Water freezing and ice melting

DOE PAGES

Malolepsza, Edyta; Keyes, Tom

2015-10-12

The generalized replica exchange method (gREM) is designed to sample states with coexisting phases and thereby to describe strong first order phase transitions. The isobaric MD version of the gREM is presented and applied to freezing of liquid water, and melting of hexagonal and cubic ice. It is confirmed that coexisting states are well sampled. The statistical temperature as a function of enthalpy, T S(H), is obtained. Hysteresis between freezing and melting is observed and discussed. The entropic analysis of phase transitions is applied and equilibrium transition temperatures, latent heats, and surface tensions are obtained for hexagonal ice↔liquid and cubicmore » ice↔liquid, with excellent agreement with published values. A new method is given to assign water molecules among various symmetry types. As a result, pathways for water freezing, ultimately leading to hexagonal ice, are found to contain intermediate layered structures built from hexagonal and cubic ice.« less

Equilibrium freezing of leaf water and extracellular ice formation in Afroalpine 'giant rosette' plants.

PubMed

Beck, E; Schulze, E D; Senser, M; Scheibe, R

1984-09-01

The water potentials of frozen leaves of Afroalpine plants were measured psychrometrically in the field. Comparison of these potentials with the osmotic potentials of an expressed cellular sap and the water potentials of ice indicated almost ideal freezing behaviour and suggested equilibrium freezing. On the basis of the osmotic potentials of expressed cellular sap, the fractions of frozen cellular water which correspond to the measured water potentials of the frozen leaves could be determined (e.g. 74% at -3.0° C). The freezing points of leaves were found to be in the range between 0° C and -0.5° C, rendering evidence for freezing of almost pure water and thus confirming the conclusions drawn from the water-potential measurements. The leaves proved to be frost resistant down to temperatures between -5° C and -15° C, as depending on the species. They tolerated short supercooling periods which were necessary in order to start ice nucleation. Extracellular ice caps and ice crystals in the intercellular space were observed when cross sections of frozen leaves were investigated microscopically at subfreezing temperatures.

Determination of end point of primary drying in freeze-drying process control.

PubMed

Patel, Sajal M; Doen, Takayuki; Pikal, Michael J

2010-03-01

Freeze-drying is a relatively expensive process requiring long processing time, and hence one of the key objectives during freeze-drying process development is to minimize the primary drying time, which is the longest of the three steps in freeze-drying. However, increasing the shelf temperature into secondary drying before all of the ice is removed from the product will likely cause collapse or eutectic melt. Thus, from product quality as well as process economics standpoint, it is very critical to detect the end of primary drying. Experiments were conducted with 5% mannitol and 5% sucrose as model systems. The apparent end point of primary drying was determined by comparative pressure measurement (i.e., Pirani vs. MKS Baratron), dew point, Lyotrack (gas plasma spectroscopy), water concentration from tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, condenser pressure, pressure rise test (manometric temperature measurement or variations of this method), and product thermocouples. Vials were pulled out from the drying chamber using a sample thief during late primary and early secondary drying to determine percent residual moisture either gravimetrically or by Karl Fischer, and the cake structure was determined visually for melt-back, collapse, and retention of cake structure at the apparent end point of primary drying (i.e., onset, midpoint, and offset). By far, the Pirani is the best choice of the methods tested for evaluation of the end point of primary drying. Also, it is a batch technique, which is cheap, steam sterilizable, and easy to install without requiring any modification to the existing dryer.

Freezing Point of Milk: A Natural Way to Understand Colligative Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novo, Mercedes; Reija, Belen; Al-Soufi, Wajih

2007-01-01

A laboratory experiment is presented in which the freezing point depression is analyzed using milk as solution. The nature of milk as a mixture of different solutes makes it a suitable probe to learn about colligative properties. The first part of the experiment illustrates the analytical use of freezing point measurements to control milk quality,…

Water vapor movement in freezing aggregate base materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-06-01

The objectives of this research were to 1) measure the extent to which water vapor movement results in : water accumulation in freezing base materials; 2) evaluate the effect of soil stabilization on water vapor movement : in freezing base materials;...

High-freezing-point fuels used for aviation turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, R.

1979-01-01

Broadened-specification aviation fuels could be produced from a greater fraction of crude source material with improvements in fuel supply and price. These fuels, particularly those with increased final boiling temperatures, would have higher freezing temperatures than current aviation turbine fuels. The higher-freezing-point fuels can be substituted in the majority of present commercial flights, since temperature data indicate that in-flight fuel temperatures are relatively mild. For the small but significant fraction of commercial flights where low fuel temperatures make higher freezing-point fuel use unacceptable, adaptations to the fuel or fuel system may be made to accommodate this fuel. Several techniques are discussed. Fuel heating is the most promising concept. One simple system design uses existing heat rejection from the fuel-lubricating oil cooler, another uses an engine-driven generator for electrical heating. Both systems offer advantages that outweigh the obvious penalties.

Kinetics of Water Loss from Cells at Subzero Temperatures and the Likelihood of Intracellular Freezing

PubMed Central

Mazur, Peter

1963-01-01

The survival of various cells subjected to low temperature exposure is higher when they are cooled slowly. This increase is consistent with the view that slow cooling decreases the probability of intracellular freezing by permitting water to leave the cell rapidly enough to keep the protoplasm at its freezing point. The present study derives a quantitative relation between the amount of water in a cell and temperature. The relation is a differential equation involving cooling rate, surface-volume ratio, membrane permeability to water, and the temperature coefficient of the permeability constant. Numerical solutions to this equation give calculated water contents which permit predictions as to the likelihood of intracellular ice formation. Both the calculated water contents and the predictions on internal freezing are consistent with the experimental observations of several investigators. PMID:14085017

Evaluation of methods for rapid determination of freezing point of aviation fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathiprakasam, B.

1982-01-01

Methods for identification of the more promising concepts for the development of a portable instrument to rapidly determine the freezing point of aviation fuels are described. The evaluation process consisted of: (1) collection of information on techniques previously used for the determination of the freezing point, (2) screening and selection of these techniques for further evaluation of their suitability in a portable unit for rapid measurement, and (3) an extensive experimental evaluation of the selected techniques and a final selection of the most promising technique. Test apparatuses employing differential thermal analysis and the change in optical transparency during phase change were evaluated and tested. A technique similar to differential thermal analysis using no reference fuel was investigated. In this method, the freezing point was obtained by digitizing the data and locating the point of inflection. Results obtained using this technique compare well with those obtained elsewhere using different techniques. A conceptual design of a portable instrument incorporating this technique is presented.

A numerical model for water and heat transport in freezing soils with nonequilibrium ice-water interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhenyang; Tian, Fuqiang; Wu, Jingwei; Huang, Jiesheng; Hu, Hongchang; Darnault, Christophe J. G.

2016-09-01

A one-dimensional numerical model of heat and water transport in freezing soils is developed by assuming that ice-water interfaces are not necessarily in equilibrium. The Clapeyron equation, which is derived from a static ice-water interface using the thermal equilibrium theory, cannot be readily applied to a dynamic system, such as freezing soils. Therefore, we handled the redistribution of liquid water with the Richard's equation. In this application, the sink term is replaced by the freezing rate of pore water, which is proportional to the extent of supercooling and available water content for freezing by a coefficient, β. Three short-term laboratory column simulations show reasonable agreement with observations, with standard error of simulation on water content ranging between 0.007 and 0.011 cm3 cm-3, showing improved accuracy over other models that assume equilibrium ice-water interfaces. Simulation results suggest that when the freezing front is fixed at a specific depth, deviation of the ice-water interface from equilibrium, at this location, will increase with time. However, this deviation tends to weaken when the freezing front slowly penetrates to a greater depth, accompanied with thinner soils of significant deviation. The coefficient, β, plays an important role in the simulation of heat and water transport. A smaller β results in a larger deviation in the ice-water interface from equilibrium, and backward estimation of the freezing front. It also leads to an underestimation of water content in soils that were previously frozen by a rapid freezing rate, and an overestimation of water content in the rest of the soils.

Water-cooled probe technique for the study of freeze lining formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verscheure, Karel; Campforts, Mieke; Verhaeghe, Frederik; Boydens, Eddy; Blanpain, Bart; Wollants, Patrick; van Camp, Maurits

2006-12-01

Furnace protection by water-cooled freeze linings becomes increasingly important as the metal producing industry attempts to achieve higher process intensities. Systematic investigations of the growth and the resulting microstructure and compositional profile of freeze linings are necessary to understand the behavior of freeze linings, their relation with the industrial process, and their interaction with the wall cooling system. We have developed a technique based on the submergence of a water-cooled probe into a liquid slag bath. Freeze linings of two industrial nonferrous slags have been produced using this technique and their growth, microstructural, and compositional profiles as a function of submergence time were determined. Thermodynamic equilibrium for the investigated slag systems was calculated and compared with the observed microstructures. The freeze linings form in approximately 15 minutes. Close to the water cooling, the freeze linings are predominantly amorphous in structure. With increasing distance from the water cooling, the proportion of crystalline phases increases and bath material is entrapped in the microstructure. Cellular crystals are observed close to the bath. The freeze linings exhibit an approximate homogeneous composition. The results demonstrate that the technique is a successful tool in obtaining information on the growth, microstructure, and composition of freeze linings in industrial water-cooled furnaces.

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets

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

Knopf, Daniel A.; Alpert, Peter A.

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, aw, which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humiditymore » (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet, to be uniquely expressed by T and aw, a result we term the aw based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, Jhet, frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log 10(J het) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by T and aw, provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets.

PubMed

Knopf, Daniel A; Alpert, Peter A

2013-01-01

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, a(w), which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humidity (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, J(het), to be uniquely expressed by T and a(w), a result we term the a(w) based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, J(het), frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log10(J(het)) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by Tand a(w), provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Lastly, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets

DOE PAGES

Knopf, Daniel A.; Alpert, Peter A.

2013-04-24

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, aw, which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humiditymore » (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet, to be uniquely expressed by T and aw, a result we term the aw based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, Jhet, frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log 10(J het) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by T and aw, provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

Migration of Water in Litopenaeus Vannamei Muscle Following Freezing and Thawing.

PubMed

Deng, Qi; Wang, Yaling; Sun, Lijun; Li, Jianrong; Fang, Zhijia; Gooneratne, Ravi

2018-06-15

Water and protein are major constituents of shrimp, any changes in protein and the state of water influence the quality of shrimp. Therefore, a study to examine the law of moisture migration and protein denaturation under different freezing and thawing conditions is important. The proton density images of thawed frozen-shrimp revealed that the water loss during quick-freezing was much greater than that during slow freezing or microfreezing. At room temperature (25 °C), the water loss from brine-thawing was more than still-water thawing and still-water thawing was more than thawing spontaneously. Freezing-thawing resulted in uniform water redistribution in shrimp muscle. Nuclear magnetic resonance technology (low field magnetic imaging) was used to directly monitor the dynamic processes of fluidity state in shrimp and indirectly monitor protein denaturation and thereby determine the optimal method of freezing-thawing shrimp. Our research showed that microfreezing preservation minimized weight loss, juice leakage and protein denaturation in shrimp muscle during thawing. Water is one of the major components in most organs and is an important factor that influences the shrimp muscle quality. Water migration patterns and subsequent effects on the shrimp muscle under different freezing and thawing conditions were examined using low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. This research provides a theoretical foundation for shrimp processing plants to improve the freezing and thawing process to obtain optimal quality and flavor of shrimp products. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Production of Low-Freezing-Point Highly Branched Alkanes through Michael Addition.

PubMed

Jing, Yaxuan; Xia, Qineng; Liu, Xiaohui; Wang, Yanqin

2017-12-22

A new approach for the production of low-freezing-point, high-quality fuels from lignocellulose-derived molecules was developed with Michael addition as the key step. Among the investigated catalysts, CoCl 2 ⋅6 H 2 O was found most active for the Michael addition of 2,4-pentanedione with FA (single aldol adduct of furfural and acetone, 4-(2-furanyl)-3-butene-2-one). Over CoCl 2 ⋅6 H 2 O, a high carbon yield of C 13 oxygenates (about 75 %) can be achieved under mild conditions (353 K, 20 h). After hydrodeoxygenation, low-freezing-point (<223 K) branched alkanes with 13 carbons within jet fuel ranges were obtained over a Pd/NbOPO 4 catalyst. Furthermore, C 18,23 fuel precursors could be easily synthesized through Michael addition of 2,4-pentanedione with DFA (double-condensation product of furfural and acetone) under mild conditions and the molar ratio of C 18 /C 23 is dependent on the reaction conditions of Michael addition. After hydrodeoxygenation, high density (0.8415 g mL -1 ) and low-freezing-point (<223 K) branched alkanes with 18, 23 carbons within lubricant range were also obtained over a Pd/NbOPO 4 catalyst. These highly branched alkanes can be directly used as transportation fuels or additives. This work opens a new strategy for the synthesis of highly branched alkanes with low freezing point from renewable biomass. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Non-Toxic, Low-Freezing, Drop-In Replacement Heat Transfer Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cutbirth, J. Michael

2012-01-01

A non-toxic, non-flammable, low-freezing heat transfer fluid is being developed for drop-in replacement within current and future heat transfer loops currently using water or alcohol-based coolants. Numerous water-soluble compounds were down-selected and screened for toxicological, physical, chemical, compatibility, thermodynamic, and heat transfer properties. Two fluids were developed, one with a freezing point near 0 C, and one with a suppressed freezing point. Both fluids contain an additive package to improve material compatibility and microbial resistance. The optimized sub-zero solution had a freezing point of 30 C, and a freezing volume expansion of 10-percent of water. The toxicity of the solutions was experimentally determined as LD(50) greater than 5g/kg. The solutions were found to produce minimal corrosion with materials identified by NASA as potentially existing in secondary cooling loops. Thermal/hydrodynamic performance exceeded that of glycol-based fluids with comparable freezing points for temperatures Tf greater than 20 C. The additive package was demonstrated as a buffering agent to compensate for CO2 absorption, and to prevent microbial growth. The optimized solutions were determined to have physically/chemically stable shelf lives for freeze/thaw cycles and longterm test loop tests.

Design and evaluation of aircraft heat source systems for use with high-freezing point fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasion, A. J.

1979-01-01

The objectives were the design, performance and economic analyses of practical aircraft fuel heating systems that would permit the use of high freezing-point fuels on long-range aircraft. Two hypothetical hydrocarbon fuels with freezing points of -29 C and -18 C were used to represent the variation from current day jet fuels. A Boeing 747-200 with JT9D-7/7A engines was used as the baseline aircraft. A 9300 Km mission was used as the mission length from which the heat requirements to maintain the fuel above its freezing point was based.

High freezing point fuels used for aviation turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, R.

1979-01-01

Broadened-specification aviation fuels could be produced from a greater fraction of crude source material with improvements in fuel supply and price. These fuels, particularly those with increased final boiling temperatures, would have higher freezing temperatures than current aviation turbine fuels. For the small but significant fraction of commercial flights where low fuel temperatures make higher freezing-point fuel use unacceptable, adaptations to the fuel or fuel system may be made to accommodate this fuel. Several techniques are discussed. Fuel heating is the most promising concept. One simple design uses existing heat rejection from the fuel-lubricating oil cooler, another uses an engine-driven generator for electrical heating.

Effects of freezing conditions on quality changes in blueberries.

PubMed

Cao, Xuehui; Zhang, Fangfang; Zhao, Dongyu; Zhu, Danshi; Li, Jianrong

2018-03-12

Freezing preservation is one of the most effective methods used to maintain the flavour and nutritional value of fruit. This research studied the effects of different freezing conditions, -20 °C, -40 °C, -80 °C, and immersion in liquid nitrogen, on quality changes of freeze-thawed blueberries. The water distribution estimates of blueberries were measured based on low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis. The pectin content, drip loss, and fruit texture were also detected to evaluate quality changes in samples. The freezing curves of blueberry showed super-cooling points at -20 °C and - 40 °C, whereas super-cooling points were not observed at -80 °C or in liquid nitrogen. After freeze-thaw treatment, the relaxation time of the cell wall water (T 21 ), cytoplasm water and extracellular space (T 22 ), and vacuole water (T 23 ) were significantly shortened compared to fresh samples, which suggested a lower liquidity. Although the freezing speed for samples immersed in liquid nitrogen was faster than other treatments, samples treated at -80 °C showed better quality regarding vacuole water holding, drip loss, and original pectin content retention. This study contributed to understanding how freezing temperature affects the qualities of blueberries. The super-fast freezing rate might injure fruit, and an appropriate freezing rate could better preserve blueberries. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Perspective: Surface freezing in water: A nexus of experiments and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji-Akbari, Amir; Debenedetti, Pablo G.

2017-08-01

Surface freezing is a phenomenon in which crystallization is enhanced at a vapor-liquid interface. In some systems, such as n-alkanes, this enhancement is dramatic and results in the formation of a crystalline layer at the free interface even at temperatures slightly above the equilibrium bulk freezing temperature. There are, however, systems in which the enhancement is purely kinetic and only involves faster nucleation at or near the interface. The first, thermodynamic, type of surface freezing is easier to confirm in experiments, requiring only the verification of the existence of crystalline order at the interface. The second, kinetic, type of surface freezing is far more difficult to prove experimentally. One material that is suspected of undergoing the second type of surface freezing is liquid water. Despite strong indications that the freezing of liquid water is kinetically enhanced at vapor-liquid interfaces, the findings are far from conclusive, and the topic remains controversial. In this perspective, we present a simple thermodynamic framework to understand conceptually and distinguish these two types of surface freezing. We then briefly survey fifteen years of experimental and computational work aimed at elucidating the surface freezing conundrum in water.

Indirect contact freeze water desalination for an ice maker machine - CFD simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayakody, Harith; Al-Dadah, Raya; Mahmoud, Saad

2017-11-01

To offer for potable water shortages, sea water desalination is a potential solution for the global rising demand for fresh water. The latent heat of fusion is about one-seventh the latent heat of vaporisation, thus indicating the benefit of lower energy consumption for the freeze desalination process. Limited literature is reported on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on freeze desalination. Therefore, analysing and investigating thermodynamic processes are easily conducted by the powerful tool of CFD. A single unit of ice formation in an ice maker machine was modelled using ANSYS Fluent software three-dimensionally. Energy, species transport and solidification/melting modules were used in building the CFD model. Parametric analysis was conducted using the established CFD model to predict the effects of freezing temperature and the geometry of the ice maker machine; on ice production and the freezing time. Lower freezing temperatures allowed more ice production and faster freezing. Increasing the diameter and the length of the freezing tube enabled more ice to be produced.

Photomicrographic Investigation of Spontaneous Freezing Temperatures of Supercooled Water Droplets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsch, R. G.; Hacker, P. T.

1950-01-01

A photomicrographic technique for investigating eupercooled. water droplets has been devised and. used. to determine the spontaneous freezing temperatures of eupercooled. water droplets of the size ordinarily found. in the atmosphere. The freezing temperatures of 4527 droplets ranging from 8.75 to 1000 microns in diameter supported on a platinum surface and 571 droplets supported on copper were obtained. The average spontaneous freezing temperature decreased with decrease in the size of the droplets. The effect of size on the spontaneous freezing temperature was particularly marked below 60 microns. Frequency-distribution curves of the spontaneous freezing temperatures observed for droplets of a given size were obtained. Although no droplet froze at a temperature above 20 0 F, all droplets melted at 32 F. Results obtained with a copper support did not differ essentially from those obtained with a platinum surface.

Freezing and melting water in lamellar structures.

PubMed Central

Gleeson, J T; Erramilli, S; Gruner, S M

1994-01-01

The manner in which ice forms in lamellar suspensions of dielaidoylphosphatidylethanolamine, dielaidoylphosphatidylcholine, and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine in water depends strongly on the water fraction. For weight fractions between 15 and 9%, the freezing and melting temperatures are significantly depressed below 0 degree C. The ice exhibits a continuous melting transition spanning as much as 20 degrees C. When the water weight fraction is below 9%, ice never forms at temperatures as low as -40 degrees C. We show that when water contained in a lamellar lipid suspension freezes, the ice is not found between the bilayers; it exists as pools of crystalline ice in equilibrium with the bound water associated with the polar lipid headgroups. We have used this effect, together with the known chemical potential of ice, to measure hydration forces between lipid bilayers. We find exponentially decaying hydration repulsion when the bilayers are less than about 7 A apart. For larger separations, we find significant deviations from single exponential decay. PMID:7948683

Fish antifreeze protein and the freezing and recrystallization of ice.

PubMed

Knight, C A; DeVries, A L; Oolman, L D

Antifreeze glycopeptide and peptides from the blood of polar fishes prevent the growth of ice crystals in water at temperatures down to approximately 1 degree C below freezing point, but do not appreciably influence the equilibrium freezing point. This freezing point hysteresis must be a disequilibrium effect, or it would violate Gibbs' phase rule, but the separate freezing and melting points are experimentally very definite: ice neither melts nor freezes perceptibly within the 'hysteresis gap', for periods of hours or days. We report here unusual crystal faces on ice crystals grown from solutions of very low concentrations of the anti-freeze glycopeptides and peptides. This is a clue to the mechanism of freezing inhibition, and it may be the basis of a simple, very sensitive test for antifreeze material. Very low concentrations of the antifreeze protein are also remarkably effective in preventing the recrystallization of ice.

Improvements in the realization of the ITS-90 over the temperature range from the melting point of gallium to the freezing point of silver at NIM

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

Sun, J.; Zhang, J. T.; Ping, Q.

2013-09-11

The temperature primary standard over the range from the melting point of gallium to the freezing point of silver in National institute of Metrology (NIM), China, was established in the early 1990s. The performance of all of fixed-point furnaces degraded and needs to be updated due to many years of use. Nowadays, the satisfactory fixed point materials can be available with the development of the modern purification techniques. NIM plans to use a group of three cells for each defining fixed point temperature. In this way the eventual drift of individual cells can be evidenced by periodic intercomparison and thismore » will increase the reliability in disseminating the ITS-90 in China. This article describes the recent improvements in realization of ITS-90 over temperature range from the melting point of gallium to the freezing point of silver at NIM. Taking advantages of the technological advances in the design and manufacture of furnaces, the new three-zone furnaces and the open-type fixed points were developed from the freezing point of indium to the freezing point of silver, and a furnace with the three-zone semiconductor cooling was designed to automatically realize the melting point of gallium. The reproducibility of the new melting point of gallium and the new open-type freezing points of In, Sn, Zn. Al and Ag is improved, especially the freezing points of Al and Ag with the reproducibility of 0.2mK and 0.5mK respectively. The expanded uncertainty in the realization of these defining fixed point temperatures is 0.34mK, 0.44mK, 0.54mK, 0.60mK, 1.30mK and 1.88mK respectively.« less

Critical viewpoints on the methods of realizing the metal freezing points of the ITS-90

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, C. K.

1995-08-01

The time-honored method for realizing the freezing point tf of a metal (in practice necessarily a dilute alloy) is that of continuous, slow freezing where the plateau temperature (which is the result of solidifying material's being so pure that its phase-transition temperature is observably constant) is measured. The freezing point being an equilibrium temperature, Ancsin considers this method to be inappropriate in principle: equilibrium between the solid and liquid phases cannot be achieved while the solid is being cooled to dispose of the releasing latent heat and while it is accreting at the expense of the liquid. In place of the continuous freezing method he has employed the pulse-heating method (in which the sample is allowed to approach equilibrium after each heat pulse) in his study of Ag; his measurements suggest that freezing can produce non-negligible errors. Here we examine both methods and conclude that the freezing method, employing an inside solid-liquid interface thermally isolated by an outside interface, can provide realizations of the highest accuracy; in either method, perturbation, by inducing solid-liquid phase transition continuously or intermittently, is essential for detecting equilibrium thermally. The respective merits and disadvantages of these two methods and also of the inner-melt method are discussed. We conclude that in a freezing-point measurement what is being measured is in effect the however minutely varying phase transition, and nonconstitutional equilibrium, temperature ti at the solid-liquid interface. The objective is then to measure the ti that is the best measure of tf, which is, normally, the plateau temperature.

Thermodynamical effects accompanied freezing of two water layers separated by sea ice sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogorodsky, Petr; Marchenko, Aleksey

2014-05-01

The process of melt pond freezing is very important for generation of sea ice cover thermodynamic and mass balance during winterperiod. However, due to significant difficulties of field measurements the available data of model estimations still have no instrumental confirmation. In May 2009 the authors carried out laboratory experiment on freezing of limited water volume in the University Centre in Svalbard ice tank. In the course of experiment fresh water layer of 27.5 cm thickness at freezing point poured on the 24 cm sea ice layer was cooled during 50 hours at the temperature -10º C and then once again during 60 hours at -20º C. For revealing process typical characteristics the data of continuous measurements of temperature and salinity in different phases were compared with data of numerical computations obtained with thermodynamic model which was formulated in the frames of 1-D equation system (infinite extension of water freezing layer) and adapted to laboratory conditions. The known surprise of the experiment became proximity of calculated and measured estimates of process dynamics that confirmed the adequacy of the problem mathematical statement (excluding probably process finale stage). This effect can be explained by formation of cracks on the upper layer of ice at sharp decreases of air temperature, which temporary compensated hydrostatic pressure growth during freezing of closed water volume. Another compensated mechanism can be migration of brine through the lower layer of ice under influence of vertical pressure gradient and also rejection of gas dissolved in water which increased its compressibility. During 110 hours cooling thickness of water layer between ice layers reduced approximately to 2 cm. According to computations this layer is not chilled completely but keeps as thin brine interlayer within ice body whose thickness (about units of mm) is determined by temperature fluctuations of cooled surface. Nevertheless, despite good coincidence of

The initial freezing point temperature of beef rises with the rise in pH: a short communication.

PubMed

Farouk, M M; Kemp, R M; Cartwright, S; North, M

2013-05-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the initial freezing point temperature of meat is affected by pH. Sixty four bovine M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were classified into two ultimate pH groups: low (<5.8) and high pH (>6.2) and their cooling and freezing point temperatures were determined. The initial freezing temperatures for beef ranged from -0.9 to -1.5°C (∆=0.6°C) with the higher and lower temperatures associated with high and low ultimate pH respectively. There was a significant correlation (r=+0.73, P<0.01) between beef pH and freezing point temperature in the present study. The outcome of this study has implications for the meat industry where evidence of freezing (ice formation) in a shipment as a result of high pH meat could result in a container load of valuable chilled product being downgraded to a lower value frozen product. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unfrozen water migration in fully saturated sandstone during short-term freezing and thawing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Hailiang; Yang, Gengshe; Tang, Liyun; Shen, Yanjun; Ye, Wanjun

2017-04-01

Researchers have gradually reached a consensus that ice segregation mechanism plays a dominant role in damaging rock in the case of long-term freezing, while volumetric expansion mechanism could lead to fatigue failure of rock after repeated frost action (usually short-term). In the latter regime, the outmost pore water is assumed to freeze in situ at early stage of freezing, consequently an inward water migration is driven by volumetric expansion, raising pore water pressure. In this study we test the above tenet through a real time monitoring of water migration in fully saturated sandstone via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method under a short term freeze-thaw regime. Water migration is delineated by measuring water content change in different layers of the sample. The whole test lasts for 12 hours, in the first 6 hours temperature changes from 10°C down to -30°C; then rises back to 10°C in the following 6 hours. NMR scanning is undertaken half-hourly. Our results indicate that: (1) in early stage of freezing, water content at the outmost zone does not reduce significantly, however water content at the core does, this unexpected change demonstrates an outward water migration; (2) water migration proceeds primarily within temperature range of -1°C— -4°C; (3) around 20% water keeps unfrozen at even -30°C, where no measurable water migration is observed; (4) in the thawing period, slightly reversed migration appears. Accordingly we come to the initial conclusion that the extensive assumption that volumetric expansion upon in situ freezing could drive inward water migration may be not authentic.

Novel Real-Time Diagnosis of the Freezing Process Using an Ultrasonic Transducer

PubMed Central

Tseng, Yen-Hsiang; Cheng, Chin-Chi; Cheng, Hong-Ping; Lee, Dasheng

2015-01-01

The freezing stage governs several critical parameters of the freeze drying process and the quality of the resulting lyophilized products. This paper presents an integrated ultrasonic transducer (UT) in a stainless steel bottle and its application to real-time diagnostics of the water freezing process. The sensor was directly deposited onto the stainless steel bottle using a sol-gel spray technique. It could operate at temperature range from −100 to 400 °C and uses an ultrasonic pulse-echo technique. The progression of the freezing process, including water-in, freezing point and final phase change of water, were all clearly observed using ultrasound. The ultrasonic signals could indicate the three stages of the freezing process and evaluate the cooling and freezing periods under various processing conditions. The temperature was also adopted for evaluating the cooling and freezing periods. These periods increased with water volume and decreased with shelf temperature (i.e., speed of freezing). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the ultrasonic sensor and technology for diagnosing and optimizing the process of water freezing to save energy. PMID:25946629

Freeze concentration of proteins in Antarctic krill wash water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Xiangming; Xu, Jing; Zhao, Kuo; Guo, Hui; Ma, Lei

2017-12-01

Water-washing removes fluoride from Antarctic krill but produces large volumes of wash water containing water- soluble proteins and fluoride. The freeze concentration method was tested to determine if it could be used to recover water-soluble proteins while leaving the fluoride in solution. After freezing and thawing the wash water, protein and fluoride contents of the thawed fractions were determined to explore the melting regularity of components in the wash water. The highest concentration factors of protein and fluoride were obtained after 80 min of thawing, such as 1.48 ± 0.06 and 1.35 ± 0.04 times, respectively. The free amino-nitrogen (FAN) content and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern results revealed that the highest concentrations of all ingredients were obtained after 80 min of the process. The degree of hydrolysis of all fractions from the thawing process fluctuated in a narrow range around 12% during the entire process, indicating that the thawing order did not change with various proteins or time during the entire thawing course. These results demonstrate that the freeze concentration method can be used to concentrate protein solutions, even those with fluoride. It was concluded that condensation was achieved and no ingredient could be separated, regardless of fluoride, amino acids, or different proteins in the water.

Novel method of realizing metal freezing points by induced solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, C. K.

1997-07-01

The freezing point of a pure metal, tf, is the temperature at which the solid and liquid phases are in equilibrium. The purest metal available is actually a dilute alloy. Normally, the liquidus point of a sample, tl, at which the amount of the solid phase in equilibrium with the liquid phase is minute, provides the closest approximation to tf. Thus the experimental realization of tf is a matter of realizing tl. The common method is to cool a molten sample continuously so that it supercools and recalesces. The highest temperature after recalescence is normally the best experimental value of tl. In the realization, supercooling of the sample at the sample container and the thermometer well is desirable for the formation of dual solid-liquid interfaces to thermally isolate the sample and the thermometer. However, the subsequent recalescence of the supercooled sample requires the formation of a certain amount of solid, which is not minute. Obviously, the plateau temperature is not the liquidus point. In this article we describe a method that minimizes supercooling. The condition that provides tl is closely approached so that the latter may be measured. As the temperature of the molten sample approaches the anticipated value of tl, a small solid of the same alloy is introduced into the sample to induce solidification. In general, solidification does not occur as long as the temperature is above or at tl, and occurs as soon as the sample supercools minutely. Thus tl can be obtained, in principle, by observing the temperature at which induced solidification begins. In case the solid is introduced after the sample has supercooled slightly, a slight recalescence results and the subsequent maximum temperature is a close approximation to tl. We demonstrate that the principle of induced solidification is indeed applicable to freezing point measurements by applying it to the design of a copper-freezing-point cell for industrial applications, in which a supercooled sample is

Cavitation and water fluxes driven by ice water potential in Juglans regia during freeze-thaw cycles.

PubMed

Charra-Vaskou, Katline; Badel, Eric; Charrier, Guillaume; Ponomarenko, Alexandre; Bonhomme, Marc; Foucat, Loïc; Mayr, Stefan; Améglio, Thierry

2016-02-01

Freeze-thaw cycles induce major hydraulic changes due to liquid-to-ice transition within tree stems. The very low water potential at the ice-liquid interface is crucial as it may cause lysis of living cells as well as water fluxes and embolism in sap conduits, which impacts whole tree-water relations. We investigated water fluxes induced by ice formation during freeze-thaw cycles in Juglans regia L. stems using four non-invasive and complementary approaches: a microdendrometer, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray microtomography, and ultrasonic acoustic emissions analysis. When the temperature dropped, ice nucleation occurred, probably in the cambium or pith areas, inducing high water potential gradients within the stem. The water was therefore redistributed within the stem toward the ice front. We could thus observe dehydration of the bark's living cells leading to drastic shrinkage of this tissue, as well as high tension within wood conduits reaching the cavitation threshold in sap vessels. Ultrasonic emissions, which were strictly emitted only during freezing, indicated cavitation events (i.e. bubble formation) following ice formation in the xylem sap. However, embolism formation (i.e. bubble expansion) in stems was observed only on thawing via X-ray microtomography for the first time on the same sample. Ultrasonic emissions were detected during freezing and were not directly related to embolism formation. These results provide new insights into the complex process and dynamics of water movements and ice formation during freeze-thaw cycles in tree stems. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Freezing curve-based monitoring to quickly evaluate the viability of biological materials subject to freezing or thermal injury.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Zhou, Yi-Xin

2003-09-01

This paper is aimed at investigating the roles of freezing dynamics of a liquid droplet to characterize the properties of the material. In particular, freezing curve-based monitoring was proposed to quickly evaluate the viability of biological materials subject to freezing, re-warming, or other kinds of injury, which is an extremely important issue in practices such as cryobiology, hyperthermia, or freshness evaluation of bio-samples. An integrated micro analysis device was fabricated which is simple in structure and cheap to make. Preliminary freezing results demonstrated that minor changes in a biological material due to freezing or warming injury might result in a significant deviation of its freezing curve from that of the intact biomaterials. Several potential thermal indexes to quantify the material features were pointed out. Further, experiments were performed on some freezing and thawing processes of small amount of water on a cooling surface to test the effects of droplet sizes, measurement sites, cooling strength, and cooling geometry, etc., on the freezing responses of a water droplet. Their implementation in developing a new micro analysis system were suggested. This freezing curve-based monitoring method may open a new strategy for the evaluation of biomaterials subject to destruction in diverse fields.

Freeze concentration for enrichment of nutrients in yellow water from no-mix toilets.

PubMed

Gulyas, H; Bruhn, P; Furmanska, M; Hartrampf, K; Kot, K; Lüttenberg, B; Mahmood, Z; Stelmaszewska, K; Otterpohl, R

2004-01-01

Separately collected urine ("yellow water") can be utilized as fertilizer. In order to decrease storage volumes and energy consumption for yellow water transport to fields, enrichment of nutrients in yellow water has to be considered. Laboratory-scale batch freeze concentration of yellow water has been tested in ice-front freezing apparatus: a stirred vessel and a falling film freeze concentrator (coolant temperatures: -6 to -16 degrees C). With progressing enrichment of the liquid concentrate, the frozen ice was increasingly contaminated with yellow water constituents (ammonia, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, TOC, and salts determined as conductivity). The higher the initial salinity of the yellow water and the lower the mechanical agitation of the liquid phase contacting the growing ice front, the more the frozen ice was contaminated. The results indicate, that in ice-front freezing devices multistage processes are necessary, i.e. the melted ice phase has to be purified (and the concentrates must be further enriched) in a second or even in a third stage. Energy consumption of this process is very high. However, technical scale suspension freeze concentration is reasonable in centralized ecological sanitation schemes if the population exceeds 0.5 million and distance of yellow water transportation to fields is more than 80 km.

Effect of Impurities on the Freezing Point of Zinc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jianping; Rudtsch, Steffen; Niu, Yalu; Zhang, Lin; Wang, Wei; Den, Xiaolong

2017-03-01

The knowledge of the liquidus slope of impurities in fixed-point metal defined by the International Temperature Scale of 1990 is important for the estimation of uncertainties and correction of fixed point with the sum of individual estimates method. Great attentions are paid to the effect of ultra-trace impurities on the freezing point of zinc in the National Institute of Metrology. In the present work, the liquidus slopes of Ga-Zn, Ge-Zn were measured with the slim fixed-point cell developed through the doping experiments, and the temperature characteristics of the phase diagram of Fe-Zn were furthermore investigated. A quasi-adiabatic Zn fixed-point cell was developed with the thermometer well surrounded by the crucible with the pure metal, and the temperature uniformity of less than 20 mK in the region where the metal is located was obtained. The previous doping experiment of Pb-Zn with slim fixed-point cell was checked with quasi-adiabatic Zn fixed-point cell, and the result supports the previous liquidus slope measured with the traditional fixed-point realization.

Adapting and Modifying the Apparatus for Students to Accurately Determine the Freezing Point of a Solvent and Solution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Shirong; Guo, Jianzhong; Wang, Kewang; Chen, Lin; Hu, Daodao; Bai, Yunshan

2017-01-01

An improved apparatus for measuring freezing points has been developed. Compared to the traditional Beckmann freezing point instrument, the improved one overcame prior difficulties with solidification of liquid and made the solid-liquid equilibrium reversible with heat compensation from a heating tube. The reliability and accuracy were carefully…

Heterogeneous freezing of super cooled water droplets in micrometre range- freezing on a chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häusler, Thomas; Witek, Lorenz; Felgitsch, Laura; Hitzenberger, Regina; Grothe, Hinrich

2017-04-01

A new setup to analyse the freezing behaviour of ice nucleation particles (INPs) dispersed in aqueous droplets has been developed with the aim to analyse ensembles of droplets with sizes in the micrometre range, in which INPs are immersed. Major disadvantages of conventional drop-freezing experiments like varying drop sizes or interactions between the water- oil mixture and the INP, were solved by introducing a unique freezing- chip consisting of an etched and sputtered 15x15x1 mm gold-plated silicon or pure gold film (Pummer et al., 2012; Zolles et al., 2015). Using this chip, isolated micrometre-sized droplets can be generated with sizes similar to droplets in real world clouds. The experimental set-up for drop-freezing experiments was revised and improved by establishing automated process control and image evaluation. We were able to show the efficiency and accuracy of our setup by comparing measured freezing temperatures of different INPs (Snomax®, K- feldspar, birch pollen (Betula pendula) washing water, juniper pollen suspension (Juniperus communis) and ultrapure water) with already published results (Atkinson et al., 2013; Augustin et al., 2013; Pruppacher and Klett, 1997; Pummer et al., 2012; Wex et al., 2015; Zolles et al., 2015). Comparison of our measurements with literature data show the important impact of droplet size, INP concentration and number of active sites on the T50 values. Here, the new set-up exhibits its strength in reproducibility and accuracy which is due to the defined and isolated droplets. Finally, it opens a temperature window down to -37˚ C for freezing experiments which was not accessible with former traditional approaches .Atkinson, J. D., Murray, B. J., Woodhouse, M. T., Whale, T. F., Baustian, K. J., Carslaw, K. S., Dobbie, S., O'Sullivan, D., and Malkin, T. L.: The importance of feldspar for ice nucleation by mineral dust in mixed-phase clouds (vol 498, pg 355, 2013), Nature, 500, 491-491, 2013. Augustin, S., Wex, H

Homogeneous Freezing of Water Droplets and its Dependence on Droplet Size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, Thea; Möhler, Ottmar; Höhler, Kristina; Leisner, Thomas

2014-05-01

The formulation and parameterisation of microphysical processes in tropospheric clouds, such as phase transitions, is still a challenge for weather and climate models. This includes the homogeneous freezing of supercooled water droplets, since this is an important process in deep convective systems, where almost pure water droplets may stay liquid until homogeneous freezing occurs at temperatures around 238 K. Though the homogeneous ice nucleation in supercooled water is considered to be well understood, recent laboratory experiments with typical cloud droplet sizes showed one to two orders of magnitude smaller nucleation rate coefficients than previous literature results, including earlier results from experiments with single levitated water droplets and from cloud simulation experiments at the AIDA (Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere) facility. This motivated us to re-analyse homogeneous droplet freezing experiments conducted during the previous years at the AIDA cloud chamber. This cloud chamber has a volume of 84m3 and operates under atmospherically relevant conditions within wide ranges of temperature, pressure and humidity, whereby investigations of both tropospheric mixed-phase clouds and cirrus clouds can be realised. By controlled adiabatic expansions, the ascent of an air parcel in the troposphere can be simulated. According to our new results and their comparison to the results from single levitated droplet experiments, the homogeneous freezing of water droplets seems to be a volume-dependent process, at least for droplets as small as a few micrometers in diameter. A contribution of surface induced freezing can be ruled out, in agreement to previous conclusions from the single droplet experiments. The obtained volume nucleation rate coefficients are in good agreement, within error bars, with some previous literature data, including our own results from earlier AIDA experiments, but they do not agree with recently published lower volume

Note: equation of state and the freezing point in the hard-sphere model.

PubMed

Robles, Miguel; López de Haro, Mariano; Santos, Andrés

2014-04-07

The merits of different analytical equations of state for the hard-sphere system with respect to the recently computed high-accuracy value of the freezing-point packing fraction are assessed. It is found that the Carnahan-Starling-Kolafa and the branch-point approximant equations of state yield the best performance.

Observations on the Freezing of Supercooled Pollen Washing Water by a New Electrodynamic Balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Haijie; Pope, Francis D.; Kalberer, Markus

2014-05-01

Primary biological particles can act as efficient ice nuclei (IN) by initiating freezing events at temperatures warmer than the homogenous freezing temperature [1, 2]. For example, pollen grain particles can trigger freezing events at temperatures as warm as -5 °C in the contact freezing mode [3]. More recently pollen residues, which are released by washing pollen grains in water, were also observed to act as efficient IN in the immersion mode [4, 5]. In this study we developed a new cold electrodynamic balance (CEDB) system and investigated the freezing properties of single particles of supercooled pollen washing water (SPWW). The EDB technique allows for a contact free measurement of freezing events. The phase of the particle (liquid or frozen solid) can be distinguished via measuring the Mie scattering signal from the particle. Furthermore the size of liquid (spherical) particles can be determined. The freezing events are characterized through the loss of the regular Mie scattering signal from the levitated droplet as it changes state from liquid to a frozen solid. The statistical freezing probabilities of SPWW were obtained in the temperature range: -15 to -40 °C. Each temperature measurement point consists of the analysis of 30-100 droplets. Preliminary conclusions are that SPWW is IN active in the immersion mode. Further discussion will focus on the temperature range of the IN activity, the important variables (other than temperature) for IN activity, other likely modes of IN activity, and the implications of these results in terms of the atmospheric relevance of SPWW. This study was supported by the NERC. We acknowledge Professor Jonathan Reid and James Davis from the University of Bristol for providing information of the design of the warm EDB system. References: [1] Möhler, O., et al. (2007) Biogeosciences, 4, 1059-1071. [2] Prenni, A. J., et al. (2009) Nat. Geosci., 2, 401-404. [3] Diehl, K., et al. (2002) Atmos. Res., 61, 125-133. [4] Pummer, B. G

Microplate freeze-dried cyanobacterial bioassay for fresh-waters environmental monitoring.

PubMed

Martín-Betancor, Keila; Durand, Marie-José; Thouand, Gérald; Leganés, Francisco; Fernández-Piñas, Francisca; Rodea-Palomares, Ismael

2017-12-01

Microorganisms have been very useful in environmental monitoring due to their constant sensing of the surrounding environment, their easy maintenance and low cost. Some freeze-dried toxicity kits based on naturally bioluminescent bacteria are commercially available and commonly used to assess the toxicity of environmental samples such as Microtox (Aliivibrio fischeri) or ToxScreen (Photobacterium leiognathi), however, due to the marine origin of these bacteria, they could not be the most appropriate for fresh-waters monitoring. Cyanobacteria are one of the most representative microorganisms of aquatic environments, and are well suited for detecting contaminants in aqueous samples. This study presents the development and application of the first freeze-dried cyanobacterial bioassay for fresh-water contaminants detection. The effects of different cell growth phases, cryoprotectant solutions, freezing protocols, rehydration solutions and incubation conditions methods were evaluated and the best combination of these parameters for freeze-drying was selected. The study includes detailed characterization of sensitivity towards reference pollutants, as well as, comparison with the standard assays. Moreover, long-term viability and sensitivity were evaluated after 3 years of storage. Freeze-dried cyanobacteria showed, in general, higher sensitivity than the standard assays and viability of the cells remained after 3 years of storage. Finally, the validation of the bioassay using a wastewater sample was also evaluated. Freeze-drying of cyanobacteria in 96-well plates presents a simple, fast and multi-assay method for environmental monitoring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational investigation of surface freezing in a molecular model of water.

PubMed

Haji-Akbari, Amir; Debenedetti, Pablo G

2017-03-28

Water freezes in a wide variety of low-temperature environments, from meteors and atmospheric clouds to soil and biological cells. In nature, ice usually nucleates at or near interfaces, because homogenous nucleation in the bulk can only be observed at deep supercoolings. Although the effect of proximal surfaces on freezing has been extensively studied, major gaps in understanding remain regarding freezing near vapor-liquid interfaces, with earlier experimental studies being mostly inconclusive. The question of how a vapor-liquid interface affects freezing in its vicinity is therefore still a major open question in ice physics. Here, we address this question computationally by using the forward-flux sampling algorithm to compute the nucleation rate in a freestanding nanofilm of supercooled water. We use the TIP4P/ice force field, one of the best existing molecular models of water, and observe that the nucleation rate in the film increases by seven orders of magnitude with respect to bulk at the same temperature. By analyzing the nucleation pathway, we conclude that freezing in the film initiates not at the surface, but within an interior region where the formation of double-diamond cages (DDCs) is favored in comparison with the bulk. This, in turn, facilitates freezing by favoring the formation of nuclei rich in cubic ice, which, as demonstrated by us earlier, are more likely to grow and overcome the nucleation barrier. The films considered here are ultrathin because their interior regions are not truly bulk-like, due to their subtle structural differences with the bulk.

Computational investigation of surface freezing in a molecular model of water

PubMed Central

Haji-Akbari, Amir; Debenedetti, Pablo G.

2017-01-01

Water freezes in a wide variety of low-temperature environments, from meteors and atmospheric clouds to soil and biological cells. In nature, ice usually nucleates at or near interfaces, because homogenous nucleation in the bulk can only be observed at deep supercoolings. Although the effect of proximal surfaces on freezing has been extensively studied, major gaps in understanding remain regarding freezing near vapor–liquid interfaces, with earlier experimental studies being mostly inconclusive. The question of how a vapor–liquid interface affects freezing in its vicinity is therefore still a major open question in ice physics. Here, we address this question computationally by using the forward-flux sampling algorithm to compute the nucleation rate in a freestanding nanofilm of supercooled water. We use the TIP4P/ice force field, one of the best existing molecular models of water, and observe that the nucleation rate in the film increases by seven orders of magnitude with respect to bulk at the same temperature. By analyzing the nucleation pathway, we conclude that freezing in the film initiates not at the surface, but within an interior region where the formation of double-diamond cages (DDCs) is favored in comparison with the bulk. This, in turn, facilitates freezing by favoring the formation of nuclei rich in cubic ice, which, as demonstrated by us earlier, are more likely to grow and overcome the nucleation barrier. The films considered here are ultrathin because their interior regions are not truly bulk-like, due to their subtle structural differences with the bulk. PMID:28292905

Early Mars was wet but not warm: Erosion, fluvial features, liquid water habitats, and life below freezing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, C. P.; Davis, W. L.

1993-01-01

There is considerable evidence that Mars had liquid water early in its history and possibly at recurrent interval. It has generally been assumed that this implied that the climate was warmer as a result of a thicker CO2 atmosphere than at the present. However, recent models suggest that Mars may have had a thick atmosphere but may not have experienced mean annual temperatures above freezing. In this paper we report on models of liquid water formation and maintenance under temperatures well below freezing. Our studies are based on work in the north and south polar regions of Earth. Our results suggest that early Mars did have a thick atmosphere but precipitation and hence erosion was rare. Transient liquid water, formed under temperature extremes and maintained under thick ice covers, could account for the observed fluvial features. The main difference between the present climate and the early climate was that the total surface pressure was well above the triple point of water.

Freeze-drying process design by manometric temperature measurement: design of a smart freeze-dryer.

PubMed

Tang, Xiaolin Charlie; Nail, Steven L; Pikal, Michael J

2005-04-01

temperature. It was found that the MTM results serve as an excellent indicator of the end point of primary drying. Further, we find that the rate of water desorption during secondary drying may be accurately measured by a variation of the basic MTM procedure. Thus, both the end point of secondary drying and real-time residual moisture may be obtained during secondary drying. Manometric temperature measurement and the expert system for good practices in freeze drying does allow development of an optimized freeze-drying process during a single laboratory freeze-drying experiment.

Effect of Freezing on the Level of Contaminants in Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites. Part 1. Literature Review.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

pure water. Dissolved ions in the soil solution lower the freezing point; this is called freezing point depression. Many of the early studies of...them in the remaining soil solution . The temperature and concentration of this solution affect the chemical reactions and the forms of ions in...in the soil solution freezes, more concentrated "% solutes will be present in soil solution . 3. Water will travel even in frozen soils and sediments

Experimental research of "microcable in a microconduct" system stability to effect of freezing water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, Vladimir A.; Burdin, Vladimir A.; Nikulina, Tatiana G.; Alekhin, Ivan N.; Gavryushin, Sergey A.; Nikulin, Aleksey G.; Praporshchikov, Denis E.

2011-12-01

Results of experimental researches of "optical microcable in a microduct" system stability to effect of freezing water are presented. It is shown this system is steadier to water freezing in comparison to lighten optical cable in protective polymer tube.

Ultra-high temperature isothermal furnace liners (IFLS) for copper freeze point cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dussinger, P. M.; Tavener, J. P.

2013-09-01

Primary Laboratories use large fixed-point cells in deep calibration furnaces utilizing heat pipes to achieve temperature uniformity. This combination of furnace, heat pipe, and cell gives the smallest of uncertainties. The heat pipe, also known as an isothermal furnace liner (IFL), has typically been manufactured with Alloy 600/601 as the envelope material since the introduction of high temperature IFLs over 40 years ago. Alloy 600/601 is a widely available high temperature material, which is compatible with Cesium, Potassium, and Sodium and has adequate oxidation resistance and reasonable high temperature strength. Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) Alloy 600/Sodium IFLs are rated to 1100°C for approximately 1000 hours of operation (based on creep strength). Laboratories interested in performing calibrations and studies around the copper freezing point (1084.62°C) were frustrated by the 1000 hours at 1100°C limitation and the fact that expensive freeze-point cells were getting stuck and/or crushed inside the IFL. Because of this growing frustration/need, ACT developed an Ultra High Temperature IFL to take advantage of the exceptional high temperature strength properties of Haynes 230.

Freezing temperature of finger skin.

PubMed

Wilson, O; Goldman, R F; Molnar, G W

1976-10-01

In 45 subjects, 154 frostnips of the finger were induced by cooling in air at -15 degrees C with various wind speeds. The mean supercooled skin temperature at which frostnip appeared was -9.4 degrees C. The mean skin temperature rise due to heat of fusion at ice crystallization was 5.3 degrees C. The skin temperature rose to what was termed the apparent freezing point. The relation of this point to the supercooled skin temperature was analyzed for the three wind speeds used. An apparent freezing point for a condition of no supercooling was calculated, estimating the highest temperature at which skin freezes at a given wind speed. The validity of the obtained differences in apparent freezing point was tested by an analysis of covariance. Although not statistically significant, the data suggest that the apparent freezing point with no supercooling decreases with increasing wind velocity. The highest calculated apparent freezing point at -15 degrees C and 6.8 m/s was 1.2 degrees C lower than the true freezing point for skin previously determined in brine, which is a statistically significant difference.

Vapor Pressure Plus: An Experiment for Studying Phase Equilibria in Water, with Observation of Supercooling, Spontaneous Freezing, and the Triple Point

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tellinghuisen, Joel

2010-01-01

Liquid-vapor, solid-vapor, and solid-liquid-vapor equilibria are studied for the pure substance water, using modern equipment that includes specially fabricated glass cells. Samples are evaporatively frozen initially, during which they typically supercool to -5 to -10 [degrees]C before spontaneously freezing. Vacuum pumping lowers the temperature…

Investigating the Mpemba Effect: When Hot Water Freezes Faster than Cold Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibekwe, R. T.; Cullerne, J. P.

2016-01-01

Under certain conditions a body of hot liquid may cool faster and freeze before a body of colder liquid, a phenomenon known as the Mpemba Effect. An initial difference in temperature of 3.2 °C enabled warmer water to reach 0 °C in 14% less time than colder water. Convection currents in the liquid generate a temperature gradient that causes more…

Freezing and melting of water in a single cylindrical pore: The pore-size dependence of freezing and melting behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morishige, Kunimitsu; Kawano, Keiji

1999-03-01

In order to clarify the origin of the hysteresis between freezing and melting of pore water, we performed x-ray diffraction measurements of water confined inside the cylindrical pores of seven kinds of siliceous MCM-41 (a member of ordered mesoporous materials denoted by Mobil Oil researchers) with different pore radii (1.2-2.9 nm) and the interconnected pores of Vycor glass as a function of temperature. The hysteresis effect depends markedly on the size of the cylindrical pores: the hysteresis is negligibly small in smaller pores and becomes remarkable in larger pores. This strongly suggests that the hysteresis is arisen from size-dependent supercooling of water confined to the mesopores. For the water confined to the mesopores with pore radius of 1.2 nm, a continuous transition between a liquid and a solid precedes the first-order freezing transition of the pore water which would occur by the same mechanism as in bulk water.

SLAPex Freeze/Thaw 2015: The First Dedicated Soil Freeze/Thaw Airborne Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Edward; Wu, Albert; DeMarco, Eugenia; Powers, Jarrett; Berg, Aaron; Rowlandson, Tracy; Freeman, Jacqueline; Gottfried, Kurt; Toose, Peter; Roy, Alexandre;

A theoretical extension of the soil freezing curve paradigm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiri, Erfan A.; Craig, James R.; Kurylyk, Barret L.

2018-01-01

Numerical models of permafrost evolution in porous media typically rely upon a smooth continuous relation between pore ice saturation and sub-freezing temperature, rather than the abrupt phase change that occurs in pure media. Soil scientists have known for decades that this function, known as the soil freezing curve (SFC), is related to the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) for unfrozen soils due to the analogous capillary and sorptive effects experienced during both soil freezing and drying. Herein we demonstrate that other factors beyond the SFC-SWCC relationship can influence the potential range over which pore water phase change occurs. In particular, we provide a theoretical extension for the functional form of the SFC based upon the presence of spatial heterogeneity in both soil thermal conductivity and the freezing point depression of water. We infer the functional form of the SFC from many abrupt-interface 1-D numerical simulations of heterogeneous systems with prescribed statistical distributions of water and soil properties. The proposed SFC paradigm extension has the appealing features that it (1) is determinable from measurable soil and water properties, (2) collapses into an abrupt phase transition for homogeneous media, (3) describes a wide range of heterogeneity within a single functional expression, and (4) replicates the observed hysteretic behavior of freeze-thaw cycles in soils.

THE FREEZING POINT DEPRESSION OF MAMMALIAN TISSUES IN RELATION TO THE QUESTION OF OSMOTIC ACTIVITY OF CELL FLUID

PubMed Central

Brodsky, William A.; Appelboom, Johannes W.; Dennis, Warren H.; Rehm, Warren S.; Miley, John F.; Diamond, Israel

1956-01-01

The freezing point depression of freshly excised frozen tissues, pulverized in a hydraulic press or in a mortar, is greater than that of plasma. Even at 0°C. the freezing point depression of such homogenates increases significantly with time. Dilution data indicate that such freezing point data are valid. The presence of intact cells has been shown in smears of tissues pulverized in a mortar, but not in smears of those crushed in a hydraulic press. The osmolarity of various diluent solutions affects the calculated osmotic activity of tissue homogenates presumably because of delayed diffusion between the diluent and cell fluid. With a hypertonic NaCl diluent, spuriously low values of tissue osmotic activity are found from calculations assuming instantaneous mixing between homogenates and diluents. The limitations of data from cryoscopic experiments and from tissue-swelling experiments are discussed in relation to the basic question of whether or not cell fluid is isotonic to extracellular fluid. PMID:13385447

Close-packed floating clusters: granular hydrodynamics beyond the freezing point?

PubMed

Meerson, Baruch; Pöschel, Thorsten; Bromberg, Yaron

2003-07-11

Monodisperse granular flows often develop regions with hexagonal close packing of particles. We investigate this effect in a system of inelastic hard spheres driven from below by a "thermal" plate. Molecular dynamics simulations show, in a wide range of parameters, a close-packed cluster supported by a low-density region. Surprisingly, the steady-state density profile, including the close-packed cluster part, is well described by a variant of Navier-Stokes granular hydrodynamics (NSGH). We suggest a simple explanation for the success of NSGH beyond the freezing point.

Applications of Headspace Moisture Analysis for Investigating the Water Dynamics within a Sealed Vial Containing Freeze-dried Material.

PubMed

Cook, Isobel Ann; Ward, Kevin Richard

2011-01-01

We compare frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) as a method of headspace water analysis with the method of Karl Fischer coulometric titration (KF), which is widely used in the analysis of residual water in a freeze-dried material. Parameters relating to the type of formulation (amorphous, crystalline) and the freeze-drying cycle (temperature, pressure, time) were investigated in relation to the resulting headspace moisture (HSM) and total water. We describe the effect of stopper treatment and storage conditions on the HSM levels observed using FMS as a non-destructive method, which also allowed individual vials to be reanalyzed at a series of time points as part of a long-term monitoring exercise. The results of this study enabled a better understanding of the effect of stopper type and pre-lyophilization treatment on the HSM levels both immediately after freeze-drying and upon subsequent storage of the sealed vials of lyophilized material at different temperatures. A clear, linear relationship was observed between HSM and KF values for vials containing freeze-dried sucrose, implying a relatively straightforward interaction between water and the lyophilized cake for this material. Moisture mapping of all vials on one shelf of the freeze-dryer enabled further information to be obtained on the relationship of the formulation, vial, process conditions, equipment geometry, and performance on the intra-batch variability in HSM level and dynamics. It is believed that this could therefore represent a potentially useful technique for quality assurance and in the validation of lyophilization cycles, equipment, and scale-up. Lyophilization, also known as "freeze-drying," is a relatively old technique that has been used in its most basic form for thousands of years (e.g., preservation of fish and meat products). In its more advanced form it is used to preserve many medical products, for example, many vaccines are not stable in solution and therefore need to be dried to

Concrete/mortar water phase transition studied by single-point MRI methods.

PubMed

Prado, P J; Balcom, B J; Beyea, S D; Armstrong, R L; Bremner, T W; Grattan-Bellew, P E

1998-01-01

A series of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) water density and T2* profiles in hardened concrete and mortar samples has been obtained during freezing conditions (-50 degrees C < T < 11 degrees C). The single-point ramped imaging with T1 enhancement (SPRITE) sequence is optimal for this study given the characteristic short relaxation times of water in this porous media (T2* < 200 microseconds and T1 < 3.6 ms). The frozen and evaporable water distribution was quantified through a position based study of the profile magnitude. Submillimetric resolution of proton-density and T2*-relaxation parameters as a function of temperature has been achieved.

Rapid freezing of water under dynamic compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myint, Philip C.; Belof, Jonathan L.

2018-06-01

Understanding the behavior of materials at extreme pressures is a central issue in fields like aerodynamics, astronomy, and geology, as well as for advancing technological grand challenges such as inertial confinement fusion. Dynamic compression experiments to probe high-pressure states often encounter rapid phase transitions that may cause the materials to behave in unexpected ways, and understanding the kinetics of these phase transitions remains an area of great interest. In this review, we examine experimental and theoretical/computational efforts to study the freezing kinetics of water to a high-pressure solid phase known as ice VII. We first present a detailed analysis of dynamic compression experiments in which water has been observed to freeze on sub-microsecond time scales to ice VII. This is followed by a discussion of the limitations of currently available molecular and continuum simulation methods in modeling these experiments. We then describe how our phase transition kinetics models, which are based on classical nucleation theory, provide a more physics-based framework that overcomes some of these limitations. Finally, we give suggestions on future experimental and modeling work on the liquid–ice VII transition, including an outline of the development of a predictive multiscale model in which molecular and continuum simulations are intimately coupled.

Rapid freezing of water under dynamic compression.

PubMed

Myint, Philip C; Belof, Jonathan L

2018-06-13

Understanding the behavior of materials at extreme pressures is a central issue in fields like aerodynamics, astronomy, and geology, as well as for advancing technological grand challenges such as inertial confinement fusion. Dynamic compression experiments to probe high-pressure states often encounter rapid phase transitions that may cause the materials to behave in unexpected ways, and understanding the kinetics of these phase transitions remains an area of great interest. In this review, we examine experimental and theoretical/computational efforts to study the freezing kinetics of water to a high-pressure solid phase known as ice VII. We first present a detailed analysis of dynamic compression experiments in which water has been observed to freeze on sub-microsecond time scales to ice VII. This is followed by a discussion of the limitations of currently available molecular and continuum simulation methods in modeling these experiments. We then describe how our phase transition kinetics models, which are based on classical nucleation theory, provide a more physics-based framework that overcomes some of these limitations. Finally, we give suggestions on future experimental and modeling work on the liquid-ice VII transition, including an outline of the development of a predictive multiscale model in which molecular and continuum simulations are intimately coupled.

Freeze-drying of tert-butyl alcohol/water cosolvent systems: effects of formulation and process variables on residual solvents.

PubMed

Wittaya-Areekul, S; Nail, S L

1998-04-01

The objective of this study was to identify significant formulation and processing variables affecting levels of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in freeze-dried solids prepared from TBA/water cosolvent systems. The variables examined were the physical state of the solute (crystalline vs amorphous), initial TBA concentration, freezing rate, cake thickness, and the temperature and duration of secondary drying. Sucrose and glycine were used as models for noncrystallizing and crystallizing solutes, respectively. The TBA concentration above which eutectic crystallization takes place was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Model formulations were subjected to extremes of freezing rate by either dipping in liquid nitrogen or by slowly freezing on the shelf of a freeze-dryer. Dynamics of solvent loss during secondary drying was determined by withdrawing samples as a function of time at different shelf temperatures using a thief system. On the basis of these studies, the most important determinant of residual TBA level is the physical state of the solute. Freeze-dried glycine contained very low levels of residual TBA (0.01-0.03%) regardless of freezing rate or initial TBA concentration. For freeze-dried sucrose, residual TBA levels were approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher and were significantly affected by initial TBA concentration and freezing rate. For the sucrose/TBA/water system, relatively low residual TBA levels were obtained when the initial TBA level was above the threshold concentration for eutectic crystallization of TBA, whereas samples freeze-dried from solutions containing TBA concentrations below this threshold contained significantly higher levels of TBA. Residual IPA levels increased continuously with initial concentration of TBA in the sucrose/TBA/water system. Formulations of sucrose/TBA/water which were frozen rapidly contained residual TBA levels which were approximately twice those measured in the same

Investigating Freezing Point Depression and Cirrus Cloud Nucleation Mechanisms Using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzewski, Kentaro Y.; Caylor, Ryan L.; Comstock, Ashley M.; Hadley, Austin T.; Imholt, Felisha M.; Kirwan, Kory D.; Oyama, Kira S.; Wise, Matthew E.

2016-01-01

A differential scanning calorimeter was used to study homogeneous nucleation of ice from micron-sized aqueous ammonium sulfate aerosol particles. It is important to understand the conditions at which these particles nucleate ice because of their connection to cirrus cloud formation. Additionally, the concept of freezing point depression, a topic…

Delay in the Freezing of Supercooled Water Drops on Superhydrophobic Surfaces of Silicone Rubber at Negative Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezdomnikov, A. A.; Emel'yanenko, A. M.; Emel'yanenko, K. A.; Boinovich, L. B.

2018-01-01

A method is proposed for fabricating textured superhydrophobic surfaces of silicone rubber with mechanical resistance toward liquid or freezing aqueous solutions. The anti-icing characteristics of silicone rubber samples that differ in the wetting characteristics and mechanical stability of their micro- and nanotextures are derived by analyzing the delays in the freezing of supercooled sessile water drops deposited on the sample surface. The longest delay in freezings are observed for sessile water drops on superhydrophobic surfaces prepared by laser texturing with subsequent application of a layer of a hydrophobic agent to consolidate the textural elements. Delay in freezings can be as long as tens of hours on such surfaces at T = -18°C. The prepared superhydrophobic surfaces exhibit greater anti-icing ability with respect to aqueous salt solutions than to deionized water.

Exploration of Impinging Water Spray Heat Transfer at System Pressures Near the Triple Point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golliher, Eric L.; Yao, Shi-Chune

2013-01-01

The heat transfer of a water spray impinging upon a surface in a very low pressure environment is of interest to cooling of space vehicles during launch and re-entry, and to industrial processes where flash evaporation occurs. At very low pressure, the process occurs near the triple point of water, and there exists a transient multiphase transport problem of ice, water and water vapor. At the impingement location, there are three heat transfer mechanisms: evaporation, freezing and sublimation. A preliminary heat transfer model was developed to explore the interaction of these mechanisms at the surface and within the spray.

Probing The Temperature Field, Concentration Field and Effect of Air in Water Freezing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wenqiang

As we know, water is one of the most important substances on earth. It is indispensable for the survival of all creatures, including animals and plants. Despite such an enormous significance, nevertheless, a deep understanding of the physical behaviors of water freezing, including characterization from different scales and the dynamic temperature behaviors are stilling missing. On the other hand, currently, the main focus on developing anti-icing methods is super-hydrophobic surface. But it is well known that, the expanse is large and the efficiency is low. In this thesis, we primarily investigate two important issues concerned with water freezing, which are the characterization of water freezing from molecule-scale to macro-scale and the corresponding temperature field, and the promotion of a novel promising anti-icing method, respectively. In the first part, we lay emphasis on the temperature field behaviors and the physical characteristics in different scales during water freezing. We mainly use the Fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM, mapping temperature field) and a series of thermal-couples (in situ bulk site) to directly measure and characterize the temperature field of water freezing. On the other hand, by combining the high-speed camera, X-ray diffractometer and also the confocal microscopy, we are able to directly visualize its physical behaviors in dynamic way. Based on these methods, we found that the freezing process can be divided into two stages, the first stage and the second stage which have totally distinct behaviors. Here we will elucidate them explicitly. Before getting the exact temperature field, We first noticed the concentration dependence of fluorescence lifetime and thus made an elaborate calibration of the relation between them which has never been reported before. And then we developed an innovative method to acquire the temperature of each pixel in the field of view, and thus derived the distinct temperature field. Through

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

PubMed

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

2007-11-01

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

Water-Hydrogel Binding Affinity Modulates Freeze-Drying-Induced Micropore Architecture and Skeletal Myotube Formation.

PubMed

Rich, Max H; Lee, Min Kyung; Marshall, Nicholas; Clay, Nicholas; Chen, Jinrong; Mahmassani, Ziad; Boppart, Marni; Kong, Hyunjoon

2015-08-10

Freeze-dried hydrogels are increasingly used to create 3D interconnected micropores that facilitate biomolecular and cellular transports. However, freeze-drying is often plagued by variance in micropore architecture based on polymer choice. We hypothesized that water-polymer binding affinity plays a significant role in sizes and numbers of micropores formed through freeze-drying, influencing cell-derived tissue quality. Poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels with alginate methacrylate (AM) were used due to AM's higher binding affinity for water than PEGDA. PEGDA-AM hydrogels with larger AM concentrations resulted in larger sizes and numbers of micropores than pure PEGDA hydrogels, attributed to the increased mass of water binding to the PEGDA-AM gel. Skeletal myoblasts loaded in microporous PEGDA-AM hydrogels were active to produce 3D muscle-like tissue, while those loaded in pure PEGDA gels were localized on the gel surface. We propose that this study will be broadly useful in designing and improving the performance of various microporous gels.

Freezing, fragmentation, and charge separation in sonic sprayed water droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilch, Lloyd W.; Maze, Joshua T.; Smith, John W.; Jarrold, Martin F.

2009-06-01

Water droplets are generated by sonic spray, transferred into vacuum through a capillary interface, and then passed through two image charge detectors separated by a drift region. The image charge detectors measure the charge and velocity of each droplet. For around 1% of the droplets, the charge changes significantly between the detectors. In some cases it increases, in others it decreases, and for some droplets the charge changes polarity. We attribute the charge changing behavior to fragmentation caused by freezing. Simulations indicate that the time required for a droplet to cool and freeze in vacuum depends on its size, and that droplets with radii of 1-2 [mu]m have the right size to freeze between the two detectors. These sizes correspond to the smaller end of the distribution present in the experiment. When the charge on a droplet increases or changes polarity, fragmentation must be accompanied by charge separation where fragments carry away opposite charges. In some cases, two fission fragments were observed in the second charge detector. We show examples where the droplet breaks apart to give fragments of the same charge and opposite charges. The fragmentation and charge changing behavior found here is consistent with what has been found in the freezing of larger suspended and supported droplets.

Freezing induces a loss of freeze tolerance in an overwintering insect.

PubMed

Brown, C L; Bale, J S; Walters, K F A

2004-07-22

Cold-hardy insects overwinter by one of two main strategies: freeze tolerance and freeze avoidance by supercooling. As a general model, many freeze-tolerant species overwinter in extreme climates, freeze above -10 degrees C via induction by ice-nucleating agents, and once frozen, can survive at temperatures of up to 40 degrees C or more below the initial freezing temperature or supercooling point (SCP). It has been assumed that the SCP of freeze-tolerant insects is unaffected by the freezing process and that the freeze-tolerant state is therefore retained in winter though successive freeze-thaw cycles of the body tissues and fluids. Studies on the freeze-tolerant larva of the hoverfly Syrphus ribesii reveal this assumption to be untrue. When a sample with a mean 'first freeze' SCP of -7.6 degrees C (range of -5 degrees C to -9.5 degrees C) were cooled, either to -10 degrees C or to their individual SCP, on five occasions, the mean SCP was significantly depressed, with some larvae subsequently freezing as low as -28 degrees C. Only larvae that froze at the same consistently high temperature above -10 degrees C were alive after being frozen five times. The wider occurrence of this phenomenon would require a fundamental reassessment of the dynamics and distinctions of the freeze-tolerant and freeze-avoiding strategies of insect overwintering. Copyright 2004 The Royal Society

Colloid-facilitated mobilization of metals by freeze-thaw cycles.

PubMed

Mohanty, Sanjay K; Saiers, James E; Ryan, Joseph N

2014-01-21

The potential of freeze-thaw cycles to release colloids and colloid-associated contaminants into water is unknown. We examined the effect of freeze-thaw cycles on the mobilization of cesium and strontium in association with colloids in intact cores of a fractured soil, where preferential flow paths are prevalent. Two intact cores were contaminated with cesium and strontium. To mobilize colloids and metal cations sequestered in the soil cores, each core was subjected to 10 intermittent wetting events separated by 66 h pauses. During the first five pauses, the cores were dried at room temperature, and during last five pauses, the cores were subjected to 42 h of freezing followed by 24 h of thawing. In comparison to drying, freeze-thaw cycles created additional preferential flow paths through which colloids, cesium, and strontium were mobilized. The wetting events following freeze-thaw intervals mobilized about twice as many colloids as wetting events following drying at room temperature. Successive wetting events following 66 h of drying mobilized similar amounts of colloids; in contrast, successive wetting events after 66 h of freeze-thaw intervals mobilized greater amounts of colloids than the previous one. Drying and freeze-thaw treatments, respectively, increased and decreased the dissolved cesium and strontium, but both treatments increased the colloidal cesium and strontium. Overall, the freeze-thaw cycles increased the mobilization of metal contaminants primarily in association with colloids through preferential flow paths. These findings suggest that the mobilization of colloid and colloid-associated contaminants could increase when temperature variations occur around the freezing point of water. Thus, climate extremes have the potential to mobilize contaminants that have been sequestered in the vadose zone for decades.

Key composition optimization of meat processed protein source by vacuum freeze-drying technology.

PubMed

Ma, Yan; Wu, Xingzhuang; Zhang, Qi; Giovanni, Vigna; Meng, Xianjun

2018-05-01

Vacuum freeze-drying technology is a high technology content, a wide range of knowledge of technology in the field of drying technology is involved, it is also a method of the most complex drying equipment, the largest energy consumption, the highest cost of drying method, but due to the particularity of its dry goods: the freeze-drying food has the advantages of complex water performance is good, cooler and luster of freezing and drying food to maintain good products, less nutrient loss, light weight, easy to carry transportation, easy to long-term preservation, and on the quality is far superior to the obvious advantages of other dried food, making it become the forefront of drying technology research and development. The freeze-drying process of Chinese style ham and western Germany fruit tree tenderloin is studied in this paper, their eutectic point, melting point and collapse temperature, freeze-drying curve and its heat and mass transfer characteristics are got, then the precool temperature and the highest limiting temperature of sublimation interface are determined. The effect of system pressure on freeze-dried rate in freeze-drying process is discussed, and the method of regulating pressure circularly is determined.

New particle dependant parameterizations of heterogeneous freezing processes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diehl, Karoline; Mitra, Subir K.

2014-05-01

For detailed investigations of cloud microphysical processes an adiabatic air parcel model with entrainment is used. It represents a spectral bin model which explicitly solves the microphysical equations. The initiation of the ice phase is parameterized and describes the effects of different types of ice nuclei (mineral dust, soot, biological particles) in immersion, contact, and deposition modes. As part of the research group INUIT (Ice Nuclei research UnIT), existing parameterizations have been modified for the present studies and new parameterizations have been developed mainly on the basis of the outcome of INUIT experiments. Deposition freezing in the model is dependant on the presence of dry particles and on ice supersaturation. The description of contact freezing combines the collision kernel of dry particles with the fraction of frozen drops as function of temperature and particle size. A new parameterization of immersion freezing has been coupled to the mass of insoluble particles contained in the drops using measured numbers of ice active sites per unit mass. Sensitivity studies have been performed with a convective temperature and dew point profile and with two dry aerosol particle number size distributions. Single and coupled freezing processes are studied with different types of ice nuclei (e.g., bacteria, illite, kaolinite, feldspar). The strength of convection is varied so that the simulated cloud reaches different levels of temperature. As a parameter to evaluate the results the ice water fraction is selected which is defined as the relation of the ice water content to the total water content. Ice water fractions between 0.1 and 0.9 represent mixed-phase clouds, larger than 0.9 ice clouds. The results indicate the sensitive parameters for the formation of mixed-phase and ice clouds are: 1. broad particle number size distribution with high number of small particles, 2. temperatures below -25°C, 3. specific mineral dust particles as ice nuclei such

Locating the QCD critical end point through peaked baryon number susceptibilities along the freeze-out line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhibin; Chen, Yidian; Li, Danning; Huang, Mei

2018-01-01

We investigate the baryon number susceptibilities up to fourth order along different freeze-out lines in a holographic QCD model with a critical end point (CEP), and we propose that the peaked baryon number susceptibilities along the freeze-out line can be used as a clean signature to locate the CEP in the QCD phase diagram. On the temperature and baryon chemical potential plane, the cumulant ratio of the baryon number susceptibilities (up to fourth order) forms a ridge along the phase boundary, and develops a sword-shaped “mountain” standing upright around the CEP in a narrow and oblate region. The measurement of baryon number susceptibilities from heavy-ion collision experiments is along the freeze-out line. If the freeze-out line crosses the foot of the CEP mountain, then one can observe the peaked baryon number susceptibilities along the freeze-out line, and the kurtosis of the baryon number distributions has the highest magnitude. The data from the first phase of the beam energy scan program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider indicates that there should be a peak of the kurtosis of the baryon number distribution at a collision energy of around 5 GeV, which suggests that the freeze-out line crosses the foot of the CEP mountain and the summit of the CEP should be located nearby, around a collision energy of 3-7 GeV. Supported by NSFC (11275213, and 11261130311) (CRC 110 by DFG and NSFC), CAS key project KJCX2-EW-N01, and Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS

Effects of freezing in and out of water on length and weight of Lake Michigan bloaters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sayers, Richard E.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if freezing significantly alters the length or weight of bloaters Coregonus hoyi. Bloaters were collected from southern Lake Michigan and were frozen for periods of 2-200 d. Freezing in water caused a significant decrease in length and a significant increase in weight. These changes did not vary predictably with time. The mean change in weight was greater for adults than for juveniles, but the mean change in length was not significantly different between juveniles and adults. Regressions for weight or length after freezing versus weight or length before freezing were highly significant and can be used as correction equations for estimating the original lengths and weights of fresh specimens after fish have been frozen. Test fish that were subsequently refrozen in air shrank more than those refrozen in water.

Compression Freezing Kinetics of Water to Ice VII

DOE PAGES

Gleason, A. E.; Bolme, C. A.; Galtier, E.; ...

2017-07-11

Time-resolved x-ray diffraction (XRD) of compressed liquid water shows transformation to ice VII in 6 nsec, revealing crystallization rather than amorphous solidification during compression freezing. Application of classical nucleation theory indicates heterogeneous nucleation and one-dimensional (e.g., needlelike) growth. In conclusion, these first XRD data demonstrate rapid growth kinetics of ice VII with implications for fundamental physics of diffusion-mediated crystallization and thermodynamic modeling of collision or impact events on ice-rich planetary bodies.

Compression Freezing Kinetics of Water to Ice VII

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

Gleason, A. E.; Bolme, C. A.; Galtier, E.

Time-resolved x-ray diffraction (XRD) of compressed liquid water shows transformation to ice VII in 6 nsec, revealing crystallization rather than amorphous solidification during compression freezing. Application of classical nucleation theory indicates heterogeneous nucleation and one-dimensional (e.g., needlelike) growth. In conclusion, these first XRD data demonstrate rapid growth kinetics of ice VII with implications for fundamental physics of diffusion-mediated crystallization and thermodynamic modeling of collision or impact events on ice-rich planetary bodies.

A comparative study of sodium dodecyl sulfate and freezing/thawing treatment on wheat starch: The role of water absorption.

PubMed

Tao, Han; Wang, Pei; Zhang, Bao; Wu, Fengfeng; Jin, Zhengyu; Xu, Xueming

2016-06-05

The effect of freezing on functionality of native and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-treated wheat starches was investigated, with the aim of understanding the role of water absorption during freezing process. SDS is one of most efficient detergents to remove non-starch components (such as proteins and lipids) for starches but does not cause any apparent damage on granular structure. Slow swelling could be converted to rapid swelling by SDS washing, indicating higher water absorption. Freezing process induced slight roughness on starch granules but the non-starch components content was little affected. Combined SDS+freezing treatment significantly decreased both amylose and proteins non-starch components contents, which was accompanied with high gelatinization temperatures, melting enthalpy, and pasting viscosities. A smaller bread specific volume was obtained from SDS+freezing-treated starches while the crumb firmness significantly increased (p<0.05). SDS mainly extracted the surface components from starch granules, leading to high water absorption and making granules sensitive to the freezing treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Freeze-cast alumina pore networks: Effects of freezing conditions and dispersion medium

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

Miller, S. M.; Xiao, X.; Faber, K. T.

Alumina ceramics were freeze-cast from water- and camphene-based slurries under varying freezing conditions and examined using X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Pore network characteristics, i.e., porosity, pore size, geometric surface area, and tortuosity, were measured from XCT reconstructions and the data were used to develop a model to predict feature size from processing conditions. Classical solidification theory was used to examine relationships between pore size, temperature gradients, and freezing front velocity. Freezing front velocity was subsequently predicted from casting conditions via the two-phase Stefan problem. Resulting models for water-based samples agreed with solidification-based theories predicting lamellar spacing of binary eutectic alloys,more » and models for camphene-based samples concurred with those for dendritic growth. Relationships between freezing conditions and geometric surface area were also modeled by considering the inverse relationship between pore size and surface area. Tortuosity was determined to be dependent primarily on the type of dispersion medium. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Modelling the impact, spreading and freezing of a water droplet on horizontal and inclined superhydrophobic cooled surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Yina; Li, Cong; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Rui

2017-10-01

It is quite important to clearly understand the dynamic and freezing process of water droplets impacting a cold substrate for the prevention of ice accretion. In this study, a three-dimensional model including an extended phase change method was developed on OpenFOAM platform to simulate the impact, spreading and freezing of a water droplet on a cooled solid substrate. Both normal and oblique impact conditions were studied numerically. The evolution of the droplet shape and dynamic characteristics such as area ratio and spread factor were compared between numerical and experimental results. Good agreements were obtained. The effects of Weber number and Ohnersorge number on the oblique impact and freezing process were investigated. A regime map which depicts the different responses of droplets as a function of normal Weber number and Ohnesorge number was obtained. Moreover, the impact, spreading and freezing behaviour of water droplets were analyzed in detail from the numerical results.

Freezing Temperatures, Ice Nanotubes Structures, and Proton Ordering of TIP4P/ICE Water inside Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes.

PubMed

Pugliese, P; Conde, M M; Rovere, M; Gallo, P

2017-11-16

A very recent experimental paper importantly and unexpectedly showed that water in carbon nanotubes is already in the solid ordered phase at the temperature where bulk water boils. The water models used so far in literature for molecular dynamics simulations in carbon nanotubes show freezing temperatures lower than the experiments. We present here results from molecular dynamics simulations of water inside single walled carbon nanotubes using an extremely realistic model for both liquid and icy water, the TIP4P/ICE. The water behavior inside nanotubes of different diameters has been studied upon cooling along the isobars at ambient pressure starting from temperatures where water is in a liquid state. We studied the liquid/solid transition, and we observed freezing temperatures higher than in bulk water and that depend on the diameter of the nanotube. The maximum freezing temperature found is 390 K, which is in remarkable agreement with the recent experimental measurements. We have also analyzed the ice structure called "ice nanotube" that water forms inside the single walled carbon nanotubes when it freezes. The ice forms observed are in agreement with previous results obtained with different water models. A novel finding, a partial proton ordering, is evidenced in our ice nanotubes at finite temperature.

Hatchling turtles survive freezing during winter hibernation.

PubMed Central

Storey, K B; Storey, J M; Brooks, S P; Churchill, T A; Brooks, R J

1988-01-01

Hatchlings of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) are unique as the only reptile and highest vertebrate life form known to tolerate the natural freezing of extracellular body fluids during winter hibernation. Turtles survived frequent exposures to temperatures as low as -6 degrees C to -8 degrees C in their shallow terrestrial nests over the 1987-1988 winter. Hatchlings collected in April 1988 had a mean supercooling point of -3.28 +/- 0.24 degrees C and survived 24 hr of freezing at -4 degrees C with 53.4% +/- 1.98% of total body water as ice. Recovery appeared complete after 20 hr of thawing at 3 degrees C. However, freezing at -10.9 degrees C, resulting in 67% ice, was lethal. A survey of possible cryoprotectants revealed a 2- to 3-fold increase in glucose content of liver and blood and a 3-fold increase in blood glycerol in response to freezing. Although quantitatively low, these responses by spring turtles strongly indicate that these may be the winter-active cryoprotectants. The total amino acid pool of blood also increased 2.25-fold in freezing-exposed turtles, and taurine accounted for 52% of the increase. Most organs accumulated high concentrations of lactate during freezing, a response to the ischemic state imposed by extracellular freezing. Changes in glycogen phosphorylase activity and levels of glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate were also consistent with a dependence on anaerobic glycolysis during freezing. Studies of the molecular mechanisms of natural freeze tolerance in these turtles may identify protective strategies that can be used in mammalian organ cryopreservation technology. PMID:3186730

A Photographic Study of Freezing of Water Droplets Falling Freely in Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsch, Robert G.; Levine, Joseph

1952-01-01

A photographic technique for investigating water droplets of diameter less than 200 microns falling freely in air at temperatures between 0 C and -50 C has been devised and used to determine: (i) The shape of frozen droplets (2) The occurrence of collisions of partly frozen or of frozen and liquid droplets (3) The statistics on the freezing temperatures of individual free-falling droplets A considerable number of droplets were found to have a nonspherical shape after freezing because of various protuberances and frost growth, and droplet aggregates formed by collision. The observed frequency of collision of partly frozen droplets showed good order of magnitude agreement with the frequency computed from theoretical collection efficiencies. The freezing temperature statistics indicated a general similarity of the data to those obtained for droplets frozen on a metallic surface in previous experiments.

Stem water transport and freeze-thaw xylem embolism in conifers and angiosperms in a Tasmanian treeline heath.

PubMed

Feild, Taylor S; Brodribb, Tim

2001-05-01

The effect of freezing on stem xylem hydraulic conductivity and leaf chlorophyll a fluorescence was measured in 12 tree and shrub species from a treeline heath in Tasmania, Australia. Reduction in stem hydraulic conductivity after a single freeze-thaw cycle was minimal in conifers and the vessel-less angiosperm species Tasmannia lanceolata (Winteraceae), whereas mean loss of conductivity in vessel-forming angiosperms fell in the range 17-83%. A positive linear relationship was observed between percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity by freeze-thaw and the average conduit diameter across all 12 species. This supports the hypothesis that large-diameter vascular conduits have a greater likelihood of freeze-thaw cavitation because larger bubbles are produced, which are more likely to expand under tension. Leaf frost tolerances, as measured by a 50% loss of maximum PSII quantum yield, varied from -6 to -13°C, indicating that these species were more frost-sensitive than plants from northern hemisphere temperate forest and treeline communities. There was no evidence of a relationship between frost tolerance of leaves and the resilience of stem water transport to freezing, suggesting that low temperature survival and the resistance of stem water transport to freezing are independently evolving traits. The results of this study bear on the ecological importance of stem freezing in the southern hemisphere treeline zones.

The Freezing Bomb

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Allan

2010-01-01

The extreme pressures that are generated when water freezes were traditionally demonstrated by sealing a small volume in a massive cast iron "bomb" and then surrounding it with a freezing mixture of ice and salt. This vessel would dramatically fail by brittle fracture, but no quantitative measurement of bursting pressure was available. Calculation…

Equilibrium, quasi-equilibrium, and nonequilibrium freezing of mammalian embryos.

PubMed

Mazur, P

1990-08-01

The first successful freezing of early embryos to -196 degrees C in 1972 required that they be cooled slowly at approximately 1 degree C/min to about -70 degrees C. Subsequent observations and physical/chemical analyses indicate that embryos cooled at that rate dehydrate sufficiently to maintain the chemical potential of their intracellular water close to that of the water in the partly frozen extracellular solution. Consequently, such slow freezing is referred to as equilibrium freezing. In 1972 and since, a number of investigators have studied the responses of embryos to departures from equilibrium freezing. When disequilibrium is achieved by the use of higher constant cooling rates to -70 degrees C, the results is usually intracellular ice formation and embryo death. That result is quantitatively in accord with the predictions of the physical/chemical analysis of the kinetics of water loss as a function of cooling rate. However, other procedures involving rapid nonequilibrium cooling do not result in high mortality. One common element in these other nonequilibrium procedures is that, before the temperature has dropped to a level that permits intracellular ice formation, the embryo water content is reduced to the point at which the subsequent rapid nonequilibrium cooling results in either the formation of small innocuous intracellular ice crystals or the conversion of the intracellular solution into a glass. In both cases, high survival requires that subsequent warming be rapid, to prevent recrystallization or devitrification. The physical/chemical analysis developed for initially nondehydrated cells appears generally applicable to these other nonequilibrium procedures as well.

Numerical simulation of the effect of groundwater salinity on artificial freezing wall in coastal area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Rui; Liu, Quan

2017-04-01

During the engineering projects with artificial ground freezing (AFG) techniques in coastal area, the freezing effect is affected by groundwater salinity. Based on the theories of artificially frozen soil and heat transfer in porous material, and with the assumption that only the variations of total dissolved solids (TDS) impact on freezing point and thermal conductivity, a numerical model of an AFG project in a saline aquifer was established and validated by comparing the simulated temperature field with the calculated temperature based on the analytic solution of rupak (reference) for single-pipe freezing temperature field T. The formation and development of freezing wall were simulated with various TDS. The results showed that the variety of TDS caused the larger temperature difference near the frozen front. With increasing TDS in the saline aquifer (1 35g/L), the average thickness of freezing wall decreased linearly and the total formation time of the freezing wall increased linearly. Compared with of the scenario of fresh-water (<1g/L), the average thickness of frozen wall decreased by 6% and the total formation time of the freezing wall increased by 8% with each increasing TDS of 7g/L. Key words: total dissolved solids, freezing point, thermal conductivity, freezing wall, numerical simulation Reference D.J.Pringel, H.Eicken, H.J.Trodahl, etc. Thermal conductivity of landfast Antarctic and Arctic sea ice[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2007, 112: 1-13. Lukas U.Arenson, Dave C.Sego. The effect of salinity on the freezing of coarse- grained sand[J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2006, 43: 325-337. Hui Bing, Wei Ma. Laboratory investigation of the freezing point of saline soil[J]. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 2011, 67: 79-88.

Optimization of the secondary drying step in freeze drying using TDLAS technology.

PubMed

Schneid, Stefan C; Gieseler, Henning; Kessler, William J; Luthra, Suman A; Pikal, Michael J

2011-03-01

The secondary drying phase in freeze drying is mostly developed on a trial-and-error basis due to the lack of appropriate noninvasive process analyzers. This study describes for the first time the application of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy, a spectroscopic and noninvasive sensor for monitoring secondary drying in laboratory-scale freeze drying with the overall purpose of targeting intermediate moisture contents in the product. Bovine serum albumin/sucrose mixtures were used as a model system to imitate high concentrated antibody formulations. First, the rate of water desorption during secondary drying at constant product temperatures (-22 °C, -10 °C, and 0 °C) was investigated for three different shelf temperatures. Residual moisture contents of sampled vials were determined by Karl Fischer titration. An equilibration step was implemented to ensure homogeneous distribution of moisture (within 1%) in all vials. The residual moisture revealed a linear relationship to the water desorption rate for different temperatures, allowing the evaluation of an anchor point from noninvasive flow rate measurements without removal of samples from the freeze dryer. The accuracy of mass flow integration from this anchor point was found to be about 0.5%. In a second step, the concept was successfully tested in a confirmation experiment. Here, good agreement was found for the initial moisture content (anchor point) and the subsequent monitoring and targeting of intermediate moisture contents. The present approach for monitoring secondary drying indicated great potential to find wider application in sterile operations on production scale in pharmaceutical freeze drying. © 2011 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

Evaluation of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy for in-process water vapor mass flux measurements during freeze drying.

PubMed

Gieseler, Henning; Kessler, William J; Finson, Michael; Davis, Steven J; Mulhall, Phillip A; Bons, Vincent; Debo, David J; Pikal, Michael J

2007-07-01

The goal of this work was to demonstrate the use of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) as a noninvasive method to continuously measure the water vapor concentration and the vapor flow velocity in the spool connecting a freeze-dryer chamber and condenser. The instantaneous measurements were used to determine the water vapor mass flow rate (g/s). The mass flow determinations provided a continuous measurement of the total amount of water removed. Full load runs of pure water at different pressure and shelf temperature settings and a 5% (w/w) mannitol product run were performed in both laboratory and pilot scale freeze dryers. The ratio of "gravimetric/TDLAS" measurements of water removed was 1.02 +/- 0.06. A theoretical heat transfer model was used to predict the mass flow rate and the model results were compared to both the gravimetric and TDLAS data. Good agreement was also observed in the "gravimetric/TDLAS" ratio for the 5% mannitol runs dried in both freeze dryers. The endpoints of primary and secondary drying for the product runs were clearly identified. Comparison of the velocity and mass flux profiles between the laboratory and pilot dryers indicated a higher restriction to mass flow for the lab scale freeze dryer. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Neutron scattering study of the freezing of water near a cupric oxide surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, J.; Buck, Z. N.; Zhang, F. Z.; Chen, T.; Winholtz, R. A.; Kaiser, H.; Ma, H. B.; Taub, H.; Tyagi, M.

Oscillating heat pipes (OHP) offer promising two-phase heat transfer for a variety of applications, including cooling of electronic devices.2 Recently, it has been shown that a hydrophilic CuO coating on either the evaporator or condenser sections of a flat-plate OHP can significantly enhance its thermal performance.3 This finding has motivated us to assess the strength of the CuO/H2O interaction by investigating the freezing behavior of H2O in proximity to a CuO surface. Using the High-Flux Backscattering Spectrometer at NIST, we have measured the intensity of neutrons scattered elastically from a well-hydrated sample of CuO-coated Cu foils that mimic the oxide surfaces in a flat-plate OHP. We observe abrupt freezing of bulk-like H2O above the CuO surface at 270 K followed by continuous freezing of the interfacial H2O down to 265 K. This freezing behavior is qualitatively similar to that found for water near a zwitterionic single-supported bilayer lipid membrane.3 Further studies are planned to compare the diffusion coefficients of the interfacial water for the coated and uncoated OHPs.22F.Z. Zhang et al., submitted to J. Heat Transfer. 3M. Bai et al., Europhys. Lett. 98, 48006 (2012); Miskowiec et al., Europhys. Lett. 107, 28008 (2014). Supported by NSF Grant Nos. DMR-0944772 and DGE-1069091.

Freeze Technology for Nuclear Applications - 13590

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

Rostmark, Susanne C.; Knutsson, Sven; Lindberg, Maria

2013-07-01

Freezing of soil materials is a complicated process of a number of physical processes: - freezing of pore water in a thermal gradient, - cryogenic suction causing water migration and - ice formation expanding pores inducing frost heave. Structural changes due to increase of effective stress during freezing also take place. The over consolidation gives a powerful dewatering/drying effect and the freeze process causes separation of contaminates. Artificial ground freezing (AGF is a well established technique first practiced in south Wales, as early as 1862. AGF is mostly used to stabilize tunnels and excavations. During the last ten years underwatermore » applications of freeze technologies based on the AGF have been explored in Sweden. The technology can, and has been, used in many different steps in a remediation action. Freeze Sampling where undisturbed samples are removed in both soft and hard sediment/sludge, Freeze Dredging; retrieval of sediment with good precision and minimal redistribution, and Freeze Drying; volume reduction of contaminated sludge/sediment. The application of these technologies in a nuclear or radioactive environment provides several advantages. Sampling by freezing gives for example an advantage of an undisturbed sample taken at a specified depth, salvaging objects by freezing or removal of sludges is other applications of this, for the nuclear industry, novel technology. (authors)« less

Modification of physical properties of freeze-dried rice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huber, C. S.

1971-01-01

Freeze cycling process consists of alternately freezing and thawing precooked rice for two cycles, rice is then frozen and freeze-dehydrated in vacuum sufficient to remove water from rice by sublimitation. Process modifies rice grain structure and porosity, enabling complete rehydration in one minute in hot water.

Immersion freezing of birch pollen washing water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustin, S.; Wex, H.; Niedermeier, D.; Pummer, B.; Grothe, H.; Hartmann, S.; Tomsche, L.; Clauss, T.; Voigtländer, J.; Ignatius, K.; Stratmann, F.

2013-11-01

Birch pollen grains are known to be ice nucleating active biological particles. The ice nucleating activity has previously been tracked down to biological macromolecules that can be easily extracted from the pollen grains in water. In the present study, we investigated the immersion freezing behavior of these ice nucleating active (INA) macromolecules. Therefore we measured the frozen fractions of particles generated from birch pollen washing water as a function of temperature at the Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator (LACIS). Two different birch pollen samples were considered, with one originating from Sweden and one from the Czech Republic. For the Czech and Swedish birch pollen samples, freezing was observed to start at -19 and -17 °C, respectively. The fraction of frozen droplets increased for both samples down to -24 °C. Further cooling did not increase the frozen fractions any more. Instead, a plateau formed at frozen fractions below 1. This fact could be used to determine the amount of INA macromolecules in the droplets examined here, which in turn allowed for the determination of nucleation rates for single INA macromolecules. The main differences between the Swedish birch pollen and the Czech birch pollen were obvious in the temperature range between -17 and -24 °C. In this range, a second plateau region could be seen for Swedish birch pollen. As we assume INA macromolecules to be the reason for the ice nucleation, we concluded that birch pollen is able to produce at least two different types of INA macromolecules. We were able to derive parameterizations for the heterogeneous nucleation rates for both INA macromolecule types, using two different methods: a simple exponential fit and the Soccer ball model. With these parameterization methods we were able to describe the ice nucleation behavior of single INA macromolecules from both the Czech and the Swedish birch pollen.

Care during freeze-drying of bovine pericardium tissue to be used as a biomaterial: a comparative study.

PubMed

Polak, Roberta; Pitombo, Ronaldo N M

2011-10-01

Bovine pericardium (BP) tissue is widely used in the manufacture of bioprosthetics. The effects of freeze-drying on the BP tissue have been studied by some researchers in order to decrease their cytotoxicity due to preservation in formaldehyde solution, and to increase the lifetime of the product in storage. This study was undertaken in order to study the effect of freeze-drying in the structure of BP. To perform this study BP samples were freeze-dried in two different types of freeze-dryers available in our laboratory: a laboratory freeze-dryer, in which it was not possible to control parameters and a pilot freeze-dryer, wherein all parameters during freezing and drying were controlled. After freeze-drying processes, samples were analyzed by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, tensile strength, water uptake tests and TEM. In summary, it has been demonstrated that damages occur in collagen fibers by the loss of bulk water of collagen structure implicating in a drastic decreasing of BP mechanical properties due to its structural alterations. Moreover, it was proven that the collagen fibrils suffered breakage at some points, which can be attributed to the uncontrolled parameters during drying. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HybridICE® filter: ice separation in freeze desalination of mine waste waters.

PubMed

Adeniyi, A; Maree, J P; Mbaya, R K K; Popoola, A P I; Mtombeni, T; Zvinowanda, C M

2014-01-01

Freeze desalination is an alternative method for the treatment of mine waste waters. HybridICE(®) technology is a freeze desalination process which generates ice slurry in surface scraper heat exchangers that use R404a as the primary refrigerant. Ice separation from the slurry takes place in the HybridICE filter, a cylindrical unit with a centrally mounted filter element. Principally, the filter module achieves separation of the ice through buoyancy force in a continuous process. The HybridICE filter is a new and economical means of separating ice from the slurry and requires no washing of ice with water. The performance of the filter at a flow-rate of 25 L/min was evaluated over time and with varied evaporating temperature of the refrigerant. Behaviours of the ice fraction and residence time were also investigated. The objective was to find ways to improve the performance of the filter. Results showed that filter performance can be improved by controlling the refrigerant evaporating temperature and eliminating overflow.

Tandem High-pressure Freezing and Quick Freeze Substitution of Plant Tissues for Transmission Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Bobik, Krzysztof; Dunlap, John R.; Burch-Smith, Tessa M.

2014-01-01

Since the 1940s transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been providing biologists with ultra-high resolution images of biological materials. Yet, because of laborious and time-consuming protocols that also demand experience in preparation of artifact-free samples, TEM is not considered a user-friendly technique. Traditional sample preparation for TEM used chemical fixatives to preserve cellular structures. High-pressure freezing is the cryofixation of biological samples under high pressures to produce very fast cooling rates, thereby restricting ice formation, which is detrimental to the integrity of cellular ultrastructure. High-pressure freezing and freeze substitution are currently the methods of choice for producing the highest quality morphology in resin sections for TEM. These methods minimize the artifacts normally associated with conventional processing for TEM of thin sections. After cryofixation the frozen water in the sample is replaced with liquid organic solvent at low temperatures, a process called freeze substitution. Freeze substitution is typically carried out over several days in dedicated, costly equipment. A recent innovation allows the process to be completed in three hours, instead of the usual two days. This is typically followed by several more days of sample preparation that includes infiltration and embedding in epoxy resins before sectioning. Here we present a protocol combining high-pressure freezing and quick freeze substitution that enables plant sample fixation to be accomplished within hours. The protocol can readily be adapted for working with other tissues or organisms. Plant tissues are of special concern because of the presence of aerated spaces and water-filled vacuoles that impede ice-free freezing of water. In addition, the process of chemical fixation is especially long in plants due to cell walls impeding the penetration of the chemicals to deep within the tissues. Plant tissues are therefore particularly challenging, but

Porosity and water activity effects on stability of crystalline β-carotene in freeze-dried solids.

PubMed

Harnkarnsujarit, Nathdanai; Charoenrein, Sanguansri; Roos, Yrjö H

2012-11-01

Stability of entrapped crystalline β-carotene as affected by water activity, solids microstructure, and composition of freeze-dried systems was investigated. Aliquots (1000 mm(3) , 20% w/w solids) of solutions of maltodextrins of various dextrose equivalents (M040:DE6, M100:DE11, and M250:DE25.5), M100-sugars (1:1 glucose, fructose and sucrose), and agar for gelation with dispersed β-carotene were frozen at -20, -40, or -80 °C and freeze-dried. Glass transition and α-relaxation temperatures were determined with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. β-Carotene contents were monitored spectrophotometrically. In the glassy solids, pore microstructure had a major effect on β-carotene stability. Small pores with thin walls and large surface area allowed β-carotene exposure to oxygen which led to a higher loss, whereas structural collapse enhanced stability of β-carotene by decreasing exposure to oxygen. As water plasticized matrices, an increase in molecular mobility in the matrix enhanced β-carotene degradation. Stability of dispersed β-carotene was highest at around 0.2 a(w) , but decreasing structural relaxation times above the glass transition correlated well with the rate of β-carotene degradation at higher a(w) . Microstructure, a(w) , and component mobility are important factors in the control of stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. β-Carotene expresses various nutritional benefits; however, it is sensitive to oxygen and the degradation contributes to loss of nutritional values as well as product color. To increase stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried foods, the amount of oxygen penetration need to be limited. The modification of freeze-dried food structures, for example, porosity and structural collapse, components, and humidity effectively enhance the stability of dispersed β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Kinetics of water loss and the likelihood of intracellular freezing in mouse ova

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

Mazur, P.; Rall, W.F.; Leibo, S.P.

To avoid intracellular freezing and its usually lethal consequences, cells must lose their freezable water before reaching their ice-nucleation temperature. One major factor determining the rate of water loss is the temperature dependence of water permeability, L/sub p/ (hydraulic conductivity). Because of the paucity of water permeability measurements at subzero temperatures, that temperature dependence has usually been extrapolated from above-zero measurements. The extrapolation has often been based on an exponential dependence of L/sub p/ on temperature. This paper compares the kinetics of water loss based on that extrapolation with that based on an Arrhenius relation between L/sub p/ and temperature,more » and finds substantial differences below -20 to -25/sup 0/C. Since the ice-nucleation temperature of mouse ova in the cryoprotectants DMSO and glycerol is usually below -30/sup 0/C, the Arrhenius form of the water-loss equation was used to compute the extent of supercooling in ova cooled at rates between 1 and 8/sup 0/C/min and the consequent likelihood of intracellular freezing. The predicted likelihood agrees well with that previously observed. The water-loss equation was also used to compute the volumes of ova as a function of cooling rate and temperature. The computed cell volumes agree qualitatively with previously observed volumes, but differed quantitatively. 25 references, 5 figures, 3 tables.« less

Morphology of supercooled droplets freezing on solid surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La, Shiren; Huang, Zhiting; Liu, Cong; Zhang, Xingyi

2018-05-01

Supercooled droplets freezing on solid surfaces are ubiquitous in nature. This letter investigates the influences of droplet viscosity on freezing velocity and frosting formation. Several experiments were conducted for three kinds of sessile droplets (water, silicone oil and oil) on two types of substrates (copper and iron) with different surface roughness at various temperatures. The results show that the water droplets exhibit obvious phase transition lines and their freezing speeds increase when the temperature of substrates decreases. It is found that the freezing speed is independent of the thermal conductivities of the substrates. Notably, the water droplets develop prominent bulges after freezing and subsequently nucleate to frost. In contrast, the high viscosity oil and silicone oil do not manifest an obvious phase transition line. Besides, no bulges are observed in these two kinds of droplets, suggesting that these frosting forms are of different mechanisms compared with water droplets.

Effect of multiple freeze-thaw cycles on the quality of instant sea cucumber: Emphatically on water status of by LF-NMR and MRI.

PubMed

Tan, Mingqian; Lin, Zhuyi; Zu, Yinxue; Zhu, Beiwei; Cheng, Shasha

2018-07-01

Instant sea cucumber has become one popular product due to its convenience to eat, favourable taste and minimal loss of nutrients and bioactive components. However, there was rare information about the water dynamic of instant sea cucumber subjected to multiple freeze-thaw cycles. In this study, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance image (MRI) were employed to investigate the effect of freeze-thaw cycles on water status of instant sea cucumber. Four water populations corresponding to strongly bound water, weakly bound water, immobile water and free water were observed in instant sea cucumber. With the increase of freeze-thaw cycles, the transverse relaxation time of immobile and free water increased, while the peak area of free water decreased significantly. MRI enabled the visualization of water migration of instant sea cucumber during multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles also led to significant changes of other quality properties including thawing loss, WHC, color parameters, texture and protein content, and enlarge the interspace between fiber network in microstructure. Good correlations between T 22 , A 22 , A 23 and thaw loss, WHC, L*, hardness and collagen content (0.873 ≤ r ≤ 0.958) revealed LF-NMR may be an effective real-time monitoring method of these physicochemical parameters as a non-destructive technique. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous ammonium sulfate droplets initiated by humic-like substances as a function of water activity

DOE PAGES

Rigg, Y. J.; Alpert, P. A.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2013-07-12

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous (NH 4) 2SO 4 droplets containing leonardite (LEO) and Pahokee peat (PP) serving as surrogates for humic-like substances (HULIS) has been investigated. Organic aerosol containing HULIS are ubiquitous in the atmosphere; however, their potential for ice cloud formation is uncertain. Immersion freezing has been studied for temperatures as low as 215K and solution water activity, aw, from 0.85 to 1.0. The freezing temperatures of water and aqueous solution droplets containing LEO and PP are 5–15 K warmer than homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures. Heterogeneous freezing temperatures can be represented by a horizontal shift of themore » ice melting curve as a function of solution aw by Δ aw = 0.2703 and 0.2466, respectively. Corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficients, Jhet, are (9.6 ± 2.5) × 10 4 and (5.4 ± 1.4) × 10 4 cm -2 s -1 for LEO and PP containing droplets, respectively, and remain constant along freezing curves characterized by Δ aw. Consequently predictions of freezing temperatures and kinetics can be made without knowledge of the solute type when relative humidity and ice nuclei (IN) surface areas are known. The acquired ice nucleation data are applied to evaluate different approaches to fit and reproduce experimentally derived frozen fractions. In addition, we apply a basic formulation of classical nucleation theory (α( T)-model) to calculate contact angles and frozen fractions. Contact angles calculated for each ice nucleus as a function of temperature, α( T)-model, reproduce exactly experimentally derived frozen fractions without involving free-fit parameters. However, assigning the IN a single contact angle for the entire population (single-α model) is not suited to represent the frozen fractions. Application of α-PDF, active sites, and deterministic model approaches to measured frozen fractions yield similar good representations. Furthermore, when using a single parameterization of

Report to the CCT on COOMET comparison COOMET.T-K3.1 (previously COOMET.T-S1): Key regional comparison of the national standards of temperature in the range from the triple point of water to the freezing point of zinc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokhodun, A. I.

2010-01-01

In the framework of the CIPM MRA, a first COOMET comparison "Comparison of the ITS-90 realizations in the range from 0.01 °C to 429.7485 °C (from the triple point of water to the freezing point of zinc)", registered in the KCDB under the identifier "COOMET.T-K3", was carried out in 2005-2007. Four national metrology institutes took part in this comparison: VNIIM (Russian Federation), SMU (Slovakia), BelGIM (Republic of Belarus) and NSC IM (Ukraine), and two of them (VNIIM and SMU) ensured the linkage with key comparisons CCT-K3 and CCT-K4, in order to disseminate the metrological equivalence to the measurement standards of NSC IM and BelGIM. NSC IM, however, had to withdraw its results, and at the meeting of Technical Committee T-10 of COOMET it was decided to carry out a supplementary bilateral comparison between VNIIM and the NSC IM for realization of the ITS-90 in the same range of temperature. This was registered in the KCDB under the identifier COOMET.T-S1 and measurements were performed in 2008-2009. From the results presented in this report, it is possible to draw the conclusion that the COOMET supplementary comparison COOMET.T-S1 demonstrates the CMC uncertainties claimed by the NSC IM for the melting point of gallium 0.236 mK (k = 2), and the freezing points of indium 1.040 mK (k = 2), tin 0.858 mK (k = 2) and zinc 0.944 mK (k = 2). In September 2012 the Working Group on key Comparisons (WG 7) of the CCT upgraded this comparison to a COOMET key comparison of the 'CCT-K3' type. It is now identified as COOMET.T-K3.1. In April 2013 this report was superseded by item 03006 in the Technical Supplement of 2013. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCT, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Development of a freeze-tolerant solar water heater using crosslinked polyethylene as a material of construction. Final report, June 18, 1976--October 1, 1977

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

Bradley, J.M.

The feasibility of building a freeze-tolerant absorber for a solar water heater out of carbon-black-reinforced crosslinked polyethylene has been explored. Ten-foot tube specimens made from various crosslinked polyethylene formulations were filled with water at various pressures, and then placed into a deep freeze, then thawed and frozen again for 100 freeze-thaw cycles, or until the tube specimen failed. Tube diameters were measured before and after each freezing to determine how much distention the freezing caused, and how much permanent distention was caused by the strains of repeated freezings. Five tube specimens containing water at as high as 80 psi survivedmore » 100 freeze-thaw cycles. Also, a flat plate collector was fabricated using as absorber surface a single 400 ft tube of carbon-black-reinforced crosslinked polyethylene in the form of a flat spiral coil and this collector was tested for performance at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. The performance test indicates that the absorbancy of such a flat spiral coil to solar radiation is similar to typical black surfaces used on solar absorbers. Thus, it does seem very feasible that domestic water can be directly heated in a solar collector having an absorber made from crosslinked polyethylene, and that this collector can safely withstand at least 100 freeze-thaw cycles.« less

The stability against freezing of an internal liquid-water ocean in Callisto.

PubMed

Ruiz, J

2001-07-26

The discovery of the induced magnetic field of Callisto-one of Jupiter's moons-has been interpreted as evidence for a subsurface ocean, even though the presence of such an ocean is difficult to understand in the context of existing theoretical models. Tidal heating should not be significant for Callisto, and, in the absence of such heating, it is difficult to see how this internal ocean could have survived until today without freezing. Previous work indicated that an outer ice layer on the ocean would be unstable against solid-state convection, which once begun would lead to total freezing of liquid water in about 108 years. Here I show that when a methodology for more physically reasonable water ice viscosities (that is, stress-dependent non-newtonian viscosities, rather than the stress-independent newtonian viscosities considered previously) is adopted, the outer ice shell becomes stable against convection. This implies that a subsurface ocean could have survived up to the present, without the need for invoking antifreeze substances or other special conditions.

Freeze-drying of lactic acid bacteria.

PubMed

Fonseca, Fernanda; Cenard, Stéphanie; Passot, Stéphanie

2015-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria are of great importance for the food and biotechnology industry. They are widely used as starters for manufacturing food (e.g., yogurt, cheese, fermented meats, and vegetables) and probiotic products, as well as for green chemistry applications. Freeze-drying or lyophilization is a convenient method for preservation of bacteria. By reducing water activity to values below 0.2, it allows long-term storage and low-cost distribution at suprazero temperatures, while minimizing losses in viability and functionality. Stabilization of bacteria via freeze-drying starts with the addition of a protectant solution to the bacterial suspension. Freeze-drying includes three steps, namely, (1) freezing of the concentrated and protected cell suspension, (2) primary drying to remove ice by sublimation, and (3) secondary drying to remove unfrozen water by desorption. In this chapter we describe a method for freeze-drying of lactic acid bacteria at a pilot scale, thus allowing control of the process parameters for maximal survival and functionality recovery.

Freeze-dried plasma at the point of injury: from concept to doctrine.

PubMed

Glassberg, Elon; Nadler, Roy; Gendler, Sami; Abramovich, Amir; Spinella, Philip C; Gerhardt, Robert T; Holcomb, John B; Kreiss, Yitshak

2013-12-01

While early plasma transfusion for the treatment of patients with ongoing major hemorrhage is widely accepted as part of the standard of care in the hospital setting, logistic constraints have limited its use in the out-of-hospital setting. Freeze-dried plasma (FDP), which can be stored at ambient temperatures, enables early treatment in the out-of-hospital setting. Point-of-injury plasma transfusion entails several significant advantages over currently used resuscitation fluids, including the avoidance of dilutional coagulopathy, by minimizing the need for crystalloid infusion, beneficial effects on endothelial function, physiological pH level, and better maintenance of intravascular volume compared with crystalloid-based solutions. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps policy is that plasma is the resuscitation fluid of choice for selected, severely wounded patients and has thus included FDP as part of its armamentarium for use at the point of injury by advanced life savers, across the entire military. We describe the clinical rationale behind the use of FDP at the point-of-injury, the drafting of the administration protocol now being used by Israel Defense Forces advanced life support providers, the process of procurement and distribution, and preliminary data describing the first casualties treated with FDP at the point of injury. It is our hope that others will be able to learn from our experience, thus improving trauma casualty care around the world.

Weight loss and isotopic shifts for water drops frozen on a liquid nitrogen surface.

PubMed

Eguchi, Keiko; Abe, Osamu; Hiyama, Tetsuya

2008-10-01

A liquid nitrogen freezing method was used to collect raindrops for the determination of isotope-size distribution. Water drops that fall onto a surface of liquid nitrogen stay suspended for 10 to 20 s, until their temperature reaches the Leidenfrost point (126 K). As their temperature falls to the freezing point, they release their heat by thermal conduction. At the freezing point, latent heat of fusion is released, along with a significant loss of water. After freezing completely, the ice droplets stay suspended, cooling by thermal conduction until they reach the Leidenfrost point. They then lose buoyancy and start sinking. Consistent isotopic changes of 1.5 +/- 0.4 and 0.33 +/- 0.05 per thousand for hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, were found for droplets with radii between 1.0 and 1.5 mm. Isotope fractionation appeared to occur at the same time as water loss, as the droplets were freezing, in what was probably a kinetic effect.

Deposition Nucleation or Pore Condensation and Freezing?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, Robert O.; Mahrt, Fabian; Marcolli, Claudia; Fahrni, Jonas; Brühwiler, Dominik; Lohmann, Ulrike; Kanji, Zamin A.

2017-04-01

Ice nucleation plays an important role in moderating Earth's climate and precipitation formation. Over the last century of research, several mechanisms for the nucleation of ice have been identified. Of the known mechanisms for ice nucleation, only deposition nucleation occurs below water saturation. Deposition nucleation is defined as the formation of ice from supersaturated water vapor on an insoluble particle without the prior formation of liquid. However, recent work has found that the efficiency of so-called deposition nucleation shows a dependence on the homogeneous freezing temperature of water even though no liquid phase is presumed to be present. Additionally, the ability of certain particles to nucleate ice more efficiently after being pre-cooled (pre-activation) raises questions on the true mechanism when ice nucleation occurs below water saturation. In an attempt to explain the dependence of the efficiency of so-called deposition nucleation on the onset of homogeneous freezing of liquid water, pore condensation and freezing has been proposed. Pore condensation and freezing suggests that the liquid phase can exist under sub-saturated conditions with respect to liquid in narrow confinements or pores due to the inverse Kelvin effect. Once the liquid-phase condenses, it is capable of nucleating ice either homogeneously or heterogeneously. The role of pore condensation and freezing is assessed in the Zurich Ice Nucleation Chamber, a continuous flow diffusion chamber, using spherical nonporous and mesoporous silica particles. The mesoporous silica particles have a well-defined particle size range of 400 to 600nm with discreet pore sizes of 2.5, 2.8, 3.5 and 3.8nm. Experiments conducted between 218K and 238K show that so-called deposition nucleation only occurs below the homogenous freezing temperature of water and is highly dependent on the presence of pores and their size. The results strongly support pore condensation and freezing, questioning the role of

Vacuum Freeze-Drying, a Method Used To Salvage Water-Damaged Archival and Library Materials: A RAMP Study with Guidelines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCleary, John M.

This Records and Archives Management Programme (RAMP) study covers the conservation of archival documents and the application of freeze-drying to the salvage of documents damaged by flood. Following an introductory discussion of the hazards of water, the study presents a broad summary of data on freeze-drying, including the behavior of…

Research on strength attenuation law of concrete in freezing - thawing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, qianhui; Cao, zhiyuan; Li, qiang

2018-03-01

By rapid freezing and thawing method, the experiments of concrete have been 300 freeze-thaw cycles specimens in the water. The cubic compression strength value under different freeze-thaw cycles was measured. By analyzing the test results, the water-binder ratio of the concrete under freeze-thaw environments, fly ash and air entraining agent is selected dosage recommendations. The exponential attenuation prediction model and life prediction model of compression strength of concrete under freezing-thawing cycles considering the factors of water-binder ratio, fly ash content and air-entraining agent dosage were established. The model provides the basis for predicting the durability life of concrete under freezing-thawing environment. It also provides experimental basis and references for further research on concrete structures with antifreeze requirements.

Preservation of flavor in freeze dried green beans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huber, C. S.; Heidelbaugh, N. D.; Davis, D.

1973-01-01

Before freeze drying, green beans are heated to point at which their cell structure is altered. Beans freeze dried with altered cell structure have improved rehydration properties and retain color, flavor, and texture.

Freezing, melting and structure of ice in a hydrophilic nanopore.

PubMed

Moore, Emily B; de la Llave, Ezequiel; Welke, Kai; Scherlis, Damian A; Molinero, Valeria

2010-04-28

The nucleation, growth, structure and melting of ice in 3 nm diameter hydrophilic nanopores are studied through molecular dynamics simulations with the mW water model. The melting temperature of water in the pore was T(m)(pore) = 223 K, 51 K lower than the melting point of bulk water in the model and in excellent agreement with experimental determinations for 3 nm silica pores. Liquid and ice coexist in equilibrium at the melting point and down to temperatures as low as 180 K. Liquid water is located at the interface of the pore wall, increasing from one monolayer at the freezing temperature, T(f)(pore) = 195 K, to two monolayers a few degrees below T(m)(pore). Crystallization of ice in the pore occurs through homogeneous nucleation. At the freezing temperature, the critical nucleus contains approximately 75 to 100 molecules, with a radius of gyration similar to the radius of the pore. The critical nuclei contain features of both cubic and hexagonal ice, although stacking of hexagonal and cubic layers is not defined until the nuclei reach approximately 150 molecules. The structure of the confined ice is rich in stacking faults, in agreement with the interpretation of X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments. Though the presence of cubic layers is twice as prevalent as hexagonal ones, the crystals should not be considered defective Ic as sequences with more than three adjacent cubic (or hexagonal) layers are extremely rare in the confined ice.

Induction of instability in water-in-oil-in-water double emulsions by freeze-thaw cycling.

PubMed

Rojas, Edith C; Papadopoulos, Kyriakos D

2007-06-19

Individual water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double-emulsion globules loaded with fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) were optically monitored within cylindrical capillaries during freeze-thaw cycling. Coalescence of internal aqueous droplets (W1) and external aqueous phase (W2), termed external coalescence, was not observed before or during freezing of the oil phase (O). On the other hand, this instability mechanism was readily promoted during thawing. This realization confirms the previously suggested potential of W1/O/W2 double emulsions to trigger release upon oil thawing and demonstrates that it is a direct result of globule breakage through external coalescence. The presented results also identified a threshold in the relative W1 droplet size above which instability occurred, while smaller droplets remained unperturbed and therefore indicate that optimization of the delivery can be achieved by tuning the size of W1 droplets. In addition, we propose a possible explanation for the occurrence of instability during oil thawing and its dependence on the size of W1 droplets. Because this alternative globule-breakage mechanism simply uses temperature increase (solid-to-liquid-phase transition) as external stimulus, W1/O/W2 double-emulsion delivery systems can be easily tailored by choosing an oil phase with the appropriate phase-transition temperature.

The Mpemba effect: When can hot water freeze faster than cold?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeng, Monwhea

2006-06-01

We review the Mpemba effect, where initially hot water freezes faster than initially cold water. Although the effect might appear impossible, it has been observed in numerous experiments and was discussed by Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Roger Bacon, and Descartes. It has a rich and fascinating history, including the story of the secondary school student, Erasto Mpemba, who reintroduced the effect to the twentieth century scientific community. The phenomenon is simple to describe and illustrates numerous important issues about the scientific method: the role of skepticism in scientific inquiry, the influence of theory on experiment and observation, the need for precision in the statement of a scientific hypothesis, and the nature of falsifiability. Proposed theoretical mechanisms for the Mpemba effect and the results of contemporary experiments on the phenomenon are surveyed. The observation that hot water pipes are more likely to burst than cold water pipes is also discussed.

A Theory of Immersion Freezing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barahona, Donifan

2017-01-01

Immersion freezing is likely involved in the initiation of precipitation and determines to large extent the phase partitioning in convective clouds. Theoretical models commonly used to describe immersion freezing in atmospheric models are based on the classical nucleation theory which however neglects important interactions near the immersed particle that may affect nucleation rates. This work introduces a new theory of immersion freezing based on two premises. First, immersion ice nucleation is mediated by the modification of the properties of water near the particle-liquid interface, rather than by the geometry of the ice germ. Second, the same mechanism that leads to the decrease in the work of germ formation also decreases the mobility of water molecules near the immersed particle. These two premises allow establishing general thermodynamic constraints to the ice nucleation rate. Analysis of the new theory shows that active sites likely trigger ice nucleation, but they do not control the overall nucleation rate nor the probability of freezing. It also suggests that materials with different ice nucleation efficiency may exhibit similar freezing temperatures under similar conditions but differ in their sensitivity to particle surface area and cooling rate. Predicted nucleation rates show good agreement with observations for a diverse set of materials including dust, black carbon and bacterial ice nucleating particles. The application of the new theory within the NASA Global Earth System Model (GEOS-5) is also discussed.

Subzero water permeability parameters and optimal freezing rates for sperm cells of the southern platyfish, Xiphophorus maculatus.

PubMed

Pinisetty, D; Huang, C; Dong, Q; Tiersch, T R; Devireddy, R V

2005-06-01

This study reports the subzero water transport characteristics (and empirically determined optimal rates for freezing) of sperm cells of live-bearing fishes of the genus Xiphophorus, specifically those of the southern platyfish Xiphophorus maculatus. These fishes are valuable models for biomedical research and are commercially raised as ornamental fish for use in aquariums. Water transport during freezing of X. maculatus sperm cell suspensions was obtained using a shape-independent differential scanning calorimeter technique in the presence of extracellular ice at a cooling rate of 20 degrees C/min in three different media: (1) Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) without cryoprotective agents (CPAs); (2) HBSS with 14% (v/v) glycerol, and (3) HBSS with 10% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The sperm cell was modeled as a cylinder with a length of 52.35 microm and a diameter of 0.66 microm with an osmotically inactive cell volume (Vb) of 0.6 V0, where V0 is the isotonic or initial cell volume. This translates to a surface area, SA to initial water volume, WV ratio of 15.15 microm(-1). By fitting a model of water transport to the experimentally determined volumetric shrinkage data, the best fit membrane permeability parameters (reference membrane permeability to water at 0 degrees C, Lpg or Lpg [cpa] and the activation energy, E(Lp) or E(Lp) [cpa]) were found to range from: Lpg or Lpg [cpa] = 0.0053-0.0093 microm/minatm; E(Lp) or E(Lp) [cpa] = 9.79-29.00 kcal/mol. By incorporating these membrane permeability parameters in a recently developed generic optimal cooling rate equation (optimal cooling rate, [Formula: see text] where the units of B(opt) are degrees C/min, E(Lp) or E(Lp) [cpa] are kcal/mol, L(pg) or L(pg) [cpa] are microm/minatm and SA/WV are microm(-1)), we determined the optimal rates of freezing X. maculatus sperm cells to be 28 degrees C/min (in HBSS), 47 degrees C/min (in HBSS+14% glycerol) and 36 degrees C/min (in HBSS+10% DMSO). Preliminary empirical

Freezing-induced deformation of biomaterials in cryomedicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozcelikkale, Altug

Cryomedicine utilizes low temperature treatments of biological proteins, cells and tissues for cryopreservation, materials processing and cryotherapy. Lack of proper understanding of cryodamage that occurs during these applications remains to be the primary bottleneck for development of successful tissue cryopreservation and cryosurgery procedures. An engineering approach based on a view of biological systems as functional biomaterials can help identify, predict and control the primary cryodamage mechanisms by developing an understanding of underlying freezing-induced biophysical processes. In particular, freezing constitutes the main structural/mechanical origin of cryodamage and results in significant deformation of biomaterials at multiple length scales. Understanding of these freezing-induced deformation processes and their effects on post-thaw biomaterial functionality is currently lacking but will be critical to engineer improved cryomedicine procedures. This dissertation addresses this problem by presenting three separate but related studies of freezing-induced deformation at multiple length scales including nanometer-scale protein fibrils, single cells and whole tissues. A combination of rigorous experimentation and computational modeling is used to characterize post-thaw biomaterial structure and properties, predict biomaterial behavior and assess its post-thaw biological functionality. Firstly, freezing-induced damage on hierarchical extracellular matrix structure of collagen is investigated at molecular, fibril and matrix levels. Results indicate to a specific kind of fibril damage due to freezing-induced expansion of intrafibrillar fluid. This is followed by a study of freezing-induced cell and tissue deformation coupled to osmotically driven cellular water transport. Computational and semi empirical modeling of these processes indicate that intracellular deformation of the cell during freezing is heterogeneous and can interfere with cellular water

Visualization of the freeze/thaw characteristics of a copper/water heat pipe - Effects of non-condensible gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochterbeck, J. M.; Peterson, G. P.

1991-01-01

The freeze/thaw characteristics of a copper/water heat pipe of rectangular cross section were investigated experimentally to determine the effect of variations in the amount of non-condensible gases (NCG) present. The transient internal temperature profiles in both the liquid and vapor channels are presented along with contours of the frozen fluid configuration obtained through visual observation. Several interesting phenomena were observed including total blockage of the vapor channel by a solid plug, evaporator dryout during restart, and freezing blowby. In addition, the restart characteristics are shown to be strongly dependent upon the shutdown procedure used prior to freezing, indicating that accurate prediction of the startup or restart characteristics requires a complete thermal history. Finally, the experimental results indicate that the freeze/thaw characteristics of room temperature heat pipes may be significantly different from those occurring in higher temperature, liquid metal heat pipes due to differences in the vapor pressures in the frozen condition.

On the use of tert-butanol/water cosolvent systems in production and freeze-drying of poly-ε-caprolactone nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zelenková, Tereza; Barresi, Antonello A; Fissore, Davide

2015-01-01

This work deals with the use of a water/tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) system in the manufacturing process of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles, namely in the synthesis stage, using the solvent displacement method in a confined impinging jet mixer (CIJM), and in the following freeze-drying stage. The experimental investigation evidenced that the nanoparticles size is significantly reduced with respect to the case where acetone is the solvent. Besides, the solvent evaporation step is not required before freeze-drying as TBA is fully compatible with the freeze-drying process. The effect of initial polymer concentration, flow rate, water to TBA flow rate ratio, and quench volumetric ratio on the mean nanoparticles size was investigated, and a simple equation was proposed to relate the mean nanoparticles size to these operating parameters. Then, freeze-drying of the nanoparticles suspensions was studied. Lyoprotectants (sucrose and mannitol) and steric stabilizers (Cremophor EL and Poloxamer 388) have to be used to avoid nanoparticles aggregation, thus preserving particle size distribution and mean nanoparticles size. Their effect, as well as that of the heating shelf temperature, has been investigated by means of statistical techniques, with the goal to identify which of these factors, or combination of factors, plays the key role in the nanoparticles size preservation at the end of the freeze-drying process. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Use of manometric temperature measurement (MTM) and SMART freeze dryer technology for development of an optimized freeze-drying cycle.

PubMed

Gieseler, Henning; Kramer, Tony; Pikal, Michael J

2007-12-01

This report provides, for the first time, a summary of experiments using SMART Freeze Dryer technology during a 9 month testing period. A minimum ice sublimation area of about 300 cm(2) for the laboratory freeze dryer, with a chamber volume 107.5 L, was found consistent with data obtained during previous experiments with a smaller freeze dryer (52 L). Good reproducibility was found for cycle design with different type of excipients, formulations, and vials used. SMART primary drying end point estimates were accurate in the majority of the experiments, but showed an over prediction of primary cycle time when the product did not fully achieve steady state conditions before the first MTM measurement was performed. Product resistance data for 5% sucrose mixtures at varying fill depths were very reproducible. Product temperature determined by SMART was typically in good agreement with thermocouple data through about 50% of primary drying time, with significant deviations occurring near the end of primary drying, as expected, but showing a bias much earlier in primary drying for high solid content formulations (16.6% Pfizer product) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (40 kDa) likely due to water "re-adsorption" by the amorphous product during the MTM test. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Process Analytical Technology in Freeze-Drying: Detection of the Secondary Solute + Water Crystallization with Heat Flux Sensors.

PubMed

Wang, Qiming; Shalaev, Evgenyi

2018-04-01

In situ and non-invasive detection of solute crystallization during freeze-drying would facilitate cycle optimization and scale-up from the laboratory to commercial manufacturing scale. The objective of the study is to evaluate heat flux sensor (HFS) as a tool for monitoring solute crystallization and other first-order phase transitions (e.g., onset of freezing). HFS is a thin-film differential thermopile, which acts as a transducer to generate an electrical signal proportional to the total heat applied to its surface. In this study, HFS is used to detect both primary (ice formation) and secondary (also known as eutectic) solute + water crystallization during cooling and heating of solutions in a freeze-dryer. Binary water-solute mixtures with typical excipients concentrations (e.g., 0.9% of NaCl and 5% mannitol) and fill volumes (1 to 3 ml/vial) are studied. Secondary crystallization is detected by the HFS during cooling in all experiments with NaCl solutions, whereas timing of mannitol crystallization depends on the cooling conditions. In particular, mannitol crystallization takes place during cooling, if the cooling rate is lower than the critical value. On the other hand, if the cooling rate exceeds the critical cooling rate, mannitol crystallization during cooling is prevented, and crystallization occurs during subsequent warming or annealing. It is also observed that, while controlled ice nucleation allows initiation of the primary freezing event in different vials simultaneously, there is a noticeable vial-to-vial difference in the timing of secondary crystallization. The HFS could be a valuable process monitoring tool for non-invasive detection of various crystallization events during freeze-drying manufacturing.

AgRISTARS: Early warning and crop condition assessment. Plant cover, soil temperature, freeze, water stress, and evapotranspiration conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiegand, C. L. (Principal Investigator); Nixon, P. R.; Gausman, H. W.; Namken, L. N.; Leamer, R. W.; Richardson, A. J.

1981-01-01

Emissive (10.5 to 12.5 microns) and reflective (0.55 to 1.1 microns) data for ten day scenes and infrared data for six night scenes of southern Texas were analyzed for plant cover, soil temperature, freeze, water stress, and evapotranspiration. Heat capacity mapping mission radiometric temperatures were: within 2 C of dewpoint temperatures, significantly correlated with variables important in evapotranspiration, and related to freeze severity and planting depth soil temperatures.

Potential of Near-Infrared Chemical Imaging as Process Analytical Technology Tool for Continuous Freeze-Drying.

PubMed

Brouckaert, Davinia; De Meyer, Laurens; Vanbillemont, Brecht; Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Lammens, Joris; Mortier, Séverine; Corver, Jos; Vervaet, Chris; Nopens, Ingmar; De Beer, Thomas

2018-04-03

Near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) is an emerging tool for process monitoring because it combines the chemical selectivity of vibrational spectroscopy with spatial information. Whereas traditional near-infrared spectroscopy is an attractive technique for water content determination and solid-state investigation of lyophilized products, chemical imaging opens up possibilities for assessing the homogeneity of these critical quality attributes (CQAs) throughout the entire product. In this contribution, we aim to evaluate NIR-CI as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for at-line inspection of continuously freeze-dried pharmaceutical unit doses based on spin freezing. The chemical images of freeze-dried mannitol samples were resolved via multivariate curve resolution, allowing us to visualize the distribution of mannitol solid forms throughout the entire cake. Second, a mannitol-sucrose formulation was lyophilized with variable drying times for inducing changes in water content. Analyzing the corresponding chemical images via principal component analysis, vial-to-vial variations as well as within-vial inhomogeneity in water content could be detected. Furthermore, a partial least-squares regression model was constructed for quantifying the water content in each pixel of the chemical images. It was hence concluded that NIR-CI is inherently a most promising PAT tool for continuously monitoring freeze-dried samples. Although some practicalities are still to be solved, this analytical technique could be applied in-line for CQA evaluation and for detecting the drying end point.

Summer Freezing Resistance: A Critical Filter for Plant Community Assemblies in Mediterranean High Mountains

PubMed Central

Pescador, David S.; Sierra-Almeida, Ángela; Torres, Pablo J.; Escudero, Adrián

2016-01-01

Assessing freezing community response and whether freezing resistance is related to other functional traits is essential for understanding alpine community assemblages, particularly in Mediterranean environments where plants are exposed to freezing temperatures and summer droughts. Thus, we characterized the leaf freezing resistance of 42 plant species in 38 plots at Sierra de Guadarrama (Spain) by measuring their ice nucleation temperature, freezing point (FP), and low-temperature damage (LT50), as well as determining their freezing resistance mechanisms (i.e., tolerance or avoidance). The community response to freezing was estimated for each plot as community weighted means (CWMs) and functional diversity (FD), and we assessed their relative importance with altitude. We established the relationships between freezing resistance, growth forms, and four key plant functional traits (i.e., plant height, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and seed mass). There was a wide range of freezing resistance responses and more than in other alpine habitats. At the community level, the CWMs of FP and LT50 responded negatively to altitude, whereas the FD of both traits increased with altitude. The proportion of freezing-tolerant species also increased with altitude. The ranges of FP and LT50 varied among growth forms, and only leaf dry matter content was negatively correlated with freezing-resistance traits. Summer freezing events represent important abiotic filters for assemblies of Mediterranean high mountain communities, as suggested by the CWMs. However, a concomitant summer drought constraint may also explain the high freezing resistance of species that thrive in these areas and the lower FD of freezing resistance traits at lower altitudes. Leaves with high dry matter contents may maintain turgor at lower water potential and enhance drought tolerance in parallel to freezing resistance. This adaptation to drought seems to be a general prerequisite for plants

Starch-related alpha-glucan/water dikinase is involved in the cold-induced development of freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Yano, Ryoichi; Nakamura, Masanobu; Yoneyama, Tadakatsu; Nishida, Ikuo

2005-06-01

Cold-induced soluble sugar accumulation enhances the degree of freezing tolerance in various cold-hardy plants including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), where soluble sugars accumulate in only a few hours at 2 degrees C. Hence, along with photosynthesis, starch degradation might play a significant role in cold-induced sugar accumulation and enhanced freezing tolerance. Starch-related alpha-glucan/water dikinase (EC 2.7.9.4), encoded by Arabidopsis STARCH EXCESS 1 (SEX1), is hypothesized to regulate starch degradation in plastids by phosphorylating starch, thereby ensuring better accessibility by starch-degrading enzymes. Here, we show that Arabidopsis sex1 mutants, when incubated at 2 degrees C for 1 d, were unable to accumulate maltooligosaccharides or normal glucose and fructose levels. In addition, they displayed impaired freezing tolerance. After 7 d at 2 degrees C, sex1 mutants did not show any of the above abnormal phenotypes but displayed slightly higher leaf starch contents. The impaired freezing tolerance of sex1 mutants was restored by overexpression of wild-type SEX1 cDNA using the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The results demonstrate a genetic link between the SEX1 locus and plant freezing tolerance, and show that starch degradation is important for enhanced freezing tolerance during an early phase of cold acclimation. However, induction of starch degradation was not accompanied by significant changes in alpha-glucan/water dikinase activity in leaf extracts and preceded cold-induced augmentation of SEX1 transcripts. Therefore, we conclude that augmentation of SEX1 transcripts might be a homeostatic response to low temperature, and that starch degradation during an early phase of cold acclimation could be regulated by a component(s) of a starch degradation pathway(s) downstream of SEX1.

An RNA-Cleaving Catalytic DNA Accelerated by Freezing.

PubMed

Yu, Tianmeng; Zhou, Wenhu; Liu, Juewen

2018-05-18

The EtNa DNAzyme was isolated during the isopropanol precipitation step of an in vitro selection effort. Although inactive with the intended cofactor, its RNA cleavage activity was observed under a few conditions. With Na + , EtNa was highly active in ∼50 % ethanol, whereas in water, it was highly active with Ca 2+ . In this work, we showed that the EtNa DNAzyme was accelerated by freezing in water in the presence of Na + . The apparent K d value reached 6.2 mm Na + under the frozen condition, over 20 times tighter than that in water at room temperature. With 10 mm Na + , EtNa had a cleavage rate of 0.12 h -1 after freezing at -20 °C. This effect was unique to EtNa, as all other tested DNAzymes were inhibited by freezing except for the Na + -specific NaA43. Freezing also inhibited EtNa if Ca 2+ was used. We attributed this to the concentrations of EtNa and Na + in the micropockets between ice crystals, but divalent metals might misfold DNA. Overall, we have systematically studied the effect of freezing on the RNA-cleavage activity of DNAzymes. The DNAzyme sequence and the metal ion species are both crucial to determine the effect of freezing. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluation and Validation of the Messinger Freezing Fraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David N.; Tsao, Jen-Ching

2005-01-01

One of the most important non-dimensional parameters used in ice-accretion modeling and scaling studies is the freezing fraction defined by the heat-balance analysis of Messinger. For fifty years this parameter has been used to indicate how rapidly freezing takes place when super-cooled water strikes a solid body. The value ranges from 0 (no freezing) to 1 (water freezes immediately on impact), and the magnitude has been shown to play a major role in determining the physical appearance of the accreted ice. Because of its importance to ice shape, this parameter and the physics underlying the expressions used to calculate it have been questioned from time to time. Until now, there has been no strong evidence either validating or casting doubt on the current expressions. This paper presents experimental measurements of the leading-edge thickness of a number of ice shapes for a variety of test conditions with nominal freezing fractions from 0.3 to 1.0. From these thickness measurements, experimental freezing fractions were calculated and compared with values found from the Messinger analysis as applied by Ruff. Within the experimental uncertainty of measuring the leading-edge thickness, agreement of the experimental and analytical freezing fraction was very good. It is also shown that values of analytical freezing fraction were entirely consistent with observed ice shapes at and near rime conditions: At an analytical freezing fraction of unity, experimental ice shapes displayed the classic rime shape, while for conditions producing analytical freezing fractions slightly lower than unity, glaze features started to appear.

Freezing tolerance of conifer seeds and germinants.

PubMed

Hawkins, B J; Guest, H J; Kolotelo, D

2003-12-01

Survival after freezing was measured for seeds and germinants of four seedlots each of interior spruce (Picea glauca x engelmannii complex), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Donn). Effects of eight seed treatments on post-freezing survival of seeds and germinants were tested: dry, imbibed and stratified seed, and seed placed in a growth chamber for 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 days in a 16-h photoperiod and a 22/17 degrees C thermoperiod. Survival was related to the water content of seeds and germinants, germination rate and seedlot origin. After freezing for 3 h at -196 degrees C, dry seed of most seedlots of interior spruce, Douglas-fir and western red cedar had 84-96% germination, whereas lodgepole pine seedlots had 53-82% germination. Freezing tolerance declined significantly after imbibition in lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir and interior spruce seed (western red cedar was not tested), and mean LT50 of imbibed seed of these species was -30, -24.5 and -20 degrees C, respectively. Freezing tolerance continued to decline to a minimum LT50 of -4 to -7 degrees C after 10 days in a growth chamber for interior spruce, Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine, or after 15 days for western red cedar. Minimum freezing tolerance was reached at the stage of rapid hypocotyl elongation. In all species, a slight increase in freezing tolerance of germinants was observed once cotyledons emerged from the seed coat. The decrease in freezing tolerance during the transition from dry to germinating seed correlated with increases in seed water content. Changes in freezing tolerance between 10 and 30 days in the growth chamber were not correlated with seedling water content. Within a species, seedlots differed significantly in freezing tolerance after 2 or 5 days in the growth chamber. Because all seedlots of interior spruce and lodgepole pine germinated quickly, there was no correlation

Predictive modeling of freezing and thawing of frost-susceptible soils.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

Frost depth is an essential factor in design of various transportation infrastructures. In frost : susceptible soils, as soils freezes, water migrates through the soil voids below the freezing line : towards the freezing front and causes excessive he...

Effects of industrial pre-freezing processing and freezing handling on glucosinolates and antioxidant attributes in broccoli florets.

PubMed

Cai, Congxi; Miao, Huiying; Qian, Hongmei; Yao, Leishuan; Wang, Bingliang; Wang, Qiaomei

2016-11-01

The effects of industrial pre-freezing processing and freezing handling on the contents of glucosinolates and antioxidants (vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoid and chlorophyll), as well as the antioxidant capacity in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) florets were investigated in the present study. Our results showed that the glucosinolate accumulations were significantly decreased after pre-freezing processing, whereas elevated levels of phenols, carotenoids, chlorophyll, and also antioxidant capacity were observed in frozen broccoli florets. The contents of vitamin C remained constant during above mentioned processing. In conclusion, the current industrial freezing processing method is a good practice for the preservation of main antioxidant nutrients in broccoli florets, although some improvements in pre-freezing processing, such as steam blanching and ice-water cooling, are needed to attenuate the decrease in glucosinolate content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of modulated optical transmission system to determinate the cloud and freezing points in biofuels.

PubMed

Jaramillo-Ochoa, Liliana; Ramirez-Gutierrez, Cristian F; Sánchez-Moguel, Alonso; Acosta-Osorio, Andrés; Rodriguez-Garcia, Mario E

2015-01-01

This work is focused in the development of a modulated optical transmission system with temperature control to determine the thermal properties of biodiesels such as the cloud and freezing points. This system is able to determine these properties in real time without relying on the operator skills as indicated in the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) norms. Thanks to the modulation of the incident laser, the noise of the signal is reduced and two information channels are generated: amplitude and phase. Lasers with different wavelengths can be used in this system but the sample under study must have optical absorption at the wavelength of the laser.

Freeze shoe sampler for the collection of hyporheic zone sediments and porewater.

PubMed

Bianchin, M; Smith, L; Beckie, R

2015-01-01

The Starr and Ingleton (1992) drive point piston sampler (DPPS) design was modified by fitting it with a Murphy and Herkelrath (1996) type sample-freezing drive shoe (SFDS), which uses liquid carbon dioxide as a cryogen. Liquid carbon dioxide was used to freeze sediments in the lower 0.1 m of the core and the drive-point piston sealed the core at the top preserving the reductive-oxidation (redox) sensitive sediments from the atmosphere and maintaining natural stratigraphy. The use of nitrogen gas to provide positive pressure on the gas system blocked the ingress of water which froze on contact with the cryogen thus blocking the gas lines with ice. With this adaptation to the gas system cores could be collected at greater depths beneath the static water level. This tool was used to collect intact saturated sediment cores from the hyporheic zone of the tidally influenced Fraser River in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where steep geochemical and microbial gradients develop within the interface between discharging anaerobic groundwater and recharging aerobic river water. In total, 25 cores driven through a 1.5 m sampling interval were collected from the river bed with a mean core recovery of 75%. The ability to deploy this method from a fishing vessel makes the tool more cost effective than traditional marine-based drilling operations which often use barges, tug boats, and drilling rigs. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

Neutron diffraction study of water freezing on aircraft engine combustor soot.

PubMed

Tishkova, V; Demirdjian, B; Ferry, D; Johnson, M

2011-12-14

The study of the formation of condensation trails and cirrus clouds on aircraft emitted soot particles is important because of its possible effects on climate. In the present work we studied the freezing of water on aircraft engine combustor (AEC) soot particles under conditions of pressure and temperature similar to the upper troposphere. The microstructure of the AEC soot was found to be heterogeneous containing both primary particles of soot and metallic impurities (Fe, Cu, and Al). We also observed various surface functional groups such as oxygen-containing groups, including sulfate ions, that can act as active sites for water adsorption. Here we studied the formation of ice on the AEC soot particles by using neutron diffraction. We found that for low amount of adsorbed water, cooling even up to 215 K did not lead to the formation of hexagonal ice. Whereas, larger amount of adsorbed water led to the coexistence of liquid water (or amorphous ice) and hexagonal ice (I(h)); 60% of the adsorbed water was in the form of ice I(h) at 255 K. Annealing of the system led to the improvement of the crystal quality of hexagonal ice crystals as demonstrated from neutron diffraction.

Role of cells in freezing-induced cell-fluid-matrix interactions within engineered tissues.

PubMed

Seawright, Angela; Ozcelikkale, Altug; Dutton, Craig; Han, Bumsoo

2013-09-01

During cryopreservation, ice forms in the extracellular space resulting in freezing-induced deformation of the tissue, which can be detrimental to the extracellular matrix (ECM) microstructure. Meanwhile, cells dehydrate through an osmotically driven process as the intracellular water is transported to the extracellular space, increasing the volume of fluid for freezing. Therefore, this study examines the effects of cellular presence on tissue deformation and investigates the significance of intracellular water transport and cell-ECM interactions in freezing-induced cell-fluid-matrix interactions. Freezing-induced deformation characteristics were examined through cell image deformetry (CID) measurements of collagenous engineered tissues embedded with different concentrations of MCF7 breast cancer cells versus microspheres as their osmotically inactive counterparts. Additionally, the development of a biophysical model relates the freezing-induced expansion of the tissue due to the cellular water transport and the extracellular freezing thermodynamics for further verification. The magnitude of the freezing-induced dilatation was found to be not affected by the cellular water transport for the cell concentrations considered; however, the deformation patterns for different cell concentrations were different suggesting that cell-matrix interactions may have an effect. It was, therefore, determined that intracellular water transport during freezing was insignificant at the current experimental cell concentrations; however, it may be significant at concentrations similar to native tissue. Finally, the cell-matrix interactions provided mechanical support on the ECM to minimize the expansion regions in the tissues during freezing.

Pharmaceutical patent applications in freeze-drying.

PubMed

Ekenlebie, Edmond; Einfalt, Tomaž; Karytinos, Arianna Irò; Ingham, Andrew

2016-09-01

Injectable products are often the formulation of choice for new therapeutics; however, formulation in liquids often enhances degradation through hydrolysis. Thus, freeze-drying (lyophilization) is regularly used in pharmaceutical manufacture to reduce water activity. Here we examine its contribution to 'state of the art' and look at its future potential uses. A comprehensive search of patent databases was conducted to characterize the international patent landscape and trends in the use of freeze-drying. A total of 914 disclosures related to freeze-drying, lyophilization or drying of solid systems in pressures and temperatures equivalent to those of freeze-drying were considered over the period of 1992-2014. Current applications of sublimation technology were contrasted across two periods those with patents due to expire (1992-1993) and those currently filed. The number of freeze-drying technology patents has stabilized after initial activity across the biotechnology sector in 2011 and 2012. Alongside an increasing trend for patent submissions, freeze-drying submissions have slowed since 2002 and is indicative of a level of maturity.

Freezing Injury in Onion Bulb Cells

PubMed Central

Palta, Jiwan P.; Levitt, Jacob; Stadelmann, Eduard J.

1977-01-01

Onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs were subjected for 12 days to either a moderate freeze (−4 C) or a severe freeze (−11 C). They were then thawed slowly over ice. During 7 to 12 days following the thaw, the injury progressed with time in the severely frozen bulbs, but appeared completely repaired in the moderately frozen bulbs. This was shown by the following post-thawing changes. Infiltration of the intercellular spaces increased from 80 to 90% to 100% after the severe freeze, and decreased from 30 to 50% to zero after the moderate freeze. All of the cells were alive immediately after thawing whether the freeze was moderate or severe. Corresponding to the infiltration results 7 to 12 days later, many to most were dead following the severe freeze, all were alive following the moderate freeze. The conductivity of the effusate from pieces of bulb tissue increased after the severe freezing, and decreased after the moderate freezing. The concentration of K+, total solutes, and sugars in the effusate paralleled the conductivity changes. Neither the pH of the effusate nor the permeability of the cells (as long as cells were living) to water was changed following either the severe or the moderate freezes. Some treatments of the thawed tissue following the severe freeze halted the progress of injury. The above results indicate that the semipermeable properties of the cell are uninjured but that the ion and sugar transport mechanism is damaged by freezing. Most likely the primary injury is to the active transport mechanism involved in their transport. It must be concluded that the final injury following freezing and thawing cannot be evaluated from the degree of infiltration or the conductivity of the effusate immediately after thawing, since injury may progress or recede following the thawing. PMID:16660101

Quality Evaluation of Pork with Various Freezing and Thawing Methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In this study, the physicochemical and sensory quality characteristics due to the influence of various thawing methods on electro-magnetic and air blast frozen pork were examined. The packaged pork samples, which were frozen by air blast freezing at −45℃ or electro-magnetic freezing at −55℃, were thawed using 4 different methods: refrigeration (4±1℃), room temperature (RT, 25℃), cold water (15℃), and microwave (2450 MHz). Analyses were carried out to determine the drip and cooking loss, water holding capacity (WHC), moisture content and sensory evaluation. Frozen pork thawed in a microwave indicated relatively less thawing loss (0.63-1.24%) than the other thawing methods (0.68-1.38%). The cooking loss after electro-magnetic freezing indicated 37.4% by microwave thawing, compared with 32.9% by refrigeration, 36.5% by RT, and 37.2% by cold water in ham. The thawing of samples frozen by electro-magnetic freezing showed no significant differences between the methods used, while the moisture content was higher in belly thawed by microwave (62.0%) after electro-magnetic freezing than refrigeration (54.8%), RT (61.3%), and cold water (61.1%). The highest overall acceptability was shown for microwave thawing after electro-magnetic freezing but there were no significant differences compared to that of the other samples. PMID:26761493

Comparison of three-dimensional printing and vacuum freeze-dried techniques for fabricating composite scaffolds

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

Sun, Kai; Li, Ruixin; Jiang, Wenxue, E-mail: jiangortholivea@sina.cn

In this study, the performances of different preparation methods of the scaffolds were analyzed for chondrocyte tissue engineering. Silk fibroin/collagen (SF/C) was fabricated using a vacuum freeze-dried technique and by 3D printing. The porosity, water absorption expansion rates, mechanical properties, and pore sizes of the resulting materials were evaluated. The proliferation and metabolism of the cells was detected at different time points using an MTT assay. Cell morphologies and distributions were observed by histological analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The porosity, water absorption expansion rate, and Young’s modulus of the material obtained via 3D printing were significantly higher thanmore » those obtained by the freeze-dried method, while the pore size did not differ significantly between the two methods. MTT assay results showed that the metabolism of cells seeded on the 3D printed scaffolds was more viable than the metabolism on the freeze-dried material. H&E staining of the scaffolds revealed that the number of cells in the 3D printed scaffold was higher in comparison to a similar measurement on the freeze-dried material. Consequently, stem cells grew well inside the 3D printed scaffolds, as measured by SEM, while the internal structure of the freeze-dried scaffold was disordered. Compared with the freeze-dried technique, the 3D printed scaffold exhibited better overall performance and was more suitable for cartilage tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Silk fibroin/collagen was fabricated using 3D printing. • Physical characterization and Cell compatibility were compared. • 3D printed scaffold exhibited better overall performance.« less

An Investigation of the Cryogenic Freezing of Water in Non-Metallic Pipelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, C. I.; Richardson, R. N.; Bowen, R. J.

2004-06-01

Pipe freezing is increasingly used in a range of industries to solve otherwise intractable pipe line maintenance and servicing problems. This paper presents the interim results from an experimental study on deliberate freezing of polymeric pipelines. Previous and contemporary works are reviewed. The object of the current research is to confirm the feasibility of ice plug formation within a polymeric pipe as a method of isolation. Tests have been conducted on a range of polymeric pipes of various sizes. The results reported here all relate to freezing of horizontal pipelines. In each case the process of plug formation was photographed, the frozen plug pressure tested and the pipe inspected for signs of damage resulting from the freeze procedure. The time to freeze was recorded and various temperatures logged. These tests have demonstrated that despite the poor thermal and mechanical properties of the polymers, freezing offers a viable alternative method of isolation in polymeric pipelines.

The effect of dimethylsulfoxide on the water transport response of rat hepatocytes during freezing.

PubMed

Smith, D J; Schulte, M; Bischof, J C

1998-10-01

Successful improvement of cryopreservation protocols for cells in suspension requires knowledge of how such cells respond to the biophysical stresses of freezing (intracellular ice formation, water transport) while in the presence of a cryoprotective agent (CPA). This work investigates the biophysical water transport response in a clinically important cell type--isolated hepatocytes--during freezing in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Sprague-Dawley rat liver hepatocytes were frozen in Williams E media supplemented with 0, 1, and 2 M DMSO, at rates of 5, 10, and 50 degrees C/min. The water transport was measured by cell volumetric changes as assessed by cryomicroscopy and image analysis. Assuming that water is the only species transported under these conditions, a water transport model of the form dV/dT = f(Lpg([CPA]), ELp([CPA]), T(t)) was curve-fit to the experimental data to obtain the biophysical parameters of water transport--the reference hydraulic permeability (Lpg) and activation energy of water transport (ELp)--for each DMSO concentration. These parameters were estimated two ways: (1) by curve-fitting the model to the average volume of the pooled cell data, and (2) by curve-fitting individual cell volume data and averaging the resulting parameters. The experimental data showed that less dehydration occurs during freezing at a given rate in the presence of DMSO at temperatures between 0 and -10 degrees C. However, dehydration was able to continue at lower temperatures (< -10 degrees C) in the presence of DMSO. The values of Lpg and ELp obtained using the individual cell volume data both decreased from their non-CPA values--4.33 x 10(-13) m3/N-s (2.69 microns/min-atm) and 317 kJ/mol (75.9 kcal/mol), respectively--to 0.873 x 10(-13) m3/N-s (0.542 micron/min-atm) and 137 kJ/mol (32.8 kcal/mol), respectively, in 1 M DMSO and 0.715 x 10(-13) m3/N-s (0.444 micron/min-atm) and 107 kJ/mol (25.7 kcal/mol), respectively, in 2 M DMSO. The trends in the pooled

Experimental research on durability of recycled aggregate concrete under freeze- thaw cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yanqiu; Shang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Youjia

2017-07-01

The freeze-thaw durability of recycled aggregate concrete has significance for the concrete buildings in the cold region. In this paper, the rapid freezing and thawing cycles experience on recycle aggregate concrete was conducted to study on the effects of recycle aggregate amount, water-binder ratio and fly ash on freeze-thaw durability of recycle aggregate concrete. The results indicates that recycle aggregate amount makes the significant influence on the freeze-thaw durability. With the increase of recycled aggregates amount, the freeze-thaw resistance for recycled aggregate concrete decreases. Recycled aggregate concrete with lower water cement ratio demonstrates better performance of freeze-thaw durability. It is advised that the amount of fly ash is less than 30% for admixture of recycled aggregates in the cold region.

Field observations of slush ice generated during freeze-up in arctic coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reimnitz, E.; Kempema, E.W.

1987-01-01

In some years, large volumes of slush ice charged with sediment are generated from frazil crystals in the shallow Beaufort Sea during strong storms at the time of freeze-up. Such events terminate the navigation season, and because of accompanying hostile conditions, little is known about the processes acting. The water-saturated slush ice, which may reach a thickness of 4 m, exists for only a few days before freezing from the surface downward arrests further wave motion or pancake ice forms. Movements of small vessels and divers in the slush ice occurs only in phase with passing waves, producing compression and rarefaction, and internal pressure pulses. Where in contact with the seafloor, the agitated slush ice moves cobble-size material, generates large sediment ripples, and may possibly produce a flat rampart observed on the arctic shoreface in some years. Processes charging the slush ice with as much as 1000 m3 km-2 of sediment remain uncertain, but our field observations rule out previously proposed filtration from turbid waters as a likely mechanism. Sedimentary particles apparently are only trapped in the interstices of the slush ice rather than being held by adhesion, since wave-related internal pressure oscillations result in downward particle movement and cleansing of the slush ice. This loss of sediment explains the typical downward increase in sediment concentration in that part of the fast-ice canopy composed largely of frazil ice. The congealing slush ice in coastal water does not become fast ice until grounded ridges are formed in the stamukhi zone, one to two months after freeze-up begins. During this period of new-ice mobility, long-range sediment transport occurs. The sediment load held by the fast-ice canopy in the area between the Colville and Sagavanirktok River deltas in the winter of 1978-1979 was 16 times larger than the yearly river input to the same area. This sediment most likely was rafted from Canada, more than 400 km to the east, during

The fast-ice growth and freezing of the bottom in the Braganzavagen Gulf (Van Mijenfjorden, Svalbard)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogorodsky, Petr; Marchenko, Aleksey; Pnyushkov, Andrey; Filchuk, Kirill; Morozov, Yevgenii; Ryzhov, Ivan

2017-04-01

The results of oceanographic and sea ice studies in the shallow Braganzavågen Gulf (Van Mijenfjorden, Svalbard) in March 2016 are presented. These studies are a continuation of observational efforts initiated by UNIS (Svalbard, Norway) in 2014. 2016 field campaign includes instrumental measurements of snow and ice properties in the fjord (e.g., ice thicknesses, temperatures, and salinities), as well as high-resolution CTD measurements within the under-ice water column. Collected observations were accompanied by freezing simulations of adjacent water and bottom ground layers performed with a one-dimensional thermodynamic model (Bogorodskii and Pnyushkov, 2015). The model uses two methods to reproduce phase transition areas - a "classic" (frontal) method for the fast ice, and transition in the continuous media (mushy zone) for the bottom sediments. Meteorological observations during the winter 2015-16 at Sveagruva (northwest coast) were used in these simulations as the atmospheric forcing. Numerical experiments were carried out for the initial salinity of 35 psu and 2 m water depth. The simulations start with the beginning of water freezing determined by a steady air temperature transition through the freezing point. The start of freezing was also verified by comparison with sea ice charts available for the Van Mijenfjorden for the period of simulations. Model simulations showed that the growth of sea ice in shallow (<1 m) areas of the basin significantly increases water salinity in the under-ice layer. For instance, at a 0.5 m depth the salinity in the under ice water layer exceeds 160 psu, which corresponds to the freezing temperature below -9C. In fact, the water salinity does not reach high values because of the horizontal mixing. However, available hydrological observations showed relatively small (0.2-0.5 m) amplitudes of tides - the major contributor to the horizontal exchange in this area. These small amplitudes likely suggest small advective salt fluxes

The Mechanism of Freezing Injury in Xylem of Winter Apple Twigs 1

PubMed Central

Quamme, H.; Weiser, C. J.; Stushnoff, C.

1973-01-01

In acclimated winter twigs of Haralson apple (Pyrus Malus L.), a lag in temperature during cooling at a constant rate was observed at about −41 C by differential thermal analysis. The temperature at which this low temperature exotherm occurred was essentially unaffected by the cooling rate. During thawing there was no lag in temperature (endotherm) near the temperature at which the low temperature exotherm occurred, but upon subsequent refreezing the exotherm reappeared at a somewhat higher temperature when twigs were rewarmed to at least −5 C before refreezing. These observations indicate that a small fraction of water may remain unfrozen to as low as −42 C after freezing of the bulk water in stems. The low temperature exotherm was not present in twigs freeze-dried to a water content below 8.5% (per unit fresh weight), but it reappeared when twigs were rehydrated to 20% water. When freeze-dried twigs were ground to a fine powder prior to rehydration, no exotherm was observed. Previous work has shown that the low temperature exotherm arises from xylem and pith tissues, and that injury to living cells in these tissues invariably occurs only when twigs are cooled below, but not above the temperature of the low temperature exotherm. This study revealed that the low temperature exotherm resulted from the freezing of a water fraction, that the freezing of this water was independent of the freezing of the bulk water, that the exotherm was associated with some gross structural feature but not the viability of the tissue, and that injury to living cells in the xylem and pith was closely and perhaps causally related to the initial freezing of this water. PMID:16658314

Two-dimensional freezing criteria for crystallizing colloidal monolayers

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

Wang Ziren; Han Yilong; Alsayed, Ahmed M.

Video microscopy was employed to explore crystallization of colloidal monolayers composed of diameter-tunable microgel spheres. Two-dimensional (2D) colloidal liquids were frozen homogenously into polycrystalline solids, and four 2D criteria for freezing were experimentally tested in thermal systems for the first time: the Hansen-Verlet freezing rule, the Loewen-Palberg-Simon dynamical freezing criterion, and two other rules based, respectively, on the split shoulder of the radial distribution function and on the distribution of the shape factor of Voronoi polygons. Importantly, these freezing criteria, usually applied in the context of single crystals, were demonstrated to apply to the formation of polycrystalline solids. At themore » freezing point, we also observed a peak in the fluctuations of the orientational order parameter and a percolation transition associated with caged particles. Speculation about these percolated clusters of caged particles casts light on solidification mechanisms and dynamic heterogeneity in freezing.« less

Homogeneous ice nucleation from aqueous inorganic/organic particles representative of biomass burning: water activity, freezing temperatures, nucleation rates.

PubMed

Knopf, Daniel A; Rigg, Yannick J

2011-02-10

Homogeneous ice nucleation plays an important role in the formation of cirrus clouds with subsequent effects on the global radiative budget. Here we report on homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures and corresponding nucleation rate coefficients of aqueous droplets serving as surrogates of biomass burning aerosol. Micrometer-sized (NH(4))(2)SO(4)/levoglucosan droplets with mass ratios of 10:1, 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 and aqueous multicomponent organic droplets with and without (NH(4))(2)SO(4) under typical tropospheric temperatures and relative humidities are investigated experimentally using a droplet conditioning and ice nucleation apparatus coupled to an optical microscope with image analysis. Homogeneous freezing was determined as a function of temperature and water activity, a(w), which was set at droplet preparation conditions. The ice nucleation data indicate that minor addition of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) to the aqueous organic droplets renders the temperature dependency of water activity negligible in contrast to the case of aqueous organic solution droplets. The mean homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient derived from 8 different aqueous droplet compositions with average diameters of ∼60 μm for temperatures as low as 195 K and a(w) of 0.82-1 is 2.18 × 10(6) cm(-3) s(-1). The experimentally derived freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficients are in agreement with predictions of the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory when taking predictive uncertainties into account. However, the presented ice nucleation data indicate that the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory overpredicts the freezing temperatures by up to 3 K and corresponding ice nucleation rate coefficients by up to ∼2 orders of magnitude. A shift of 0.01 in a(w), which is well within the uncertainty of typical field and laboratory relative humidity measurements, brings experimental and predicted freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice

Transmembrane ion distribution during recovery from freezing in the woolly bear caterpillar Pyrrharctia isabella (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae).

PubMed

Boardman, Leigh; Terblanche, John S; Sinclair, Brent J

2011-08-01

During extracellular freezing, solutes in the haemolymph are concentrated, resulting in osmotic dehydration of the cells, which must be reversed upon thawing. Here, we used freeze tolerant Pyrrharctia isabella (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) larvae to examine the processes of ion redistribution after thawing. To investigate the effect of the intensity of cold exposure on ion redistribution after thawing, we exposed caterpillars to -14°C, -20°C or -30°C for 35h. To investigate the effect of duration of cold exposure on ion redistribution after thawing, we exposed the caterpillars to -14°C for up to 6 weeks while sampling several time points. The concentrations of Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) were measured after thawing in the haemolymph, fat body, muscle, midgut tissue and hindgut tissue. Being frozen for long durations (>3 weeks) or at low temperatures (-30°C) both result in 100% mortality, although different ions and tissues appear to be affected by each treatment. Both water distribution and ion content changes were detected after thawing, with the largest effects seen in the fat body and midgut tissue. Magnesium homeostasis appears to be vital for post-freeze survival in these larvae. The movement of ions during thawing lagged behind the movement of water, and ion homeostasis was not restored within the same time frame as water homeostasis. Failure to regain ion homeostasis after thawing is therefore implicated in mortality of freeze tolerant insects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Point-of-injury Use of Reconstituted Freeze Dried Plasma as a Resuscitative Fluid: A Special Report for Prehospital Trauma Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Point-of-injury use of reconstituted freeze dried plasma as a resuscitative fluid: A special report for prehospital trauma care Elon Glassberg, MD...in- jury as part of the multidisciplinary efforts to improve trauma victims’ outcome. BACKGROUND Trauma is the leading cause of death among adults be...diabetes.1 Managing the burden of injuries from decades of wars has underscored the importance of trauma research aimed at reducing morbidity and

High-pressure freezing and freeze substitution of Arabidopsis for electron microscopy.

PubMed

Austin, Jotham R

2014-01-01

The objectives of electron microscopy ultrastructural studies are to examine cellular architecture and relate the cell's structural machinery to dynamic functional roles. This aspiration is difficult to achieve if specimens have not been adequately preserved in a "living state"; hence specimen preparation is of the utmost importance for the success of any electron micrographic study. High-pressure freezing (HPF)/freeze substitution (FS) has long been recognized as the primer technique for the preservation of ultrastructure in biological samples. In most cases a basic HPF/freeze substitution protocol is sufficient to obtain superior ultrastructural preservation and structural contrast, which allows one to use more advanced microscopy techniques such as 3D electron tomography. However, for plant tissues, which have a thick cell wall, large water-filled vacuoles, and air spaces (all of which are detrimental to cryopreservation), these basic HPF/FS protocols often yield undesirable results. In particular, ice crystal artifacts and the staining of membrane systems are often poorly or negatively stained, which make 3D segmentation of a tomogram difficult. To overcome these problems, various aspects of the HPF/FS protocol can be altered, including the cryo-filler(s) used, freeze substitution cocktail, and the resin infiltration process. This chapter will describe these modifications for the preparation of plant tissues for routine electron microscopic studies, immunocytochemistry, and 3D tomographic electron imaging.

Alcohol Brine Freezing of Japanese Horse Mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) for Raw Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Toshimichi; Yuki, Atsuhiko; Sakurai, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Koichiro; Itoh, Nobuo; Inui, Etsuro; Seike, Kazunori; Mizukami, Yoichi; Fukuda, Yutaka; Harada, Kazuki

In order to test the possible application of alcohol brine freezing to Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) for raw consumption, the quality and taste of fish frozen by direct immersion in 60% ethanol brine at -20, -25 and -30°C was compared with those by air freezing and fresh fish without freezing. Cracks were not found during the freezing. Smell of ethanol did not remain. K value, an indicator of freshness, of fish frozen in alcohol brine was less than 8.3%, which was at the same level as those by air freezing and fresh fish. Oxidation of lipid was at the same level as air freezing does, and lower than that of fresh fish. The pH of fish frozen in alcohol brine at -25 and -30°C was 6.5 and 6.6, respectively, which were higher than that by air freezing and that of fresh fish. Fish frozen in alcohol brine was better than that by air and at the same level as fresh fish in total evaluation of sensory tests. These results show that the alcohol brine freezing is superior to air freezing, and fish frozen in alcohol brine can be a material for raw consumption. The methods of thawing in tap water, cold water, refrigerator, and at room temperature were compared. Thawing in tap water is considered to be convenient due to the short thaw time and the quality of thawed fish that was best among the methods.

Maple sap uptake, exudation, and pressure changes correlated with freezing exotherms and thawing endotherms.

PubMed

Tyree, M T

1983-10-01

Sap flow rates and sap pressure changes were measured in dormant sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum Marsh.). In the forest, sap flow rates and pressure changes were measured from tap holes drilled into tree trunks in mature trees and sap flow rates were measured from the base of excised branches. Excised branches were also brought into the laboratory where air temperature could be carefully controlled in a refrigerated box and sap flow rates and sap pressures were measured from the cut base of the branches.Under both forest and laboratory conditions, sap uptake occurred as the wood temperature declined but much more rapid sap uptake correlated with the onset of the freezing exotherm. When sap pressures were measured under conditions of negligible volume displacement, the sap pressure rapidly fell to -60 to -80 kilopascals at the start of the freezing exotherm. The volume of water uptake and the rate of uptake depended on the rate of freezing. A slow freezing rate correlated with a large volume of water uptake, a fast freezing rate induced a smaller volume of water uptake. The volume of water uptake ranged from 0.02 to 0.055 grams water per gram dry weight of sapwood. The volume of water exuded after thawing was usually less than the volume of uptake so that after several freezing and thawing cycles the sapwood water content increased from 0.7 to 0.8 grams water per gram dry weight.These results are discussed in terms of a physical model of the mechanism of maple sap uptake and exudation first proposed by P. E. R. O'Malley. The proposed mechanism of sap uptake is by vapor distillation in air filled wood fiber lumina during the freezing of minor branches. Gravity and pressurized air bubbles (compressed during freezing) cause sap flow from the canopy down the tree after the thaw.

Deposition nucleation viewed as homogeneous or immersion freezing in pores and cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcolli, C.

2013-06-01

, these will condense preferentially in pores before a coating on the surface of the particles is formed. A pore partially filled with condensed species attracts water at lower RHw than an empty pore, but the aqueous solution that forms in the pore will freeze at a higher RHi than pure water. The ice nucleation ability of pores completely filled with condensed organic species might be totally impeded. Pores might also be important for preactivation, the capability of a particle to nucleate ice at lower RHi in subsequent experiments when compared to the first initial ice nucleation event. Preactivation has often been explained by persistence of ice embryos at specific sites like dislocations, steps, kinks or pores. However, it is not clear how such features can preserve an ice embryo at RHi < 100%. Rather, ice embryos could be preserved when embedded in water. To keep liquid water at RHw well below 100%, narrow pores are needed but to avoid a strong melting point depression large pores are favorable. A narrow pore opening and a large inner volume are combined in "ink bottle" pores. Such "ink bottle" pores would be suited to preserve ice at RHi < 100% and can arise e.g. in spaces between aggregated particles.

NIM Realization of the Gallium Triple Point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoke, Yan; Ping, Qiu; Yuning, Duan; Yongmei, Qu

2003-09-01

In the last three years (1999 to 2001), the gallium triple-point cell has been successfully developed, and much corresponding research has been carried out at the National Institute of Metrology (NIM), Beijing, China. This paper presents the cell design, apparatus and procedure for realizing the gallium triple point, and presents studies on the different freezing methods. The reproducibility is 0.03 mK, and the expanded uncertainty of realization of the gallium triple point is evaluated to be 0.17 mK (p=0.99, k=2.9). Also, the reproducibility of the gallium triple point was compared with that of the triple point of water.

Inactivation of Kudoa septempunctata in olive flounder meat by liquid freezing.

PubMed

Ohnishi, Takahiro; Akuzawa, Sayuri; Furusawa, Hiroko; Yoshinari, Tomoya; Kamata, Yoichi; Sugita-Konishi, Yoshiko

2014-01-01

Kudoa septempunctata in olive flounder meat was inactivated using 3 distinct freezing methods：liquid freezing for 5 min, air blast freezing at －30℃ for 5 h, and －80℃ for 1 h. The fracture curve of olive flounder meat subjected to liquid freezing resembled that of meat stored at 4℃, indicating that the structure of olive flounder muscle was well preserved. In contrast, air blast freezing induced the disappearance of the fracture point in the fracture curve, indicating that there was deterioration in the meat quality. Liquid freezing preserved the transparency of olive flounder meat to the same degree as that of meat stored at 4°C. However, air blast freezing induced meat cloudiness. These results indicate that liquid freezing can be used for K. septempunctata inactivation without affecting the meat quality.

The physico-chemical basis for the freeze-drying process.

PubMed

MacKenzie, A P

1976-10-01

To the extent that the final form and quality of a freeze-dried product depends on the way the freeze-drying is conducted, an understanding of the many factors involved is most important. The numerous effects of the design and mode of operation of the freeze-drying equipment on the course of the process need to be known, as do the properties intrinsic to the material to be freeze-dried. Much can be learned and predicted from the study of the "supplemented phase diagram", a series of experimental plots describing the equilibrium and the non-equilibrium phase behavior of the system in question. Such diagrams map and distinguish eutectic and amorphous phase behavior. Further information is available from gravimetric studies allowing the construction of "desorption isotherms", the plots describing the loss of sorbed water accompanying the sublimation of ice, frequently termed "secondary drying". These plots relate the water retained by the product to the "water activity", or relative humidity at different temperatures. Observations in the freeze-drying microscope contribute additional information, in that they reveal the actual course of the process at the microscopic level. These and other laboratory findings facilitate the analysis and comparison of pilot-plant and commercical scale processing experiences. Where scientific and engineering factors appear to interrelate, the nature and extent of the interdependence can often be determined.

Potential implications for expansion of freeze-tolerant eucalyptus plantations on water resources in the southern United States

Treesearch

James M. Vose; Chelcy F. Miniat; Ge Sun; Peter V. Caldwell

2014-01-01

The potential expansion of freeze-tolerant (FT) Eucalyptus plantations in the United States has raised concerns about the implications for water resources. Modeling was used to examine the potential effects of expanding the distribution of FT Eucalyptus plantations in US Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8b and...

Disaggregating meteorites by automated freeze thaw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, Christopher R. J.

2011-06-01

An automated freeze-thaw (AFT) instrument for disaggregating meteorites is described. Meteorite samples are immersed in 18.2 MΩ water and hermetically sealed in a clean 30 ml Teflon vial. This vial and its contents are dipped between baths of liquid nitrogen and hot water over a number of cycles by a dual-stepper motor system controlled by LabView. Uniform and periodic intervals of freezing and thawing induce multiple expansions and contractions, such that cracks propagate along natural flaws in the meteorite for a sufficient number of AFT cycles. For the CR2 chondrite NWA801, the boundaries between different phases (i.e., silicates, metal, matrix) became progressively weaker and allowed for an efficient recovery of 500 individual chondrules and chondrule fragments spanning 0.2-4.7 mm diameters after 243 AFT cycles over 103.3 h. Further FT experiments on a basalt analog showed that the time required for freezing and thawing the same number of cycles can be reduced by a factor of ˜4.

Embolism Formation during Freezing in the Wood of Picea abies1

PubMed Central

Mayr, Stefan; Cochard, Hervé; Améglio, Thierry; Kikuta, Silvia B.

2007-01-01

Freeze-thaw events can cause embolism in plant xylem. According to classical theory, gas bubbles are formed during freezing and expand during thawing. Conifers have proved to be very resistant to freeze-thaw induced embolism, because bubbles in tracheids are small and redissolve during thawing. In contrast, increasing embolism rates upon consecutive freeze-thaw events were observed that cannot be explained by the classical mechanism. In this study, embolism formation during freeze-thaw events was analyzed via ultrasonic and Cryo-scanning electron microscope techniques. Twigs of Picea abies L. Karst. were subjected to up to 120 freeze-thaw cycles during which ultrasonic acoustic emissions, xylem temperature, and diameter variations were registered. In addition, the extent and cross-sectional pattern of embolism were analyzed with staining experiments and Cryo-scanning electron microscope observations. Embolism increased with the number of freeze-thaw events in twigs previously dehydrated to a water potential of −2.8 MPa. In these twigs, acoustic emissions were registered, while saturated twigs showed low, and totally dehydrated twigs showed no, acoustic activity. Acoustic emissions were detected only during the freezing process. This means that embolism was formed during freezing, which is in contradiction to the classical theory of freeze-thaw induced embolism. The clustered pattern of embolized tracheids in cross sections indicates that air spread from a dysfunctional tracheid to adjacent functional ones. We hypothesize that the low water potential of the growing ice front led to a decrease of the potential in nearby tracheids. This may result in freezing-induced air seeding. PMID:17041033

Impact behaviour of freeze-dried and fresh pomelo (Citrus maxima) peel: influence of the hydration state

PubMed Central

Thielen, Marc; Speck, Thomas; Seidel, Robin

2015-01-01

Pomelos (Citrus maxima) are known for their thick peel which—inter alia—serves as energy dissipator when fruits impact on the ground after being shed. It protects the fruit from splitting open and thus enables the contained seeds to stay germinable and to potentially be dispersed by animal vectors. The main part of the peel consists of a parenchymatous tissue that can be interpreted from a materials point of view as open pored foam whose struts are pressurized and filled with liquid. In order to investigate the influence of the water content on the energy dissipation capacity, drop weight tests were conducted with fresh and with freeze-dried peel samples. Based on the coefficient of restitution it was found that freeze-drying markedly reduces the relative energy dissipation capacity of the peel. Measuring the transmitted force during impact furthermore indicated a transition from a uniform collapse of the foam-like tissue to a progressive collapse due to water extraction. Representing the peel by a Maxwell model illustrates that freeze-drying not only drastically reduces the damping function of the dashpots but also stiffens the springs of the model. PMID:26543566

Freeze core sampling to validate time-lapse resistivity monitoring of the hyporheic zone.

PubMed

Toran, Laura; Hughes, Brian; Nyquist, Jonathan; Ryan, Robert

2013-01-01

A freeze core sampler was used to characterize hyporheic zone storage during a stream tracer test. The pore water from the frozen core showed tracer lingered in the hyporheic zone after the tracer had returned to background concentration in collocated well samples. These results confirmed evidence of lingering subsurface tracer seen in time-lapse electrical resistivity tomographs. The pore water exhibited brine exclusion (ion concentrations in ice lower than source water) in a sediment matrix, despite the fast freezing time. Although freeze core sampling provided qualitative evidence of lingering tracer, it proved difficult to quantify tracer concentration because the amount of brine exclusion during freezing could not be accurately determined. Nonetheless, the additional evidence for lingering tracer supports using time-lapse resistivity to detect regions of low fluid mobility within the hyporheic zone that can act as chemically reactive zones of importance in stream health. © 2012, The Author(s). GroundWater © 2012, National Ground Water Association.

Protein crowding in solution, frozen and freeze-dried states: small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering study of lysozyme/sorbitol/water systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krueger, Susan; Khodadadi, Sheila; Clark, Nicholas; McAuley, Arnold; Cristiglio, Viviana; Theyencheri, Narayanan; Curtis, Joseph; Shalaev, Evgenyi

2015-03-01

For effective preservation, proteins are often stored as frozen solutions or in glassy states using a freeze-drying process. However, aggregation is often observed after freeze-thaw or reconstitution of freeze-dried powder and the stability of the protein is no longer assured. In this study, small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) have been used to investigate changes in protein-protein interaction distances of a model protein/cryoprotectant system of lysozyme/sorbitol/water, under representative pharmaceutical processing conditions. The results demonstrate the utility of SAXS and SANS methods to monitor protein crowding at different stages of freezing and drying. The SANS measurements of solution samples showed at least one protein interaction peak corresponding to an interaction distance of ~ 90 Å. In the frozen state, two protein interaction peaks were observed by SANS with corresponding interaction distances at 40 Å as well as 90 Å. On the other hand, both SAXS and SANS data for freeze-dried samples showed three peaks, suggesting interaction distances ranging from ~ 15 Å to 170 Å. Possible interpretations of these interaction peaks will be discussed, as well as the role of sorbitol as a cryoprotectant during the freezing and drying process.

A coupled melt-freeze temperature index approach in a one-layer model to predict bulk volumetric liquid water content dynamics in snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avanzi, Francesco; Yamaguchi, Satoru; Hirashima, Hiroyuki; De Michele, Carlo

2016-04-01

Liquid water in snow rules runoff dynamics and wet snow avalanches release. Moreover, it affects snow viscosity and snow albedo. As a result, measuring and modeling liquid water dynamics in snow have important implications for many scientific applications. However, measurements are usually challenging, while modeling is difficult due to an overlap of mechanical, thermal and hydraulic processes. Here, we evaluate the use of a simple one-layer one-dimensional model to predict hourly time-series of bulk volumetric liquid water content in seasonal snow. The model considers both a simple temperature-index approach (melt only) and a coupled melt-freeze temperature-index approach that is able to reconstruct melt-freeze dynamics. Performance of this approach is evaluated at three sites in Japan. These sites (Nagaoka, Shinjo and Sapporo) present multi-year time-series of snow and meteorological data, vertical profiles of snow physical properties and snow melt lysimeters data. These data-sets are an interesting opportunity to test this application in different climatic conditions, as sites span a wide latitudinal range and are subjected to different snow conditions during the season. When melt-freeze dynamics are included in the model, results show that median absolute differences between observations and predictions of bulk volumetric liquid water content are consistently lower than 1 vol%. Moreover, the model is able to predict an observed dry condition of the snowpack in 80% of observed cases at a non-calibration site, where parameters from calibration sites are transferred. Overall, the analysis show that a coupled melt-freeze temperature-index approach may be a valid solution to predict average wetness conditions of a snow cover at local scale.

The effect of water-soluble polymers on the microstructure and properties of freeze-cast alumina ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekor, Christopher Michael

Porous ceramics can be divided into three separate classes based on their pore size: microporous ceramics with pores less than 2 nm, mesoporous ceramics with pores in the range of 2--50 nm and macroporous ceramics with pores that are greater than 50 nm. In particular, macroporous ceramics are used in a variety of applications such as refractories, molten metal filtration, diesel particulate filters, heterogeneous catalyst supports and biomedical scaffolds. Freeze casting is a novel method used to create macroporous ceramics. In this method growing ice crystals act as a template for the pores and are solidified, often directionally, through a ceramic dispersion and removed from the green body through a freeze drying procedure. This method has attracted some attention over the past few years due to its relative simplicity, flexibility and environmental friendliness. On top of this freeze casting is capable of producing materials with high pore volume fractions, which is an advantage over processing by packing and necking of particles, where the pore volume fraction is typically less than 50%. Many of the basic processing variables that affect the freeze cast microstructure, such as the temperature gradient, interfacial velocity and solid loading of the dispersion have been well established in the literature. On the other hand, areas such as the effect of additives on the microstructure and mechanical properties have not been covered in great detail. In this study the concept of constitutional supercooling from basic solidification theory is used to explain the effects of two water-soluble polymers, polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol, on the microstructure of freeze cast alumina ceramics. In addition, changes in the observed microstructure will be related to experimentally determined values of permeability and compressive strength.

Theory of freezing in simple systems

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

Cerjan, C.; Bagchi, B.

The transition parameters for the freezing of two one-component liquids into crystalline solids are evaluated by two theoretical approaches. The first system considered is liquid sodium which crystallizes into a body-centered-cubic (bcc) lattice; the second system is the freezing of adhesive hard spheres into a face-centered-cubic (fcc) lattice. Two related theoretical techniques are used in this evaluation: One is based upon a recently developed bifurcation analysis; the other is based upon the theory of freezing developed by Ramakrishnan and Yussouff. For liquid sodium, where experimental information is available, the predictions of the two theories agree well with experiment and eachmore » other. The adhesive-hard-sphere system, which displays a triple point and can be used to fit some liquids accurately, shows a temperature dependence of the freezing parameters which is similar to Lennard-Jones systems. At very low temperature, the fractional density change on freezing shows a dramatic increase as a function of temperature indicating the importance of all the contributions due to the triplet direction correlation function. Also, we consider the freezing of a one-component liquid into a simple-cubic (sc) lattice by bifurcation analysis and show that this transition is highly unfavorable, independent of interatomic potential choice. The bifurcation diagrams for the three lattices considered are compared and found to be strikingly different. Finally, a new stability analysis of the bifurcation diagrams is presented.« less

Fundamentals of freeze-drying.

PubMed

Nail, Steven L; Jiang, Shan; Chongprasert, Suchart; Knopp, Shawn A

2002-01-01

--the dominant mechanism of heat transfer in freeze-drying--is inefficient at the pressures used in freeze-drying. Steps should be taken to improve the thermal contact between the product and the shelf of the freeze dryer, such as eliminating metal trays from the drying process. Quantitation of the heat transfer coefficient for the geometry used is a useful way of assessing the impact of changes in the system such as elimination of product trays and changes in the vial. Because heat transfer by conduction through the vapor increases with increasing pressure, the commonly held point of view that "the lower the pressure, the better" is not true with respect to process efficiency. The optimum pressure for a given product is a function of the temperature at which freeze-drying is carried out, and lower pressures are needed at low product temperatures. The controlling resistance to mass transfer is almost always the resistance of the partially dried solids above the submination interface. This resistance can be minimized by avoiding fill volumes of more than about half the volume of the container. The development scientist should also recognize that very high concentrations of solute may not be appropriate for optimum freeze-drying, particularly if the resistance of the dried product layer increases sharply with concentration. Although the last 10 years has seen the publication of a significant body of literature of great value in allowing development scientists and engineers to "work smarter," there is still much work needed in both the science and the technology of freeze-drying. Scientific development is needed for improving analytical methodology for characterization of frozen systems and freeze-dried solids. A better understanding of the relationship between molecular mobility and reactivity is needed to allow accurate prediction of product stability at the intended storage temperature based on accelerated stability at higher temperatures. This requires that the temperature

A new approach for freezing of aqueous solutions under active control of the nucleation temperature.

PubMed

Petersen, Ansgar; Schneider, Hendrik; Rau, Guenter; Glasmacher, Birgit

2006-10-01

An experimental setup for controlled freezing of aqueous solutions is introduced. The special feature is a mechanism to actively control the nucleation temperature via electrofreezing: an ice nucleus generated at a platinum electrode by the application of an electric high voltage pulse initiates the crystallization of the sample. Using electrofreezing, the nucleation temperature in pure water can be precisely adjusted to a desired value over the whole temperature range between a maximum temperature Tn(max) close to the melting point and the temperature of spontaneous nucleation. However, the presence of additives can inhibit the nucleus formation. The influence of hydroxyethylstarch (HES), glucose, glycerol, additives commonly used in cryobiology, and NaCl on Tn(max) were investigated. While the decrease showed to be moderate for the non-ionic additives, the hindrance of nucleation by ionic NaCl makes the direct application of electrofreezing in solutions with physiological salt concentrations impossible. Therefore, in the multi-sample freezing device presented in this paper, the ice nucleus is produced in a separate volume of pure water inside an electrode cap. This way, the nucleus formation becomes independent of the sample composition. Using electrofreezing rather than conventional seeding methods allows automated freezing of many samples under equal conditions. Experiments performed with model solutions show the reliability and repeatability of this method to start crystallization in the test samples at different specified temperatures. The setup was designed to freeze samples of small volume for basic investigations in the field of cryopreservation and freeze-drying, but the mode of operation might be interesting for many other applications where a controlled nucleation of aqueous solutions is of importance.

Experimental analysis and modeling of ultrasound assisted freezing of potato spheres.

PubMed

Kiani, Hossein; Zhang, Zhihang; Sun, Da-Wen

2015-09-01

In recent years, innovative methods such as ultrasound assisted freezing have been developed in order to improve the freezing process. During freezing of foods, accurate prediction of the temperature distribution, phase ratios, and process time is very important. In the present study, ultrasound assisted immersion freezing process (in 1:1 ethylene glycol-water solution at 253.15K) of potato spheres (0.02 m diameter) was evaluated using experimental, numerical and analytical approaches. Ultrasound (25 kHz, 890 W m(-2)) was irradiated for different duty cycles (DCs=0-100%). A finite volume based enthalpy method was used in the numerical model, based on which temperature and liquid fraction profiles were simulated by a program developed using OpenFOAM® CFD software. An analytical technique was also employed to calculate freezing times. The results showed that ultrasound irradiation could decrease the characteristic freezing time of potatoes. Since ultrasound irradiation increased the heat transfer coefficient but simultaneously generated heat at the surface of the samples, an optimum DC was needed for the shortest freezing time which occurred in the range of 30-70% DC. DCs higher than 70% increased the freezing time. DCs lower than 30% did not provide significant effects on the freezing time compared to the control sample. The numerical model predicted the characteristic freezing time in accordance with the experimental results. In addition, analytical calculation of characteristic freezing time exhibited qualitative agreement with the experimental results. As the numerical simulations provided profiles of temperature and water fraction within potatoes frozen with or without ultrasound, the models can be used to study and control different operation situations, and to improve the understanding of the freezing process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Did Water Leave Its Mark on Mars?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Secosky, James J.

1989-01-01

Discusses the missing water on Mars. Describes five experiments simulating conditions on Mars: (1) behavior of dry ice; (2) low-pressure vacuum; (3) freezing point depression; (4) water in hydrated minerals and clay; and (5) properties of carbon dioxide. (YP)

Freezing avoidance by supercooling in Olea europaea cultivars: the role of apoplastic water, solute content and cell wall rigidity.

PubMed

Arias, Nadia S; Bucci, Sandra J; Scholz, Fabian G; Goldstein, Guillermo

2015-10-01

Plants can avoid freezing damage by preventing extracellular ice formation below the equilibrium freezing temperature (supercooling). We used Olea europaea cultivars to assess which traits contribute to avoid ice nucleation at sub-zero temperatures. Seasonal leaf water relations, non-structural carbohydrates, nitrogen and tissue damage and ice nucleation temperatures in different plant parts were determined in five cultivars growing in the Patagonian cold desert. Ice seeding in roots occurred at higher temperatures than in stems and leaves. Leaves of cold acclimated cultivars supercooled down to -13 °C, substantially lower than the minimum air temperatures observed in the study site. During winter, leaf ice nucleation and leaf freezing damage (LT50 ) occurred at similar temperatures, typical of plant tissues that supercool. Higher leaf density and cell wall rigidity were observed during winter, consistent with a substantial acclimation to sub-zero temperatures. Larger supercooling capacity and lower LT50 were observed in cold-acclimated cultivars with higher osmotically active solute content, higher tissue elastic adjustments and lower apoplastic water. Irreversible leaf damage was only observed in laboratory experiments at very low temperatures, but not in the field. A comparative analysis of closely related plants avoids phylogenetic independence bias in a comparative study of adaptations to survive low temperatures. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Control of crystal growth in water purification by directional freeze crystallization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conlon, William M. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A Directional Freeze Crystallization system employs an indirect contact heat exchanger to freeze a fraction of liquid to be purified. The unfrozen fraction is drained away and the purified frozen fraction is melted. The heat exchanger must be designed in accordance with a Growth Habit Index to achieve efficient separation of contaminants. If gases are dissolved in the liquid, the system must be pressurized.

Destabilization of mayonnaise induced by lipid crystallization upon freezing.

PubMed

Miyagawa, Yayoi; Ogawa, Takenobu; Nakagawa, Kyuya; Adachi, Shuji

2016-01-01

The thermal and rheological history of mayonnaise during freezing and its dispersion stability after the freeze-thaw process were investigated. Mayonnaise was cooled to freeze and stored at -20 to -40 °C while monitoring the temperature; penetration tests were conducted on the mayonnaise, which was sampled at selected times during isothermal storage at -20 °C. Significant increases in the temperature and stress values due to water-phase crystallization and subsequent oil-phase crystallization were observed. The water phase crystallized during the cooling step in all the tested mayonnaise samples. The oil phases of the prepared mayonnaise (with rapeseed oil) and commercial mayonnaise crystallized during isothermal storage after 6 and 4 h, respectively, at -20 °C. The dispersion stability was evaluated from the separation ratio, which was defined as the weight ratio of separated oil after centrifuging to the total amount of oil in the commercial mayonnaise. The separation ratio rapidly increased after 4 h of freezing. This result suggests that crystallization of the oil phase is strongly related to the dispersion stability of mayonnaise.

Molecular biology of freezing tolerance.

PubMed

Storey, Kenneth B; Storey, Janet M

2013-07-01

Winter survival for many kinds of animals involves freeze tolerance, the ability to endure the conversion of about 65% of total body water into extracellular ice and the consequences that freezing imposes including interruption of vital processes (e.g., heartbeat and breathing), cell shrinkage, elevated osmolality, anoxia/ischemia, and potential physical damage from ice. Freeze-tolerant animals include various terrestrially hibernating amphibians and reptiles, many species of insects, and numerous other invertebrates inhabiting both terrestrial and intertidal environments. Well-known strategies of freezing survival include accumulation of low molecular mass carbohydrate cryoprotectants (e.g., glycerol), use of ice nucleating agents/proteins for controlled triggering of ice growth and of antifreeze proteins that inhibit ice recrystallization, and good tolerance of anoxia and dehydration. The present article focuses on more recent advances in our knowledge of the genes and proteins that support freeze tolerance and the metabolic regulatory mechanisms involved. Important roles have been identified for aquaporins and transmembrane channels that move cryoprotectants, heat shock proteins and other chaperones, antioxidant defenses, and metabolic rate depression. Genome and proteome screening has revealed many new potential targets that respond to freezing, in particular implicating cytoskeleton remodeling as a necessary facet of low temperature and/or cell volume adaptation. Key regulatory mechanisms include reversible phosphorylation control of metabolic enzymes and microRNA control of gene transcript expression. These help to remodel metabolism to preserve core functions while suppressing energy expensive metabolic activities such as the cell cycle. All of these advances are providing a much more complete picture of life in the frozen state. © 2013 American Physiological Society.

Effects of Pressure-shift Freezing on the Structural and Physical Properties of Gelatin Hydrogel Matrices

PubMed Central

Kim, Byeongsoo; Gil, Hyung Bae; Min, Sang-Gi; Lee, Si-Kyung; Choi, Mi-Jung

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effects of the gelatin concentration (10-40%, w/v), freezing temperatures (from -20℃ to -50℃) and freezing methods on the structural and physical properties of gelatin matrices. To freeze gelatin, the pressure-shift freezing (PSF) is being applied at 0.1 (under atmospheric control), 50 and 100 MPa, respectively. The freezing point of gelatin solutions decrease with increasing gelatin concentrations, from -0.2℃ (10% gelatin) to -6.7℃ (40% gelatin), while the extent of supercooling did not show any specific trends. The rheological properties of the gelatin indicate that both the storage (G') and loss (G") moduli were steady in the strain amplitude range of 0.1-10%. To characterize gelatin matrices formed by the various freezing methods, the ice crystal sizes which were being determined by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are affected by the gelatin concentrations. The ice crystal sizes are affected by gelatin concentrations and freezing temperature, while the size distributions of ice crystals depend on the freezing methods. Smaller ice crystals are being formed with PSF rather than under the atmospheric control where the freezing temperature is above -40℃. Thus, the results of this study indicate that the PSF processing at a very low freezing temperature (-50℃) offers a potential advantage over commercial atmospheric freezing points for the formation of small ice crystals. PMID:26760743

Effect of moisture content on the invertase activity of freeze-dried S. cerevisiae.

PubMed

Pitombo, R N; Spring, C; Passos, R F; Tonato, M; Vitolo, M

1994-08-01

The invertase activity of intact Saccharomyces cerevisiae submitted to freezing-thawing was affected by pH, the chemical nature of the buffer, and the freezing cooling rate (CR), leading in some cases to a complete invertase inactivation (acetate buffer, pH 4.0, CR = 0.5 degree C/min). Once established under adequate freezing conditions the invertase activity remained unchanged after freeze-drying. Nevertheless, in some cases the cell-growing capability after freeze-drying diminished around 70%, mainly if the frozen cell suspension was attained through freezing carried out at CR = 0.5 degree C/min. Water sorption isotherms of freeze-dried samples (freeze-dryer Edwards L-4KR; 30 degrees C and 0.1 mB) were determined at 10 and 25 degrees C. The monolayer moisture content (MMC) at each temperature (12.7 and 3.71 for 10 and 25 degrees C, respectively) was calculated from isotherms by applying BET and GAB models. Freeze-dried yeast with water activity (Aw) between 0 and 0.33 (about the MMC value) maintained at 25 degrees C for 235 days and at 89 degrees C for 15 min retained at least 85% of its original invertase activity (IA), whereas samples with Aw > MMC lost at least 60% of its IA. X ray diffraction showed that the freeze-dried cake before and after storage presented an amorphous structure.

Maple Sap Uptake, Exudation, and Pressure Changes Correlated with Freezing Exotherms and Thawing Endotherms 1

PubMed Central

Tyree, Melvin T.

1983-01-01

Sap flow rates and sap pressure changes were measured in dormant sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum Marsh.). In the forest, sap flow rates and pressure changes were measured from tap holes drilled into tree trunks in mature trees and sap flow rates were measured from the base of excised branches. Excised branches were also brought into the laboratory where air temperature could be carefully controlled in a refrigerated box and sap flow rates and sap pressures were measured from the cut base of the branches. Under both forest and laboratory conditions, sap uptake occurred as the wood temperature declined but much more rapid sap uptake correlated with the onset of the freezing exotherm. When sap pressures were measured under conditions of negligible volume displacement, the sap pressure rapidly fell to −60 to −80 kilopascals at the start of the freezing exotherm. The volume of water uptake and the rate of uptake depended on the rate of freezing. A slow freezing rate correlated with a large volume of water uptake, a fast freezing rate induced a smaller volume of water uptake. The volume of water uptake ranged from 0.02 to 0.055 grams water per gram dry weight of sapwood. The volume of water exuded after thawing was usually less than the volume of uptake so that after several freezing and thawing cycles the sapwood water content increased from 0.7 to 0.8 grams water per gram dry weight. These results are discussed in terms of a physical model of the mechanism of maple sap uptake and exudation first proposed by P. E. R. O'Malley. The proposed mechanism of sap uptake is by vapor distillation in air filled wood fiber lumina during the freezing of minor branches. Gravity and pressurized air bubbles (compressed during freezing) cause sap flow from the canopy down the tree after the thaw. PMID:16663208

Freezing and thawing or freezing, thawing, and aging effects on beef tenderness.

PubMed

Grayson, A L; King, D A; Shackelford, S D; Koohmaraie, M; Wheeler, T L

2014-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of freezing and thawing or freezing and thawing with an additional aging period after frozen storage on the tenderness of longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (ST) steaks relative to aged, fresh steaks. Left-side LL and ST (n = 35 each) were obtained from U.S. Select carcasses classified at the grading stand by the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center visible and near-infrared spectroscopy tenderness system to have predicted slice shear force greater than 16.5 kg at 14 d postmortem. At 2 d postmortem, 2.54 cm thick steaks were cut from each muscle and assigned to 1 of the following treatments: 2 d fresh (2FRESH), 2 d freeze + thaw (2FREEZE), 2 d freeze + thaw + 12 d age (2FREEZE+12AGE), 14 d fresh (14FRESH), 14 d freeze + thaw (14FREEZE), 14 d freeze + thaw + 14 d age (14FREEZE+14AGE), and 28 d fresh (28FRESH). Steaks assigned to a freezing treatment were frozen at -26°C for 30 d before thawing/cooking or thawing with an additional aging period at 2°C. Slice shear force for LL and ST was lower (P < 0.01) for 2FREEZE (27.4 and 24.5 kg) and 14FREEZE (22.4 and 22.4 kg) compared to 2FRESH (33.0 and 29.2 kg) and 14FRESH (25.3 and 25.5 kg), respectively. Slice shear force for LL and ST was lower (P < 0.01) for 2FREEZE+12AGE (17.8 and 20.8 kg) and 14FREEZE+14AGE (14.6 and 19.0 kg) compared to 14FRESH (25.3 and 25.5 kg) and 28FRESH (18.7 and 21.7 kg), respectively. Desmin degradation for LL was not different (P > 0.05) between 2FREEZE (21.0%) and 2FRESH (14.6%) or between 14FREEZE (40.4%) and 14FRESH (38.4%); however, desmin degradation was higher (P < 0.06) in 2FREEZE+12AGE (46.7%) and 14FREEZE+14AGE (71.1%) when compared to 14FRESH (38.4%) and 28FRESH (60.5%), respectively. Cooking loss for LL was higher (P < 0.01) in 2FREEZE+12AGE (15.2%) compared to 14FRESH (14.0%) but was not different (P > 0.05) between 14FREEZE+14AGE (15.0%) and 28FRESH (14.3%). Freezing and thawing or a combination of freezing, thawing

Microbial analysis and survey test of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried fruits for patient's food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae-Nam; Sung, Nak-Yun; Byun, Eui-Hong; Byun, Eui-Baek; Song, Beom-Seok; Kim, Jae-Hun; Lee, Kyung-A.; Son, Eun-Joo; Lyu, Eun-Soon

2015-06-01

This study examined the microbiological and organoleptic qualities of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, pears, strawberries, pineapples, and grapes, and evaluated the organoleptic acceptability of the sterilized freeze-dried fruits for hospitalized patients. The freeze-dried fruits were gamma-irradiated at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, and 15 kGy, and their quality was evaluated. Microorganisms were not detected in apples after 1 kGy, in strawberries and pears after 4 kGy, in pineapples after 5 kGy, and in grapes after 12 kGy of gamma irradiation. The overall acceptance score, of the irradiated freeze-dried fruits on a 7-point scale at the sterilization doses was 5.5, 4.2, 4.0, 4.1, and 5.1 points for apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The sensory survey of the hospitalized cancer patients (N=102) resulted in scores of 3.8, 3.7, 3.9, 3.9, and 3.7 on a 5-point scale for the gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The results suggest that freeze-dried fruits can be sterilized with a dose of 5 kGy, except for grapes, which require a dose of 12 kGy, and that the organoleptic quality of the fruits is acceptable to immuno-compromised patients. However, to clarify the microbiological quality and safety of freeze-dried fruits should be verified by plating for both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.

Monitoring of Freezing Dynamics in Trees: A Simple Phase Shift Causes Complexity1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Charra-Vaskou, Katline

2017-01-01

During winter, trees have to cope with harsh conditions, including extreme freeze-thaw stress. This study focused on ice nucleation and propagation, related water shifts and xylem cavitation, as well as cell damage and was based on in situ monitoring of xylem (thermocouples) and surface temperatures (infrared imaging), ultrasonic emissions, and dendrometer analysis. Field experiments during late winter on Picea abies growing at the alpine timberline revealed three distinct freezing patterns: (1) from the top of the tree toward the base, (2) from thin branches toward the main stem’s top and base, and (3) from the base toward the top. Infrared imaging showed freezing within branches from their base toward distal parts. Such complex freezing causes dynamic and heterogenous patterns in water potential and probably in cavitation. This study highlights the interaction between environmental conditions upon freezing and thawing and demonstrates the enormous complexity of freezing processes in trees. Diameter shrinkage, which indicated water fluxes within the stem, and acoustic emission analysis, which indicated cavitation events near the ice front upon freezing, were both related to minimum temperature and, upon thawing, related to vapor pressure deficit and soil temperature. These complex patterns, emphasizing the common mechanisms between frost and drought stress, shed new light on winter tree physiology. PMID:28242655

Effect of Latent Heat Released by Freezing Droplets during Frost Wave Propagation.

PubMed

Chavan, Shreyas; Park, Deokgeun; Singla, Nitish; Sokalski, Peter; Boyina, Kalyan; Miljkovic, Nenad

2018-05-21

Frost spreads on nonwetting surfaces during condensation frosting via an interdroplet frost wave. When a supercooled condensate water droplet freezes on a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surface, neighboring droplets still in the liquid phase begin to evaporate. Two possible mechanisms govern the evaporation of neighboring water droplets: (1) The difference in saturation pressure of the water vapor surrounding the liquid and frozen droplets induces a vapor pressure gradient, and (2) the latent heat released by freezing droplets locally heats the substrate, leading to evaporation of nearby droplets. The relative significance of these two mechanisms is still not understood. Here, we study the significance of the latent heat released into the substrate by freezing droplets, and its effect on adjacent droplet evaporation, by studying the dynamics of individual water droplet freezing on aluminum-, copper-, and glass-based hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces. The latent heat flux released into the substrate was calculated from the measured droplet sizes and the respective freezing times ( t f ), defined as the time from initial ice nucleation within the droplet to complete droplet freezing. To probe the effect of latent heat release, we performed three-dimensional transient finite element simulations showing that the transfer of latent heat to neighboring droplets is insignificant and accounts for a negligible fraction of evaporation during microscale frost wave propagation. Furthermore, we studied the effect of substrate thermal conductivity on the transfer of latent heat transfer to neighboring droplets by investigating the velocity of ice bridge formation. The velocity of the ice bridge was independent of the substrate thermal conductivity, indicating that adjacent droplet evaporation during condensation frosting is governed solely by vapor pressure gradients. This study not only provides key insights into the individual droplet freezing process but also

Freezing Bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingett, Christian; Ahmadi, Farzad; Nath, Saurabh; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

The two-stage freezing process of a liquid droplet on a substrate is well known; however, how bubbles freeze has not yet been studied. We first deposited bubbles on a silicon substrate that was chilled at temperatures ranging from -10 °C to -40 °C, while the air was at room temperature. We observed that the freeze front moved very slowly up the bubble, and in some cases, even came to a complete halt at a critical height. This slow freezing front propagation can be explained by the low thermal conductivity of the thin soap film, and can be observed more clearly when the bubble size or the surface temperature is increased. This delayed freezing allows the frozen portion of the bubble to cool the air within the bubble while the top part is still liquid, which induces a vapor pressure mismatch that either collapses the top or causes the top to pop. In cases where the freeze front reaches the top of the bubble, a portion of the top may melt and slowly refreeze; this can happen more than just once for a single bubble. We also investigated freezing bubbles inside of a freezer where the air was held at -20 °C. In this case, the bubbles freeze quickly and the ice grows radially from nucleation sites instead of perpendicular to the surface, which provides a clear contrast with the conduction limited room temperature bubbles.

The 2008 South China Freeze and its Impact on the Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, B.; Ai, C.; Wang, Y.; Li, Z.; Cao, Y.; Wang, X.

2008-12-01

An unprecedented calamity caused by snow and freezing rain occurred in South China in 2008. This freeze was closely related to the La Nina phenomenon according to a report from the World Meteorological Organization. The freeze stroke 19 provinces in China, and damaged forests of 19.33 million ha with a standing volume loss of 371 million m3. It is estimated that the direct economic loss in the form of destroyed forests is over $8 billion. The indirect loss in the form of impaired ecological functions, such as water and soil conservation, water resources conservancy, biodiversity and forest carbon pool etc is enormous. The calamity of snow and freezing rain affected the structure and function of forest ecosystems. The snow load and freezing rain caused mechanical damage to the trees, with the species of Pinus massoniana, Cunninghamia lanceolata, Pinus elliottii and Phyllostachys pubescens etc. being the most seriously affected. The cold weather could also cause the physiological hurt to the trees. The change of the biotic components leads to the change of abiotic components in the ecosystems. The sunlight under the canopy was intensified due to the opening up of the canopy. The air temperature in the forest, the nutrient and microorganism in soil, the litterfall dynamic were also affected. The alteration of the forest ecosystem structure brought in the alteration of its functions. The damage of the ecosystem structure weakened the capacity of the water and soil conservation, water resources conservancy and reduced the biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Forest gaps allow more sunlight into the freeze-damaged ecosystem, inducing the invasion of more masculine species. The direction and progress of the community succession was therefore altered. At the same time, the freeze made a great impact on the stability and health of the forest ecosystem, increasing the potential risk of outbreak of forest fire and plant diseases/insect pests. Some suggestions on the rebuilding

Facile preparation of silver nanoparticle decorated chitosan cryogels for point-of-use water disinfection.

PubMed

Fan, Meikun; Gong, Lin; Huang, Yuting; Wang, Dongmei; Gong, Zhengjun

2018-02-01

In this study, silver nanoparticle decorated chitosan (CS/Ag NP) cryogels were fabricated through a simple freeze-drying process for point-of-use (POU) water disinfection. The CS/Ag NP cryogels showed high porosity, good mechanical properties, an excellent water absorption capability, and most importantly, an efficient bactericidal feature. The absorption capacity for water was found to be 47g/g, approximately 90% of which was recovered by simple squeezing. Three different sizes of Ag NPs were compared regarding their bactericidal capability against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). Under optimum conditions, a 3 log reduction of bacteria was observed by holding the bacteria suspension (10 8 colony forming units (cfu)/mL) in the cryogels for 5min. Reduction was further increased to a 4 log when the contact time was doubled. The silver content in the cryogels was found to only be 7.5mg/g. Furthermore, the total Ag in processed water was found to only be 22μg/L, half of the safety limit set by China (<50μg/L). The bactericidal effectiveness of the material for real surface water samples was also demonstrated by treating water samples with different water quality matrices, including lake water and sewage water samples. In all three treated lake water samples, both the total bacteria and E. coli met the regulations for drinking water in China (<100cfu/mL for total bacteria and negative for E. coli). CS/Ag NP cryogels can be used for drinking water disinfection during disaster relief and in contingency water supply applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A New Freezing Method Using Pre-Dehydration by Microwave-Vacuum Drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuruta, Takaharu; Hamidi, Nurkholis

Partial dehydration by microwave-vacuum drying has been applied to tuna and strawberry in order to reduce cell-damages caused by the formation of large ice-crystals during freezing. The samples were subjected to microwave vacuum drying at pressure of 5 kPa and temperature less than 27°C to remove small amount of water prior to freezing. The tuna were cooled by using the freezing chamber at temperature -50°C or -150°C, while the strawberries were frozen at temperature -30°C or -80°C, respectively. The temperature transients in tuna showed that removing some water before freezing made the freezing time shorter. The observations of ice crystal clearly indicated that rapid cooling and pre-dehydration prior to freezing were effective in minimizing the size of ice crystal. It is also understood that the formation of large ice crystals has a close relation to the cell damages. After thawing, the observation of microstructure was done on the tuna and strawberry halves. The pre-dehydrated samples showed a better structure than the un-dehydrated one. It is concluded that the pre-dehydration by microwave-vacuum drying is one promising method for the cryo-preservation of foods.

Resilience of Floating Treatment Wetlands to Repeated Freeze-Thaw Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, K.; Marchetto, P.; Magner, J.

2017-12-01

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs), made of a matrix of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, are currently being used as a method to reduce nutrient loading in lakes. The matrix encourages growth of biofilms, which uptake nutrients from the water. However, the usefulness of FTWs has only been assessed in areas where the lakes do not freeze over in the winter. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles were run on sections of the FTWs in a laboratory setting in order to test the resilience of the PET fibers over the FTWs' advertised fifteen-year lifespan. Preliminary findings suggest that the stresses caused by freezing and thawing of the surrounding water contribute to deterioration of the PET fibers, leading to production of microplastics. Estimations indicate that approximately 0.063% of a FTW's mass could be lost as microplastics over the course of its lifespan. Production of microplastics contributes to plastic pollution in the treatment water, possibly offsetting any nutrient remediation the FTWs perform.

Temperature and flow measurements on near-freezing aviation fuels in a wing-tank model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, R.; Stockemer, F. J.

1980-01-01

Freezing behavior, pumpability, and temperature profiles for aviation turbine fuels were measured in a 190-liter tank chilled to simulate internal temperature gradients encountered in commercial airplane wing tanks. When the bulk of the fuel was above the specification freezing point, pumpout of the fuel removed all fuel except a layer adhering to the bottom chilled surfaces, and the unpumpable fraction depended on the fuel temperature near these surfaces. When the bulk of the fuel was at or below the freezing point, pumpout ceased when solids blocked the pump inlet, and the unpumpable fraction depended on the overall average temperature.

Hepatitis B vaccine freezing in the Indonesian cold chain: evidence and solutions.

PubMed

Nelson, Carib M; Wibisono, Hariadi; Purwanto, Hary; Mansyur, Isa; Moniaga, Vanda; Widjaya, Anton

2004-02-01

To document and characterize freezing temperatures in the Indonesian vaccine cold chain and to evaluate the feasibility of changes designed to reduce the occurrence of freezing. Data loggers were used to measure temperatures of shipments of hepatitis B vaccine from manufacturer to point of use. Baseline conditions and three intervention phases were monitored. During each of the intervention phases, vaccines were removed progressively from the standard 2-8 degrees C cold chain. Freezing temperatures were recorded in 75% of baseline shipments. The highest rates of freezing occurred during transport from province to district, storage in district-level ice-lined refrigerators, and storage in refrigerators in health centres. Interventions reduced freezing, without excessive heat exposure. Inadvertent freezing of freeze-sensitive vaccines is widespread in Indonesia. Simple strategies exist to reduce freezing - for example, selective transport and storage of vaccines at ambient temperatures. The use of vaccine vial monitors reduces the risk associated with heat-damaged vaccines in these scenarios. Policy changes that allow limited storage of freeze-sensitive vaccines at temperatures >2-8 degrees C would enable flexible vaccine distribution strategies that could reduce vaccine freezing, reduce costs, and increase capacity.

Three phase heat and mass transfer model for unsaturated soil freezing process: Part 1 - model development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Fei; Zhang, Yaning; Jin, Guangri; Li, Bingxi; Kim, Yong-Song; Xie, Gongnan; Fu, Zhongbin

2018-04-01

A three-phase model capable of predicting the heat transfer and moisture migration for soil freezing process was developed based on the Shen-Chen model and the mechanisms of heat and mass transfer in unsaturated soil freezing. The pre-melted film was taken into consideration, and the relationship between film thickness and soil temperature was used to calculate the liquid water fraction in both frozen zone and freezing fringe. The force that causes the moisture migration was calculated by the sum of several interactive forces and the suction in the pre-melted film was regarded as an interactive force between ice and water. Two kinds of resistance were regarded as a kind of body force related to the water films between the ice grains and soil grains, and a block force instead of gravity was introduced to keep balance with gravity before soil freezing. Lattice Boltzmann method was used in the simulation, and the input variables for the simulation included the size of computational domain, obstacle fraction, liquid water fraction, air fraction and soil porosity. The model is capable of predicting the water content distribution along soil depth and variations in water content and temperature during soil freezing process.

Effect of chlorine, blanching, freezing, and microwave heating on Cryptosporidium parvum viability inoculated on green peppers.

PubMed

Duhain, G L M C; Minnaar, A; Buys, E M

2012-05-01

Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts have been found on the surface of vegetables in both developed and developing countries. C. parvum can contaminate vegetables via various routes, including irrigation water. This study investigated the effect of individual treatments of chlorine, blanching, blast freezing, and microwave heating, as well as combined treatments of chlorine and freezing, and chlorine and microwave heating on the viability of C. parvum oocysts inoculated on green peppers. The viability of the oocysts after the treatments was assessed using propidium iodide and a flow cytometer. Based on the propidium iodide staining, the chlorine treatments did not affect the viability of the oocysts. Blast freezing significantly inactivated 20% of the oocysts. Microwave heating and blanching significantly inactivated 93% of oocysts. Treatment with chlorine followed by blast freezing did not affect the viability of the oocysts significantly. Treatment with chlorine and microwave heating was significantly more effective than microwave heating alone and inactivated 98% of the oocysts. The study indicates that C. parvum oocysts are sensitive to heat and, to some extent, to blast freezing, but are resistant to chlorine. Therefore, the use of chlorine during vegetable processing is not a critical control point for C. parvum oocysts, and the consumption of raw or minimally processed vegetables may constitute a health risk as C. parvum oocysts can still be found viable on ready-to-eat, minimally processed vegetables.

Synchrotron X-Ray Visualisation of Ice Formation in Insects during Lethal and Non-Lethal Freezing

PubMed Central

Sinclair, Brent J.; Gibbs, Allen G.; Lee, Wah-Keat; Rajamohan, Arun; Roberts, Stephen P.; Socha, John J.

2009-01-01

Although the biochemical correlates of freeze tolerance in insects are becoming well-known, the process of ice formation in vivo is subject to speculation. We used synchrotron x-rays to directly visualise real-time ice formation at 3.3 Hz in intact insects. We observed freezing in diapausing 3rd instar larvae of Chymomyza amoena (Diptera: Drosophilidae), which survive freezing if it occurs above −14°C, and non-diapausing 3rd instar larvae of C. amoena and Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae), neither of which survive freezing. Freezing was readily observed in all larvae, and on one occasion the gut was seen to freeze separately from the haemocoel. There were no apparent qualitative differences in ice formation between freeze tolerant and non-freeze tolerant larvae. The time to complete freezing was positively related to temperature of nucleation (supercooling point, SCP), and SCP declined with decreasing body size, although this relationship was less strong in diapausing C. amoena. Nucleation generally occurred at a contact point with the thermocouple or chamber wall in non-diapausing larvae, but at random in diapausing larvae, suggesting that the latter have some control over ice nucleation. There were no apparent differences between freeze tolerant and non-freeze tolerant larvae in tracheal displacement or distension of the body during freezing, although there was markedly more distension in D. melanogaster than in C. amoena regardless of diapause state. We conclude that although control of ice nucleation appears to be important in freeze tolerant individuals, the physical ice formation process itself does not differ among larvae that can and cannot survive freezing. This suggests that a focus on cellular and biochemical mechanisms is appropriate and may reveal the primary adaptations allowing freeze tolerance in insects. PMID:20011523

Role of ice structuring proteins on freezing-thawing cycles of pasta sauces.

PubMed

Calderara, Marianna; Deorsola, Fabio A; Bensaid, Samir; Fino, Debora; Russo, Nunzio; Geobaldo, Francesco

2016-12-01

The freezing of the food is one of the most important technological developments for the storage of food in terms of quality and safety. The aim of this work was to study the role of an ice structuring protein (ISP) on freezing-thawing cycles of different solutions and commercial Italian pasta sauces. Ice structuring proteins were related to the modification of the structure of ice. The results showed that the freezing time of an aqueous solution containing the protein was reduced to about 20% with respect to a pure water solution. The same effect was demonstrated in sugar-containing solutions and in lipid-containing sauces. The study proved a specific role of ISP during thawing, inducing a time decrease similar to that of freezing and even more important in the case of tomato-based sauces. This work demonstrated the role of ISP in the freezing-thawing process, showing a significant reduction of processing in the freezing and thawing phase by adding the protein to pure water and different sugar-, salt- and lipid-containing solutions and commercial sauces, with considerable benefits for the food industry in terms of costs and food quality.

State transitions and physicochemical aspects of cryoprotection and stabilization in freeze-drying of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG).

PubMed

Pehkonen, K S; Roos, Y H; Miao, S; Ross, R P; Stanton, C

2008-06-01

The frozen and dehydrated state transitions of lactose and trehalose were determined and studied as factors affecting the stability of probiotic bacteria to understand physicochemical aspects of protection against freezing and dehydration of probiotic cultures. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was frozen (-22 or -43 degrees C), freeze-dried and stored under controlled water vapour pressure (0%, 11%, 23% and 33% relative vapour pressure) conditions. Lactose, trehalose and their mixture (1 : 1) were used as protective media. These systems were confirmed to exhibit relatively similar state transition and water plasticization behaviour in freeze-concentrated and dehydrated states as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Ice formation and dehydrated materials were studied using cold-stage microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Trehalose and lactose-trehalose gave the most effective protection of cell viability as observed from colony forming units after freezing, dehydration and storage. Enhanced cell viability was observed when the freezing temperature was -43 degrees C. State transitions of protective media affect ice formation and cell viability in freeze-drying and storage. Formation of a maximally freeze-concentrated matrix with entrapped microbial cells is essential in freezing prior to freeze-drying. Freeze-drying must retain a solid amorphous state of protectant matrices. Freeze-dried matrices contain cells entrapped in the protective matrices in the freezing process. The retention of viability during storage seems to be controlled by water plasticization of the protectant matrix and possibly interactions of water with the dehydrated cells. Highest cell viability was obtained in glassy protective media. This study shows that physicochemical properties of protective media affect the stability of dehydrated cultures. Trehalose and lactose may be used in combination, which is particularly important for the stabilization of probiotic bacteria in dairy

Contact freezing of supercooled cloud droplets on collision with mineral dust particles: effect of particle size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Nadine; Duft, Denis; Kiselev, Alexei; Leisner, Thomas

2013-04-01

The contact freezing of supercooled cloud droplets is one of the potentially important and the least investigated heterogeneous mechanism of ice formation in the tropospheric clouds [1]. On the time scales of cloud lifetime the freezing of supercooled water droplets via contact mechanism may occur at higher temperature compared to the same IN immersed in the droplet. However, the laboratory experiments of contact freezing are very challenging due to the number of factors affecting the probability of ice formation. In our experiment we study single water droplets freely levitated in the laminar flow of mineral dust particles acting as the contact freezing nuclei. By repeating the freezing experiment sufficient number of times we are able to reproduce statistical freezing behavior of large ensembles of supercooled droplets and measure the average rate of freezing events. We show that the rate of freezing at given temperature is governed only by the rate of droplet -particle collision and by the properties of the contact ice nuclei. In this contribution we investigate the relationship between the freezing probability and the size of mineral dust particle (represented by illite) and show that their IN efficiency scales with the particle size. Based on this observation, we discuss the similarity between the freezing of supercooled water droplets in immersion and contact modes and possible mechanisms of apparent enhancement of the contact freezing efficiency. [1] - K.C. Young, The role of contact nucleation in ice phase initiation in clouds, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences 31, 1974

Evaluation of combined effects of ageing period and freezing rate on quality attributes of beef loins.

PubMed

Kim, Yuan H Brad; Liesse, Charlotte; Kemp, Robert; Balan, Prabhu

2015-12-01

The objective of our study was to evaluate the combined effects of ageing period and different freezing rates on meat quality attributes of beef loins. Pairs of loins (M. longissimus at 1 day post mortem) from 12 carcasses were divided into four equal portions and randomly assigned to four ageing/freezing treatments (aged only, frozen only, and 3 or 4 weeks ageing at -1.5°C then frozen). Two freezing methods (fast freezing by calcium chloride immersion or slow freezing by air freezer at -18°C) were applied to the loin sections. Fast freezing had no effect on shear force (P>0.05), but significantly improved the water-holding capacity of the aged/frozen loins by reducing purge and drip losses. Ageing-then-freezing significantly improved shear force values of loins compared to both the aged only and frozen only loins. These observations suggest that fast freezing will add more value to the aged/frozen/thawed meat by minimising the amount of water-loss due to the freezing/thawing process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Freeze Tolerant Radiator for an Advanced EMU

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Copeland, Robert J.; Elliott, Jeannine; Weislogel, Mark

2004-01-01

During an Extravehicular Activity (EVA), the astronaut s metabolic heat and the heat produced by the Portable Life Support Unit (PLSS) must be rejected. This heat load is currently rejected by a sublimator, which vents up to eight pounds of water each EVA. However, for advanced space missions of the future, water venting to space needs to be minimized because resupply impacts from earth will be prohibitive. If this heat load could be radiated to space from the PLSS, which has enough surface area to radiate most of the heat, the amount of water now vented could be greatly reduced. Unfortunately, a radiator rejects heat at a relatively constant rate, but the astronauts generate a variable heat load depending on how hard they are working. Without a way to vary the heat removal rate, the astronaut would experience cold discomfort or even frostbite. A proven method allowing a radiator to be turned-down is to sequentially allow tubes that carry the heat transfer fluid to the radiator to freeze. A drawback of current freezable radiators using this method is that they are far to heavy for use on a PLSS, because they use heavy construction to prevent the tubes from bursting as they freeze and thaw. This creates the need for a large radiator to reject most of the heat but with a lightweight tube that doesn t burst as it freezes and thaws. The new freezable radiator for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) has features to accommodate the expansion of the radiator fluid when it freezes, and still have the high tube to fin conductance needed to minimize the number and weight of the tubes. Radiator fluid candidates are water and a propylene glycol-water mixture. This design maintains all materials within their elastic limits so that large volume changes can be achieved without breaking the tube. This concept couples this elastic expansion with an extremely lightweight, extremely high conductivity carbon fiber fin that can carry the heat needed to thaw a frozen tube. By using

Gelatinization and freeze-concentration effects on recrystallization in corn and potato starch gels.

PubMed

Ronda, Felicidad; Roos, Yrjö H

2008-04-07

Freeze-concentration of starch gels was controlled by temperature and gelatinization with glucose and lactose. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of freezing temperature and gel composition on starch recrystallization behaviour of corn and potato starch gels (water content 70%, w/w) in water or glucose or lactose (10%, w/w) solutions. Starch gels were obtained by heating in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Samples of starch gels were frozen at -10 degrees C, -20 degrees C and -30 degrees C for 24h and, after thawing, stored at +2 degrees C for 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 days. The extent of starch recrystallization was taken from the enthalpy of melting of the recrystallized starch by DSC. Freezing temperatures, glucose, lactose and the origin of the starch affected the recrystallization behaviour greatly. The recrystallization of amorphous starch during storage was enhanced by freeze-concentration of gels at temperatures above T'(m). Molecular mobility was enhanced by unfrozen water and consequently molecular rearrangements for nucleation could take place. Further storage at a higher temperature enhanced the growth and the maturation of crystals. In particular, glucose decreased the T'(m) of the gels and consequently lower freezing temperatures were needed to reduce enhanced recrystallization during storage. Freeze-concentration temperatures also showed a significant effect on the size and the perfection of crystals formed in starch recrystallization.

Freeze for action: neurobiological mechanisms in animal and human freezing

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Upon increasing levels of threat, animals activate qualitatively different defensive modes, including freezing and active fight-or-flight reactions. Whereas freezing is a form of behavioural inhibition accompanied by parasympathetically dominated heart rate deceleration, fight-or-flight reactions are associated with sympathetically driven heart rate acceleration. Despite the potential relevance of freezing for human stress-coping, its phenomenology and neurobiological underpinnings remain largely unexplored in humans. Studies in rodents have shown that freezing depends on amygdala projections to the brainstem (periaqueductal grey). Recent neuroimaging studies in humans have indicated that similar brain regions may be involved in human freezing. In addition, flexibly shifting between freezing and active defensive modes is critical for adequate stress-coping and relies on fronto-amygdala connections. This review paper presents a model detailing these neural mechanisms involved in freezing and the shift to fight-or-flight action. Freezing is not a passive state but rather a parasympathetic brake on the motor system, relevant to perception and action preparation. Study of these defensive responses in humans may advance insights into human stress-related psychopathologies characterized by rigidity in behavioural stress reactions. The paper therefore concludes with a research agenda to stimulate translational animal–human research in this emerging field of human defensive stress responses. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Movement suppression: brain mechanisms for stopping and stillness’. PMID:28242739

Characteristics of sugar surfactants in stabilizing proteins during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying.

PubMed

Imamura, Koreyoshi; Murai, Katsuyuki; Korehisa, Tamayo; Shimizu, Noriyuki; Yamahira, Ryo; Matsuura, Tsutashi; Tada, Hiroko; Imanaka, Hiroyuki; Ishida, Naoyuki; Nakanishi, Kazuhiro

2014-06-01

Sugar surfactants with different alkyl chain lengths and sugar head groups were compared for their protein-stabilizing effect during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying. Six enzymes, different in terms of tolerance against inactivation because of freeze-thawing and freeze-drying, were used as model proteins. The enzyme activities that remained after freeze-thawing and freeze-drying in the presence of a sugar surfactant were measured for different types and concentrations of sugar surfactants. Sugar surfactants stabilized all of the tested enzymes both during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying, and a one or two order higher amount of added sugar surfactant was required for achieving protein stabilization during freeze-drying than for the cryoprotection. The comprehensive comparison showed that the C10-C12 esters of sucrose or trehalose were the most effective through the freeze-drying process: the remaining enzyme activities after freeze-thawing and freeze-drying increased at the sugar ester concentrations of 1-10 and 10-100 μM, respectively, and increased to a greater extent than for the other surfactants at higher concentrations. Results also indicate that, when a decent amount of sugar was also added, the protein-stabilizing effect of a small amount of sugar ester through the freeze-drying process could be enhanced. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Postmortem aging and freezing and thawing storage enhance ability of early deboned chicken pectoralis major muscle to hold added salt water.

PubMed

Zhuang, H; Savage, E M

2012-05-01

The effects of postdeboning aging and frozen storage on water-holding capacity (WHC) of chicken breast pectoralis major muscle were investigated. Broiler breast muscle was removed from carcasses either early postmortem (2 h) or later postmortem (24 h). Treatments included: no postdeboning aging; 1-d postdeboning aging at 2°C, 7-d postdeboning aging (2-h deboned meat only), and 6-d storage at -20°C plus 1-d thawing at 2°C (freezing and thawing treatment, 2-h deboned meat only). The WHC was determined by cooking loss, drip loss, a filter paper press method (results were presented as expressible fluid), and a salt-induced swelling and centrifugation method (results were presented as percentage of salt-induced water gain). There were no differences for WHC estimated by cooking loss and expressible fluid between the treatments. Only the freezing and thawing treatment resulted in a significant increase in drip loss. The average percentage of salt-induced water gains by the 24-h deboned samples, postdeboning aged 2 h samples, and frozen 2 h sample, which did not differ from each other, were significantly higher than that by the 2-h deboned sample. These results indicate that regardless of method (carcass aging vs. postdeboning aging) and time (aging for 1 d vs. for 7 d), postmortem aging more than 1 d does not affect WHC of the early deboned samples measured by dripping, cooking, and pressing. However, postmortem carcass aging, postdeboning aging, and freezing and thawing storage can significantly enhance the ability of chicken breast meat to hold added salt water or WHC measured by the salt-induced swelling and centrifuge method.

Freezing Behavior of a Supercooled Water Droplet Impacting on Surface Using Dual-Luminescent Imaging Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Mio; Morita, Katsuaki; Yamamoto, Makoto; Sakaue, Hirotaka

2015-11-01

A collision of a supercooled-water droplet on an object creates ice accretion on its surface. These icing problems can be seen in any cold environments and may lead to severe damages on aircrafts, ships, power cables, trees, road signs, and architectures. To solve these problems, various studies on ice-prevention and ice-prediction techniques have been conducted. It is very important to know the detail freezing mechanism of supercooled water droplets to propose or improve those techniques. The icing mechanism of a single supercooled-water droplet impacting on object surface would give us great insights for constructing those techniques. In the present study, we use a dual-luminescent imaging technique to measure the time-resolved temperatures of a supercooled water droplet impacting with different speed. The technique we applied consists of high-speed color camera and two luminescent probes. We will report the current status of this experiment in the presentation.

Impact of freeze-drying, mixing and horizontal transport on water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poshyvailo, Liubov; Ploeger, Felix; Müller, Rolf; Tao, Mengchu; Konopka, Paul; Abdoulaye Diallo, Mohamadou; Grooß, Jens-Uwe; Günther, Gebhard; Riese, Martin

2017-04-01

Water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) is a key player in the global radiation budget. Therefore, a realistic representation of the water vapor distribution in this region and the involved control processes is critical for climate models, but largely uncertain hitherto. It is known that the extremely low temperatures around the tropical tropopause cause the dominant factor controlling water vapor in the lower stratosphere. Here, we focus on additional processes, such as horizontal transport between tropics and extratropics, small-scale mixing, and freeze-drying. We assess the sensitivities of simulated water vapor in the UTLS from simulations with the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). CLaMS is a Lagrangian transport model, with a parameterization of small-scale mixing (model diffusion) which is coupled to deformations in the large-scale flow. First, to assess the robustness of water vapor with respect to the meteorological datasets we examine CLaMS driven by ECMWF ERA-Interim and the Japanese 55-year reanalysis. Second, to investigate the effects of small-scale mixing we vary the parameterized mixing strength in the CLaMS model between the reference case with the mixing strength optimized to reproduce atmospheric trace gas observations and a purely advective simulation with parameterized mixing turned off. Also calculation of Lagrangian cold points gives further insight of the processes involved. Third, to assess the effects of horizontal transport between the tropics and extratropics we carry out sensitivity simulations with horizontal transport barriers along latitude circles at the equator, 15°N/S and 35°N/S. Finally, the impact of Antarctic dehydration is estimated from additional sensitivity simulations with switched off freeze-drying in the model at high latitudes of 50°N/S. Our results show that the uncertainty in the tropical tropopause temperatures between current reanalysis datasets causes significant

Frost heave susceptibility of saturated soil under constant rate of freezing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryokai, K.; Iguro, M.; Yoneyama, K.

Introduced are the results of experiments carried out to quantitatively obtain the frost heave pressure and displacement of soil subjected to artificial freezing or freezing around in-ground liquefied natural gas storage tanks. This experiment is conducted to evaluate the frost heave susceptibility of saturated soil under overconsolidation. In other words, this experiment was carried out to obtain the relation of the over-burden pressure and freezing rate to the frost heave ratio by observing the frost heave displacement and freezing time of specimens by freezing the specimens at a constant freezing rate under a constant overburden pressure, while letting water freely flow in and out of the system. Introduced are the procedures for frost heave test required to quantitatively obtain the frost heave displacement and pressure of soil. Furthermore, the relation between the frost heave susceptibility and physical properties of soil obtained by this test is reported.

Application of freeze-drying technology in manufacturing orally disintegrating films.

PubMed

Liew, Kai Bin; Odeniyi, Michael Ayodele; Peh, Kok-Khiang

2016-01-01

Freeze drying technology has not been maximized and reported in manufacturing orally disintegrating films. The aim of this study was to explore the freeze drying technology in the formulation of sildenafil orally disintegrating films and compare the physical properties with heat-dried orally disintegrating film. Central composite design was used to investigate the effects of three factors, namely concentration of carbopol, wheat starch and polyethylene glycol 400 on the tensile strength and disintegration time of the film. Heat-dried films had higher tensile strength than films prepared using freeze-dried method. For folding endurance, freeze-dried films showed improved endurance than heat-dried films. Moreover, films prepared using freeze-dried methods were thicker and had faster disintegration time. Formulations with higher amount of carbopol and starch showed higher tensile strength and thickness whereas formulations with higher PEG 400 content showed better flexibility. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the freeze-dried films had more porous structure compared to the heat-dried film as a result of the release of water molecule from the frozen structure when it was subjected to freeze drying process. The sildenafil film was palatable. The dissolution profiles of freeze-dried and heat-dried films were similar to Viagra® with f2 of 51.04 and 65.98, respectively.

How Circulation of Water Affects Freezing in Ponds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreau, Theresa; Lamontagne, Robert; Letzring, Daniel

2007-01-01

One means of preventing the top of a pond from freezing involves running a circulating pump near the bottom to agitate the surface and expose it to air throughout the winter months. This phenomenon is similar to that of the flowing of streams in subzero temperatures and to the running of taps to prevent pipe bursts in winter. All of these cases…

A comparison of freezing-damage during isochoric and isobaric freezing of the potato.

PubMed

Lyu, Chenang; Nastase, Gabriel; Ukpai, Gideon; Serban, Alexandru; Rubinsky, Boris

2017-01-01

Freezing is commonly used for food preservation. It is usually done under constant atmospheric pressure (isobaric). While extending the life of the produce, isobaric freezing has detrimental effects. It causes loss of food weight and changes in food quality. Using thermodynamic analysis, we have developed a theoretical model of the process of freezing in a constant volume system (isochoric). The mathematical model suggests that the detrimental effects associated with isobaric freezing may be reduced in an isochoric freezing system. To explore this hypothesis, we performed a preliminary study on the isochoric freezing of a produce with which our group has experience, the potato. Experiments were performed in an isochoric freezing device we designed. The device is robust and has no moving parts. For comparison, we used a geometrically identical isobaric freezing device. Following freezing and thawing, the samples were weighed, examined with colorimetry, and examined with microscopy. It was found that potatoes frozen to -5 °C in an isochoric system experienced no weight loss and limited enzymatic browning. In contrast the -5 °C isobaric frozen potato experienced substantial weight loss and substantial enzymatic browning. Microscopic analysis shows that the structural integrity of the potato is maintained after freezing in the isochoric system and impaired after freezing in the isobaric system. Tissue damage during isobaric freezing is caused by the increase in extracellular osmolality and the mechanical damage by ice crystals. Our thermodynamic analysis predicts that during isochoric freezing the intracellular osmolality remains comparable to the extracellular osmolality and that isochoric systems can be designed to eliminate the mechanical damage by ice. The results of this preliminary study seem to confirm the theoretical predictions. This is a preliminary exploratory study on isochoric freezing of food. We have shown that the quality of a food product preserved

Prediction of frozen food properties during freezing using product composition.

PubMed

Boonsupthip, W; Heldman, D R

2007-06-01

Frozen water fraction (FWF), as a function of temperature, is an important parameter for use in the design of food freezing processes. An FWF-prediction model, based on concentrations and molecular weights of specific product components, has been developed. Published food composition data were used to determine the identity and composition of key components. The model proposed in this investigation had been verified using published experimental FWF data and initial freezing temperature data, and by comparison to outputs from previously published models. It was found that specific food components with significant influence on freezing temperature depression of food products included low molecular weight water-soluble compounds with molality of 50 micromol per 100 g food or higher. Based on an analysis of 200 high-moisture food products, nearly 45% of the experimental initial freezing temperature data were within an absolute difference (AD) of +/- 0.15 degrees C and standard error (SE) of +/- 0.65 degrees C when compared to values predicted by the proposed model. The predicted relationship between temperature and FWF for all analyzed food products provided close agreements with experimental data (+/- 0.06 SE). The proposed model provided similar prediction capability for high- and intermediate-moisture food products. In addition, the proposed model provided statistically better prediction of initial freezing temperature and FWF than previous published models.

Kinetic freeze-out conditions for the production of resonances, hadronic molecules, and light nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Sungtae; Song, Taesoo; Lee, Su Houng

2018-02-01

We investigate the freeze-out conditions of a particle in an expanding system of interacting particles in order to understand the productions of resonances, hadronic molecules, and light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions. Applying the kinetic freeze-out condition with explicit hydrodynamic calculations for the expanding hadronic phase to the daughter particles of K* mesons, we find that the larger suppression of the yield ratio of K*/K at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) than at the Relativisitic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) compared to the expectations from the statistical hadronization model based on chemical freeze-out parameters reflects the lower kinetic freeze-out temperature at LHC than at RHIC. Furthermore, we point out that for the light nuclei or hadronic molecules that are bound, the freeze-out condition should be applied to the respective particle in the hadronic matter. It is then shown through the rate equation that when the nucleon and pion numbers are kept constant at the chemical freeze-out value during the hadronic phase, the deuteron number quickly approaches an asymptotic value that is close to the statistical model prediction at the chemical freeze-out point. We argue that the reduction seen in K* numbers is a typical result for a particle that has a large natural decay width decaying into daughter particles, while that for deuteron is typical for a stable hadronic bound state.

New High-Performance Droplet Freezing Assay (HP-DFA) for the Analysis of Ice Nuclei with Complex Composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunert, Anna Theresa; Scheel, Jan Frederik; Helleis, Frank; Klimach, Thomas; Pöschl, Ulrich; Fröhlich-Nowoisky, Janine

2016-04-01

Freezing of water above homogeneous freezing is catalyzed by ice nucleation active (INA) particles called ice nuclei (IN), which can be of various inorganic or biological origin. The freezing temperatures reach up to -1 °C for some biological samples and are dependent on the chemical composition of the IN. The standard method to analyze IN in solution is the droplet freezing assay (DFA) established by Gabor Vali in 1970. Several modifications and improvements were already made within the last decades, but they are still limited by either small droplet numbers, large droplet volumes or inadequate separation of the single droplets resulting in mutual interferences and therefore improper measurements. The probability that miscellaneous IN are concentrated together in one droplet increases with the volume of the droplet, which can be described by the Poisson distribution. At a given concentration, the partition of a droplet into several smaller droplets leads to finely dispersed IN resulting in better statistics and therefore in a better resolution of the nucleation spectrum. We designed a new customized high-performance droplet freezing assay (HP-DFA), which represents an upgrade of the previously existing DFAs in terms of temperature range and statistics. The necessity of observing freezing events at temperatures lower than homogeneous freezing due to freezing point depression, requires high-performance thermostats combined with an optimal insulation. Furthermore, we developed a cooling setup, which allows both huge and tiny temperature changes within a very short period of time. Besides that, the new DFA provides the analysis of more than 750 droplets per run with a small droplet volume of 5 μL. This enables a fast and more precise analysis of biological samples with complex IN composition as well as better statistics for every sample at the same time.

Response of seasonal soil freeze depth to climate change across China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Tingjun; Frauenfeld, Oliver W.; Wang, Kang; Cao, Bin; Zhong, Xinyue; Su, Hang; Mu, Cuicui

2017-05-01

The response of seasonal soil freeze depth to climate change has repercussions for the surface energy and water balance, ecosystems, the carbon cycle, and soil nutrient exchange. Despite its importance, the response of soil freeze depth to climate change is largely unknown. This study employs the Stefan solution and observations from 845 meteorological stations to investigate the response of variations in soil freeze depth to climate change across China. Observations include daily air temperatures, daily soil temperatures at various depths, mean monthly gridded air temperatures, and the normalized difference vegetation index. Results show that soil freeze depth decreased significantly at a rate of -0.18 ± 0.03 cm yr-1, resulting in a net decrease of 8.05 ± 1.5 cm over 1967-2012 across China. On the regional scale, soil freeze depth decreases varied between 0.0 and 0.4 cm yr-1 in most parts of China during 1950-2009. By investigating potential climatic and environmental driving factors of soil freeze depth variability, we find that mean annual air temperature and ground surface temperature, air thawing index, ground surface thawing index, and vegetation growth are all negatively associated with soil freeze depth. Changes in snow depth are not correlated with soil freeze depth. Air and ground surface freezing indices are positively correlated with soil freeze depth. Comparing these potential driving factors of soil freeze depth, we find that freezing index and vegetation growth are more strongly correlated with soil freeze depth, while snow depth is not significant. We conclude that air temperature increases are responsible for the decrease in seasonal freeze depth. These results are important for understanding the soil freeze-thaw dynamics and the impacts of soil freeze depth on ecosystem and hydrological process.

Does deposition freezing really exist? At least different as we thought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelmonem, Ahmed

2017-04-01

The structural and chemical properties of the surface of an IN-particle (INP) play a major role in its IN ability. This role is not well explored in terms of water/INP-surface molecular-level interactions. Recent MD simulations on deposition freezing showed that water first deposits as liquid clusters and then crystallize isothermally from there [1]. We probe freezing of water on INPs of different structural and chemical properties under varying supersaturation conditions using non-linear optical spectroscopy, mainly second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG) [2, 3]. This presentation will show very recent preliminary experimental results comparing deposition, condensation and immersion freezing (DF, CF and IF respectively) on an atmospheric relevant metal oxide surface (mica) using supercooled SHG measurements. It is found that the signal drops upon the formation of a thin film regardless of 1) the freezing path (DF or CF), 2) the formed phase (ice or liquid), indicating a similar molecular structuring. The observed structuring similarity between DF, CF and LC films is a kick-off experimental confirmation of those computational results. References 1. Lupi, L., N. Kastelowitz, and V. Molinero, Vapor deposition of water on graphitic surfaces: Formation of amorphous ice, bilayer ice, ice I, and liquid water. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 2014. 141(18): p. 18C508. 2. Abdelmonem, A., J. Lützenkirchen, and T. Leisner, Probing ice-nucleation processes on the molecular level using second harmonic generation spectroscopy. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 2015. 8(8): p. 3519-3526. 3. Abdelmonem, A., et al., Surface charge-induced orientation of interfacial water suppresses heterogeneous ice nucleation on α-alumina (0001). Angewandte Chemie (Submitted), 2017.

Effect of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Grain Size of Biochar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dugan, B.; Liu, Z.; Masiello, C. A.; Gonnermann, H. M.; Nittrouer, J. A.

2015-12-01

Biochar may improve soil performance by altering soil physical properties such as porosity, density, hydraulic conductivity, and water holding capacity. Because these physical properties of soil-biochar mixtures are associated with the grain size of the soil and the biochar, they may change if biochar particles are physically broken down in the environment. In cold regions, biochar may be fragmented into smaller particles when water in biochar's internal pores expands during freezing. This expansion may mechanically break particles. In this study we investigate if freeze-thaw cycles affect grain size of biochars produced at two temperatures (350°C and 500°C) from four types of feedstock (mesquite, pine, sewage waste, and miscanthus). Prior to freeze-thaw cycles, biochar's internal porosity increases with pyrolysis temperature and also varies with feedstock type. In our study, the highest internal porosity is 0.82±0.11 for 500 °C miscanthus biochar and the lowest internal porosity is 0.27±0.01 for 350 °C sewage waste biochar. Our biochars also have different median grain diameter (D50) and aspect ratio (AR). The largest D50 is 4836±132 μm for 350 °C miscanthus biochar and the smallest D50 is 2238±13 μm for 350°C sewage waste biochar. The highest AR is 0.85±0.01 for 500 °C sewage waste biochar and the lowest AR is 0.31±0.01 for 350 °C miscanthus biochar. After characterizing the initial properties of biochars, we saturated our biochar using synthetic rain water and subjected them to 10 freeze-thaw cycles (freeze at -19±3°C for 8 hours and thaw at 20±0°C for 16 hours). We expect that D50 will be reduced and AR will be changed by freeze-thaw cycles and the effect will vary with biochar porosity. Ultimately this work will help constrain how biochar particle size changes due to freezing, which can be extrapolated to understand transients in soil performance associated with biochar particle size.

Change in muzzle velocity due to freezing and water immersion of .22, long rifle, K.F. cartridges.

PubMed

Jauhari, M; Chatterjee, S M; Ghosh, P K

1975-01-01

A study of change in muzzle velocity due to freezing and water immersion of .22, long rifle, K. F. cartridges has been presented. A statistical criterion has been formulated to ascertain whether or not a cartridge undergoes a change in muzzle velocity due to a particular treatment. The muzzle velocity data of .22, long rifle, K. F. cartridges, obtained by an electronic timer before and after the various treatments, have been analyzed in the light of this criterion. These cartridges have generally been found to suffer considerable loss in muzzle velocity when immersed in water for three weeks and also when immersed in water for three days and simultaneously cooled to 0 degrees C. The forensic significance of this loss in muzzle velocity has been discussed.

A comparison of freezing-damage during isochoric and isobaric freezing of the potato

PubMed Central

Serban, Alexandru; Rubinsky, Boris

2017-01-01

Background Freezing is commonly used for food preservation. It is usually done under constant atmospheric pressure (isobaric). While extending the life of the produce, isobaric freezing has detrimental effects. It causes loss of food weight and changes in food quality. Using thermodynamic analysis, we have developed a theoretical model of the process of freezing in a constant volume system (isochoric). The mathematical model suggests that the detrimental effects associated with isobaric freezing may be reduced in an isochoric freezing system. To explore this hypothesis, we performed a preliminary study on the isochoric freezing of a produce with which our group has experience, the potato. Method Experiments were performed in an isochoric freezing device we designed. The device is robust and has no moving parts. For comparison, we used a geometrically identical isobaric freezing device. Following freezing and thawing, the samples were weighed, examined with colorimetry, and examined with microscopy. Results It was found that potatoes frozen to −5 °C in an isochoric system experienced no weight loss and limited enzymatic browning. In contrast the −5 °C isobaric frozen potato experienced substantial weight loss and substantial enzymatic browning. Microscopic analysis shows that the structural integrity of the potato is maintained after freezing in the isochoric system and impaired after freezing in the isobaric system. Discussion Tissue damage during isobaric freezing is caused by the increase in extracellular osmolality and the mechanical damage by ice crystals. Our thermodynamic analysis predicts that during isochoric freezing the intracellular osmolality remains comparable to the extracellular osmolality and that isochoric systems can be designed to eliminate the mechanical damage by ice. The results of this preliminary study seem to confirm the theoretical predictions. Conclusion This is a preliminary exploratory study on isochoric freezing of food. We have

40 CFR 142.57 - Bottled water, point-of-use, and point-of-entry devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bottled water, point-of-use, and point-of-entry devices. 142.57 Section 142.57 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTATION Exemptions Issued by the Administrator § 142.57...

Water absorption of freeze-dried meat at different water activities: a multianalytical approach using sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Venturi, Luca; Rocculi, Pietro; Cavani, Claudio; Placucci, Giuseppe; Dalla Rosa, Marco; Cremonini, Mauro A

2007-12-26

Hydration of freeze-dried chicken breast meat was followed in the water activity range of aw=0.12-0.99 by a multianalytical approach comprising of sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The amount of frozen water and the shape of the T2-relaxogram were evaluated at each water content by DSC and NMR, respectively. Data revealed an agreement between sorption isotherm and DSC experiments about the onset of bulk water (aw=0.83-0.86), and NMR detected mobile water starting at aw=0.75. The origin of the short-transverse relaxation time part of the meat NMR signal was also reinvestigated through deuteration experiments and proposed to arise from protons belonging to plasticized matrix structures. It is proved both by D2O experiments and by gravimetry that the extra protons not contributing to the water content in the NMR experiments are about 6.4% of the total proton NMR CPMG signal of meat.

Freeze drying apparatus

DOEpatents

Coppa, Nicholas V.; Stewart, Paul; Renzi, Ernesto

2001-01-01

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for freeze drying in which a solution, which can be a radioactive salt dissolved within an acid, is frozen into a solid on vertical plates provided within a freeze drying chamber. The solid is sublimated into vapor and condensed in a cold condenser positioned above the freeze drying chamber and connected thereto by a conduit. The vertical positioning of the cold condenser relative to the freeze dryer helps to help prevent substances such as radioactive materials separated from the solution from contaminating the cold condenser. Additionally, the system can be charged with an inert gas to produce a down rush of gas into the freeze drying chamber to also help prevent such substances from contaminating the cold condenser.

Freeze drying method

DOEpatents

Coppa, Nicholas V.; Stewart, Paul; Renzi, Ernesto

1999-01-01

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for freeze drying in which a solution, which can be a radioactive salt dissolved within an acid, is frozen into a solid on vertical plates provided within a freeze drying chamber. The solid is sublimated into vapor and condensed in a cold condenser positioned above the freeze drying chamber and connected thereto by a conduit. The vertical positioning of the cold condenser relative to the freeze dryer helps to help prevent substances such as radioactive materials separated from the solution from contaminating the cold condenser. Additionally, the system can be charged with an inert gas to produce a down rush of gas into the freeze drying chamber to also help prevent such substances from contaminating the cold condenser.

To freeze or not to freeze embryos: clarity, confusion and conflict.

PubMed

Goswami, Mohar; Murdoch, Alison P; Haimes, Erica

2015-06-01

Although embryo freezing is a routine clinical practice, there is little contemporary evidence on how couples make the decision to freeze their surplus embryos, or of their perceptions during that time. This article describes a qualitative study of 16 couples who have had in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The study question was 'What are the personal and social factors that patients consider when deciding whether to freeze embryos?' We show that while the desire for a baby is the dominant drive, couples' views revealed more nuanced and complex considerations in the decision-making process. It was clear that the desire to have a baby influenced couples' decision-making and that they saw freezing as 'part of the process'. However, there were confusions associated with the term 'freezing' related to concerns about the safety of the procedure. Despite being given written information, couples were confused about the practical aspects of embryo freezing, which suggests they were preoccupied with the immediate demands of IVF. Couples expressed ethical conflicts about freezing 'babies'. We hope the findings from this study will inform clinicians and assist them in providing support to couples confronted with this difficult decision-making.

Satellite freeze forecast system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martsolf, J. D. (Principal Investigator)

1983-01-01

Provisions for back-up operations for the satellite freeze forecast system are discussed including software and hardware maintenance and DS/1000-1V linkage; troubleshooting; and digitized radar usage. The documentation developed; dissemination of data products via television and the IFAS computer network; data base management; predictive models; the installation of and progress towards the operational status of key stations; and digital data acquisition are also considered. The d addition of dew point temperature into the P-model is outlined.

Effect of Novel Quick Freezing Techniques Combined with Different Thawing Processes on Beef Quality

PubMed Central

Yoo, Seon-Mi; Han, Gui-Jung

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effect of various freezing and thawing techniques on the quality of beef. Meat samples were frozen using natural convection freezing (NF), individual quick freezing (IQF), or cryogenic freezing (CF) techniques, followed by natural convection thawing (NCT) or running water thawing (RT). The meat was frozen until the core temperature reached -12℃ and then stored at -24℃, followed by thawing until the temperature reached 5℃. Quality parameters, such as the pH, water binding properties, CIE color, shear force, and microstructure of the beef were elucidated. Although the freezing and thawing combinations did not cause remarkable changes in the quality parameters, rapid freezing, in the order of CF, IQF, and NF, was found to minimize the quality deterioration. In the case of thawing methods, NCT was better than RT and the meat quality was influence on the thawing temperature rather than the thawing rate. Although the microstructure of the frozen beef exhibited an excessive loss of integrity after the freezing and thawing, it did not cause any remarkable change in the beef quality. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CF and NCT form the best combination for beef processing; however, IQF and NCT may have practical applications in the frozen food industry. PMID:26761674

Immersion freezing in concentrated solution droplets for a variety of ice nucleating particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wex, Heike; Kohn, Monika; Grawe, Sarah; Hartmann, Susan; Hellner, Lisa; Herenz, Paul; Welti, Andre; Lohmann, Ulrike; Kanji, Zamin; Stratmann, Frank

2016-04-01

The measurement campaign LINC (Leipzig Ice Nucleation counter Comparison) was conducted in September 2015, during which ice nucleation measurements as obtained with the following instruments were compared: - LACIS (Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator, see e.g. Wex et al., 2014) - PIMCA-PINC (Portable Immersion Mode Cooling Chamber together with PINC) - PINC (Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber, Chou et al., 2011) - SPIN (SPectrometer for Ice Nuclei, Droplet Measurement Technologies) While LACIS and PIMCA-PINC measured immersion freezing, PINC and SPIN varied the super-saturation during the measurements and collected data also for relative humidities below 100% RHw. A suite of different types of ice nucleating particles were examined, where particles were generated from suspensions, subsequently dried and size selected. For the following samples, data for all four instruments are available: K-feldspar, K-feldspar treated with nitric acid, Fluka-kaolinite and birch pollen. Immersion freezing measurements by LACIS and PIMCA-PINC were in excellent agreement. Respective parameterizations from these measurement were used to model the ice nucleation behavior below water vapor saturation, assuming that the process can be described as immersion freezing in concentrated solutions. This is equivalent to simply including a concentration dependent freezing point depression in the immersion freezing parameterization, as introduced for coated kaolinite particles in Wex et al. (2014). Overall, measurements performed below water vapor saturation were reproduced by the model, and it will be discussed in detail, why deviations were observed in some cases. Acknowledgement: Part of this work was funded by the DFG Research Unit FOR 1525 INUIT, grant WE 4722/1-2. Literature: Chou, C., O. Stetzer, E. Weingartner, Z. Juranyi, Z. A. Kanji, and U. Lohmann (2011), Ice nuclei properties within a Saharan dust event at the Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11(10), 4725

Moisture sorption characteristics of freeze-dried human platelets*

PubMed Central

Xu, Meng-jie; Chen, Guang-ming; Fan, Ju-li; Liu, Jin-hui; Xu, Xian-guo; Zhang, Shao-zhi

2011-01-01

Freeze-drying is a promising method for a long-term storage of human platelets. The moisture sorption characteristics of freeze-dried human platelets (FDHPs) were studied in this paper. The moisture sorption isotherms of FDHPs and freeze-dried lyophilization buffer (FDLB) were measured at 4, 25, and 37 °C. The experimental data were fitted to Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) equations. There were no significant statistical differences (P>0.05) between the sorption characteristics of FDHPs and FDLB at 4 and 25 °C, while FDHPs absorbed more water at 37 °C. The net isosteric heat of sorption was derived. The heat for FDHPs showed an abnormal negative value at low moisture contents when 25 and 37 °C data were used. Dynamic sorption experiments were carried out at 25 °C with environmental water activity controlled at 0.75, 0.85, and 0.90. The moisture diffusion coefficient was fitted to be 8.24×10−12 m2/s when experimental data at initial time were used. These results would be helpful in choosing prehydration and storage condition for FDHPs. PMID:21370506

Sensitivity of liquid clouds to homogenous freezing parameterizations.

PubMed

Herbert, Ross J; Murray, Benjamin J; Dobbie, Steven J; Koop, Thomas

2015-03-16

Water droplets in some clouds can supercool to temperatures where homogeneous ice nucleation becomes the dominant freezing mechanism. In many cloud resolving and mesoscale models, it is assumed that homogeneous ice nucleation in water droplets only occurs below some threshold temperature typically set at -40°C. However, laboratory measurements show that there is a finite rate of nucleation at warmer temperatures. In this study we use a parcel model with detailed microphysics to show that cloud properties can be sensitive to homogeneous ice nucleation as warm as -30°C. Thus, homogeneous ice nucleation may be more important for cloud development, precipitation rates, and key cloud radiative parameters than is often assumed. Furthermore, we show that cloud development is particularly sensitive to the temperature dependence of the nucleation rate. In order to better constrain the parameterization of homogeneous ice nucleation laboratory measurements are needed at both high (>-35°C) and low (<-38°C) temperatures. Homogeneous freezing may be significant as warm as -30°CHomogeneous freezing should not be represented by a threshold approximationThere is a need for an improved parameterization of homogeneous ice nucleation.

Role of intracellular poroelasticity on freezing-induced deformation of cells in engineered tissues

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Soham; Ozcelikkale, Altug; Dutton, J. Craig

2016-01-01

Freezing of biomaterials is important in a wide variety of biomedical applications, including cryopreservation and cryosurgeries. For the success of these applications to various biomaterials, biophysical mechanisms, which determine freezing-induced changes in cells and tissues, need to be well understood. Specifically, the significance of the intracellular mechanics during freezing is not well understood. Thus, we hypothesize that cells interact during freezing with the surroundings such as suspension media and the extracellular matrix (ECM) via two distinct but related mechanisms—water transport and cytoskeletal mechanics. The underlying rationale is that the cytoplasm of the cells has poroelastic nature, which can regulate both cellular water transport and cytoskeletal mechanics. A poroelasticity-based cell dehydration model is developed and confirmed to provide insight into the effects of the hydraulic conductivity and stiffness of the cytoplasm on the dehydration of cells in suspension during freezing. We further investigated the effect of the cytoskeletal structures on the cryoresponse of cells embedded in the ECM by measuring the spatio-temporal intracellular deformation with dermal equivalent as a model tissue. The freezing-induced change in cell, nucleus and cytoplasm volume was quantified, and the possible mechanism of the volumetric change was proposed. The results are discussed considering the hierarchical poroelasticity of biological tissues. PMID:27707905

Accuracy limit of rigid 3-point water models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izadi, Saeed; Onufriev, Alexey V.

2016-08-01

Classical 3-point rigid water models are most widely used due to their computational efficiency. Recently, we introduced a new approach to constructing classical rigid water models [S. Izadi et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 5, 3863 (2014)], which permits a virtually exhaustive search for globally optimal model parameters in the sub-space that is most relevant to the electrostatic properties of the water molecule in liquid phase. Here we apply the approach to develop a 3-point Optimal Point Charge (OPC3) water model. OPC3 is significantly more accurate than the commonly used water models of same class (TIP3P and SPCE) in reproducing a comprehensive set of liquid bulk properties, over a wide range of temperatures. Beyond bulk properties, we show that OPC3 predicts the intrinsic charge hydration asymmetry (CHA) of water — a characteristic dependence of hydration free energy on the sign of the solute charge — in very close agreement with experiment. Two other recent 3-point rigid water models, TIP3PFB and H2ODC, each developed by its own, completely different optimization method, approach the global accuracy optimum represented by OPC3 in both the parameter space and accuracy of bulk properties. Thus, we argue that an accuracy limit of practical 3-point rigid non-polarizable models has effectively been reached; remaining accuracy issues are discussed.

Dynamic Melting of Freezing Droplets on Ultraslippery Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

PubMed

Chu, Fuqiang; Wu, Xiaomin; Wang, Lingli

2017-03-08

Condensed droplet freezing and freezing droplet melting phenomena on the prepared ultraslippery superhydrophobic surface were observed and discussed in this study. Although the freezing delay performance of the surface is common, the melting of the freezing droplets on the surface is quite interesting. Three self-propelled movements of the melting droplets (ice- water mixture) were found including the droplet rotating, the droplet jumping, and the droplet sliding. The melting droplet rotating, which means that the melting droplet rotates spontaneously on the superhydrophobic surface like a spinning top, is first reported in this study and may have some potential applications in various engineering fields. The melting droplet jumping and sliding are similar to those occurring during condensation but have larger size scale and motion scale, as the melting droplets have extra-large specific surface area with much more surface energy available. These self-propelled movements make all the melting droplets on the superhydrophobic surface dynamic, easily removed, which may be promising for the anti-icing/frosting applications.

Freeze-drying process monitoring using a cold plasma ionization device.

PubMed

Mayeresse, Y; Veillon, R; Sibille, P H; Nomine, C

2007-01-01

A cold plasma ionization device has been designed to monitor freeze-drying processes in situ by monitoring lyophilization chamber moisture content. This plasma device, which consists of a probe that can be mounted directly on the lyophilization chamber, depends upon the ionization of nitrogen and water molecules using a radiofrequency generator and spectrometric signal collection. The study performed on this probe shows that it is steam sterilizable, simple to integrate, reproducible, and sensitive. The limitations include suitable positioning in the lyophilization chamber, calibration, and signal integration. Sensitivity was evaluated in relation to the quantity of vials and the probe positioning, and correlation with existing methods, such as microbalance, was established. These tests verified signal reproducibility through three freeze-drying cycles. Scaling-up studies demonstrated a similar product signature for the same product using pilot-scale and larger-scale equipment. On an industrial scale, the method efficiently monitored the freeze-drying cycle, but in a larger industrial freeze-dryer the signal was slightly modified. This was mainly due to the positioning of the plasma device, in relation to the vapor flow pathway, which is not necessarily homogeneous within the freeze-drying chamber. The plasma tool is a relevant method for monitoring freeze-drying processes and may in the future allow the verification of current thermodynamic freeze-drying models. This plasma technique may ultimately represent a process analytical technology (PAT) approach for the freeze-drying process.

Freeze/Thaw-Induced Embolism: Probability of Critical Bubble Formation Depends on Speed of Ice Formation

DOE PAGES

Sevanto, Sanna; Holbrook, N. Michele; Ball, Marilyn C.

2012-06-06

Bubble formation in the conduits of woody plants sets a challenge for uninterrupted water transportation from the soil up to the canopy. Freezing and thawing of stems has been shown to increase the number of air-filled (embolized) conduits, especially in trees with large conduit diameters. Despite numerous experimental studies, the mechanisms leading to bubble formation during freezing have not been addressed theoretically. We used classical nucleation theory and fluid mechanics to show which mechanisms are most likely to be responsible for bubble formation during freezing and what parameters determine the likelihood of the process. Our results confirm the common assumptionmore » that bubble formation during freezing is most likely due to gas segregation by ice. If xylem conduit walls are not permeable to the salts expelled by ice during the freezing process, osmotic pressures high enough for air seeding could be created. The build-up rate of segregated solutes in front of the ice-water interface depends equally on conduit diameter and freezing velocity. Therefore, bubble formation probability depends on these variables. The dependence of bubble formation probability on freezing velocity means that the experimental results obtained for cavitation threshold conduit diameters during freeze/thaw cycles depend on the experimental setup; namely sample size and cooling rate. The velocity dependence also suggests that to avoid bubble formation during freezing trees should have narrow conduits where freezing is likely to be fast (e.g., branches or outermost layer of the xylem). Avoidance of bubble formation during freezing could thus be one piece of the explanation why xylem conduit size of temperate and boreal zone trees varies quite systematically.« less

Freeze/Thaw-induced embolism: probability of critical bubble formation depends on speed of ice formation.

PubMed

Sevanto, Sanna; Holbrook, N Michele; Ball, Marilyn C

2012-01-01

Bubble formation in the conduits of woody plants sets a challenge for uninterrupted water transportation from the soil up to the canopy. Freezing and thawing of stems has been shown to increase the number of air-filled (embolized) conduits, especially in trees with large conduit diameters. Despite numerous experimental studies, the mechanisms leading to bubble formation during freezing have not been addressed theoretically. We used classical nucleation theory and fluid mechanics to show which mechanisms are most likely to be responsible for bubble formation during freezing and what parameters determine the likelihood of the process. Our results confirm the common assumption that bubble formation during freezing is most likely due to gas segregation by ice. If xylem conduit walls are not permeable to the salts expelled by ice during the freezing process, osmotic pressures high enough for air seeding could be created. The build-up rate of segregated solutes in front of the ice-water interface depends equally on conduit diameter and freezing velocity. Therefore, bubble formation probability depends on these variables. The dependence of bubble formation probability on freezing velocity means that the experimental results obtained for cavitation threshold conduit diameters during freeze/thaw cycles depend on the experimental setup; namely sample size and cooling rate. The velocity dependence also suggests that to avoid bubble formation during freezing trees should have narrow conduits where freezing is likely to be fast (e.g., branches or outermost layer of the xylem). Avoidance of bubble formation during freezing could thus be one piece of the explanation why xylem conduit size of temperate and boreal zone trees varies quite systematically.

Pre-cure freezing affects proteolysis in dry-cured hams.

PubMed

Bañón, S; Cayuela, J M; Granados, M V; Garrido, M D

1999-01-01

Several parameters (sodium chloride, moisture, intramuscular fat, total nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen, white precipitates, free tyrosine, L* a* b* values and acceptability) related with proteolysis during the curing were compared in dry-cured hams manufactured from refrigerated and frozen/thawed raw material. Pre-cure freezing increased the proteolysis levels significantly (p<0.05) in the zones of the ham where water losses and absorption of salt is slowest. Frozen hams present a high incidence of white precipitates, formed mainly by tyrosine crystals. The colour and acceptability scores are similar in frozen and refrigerated hams. The previous freezing and thawing process accentuates the water losses, salt absorption and proteolysis of the cured meat, although it does not significantly affect the sensory quality of the dry-cured ham.

Undercooled water in basaltic regoliths and implications for fluidized debris flows on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, James L.

1987-01-01

Pursuant to the past attribution of many geomorphic features on Mars to the movements of water- or ice-lubricated debris, experiments have been conducted for water freezing in wet, sand-like basaltic substrates. It is found that substantial undercooling can be achieved under Martian conditions, independently of freezing-point depressions due to soluble salts. Attention is given to results for a clay-poor soil with negligible salinity from Mauna Kea, Hawaii, which demonstrate that the degree of undercooling is essentially independent of both soil particle size and water/soil mass ratio, albeit with cooling rate variations.

Neuropathy in non-freezing cold injury (trench foot).

PubMed Central

Irwin, M S; Sanders, R; Green, C J; Terenghi, G

1997-01-01

Non-freezing cold injury (trench foot) is characterized, in severe cases, by peripheral nerve damage and tissue necrosis. Controversy exists regarding the susceptibility of nerve fibre populations to injury as well as the mechanism of injury. Clinical and histological studies (n = 2) were conducted in a 40-year-old man with severe non-freezing cold injury in both feet. Clinical sensory tests, including two-point discrimination and pressure, vibration and thermal thresholds, indicated damage to large and small diameter nerves. On immunohistochemical assessment, terminal cutaneous nerve fibres within the plantar skin stained much less than in a normal control whereas staining to von Willebrand factor pointed to increased vascularity in all areas. The results indicate that all nerve populations (myelinated and unmyelinated) were damaged, possibly in a cycle of ischaemia and reperfusion. Images Figure 1 a Figure 1 b Figure 2 a Figure 2 b Figure 3 a Figure 3 b PMID:9306996

Freezing during tapping tasks in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait.

PubMed

Delval, Arnaud; Defebvre, Luc; Tard, Céline

2017-01-01

Parkinson's disease patients with freezing of gait also experience sudden motor blocks (freezing) during other repetitive motor tasks. We assessed the proportion of patients with advanced PD and freezing of gait who also displayed segmental "freezing" in tapping tasks. Fifteen Parkinson's disease patients with freezing of gait were assessed. Freezing of gait was evaluated using a standardized gait trajectory with the usual triggers. Patients performed repetitive tapping movements (as described in the MDS-UPDRS task) with the hands or the feet in the presence or absence of a metronome set to 4 Hz. Movements were recorded with a video motion system. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of segmental freezing in these tapping tasks. The secondary endpoints were (i) the relationship between segmental episodic phenomena and FoG severity, and (ii) the reliability of the measurements. For the upper limbs, freezing was observed more frequently with a metronome (21% of trials) than without a metronome (5%). For the lower limbs, the incidence of freezing was higher than for the upper limbs, and was again observed more frequently in the presence of an auditory cue (47%) than in its absence (14%). Although freezing of the lower limbs was easily assessed during an MDS-UPDRS task with a metronome, it was not correlated with the severity of freezing of gait (as evaluated during a standardized gait trajectory). Only this latter was a reliable measurement in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

A sample-freezing drive shoe for a wire line piston core sampler

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, F.; Herkelrath, W.N.

1996-01-01

Loss of fluids and samples during retrieval of cores of saturated, noncohesive sediments results in incorrect measures of fluid distributions and an inaccurate measure of the stratigraphic position of the sample. To reduce these errors, we developed a hollow drive shoe that freezes in place the lowest 3 inches (75 mm) of a 1.88-inch-diameter (48 mm), 5-foot-long (1.5 m) sediment sample taken using a commercial wire line piston core sampler. The end of the core is frozen by piping liquid carbon dioxide at ambient temperature through a steel tube from a bottle at the land surface to the drive shoe where it evaporates and expands, cooling the interior surface of the shoe to about -109??F (-78??C). Freezing a core end takes about 10 minutes. The device was used to collect samples for a study of oil-water-air distributions, and for studies of water chemistry and microbial activity in unconsolidated sediments at the site of an oil spill near Bemidji, Minnesota. Before freezing was employed, samples of sandy sediments from near the water table sometimes flowed out of the core barrel as the sampler was withdrawn. Freezing the bottom of the core allowed for the retention of all material that entered the core barrel and lessened the redistribution of fluids within the core. The device is useful in the unsaturated and shallow saturated zones, but does not freeze cores well at depths greater than about 20 feet (6 m) below water, possibly because the feed tube plugs with dry ice with increased exhaust back-pressure, or because sediment enters the annulus between the core barrel and the core barrel liner and blocks the exhaust.

Freezing in the Antarctic limpet, Nacella concinna.

PubMed

Hawes, T C; Worland, M R; Bale, J S

2010-08-01

The process of organismal freezing in the Antarctic limpet, Nacella concinna, is complicated by molluscan biology. Internal ice formation is, in particular, mediated by two factors: (a) the provision of an inoculative target for ice formation in the exposed mucus-secreting foot; and (b) osmoconformity to the marine environment. With regard to the first, direct observations of the independent freezing of pedal mucus support the hypothesis that internal ice formation is delayed by the mucal film. As to the second, ice nucleation parametrics of organismal tissue (head, midgut, gonad, foot) and mucus in both inter- and subtidal populations were characterized by high melting points (range=-4.61 to -6.29 degrees C), with only c.50% of a given sample osmotically active. At this stage it would be premature to ascribe a cryo-adaptive function to the mucus as the protective effects are more readily attributed to the physical properties of the secretion (i.e. viscosity) and their corresponding effects on the rate of heat transfer. As it is difficult to thermally distinguish between the freezing of mucus and the rest of the animal, the question as to whether it is tolerant of internal as well as external ice formation remains problematic, although it may be well suited to the osmotic stresses of organismal freezing. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spacecraft Radiator Freeze Protection Using a Regenerative Heat Exchanger with Bypass Setpoint Temperature Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ungar, Eugene K.

2008-01-01

Spacecraft radiators are sized for their maximum heat load in their warmest thermal environment, but must operate at reduced heat loads and in colder environments. For systems where the radiator environment can be colder than the working fluid freezing temperature, radiator freezing becomes an issue. Radiator freezing has not been a major issue for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) active thermal control systems (ATCSs) because they operate in environments that are warm relative to the freezing point of their external coolants (Freon-21 and ammonia, respectively). For a vehicle that lands at the Lunar South Pole, the design thermal environment is 215K, but the radiator working fluid must also be kept from freezing during the 0 K sink of transit. A radiator bypass flow control design such as those used on the Space Shuttle and ISS requires more than 30% of the design heat load to avoid radiator freezing during transit - even with a very low freezing point working fluid. By changing the traditional ATCS architecture to include a regenerating heat exchanger inboard of the radiator and by using a regenerator bypass flow control valve to maintain system setpoint, the required minimum heat load can be reduced by more than half. This gives the spacecraft much more flexibility in design and operation. The present work describes the regenerator bypass ATCS setpoint control methodology. It includes analytical results comparing the performance of this system to the traditional radiator bypass system. Finally, a summary of the advantages of the regenerator bypass system are presented.

Mechanisms of deterioration of nutrients. [freeze drying methods for space flight food

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karel, M.; Flink, J. M.

1974-01-01

Methods are reported by which freeze dried foods of improved quality will be produced. The applicability of theories of flavor retention has been demonstrated for a number of food polymers, both proteins and polysacchardies. Studies on the formation of structures during freeze drying have been continued for emulsified systems. Deterioration of organoleptic quality of freeze dried foods due to high temperature heating has been evaluated and improved procedures developed. The influence of water activity and high temperature on retention of model flavor materials and browning deterioration has been evaluated for model systems and food materials.

Accelerated redox reaction between chromate and phenolic pollutants during freezing.

PubMed

Ju, Jinjung; Kim, Jaesung; Vetráková, Ľubica; Seo, Jiwon; Heger, Dominik; Lee, Changha; Yoon, Ho-Il; Kim, Kitae; Kim, Jungwon

2017-05-05

The redox reaction between 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and chromate (Cr(VI)) (i.e., the simultaneous oxidation of 4-CP by Cr(VI) and reduction of Cr(VI) by 4-CP) in ice (i.e., at -20°C) was compared with the corresponding reaction in water (i.e., at 25°C). The redox conversion of 4-CP/Cr(VI), which was negligible in water, was significantly accelerated in ice. This accelerated redox conversion of 4-CP/Cr(VI) in ice is ascribed to the freeze concentration effect occurring during freezing, which excludes solutes (i.e., 4-CP and Cr(VI)) and protons from the ice crystals and subsequently concentrates them in the liquid brine. The concentrations of Cr(VI) and protons in the liquid brine were confirmed by measuring the optical image and the UV-vis absorption spectra of cresol red (CR) as a pH indicator of frozen solution. The redox conversion of 4-CP/Cr(VI) was observed in water when the concentrations of 4-CP/protons or Cr(VI)/protons increased by 100/1000-fold. These results corroborate the freeze concentration effect as the reason for the accelerated redox conversion of 4-CP/Cr(VI) in ice. The redox conversion of various phenolic pollutants/Cr(VI) and 4-CP/Cr(VI) in real wastewater was successfully achieved in ice, which verifies the environmental relevance and importance of freezing-accelerated redox conversion of phenolic pollutants/Cr(VI) in cold regions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of a dynamic temperature threshold for soil moisture freeze/thaw (F/T) state classification using soil real dielectric constant derivatives.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardo, R.; Berg, A. A.; Warland, J. S.

2017-12-01

The use of microwave remote sensing for surface ground ice detection has been well documented using both active and passive systems. Typical validation of these remotely sensed F/T state products relies on in-situ air or soil temperature measurements and a threshold of 0°C to identify frozen soil. However, in soil pores, the effects of capillary and adsorptive forces combine with the presence of dissolved salts to depress the freezing point. This is further confounded by the fact that water over this temperature range releases/absorbs latent heat of freezing/fusion. Indeed, recent results from SLAPEx2015, a campaign conducted to evaluate the ability to detect F/T state and examine the controls on F/T detection at multiple resolutions, suggest that using a soil temperature of 0°C as a threshold for freezing may not be appropriate. Coaxial impedance sensors, like Steven's HydraProbeII (HP), are the most widely used soil sensor in water supply forecast and climatological networks. These soil moisture probes have recently been used to validate remote sensing F/T products. This kind of validation is still relatively uncommon and dependent on categorical techniques based on seasonal reference states of frozen and non-frozen soil conditions. An experiment was conducted to identify the correlation between the phase state of the soil moisture and the probe measurements. Eight soil cores were subjected to F/T transitions in an environmental chamber. For each core, at a depth of 2.5 cm, the temperature and real dielectric constant (rdc) were measured every five minutes using HPs while two heat pulse probes captured the apparent heat capacity 24 minutes apart. Preliminary results show the phase transition of water is bounded by inflection points in the soil temperature, attributed to latent heat. The rdc, however, appears to be highly sensitive to changes in the water preceding the phase change. This opens the possibility of estimating a dynamic temperature threshold for

Repeated freeze-thaw cycles induce embolism in drought stressed conifers (Norway spruce, stone pine).

PubMed

Mayr, Stefan; Gruber, Andreas; Bauer, Helmut

2003-07-01

Freezing and thawing lead to xylem embolism when gas bubbles caused by ice formation expand during the thaw process. However, previous experimental studies indicated that conifers are resistant to freezing-induced embolism, unless xylem pressure becomes very negative during the freezing. In this study, we show that conifers experienced freezing-induced embolism when exposed to repeated freeze-thaw cycles and simultaneously to drought. Simulating conditions at the alpine timberline (128 days with freeze-thaw events and thawing rates of up to 9.5 K h(-1) in the xylem of exposed twigs during winter), young trees of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) were exposed to 50 and 100 freeze-thaw cycles. This treatment caused a significant increase in embolism rates in drought-stressed samples. Upon 100 freeze-thaw cycles, vulnerability thresholds (50% loss of conductivity) were shifted 1.8 MPa (Norway spruce) and 0.8 MPa (stone pine) towards less negative water potentials. The results demonstrate that freeze-thaw cycles are a possible reason for winter-embolism in conifers observed in several field studies. Freezing-induced embolism may contribute to the altitudinal limits of conifers.

Spontaneous self-dislodging of freezing water droplets and the role of wettability

PubMed Central

Schutzius, Thomas M.; Eghlidi, Hadi; Poulikakos, Dimos

2017-01-01

Spontaneous removal of liquid, solidifying liquid and solid forms of matter from surfaces, is of significant importance in nature and technology, where it finds applications ranging from self-cleaning to icephobicity and to condensation systems. However, it is a great challenge to understand fundamentally the complex interaction of rapidly solidifying, typically supercooled, droplets with surfaces, and to harvest benefit from it for the design of intrinsically icephobic materials. Here we report and explain an ice removal mechanism that manifests itself simultaneously with freezing, driving gradual self-dislodging of droplets cooled via evaporation and sublimation (low environmental pressure) or convection (atmospheric pressure) from substrates. The key to successful self-dislodging is that the freezing at the droplet free surface and the droplet contact area with the substrate do not occur simultaneously: The frozen phase boundary moves inward from the droplet free surface toward the droplet–substrate interface, which remains liquid throughout most of the process and freezes last. We observe experimentally, and validate theoretically, that the inward motion of the phase boundary near the substrate drives a gradual reduction in droplet–substrate contact. Concurrently, the droplet lifts from the substrate due to its incompressibility, density differences, and the asymmetric freezing dynamics with inward solidification causing not fully frozen mass to be displaced toward the unsolidified droplet–substrate interface. Depending on surface topography and wetting conditions, we find that this can lead to full dislodging of the ice droplet from a variety of engineered substrates, rendering the latter ice-free. PMID:28973877

Using Power Ultrasound to Accelerate Food Freezing Processes: Effects on Freezing Efficiency and Food Microstructure.

PubMed

Zhang, Peizhi; Zhu, Zhiwei; Sun, Da-Wen

2018-05-31

Freezing is an effective way of food preservation. However, traditional freezing methods have the disadvantages of low freezing efficiency and generation of large ice crystals, leading to possible damage of food quality. Power ultrasound assisted freezing as a novel technique can effectively reduce the adverse effects during freezing process. This paper gives an overview on recent researches of power ultrasound technique to accelerate the food freezing processes and illustrates the main principles of power ultrasound assisted freezing. The effects of power ultrasound on liquid food, model solid food as well as fruit and vegetables are discussed, respectively, from the aspects of increasing freezing rate and improving microstructure. It is shown that ultrasound assisted freezing can effectively improve the freezing efficiency and promote the formation of small and evenly distributed ice crystals, resulting in better food quality. Different inherent properties of food samples affect the effectiveness of ultrasound application and optimum ultrasound parameters depend on the nature of the samples. The application of ultrasound to the food industry is more likely on certain types of food products and more efforts are still needed to realize the industrial translation of laboratory results.

Intact preservation of environmental samples by freezing under an alternating magnetic field.

PubMed

Morono, Yuki; Terada, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Yuhji; Xiao, Nan; Hirose, Takehiro; Sugeno, Masaya; Ohwada, Norio; Inagaki, Fumio

2015-04-01

The study of environmental samples requires a preservation system that stabilizes the sample structure, including cells and biomolecules. To address this fundamental issue, we tested the cell alive system (CAS)-freezing technique for subseafloor sediment core samples. In the CAS-freezing technique, an alternating magnetic field is applied during the freezing process to produce vibration of water molecules and achieve a stable, super-cooled liquid phase. Upon further cooling, the temperature decreases further, achieving a uniform freezing of sample with minimal ice crystal formation. In this study, samples were preserved using the CAS and conventional freezing techniques at 4, -20, -80 and -196 (liquid nitrogen) °C. After 6 months of storage, microbial cell counts by conventional freezing significantly decreased (down to 10.7% of initial), whereas that by CAS-freezing resulted in minimal. When Escherichia coli cells were tested under the same freezing conditions and storage for 2.5 months, CAS-frozen E. coli cells showed higher viability than the other conditions. In addition, an alternating magnetic field does not impact on the direction of remanent magnetization in sediment core samples, although slight partial demagnetization in intensity due to freezing was observed. Consequently, our data indicate that the CAS technique is highly useful for the preservation of environmental samples. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Simulations of Polar Stratospheric Clouds and Denitrification Using Laboratory Freezing Rates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drdla, Katja; Tabazadeh, Azadeh; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

During the 1999-2000 Arctic winter, the SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) provided evidence of widespread solid-phase polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) accompanied by severe nitrification. Previous simulations have shown that a freezing process occurring at temperatures above the ice frost point is necessary to explain these observations. In this work, the nitric acid freezing rates measured by Salcedo et al. and discussed by Tabazadeh et al. have been examined. These freezing rates have been tested in winter-long microphysical simulations of the 1999-2000 Arctic vortex evolution in order to determine whether they can explain the observations. A range of cases have been explored, including whether the PSC particles are composed of nitric acid dihydrate or trihydrate, whether the freezing process is a bulk process or occurs only on the particle surfaces, and uncertainties in the derived freezing rates. Finally, the possibility that meteoritic debris enhances the freezing rate has also been examined. The results of these simulations have been compared with key PSC and denitrification measurements made by the SOLVE campaign. The cases that best reproduce the measurements will he highlighted, with a discussion of the implications for our understanding of PSCs.

Thermodynamic Investigation of the Effect of Interface Curvature on the Solid-Liquid Equilibrium and Eutectic Point of Binary Mixtures.

PubMed

Liu, Fanghui; Zargarzadeh, Leila; Chung, Hyun-Joong; Elliott, Janet A W

2017-10-12

Thermodynamic phase behavior is affected by curved interfaces in micro- and nanoscale systems. For example, capillary freezing point depression is associated with the pressure difference between the solid and liquid phases caused by interface curvature. In this study, the thermal, mechanical, and chemical equilibrium conditions are derived for binary solid-liquid equilibrium with a curved solid-liquid interface due to confinement in a capillary. This derivation shows the equivalence of the most general forms of the Gibbs-Thomson and Ostwald-Freundlich equations. As an example, the effect of curvature on solid-liquid equilibrium is explained quantitatively for the water/glycerol system. Considering the effect of a curved solid-liquid interface, a complete solid-liquid phase diagram is developed over a range of concentrations for the water/glycerol system (including the freezing of pure water or precipitation of pure glycerol depending on the concentration of the solution). This phase diagram is compared with the traditional phase diagram in which the assumption of a flat solid-liquid interface is made. We show the extent to which nanoscale interface curvature can affect the composition-dependent freezing and precipitating processes, as well as the change in the eutectic point temperature and concentration with interface curvature. Understanding the effect of curvature on solid-liquid equilibrium in nanoscale capillaries has applications in the food industry, soil science, cryobiology, nanoporous materials, and various nanoscience fields.

Basal Freeze-on: An Active Component of Hydrology from the Ice Divide to the Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, R. E.; Tinto, K. J.; Abdi, A.; Creyts, T. T.; Wolovick, M.; Das, I.; Ferraccioli, F.; Csatho, B. M.

2012-12-01

Subglacial hydrology is considered a key control of ice sheet dynamics. Here we show that basal freeze-on is a process that can terminate basal hydrologic networks both in the interior of East Antarctica and at the margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Basal freeze-on modifies the ice thickness, ice structure, and ice rheology and therefore must be considered in developing accurate understanding of how hydrology interacts with ice dynamics. In East Antarctica, the freeze-on process follows well-defined hydrologic networks within Gamburtsev Mountain valleys. The steep mountain topography strongly controls the routing of the subglacial water. Ice surface slope drives the water up the mountain valleys and freeze-on occurs at the valley heads. Freeze-on ice is characterized by distinct basal radar reflectors that emerge from the hydrologic network. Evidence that these spatially coherent reflectors demark accreted ice is the upward deflection of the overlying internal layers accompanied by thickening of base of the ice sheet. Individual accretion bodies can be 25 km wide across flow, 100 km along flow with average thicknesses of ~500m although the maximum thickness is 1100m. Regional accumulation rates near the accretion sites average 4cm/yr with low ice velocity (1.5 m/yr). The volume of the ice enclosed by the accretion ice reflectors is 45-1064 km3. The accretion occurs beneath 2200-3000m thick ice and has been persistent for at least 50,000yr. Other basal reflectors in northern Greenland appear in radar from NASA's Icebridge mission and CRESIS. To identify freeze-on ice, we use specific criteria: reflectors must originate from the bed, must be spatially continuous from line to line and the meteoric stratigraphy is deflected upward. The absence of coincident gravity anomalies indicates these reflectors define distinct packages of ice rather than frozen sediment or off-nadir subglacial topography. In the Petermann Glacier Catchment, one of the largest in northern

Intracellular Freezing in the Infective Juveniles of Steinernema feltiae: An Entomopathogenic Nematode

PubMed Central

Ali, Farman; Wharton, David A.

2014-01-01

Taking advantage of their optical transparency, we clearly observed the third stage infective juveniles (IJs) of Steinernema feltiae freezing under a cryo-stage microscope. The IJs froze when the water surrounding them froze at −2°C and below. However, they avoid inoculative freezing at −1°C, suggesting cryoprotective dehydration. Freezing was evident as a sudden darkening and cessation of IJs' movement. Freeze substitution and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the IJs of S. feltiae freeze intracellularly. Ice crystals were found in every compartment of the body. IJs frozen at high sub-zero temperatures (−1 and −3°C) survived and had small ice crystals. Those frozen at −10°C had large ice crystals and did not survive. However, the pattern of ice formation was not well-controlled and individual nematodes frozen at −3°C had both small and large ice crystals. IJs frozen by plunging directly into liquid nitrogen had small ice crystals, but did not survive. This study thus presents the evidence that S. feltiae is only the second freeze tolerant animal, after the Antarctic nematode Panagrolaimus davidi, shown to withstand extensive intracellular freezing. PMID:24769523

Water quality observations of ice-covered, stagnant, eutrophic water bodies and analysis of influence of ice-covered period on water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

sugihara, K.; Nakatsugawa, M.

2013-12-01

The water quality characteristics of ice-covered, stagnant, eutrophic water bodies have not been clarified because of insufficient observations. It has been pointed out that climate change has been shortening the duration of ice-cover; however, the influence of climate change on water quality has not been clarified. This study clarifies the water quality characteristics of stagnant, eutrophic water bodies that freeze in winter, based on our surveys and simulations, and examines how climate change may influence those characteristics. We made fixed-point observation using self-registering equipment and vertical water sampling. Self-registering equipment measured water temperature and dissolved oxygen(DO).vertical water sampling analyzed biological oxygen demand(BOD), total nitrogen(T-N), nitrate nitrogen(NO3-N), nitrite nitrogen(NO2-N), ammonium nitrogen(NH4-N), total phosphorus(TP), orthophosphoric phosphorus(PO4-P) and chlorophyll-a(Chl-a). The survey found that climate-change-related increases in water temperature were suppressed by ice covering the water area, which also blocked oxygen supply. It was also clarified that the bottom sediment consumed oxygen and turned the water layers anaerobic beginning from the bottom layer, and that nutrient salts eluted from the bottom sediment. The eluted nutrient salts were stored in the water body until the ice melted. The ice-covered period of water bodies has been shortening, a finding based on the analysis of weather and water quality data from 1998 to 2008. Climate change was surveyed as having caused decreases in nutrient salts concentration because of the shortened ice-covered period. However, BOD in spring showed a tendency to increase because of the proliferation of phytoplankton that was promoted by the climate-change-related increase in water temperature. To forecast the water quality by using these findings, particularly the influence of climate change, we constructed a water quality simulation model that

Closed-system freezing of soils in linings and earth embankment dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, C. W.

1981-03-01

A brief review of studies of closed-system freezing (no source of water except that in voids) of compacted soil canal linings, laboratory and field test results show that under certain soil and temperature conditions, freezing decreases soil density near the surface, but increases density at depth. In two linings, the average density increased slightly during a 20-year period. Frost penetration measurements made during the 1978-79 winter on a 1,5-thick reservoir lining, on three earth dams under construction, and on the Teton Dam remnant are shown along with associated soil conditions, air freezing indexes, and insulating effects of snow and, for one dam, a loose soil cover.

The location of the second critical point of water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanno, Hitoshi; Miyata, Kuniharu

2006-05-01

Based on the DTA data for homogeneous ice nucleation of emulsified liquid water at low temperatures and high pressures, the location of the second critical point (SCP) of water, which is expected to exist in addition to the normal liquid-vapor critical point, is estimated to be at 145 K < Tc2 < 175 K and Pc2 = ˜200 MPa ( Tc2: second critical temperature, Pc2: second critical pressure). It is shown that SCP is closely associated with the break point of the curve for the homogeneous ice nucleation temperature ( TH) of liquid water and with the transition between low density and high density amorphous solid water (LDA and HDA). Although the existence of SCP has become more realistic, the location seems to be less favorable to the water model of the second-critical-point interpretation.

Dispersion Stability of O/W Emulsions with Different Oil Contents Under Various Freezing and Thawing Conditions.

PubMed

Katsuki, Kazutaka; Miyagawa, Yayoi; Nakagawa, Kyuya; Adachi, Shuji

2017-07-01

Freezing and thawing of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion-type foods bring about oil-water separation and deterioration; hence, the effects of freezing and thawing conditions on the destabilization of O/W emulsions were examined. The freezing rate and thawing temperature hardly affected the stability of the O/W emulsion. O/W emulsions having different oil fractions were stored at temperatures ranging from -30 to -20 °C and then thawed. The stability after thawing depended on the storage temperature, irrespective of the oil fraction of the emulsion. A good correlation was found between the time at which the stability began to decrease and the time taken for the oil to crystalize. These results indicated that the dominant cause for the destabilization of the O/W emulsion during freezing and thawing is the crystallization of the oil phase and that the effects of the freezing and thawing rates on the stability are insignificant. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

A novel particle engineering technology to enhance dissolution of poorly water soluble drugs: spray-freezing into liquid.

PubMed

Rogers, True L; Nelsen, Andrew C; Hu, Jiahui; Brown, Judith N; Sarkari, Marazban; Young, Timothy J; Johnston, Keith P; Williams, Robert O

2002-11-01

A novel cryogenic spray-freezing into liquid (SFL) process was developed to produce microparticulate powders consisting of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) molecularly embedded within a pharmaceutical excipient matrix. In the SFL process, a feed solution containing the API was atomized beneath the surface of a cryogenic liquid such that the liquid-liquid impingement between the feed and cryogenic liquids resulted in intense atomization into microdroplets, which were frozen instantaneously into microparticles. The SFL micronized powder was obtained following lyophilization of the frozen microparticles. The objective of this study was to develop a particle engineering technology to produce micronized powders of the hydrophobic drug, danazol, complexed with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) and to compare these SFL micronized powders to inclusion complex powders produced from other techniques, such as co-grinding of dry powder mixtures and lyophilization of bulk solutions. Danazol and HPbetaCD were dissolved in a water/tetrahydrofuran cosolvent mixture prior to SFL processing or slow freezing. Identical quantities of the API and HPbetaCD used in the solutions were co-ground in a mortar and pestle and blended to produce a co-ground physical mixture for comparison. The powder samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, surface area analysis, and dissolution testing. The results provided by DSC, XRD, and FTIR suggested the formation of inclusion complexes by both slow-freezing and SFL. However, the specific surface area was significantly higher for the latter. Dissolution results suggested that equilibration of the danazol/HPbetaCD solution prior to SFL processing was required to produce the most soluble conformation of the resulting inclusion complex following SFL. SFL micronized powders exhibited better dissolution

Particle characterization of poorly water-soluble drugs using a spray freeze drying technique.

PubMed

Kondo, Masahiro; Niwa, Toshiyuki; Okamoto, Hirokazu; Danjo, Kazumi

2009-07-01

A spray freeze drying (SFD) method was developed to prepare the composite particles of poorly water-soluble drug. The aqueous solution dissolved drug and the functional polymer was sprayed directly into liquid nitrogen. Then, the iced droplets were lyophilized with freeze-dryer to prepare solid particles. Tolbutamide (TBM) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) were used as a model drug and water-soluble polymeric carrier in this study, respectively. The morphological observation of particles revealed that the spherical particles having porous structure could be obtained by optimizing the loading amount of drug and polymer in the spray solution. Especially, SFD method was characterized that the prepared particles had significantly larger specific surface area comparing with those prepared by the standard spray drying technique. The physicochemical properties of the resultant particles were found to be dependent on the concentration of spray solution. When the solution with high content of drug and polymer was used, the particle size of the resulting composite particles increased and they became spherical. The specific surface area of the particles also increased as a result of higher concentration of solution. The evaluation of spray solution indicated that these results were dependent on the viscosity of spray solution. In addition, when composite particles of TBM were prepared using the SFD method with HPMC as a carrier, the crystallinity of TBM decreased as the proportion of HPMC increased. When the TBM : HPMC ratio reached 1 : 5, the crystallinity of the particles completely disappeared. The dissolution tests showed that the release profiles of poorly water-soluble TBM from SFD composite particles were drastically improved compared to bulk TBM. The 70% release time T(70) of composite particles prepared by the SFD method in a solution of pH 1.2 was quite smaller than that of bulk TBM, while in a solution of pH 6.8, it was slightly lower. In addition, the

Role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in freezing-induced freezing resistance of Populus suaveolens.

PubMed

Lin, Shan-Zhi; Zhang, Zhi-Yi; Liu, Wen-Feng; Lin, Yuan-Zhen; Zhang, Qian; Zhu, Bao-Qing

2005-02-01

To explore the role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH, EC 1.1.1.49) in the enhancement of freezing resistance induced by freezing acclimation, G6PDH was purified from the leaves of 8-week-old Populus suaveolens cuttings. The G6PDH activity in the absence or the presence of reduced dithiothreitol (DTT(red)) were determined, and the changes in superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxides (POD) and cytosolic G6PDH activities, malondial-dehyde (MDA) content as well as freezing resistance (expressed as LT(50)) of P. suaveolens cuttings during freezing acclimation at -20 degrees C were investigated. The results showed that the purified G6PDH was probably located in the cytosol of P. suaveolens. Freezing acclimation increased the activities of SOD, POD and cytosolic G6PDH, and decreased the MDA content and LT(50) of cuttings, while 2 d of de-acclimation at 25 degrees C resulted in a decrease in SOD, POD and cytosolic G6PDH activities, and caused an increase in MDA content and LT(50). The change in cytosolic G6PDH activity was found to be closely correlated to the levels of SOD, POD and MDA, and to the degree of freezing resistance of cuttings during freezing acclimation. It is suggested that the enhancement of freezing resistance of cuttings induced by freezing acclimation is related to the distinct increase in cytosolic G6PDH activity, which may be involved in the activation of SOD and POD, and the induction of freezing resistance of cuttings.

Silicon-based Porous Ceramics via Freeze Casting of Preceramic Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naviroj, Maninpat

Freeze casting is a technique for processing porous materials that has drawn significant attention for its effectiveness in producing a variety of tailorable pore structures for ceramics, metals, and polymers. With freeze casting, pores are generated based on a solidification process where ice crystals act as a sacrificial template which can eventually be sublimated to create pores. While the majority of freeze-casting studies have been performed using conventional ceramic suspensions, this work explores an alternative processing route by freeze casting with preceramic polymer solutions. Significant differences exist between freeze casting of a particulate suspension and a polymeric solution. These changes affect the processing method, solidification behavior, and pore structure, thereby introducing new challenges and possibilities for the freeze-casting technique. The first part of this study explored the processing requirements involved with freeze casting of preceramic polymers, along with methods to control the resulting pore structure. Solvent choice, freezing front velocity, and polymer concentration were used as processing variables to manipulate the pore structures. A total of seven organic solvents were freeze cast with a polymethylsiloxane preceramic polymer to produce ceramics with isotropic, dendritic, prismatic, and lamellar pore morphologies. Changes in freezing front velocity and polymer concentration were shown to influence pore size, shape, and connectivity. Differences between suspension- and solution-based samples freeze cast under equivalent conditions were also investigated. Certain solidification microstructures were strongly affected by the presence of suspended particles, creating differences between pore structures generated from the same solvents. Additionally, processing of solution-based samples were found to be the more facile technique. Compressive strength and water permeability of dendritic and lamellar structures were analyzed to

Rapid determination of vial heat transfer parameters using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) in response to step-changes in pressure set-point during freeze-drying.

PubMed

Kuu, Wei Y; Nail, Steven L; Sacha, Gregory

2009-03-01

The purpose of this study was to perform a rapid determination of vial heat transfer parameters, that is, the contact parameter K(cs) and the separation distance l(v), using the sublimation rate profiles measured by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). In this study, each size of vial was filled with pure water followed by a freeze-drying cycle using a LyoStar II dryer (FTS Systems) with step-changes of the chamber pressure set-point at to 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mTorr. K(cs) was independently determined by nonlinear parameter estimation using the sublimation rates measured at the pressure set-point of 25 mTorr. After obtaining K(cs), the l(v) value for each vial size was determined by nonlinear parameter estimation using the pooled sublimation rate profiles obtained at 25 to 400 mTorr. The vial heat transfer coefficient K(v), as a function of the chamber pressure, was readily calculated, using the obtained K(cs) and l(v) values. It is interesting to note the significant difference in K(v) of two similar types of 10 mL Schott tubing vials, primary due to the geometry of the vial-bottom, as demonstrated by the images of the contact areas of the vial-bottom. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Rubber closures for freeze-dried products.

PubMed

Hopkins, G H

1976-10-01

Once a biological product has been developed to perform its required medical or pharmaceutical function, it is essential that a container-closure system by chosen which will preserve the efficacy of the product up to the point of administration. The general requirements applicable to proper closure function will be reviewed and the suitability of natural and synthetic elastomers to perform these functions will be discussed. The specialized application of elastomeric materials as closures for freeze-dried products presents additional requirements which are superimposed upon those previously discussed. The first of these unique considerations relates to the proper physical design which will permit the outgassing of water vapor during the sublimation step in the lyophilizing chamber. During this outgassing the design must also permit the closure to remain affixed in the neck while only partially inserted. Since these preparations are lyophilized because they are unstable in aqueous solutions, the elastomer used must constitute an effective barrier to the transmission of moisture vapor through the closure. The MVT and gas transmission properties of elastomers will be discussed. Special consideration will be given to the extremely low temperatures used in the sublimation, stoppering, and storage before use of lyophilized products. The phenomenon of glass transition points with different elastomers will be explained as its relation to satisfactory performance of the closure function at low temperatures.

Soil freezing effects on sources of nitrogen and carbon leached during snowmelt

Treesearch

John L. Campbell; Andrew B. Reinmann; Pamela H. Templer

2014-01-01

Soil freezing in winter has been shown to enhance growing season losses of C and N in northern forests. However, less is known about effects of soil freezing on C and N retention during snowmelt and the sources of C and N leached, which is important because losses to stream water are greatest during this period. Organic horizon soils (Oi + Oe + Oa) from the Hubbard...

Evaluation of spin freezing versus conventional freezing as part of a continuous pharmaceutical freeze-drying concept for unit doses.

PubMed

De Meyer, L; Van Bockstal, P-J; Corver, J; Vervaet, C; Remon, J P; De Beer, T

2015-12-30

Spin-freezing as alternative freezing approach was evaluated as part of an innovative continuous pharmaceutical freeze-drying concept for unit doses. The aim of this paper was to compare the sublimation rate of spin-frozen vials versus traditionally frozen vials in a batch freeze-dryer, and its impact on total drying time. Five different formulations, each having a different dry cake resistance, were tested. After freezing, the traditionally frozen vials were placed on the shelves while the spin-frozen vials were placed in aluminum vial holders providing radial energy supply during drying. Different primary drying conditions and chamber pressures were evaluated. After 2h of primary drying, the amount of sublimed ice was determined in each vial. Each formulation was monitored in-line using NIR spectroscopy during drying to determine the sublimation endpoint and the influence of drying conditions upon total drying time. For all tested formulations and applied freeze-drying conditions, there was a significant higher sublimation rate in the spin-frozen vials. This can be explained by the larger product surface and the lower importance of product resistance because of the much thinner product layers in the spin frozen vials. The in-line NIR measurements allowed evaluating the influence of applied drying conditions on the drying trajectories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformational and bioactivity analysis of insulin: freeze-drying TBA/water co-solvent system in the presence of surfactant and sugar.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Deng, Yingjie; Wang, Xueli; Xu, Jinghua; Li, Zhengqiang

2009-04-17

Despite the extensive research into the freeze-drying of aqueous solutions of proteins, it remains unknown whether proteins can survive the lyophilization process in a water-organic co-solvent system and how the process and additives affect the structural stability and activity of the proteins. In the present study, a conformational analysis of insulin in the absence/presence of bile salt and trehalose was carried out, before and after freeze-drying of a tert-butyl alcohol (TBA)/water co-solvent system at volume ratios of TBA to water ranging from 50/50 to 0/100. The study involved the use of ultraviolet derivative and fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Also the bioactivity of insulin was evaluated in vivo using the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice as an animal model. Initial investigations indicate that the extent of the structural change of insulin depends significantly both on the TBA content and on the concentration of additives, such as sodium deoxycholate, prior to lyophilization. This could be accounted for by the phase behavior properties of the TBA/water co-solvent system, surface denaturation together with the selective and/or forced dispersion of insulin during phase separation. Lyophilized insulin in the presence of bile salt and trehalose retained more of its bioactivity and native-like structure in the solid state compared with that in the absence of additives at various TBA/water ratios, although in all cases there was a major and reversible rearrangement of secondary structure after rehydration, except for insulin at 50% TBA (v/v). Furthermore, both lyophilization in non-eutectic systems and less structural changes in the formulation process lead to more bioactivity.

Freeze-out extraction of monocarboxylic acids from water into acetonitrile under the action of centrifugal forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekhterev, V. N.

2016-10-01

It is established that the efficiency of the freezing-out extraction of monocarboxylic acids C3-C;8 and sorbic acid from water into acetonitrile increases under the action of centrifugal forces. The linear growth of the partition coefficient in the homologous series of C2-C8 acids with an increase in molecule length, and the difference between the efficiency of extracting sorbic and hexanoic acid, are discussed using a theoretical model proposed earlier and based on the adsorption-desorption equilibrium of the partition of dissolved organic compounds between the resulting surface of ice and the liquid phase of the extract. The advantages of the proposed technique with respect to the degree of concentration over the method of low-temperature liquid-liquid extraction are explained in light of the phase diagram for the water-acetonitrile mixture.

Rehydration of freeze-dried and convective dried boletus edulis mushrooms: effect on some quality parameters.

PubMed

Hernando, I; Sanjuán, N; Pérez-Munuera, I; Mulet, A

2008-10-01

Quality of rehydrated products is a key aspect linked to rehydration conditions. To assess the effect of rehydration temperature on some quality parameters, experiments at 20 and 70 degrees C were performed with convective dried and freeze-dried Boletus edulis mushrooms. Rehydration characteristics (through Peleg's parameter, k(1), and equilibrium moisture, W(e)), texture (Kramer), and microstructure (Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy) were evaluated. Freeze-dried samples absorbed water more quickly and attained higher W(e) values than convective dried ones. Convective dehydrated samples rehydrated at 20 degrees C showed significantly lower textural values (11.9 +/- 3.3 N/g) than those rehydrated at 70 degrees C (15.7 +/- 1.2 N/g). For the freeze-dried Boletus edulis, the textural values also exhibited significant differences, being 8.2 +/- 1.3 and 10.5 +/- 2.3 N/g for 20 and 70 degrees C, respectively. Freeze-dried samples showed a porous structure that allows rehydration to take place mainly at the extracellular level. This explains the fact that, regardless of temperature, freeze-dried mushrooms absorbed water more quickly and reached higher W(e) values than convective dried ones. Whatever the dehydration technique used, rehydration at 70 degrees C produced a structural damage that hindered water absorption; consequently lower W(e) values and higher textural values were attained than when rehydrating at 20 degrees C.

Water Phase Change Heat Exchanger System Level Analysis for Low Lunar Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Navarro, Moses; Ungar, Eugene; Sheth, Rubik; Hansen, Scott

2016-01-01

In low Lunar orbit (LLO) the thermal environment is cyclic - extremely cold in the eclipse and as warm as room temperature near the subsolar point. Phase change material heat exchangers (PCHXs) are the best option for long term missions in these environments. The Orion spacecraft will use a n-pentadecane wax PCHX for its envisioned mission to LLO. Using water as a PCM material is attractive because its higher heat of fusion and greater density result in a lighter, more compact PCHX. To assess the use of a water PCHX for a human spacecraft in a circular LLO, a system level analysis was performed for the Orion spacecraft. Three cases were evaluated: 1) A one-to-one replacement of the wax PCHX on the internal thermal control loop with a water PCHX (including the appropriate control modifications), 2) reducing the radiator return setpoint temperature below Orion's value to enhance PCHX freezing, and 3) placing the water PCM on the external loop. The model showed that the water PCHX could not be used as a drop-in replacement for the wax PCHX. It did not freeze fully during the eclipse owing to its low freezing point. To obtain equivalent performance, 40% more radiator area than the Orion baseline was required. The study shows that, although water PCHXs are attractive at a component level, system level effects mean that they are not the best choice for LLO.

Freeze drying for morphological control of inter-penetrating polymer networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Marion G.; Pater, Ruth H.

1990-01-01

The intrinsic brittleness of BMI resins can be reduced through the creation of an interpenetrating network (IPN) of BMI with a reactive-encapped thermoplastic, such as the presently considered polyimidesulfone, PISO2. The PISO2 and BMI were dissolved in a common solvent, which was then removed from the constituents by freeze drying; in an alternative method, an IPN was formed through dissolution of the constituent in a common solvent with either high or low melting point, followed by evaporative removal of the solvent. The effectiveness of the freeze-drying approach for morphological control is evaluated.

Effect of freezing on microstructure and degree of syneresis in differently formulated fruit fillings.

PubMed

Cropotova, Janna; Tylewicz, Urszula; Dellarosa, Nicolò; Laghi, Luca; Romani, Santina; Dalla Rosa, Marco

2016-03-15

This study describes the syneresis and its effect on microstructure in fruit fillings within a wide range of the total soluble solids content and with or without hydrocolloids upon freezing. Linear models showed the relevance of the addition of pectin and gellan gum to fillings to prevent syneresis, increasing the water-holding capacity especially after freezing. Microstructural experiments by means of NMR spin-spin relaxometry combined with fluorescence microscopy allowed to observe that the continuous hydrocolloid gel, containing the dispersed solution of native fruit parts with the addition of inulin and sugars, changed its structure/distribution according to the amount of each ingredient and due to the freezing process. Relaxometry results confirmed that hydrocolloids strength was correlated (R(2)>0.92) with water-holding capacity, due to a relationship between the signal given by the water chemically exchanging with biopolymers, and the changes in the degree of syneresis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Optimization of lyophilization procedures for freeze-drying of human red blood cells].

PubMed

Chen, Lin-feng; Liu, Jing-han; Wang, De-qing; Ouyang, Xi-lin; Zhuang, Yuan; Che, Ji; Yu, Yang; Li, Hui

2010-09-01

To investigate the different parameters of the lyophilization procedures that affect the recovery of the rehydrated red blood cells (RBCs). Human RBCs loaded in tubes were cooled with 4 different modes and subjected to water bath at 25 degrees celsius;. The morphological changes of the RBCs were observed to assess the degree of vitrification, and the specimens were placed in the freeze-dryer with the temperature set up at 40, -50, -60, -70 and -80 degrees celsius;. The rates of temperature rise of the main and secondary drying in the lyophilization procedures were compared, and the water residue in the specimens was determined. The protectant did not show ice crystal in the course of freezing and thawing. No significant difference was found in the recovery rate of the rehydrated RBCs freeze-dried at the minimum temperature of -70 degrees celsius; and -80 degrees celsius; (P > 0.05). The E procedure resulted in the maximum recovery of the RBCs (83.14% ± 9.55%) and Hb (85.33% ± 11.42%), showing significant differences from the other groups(P < 0.01 or 0.05). The recovery of the RBCs showed a positive correlation to the water residue in the samples. Fast cooling in liquid nitrogen and shelf precooling at -70 degrees celsius; with a moderate rate of temperature rise in lyophylization and a start dry temperature close to the shelf equilibrium temperature produce optimal freeze-drying result of human RBCs.

A Peltier-based freeze-thaw device for meteorite disaggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogliore, R. C.

2018-02-01

A Peltier-based freeze-thaw device for the disaggregation of meteorite or other rock samples is described. Meteorite samples are kept in six water-filled cavities inside a thin-walled Al block. This block is held between two Peltier coolers that are automatically cycled between cooling and warming. One cycle takes approximately 20 min. The device can run unattended for months, allowing for ˜10 000 freeze-thaw cycles that will disaggregate meteorites even with relatively low porosity. This device was used to disaggregate ordinary and carbonaceous chondrite regoltih breccia meteorites to search for micrometeoroid impact craters.

Freezing point and solid-liquid interfacial free energy of Stockmayer dipolar fluids: a molecular dynamics simulation study.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Apte, Pankaj A; Morris, James R; Zeng, Xiao Cheng

2013-09-21

Stockmayer fluids are a prototype model system for dipolar fluids. We have computed the freezing temperatures of Stockmayer fluids at zero pressure using three different molecular-dynamics simulation methods, namely, the superheating-undercooling method, the constant-pressure and constant-temperature two-phase coexistence method, and the constant-pressure and constant-enthalpy two-phase coexistence method. The best estimate of the freezing temperature (in reduced unit) for the Stockmayer (SM) fluid with the dimensionless dipole moment μ*=1, √2, √3 is 0.656 ± 0.001, 0.726 ± 0.002, and 0.835 ± 0.005, respectively. The freezing temperature increases with the dipolar strength. Moreover, for the first time, the solid-liquid interfacial free energies γ of the fcc (111), (110), and (100) interfaces are computed using two independent methods, namely, the cleaving-wall method and the interfacial fluctuation method. Both methods predict that the interfacial free energy increases with the dipole moment. Although the interfacial fluctuation method suggests a weaker interfacial anisotropy, particularly for strongly dipolar SM fluids, both methods predicted the same trend of interfacial anisotropy, i.e., γ100 > γ110 > γ111.

Controlled crystallization of the lipophilic drug fenofibrate during freeze-drying: elucidation of the mechanism by in-line Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

de Waard, Hans; De Beer, Thomas; Hinrichs, Wouter L J; Vervaet, Chris; Remon, Jean-Paul; Frijlink, Henderik W

2010-12-01

We developed a novel process, "controlled crystallization during freeze-drying" to produce drug nanocrystals of poorly water-soluble drugs. This process involves freeze-drying at a relatively high temperature of a drug and a matrix material from a mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol and water, resulting in drug nanocrystals incorporated in a matrix. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms that determine the size of the drug crystals. Fenofibrate was used as a model lipophilic drug. To monitor the crystallization during freeze-drying, a Raman probe was placed just above the sample in the freeze-dryer. These in-line Raman spectroscopy measurements clearly revealed when the different components crystallized during freeze-drying. The solvents crystallized only during the freezing step, while the solutes only crystallized after the temperature was increased, but before drying started. Although the solutes crystallized only after the freezing step, both the freezing rate and the shelf temperature were critical parameters that determined the final crystal size. At a higher freezing rate, smaller interstitial spaces containing the freeze-concentrated fraction were formed, resulting in smaller drug crystals (based on dissolution data). On the other hand, when the solutes crystallized at a lower shelf temperature, the degree of supersaturation is higher, resulting in a higher nucleation rate and consequently more and therefore smaller crystals. In conclusion, for the model drug fenofibrate, a high freezing rate and a relatively low crystallization temperature resulted in the smallest crystals and therefore the highest dissolution rate.

Adaptive and freeze-tolerant heteronetwork organohydrogels with enhanced mechanical stability over a wide temperature range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Hainan; Zhao, Ziguang; Cai, Yudong; Zhou, Jiajia; Hua, Wenda; Chen, Lie; Wang, Li; Zhang, Jianqi; Han, Dong; Liu, Mingjie; Jiang, Lei

2017-06-01

Many biological organisms with exceptional freezing tolerance can resist the damages to cells from extra-/intracellular ice crystals and thus maintain their mechanical stability at subzero temperatures. Inspired by the freezing tolerance mechanisms found in nature, here we report a strategy of combining hydrophilic/oleophilic heteronetworks to produce self-adaptive, freeze-tolerant and mechanically stable organohydrogels. The organohydrogels can simultaneously use water and oil as a dispersion medium, and quickly switch between hydrogel- and organogel-like behaviours in response to the nature of the surrounding phase. Accordingly, their surfaces display unusual adaptive dual superlyophobic in oil/water system (that is, they are superhydrophobic under oil and superoleophobic under water). Moreover, the organogel component can inhibit the ice crystallization of the hydrogel component, thus enhancing the mechanical stability of organohydrogel over a wide temperature range (-78 to 80 °C). The organohydrogels may have promising applications in complex and harsh environments.

Thermal Destabilization of Collagen Matrix Hierarchical Structure by Freeze/Thaw

PubMed Central

Ozcelikkale, Altug; Han, Bumsoo

2016-01-01

This study aims to characterize and understand the effects of freezing on collagen structures and functionality. Specifically, thermodynamic destabilization of collagen at molecular- and fibril-levels by combination of low temperatures and freezing were experimentally characterized using modulated differential scanning calorimetry. In order to delineate the effects of sub-zero temperature and water-ice phase change, we hypothesized that the extent of destabilization can be determined based on post-thaw heat induced thermal denaturation of collagen. It is found that thermal denaturation temperature of collagen in hydrogel decreases by 1.4–1.6°C after freeze/thaw while no such decrease is observed in the case of molecular solution. The destabilization is predominantly due to ice formation. Exposure to low temperatures in the absence of ice has only minimal effect. Calorimetry measurements combined with morphological examination of collagen matrices by scanning electron microscopy suggest that freezing results in destabilization of collagen fibrils due to expansion of intrafibrillar space by ice formation. This fibril-level damage can be alleviated by use of cryoprotectant DMSO at concentrations as low as 0.5 M. A theoretical model explaining the change in collagen post-thaw thermal stability by freezing-induced fibril expansion is also proposed. PMID:26765741

Physicochemical interaction mechanism between nanoparticles and tetrasaccharides (stachyose) during freeze-drying.

PubMed

Kamiya, Seitaro; Nakashima, Kenichiro

2017-12-01

Nanoparticle suspensions are thermodynamically unstable and subject to aggregation. Freeze-drying on addition of saccharides is a useful method for preventing aggregation. In the present study, tetrasaccharides (stachyose) was employed as an additive. In addition, we hypothesize the interactive mechanism between stachyose and the nanoparticles during freeze-drying for the first time. The mean particle size of the rehydrated freeze-dried stachyose-containing nanoparticles (104.7 nm) was similar to the initial particle size before freeze-drying (76.8 nm), indicating that the particle size had been maintained. The mean particle size of the rehydrated normal-dried stachyose-containing nanoparticles was 222.2 nm. The powder X-ray diffraction of the freeze-dried stachyose-containing nanoparticles revealed a halo pattern. The powder X-ray diffraction of the normally dried stachyose-containing nanoparticles produced mainly a halo pattern and a partial peak. These results suggest an interaction between the nanoparticles and stachyose, and that this relationship depends on whether the mixture is freeze-dried or dried normally. In the case of normal drying, although most molecules cannot move rapidly thereby settling irregularly, some stachyose molecules can arrange regularly leading to some degree of crystallization and potentially some aggregation. In contrast, during freeze-drying, the moisture sublimed, while the stachyose molecules and nanoparticles were immobilized in the ice. After sublimation, stachyose remained in the space occupied by water and played the role of a buffer material, thus preventing aggregation.

Effect of food additives on egg yolk gelation induced by freezing.

PubMed

Primacella, Monica; Fei, Tao; Acevedo, Nuria; Wang, Tong

2018-10-15

This study demonstrates technological advances in preventing yolk gelation during freezing and thawing. Gelation negatively affects yolk functionality in food formulation. Preventing gelation using 10% salt or sugar limits the application of the yolk. Novel food additives were tested to prevent gelation induced by freezing. Significant reduction (p < 0.05) in gel hardness of frozen-thawed yolk (45 h freezing at -20 °C) indicates that hydrolyzed carboxymethyl cellulose (HCMC), proline, and hydrolyzed egg white and yolk (HEW and HEY) are effective gelation inhibitors. The mechanisms in which these additives prevented gelation were further studied through measuring the changes in the amount of freezable water, lipoprotein particle size, and protein surface hydrophobicity. Overall, this study provides several alternatives of gelation inhibitor that have great potentials in replacing the use of salt or sugar in commercial operation of freezing egg yolk for shelf-life extension. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some observations on soil freezing in forest and range lands of the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Charles E. Hale

1950-01-01

It is well known that freezing and thawing of the surface soil and humus greatly affect their capacity to absorb water. Post and Dreibelbis (1) in Ohio reported that percolation was materially reduced or ceased entirely when the frost depth was three inches or greater. They also stated that "freezing of the surface soil undoubtedly has considerable influence on...

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 Aids in Resilience to Salt and Drought in Freezing-Sensitive Tomato

DOE PAGES

Wang, Kun; Hersh, Hope Lynn; Benning, Christoph

2016-09-06

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 (SFR2) is crucial for protecting chloroplast membranes following freezing in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). It has been shown that SFR2 homologs are present in all land plants, including freezing-sensitive species, raising the question of SFR2 function beyond freezing tolerance. Similar to freezing, salt and drought can cause dehydration. Thus, it is hypothesized that in freezing-sensitive plants SFR2 may play roles in their resilience to salt or drought. To test this hypothesis, SlSFR2 RNAi lines were generated in the cold/freezing-sensitive species tomato (Solanum lycopersicum [M82 cv]). Hypersensitivity to salt and drought of SlSFR2-RNAi lines was observed. Higher tolerance ofmore » wild-type tomatoes was correlated with the production of trigalactosyldiacylglycerol, a product of SFR2 activity. Tomato SFR2 in vitro activity is Mg 2+-dependent and its optimal pH is 7.5, similar to that of Arabidopsis SFR2, but the specific activity of tomato SFR2 in vitro is almost double that of Arabidopsis SFR2. When salt and drought stress were applied to Arabidopsis, no conditions could be identified at which SFR2 was induced prior to irreversibly impacting plant growth, suggesting that SFR2 protects Arabidopsis primarily against freezing. Discovery of tomato SFR2 function in drought and salt resilience provides further insights into general membrane lipid remodeling-based stress tolerance mechanisms and together with protection against freezing in freezing-resistant plants such as Arabidopsis, it adds lipid remodeling as a possible target for the engineering of abiotic stress-resilient crops.« less

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 Aids in Resilience to Salt and Drought in Freezing-Sensitive Tomato

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

Wang, Kun; Hersh, Hope Lynn; Benning, Christoph

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 (SFR2) is crucial for protecting chloroplast membranes following freezing in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). It has been shown that SFR2 homologs are present in all land plants, including freezing-sensitive species, raising the question of SFR2 function beyond freezing tolerance. Similar to freezing, salt and drought can cause dehydration. Thus, it is hypothesized that in freezing-sensitive plants SFR2 may play roles in their resilience to salt or drought. To test this hypothesis, SlSFR2 RNAi lines were generated in the cold/freezing-sensitive species tomato (Solanum lycopersicum [M82 cv]). Hypersensitivity to salt and drought of SlSFR2-RNAi lines was observed. Higher tolerance ofmore » wild-type tomatoes was correlated with the production of trigalactosyldiacylglycerol, a product of SFR2 activity. Tomato SFR2 in vitro activity is Mg 2+-dependent and its optimal pH is 7.5, similar to that of Arabidopsis SFR2, but the specific activity of tomato SFR2 in vitro is almost double that of Arabidopsis SFR2. When salt and drought stress were applied to Arabidopsis, no conditions could be identified at which SFR2 was induced prior to irreversibly impacting plant growth, suggesting that SFR2 protects Arabidopsis primarily against freezing. Discovery of tomato SFR2 function in drought and salt resilience provides further insights into general membrane lipid remodeling-based stress tolerance mechanisms and together with protection against freezing in freezing-resistant plants such as Arabidopsis, it adds lipid remodeling as a possible target for the engineering of abiotic stress-resilient crops.« less

Stability Studies of a Freeze-Dried Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor Formulation for Wound Healing.

PubMed

Santana, Héctor; García, Gerardo; Vega, Maribel; Beldarraín, Alejandro; Páez, Rolando

2015-01-01

We report on the stability assessment of a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) freeze-dried formulation for wound healing by intra-lesional injections. The suitability of packaging material for the light protection of finished dried powder was evaluated after stressed exposure conditions. Degradation kinetics of powder for injection was investigated at concentrations of 25-250 μg/vial and temperatures of 45, 60, and 70 °C. The long-term stability was evaluated after storage at 25 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% relative humidity (6 months) and 2-8 °C (24 months) in the dark and analyzed at several time points. The stability after reconstitution with various diluents was also assessed after 24 h storage at 2-8 °C. The rhEGF samples were analyzed for structural integrity by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), size-exclusion HPLC, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Biological activity was investigated by measuring the cell proliferation in a murine fibroblast cell line. Results show that freeze-dried rhEGF in primary packaging only was photosensitive, as degradation by RP-HPLC that was completely suppressed by the secondary carton package was revealed. An increase in freeze-dried rhEGF stability was observed with the increase in protein concentration from 25 to 250 μg/vial. The long-term stability study showed no significant rhEGF degradation or physical change within the freeze-dried formulations containing 25 or 250 μg/vial of rhEGF. No physical, chemical or biological changes were observed for rhEGF after reconstitution in water for injection or 0.9% sodium chloride during the storage conditions studied. The stability of a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) freeze-dried formulation for wound healing by intra-lesional injections was assessed. The suitability of packaging material for the light protection of finished dried powder was evaluated after stressed exposure conditions

Map showing length of freeze-free season in the Salina quadrangle, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Covington, Harry R.

1972-01-01

In general, long freeze-free periods occur at low elevations, and short freeze-free periods occur at high elevations. But some valley floors have shorter freeze-free seasons than the glancing foothills because air cooled at high elevations flows downward and is trapped in the valleys. This temperature pattern occurs in the western part of the quadrangle in Rabbit Valley, Grass Valley, and the Sevier River Valley near Salina.Because year-round weather stations are sparse in Utah, a special technique for estimating length of freeze-free season was developed by Dr. Gaylen L. Ashcroft, Assistant Professor of Climatology, Utah State University, and E. Arlo Richardson, State Climatologist, U.S. Weather Bureau, based on average annual temperature, average annual temperature range, average daily temperature range, and average july maximum temperature. This technique was used in preparation of the map showing “Length of 32°F freeze-free season for Utah,” figure 23 in Hydrologic Atlas of Utah (Utah State University and Utah Division of Water Resources, 1968), from which the data for this map were taken.

Contact freezing induced by biological (Snomax) and mineral dust (K-feldspar) particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, N.; Schäfer, M.; Duft, D.; Kiselev, A. A.; Leisner, T.

2013-12-01

The contact freezing of supercooled cloud droplets is one of the potentially important and the least investigated heterogeneous mechanism of ice formation in tropospheric clouds [1]. On the time scales of cloud lifetime the freezing of supercooled water droplets via contact mechanism may occur at higher temperature compared to the same IN immersed in the droplet. In our experiment we study single water droplets freely levitated in an Electrodynamic Balance [2]. We have shown previously that the rate of freezing at given temperature is governed only by the rate of droplet -particle collision and by the properties of the contact ice nuclei [2, 3]. Recently, we have extended our experiments to feldspar, being the most abundant component of the atmospheric mineral dust particles, and Snomax, as a proxy for atmospheric biological Ice Nuclei (IN). In this contribution we show that both IN exhibits the same temperature, size and material dependency observed previously in immersion mode [4, 5]. Based on these results, we limit the number of mechanisms that could be responsible for the enhancement of contact nucleation of ice in supercooled water. [1] - Ladino, L. A., Stetzer, O., and Lohmann, U.: Contact freezing: a review, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 13, 7811-7869, doi:10.5194/acpd-13-7811-2013, 2013. [2] - Hoffmann, N., Kiselev, A., Rzesanke, D., Duft, D., and Leisner, T.: Experimental quantification of contact freezing in an electrodynamic balance, Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., 6, 3407-3437, doi:10.5194/amtd-6-3407-2013, 2013. [3] - Hoffmann, N., Duft, D., Kiselev, A., and Leisner, T.: Contact freezing efficiency of mineral dust aerosols studied in an electrodynamic balance: quantitative size and temperature dependence for illite particles, Faraday Discuss., doi: 10.1039/C3FD00033H, 2013. [4] - Atkinson, James D., Murray, Benjamin J., Woodhouse, Matthew T., Whale, Thomas F., Baustian, Kelly J., Carslaw, Kenneth S., Dobbie, Steven, O'Sullivan, Daniel, and Malkin, Tamsin

The role of calcium and calmodulin in freezing-induced freezing resistance of Populus tomentosa cuttings.

PubMed

Lin, Shan-Zhi; Zhang, Zhi-Yi; Lin, Yuan-Zhen; Zhang, Qian; Guo, Huan

2004-02-01

To explore the role of calcium-calmodulin messenger system in the transduction of low temperature signal in woody plants, Populus tomentosa cuttings after being treated with CaCl(2) (10 mmol/L), Ca(2+) chelator EGTA (3 mmol/L), Ca(2+) channel inhibitor LaCl(3) (100 mmol/L) or CaM antagonist CPZ (50 mmol/L) were used for freezing acclimation at -3 degrees C. The changes in the calmodulin (CaM) and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and Ca(2+)-dependent adenosinetriphosphatase (Ca(2+)-ATPase) of mitochondrial membrane as well as freezing resistance (expressed as LT(50)) of cuttings were investigated to elucidate the physiological mechanisms by which trees adapt to freezing. The results showed that freezing acclimation increased the CaM content, the activities of SOD, POD and Ca(2+)-ATPase of mitochondrial membrane as well as freezing resistance of cuttings, and decreased the MDA content as compared with control cuttings. Treatment with CaCl(2) at the time of freezing acclimation enhanced the effect of freezing acclimation on the above-mentioned indexes, but this enhancement was abolished by Ca(2+)chelator EGTA, Ca(2+) channel inhibitor LaCl(3) or CaM antagonist CPZ, indicating that the calcium-calmodulin messenger system was involved in the course of freezing resistance development. The presence of CaCl(2) at the same time of freezing acclimation also reduced the degree of decline in CaM content, and in SOD, POD and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities caused by freezing stress at -14 degrees C, and enhanced the level of increase in CaM content, and in SOD, POD and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in the recovery periods at 25 degrees C . The change in CaM content was found to be closely correlated to the levels of SOD, POD and Ca(2+)-ATPase, and to the degree of freezing resistance of cuttings during freezing acclimation either with or without CaCl(2) treatment. It was suggested that the increase of CaM content induced by CaCl(2

Hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) survive only brief freezing of their bodily fluids.

PubMed

Attaway, M B; Packard, G C; Packard, M J

1998-07-01

Neonatal painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) spend their first winter inside the shallow, subterranean nest cavity where they completed embryogenesis. Consequently, hatchlings at high latitudes may be exposed to ice and cold during the winter. This study was undertaken to determine how long hatchlings withstand freezing at temperatures slightly below 0 degree C because tolerance for freezing has been proposed to be the key to survival by overwintering animals. A thermocouple was glued to the carapace of each hatchling. The animal was dipped in water to provide a site of nucleation of ice and was then placed into a glass jar that was partially immersed in a circulating bath at -2 degrees C. Carapace temperature was monitored throughout the procedure. When a freezing exotherm was detected, timing of the freezing event began. Animals were maintained in a frozen state for 12-48 h prior to being warmed to room temperature. Of the 39 hatchlings, 22 did not survive, and mortality increased as the duration of freezing increased. Logistic regression indicates that no turtle would have survived in a frozen state for more than 54 h. These results indicate that hatchlings can survive only brief exposure to freezing of the body fluids. Thus, hatchlings cannot tolerate freezing during prolonged periods of cold.

Evaluation of the effects of a freeze/thaw environment on cellular glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frickland, P.; Cleland, E.; Hasegawa, T.

1981-01-01

Using the evaluation criteria of water vapor permeability and conformability, a protective butylrubber/silicone conformal coating system was selected for use on Foamglas substrates in a freeze/thaw environment. The selection of a specific freeze/thaw cycle which closely models field conditions is discussed. A sampling plan is described which allows independent evaluation of the effects of conformal coatings, cycle number and location within the environmental chamber. The results of visual examination, measurement of density, modulus of rupture and Young's modulus are reported. Based upon statistical evaluation of the experimental results, it is concluded that no degradation in mechanical properties of either coated or uncoated Foamglas occurred within the duration of the test (53 freeze/thaw cycles).

Water at protein surfaces studied with femtosecond nonlinear spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakker, Huib J.

We report on an investigation of the structure and dynamics of water molecules near protein surfaces with femtosecond nonlinear spectroscopic techniques. We measured the reorientation dynamics of water molecules near the surface of several globular protein surfaces, using polarization-resolved femtosecond infrared spectroscopy. We found that water molecules near the protein surface have a much slower reorientation than water molecules in bulk liquid water. The number of slow water molecules scales scales with the size of the hydrophobic surface of the protein. When we denature the proteins by adding an increasing amount of urea to the protein solution, we observe that the water-exposed surface increases by 50% before the secondary structure of the proteins changes. This finding indicates that protein unfolding starts with the protein structure becoming less tight, thereby allowing water to enter. With surface vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy, we studied the structure of water at the surface of antifreeze protein III. The measured VSFG spectra showed the presence of ice-like water layers at the ice-binding site of the protein in aqueous solution, at temperatures well above the freezing point. This ordered ice-like hydration layers at the protein surface likely plays an important role in the specific recognition and binding of anti-freeze protein III to nascent ice crystallites, and thus in its anti-freeze mechanism. This research is supported by the ''Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO).

Temperature-Induced Protein Release from Water-in-Oil-in-Water Double Emulsions

PubMed Central

Rojas, Edith C.; Staton, Jennifer A.; John, Vijay T.; Papadopoulos, Kyriakos D.

2009-01-01

A model water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double emulsion was prepared by a two-step emulsification procedure and subsequently subjected to temperature changes that caused the oil phase to freeze and thaw while the two aqueous phases remained liquid. Our previous work on individual double-emulsion globules1 demonstrated that crystallizing the oil phase (O) preserves stability, while subsequent thawing triggers coalescence of the droplets of the internal aqueous phase (W1) with the external aqueous phase (W2), termed external coalescence. Activation of this instability mechanism led to instant release of fluorescently tagged bovine serum albumin (fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-BSA) from the W1 droplets and into W2. These results motivated us to apply the proposed temperature-induced globule-breakage mechanism to bulk double emulsions. As expected, no phase separation of the emulsion occurred if stored at temperatures below 18 °C (freezing point of the model oil n-hexadecane), whereas oil thawing readily caused instability. Crucial variables were identified during experimentation, and found to greatly influence the behavior of bulk double emulsions following freeze-thaw cycling. Adjustment of these variables accounted for a more efficient release of the encapsulated protein. PMID:18543998

Non-equilibrium freezing behaviour of aqueous systems.

PubMed

MacKenzie, A P

1977-03-29

The tendencies to non-equilibrium freezing behaviour commonly noted in representative aqueous systems derive from bulk and surface properties according to the circumstances. Supercooling and supersaturation are limited by heterogeneous nucleation in the presence of solid impurities. Homogeneous nucleation has been observed in aqueous systems freed from interfering solids. Once initiated, crystal growth is ofter slowed and, very frequently, terminated with increasing viscosity. Nor does ice first formed always succeed in assuming its most stable crystalline form. Many of the more significant measurements on a given systeatter permitting the simultaneous representation of thermodynamic and non-equilibrium properties. The diagram incorporated equilibrium melting points, heterogeneous nucleation temperatures, homogeneous nucleation temperatures, glass transition and devitrification temperatures, recrystallization temperatures, and, where appropriate, solute solubilities and eutectic temperatures. Taken together, the findings on modle systems aid the identification of the kinetic and thermodynamic factors responsible for the freezing-thawing survival of living cells.

Spawn viability in edible mushrooms after freezing in liquid nitrogen without a cryoprotectant.

PubMed

Mata, Gerardo; Pérez-Merlo, Rosalía

2003-08-01

Five strains of edible mushrooms (Lentinula boryana, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus djamor, Pleurotus pulmonarius, and Volvariella volvacea) were studied. Spawn were prepared from sorghum seeds and then incubated for 14 days under optimum conditions for each species. Once covered by mycelia, the sorghum seeds were placed in polycarbonate vials for freezing in liquid nitrogen. The effect of adding a cryoprotective solution before freezing (either 10% glycerol v/v or 5% dimethylsulfoxide v/v) was evaluated as a function of mycelial growth and percent viability. Three main treatments were undertaken: (1) freezing with a glycerol or dimethylsulfoxide cryoprotectant, (2) freezing with water and (3) freezing without cryoprotectant or water. Samples were maintained frozen for a week, after which time they were thawed (10 min at 30 degrees C) and the seeds placed in Petri dishes with a culture medium. A recovery rate of 96.8% was obtained for the total number of samples summed over all strains and treatments. In contrast, 99.2% of the samples frozen without cryoprotectant were recovered. The recovery of frozen mycelia was delayed with respect to a control group, which was not frozen. However, no difference was observed in percent recovery and mycelial diameter when a new series of spawn was prepared from mycelia that had been previously frozen. Results obtained from this experiment demonstrate that an adequate recovery of mycelia can be obtained without using a cryoprotectant. This capacity might enable large quantities of commercial mushroom strains to be handled at reduced production costs. It is suggested that the mycelia survived freezing without cryoprotectants because they were embedded and protected within the sorghum seeds used to elaborate the spawn.

Polymer Structure and Water States in Salt-Containing Polyampholyte Hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinda; Elliott, Janet A. W.; Lee, Byeongdu; Chung, Hyun-Joong

The phase behavior of water in hydrogels has broad impact on various applications, such as lubrication, adhesion, and electrical conductivity, as well as the hydrogel's low temperature properties. The status of the water molecules is correlated to the structure of the polymer chains in the hydrogel. In this study, the structure and water status of a model charge-balanced polyampholyte poly(4-vinylbenzenesulfonate-co-[3-(methacryloylamino) propyl] trimethylammonium chloride), were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). A globular network structure suggested by SAXS results dictated the depression of the freezing point of water in the hydrogel, as supported by the DSC results. The polyampholyte chains undergo an irreversible collapse during dialysis in deionized water. Such collapsed hydrogels are not able to prevent freezing of water molecules. The results of both synthesis condition and post-synthesis treatments for polyampholyte hydrogels provide us insights to design optimal polyampholyte hydrogels for low temperature applications.

Fundamental Technical Elements of Freeze-fracture/Freeze-etch in Biological Electron Microscopy

EPA Science Inventory

Freeze-fracture/freeze-etch describes a process whereby specimens, typically biological or nanomaterial in nature, are frozen, fractured, and replicated to generate a carbon/platinum "cast" intended for examination by transmission electron microscopy. Specimens are subjected to u...

Fundamental technical elements of freeze-fracture/freeze-etch in biological electron microscopy.

PubMed

Carson, Johnny L

2014-09-11

Freeze-fracture/freeze-etch describes a process whereby specimens, typically biological or nanomaterial in nature, are frozen, fractured, and replicated to generate a carbon/platinum "cast" intended for examination by transmission electron microscopy. Specimens are subjected to ultrarapid freezing rates, often in the presence of cryoprotective agents to limit ice crystal formation, with subsequent fracturing of the specimen at liquid nitrogen cooled temperatures under high vacuum. The resultant fractured surface is replicated and stabilized by evaporation of carbon and platinum from an angle that confers surface three-dimensional detail to the cast. This technique has proved particularly enlightening for the investigation of cell membranes and their specializations and has contributed considerably to the understanding of cellular form to related cell function. In this report, we survey the instrument requirements and technical protocol for performing freeze-fracture, the associated nomenclature and characteristics of fracture planes, variations on the conventional procedure, and criteria for interpretation of freeze-fracture images. This technique has been widely used for ultrastructural investigation in many areas of cell biology and holds promise as an emerging imaging technique for molecular, nanotechnology, and materials science studies.

Non-equilibrium freezing of water-ice in sandy basaltic regoliths and implications for fluidized debris flows on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, J. L.

1987-01-01

Many geomorphic features on Mars were attributed to Earth-analogous, cold-climate processes involving movement of water or ice lubricated debris. Clearly, knowledge of the behavior of water in regolith materials under Martian conditions is essential to understanding the postulated geomorphic processes. Experiments were performed with sand-sized samples of natural basaltic regoliths in order to further elucidate how water/regolith interactions depend upon grain size and mineralogy. The data reveal important contrasts with data for clay-mineral substrates and suggest that the microphysics of water/mineral interactions might affect Martian geomorphic processes in ways that are not fully appreciated. Sand and silt sized fractions of two soils from the summit of Mauna Kea were used as Mars-analogous regolith materials. Temperatures were measured for water/ice phase transitions as wet slurries of individual soil fractions which were cooled or heated at controlled rates under a carbon dioxide atmosphere. Freezing and melting of ice was studied as a function of water/soil mass ratio, soil particle size, and thermal-cycle rate. Comparison tests were done under the same conditions with U.S. Geological Survey standard rock powders.

Performance Evaluation of Point-of-Use Water Heaters.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-15

AD-AG91 843 , JOHNS - MANVILLE SALES CORP DENVER CO RESEARCH AND OEV--ETC F/6 13/1 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF POINT-OF-USE WATER HEATERS.(U) OCT AG P B...POINT-OF-USE WATER HEATERS P. B. SHEPHERD JOHNS - MANVILLE SALES CORPORATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTER KEN-CARYL RANCH, DENVER, COLORADO 80217 15...literature survey was conducted by Ms. Suzanne D.A. Graham who is on the Corporate Information Center staff of the Johns - Manville Research & Development

Brine rejection from freezing salt solutions: a molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Vrbka, Lubos; Jungwirth, Pavel

2005-09-30

The atmospherically and technologically very important process of brine rejection from freezing salt solutions is investigated with atomic resolution using molecular dynamics simulations. The present calculations allow us to follow the motion of each water molecule and salt ion and to propose a microscopic mechanism of brine rejection, in which a fluctuation (reduction) of the ion density in the vicinity of the ice front is followed by the growth of a new ice layer. The presence of salt slows down the freezing process, which leads to the formation of an almost neat ice next to a disordered brine layer.

Computational analysis of fluid dynamics in pharmaceutical freeze-drying.

PubMed

Alexeenko, Alina A; Ganguly, Arnab; Nail, Steven L

2009-09-01

Analysis of water vapor flows encountered in pharmaceutical freeze-drying systems, laboratory-scale and industrial, is presented based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The flows under continuum gas conditions are analyzed using the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations whereas the rarefied flow solutions are obtained by the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method for the Boltzmann equation. Examples of application of CFD techniques to laboratory-scale and industrial scale freeze-drying processes are discussed with an emphasis on the utility of CFD for improvement of design and experimental characterization of pharmaceutical freeze-drying hardware and processes. The current article presents a two-dimensional simulation of a laboratory scale dryer with an emphasis on the importance of drying conditions and hardware design on process control and a three-dimensional simulation of an industrial dryer containing a comparison of the obtained results with analytical viscous flow solutions. It was found that the presence of clean in place (CIP)/sterilize in place (SIP) piping in the duct lead to significant changes in the flow field characteristics. The simulation results for vapor flow rates in an industrial freeze-dryer have been compared to tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) and gravimetric measurements.

Evaluation of green tea extract as a glazing material for shrimp frozen by cryogenic freezing.

PubMed

Sundararajan, Srijanani; Prudente, Alfredo; Bankston, J David; King, Joan M; Wilson, Paul; Sathivel, Subramaniam

2011-09-01

Solutions of green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract (GTE) in distilled water were evaluated as a glazing material for shrimp frozen by cryogenic freezing. Total of 2%, 3%, and/or 5% GTE solutions (2GTE, 3GTE, 5GTE) were used for glazing. Distilled water glazed (GDW) and nonglazed shrimp (NG) served as controls. The GTE was characterized by measuring color, pH, (o) Brix, total phenols, and % antiradical activity. Individual catechins were identified by HPLC. The freezing time, freezing rate, and energy removal rate for freezing shrimp by cryogenic freezing process were estimated. The frozen shrimp samples were stored in a freezer at -21 °C for 180 d. Samples were analyzed for pH, moisture content, glazing yield, thaw yield, color, cutting force, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) after 1, 30, 90, and 180 d. The HPLC analysis of GTE revealed the presence of catechins and their isomers and the total polyphenol content was 148.10 ± 2.49 g/L. The freezing time (min) and energy removal rate (J/s) were 48.67 ± 2.3 and 836.67 ± 78.95, respectively. Glazed samples had higher moisture content compared to NG shrimp after 180 d storage. GTE was effective in controlling the lipid oxidation in shrimp. Glazing with GTE affected a* and b* color values, but had no significant effect on the L* values of shrimp. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Protoplasmic Swelling as a Symptom of Freezing Injury in Onion Bulb Cells 1

PubMed Central

Arora, Rajeev; Palta, Jiwan P.

1986-01-01

Freezing injury, in onion bulb tissue, is known to cause enhanced K+ efflux accompanied by a small but significant loss of Ca2+ following incipient freezing injury and swelling of protoplasm during the postthaw secondary injury. The protoplasmic swelling of the cell is thought to be caused by the passive influx of extracellular K+ into the cell followed by water uptake. Using outer epidermal layer of unfrozen onion bulb scales (Allium cepa L. cv Big Red), we were able to stimulate the irreversible freezing injury symptoms, by bathing epidermal cells in 50 millimolar KCl. These symptoms were prevented by adding 20 millimolar CaCl2 to the extracellular KCl solution. Our results provide evidence that loss of cellular Ca2+ plays an important role in the initiation and the progression of freezing injury. Images Fig. 1 PMID:16665083

A Multi-Environment Thermal Control System With Freeze-Tolerant Radiator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Weibo; Fogg, David; Mancini, Nick; Steele, John; Quinn, Gregory; Bue, Grant; Littibridge, Sean

2013-01-01

Future space exploration missions require advanced thermal control systems (TCS) to dissipate heat from spacecraft, rovers, or habitats operating in environments that can vary from extremely hot to extremely cold. A lightweight, reliable TCS is being developed to effectively control cabin and equipment temperatures under widely varying heat loads and ambient temperatures. The system uses freeze-tolerant radiators, which eliminate the need for a secondary circulation loop or heat pipe systems. Each radiator has a self-regulating variable thermal conductance to its ambient environment. The TCS uses a nontoxic, water-based working fluid that is compatible with existing lightweight aluminum heat exchangers. The TCS is lightweight, compact, and requires very little pumping power. The critical characteristics of the core enabling technologies were demonstrated. Functional testing with condenser tubes demonstrated the key operating characteristics required for a reliable, freeze-tolerant TCS, namely (1) self-regulating thermal conductance with short transient responses to varying thermal loads, (2) repeatable performance through freeze-thaw cycles, and (3) fast start-up from a fully frozen state. Preliminary coolant tests demonstrated that the corrosion inhibitor in the water-based coolant can reduce the corrosion rate on aluminum by an order of magnitude. Performance comparison with state-of-the-art designs shows significant mass and power saving benefits of this technology.

Influence of the freezing method on the changes that occur in grape samples after frozen storage.

PubMed

Santesteban, Luis G; Miranda, Carlos; Royo, José B

2013-09-01

Sample freezing is frequently used in oenological laboratories as a compromise solution to increase the number of samples that can be analysed, despite the fact that some grape characteristics are known to change after frozen storage. However, freezing is usually performed using standard freezers, which provide a slow freezing. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether blast freezing would decrease the impact of standard freezing on grape composition. Grape quality parameters were assessed in fresh and in frozen stored samples that had been frozen using three different procedures: standard freezing and blast freezing using either a blast freezer or an ultra-freezer. The implications of frozen storage in grape samples reported in earlier research were observed for the three freezing methods evaluated. Although blast freezing improved repeatability for the most problematic parameters (tartaric acidity, TarA; total phenolics, TP), the improvement was not important from a practical point of view. However, TarA and TP were relatively repeatable among the three freezing procedures, which suggests that freezing had an effect on these parameters independently of the method used . According to our results, the salification potential of the must is probably implied in the changes observed for TarA, whereas for TP the precipitation of protoanthocyanins after association with cell wall material is hypothesized to cause the lack of repeatability between fresh and frozen grapes. Blast freezing would not imply a great improvement if implemented in oenological laboratories, at least for the parameters included in this study. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Epithelial dominant expression of antifreeze proteins in cunner suggests recent entry into a high freeze-risk ecozone.

PubMed

Hobbs, Rod S; Fletcher, Garth L

2013-01-01

Most marine teleost fishes residing in a high freeze-risk ecozone, such as the coastal waters of Newfoundland during winter, avoid freezing by secreting high concentrations of antifreeze proteins (AFP) into their blood plasma where they can bind to and prevent the growth of ice that enter the fish. Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), which overwinter in such shallow waters are the only known exception. Although this species does produce type I AFP, the plasma levels are too low to be of value as a freeze protectant. Southern and Northern blot analyses carried out in this study establish that the cunner AFP genes belong to a multigene family that is predominantly expressed in external epithelia (skin and gill filaments). These results support the hypothesis that the survival of cunner in icy waters is attributable in part to epithelial AFP that help block ice propagation into their interior milieu. In contrast to the cunner, heterospecifics occupying the same habitat have greater freeze protection because they produce AFP in the liver for export to the plasma as well as in external epithelia. Since the external epithelia would be the first tissue to come into contact with ice it is possible that one of the earliest steps involved in the evolution of freeze resistant fish could have been the expression of AFP in tissues such as the skin. We suggest that this epithelial-dominant AFP expression represents a primitive stage in AFP evolution and propose that cunner began to inhabit "freeze-risk ecozones" more recently than heterospecifics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new electrodynamic balance (EDB) design for low-temperature studies: application to immersion freezing of pollen extract bioaerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, H.-J.; Ouyang, B.; Nikolovski, N.; Lienhard, D. M.; Pope, F. D.; Kalberer, M.

2015-03-01

In this paper we describe a newly designed cold electrodynamic balance(CEDB) system, built to study the evaporation kinetics and freezing properties of supercooled water droplets. The temperature of the CEDB chamber at the location of the levitated water droplet can be controlled in the range -40 to +40 °C, which is achieved using a combination of liquid nitrogen cooling and heating by positive temperature coefficient heaters. The measurement of liquid droplet radius is obtained by analysing the Mie elastic light scattering from a 532 nm laser. The Mie scattering signal was also used to characterise and distinguish droplet freezing events; liquid droplets produce a regular fringe pattern, whilst the pattern from frozen particles is irregular. The evaporation rate of singly levitated water droplets was calculated from time-resolved measurements of the radii of evaporating droplets and a clear trend of the evaporation rate on temperature was measured. The statistical freezing probabilities of aqueous pollen extracts (pollen washing water) are obtained in the temperature range -4.5 to -40 °C. It was found that that pollen washing water from water birch (Betula fontinalis occidentalis) pollen can act as ice nuclei in the immersion freezing mode at temperatures as warm as -22.45 (±0.65) °C. Furthermore it was found that the protein-rich component of the washing water was significantly more ice-active than the non-proteinaceous component.

Effect of Repeated Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Beef Quality and Safety

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohammad Hafizur; Hossain, Mohammad Mujaffar; Rahman, Syed Mohammad Ehsanur; Hashem, Mohammad Abul

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to know the effect of repeated freeze-thaw cycles of beef on the sensory, physicochemical quality and microbiological assessment. The effects of three successive freeze-thaw cycles on beef forelimb were investigated comparing with unfrozen fresh beef for 75 d by keeping at −20±1℃. The freeze-thaw cycles were subjected to three thawing methods and carried out to know the best one. As the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased color and odor declined significantly before cook within the cycles and tenderness, overall acceptability also declined among the cycles after cook by thawing methods. The thawing loss increased and dripping loss decreased significantly (p<0.05). Water holding capacity (WHC) increased (p<0.05) until two cycles and then decreased. Cooking loss increased in cycle 1 and 3, but decreased in cycle 2. pH decreased significantly (p<0.05) among the cycles. Moreover, drip loss, cooking loss and WHC were affected (p<0.05) by thawing methods within the cycles. 2-Thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) value increased (p<0.05) gradually within the cycles and among the cycles by thawing methods. Total viable bacteria, total coliform and total yeast-mould count decreased significantly (p<0.05) within and among the cycles in comparison to the initial count in repeated freeze-thaw cycles. As a result, repeated freeze-thaw cycles affected the sensory, physicochemical and microbiological qua- lity of beef, causing the deterioration of beef quality, but improved the microbiological quality. Although repeated freeze-thaw cycles did not affect much on beef quality and safety but it may be concluded that repeated freeze and thaw should be minimized in terms of beef color for commercial value and WHC and tenderness/juiciness for eating quality. PMID:26761286

Ice Nucleation of Soot Particles in the Cirrus Regime: Is Pore Condensation and Freezing Relevant for Soot?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanji, Z. A.; Mahrt, F.; David, R.; Marcolli, C.; Lohmann, U.; Fahrni, J.; Brühwiler, D.

2017-12-01

Heterogeneous ice nucleation (HIN) onto soot particles from previous studies have produced inconsistent results of temperature and relative humidity conditions required for freezing depending on the source of soot particle investigated. The ability of soot to act as HIN depended on the type of soot and size of particle. Often homogenous freezing conditions or water saturation conditions were required to freeze soot particles, rendering HIN irrelevant. Using synthesised mesoporous silica particles, we show pore condensation and freezing works with experiments performed in the Zurich Ice Nucleation Chamber (ZINC). By testing a variety of soot particles in parallel in the Horizontal Ice Nucleation Chamber (HINC), we suggest that previously observed HIN on soot particles is not the responsible mechanism for ice formation. Laboratory generated CAST brown and black soot, commercially available soot and acid treated soot were investigated for their ice nucleation abilities in the mixed-phase and cirrus cloud temperature regimes. No heterogeneous ice nucleation activity is inferred at T > -38 °C (mixed-phase cloud regime), however depending on particle size and soot type, HIN was observed for T < -38 °C (cirrus could regime). Nevertheless, we question if this is caused by a heterogeneous phase change due the presence of a so called active site or due to pore-condensation of water as predicted by the inverse Kelvin effect followed by homogeneous nucleation of ice in the pores or cavities that are ubiquitous in soot particles between the primary spherules. The ability of some particles to freeze at lower relative humidity compared to others demonstrates why hydrophobicity plays a role in ice nucleation, i.e. controlling the conditions at which these cavities fill with water. Thus for more hydrophobic particles pore filling occurs at higher relative humidity, and therefore freezing of pore water and ice crystal growth. Future work focusses on testing the cloud processing

Hydrology and simulation of ground-water flow, Lake Point, Tooele County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Lynette E.

2006-01-01

Water for new residential development in Lake Point, Utah may be supplied by public-supply wells completed in consolidated rock on the east side of Lake Point. Ground-water flow models were developed to help understand the effect the proposed withdrawal will have on water levels, flowing-well discharge, spring discharge, and ground-water quality in the study area. This report documents the conceptual and numerical ground-water flow models for the Lake Point area.The ground-water system in the Lake Point area receives recharge from local precipitation and irrigation, and from ground-water inflow from southwest of the area. Ground water discharges mostly to springs. Discharge also occurs to evapotranspiration, wells, and Great Salt Lake. Even though ground water discharges to Great Salt Lake, dense salt water from the lake intrudes under the less-dense ground water and forms a salt-water wedge under the valley. This salt water is responsible for some of the high dissolved-solids concentrations measured in ground water in Lake Point.A steady-state MODFLOW-2000 ground-water model of Tooele Valley adequately simulates water levels, ground-water discharge, and ground-water flow direction observed in Lake Point in 1969 and 2002. Simulating an additional 1,650 acre-feet per year withdrawal from wells causes a maximum projected drawdown of about 550 feet in consolidated rock near the simulated wells and drawdown exceeding 80 feet in an area encompassing most of the Oquirrh Mountains east of Lake Point. Drawdown in most of Lake Point ranges from 2 to 10 ft, but increases to more than 40 feet in the areas proposed for residential development. Discharge to Factory Springs, flowing wells, evapotranspiration, and Great Salt Lake is decreased by about 1,100 acre-feet per year (23 percent).The U.S. Geological Survey SUTRA variable-density ground-water-flow model generates a reasonable approximation of 2002 dissolved-solids concentration when simulating 2002 withdrawals. At most

Evaluation of Heat Flux Measurement as a New Process Analytical Technology Monitoring Tool in Freeze Drying.

PubMed

Vollrath, Ilona; Pauli, Victoria; Friess, Wolfgang; Freitag, Angelika; Hawe, Andrea; Winter, Gerhard

2017-05-01

This study investigates the suitability of heat flux measurement as a new technique for monitoring product temperature and critical end points during freeze drying. The heat flux sensor is tightly mounted on the shelf and measures non-invasively (no contact with the product) the heat transferred from shelf to vial. Heat flux data were compared to comparative pressure measurement, thermocouple readings, and Karl Fischer titration as current state of the art monitoring techniques. The whole freeze drying process including freezing (both by ramp freezing and controlled nucleation) and primary and secondary drying was considered. We found that direct measurement of the transferred heat enables more insights into thermodynamics of the freezing process. Furthermore, a vial heat transfer coefficient can be calculated from heat flux data, which ultimately provides a non-invasive method to monitor product temperature throughout primary drying. The end point of primary drying determined by heat flux measurements was in accordance with the one defined by thermocouples. During secondary drying, heat flux measurements could not indicate the progress of drying as monitoring the residual moisture content. In conclusion, heat flux measurements are a promising new non-invasive tool for lyophilization process monitoring and development using energy transfer as a control parameter. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential freezing resistance and photoprotection in C3 and C4 eudicots and grasses

PubMed Central

Liu, Mei-Zhen; Osborne, Colin P.

2013-01-01

Globally, C4 plants dominate hot, open environments, but this general pattern is underpinned by important differences in the biogeography of C4 lineages. In particular, the species richness of C4 Poaceae (grasses) increases strongly with increasing temperature, whereas that of the major C4 eudicot group Chenopodiaceae correlates positively with aridity. Freezing tolerance is a crucial determinant of biogeographical relationships with temperature and is mediated by photodamage and cellular disruption by desiccation, but little is known about differences between C4 families. This study hypothesized that there is a greater risk of freezing damage via these mechanisms in C4 Poaceae than Chenopodiaceae, that freezing protection differs between the taxonomic groups, and that freezing tolerance of species is linked to arid habitat preference. Chlorophyll fluorescence, water relations, and freezing injury were compared in four C3 and six C4 species of Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae from the same Mongolian flora. Contrary to expectations, freezing-induced leaf mortality and photodamage were lower in Poaceae than Chenopodiaceae species, and unrelated to photosynthetic pathway. The freezing resistance of Poaceae species resulted from constitutive protection and cold acclimation and an ability to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from photodamage. Freezing protection was associated with low osmotic potential and low tissue elasticity, and freezing damage was accompanied by electrolyte leakage, consistent with cell-membrane disruption by ice. Both Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae had the potential to develop cold acclimation and withstand freezing during the growing season, which conflicted with the hypothesis. Instead, freezing tolerance was more closely associated with life history and ecological preference in these Mongolian species. PMID:23599273

Large scale synthesis of nanostructured zirconia-based compounds from freeze-dried precursors

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

Gomez, A.; Villanueva, R.; Vie, D.

2013-01-15

Nanocrystalline zirconia powders have been obtained at the multigram scale by thermal decomposition of precursors resulting from the freeze-drying of aqueous acetic solutions. This technique has equally made possible to synthesize a variety of nanostructured yttria or scandia doped zirconia compositions. SEM images, as well as the analysis of the XRD patterns, show the nanoparticulated character of those solids obtained at low temperature, with typical particle size in the 10-15 nm range when prepared at 673 K. The presence of the monoclinic, the tetragonal or both phases depends on the temperature of the thermal treatment, the doping concentration and themore » nature of the dopant. In addition, Rietveld refinement of the XRD profiles of selected samples allows detecting the coexistence of the tetragonal and the cubic phases for high doping concentration and high thermal treatment temperatures. Raman experiments suggest the presence of both phases also at relatively low treatment temperatures. - Graphical abstract: Zr{sub 1-x}A{sub x}O{sub 2-x/2} (A=Y, Sc; 0{<=}x{<=}0.12) solid solutions have been prepared as nanostructured powders by thermal decomposition of precursors obtained by freeze-drying, and this synthetic procedure has been scaled up to the 100 g scale. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zr{sub 1-x}A{sub x}O{sub 2-x/2} (A=Y, Sc; 0{<=}x{<=}0.12) solid solutions have been prepared as nanostructured powders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthetic method involves the thermal decomposition of precursors obtained by freeze-drying. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The temperature of the thermal treatment controls particle sizes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The preparation procedure has been scaled up to the 100 g scale. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This method is appropriate for the large-scale industrial preparation of multimetallic systems.« less

Water/rock interactions in experimentally simulated dirty snowball and dirty iceball cometary nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, James L.; Allton, Judith H.

1991-01-01

In the dirty snowball model for cometary nuclei, comet-nucleus materials are regarded as mixtures of volatile ices and relatively non-volatile minerals or chemical compounds. Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites are regarded as useful analogs for the rocky component. To help elucidate the possible physical geochemistry of cometary nuclei, preliminary results are reported of calorimetric experiments with two-component systems involving carbonaceous chondrites and water ice. Based on collective knowledge of the physics of water ice, three general types of interactions can be expected between water and minerals at sub-freezing temperatures: (1) heterogeneous nucleation of ice by insoluble minerals; (2) adsorption of water vapor by hygroscopic phases; and (3) freezing- and melting-point depression of liquid water sustained by soluble minerals. The relative and absolute magnitude of all three effects are expected to vary with mineral composition.

Unprecedented Cell-Selection Using Ultra-Quick Freezing Combined with Aquaporin Expression

PubMed Central

Kato, Yasuhiro; Miyauchi, Takayuki; Abe, Youichiro; Kojić, Dušan; Tanaka, Manami; Chikazawa, Nana; Nakatake, Yuhki; Ko, Shigeru B. H.; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Hazama, Akihiro; Fujiwara, Shoko; Uchida, Tatsuya; Yasui, Masato

2014-01-01

Freezing is usually used for preservation and storage of biological samples; however, this process may have some adverse effects such as cell membrane damage. Aquaporin (AQP), a water channel protein, has been suggested to play some roles for cryopreservation although its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that membrane damage caused by ultra-quick freezing is rescued by the expression of AQP4. We next examine if the expression of AQP combined with ultra-quick freezing can be used to select cells efficiently under freezing conditions where most cells are died. CHO cells stably expressing AQP4 were exclusively selected from mixed cell cultures. Having identified the increased expression of AQP4 during ES cell differentiation into neuro-ectoderm using bioinformatics, we confirmed the improved survival of differentiated ES cells with AQP4 expression. Finally we show that CHO cells transiently transfected with Endothelin receptor A and Aqp4 were also selected and concentrated by multiple cycles of freezing/thawing, which was confirmed with calcium imaging in response to endothelin. Furthermore, we found that the expression of AQP enables a reduction in the amount of cryoprotectants for freezing, thereby decreasing osmotic stress and cellular toxicity. Taken together, we propose that this simple but efficient and safe method may be applicable to the selection of mammalian cells for applications in regenerative medicine as well as cell-based functional assays or drug screening protocols. PMID:24558371

When water does not boil at the boiling point.

PubMed

Chang, Hasok

2007-03-01

Every schoolchild learns that, under standard pressure, pure water always boils at 100 degrees C. Except that it does not. By the late 18th century, pioneering scientists had already discovered great variations in the boiling temperature of water under fixed pressure. So, why have most of us been taught that the boiling point of water is constant? And, if it is not constant, how can it be used as a 'fixed point' for the calibration of thermometers? History of science has the answers.

In situ study on atomic mechanism of melting and freezing of single bismuth nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yingxuan; Zang, Ling; Jacobs, Daniel L.; Zhao, Jie; Yue, Xiu; Wang, Chuanyi

2017-02-01

Experimental study of the atomic mechanism in melting and freezing processes remains a formidable challenge. We report herein on a unique material system that allows for in situ growth of bismuth nanoparticles from the precursor compound SrBi2Ta2O9 under an electron beam within a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Simultaneously, the melting and freezing processes within the nanoparticles are triggered and imaged in real time by the HRTEM. The images show atomic-scale evidence for point defect induced melting, and a freezing mechanism mediated by crystallization of an intermediate ordered liquid. During the melting and freezing, the formation of nucleation precursors, nucleation and growth, and the relaxation of the system, are directly observed. Based on these observations, an interaction-relaxation model is developed towards understanding the microscopic mechanism of the phase transitions, highlighting the importance of cooperative multiscale processes.

In situ study on atomic mechanism of melting and freezing of single bismuth nanoparticles.

PubMed

Li, Yingxuan; Zang, Ling; Jacobs, Daniel L; Zhao, Jie; Yue, Xiu; Wang, Chuanyi

2017-02-13

Experimental study of the atomic mechanism in melting and freezing processes remains a formidable challenge. We report herein on a unique material system that allows for in situ growth of bismuth nanoparticles from the precursor compound SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 under an electron beam within a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Simultaneously, the melting and freezing processes within the nanoparticles are triggered and imaged in real time by the HRTEM. The images show atomic-scale evidence for point defect induced melting, and a freezing mechanism mediated by crystallization of an intermediate ordered liquid. During the melting and freezing, the formation of nucleation precursors, nucleation and growth, and the relaxation of the system, are directly observed. Based on these observations, an interaction-relaxation model is developed towards understanding the microscopic mechanism of the phase transitions, highlighting the importance of cooperative multiscale processes.

In situ study on atomic mechanism of melting and freezing of single bismuth nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Li, Yingxuan; Zang, Ling; Jacobs, Daniel L.; Zhao, Jie; Yue, Xiu; Wang, Chuanyi

2017-01-01

Experimental study of the atomic mechanism in melting and freezing processes remains a formidable challenge. We report herein on a unique material system that allows for in situ growth of bismuth nanoparticles from the precursor compound SrBi2Ta2O9 under an electron beam within a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Simultaneously, the melting and freezing processes within the nanoparticles are triggered and imaged in real time by the HRTEM. The images show atomic-scale evidence for point defect induced melting, and a freezing mechanism mediated by crystallization of an intermediate ordered liquid. During the melting and freezing, the formation of nucleation precursors, nucleation and growth, and the relaxation of the system, are directly observed. Based on these observations, an interaction–relaxation model is developed towards understanding the microscopic mechanism of the phase transitions, highlighting the importance of cooperative multiscale processes. PMID:28194017

Representative Values of Icing-Related Variables Aloft in Freezing Rain and Freezing Drizzle

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-03-01

Radiosonde and surface observations in freezing rain (ZR) and freezing drizzle (ZL), and a limited number of aircraft measurements in ZR, have been examined for information on the magnitude and altitude dependence of meteorological variables associat...

Effects of annealing on the physical properties of therapeutic proteins during freeze drying process.

PubMed

Lim, Jun Yeul; Lim, Dae Gon; Kim, Ki Hyun; Park, Sang-Koo; Jeong, Seong Hoon

2018-02-01

Effects of annealing steps during the freeze drying process on etanercept, model protein, were evaluated using various analytical methods. The annealing was introduced in three different ways depending on time and temperature. Residual water contents of dried cakes varied from 2.91% to 6.39% and decreased when the annealing step was adopted, suggesting that they are directly affected by the freeze drying methods Moreover, the samples were more homogenous when annealing was adopted. Transition temperatures of the excipients (sucrose, mannitol, and glycine) were dependent on the freeze drying steps. Size exclusion chromatography showed that monomer contents were high when annealing was adopted and also they decreased less after thermal storage at 60°C. Dynamic light scattering results exhibited that annealing can be helpful in inhibiting aggregation and that thermal storage of freeze-dried samples preferably induced fragmentation over aggregation. Shift of circular dichroism spectrum and of the contents of etanercept secondary structure was observed with different freeze drying steps and thermal storage conditions. All analytical results suggest that the physicochemical properties of etanercept formulation can differ in response to different freeze drying steps and that annealing is beneficial for maintaining stability of protein and reducing the time of freeze drying process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Encapsulation of black carrot juice using spray and freeze drying.

PubMed

Murali, S; Kar, Abhijit; Mohapatra, Debabandya; Kalia, Pritam

2015-12-01

Black carrot juice extracted using pectinase enzyme was encapsulated in three different carrier materials (maltodextrin 20DE, gum arabic and tapioca starch) using spray drying at four inlet temperatures (150, 175, 200 and 225 ℃) and freeze drying at a constant temperature of - 53 ℃ and vacuum of 0.22-0.11 mbar with the constant feed mixture. The products were analyzed for total anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity, water solubility index, encapsulation efficiency and total colour change. For both the drying methods followed in this study, maltodextrin 20DE as the carrier material has proven to be better in retaining maximum anthocyanin and antioxidant activity compared to gum arabic and tapioca starch. The best spray dried product, was obtained at 150 ℃. The most acceptable was the freeze dried product with maximum anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity, water solubility index, encapsulation efficiency and colour change. © The Author(s) 2014.

Effects of high pressure freezing (HPF) on denaturation of natural actomyosin extracted from prawn (Metapenaeus ensis).

PubMed

Cheng, Lina; Sun, Da-Wen; Zhu, Zhiwei; Zhang, Zhihang

2017-08-15

Effects of protein denaturation caused by high pressure freezing, involving Pressure-Factors (pressure, time) and Freezing-Factors (temperature, phase transition, recrystallization, ice crystal types), are complicated. In the current study, the conformation and functional changes of natural actomyosin (NAM) under pressure assisted freezing (PAF, 100,150,300,400,500MPa P -20°C/25min ), pressure shift freezing (PSF, 200MPa P -20°C/25min ), and immersion freezing ( 0.1MPa P -20°C/5min ) after pressure was released to 0.1MPa, as compared to normal immersion freezing process (IF, 0.1MPa P -20°C/30min ). Results indicated that PSF ( 200MPa P -20°C/30min ) could reduce the denaturation of frozen NAM and a pressure of 300MPa was the critical point to induce such a denaturation. During the periods of B→D in PSF or B→C→D in PAF, the generation and growth of ice crystals played an important role on changing the secondary and tertiary structure of the treated NAM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of freeze-thaw cycles and chlorpyrifos insecticide use on diffuse Cd loss and sediment accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fangli; Ouyang, Wei; Hao, Fanghua; Jiao, Wei; Shan, Yushu; Lin, Chunye

2016-06-01

Freeze-thaw cycles are predicted to increase in cold temperate regions. The potential influence of the interactions of freeze-thaw cycles and agrochemicals on the release of Cd into river water is unknown. In this study, the interactions of freeze-thaw cycles and chlorpyrifos (FC) on Cd mobility in soils were analysed. The spatial variability of soil Cd under long-term intensive tillage in a freeze-thaw agro-system was also identified. The temporal variation of sediment Cd was detected based on analysis of the sediment geochemistry. The results showed that FC increased soil Cd mobility, with an increase of approximately 10% in CaCl2-extractable Cd. The increased mobile fractions of water-soluble and exchangeable Cd originated from the decreased fraction of Fe-Mn-oxide-associated Cd and organic matter-bound Cd. The total Cd content in the surface soil followed the zonally decreasing trend of dry land > paddy land > natural land. The Cd concentrations and sedimentation rates of the sediment core generally increased from 1943 to 2013 due to agricultural exploration and farmland irrigation system construction, indicating an increase of the Cd input flux into water. The results provide valuable information about the soil Cd transport response to the influence of climatic and anthropogenic factors in cold intensive agro-systems.

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 Aids in Resilience to Salt and Drought in Freezing-Sensitive Tomato1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Hersh, Hope Lynn

2016-01-01

SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 (SFR2) is crucial for protecting chloroplast membranes following freezing in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). It has been shown that SFR2 homologs are present in all land plants, including freezing-sensitive species, raising the question of SFR2 function beyond freezing tolerance. Similar to freezing, salt and drought can cause dehydration. Thus, it is hypothesized that in freezing-sensitive plants SFR2 may play roles in their resilience to salt or drought. To test this hypothesis, SlSFR2 RNAi lines were generated in the cold/freezing-sensitive species tomato (Solanum lycopersicum [M82 cv]). Hypersensitivity to salt and drought of SlSFR2-RNAi lines was observed. Higher tolerance of wild-type tomatoes was correlated with the production of trigalactosyldiacylglycerol, a product of SFR2 activity. Tomato SFR2 in vitro activity is Mg2+-dependent and its optimal pH is 7.5, similar to that of Arabidopsis SFR2, but the specific activity of tomato SFR2 in vitro is almost double that of Arabidopsis SFR2. When salt and drought stress were applied to Arabidopsis, no conditions could be identified at which SFR2 was induced prior to irreversibly impacting plant growth, suggesting that SFR2 protects Arabidopsis primarily against freezing. Discovery of tomato SFR2 function in drought and salt resilience provides further insights into general membrane lipid remodeling-based stress tolerance mechanisms and together with protection against freezing in freezing-resistant plants such as Arabidopsis, it adds lipid remodeling as a possible target for the engineering of abiotic stress-resilient crops. PMID:27600812

Numerical Study of Heat Transfer during Artificial Ground Freezing Combined with Groundwater Flow based on in-situ Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, R.; Liu, Q.

2016-12-01

For civil engineering projects, especially in the subsurface with groundwater, the artificial ground freezing (AGF) method has been widely used. Commonly, a refrigerant is circulated through a pre-buried pipe network to form a freezing wall to support the construction. In many cases, the temperature change is merely considered as a result of simple heat conduction. However, the influence of the water-ice phase change on the flow properties should not be neglected, if large amount of groundwater with high flow velocities is present. In this work, we perform a 2D modelling (software: Comsol Multiphysics) of an AFG project of a metro tunnel in Southern China, taking groundwater flow into account. The model is validated based on in-situ measurement of groundwater flow and temperature. We choose a cross section of this horizontal AGF project and set up a model with horizontal groundwater flow normal to the axial of the tunnel. The Darcy velocity is a coupling variable and related to the temperature field. During the phase change of the pore water and the decrement of permeability in freezing zone, we introduce a variable of effective hydraulic conductivity which is described by a function of temperature change. The energy conservation problem is solved by apparent heat capacity method and the related parameter change is described by a step function (McKenzie, et. al. 2007). The results of temperature contour maps combined with groundwater flow velocity at different times indicate that the freezing wall appears in an asymmetrical shape along the groundwater flow direction. It forms slowly and on the upstream side the thickness of the freezing wall is thinner than that on the downstream side. The closure time of the freezing wall increases at the middle of the both up and downstream sides. The average thickness of the freezing wall on the upstream side is mostly affected by the groundwater flow velocity. With the successful validation of this model, this numerical

Effects of Artificial Supercooling Followed by Slow Freezing on the Microstructure and Qualities of Pork Loin

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of artificial supercooling followed by still air freezing (SSF) on the qualities of pork loin. The qualities of pork frozen by SSF were compared with the fresh control (CT, stored at 4℃ for 24 h), slow freezing (SAF, still air freezing) and rapid freezing (EIF, ethanol immersion freezing) treatments. Compared with no supercooling phenomena of SAF and EIF, the extent of supercooling obtained by SSF treatment was 1.4℃. Despite that SSF was conducted with the same method with SAF, application of artificial supercooling accelerated the phase transition (traverse from -0.6℃ to -5℃) from 3.07 h (SAF) to 2.23 h (SSF). The observation of a microstructure indicated that the SSF prevented tissue damage caused by ice crystallization and maintained the structural integrity. The estimated quality parameters reflected that SSF exhibited superior meat quality compared with slow freezing (SAF). SSF showed better water-holding capacity (lower thawing loss, cooking loss and expressible moisture) and tenderness than SAF, and these quality parameters of SSF were not significantly different with ultra-fast freezing treatment (EIF). Consequently, the results demonstrated that the generation of supercooling followed by conventional freezing potentially had the advantage of minimizing the quality deterioration caused by the slow freezing of meat. PMID:27857541

Water under inner pressure: a dielectric spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Angulo-Sherman, Abril; Mercado-Uribe, Hilda

2014-02-01

Water is the most studied substance on Earth. However, it is not completely understood why its structural and dynamical properties give rise to some anomalous behaviors. Some of them emerge when experiments at low temperatures and/or high pressures are performed. Here we report dielectric measurements on cold water under macroscopically constrained conditions, i.e., water in a large container at constant volume that cannot freeze below the melting point. The inner pressure in these conditions shifts the α relaxation peak to similar frequencies as seen in ice Ih. At 267 K we observe a peculiar response possibly due to the Grotthuss mechanism. At 251 K (the triple point) ice III forms.

Freezing: an underutilized food safety technology?

PubMed

Archer, Douglas L

2004-01-15

Freezing is an ancient technology for preserving foods. Freezing halts the activities of spoilage microorganisms in and on foods and can preserve some microorganisms for long periods of time. Frozen foods have an excellent overall safety record. The few outbreaks of food-borne illness associated with frozen foods indicate that some, but not all human pathogens are killed by commercial freezing processes. Freezing kills microorganisms by physical and chemical effects and possibly through induced genetic changes. Research is needed to better understand the physical and chemical interactions of various food matrices with the microbial cell during freezing and holding at frozen temperatures. The literature suggests that many pathogenic microorganisms may be sublethally injured by freezing, so research should be done to determine how to prevent injured cells from resuscitating and becoming infectious. Studies on the genetics of microbial stress suggest that the induction of resistance to specific stresses may be counteracted by, for example, simple chemicals. Research is needed to better understand how resistance to the lethal effect of freezing is induced in human pathogens and means by which it can be counteracted in specific foods. Through research, it seems possible that freezing may in the future be used to reliably reduce populations of food-borne pathogens as well as to preserve foods.

Laboratory and numerical experiments on water and energy fluxes during freezing and thawing in the unsaturated zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holländer, Hartmut; Montasir Islam, Md.; Šimunek, Jirka

2017-04-01

Frozen soil has a major effect in many hydrologic processes, and its effects are difficult to predict. A prime example is flood forecasting during spring snowmelt within the Canadian Prairies. One key driver for the extent of flooding is the antecedent soil moisture and the possibility for water to infiltrate into frozen soils. Therefore, these situations are crucial for accurate flood prediction during every spring. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the water flow and heat transport within HYDRUS-1D version 4.16 and with Hansson's model, which is a detailed freezing/thawing module (Hansson et al., 2004), to predict the impact of frozen and partly frozen soil on infiltration. We developed a standardized data set of water flow and heat transport into (partial) frozen soil by laboratory experiments using fine sand. Temperature, soil moisture, and percolated water were observed at different freezing conditions as well as at thawing conditions. Significant variation in soil moisture was found between the top and the bottom of the soil column at the starting of the thawing period. However, with increasing temperature, the lower depth of the soil column showed higher moisture as the soil became enriched with moisture due to the release of heat by soil particles during the thawing cycle. We applied vadose zone modeling using the results from the laboratory experiments. The simulated water content by HYDRUS-1D 4.16 showed large errors compared to the observed data showing by negative Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency. Hansson's model was not able to predict soil water fluxes due to its unstable behavior (Šimunek et al., 2016). The soil temperature profile simulated using HYDRUS-1D 4.16 was not able to predict the release of latent heat during the phase change of water that was visible in Hansson's model. Hansson's model includes the energy gain/loss due to the phase change in the amount of latent energy stored in the modified heat transport equation. However, in

Freezing and thawing or freezing, thawing, and aging effects on beef tenderness

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of freezing and thawing or freezing and thawing with an additional aging period after frozen storage on the tenderness of longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (ST) steaks relative to aged, fresh steaks. Left-side LL and ST (n=35 each) ...

Stability of Proteins in Carbohydrates and Other Additives during Freezing: The Human Growth Hormone as a Case Study.

PubMed

Arsiccio, Andrea; Pisano, Roberto

2017-09-21

Molecular dynamics is here used to elucidate the mechanism of protein stabilization by carbohydrates and other additives during freezing. More specifically, we used molecular dynamics simulations to obtain a quantitative estimation of the capability of various cryoprotectants to preserve a model protein, the human growth hormone, against freezing stresses. Three mechanisms were investigated, preferential exclusion, water replacement, and vitrification. Model simulations were finally validated upon experimental data in terms of the ability of excipients to prevent protein aggregation. Overall, we found that the preferential exclusion and vitrification mechanisms are important during the whole freezing process, while water replacement becomes dominant only toward the end of the cryoconcentration phase. The disaccharides were found to be the most efficient excipients, in regard to both preferential exclusion and water replacement. Moreover, sugars were in general more efficient than other excipients, such as glycine or sorbitol.

Implementation of a process analytical technology system in a freeze-drying process using Raman spectroscopy for in-line process monitoring.

PubMed

De Beer, T R M; Allesø, M; Goethals, F; Coppens, A; Heyden, Y Vander; De Diego, H Lopez; Rantanen, J; Verpoort, F; Vervaet, C; Remon, J P; Baeyens, W R G

2007-11-01

The aim of the present study was to propose a strategy for the implementation of a Process Analytical Technology system in freeze-drying processes. Mannitol solutions, some of them supplied with NaCl, were used as models to freeze-dry. Noninvasive and in-line Raman measurements were continuously performed during lyophilization of the solutions to monitor real time the mannitol solid state, the end points of the different process steps (freezing, primary drying, secondary drying), and physical phenomena occurring during the process. At-line near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) measurements were done to confirm the Raman conclusions and to find out additional information. The collected spectra during the processes were analyzed using principal component analysis and multivariate curve resolution. A two-level full factorial design was used to study the significant influence of process (freezing rate) and formulation variables (concentration of mannitol, concentration of NaCl, volume of freeze-dried sample) upon freeze-drying. Raman spectroscopy was able to monitor (i) the mannitol solid state (amorphous, alpha, beta, delta, and hemihydrate), (ii) several process step end points (end of mannitol crystallization during freezing, primary drying), and (iii) physical phenomena occurring during freeze-drying (onset of ice nucleation, onset of mannitol crystallization during the freezing step, onset of ice sublimation). NIR proved to be a more sensitive tool to monitor sublimation than Raman spectroscopy, while XRPD helped to unravel the mannitol hemihydrate in the samples. The experimental design results showed that several process and formulation variables significantly influence different aspects of lyophilization and that both are interrelated. Raman spectroscopy (in-line) and NIR spectroscopy and XRPD (at-line) not only allowed the real-time monitoring of mannitol freeze-drying processes but also helped (in combination with experimental design) us

[The isolation of organic compounds from hydrosulfuric mineral waters with the use of the extractive freezing-out technique with centrifugation].

PubMed

Bekhterev, V N; Kabina, E A

The mineral waters, enriched with organic substances find extensive application in balneotherapy. The fast and efficient methods for the identification and quantitative measurement of organic compounds (in the first place, organic acids) in such waters need to be developed for the estimation of their quality and biological activity. The objective of the present study was to elaborate a gas chromatographic method for the determination of monobasic carbonic acids in sulfide-containing mineral waters by means of extractive freezing-out in combination with the application of the centrifugal forces for the elucidation of the metrological characteristics of the compounds of interest. The secondary objective was to estimate the prospects for the application of the method of interest for determining the dissolved organic compounds in mineral waters. The following carbonic acids were used for the purposes of the study: acetic acid (analytical grade), Russia; propionic grade (extra pure), Ferak, Germany; butyric acid (pure), Russia; valeric acid (pure), Russia; caproic acid (pure), Russia; oenanthic acid (pure), Russia; and caprylic acid (pure), Russia). Acetonitrile («O» grade), Russia, was used as the extracting agent. The LV-210 analytical balance (Russia) was used to prepare the model and standard solutions of the organic compounds and to determine their mass. The extracts and standard mixture were investigated by the gas chromatographic technique with the use of the Kristallyuks apparatus («Meta-Khrom», Russia) equipped with the flame ionization detector and the capillary column. Extractive freezing-out in the combination with centrifugation was performed with the laboratory installation for this purpose. Under the model conditions, a single extractive freezing-out procedure with the centrifugation of the sample made it possible to reach the 22-37-fold concentration of C2-C8 monobasic carbonic acids during their transfer from water into acetonitrile. The

Water binding of proteins in the processing frankfurter-type sausages. Part. 1. Water-binding ability of freeze-dried meat fractions containing myofibrillar and stromal proteins.

PubMed

Heinevetter, L; Gassmann, B; Kroll, J

1987-01-01

As soon as possible and 48 h after slaughter respectively, from both blade-bone muscle groups of cattle and pig carcasses the "thick pieces" were excised, extracted, and fractionated. Residues and precipitates from water and salt extracts resulted were freeze-dried, and an improved Baumann capillary suction apparatus was used to measure their water binding capacity (WBC) with and without addition of 2% sodium chloride and/or heating to 80 degrees C. With one exception the WBC results followed a relative pattern demonstrating the final residues (stromal proteins and leavings of myofibrillar proteins) binding the highest amount of added water, precipitates of dialysis (mainly containing myofibrillar proteins) a remarkable amount and powdered meats the least. As scanning electron micrographs confirmed, there were no fibrous structures in the precipitates resulted from dialysis of salt solutions (1.0 mol/1). Heating decreased the spontaneous water uptake of all fractions. Addition of sodium chloride had only a noticeable capillary-suction and swelling effect on unheated samples. Hence swelling of undissolved protein structures (extraction of myosin and possibly of actomyosin) is therefore not the only way for water binding in frankfurter-type sausages.

Application of the Quality by Design Approach to the Freezing Step of Freeze-Drying: Building the Design Space.

PubMed

Arsiccio, Andrea; Pisano, Roberto

2018-06-01

The present work shows a rational method for the development of the freezing step of a freeze-drying cycle. The current approach to the selection of freezing conditions is still empirical and nonsystematic, thus resulting in poor robustness of control strategy. The final aim of this work is to fill this gap, describing a rational procedure, based on mathematical modeling, for properly choosing the freezing conditions. Mechanistic models are used for the prediction of temperature profiles during freezing and dimension of ice crystals being formed. Mathematical description of the drying phase of freeze-drying is also coupled with the results obtained by freezing models, thus providing a comprehensive characterization of the lyophilization process. In this framework, deep understanding of the phenomena involved is required, and according to the Quality by Design approach, this knowledge can be used to build the design space. The step-by-step procedure for building the design space for freezing is thus described, and examples of applications are provided. The calculated design space is validated upon experimental data, and we show that it allows easy control of the freezing process and fast selection of appropriate operating conditions. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulation and field monitoring of moisture in alpine rock walls during freeze-thaw events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, Matthias; Sass, Oliver

2013-04-01

Detachment of rock fragments from alpine rockwalls is mainly assigned to frost weathering. However, the actual process of frost weathering as well as the contribution of further weathering processes (e.g. hydration, thermal fatigue) is poorly understood. Rock moisture distribution during freeze-thaw events is key to understanding weathering. For this purpose, different measuring systems were set up in two study areas (Dachstein - permafrost area (2700m a.s.l.) and Gesäuse - non permafrost area (900m a.s.l.), Styria, Austria) within the framework of the research project ROCKING ALPS (FWF-P24244). We installed small-scale 2D-geoelectric survey lines in north and in south facing rockwalls, supplemented by high resolution temperature and moisture sensors. Moisture is determined by means of resistivity measurements which are difficult to calibrate, but provide good time series. Additional novel moisture sensors were developed which use the heat capacity of the surrounding rock as a proxy of water content. These sensors give point readings from a defined depth and are independent from soluble salt contents. Pore water pressure occurring during freeze-thaw events is recorded by means of pressure transducers (piezometers). First results from the Dachstein show that short term latent heat effects during the phase change have crucial influence on the moisture content. These results are cross-checked by simulation calculations. Based on meteorologic and lithologic input values, the simulation routine calculates, in an iterative procedure, the hourly energy and water transport at different depths, the latter in the liquid and in the vapor phase. The calculated profile lines and chronological sequences of rock moisture allow - in combination with temperature data - to detect possible periods of active weathering. First simulations from the Gesäuse show that maximum values of pore saturation occur from May to September. The thresholds of the "classical" frost shattering theory

Validity of a portable urine refractometer: the effects of sample freezing.

PubMed

Sparks, S Andy; Close, Graeme L

2013-01-01

The use of portable urine osmometers is widespread, but no studies have assessed the validity of this measurement technique. Furthermore, it is unclear what effect freezing has on osmolality. One-hundred participants of mean (±SD) age 25.1 ± 7.6 years, height 1.77 ± 0.1 m and weight 77.1 ± 10.8 kg provided single urine samples that were analysed using freeze point depression (FPD) and refractometry (RI). Samples were then frozen at -80°C (n = 81) and thawed prior to re-analysis. Differences between methods and freezing were determined using Wilcoxon's signed rank test. Relationships between measurements were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and typical error of estimate (TE). Osmolality was lower (P = 0.001) using RI (634.2 ± 339.8 mOsm · kgH2O(-1)) compared with FPD (656.7 ± 334.1 mOsm · kgH2O(-1)) but the TE was trivial (0.17). Freezing significantly reduced mean osmolality using FPD (656.7 ± 341.1 to 606.5 ± 333.4 mOsm · kgH2O(-1); P < 0.001), but samples were still highly related following freezing (ICC, r = 0.979, P < 0.001, CI = 0.993-0.997; TE = 0.15; and r=0.995, P < 0.001, CI = 0.967-0.986; TE = 0.07 for RI and FPD respectively). Despite mean differences between methods and as a result of freezing, such differences are physiologically trivial. Therefore, the use of RI appears to be a valid measurement tool to determine urine osmolality.

Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.

PubMed

Alban, Michael W; Pocknell, Victoria

2017-01-01

Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.

Inner ear tissue preservation by rapid freezing: Improving fixation by high-pressure freezing and hybrid methods

PubMed Central

Bullen, A.; Taylor, R.R.; Kachar, B.; Moores, C.; Fleck, R.A.; Forge, A.

2014-01-01

In the preservation of tissues in as ‘close to life’ state as possible, rapid freeze fixation has many benefits over conventional chemical fixation. One technique by which rapid freeze-fixation can be achieved, high pressure freezing (HPF), has been shown to enable ice crystal artefact-free freezing and tissue preservation to greater depths (more than 40 μm) than other quick-freezing methods. Despite increasingly becoming routine in electron microscopy, the use of HPF for the fixation of inner ear tissue has been limited. Assessment of the quality of preservation showed routine HPF techniques were suitable for preparation of inner ear tissues in a variety of species. Good preservation throughout the depth of sensory epithelia was achievable. Comparison to chemically fixed tissue indicated that fresh frozen preparations exhibited overall superior structural preservation of cells. However, HPF fixation caused characteristic artefacts in stereocilia that suggested poor quality freezing of the actin bundles. The hybrid technique of pre-fixation and high pressure freezing was shown to produce cellular preservation throughout the tissue, similar to that seen in HPF alone. Pre-fixation HPF produced consistent high quality preservation of stereociliary actin bundles. Optimising the preparation of samples with minimal artefact formation allows analysis of the links between ultrastructure and function in inner ear tissues. PMID:25016142

Freeze-dried spermatozoa: A future tool?

PubMed

Olaciregui, M; Gil, L

2017-04-01

Cryopreservation has been routinely used to preserve sperm of human and different animal species. However, frozen sperm storage for a long time brings many inconveniences because of liquid nitrogen. Many attempts have been made to overcome the disadvantages of the current cryopreservation method. Freeze-drying has been proposed as alternative method for sperm preservation to achieve the ability to store sperm doses indefinitely at ambient temperature or in ordinary refrigerators. At present, it has been reported successfully sperm freeze-drying on many animal species including canine and feline. It is well known that during freeze-drying process, sperm DNA could be damaged, but if suitable protection is provided, the sperm nucleus could preserve the ability to activate the oocyte and embryos could be generated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Many factors influence the freeze-drying efficacy, so current researches have been conducted to find strategies to control these factors to maintain the sperm DNA integrity. This review describes the latest method of sperm freeze-drying for practical application in preserving and transporting genetic resources. In addition, the approaches to improve the efficiency of the technique were studied. We demonstrated that the DNA integrity of freeze-dried dog sperm is affected by the composition of the freeze-drying solution as well as the temperature and period of storage. Further studies are necessary to refine freeze-drying protocol in order to protect the DNA and maintain the sperm functionality and obtain offspring from freeze-dried sperm. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Freeze Tolerance of Nine Zoysiagrass Cultivars Using Natural Cold Acclimation and Freeze Chambers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Winter hardiness of zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) cultivars is an important attribute throughout the biogeographical transition zone, thus the inability to withstand freezing temperatures may limit the use of these cultivars. The objective of this research was to determine the freeze tolerance (LT50) of...

Truths and myths of oocyte sensitivity to controlled rate freezing.

PubMed

Coticchio, G; Bonu, M A; Sciajno, R; Sereni, E; Bianchi, V; Borini, A

2007-07-01

The mammalian oocyte is especially sensitive to cryopreservation. Because of its size and physiology, it can easily undergo cell death or sub-lethal damage as a consequence of intracellular ice formation, increase in the concentration of solutes and other undesired effects during the conversion of extracellular water into ice. This has generated the belief that oocyte storage cannot be achieved with the necessary efficiency and safety. However, many concerns raised by oocyte freezing are the result of unproven hypotheses or observations conducted under sometimes inappropriate conditions. For instance, spindle organization can undergo damage under certain freezing conditions but not with other protocols. The controversial suggestion that cryopreservation induces cortical granule discharge and zona pellucida hardening somehow questions the routine use of sperm microinjection. Damage to mouse oocytes caused by solute concentration is well documented but, in the human, there is no solid evidence that modifications of freezing mixtures, to prevent this problem, provide an actual advantage. The hope of developing oocyte cryopreservation as a major IVF option is becoming increasingly realistic, but major efforts are still required to clarify the authentic implications of oocyte cryopreservation at the cellular level and identify freezing conditions compatible with the preservation of viability and developmental ability.

Freezing and drying effects on potential plant contributions to phosphorus in runoff.

PubMed

Roberson, Tiffany; Bundy, Larry G; Andraski, Todd W

2007-01-01

Phosphorus (P) in runoff from landscapes can promote eutrophication of natural waters. Soluble P released from plant material can contribute significant amounts of P to runoff particularly after plant freezing or drying. This study was conducted to evaluate P losses from alfalfa or grass after freezing or drying as potential contributors to runoff P. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and grass (principally, Agropyron repens L.) plant samples were subjected to freezing and drying treatments to determine P release. Simulated rainfall runoff and natural runoff from established alfalfa fields and a grass waterway were collected to study P contributions from plant tissue to runoff. The effects of freezing and drying on P released from plant tissue were simulated by a herbicide treatment in selected experiments. Soluble reactive P (SP) extracted from alfalfa and grass samples was markedly increased by freezing or drying. In general, SP extracted from plant samples increased in the order fresh < frozen < frozen/thawed < dried, and averaged 1, 8, 14, and 26% of total P in alfalfa, respectively. Soluble reactive P extracted from alfalfa after freezing or drying increased with increasing soil test P (r(2) = 0.64 to 0.68), suggesting that excessive soil P levels increased the risk of plant P contributions to runoff losses. In simulated rainfall studies, paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4, 4''-bipyridinium ion) treatment of alfalfa increased P losses in runoff, and results suggested that this treatment simulated the effects of drying on plant P loss. In contrast to the simulated rainfall results, natural runoff studies over 2 yr did not show higher runoff P losses that could be attributed to P from alfalfa. Actual P losses likely depend on the timing and extent of plant freezing and drying and of precipitation events after freezing.

Particle-size dependence of immersion freezing: Investigation of INUIT test aerosol particles with freely suspended water drops.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diehl, Karoline; Debertshäuser, Michael; Eppers, Oliver; Jantsch, Evelyn; Mitra, Subir K.

2014-05-01

One goal of the research group INUIT (Ice Nuclei research UnIT) is to investigate the efficiencies of several test ice nuclei under comparable conditions but with different experimental techniques. In the present studies, two methods are used: the Mainz vertical wind tunnel and an acoustic levitator placed inside a cold chamber. In both cases drops are freely levitated, either at their terminal velocity in the wind tunnel updraft or around the nodes of a standing ultrasonic wave in the acoustic levitator. Thus, heat transfer conditions are well approximated, and wall contact effects on freezing as well as electrical charges of the drops are avoided. Drop radii are 370 μm and 1 mm, respectively. In the wind tunnel, drops are investigated at constant temperatures within a certain time period and the onset of freezing is observed directly. In the acoustic levitator, the drop temperature decreases during the experiments and is measured by an in-situ calibrated Infrared thermometer. The onset of freezing is indicated by a rapid rise of the drop surface temperature because of the release of latent heat. Investigated test ice nuclei are Snomax® as a proxy of biological particles and illite NX as well as K-feldspar as represents of mineral dust. The particle concentrations are 1 × 10-12 to 3 × 10-6 g Snomax® per drop and 5 × 10-9 to 5 × 10-5 g mineral dust per drop. Freezing temperatures are between -2 and -18° C in case of Snomax® and between -14 and -26° C in case of mineral dust. The lower the particle masses per drop the lower are the freezing temperatures. For similar particle concentrations in the drops, the median freezing temperatures determined by the two techniques agree well within the measurement errors. With the knowledge of the specific particle surface area of the mineral dusts, the results are interpreted also in terms of particle surface area per drop. Results from the wind tunnel experiments which are performed at constant temperatures indicate

Immersion and contact freezing experiments in the Mainz wind tunnel laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eppers, Oliver; Mayer, Amelie; Diehl, Karoline; Mitra, Subir; Borrmann, Stephan; Szakáll, Miklós

2016-04-01

Immersion and contact freezing are of outmost important ice nucleation processes in mixed phase clouds. Experimental studies are carried out in the Mainz vertical wind tunnel laboratory in order to characterize these nucleation processes for different ice nucleating particles (INP), such as for mineral dust or biological particles. Immersion freezing is investigated in our laboratory with two different experimental techniques, both attaining contact-free levitation of liquid droplets and cooling of the surrounding air down to about -25 °C. In an acoustic levitator placed in the cold room of our laboratory, drops with diameters of 2 mm are investigated. In the vertical air stream of the wind tunnel droplets with diameter of 700 micron are freely floated at their terminal velocities, simulating the flow conditions of the free atmosphere. Furthermore, the wind tunnel offers a unique platform for contact freezing experiments. Supercooled water droplets are floated in the vertical air stream at their terminal velocities and INP are injected into the tunnel air stream upstream of them. As soon as INP collides with the supercooled droplet the contact freezing is initiated. The first results of immersion and contact freezing experiments with cellulose particles both in the acoustic levitator and in the wind tunnel will be presented. Cellulose is considered as typical INP of biological origin and a macrotracer for plant debris. Nucleating properties of cellulose will be provided, mainly focusing on the temperature, INP concentration, and specific surface area dependences of the freezing processes. Direct comparison between the different experimental techniques (acoustic levitator and wind tunnel), as well as between nucleation modes (immersion and contact freezing) will be presented. The work is carried out within the framework of the German research unit INUIT.

Homogeneous freezing of single sulfuric and nitric acid solution drops levitated in an acoustic trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diehl, Karoline; Ettner-Mahl, Matthias; Hannemann, Anke; Mitra, Subir K.

2009-10-01

The freezing temperatures of single supercooled drops of binary and ternary sulfuric and nitric acid solutions were measured while varying the acid concentration. An acoustic levitator was used which allows to freely suspend single solution drops in air without electrical charges thereby avoiding any electrical influences which may affect the freezing process. The drops of typically 500 µm in radius were monitored by a video camera during cooling cycles down to - 85 °C to simulate the upper tropospheric and stratospheric temperature range. The present data confirm that liquid solution droplets can be supercooled far below the equilibrium melting point by approximately 35 °C. They follow the general trend of the expected freezing temperatures for homogeneous ice nucleation.

A GIS analysis of the relationship between sinkholes, dry-well complaints and groundwater pumping for frost-freeze protection of winter strawberry production in Florida.

PubMed

Aurit, Mark D; Peterson, Robert O; Blanford, Justine I

2013-01-01

Florida is riddled with sinkholes due to its karst topography. Sometimes these sinkholes can cause extensive damage to infrastructure and homes. It has been suggested that agricultural practices, such as sprinkler irrigation methods used to protect crops, can increase the development of sinkholes, particularly when temperatures drop below freezing, causing groundwater levels to drop quickly during groundwater pumping. In the strawberry growing region, Dover/Plant City, Florida, the effects have caused water shortages resulting in dry-wells and ground subsidence through the development of sinkholes that can be costly to maintain and repair. In this study, we look at how frost-freeze events have affected West Central Florida over the past 25 years with detailed comparisons made between two cold-years (with severe frost-freeze events) and a warm year (no frost-freeze events). We analyzed the spatial and temporal correlation between strawberry farming freeze protection practices and the development of sinkholes/dry well complaints, and assessed the economic impact of such events from a water management perspective by evaluating the cost of repairing and drilling new wells and how these compared with using alternative crop-protection methods. We found that the spatial distribution of sinkholes was non-random during both frost-freeze events. A strong correlation between sinkhole occurrence and water extraction and minimum temperatures was found. Furthermore as temperatures fall below 41°F and water levels decrease by more than 20 ft, the number of sinkholes increase greatly (N >10). At this time alternative protection methods such as freeze-cloth are cost prohibitive in comparison to repairing dry wells. In conclusion, the findings from this study are applicable in other agricultural areas and can be used to develop comprehensive water management plans in areas where the abstraction of large quantities of water occur.

A GIS Analysis of the Relationship between Sinkholes, Dry-Well Complaints and Groundwater Pumping for Frost-Freeze Protection of Winter Strawberry Production in Florida

PubMed Central

Aurit, Mark D.; Peterson, Robert O.; Blanford, Justine I.

2013-01-01

Florida is riddled with sinkholes due to its karst topography. Sometimes these sinkholes can cause extensive damage to infrastructure and homes. It has been suggested that agricultural practices, such as sprinkler irrigation methods used to protect crops, can increase the development of sinkholes, particularly when temperatures drop below freezing, causing groundwater levels to drop quickly during groundwater pumping. In the strawberry growing region, Dover/Plant City, Florida, the effects have caused water shortages resulting in dry- wells and ground subsidence through the development of sinkholes that can be costly to maintain and repair. In this study, we look at how frost-freeze events have affected West Central Florida over the past 25 years with detailed comparisons made between two cold-years (with severe frost-freeze events) and a warm year (no frost-freeze events). We analyzed the spatial and temporal correlation between strawberry farming freeze protection practices and the development of sinkholes/dry well complaints, and assessed the economic impact of such events from a water management perspective by evaluating the cost of repairing and drilling new wells and how these compared with using alternative crop-protection methods. We found that the spatial distribution of sinkholes was non-random during both frost-freeze events. A strong correlation between sinkhole occurrence and water extraction and minimum temperatures was found. Furthermore as temperatures fall below 41°F and water levels decrease by more than 20 ft, the number of sinkholes increase greatly (N >10). At this time alternative protection methods such as freeze-cloth are cost prohibitive in comparison to repairing dry wells. In conclusion, the findings from this study are applicable in other agricultural areas and can be used to develop comprehensive water management plans in areas where the abstraction of large quantities of water occur. PMID:23326518

Freeze-drying in novel container system: Characterization of heat and mass transfer in glass syringes.

PubMed

Patel, Sajal M; Pikal, Michael J

2010-07-01

This study is aimed at characterizing and understanding different modes of heat and mass transfer in glass syringes to develop a robust freeze-drying process. Two different holder systems were used to freeze-dry in syringes: an aluminum (Al) block and a plexiglass holder. The syringe heat transfer coefficient was characterized by a sublimation test using pure water. Mannitol and sucrose (5% w/v) were also freeze-dried, as model systems, in both the assemblies. Dry layer resistance was determined from manometric temperature measurement (MTM) and product temperature was measured using thermocouples, and was also determined from MTM. Further, freeze-drying process was also designed using Smart freeze-dryer to assess its application for freeze-drying in novel container systems. Heat and mass transfer in syringes were compared against the traditional container system (i.e., glass tubing vial). In the Al block, the heat transfer was via three modes: contact conduction, gas conduction, and radiation with gas conduction being the dominant mode of heat transfer. In the plexiglass holder, the heat transfer was mostly via radiation; convection was not involved. Also, MTM/Smart freeze-drying did work reasonably well for freeze-drying in syringes. When compared to tubing vials, product temperature decreases and hence drying time increases in syringes. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Effects of egg yolk, glycerol and the freezing rate on the viability and acrosomal structures of frozen ram spermatozoa.

PubMed

Watson, P F; Martin, I C

1975-04-01

The influence of egg yolk, glycerol and the freezing rate on the survival of ram spermatozoa and on the structure of their acrosomes after freezing was investigated. Egg yolk was shown to be beneficial not only during chilling but also during freezing; of the levels examined, 1-5% gave the greatest protection. Although the presence of glycerol in the diluent improved the survival of spermatozoa, increasing concentrations produced significant deterioration of the acrosomes. With closely controlled linear cooling rates, no overall difference was detected in the survival of spermatozoa frozen at rates between 6 and 24 degrees C per min. However, a significant interaction between freezing rate and the inclusion of glycerol in the diluent showed that glycerol was less important at the highest freezing rate. A sudden cooling phase near to the freezing point following the release of the latent heat of fusion was not detrimental to spermatozoa.

Microphysical Modelling of the 1999-2000 Arctic Winter. 3; Impact of Homogeneous Freezing on PSCs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drdla, K.

2003-01-01

Simulations of the 1999-2000 winter have tested the effect on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) of the homogeneous freezing of liquid ternary solutions into nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) and nitric acid dihydrate (NAD). Proposed laboratory-derived volume-based and surface-based homogeneous freezing rates have both been examined, including different assumptions about the extrapolation of laboratory measurements to atmospheric conditions. Widespread PSC formation and denitrification are possible in several of the scenarios examined. However, the simulations are all unable to explain the solid-phase PSCs observed early in the 1999-2000 winter, and are unable to reproduce the measured extent of vortex denitrification. These problems can both be attributed to the relatively cold temperatures, more than 5 K below the NAT condensation point, necessary for effective homogeneous freezing. Therefore synoptic-scale homogeneous freezing appears unlikely to be the primary mechanism responsible for solid-phase PSC formation.

9 CFR 590.534 - Freezing facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Freezing facilities. 590.534 Section 590.534 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG..., and Facility Requirements § 590.534 Freezing facilities. (a) Freezing rooms, either on or off the...

9 CFR 590.536 - Freezing operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Freezing operations. 590.536 Section 590.536 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG..., and Facility Requirements § 590.536 Freezing operations. (a) Freezing rooms shall be kept clean and...

3 CFR - Pay Freeze

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pay Freeze Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Memorandum of January 21, 2009 Pay Freeze Memorandum for the Assistant to the President and Chief... the White House staff forgo pay increases until further notice. Accordingly, as a signal of our shared...

The effect of dryer load on freeze drying process design.

PubMed

Patel, Sajal M; Jameel, Feroz; Pikal, Michael J

2010-10-01

Freeze-drying using a partial load is a common occurrence during the early manufacturing stages when insufficient amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) are available. In such cases, the immediate production needs are met by performing lyophilization with less than a full freeze dryer load. However, it is not obvious at what fractional load significant deviations from full load behavior begin. The objective of this research was to systematically study the effects of variation in product load on freeze drying behavior in laboratory, pilot and clinical scale freeze-dryers. Experiments were conducted with 5% mannitol (high heat and mass flux) and 5% sucrose (low heat and mass flux) at different product loads (100%, 50%, 10%, and 2%). Product temperature was measured in edge as well as center vials with thermocouples. Specific surface area (SSA) was measured by BET gas adsorption analysis and residual moisture was measured by Karl Fischer. In the lab scale freeze-dryer, the molar flux of inert gas was determined by direct flow measurement using a flowmeter and the molar flux of water vapor was determined by manometric temperature measurement (MTM) and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) techniques. Comparative pressure measurement (capacitance manometer vs. Pirani) was used to determine primary drying time. For both 5% mannitol and 5% sucrose, primary drying time decreases and product temperature increases as the load on the shelves decreases. No systematic variation was observed in residual moisture and vapor composition as load decreased. Further, SSA data suggests that there are no significant freezing differences under different load conditions. Independent of dryer scale, among all the effects, variation in radiation heat transfer from the chamber walls to the product seems to be the dominant effect resulting in shorter primary drying time as the load on the shelf decreases (i.e., the fraction of edge vials increases).

Influence of freezing down to 77.15 K on structure and antioxidant power of some proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozanova, S. L.; Narozhnyi, S. V.; Nardid, O. A.

2017-06-01

The purpose of the present work was to investigate influence of different freeze-thawing protocols on structure and antioxidant properties of isolated proteins. In our experiments we have studied human serum albumin, human hemoglobin and cytochrome C derived from equine heart frozen down to 77.15 K with 1-2 deg/min and 300 deg/min rate with following thawing on a water bath at 293.15 K. Native proteins were assumed as a control. Influence of freeze-thawing protocols on protein structure was investigated using spectrophotometric and fluorescent assays. Antioxidant activities of isolated proteins were estimated by their ability to reduce ABTS+ radical. It has been established that unfolding derived from freeze-thawing exposure leads to protein antioxidant activity increasing while decreasing of such an activity may be connected with macromolecule aggregation. Character of freeze-thawing influence on antioxidant activity of proteins depends on molecule structure peculiarities and freezing protocols.

Numerical Simulation of the Freeze-Thaw Behavior of Mortar Containing Deicing Salt Solution

PubMed Central

Esmaeeli, Hadi S.; Farnam, Yaghoob; Bentz, Dale P.; Zavattieri, Pablo D.; Weiss, Jason

2016-01-01

This paper presents a one-dimensional finite difference model that is developed to describe the freeze-thaw behavior of an air-entrained mortar containing deicing salt solution. A phenomenological model is used to predict the temperature and the heat flow for mortar specimens during cooling and heating. Phase transformations associated with the freezing/melting of water/ice or transition of the eutectic solution from liquid to solid are included in this phenomenological model. The lever rule is used to calculate the quantity of solution that undergoes the phase transformation, thereby simulating the energy released/absorbed during phase transformation. Undercooling and pore size effects are considered in the numerical model. To investigate the effect of pore size distribution, this distribution is considered using the Gibbs-Thomson equation in a saturated mortar specimen. For an air-entrained mortar, the impact of considering pore size (and curvature) on freezing was relatively insignificant; however the impact of pore size is much more significant during melting. The fluid inside pores smaller than 5 nm (i.e., gel pores) has a relatively small contribution in the macroscopic freeze-thaw behavior of mortar specimens within the temperature range used in this study (i.e., +24 °C to −35 °C), and can therefore be neglected for the macroscopic freeze-thaw simulations. A heat sink term is utilized to simulate the heat dissipation during phase transformations. Data from experiments performed using a low-temperature longitudinal guarded comparative calorimeter (LGCC) on mortar specimens fully saturated with various concentration NaCl solutions or partially saturated with water is compared to the numerical results and a promising agreement is generally obtained. PMID:28082830

Numerical Simulation of the Freeze-Thaw Behavior of Mortar Containing Deicing Salt Solution.

PubMed

Esmaeeli, Hadi S; Farnam, Yaghoob; Bentz, Dale P; Zavattieri, Pablo D; Weiss, Jason

2017-02-01

This paper presents a one-dimensional finite difference model that is developed to describe the freeze-thaw behavior of an air-entrained mortar containing deicing salt solution. A phenomenological model is used to predict the temperature and the heat flow for mortar specimens during cooling and heating. Phase transformations associated with the freezing/melting of water/ice or transition of the eutectic solution from liquid to solid are included in this phenomenological model. The lever rule is used to calculate the quantity of solution that undergoes the phase transformation, thereby simulating the energy released/absorbed during phase transformation. Undercooling and pore size effects are considered in the numerical model. To investigate the effect of pore size distribution, this distribution is considered using the Gibbs-Thomson equation in a saturated mortar specimen. For an air-entrained mortar, the impact of considering pore size (and curvature) on freezing was relatively insignificant; however the impact of pore size is much more significant during melting. The fluid inside pores smaller than 5 nm (i.e., gel pores) has a relatively small contribution in the macroscopic freeze-thaw behavior of mortar specimens within the temperature range used in this study (i.e., +24 °C to -35 °C), and can therefore be neglected for the macroscopic freeze-thaw simulations. A heat sink term is utilized to simulate the heat dissipation during phase transformations. Data from experiments performed using a low-temperature longitudinal guarded comparative calorimeter (LGCC) on mortar specimens fully saturated with various concentration NaCl solutions or partially saturated with water is compared to the numerical results and a promising agreement is generally obtained.

Inner ear tissue preservation by rapid freezing: improving fixation by high-pressure freezing and hybrid methods.

PubMed

Bullen, A; Taylor, R R; Kachar, B; Moores, C; Fleck, R A; Forge, A

2014-09-01

In the preservation of tissues in as 'close to life' state as possible, rapid freeze fixation has many benefits over conventional chemical fixation. One technique by which rapid freeze-fixation can be achieved, high pressure freezing (HPF), has been shown to enable ice crystal artefact-free freezing and tissue preservation to greater depths (more than 40 μm) than other quick-freezing methods. Despite increasingly becoming routine in electron microscopy, the use of HPF for the fixation of inner ear tissue has been limited. Assessment of the quality of preservation showed routine HPF techniques were suitable for preparation of inner ear tissues in a variety of species. Good preservation throughout the depth of sensory epithelia was achievable. Comparison to chemically fixed tissue indicated that fresh frozen preparations exhibited overall superior structural preservation of cells. However, HPF fixation caused characteristic artefacts in stereocilia that suggested poor quality freezing of the actin bundles. The hybrid technique of pre-fixation and high pressure freezing was shown to produce cellular preservation throughout the tissue, similar to that seen in HPF alone. Pre-fixation HPF produced consistent high quality preservation of stereociliary actin bundles. Optimising the preparation of samples with minimal artefact formation allows analysis of the links between ultrastructure and function in inner ear tissues. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EURAMET.T-K7 Key Comparison of Water Triple-Point Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruzzi, A.; Bosma, R.; Kerkhof, O.; Rosenkranz, P.; Del Campo Maldonado, M. D.; Strnad, R.; Nielsen, J.; Anagnostou, M.; Veliki, T.; Zvizdic, D.; Grudnewicz, E.; Nedea, M.; Neagu, D. M.; Steur, P.; Filipe, E.; Lobo, I.; Antonsen, I.; Renaot, E.; Heinonen, M.; Weckstrom, T.; Bojkovski, J.; Turzo-Andras, E.; Nemeth, S.; White, M.; Tegeler, E.; Dobre, M.; Duris, S.; Kartal Dogan, A.; Uytun, A.; Augevicius, V.; Pauzha, A.; Pokhodun, A.; Simic, S.

2011-12-01

The results of a EURAMET key comparison of water triple-point cells (EURAMET.T-K7) are reported. The equipment used, the measuring conditions applied, and the procedures adopted for the water triple-point measurement at the participating laboratories are synthetically presented. The definitions of the national reference for the water triple-point temperature adopted by each laboratory are disclosed. The multiplicity of degrees of equivalence arising for the linking laboratories with respect to the "mother" comparison CCT-K7 is discussed in detail.

FIMP dark matter freeze-in gauge mediation and hidden sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Kuo-Hsing

2018-07-01

We explore the dark matter freeze-in mechanism within the gauge mediation framework, which involves a hidden feebly interacting massive particle (FIMP) coupling feebly with the messenger fields while the messengers are still in the thermal bath. The FIMP is the fermionic component of the pseudo-moduli in a generic metastable supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking model and resides in the hidden sector. The relic abundance and the mass of the FIMP are determined by the SUSY breaking scale and the feeble coupling. The gravitino, which is the canonical dark matter candidate in the gauge mediation framework, contributes to the dark matter relic abundance along with the freeze-in of the FIMP. The hidden sector thus becomes two-component with both the FIMP and gravitino lodging in the SUSY breaking hidden sector. We point out that the ratio between the FIMP and the gravitino is determined by how SUSY breaking is communicated to the messengers. In particular when the FIMP dominates the hidden sector, the gravitino becomes the minor contributor in the hidden sector. Meanwhile, the neutralino is assumed to be both the weakly interacting massive particle dark matter candidate in the freeze-out mechanism and the lightest observable SUSY particle. We further find out the neutralino has the sub-leading contribution to the current dark matter relic density in the parameter space of our freeze-in gauge mediation model. Our result links the SUSY breaking scale in the gauge mediation framework with the FIMP freeze-in production rate leading to a natural and predicting scenario for the studies of the dark matter in the hidden sector.

Treatment of textile wastewaters using Eutectic Freeze Crystallization.

PubMed

Randall, D G; Zinn, C; Lewis, A E

2014-01-01

A water treatment process needs to recover both water and other useful products if the process is to be viewed as being financially and environmentally sustainable. Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) is one such sustainable water treatment process that is able to produce both pure ice (water) and pure salt(s) by operating at a specific temperature. The use of EFC for the treatment of water is particularly useful in the textile industry because ice crystallization excludes all impurities from the recovered water, including dyes. Also, EFC can produce various salts with the intention of reusing these salts in the process. This study investigated the feasibility of EFC as a treatment method for textile industry wastewaters. The results showed that EFC can be used to convert 95% of the wastewater stream to pure ice (98% purity) and sodium sulfate.

Anatomical regulation of ice nucleation and cavitation helps trees to survive freezing and drought stress

PubMed Central

Lintunen, A.; Hölttä, T.; Kulmala, M.

2013-01-01

Water in the xylem, the water transport system of plants, is vulnerable to freezing and cavitation, i.e. to phase change from liquid to ice or gaseous phase. The former is a threat in cold and the latter in dry environmental conditions. Here we show that a small xylem conduit diameter, which has previously been shown to be associated with lower cavitation pressure thus making a plant more drought resistant, is also associated with a decrease in the temperature required for ice nucleation in the xylem. Thus the susceptibility of freezing and cavitation are linked together in the xylem of plants. We explain this linkage by the regulation of the sizes of the nuclei catalysing freezing and drought cavitation. Our results offer better understanding of the similarities of adaption of plants to cold and drought stress, and offer new insights into the ability of plants to adapt to the changing environment. PMID:23778457

Response of Soil Biogeochemistry to Freeze-thaw Cycles: Impacts on Greenhouse Gas Emission and Nutrient Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezanezhad, F.; Parsons, C. T.; Smeaton, C. M.; Van Cappellen, P.

2014-12-01

Freeze-thaw is an abiotic stress applied to soils and is a natural process at medium to high latitudes. Freezing and thawing processes influence not only the physical properties of soil, but also the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms. Fungi and bacteria play a crucial role in soil organic matter degradation and the production of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as CO2, CH4 and N2O. Production and consumption of these atmospheric trace gases are the result of biological processes such as photosynthesis, aerobic respiration (CO2), methanogenesis, methanotrophy (CH4), nitrification and denitrification (N2O). To enhance our understanding of the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on soil biogeochemical transformations and fluxes, a highly instrumented soil column experiment was designed to realistically simulate freeze-thaw dynamics under controlled conditions. Pore waters collected periodically from different depths of the column and solid-phase analyses on core material obtained at the initial and end of the experiment highlighted striking geochemical cycling. CO2, CH4 and N2O production at different depths within the column were quantified from dissolved gas concentrations in pore water. Subsequent emissions from the soil surface were determined by direct measurement in the head space. Pulsed CO2 emission to the headspace was observed at the onset of thawing, however, the magnitude of the pulse decreased with each subsequent freeze-thaw cycle indicating depletion of a "freeze-thaw accessible" carbon pool. Pulsed CO2 emission was due to a combination of physical release of gases dissolved in porewater and entrapped below the frozen zone and changing microbial respiration in response to electron acceptor variability (O2, NO3-, SO42-). In this presentation, we focus on soil-specific physical, chemical, microbial factors (e.g. redox conditions, respiration, fermentation) and the mechanisms that drive GHG emission and nutrient cycling in soils under freeze-thaw cycles.

Freeze-drying of nanosuspensions, 1: freezing rate versus formulation design as critical factors to preserve the original particle size distribution.

PubMed

Beirowski, Jakob; Inghelbrecht, Sabine; Arien, Albertina; Gieseler, Henning

2011-05-01

It has been recently reported in the literature that using a fast freezing rate during freeze-drying of drug nanosuspensions is beneficial to preserve the original particle size distribution. All freezing rates studied were obtained by utilizing a custom-made apparatus and were then indirectly related to conventional vial freeze-drying. However, a standard freeze-dryer is only capable of achieving moderate freezing rates in the shelf fluid circulation system. Therefore, it was the purpose of the present study to evaluate the possibility to establish a typical freezing protocol applicable to a standard freeze-drying unit in combination with an adequate choice of cryoprotective excipients and steric stabilizers to preserve the original particle size distribution. Six different drug nanosuspensions containing itraconazole as a drug model were studied using freeze-thaw experiments and a full factorial design to reveal major factors for the stabilization of drug nanosuspensions and the corresponding interactions. In contrast to previous reports, the freezing regime showed no significant influence on preserving the original particle size distribution, suggesting that the concentrations of both the steric stabilizer and the cryoprotective agent are optimized. Moreover, it could be pinpointed that the combined effect of steric stabilizer and cryoprotectant clearly contribute to nanoparticle stability. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Bursts of CO2 released during freezing offer a new perspective on avoidance of winter embolism in trees.

PubMed

Lintunen, A; Lindfors, L; Kolari, P; Juurola, E; Nikinmaa, E; Hölttä, T

2014-12-01

Woody plants can suffer from winter embolism as gas bubbles are formed in the water-conducting conduits when freezing occurs: gases are not soluble in ice, and the bubbles may expand and fill the conduits with air during thawing. A major assumption usually made in studies of winter embolism formation is that all of the gas dissolved in the xylem sap is trapped within the conduits and forms bubbles during freezing. The current study tested whether this assumption is actually valid, or whether efflux of gases from the stem during freezing reduces the occurrence of embolism. CO2 efflux measurements were conducted during freezing experiments for saplings of three Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and three Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees under laboratory conditions, and the magnitudes of the freezing-related bursts of CO2 released from the stems were analysed using a previously published mechanistic model of CO2 production, storage, diffusion and efflux from a tree stem. The freezing-related bursts of CO2 released from a mature Scots pine tree growing in field conditions were also measured and analysed. Substantial freezing-related bursts of CO2 released from the stem were found to occur during both the laboratory experiments and under field conditions. In the laboratory, the fraction of CO2 released from the stem ranged between 27 and 96 % of the total CO2 content within the stem. All gases dissolved in the xylem sap are not trapped within the ice in the stem during freezing, as has previously been assumed, thus adding a new dimension to the understanding of winter embolism formation. The conduit water volume not only determines the volume of bubbles formed during freezing, but also the efficiency of gas efflux out of the conduit during the freezing process. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Hysteresis of Soil Point Water Retention Functions Determined by Neutron Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perfect, E.; Kang, M.; Bilheux, H.; Willis, K. J.; Horita, J.; Warren, J.; Cheng, C.

2010-12-01

Soil point water retention functions are needed for modeling flow and transport in partially-saturated porous media. Such functions are usually determined by inverse modeling of average water retention data measured experimentally on columns of finite length. However, the resulting functions are subject to the appropriateness of the chosen model, as well as the initial and boundary condition assumptions employed. Soil point water retention functions are rarely measured directly and when they are the focus is invariably on the main drying branch. Previous direct measurement methods include time domain reflectometry and gamma beam attenuation. Here we report direct measurements of the main wetting and drying branches of the point water retention function using neutron radiography. The measurements were performed on a coarse sand (Flint #13) packed into 2.6 cm diameter x 4 cm long aluminum cylinders at the NIST BT-2 (50 μm resolution) and ORNL-HFIR CG1D (70 μm resolution) imaging beamlines. The sand columns were saturated with water and then drained and rewetted under quasi-equilibrium conditions using a hanging water column setup. 2048 x 2048 pixel images of the transmitted flux of neutrons through the column were acquired at each imposed suction (~10-15 suction values per experiment). Volumetric water contents were calculated on a pixel by pixel basis using Beer-Lambert’s law in conjunction with beam hardening and geometric corrections. The pixel rows were averaged and combined with information on the known distribution of suctions within the column to give 2048 point drying and wetting functions for each experiment. The point functions exhibited pronounced hysteresis and varied with column height, possibly due to differences in porosity caused by the packing procedure employed. Predicted point functions, extracted from the hanging water column volumetric data using the TrueCell inverse modeling procedure, showed very good agreement with the range of point

Modeling the contribution of point sources and non-point sources to Thachin River water pollution.

PubMed

Schaffner, Monika; Bader, Hans-Peter; Scheidegger, Ruth

2009-08-15

Major rivers in developing and emerging countries suffer increasingly of severe degradation of water quality. The current study uses a mathematical Material Flow Analysis (MMFA) as a complementary approach to address the degradation of river water quality due to nutrient pollution in the Thachin River Basin in Central Thailand. This paper gives an overview of the origins and flow paths of the various point- and non-point pollution sources in the Thachin River Basin (in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus) and quantifies their relative importance within the system. The key parameters influencing the main nutrient flows are determined and possible mitigation measures discussed. The results show that aquaculture (as a point source) and rice farming (as a non-point source) are the key nutrient sources in the Thachin River Basin. Other point sources such as pig farms, households and industries, which were previously cited as the most relevant pollution sources in terms of organic pollution, play less significant roles in comparison. This order of importance shifts when considering the model results for the provincial level. Crosschecks with secondary data and field studies confirm the plausibility of our simulations. Specific nutrient loads for the pollution sources are derived; these can be used for a first broad quantification of nutrient pollution in comparable river basins. Based on an identification of the sensitive model parameters, possible mitigation scenarios are determined and their potential to reduce the nutrient load evaluated. A comparison of simulated nutrient loads with measured nutrient concentrations shows that nutrient retention in the river system may be significant. Sedimentation in the slow flowing surface water network as well as nitrogen emission to the air from the warm oxygen deficient waters are certainly partly responsible, but also wetlands along the river banks could play an important role as nutrient sinks.

Stress, deformation and micromorphological aspects of soil freezing under laboratory conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jetchick, Elizabeth

In this thesis, frost heave is viewed as a process resulting from the interactions between thermodynamic conditions, soil environment controls such as texture, stress/deformation conditions and soil microstructure. A series of laboratory experiments was devised to investigate the links between these aspects. Because a limited number of studies exist on the development of internal stresses and strains in freezing soil, the work focussed on obtaining rheological data using conventional soil strain gauges and prototype stress transducers. A fine-grained unstructured silt was placed in a column (30 cm diameter by 100 cm length) and subjected to freezing and freeze-thaw cycles from the top down, lasting up to three months. Heat and water flows, as well as stresses and strains were monitored. The frozen soil was sectioned at the end of four of the experiments to examine the soil fabrics that had developed. From the experimental results, schematic stress and strain curves are proposed. For a single freeze cycle, compressive normal and tensile normal stresses were recorded simultaneously by the measuring devices within the freezing soil profile. Ice lens inception took place when the stress field changed, a condition which occurred either at the frost front level or at the base of the growing ice lens. Negative and positive strains reflected the different stress states that were sustained below and above the freezing front. Negative strains or soil consolidation took place as stresses increased before the passage of the frost line. Negligible soil strains were recorded as maximum soil consolidation was attained, before soil expansion. Distinct positive strain patterns indicating secondary and continuing heave, were recorded simultaneously throughout a thickness of soil, over a range of temperatures. Ice lens growth mostly took place as secondary frost heave, but continuing heave was measured, and the temperature conditions for both types of heave were determined. During

Simultaneous measurement of unfrozen water content and ice content in frozen soil using gamma ray attenuation and TDR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiaohai; Zhou, Jian; Kinzelbach, Wolfgang; Stauffer, Fritz

2014-12-01

variably saturated soil. Unfrozen water content is independent of total water content and affected only by temperature when the freezing point is reached.

Effects of various freezing containers for vitrification freezing on mouse oogenesis.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Chul; Kim, Jae Myeoung; Seo, Byoung Boo

2016-01-01

In the present study, various freezing containers were tested for mouse embryos of respective developmental stages; embryos were vitrified and then their survival rate and developmental rate were monitored. Mouse two cell, 8 cell, and blastula stage embryos underwent vitrification freezing-thawing and then their recovery rate, survival rate, development rate, and hatching rate were investigated. EM-grid, OPS, and cryo-loop were utilized for vitrification freezing-thawing of mouse embryos. It was found that recovery rate and survival rate were higher in the group of cryo-loop compared to those of EM-grid (p < 0.05). Embryonic development rate, two cell embryos to blastocyst, as well as hatching rate were higher in the control group compared to the EM-grid group and OPS group (p < 0.05), yet no difference was noted between the control group and cryo-loop group. Development rate and hatching rate of eight cell morulae and blastocysts were all lower in the treatment groups than the control group whilst hatching rate of blastocysts was higher in the control group compared to the groups of EM-grid and OPS (p < 0.05); although the cryo-loop group was shown to be slightly higher than other groups, it was not statistically significant. In the study, we investigate effects of freezing containers on vitrified embryos of respective developmental stages; it was demonstrated that higher developmental rate was shown in more progressed (or developed) embryos with more blastomeres. There was however, no difference in embryonic development rate was shown amongst containers. Taken together, further additional studies are warranted with regards to 1) manipulation techniques of embryos for various vitrification freezing containers and 2) preventive measures against contamination via liquid nitrogen.

Heating-freezing effects on the orientation of kaolin clay particles

DOE PAGES

Jaradat, Karam A.; Darbari, Zubin; Elbakhshwan, Mohamed; ...

2017-09-29

The effects of temperature changes on the particle orientation of a consolidated kaolin are studied using XRD experiments. Here, two sets of equipment were utilized in this study: a benchtop equipment, and a synchrotron beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The kaolin specimens tested in the benchtop XRD were subjected to elevated and freezing temperatures ex-situ, while those used for the NSLS-II experiment were exposed to the temperature changes in-situ. The temperatures considered in this study range from freezing (-10 °C) to elevated temperature below boiling (90 °C). The thermally-induced reorientation of claymore » mineral particles is highly dependent on the relative orientation of the clay mineral particles with respect to the applied thermal gradient. For example, kaolin samples with kaolinite particles oriented perpendicular to the thermal gradient, and to the expected thermally-induced pore water flow, experience much higher particles reorientations compared to samples with particles initially oriented parallel to the thermal gradient. Lastly, freezing kaolin preserved its microstructure as ice crystals form.« less

Heating-freezing effects on the orientation of kaolin clay particles

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

Jaradat, Karam A.; Darbari, Zubin; Elbakhshwan, Mohamed

The effects of temperature changes on the particle orientation of a consolidated kaolin are studied using XRD experiments. Here, two sets of equipment were utilized in this study: a benchtop equipment, and a synchrotron beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The kaolin specimens tested in the benchtop XRD were subjected to elevated and freezing temperatures ex-situ, while those used for the NSLS-II experiment were exposed to the temperature changes in-situ. The temperatures considered in this study range from freezing (-10 °C) to elevated temperature below boiling (90 °C). The thermally-induced reorientation of claymore » mineral particles is highly dependent on the relative orientation of the clay mineral particles with respect to the applied thermal gradient. For example, kaolin samples with kaolinite particles oriented perpendicular to the thermal gradient, and to the expected thermally-induced pore water flow, experience much higher particles reorientations compared to samples with particles initially oriented parallel to the thermal gradient. Lastly, freezing kaolin preserved its microstructure as ice crystals form.« less

Effects of soil water and heat relationship under various snow cover during freezing-thawing periods in Songnen Plain, China.

PubMed

Fu, Qiang; Hou, Renjie; Li, Tianxiao; Jiang, Ruiqi; Yan, Peiru; Ma, Ziao; Zhou, Zhaoqiang

2018-01-22

In this study, the spatial variations of soil water and heat under bare land (BL), natural snow (NS), compacted snow (CS) and thick snow (TS) treatments were analyzed. The relationship curve between soil temperature and water content conforms to the exponential filtering model, by means of the functional form of the model, it was defined as soil water and heat relation function model. On this basis, soil water and heat function models of 10, 20, 40, 60, 100, and 140 cm were established. Finally, a spatial variation law of the relationship effect was described based on analysising of the differences between the predicted and measured results. During freezing period, the effects of external factors on soil were hindered by snow cover. As the snow increased, the accuracy of the function model gradually improved. During melting period, infiltration by snowmelt affected the relationship between the soil temperature and moisture. With the increasing of snow, the accuracy of the function models gradually decreased. The relationship effects of soil water and heat increased with increasing depth within the frozen zone. In contrast, below the frozen layer, the relationship of soil water and heat was weaker, and the function models were less accurate.

Arginine and proline applied as food additives stimulate high freeze tolerance in larvae of Drosophila melanogaster.