the alloys. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to visualize local pH changes associated to these physicochemical processes with high spatial resolution. The occurrence of pH variations in excess of 3 units between anodic and cathodic half-cell reactions was monitored in situ. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Asymmetric transmission in prisms using structures and materials with isotropic-type dispersion.

    PubMed

    Gundogdu, Funda Tamara; Serebryannikov, Andriy E; Cakmak, A Ozgur; Ozbay, Ekmel

    2015-09-21

    It is demonstrated that strong asymmetry in transmission can be obtained at the Gaussian beam illumination for a single prism based on a photonic crystal (PhC) with isotropic-type dispersion, as well as for its analog made of a homogeneous material. Asymmetric transmission can be realized with the aid of refraction at a proper orientation of the interfaces and wedges of the prism, whereas neither contribution of higher diffraction orders nor anisotropic-type dispersion is required. Furthermore, incidence toward a prism wedge can be used for one of two opposite directions in order to obtain asymmetry. Thus, asymmetric transmission is a general property of the prism configurations, which can be obtained by using simple geometries and quite conventional materials. The obtained results show that strong asymmetry can be achieved in PhC prisms with (nearly) circular shape of equifrequency dispersion contours, in both cases associated with the index of refraction 01. For the comparison purposes, results are also presented for solid uniform non-magnetic prisms made of a material with the same value of n. It is shown in zero-loss approximation that the PhC prism and the ultralow-index material prism (01. Possible contributions of scattering on the individual rods and diffraction on the wedge to the resulting mechanism are discussed. Analogs of unidirectional splitting and unidirectional deflection regimes, which are known from the studies of PhC gratings, are obtained in PhC prisms and solid uniform prisms, i.e. without higher diffraction orders.

  5. [Citrus boron nutrient level and its impact factors in the Three Gorges Reservoir region of Chongqing, China].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Wei; Peng, Liang-Zhi; Chun, Chang-Pin; Jiang, Cai-Lun; Ling, Li-Li; Wang, Nan-Qi; Xing, Fei; Huang, Yi

    2014-04-01

    To investigate the level of boron nutrient in citrus and its impact factors, a total of 954 citrus leaf samples and 302 soil samples were collected from representative orchards in the 12 main citrus production counties in the Three Gorges Reservoir region of Chongqing to determine the boron content in citrus leaves, as well as the relationships between leaf boron content with soil available boron content, soil pH value, cultivar, rootstock and the age of tree. Results indicated that the leaf samples from 41.6% orchards (< 35 mg x kg(-1)) and the soil samples from 89.4% orchards (< 0.5 mg x kg(-1)) were boron insufficient. The correlation of leaf boron content and soil available boron content was not significant. The soil pH, cultivar, rootstock and the age of tree did affect the leaf boron content. The leaves from the orchards with soil pH of 4.5-6.4 demonstrated significantly higher boron contents than with the soil pH of 6.5-8.5. The leaf boron contents in the different cultivars was ranged as Satsuma mandarin > pomelo > valencia orange > sweet orange > tangor > navel orange. The citrus on trifoliate orange and sour pomelo rootstocks had significantly higher leaf boron contents than on Carrizo citrange and red tangerine rootstocks. Compared with the adult citrus trees (above 8 year-old), 6.6% more of leaf samples of younger trees (3 to 8 year-old) contained boron contents in the optimum range (35-100 mg x kg(-1)).

  6. Hydrolysis-acidogenesis of food waste in solid-liquid-separating continuous stirred tank reactor (SLS-CSTR) for volatile organic acid production.

    PubMed

    Karthikeyan, Obulisamy Parthiba; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Wong, Jonathan W C

    2016-01-01

    The use of conventional continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) can affect the methane (CH4) recovery in a two-stage anaerobic digestion of food waste (FW) due to carbon short circuiting in the hydrolysis-acidogenesis (Hy-Aci) stage. In this research, we have designed and tested a solid-liquid-separating CSTR (SLS-CSTR) for effective Hy-Aci of FW. The working conditions were pH 6 and 9 (SLS-CSTR-1 and -2, respectively); temperature-37°C; agitation-300rpm; and organic loading rate (OLR)-2gVSL(-1)day(-1). The volatile fatty acids (VFA), enzyme activities and bacterial population (by qPCR) were determined as test parameters. Results showed that the Hy-Aci of FW at pH 9 produced ∼35% excess VFA as compared to that at pH 6, with acetic and butyric acids as major precursors, which correlated with the high enzyme activities and low lactic acid bacteria. The design provided efficient solid-liquid separation there by improved the organic acid yields from FW. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Aggregate stability in mine residues after reclamation with biochar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno-Barriga, Fabián; Díaz, Vicente; Acosta, José; Faz, Ángel; Zornoza, Raúl

    2016-04-01

    This study aims to assess how the addition of biochar and marble waste to acidic mine residues affected aggregate stability (AS) and contributed to the improvement of soil texture. For this purpose, a lab incubation was carried out for 90 days. Biochars derived from pig manure (PM), crop residues (CR) and municipal solid waste (MSW) were added to the soil at a rate of 20 g kg-1. The marble waste (MW) was added at a rate of 200 g kg-1, with the aim of increasing pH from 3 to 8 (pH of the native soils of the area). Biochars and MW were applied independently and combined. A control treatment was used without application of amendments. The evolution of AS was periodically monitored at 2, 4, 7, 15, 30 and 90 days by the method of artificial rainfall. Results showed, at the end of the incubation, that the addition of MW alone did not significantly increased AS with comparison to CT (30%). However, the biochar, alone or together with MW, significantly increased AS, the treatment receiving CR derived biochar being the one with the highest values (46%). Increments in AS were significant from the day 30 of incubation. AS showed a significant correlation with the total organic carbon content, but was not correlated with organic carbon fractions (soluble, labile, recalcitrant), inorganic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, enzyme activities, exchangeable fraction of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn), pH, electrical conductivity nor greenhouse gas emissions (NO₂, CH₄). Thus, the application of biochar (alone or in combination with MW as a source of calcium carbonate) significantly increased the formation of stable aggregates in former acidic mine residues, favoring the development of soil structure, essential to create a soil from residues. It seems that the total content of organic carbon is directly controlling aggregation, rather than other labile organic sources. Moreover, pH, salinity or the presence of exchangeable metals did not seem to affect soil aggregation. Acknowledgement : This work has been funded by Fundación Séneca (Agency of Science and Technology of the Region of Murcia, Spain) by the project 18920/JLI/13

  8. Fast arsenic speciation in water by on-site solid phase extraction and high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mihucz, Victor G.; Bencs, László; Koncz, Kornél; Tatár, Enikő; Weiszburg, Tamás; Záray, Gyula

    2017-02-01

    A method of high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFAAS), combined with on-site separation/solid phase extraction (SPE) has been developed for the speciation of inorganic As (iAs) in geothermal and drinking water samples. The HR-CS-GFAAS calibration curves were linear up to 200 μg/L As, but using second order polynomial fitting, accurate calibration could be performed up to 500 μg/L. It has been demonstrated that sample pH should not be higher than 8 for an accurate speciation of As(V) with a recovery of ≈ 95%. Geothermal water had fairly high salt content (≈ 2200 mg/L) due to the presence of chlorides and sulfates at mg/L levels. Therefore, a two-fold dilution of these types of samples before SPE is recommended, especially, for total As determinations, when the As concentration is as high as 400 μg/L. For drinking water, sampled from public wells with records of As concentrations higher than the 10 μg/L in the past, the reduction of As contamination below the WHO's health limit value could be observed. However, the electrical conductivity was close to 2500 μS/cm, i.e., the guideline limit for drinking water, which was due to their higher chloride content. The proposed fit-for-purpose SPE-HR-CS-GFAAS method could be a candidate for screening drinking water quality.

  9. Fertilizer efficiency and environmental risk of irrigating Impatiens with composting leachate in decentralized solid waste management.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Chuanbin; Wang, Rusong; Zhang, Yishan

    2010-06-01

    The reduction and reuse of composting leachate is an issue of importance in the field of decentralized solid waste management. In this study, composting leachate from source-separated food waste was treated and subsequently used as liquid fertilizer to irrigate Impatiens (Impatiens balsamina). The leachate was altered by adjusting storage time and dilution, and through addition of microbial inocula. For each test case, the effects of irrigation were monitored by analyzing the Impatiens extension degree, numbers of leaves and flowers, dry weight, and photosynthetic pigment content to assess fertilizer efficiency. The main results obtained revealed that the addition of microbial inocula and lengthening of storage times may lower COD concentrations, adjust pH value and maintain a comparatively high level of nutrient contents. By adding microbial inocula, a COD concentration of 9.6% and BOD(5) concentration of 6.7% were obtained for non-treated leachate with the same storage time. COD concentrations in leachate decreased to 69.4% after 36weeks storage. Moreover, composting leachate promoted growth of Impatiens. The dry weight biomass of Impatiens irrigated using treated diluted leachate was 1.15-2.94 times that obtained for Impatiens irrigated using tap water. Lastly, following the irrigation of Impatiens over a short period, soil did not accumulate VOCs and heavy metals to levels exceeding relative standards. Further research on heavy metal and salinity accumulation in plants should be undertaken to meet the needs of large-scale applications. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Resource recovery from municipal solid waste by mechanical heat treatment: An opportunity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamaruddin, Mohamad Anuar; Yusoff, Mohd Suffian; Ibrahim, Nurazim; Zawawi, Mohd Hafiz

    2017-04-01

    Municipal solid waste (MSW) stream in Malaysia consists of 50 to 60 % of food wastes. In general, food wastes are commingled in nature and very difficult to be managed in sustainable manner due to high moisture content. Consequently, by dumping food wastes together with inert wastes to the landfill as final disposal destination incurs large space area and reducing the lifespan of landfill. Therefore, certain fraction of the MSW as such; food wastes (FW) can be diverted from total disposal at the landfill that can improve landfill lifespan and environmental conservation. This study aims to determine the resource characteristics of FW extracted from USM cafeteria by means of mechanical heat treatment in the presence of autoclaving technology. Sampling of FW were conducted by collecting FW samples from disposal storage at designated area within USM campus. FW characteristics was performed prior and autoclaving process. The results have demonstrated that bones fraction was the highest followed by vegetable and rice with 39, 27 and 10%, respectively. Meanwhile, based on autoclaving technique, moisture content of the FW (fresh waste) were able to be reduced ranging from 65-85% to 59-69% (treated waste). Meanwhile, chemical characteristics of treated FW results in pH, TOC, TKN, C/N ratio, TP, and TK 5.12, 27,6%, 1.6%, 17.3%, 0.9% and 0.36%. The results revealed that autoclaving technology is a promising approach for MSW diversion that can be transformed into useful byproducts such as fertilizer, RDF and recyclable items.

  11. Identification of newly isolated Talaromyces pinophilus and statistical optimization of β-glucosidase production under solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; Haroun, S A; Oweis, Eman A; Sherief, A A

    2015-01-01

    Fungi able to degrade agriculture wastes were isolated from different soil samples, rice straw, and compost; these isolates were screened for their ability to produce β-glucosidase. The most active fungal isolate was identified as Talaromyces pinophilus strain EMOO 13-3. The Plackett-Burman design is used for identifying the significant variables that influence β-glucosidase production under solid-state fermentation. Fifteen variables were examined for their significances on the production of β-glucosidase in 20 experimental runs. Among the variables screened, moisture content, Tween 80, and (NH4)2SO4 had significant effects on β-glucosidase production with confidence levels above 90% (p < 0.1). The optimal levels of these variables were further optimized using Box-Behnken statical design. As a result, the maximal β-glucosidase activity is 3648.519 U g(-1), which is achieved at the following fermentation conditions: substrate amount 0.5 (g/250 mL flask), NaNO3 0.5 (%), KH2PO4 0.3 (%), KCl 0.02 (%), MgSO4 · 7H2O 0.01 (%), CaCl2 0.01 (%), yeast extract 0.07 (%), FeSO4 · 7H2O 0.0002 (%), Tween 80 0.02 (%), (NH4)2SO4 0.3 (%), pH 6.5, temperature 25°C, moisture content 1 (mL/g dry substrate), inoculum size 0.5 (mL/g dry substrate), and incubation period 5 days.

  12. Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}-B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glasses as lithium-free nonsilicate pH responsive glasses – Compatibility between pH responsivity and hydrophobicity

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

    Hashimoto, Tadanori, E-mail: hasimoto@chem.mie-u.ac.jp; Hamajima, Mitsuaki; Ohta, Honami

    Highlights: • Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-rich FeBiB glasses show high pH sensitivity and short pH response time. • Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}-rich FeBiB glasses show relatively high contact angle for water. • FeBiB glasses are lithium-free nonsilicate pH responsive ones. • pH responsivity and hydrophobicity are obtained for optimum glass compositions. - Abstract: Lithium silicate-based glasses have widely been used as commercially available pH glass electrodes. It was revealed that Ti{sup 3+}-containing titanophosphate (TiO{sub 2}-P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, TP) glasses are pH responsive as lithium-free nonsilicate glasses for the first time. TP glasses with the compatibility between pH responsivity and self-cleaning property weremore » obtained by the sequential post-annealing (oxidation and reduction) of as-prepared glasses. Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}-B{sub 2}O{sub 3} (BiB) glasses are relatively hydrophobic and are expected to show anti-fouling effect. They are unsuitable for pH responsive glasses, because they have high electrical resistivity. In the present study, xFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}·yBi{sub 2}O{sub 3}·(100 − x − y)B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glasses (xFeyBiB, x = 0–20 mol%, y = 20–80 mol%) glasses were selected as new pH responsive glasses with hydrophobicity, because Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} is a representative component for causing hopping conduction to the glasses. BiB glass did not show pH responsivity, whereas xFeyBiB glasses showed good pH responsivity. xFeyBiB glasses are lithium-free nonsilicate pH responsive ones as well as TP glasses. The electrical resistivity and pH response time decreased with increasing Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} content. The pH repeatability for standard solutions increased with increasing Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} content. Silicate glass (20Fe70BiSi) showed better pH responsivity but lower contact angle than those of borate glass (20Fe70BiB). pH sensitivity increased in order of TP glasses (about 80%), xFeyBiB glasses (about 90%) and commercial pH responsive glass (about 100%). xFeyBiB glasses showed short pH response time compared to commercial pH responsive glass. The contact angle for water of xFeyBiB glasses was relatively high (about 90°) as well as BiB glasses, and increased slightly with increasing Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} content regardless Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} content. The high contact angle was related to low OH content determined by FT-IR measurement. Thus, 20Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}·70Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}·10B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glass was the most suitable one as pH responsive glasses with hydrophobicity. TP glasses are pH responsive ones with self-cleaning property, whereas xFeyBiB glasses are expected as pH responsive ones with anti-fouling property based on hydrophobicity.« less

  13. A MIXED CHEMICAL REDUCTANT FOR TREATING HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM IN A CHROMITE ORE PROCESSING SOLID WASTE

    EPA Science Inventory

    We evaluated a method for delivering ferrous iron into the subsurface to enhance chemical reduction of Cr(VI) in a chromite ore processing solid waste (COPSW). The COPSW is characterized by high pH (8.5 -11.5), high Cr(VI) concentrations in the solid phase (up to 550 mg kg-1) and...

  14. Adsorption properties of the nanozirconia/anionic polyacrylamide system-Effects of surfactant presence, solution pH and polymer carboxyl groups content

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiśniewska, Małgorzata; Chibowski, Stanisław; Urban, Teresa

    2016-05-01

    The adsorption mechanism of anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) on the nanozirconia surface was examined. The effects of solution pH, carboxyl groups content in macromolecules and anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate-SDS) addition were determined. The more probable structure of polymer adsorption layer was characterized based on the data obtained from spectrophotometry, viscosimetry and potentiometric titration methods. The adsorbed amount of polymer, size of macromolecules in the solution and surface charge density of ZrO2 particles in the absence and presence of PAM were assessed, respectively. Analysis of these results indicated that the increase of solution pH and content of carboxyl groups in the polymeric chains lead to more expanded conformations of adsorbing macromolecules. As a result, the adsorption of anionic polyacrylamide decreased. The SDS presence caused the significant increase of PAM adsorbed amount at pH 3, whereas at pH 6 and 9 the surfactant addition resulted in reduction of polymer adsorption level.

  15. Solid anaerobic digestion: State-of-art, scientific and technological hurdles.

    PubMed

    André, Laura; Pauss, André; Ribeiro, Thierry

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, a state-of-art about solid anaerobic digestion (AD), focused on recent progress and trends of research is proposed. Solid anaerobic digestion should be the most appropriate process for degradation of by-products with high total solid (TS) content, especially lignocellulosic materials like agricultural waste (straw, manure), household waste and food waste. Solid AD is already widely used in waste water treatment plant for treating plant for sewage sludge but could be more developed for lignocellulosic materials with high TS content. Many research works were carried out in Europe on solid AD, focused on current hurdles (BMP, codigestion, inhibition, microbial population, rheology, water transfers, inoculum, etc.) in order to optimize the solid AD process. In conclusion, hurdles of solid AD process should and must be solved in order to propose better productivity and profitability of such system operating with high TS content (>15%), favouring reliable industrial processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Solid Phase Extraction of Inorganic Mercury Using 5-Phenylazo-8-hydroxyquinoline and Determination by Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy in Natural Water Samples

    PubMed Central

    Daye, Mirna; Halwani, Jalal; Hamzeh, Mariam

    2013-01-01

    8-Hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) was chosen as a powerful ligand for Hg solid phase extraction. Among several chelating resins based on 8-HQ, 5-phenylazo-8-hydroxyquinoline (5Ph8HQ) is used for mercury extraction in which the adsorption dynamics were fully studied. It has been shown that Hg(II) is totally absorbed by 5Ph8HQ within the first 30 minutes of contact time with t 1/2 5 minutes, following Langmuir adsorption model. At pH 4, the affinity of mercury is unchallenged by other metals except, for Cu(II), which have shown higher Kd value. With these latter characteristics, 5Ph8HQ was examined for the preconcentration of trace levels of Hg(II). The developed method showed quantitative recoveries of Hg(II) with LOD = 0.21 pg mL−1 and RSD = 3–6% using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS) with a preconcentration factor greater than 250. PMID:24459417

  17. Reactive solute transport in an acidic stream: Experimental pH increase and simulation of controls on pH, aluminum, and iron

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Broshears, R.E.; Runkel, R.L.; Kimball, B.A.; McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, K.E.

    1996-01-01

    Solute transport simulations quantitatively constrained hydrologic and geochemical hypotheses about field observations of a pH modification in an acid mine drainage stream. Carbonate chemistry, the formation of solid phases, and buffering interactions with the stream bed were important factors in explaining the behavior of pH, aluminum, and iron. The precipitation of microcrystalline gibbsite accounted for the behavior of aluminum; precipitation of Fe(OH)3 explained the general pattern of iron solubility. The dynamic experiment revealed limitations on assumptions that reactions were controlled only by equilibrium chemistry. Temporal variation in relative rates of photoreduction and oxidation influenced iron behavior. Kinetic limitations on ferrous iron oxidation and hydrous oxide precipitation and the effects of these limitations on field filtration were evident. Kinetic restraints also characterized interaction between the water column and the stream bed, including sorption and desorption of protons from iron oxides at the sediment-water interface and post-injection dissolution of the precipitated aluminum solid phase.

  18. Use of solid phosphorus fractionation data to evaluate phosphorus release from waste activated sludge.

    PubMed

    Pokhrel, S P; Milke, M W; Bello-Mendoza, R; Buitrón, G; Thiele, J

    2018-06-01

    Waste activated sludge (WAS) can become an important source of phosphorus (P). P speciation was examined under anaerobic conditions, with different pH (4, 6 and 8) and temperatures (10, 20 and 35 °C). Aqueous P was measured and an extraction protocol was used to find three solid phosphorus fractions. A pH of 4 and a temperature of 35 °C gave a maximum of 51% of total P solubilized in 22 days with 50% of total P solubilized in 7 days. Batch tests indicate that little pH depression is needed to release non-apatite inorganic P (including microbial polyphosphate), while a pH of 4 rather than 6 will release more apatite inorganic P, and that organic P is relatively more difficult to release from WAS. Fractionation analysis of P in WAS can aid in design of more efficient methods for P recovery from WAS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Role of particle size and composition in metal adsorption by solids deposited on urban road surfaces.

    PubMed

    Gunawardana, Chandima; Egodawatta, Prasanna; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

    2014-01-01

    Despite common knowledge that the metal content adsorbed by fine particles is relatively higher compared to coarser particles, the reasons for this phenomenon have gained little research attention. The research study discussed in the paper investigated the variations in metal content for different particle sizes of solids associated with pollutant build-up on urban road surfaces. Data analysis confirmed that parameters favourable for metal adsorption to solids such as specific surface area, organic carbon content, effective cation exchange capacity and clay forming minerals content decrease with the increase in particle size. Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of solids was found to be the governing factor influencing the specific surface area and effective cation exchange capacity. There is high quartz content in particles >150 μm compared to particles <150 μm. As particle size reduces below 150 μm, the clay forming minerals content increases, providing favourable physical and chemical properties that influence adsorption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. TAT peptide-based micelle system for potential active targeting of anti-cancer agents to acidic solid tumors

    PubMed Central

    Sethuraman, Vijay A; Bae, You Han

    2007-01-01

    A novel drug targeting system for acidic solid tumors has been developed based on ultra pH sensitive polymer and cell penetrating TAT. The delivery system consisted of two components: 1) A polymeric micelle that has a hydrophobic core made of Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and a hydrophilic shell consisting of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) conjugated to TAT (TATmicelle), 2) An ultra pH sensitive diblock copolymer of poly(methacryloyl sulfadimethoxine) (PSD) and PEG (PSD-b-PEG). The anionic PSD is complexed with cationic TAT of the micelles to achieve the final carrier, which could systemically shield the micelles and expose them at slightly acidic tumor pH. TATmicelles had particle sizes between 20 to 45 nm and their critical micelle concentrations were 3.5 mg/L to 5.5 mg/L. The TATmicelles, upon mixing with pH sensitive PSD-b-PEG, showed slight increase in particle size between pH 8.0 and 6.8 (60–90 nm), indicating complexation. As the pH was decreased (pH 6.6 to 6.0) two populations were observed, one that of normal TAT micelles (45 nm) and the other of aggregated hydrophobic PSD-b-PEG. Zeta potential measurements showed similar trend substantiating the shielding/deshielding process. Flowcytometry and confocal microscopy showed significantly higher uptake of TAT micelles at pH 6.6 compared to pH 7.4 indicating shielding at normal pH and deshielding at tumor pH. The flowcytometry indicated that the TAT not only translocates into the cells but is also seen on the surface of the nucleus. These results strongly indicate that the above drug loaded micelles would be able to target any hydrophobic drug near the nucleus. PMID:17239466

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