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Procymidone (PCM), an agricultural fungicide, is attracting attention because it has been detected in all ecosystems, including aquatic environments. This study explored changes in the behavior and toxicity of PCM in water under the influence of photolysis and microplastics (MPs) coexistence. Hydrolysis of PCM was evaluated and UV-A and UV-C lamps were used as light sources for the photodegradation experiments. The Microtox® assay was used to evaluate changes in toxicity during the photodegradation and after sorption on MPs of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films. The appearance of 3,5-dichloroaniline (DCA), a major metabolite of PCM that is more toxic than its parent compound in water, was confirmed. Both PCM and DCA showed sufficient molar extinction coefficients to be photolyzed under UV-C irradiation (εPCM=10,300 M−1 cm−1 and εDCA=2,400 M−1 cm−1); however, the presence of natural organic matter negatively affected their photodegradation. PVC showed a better sorption potential for PCM and DCA than for LDPE. The higher sorption by PVC significantly reduced the toxic effect of DCA from an average value of 79% to 60% and increased the EC50 value from 30.4% to 47.6%. These results offer insights into controlling toxic micropollutants, including fungicides, in aquatic environments and water treatment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol was produced by separate hydrolysis and fermentation using Azolla filiculoides as a biomass. Thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic saccharification were used as pretreatment methods to produce monosaccharides from Azolla. The optimal content for thermal acid hydrolysis of 14% (w/v) Azolla weed slurry produced 16.7-g/L monosaccharides by using 200 mM H2SO4 at 121 °C for 60 min. Enzymatic saccharification using 16 U/mL Viscozyme produced 61.6 g/L monosaccharide at 48 h. Ethanol productions with ethanol yield coefficients from Azolla weed hydrolysate using Kluyveromyces marxianus, Candida lusitaniae Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia stipitis were 26.8 g/L (YEtOH = 0.43), 23.2 g/L (YEtOH = 0.37), 18.2 g/L (YEtOH = 0.29), and 13.7 g/L (YEtOH = 0.22), respectively. Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces the lowest yield as it utilized only glucose. Bioethanol from Azolla weed hydrolysate can be successfully produced by using Kluyveromyces marxianus because it consumed the mixture of glucose and xylose completely within 60 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corneal chemical burns can lead to blindness following serious complications. As most of these complications are caused by failure of reepithelization during the acute phase, treatment at this stage is critical. Although there have been some studies on corneal injury recovery using adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs), none has reported the effect of topical cell-free conditioned culture media (CM) derived from ADSCs on corneal epithelial regeneration. Here, the best conditions for CM were selected and used for in vitro and in vivo experiments. Corneal burn in rats was induced using 100% alcohol. The chosen CM was administered to corneal burn rats (CM-treated [CT] group) four times a day for three days and this group was compared with the normal control and corneal burn (CB) groups. Biomicroscopic fluorescence images and the actual physical corneas were taken over time and used for analysis. mRNA levels of hepatocyte growth factor and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were significantly increased, whereas those of vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were significantly decreased in the CT group compared with those in the CB group. The numbers of proliferating cell nuclear antigen- and zonular occludens-1-positive cells in the CT group were significantly higher than those in the CB group. The macrophage-infiltrating corneas in the CT group expressed significantly more of the M2 marker arginase than corneas in the CB group. Optimal CM (× 0.5 concentration) treatment significantly accelerated the migration of corneal epithelial cells and induced upregulation of the expression of IL-6, EGF, and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 mRNAs. Overall, in this study, topical administration of cell-free CM promoted regeneration of the corneal epithelium after induction of chemical burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirulina is one of the promising photosynthetic microorganisms as the source for food, cosmetic, and other value-added products such as phycocyanin. However, its production cost associated with cultivation is expensive because of high concentration of bicarbonate (76wt%) in standard Zarrouk medium for Spirulina. Bicarbonate not only acts as a carbon source but also helps maintaining culture medium in alkaline condition, which is essential for growth of Spirulina. The present study demonstrates that bicarbonate (16.8 g/L) in standard Zarrouk medium was completely replaceable by chemical CO absorption using 0.2M NaOH and 154.2 mmol CO gas could be absorbed in the form of NaHCO/NaCO into 1 L medium during the process. This process was incorporated into Spirulina cultivation, which enabled us to reduce the total cost of preparation of Zarrouk medium by 34.3% without sacrificing biomass and pigments production. In addition, another important use of NaOH is achievement of cost-efficient and ecofriendly sanitization of culture medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing interest in the use of cultivated microalgae to simultaneously produce biodiesel and remove nutrients from various wastewaters. For this purpose, Tetraselmis suecica was cultivated in flasks and fermenters using diluted food-waste recycling wastewater (FRW). The effect of FRW dilution on T. suecica growth and nutrient removal was initially tested in flasks. The maximal microalgal concentration after 14 days was in medium with a twofold dilution (28.3 × 10 cells/mL) and a fivefold dilution (25.5 × 10 cells/mL). When fivefold diluted medium was used in fermenters, the final dry cell weight of T. suecica was 2.0 g/L. The removal efficiencies of ammonium and phosphate in the fermenters were 99.0 and 52.3 %, respectively. In comparison with the results of previous studies, the growth data of T. suecica in the FRW medium indicate that microalgal cultivation system incorporating removal of nutrients in FRW is feasible at the field level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids have many applications, one of which entails their utilization as powerful solvents. In the present study, various experimental conditions of ionic liquid-mediated direct transesterification were investigated in terms of lipid-extracting ionic liquids, catalyst, reaction time, reaction temperature and volume of methanol to achieve effective FAME conversion with wet microalgal feedstock, Nannochloropsis oceanica. With ionic liquid, [Bmim][CFSO], highest fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield was shown. Among many experimental parameters, the two most critical factors to enhance FAME conversion were characteristic of ionic liquids and volume of methanol. Optimized ionic liquid-mediated direct transesterification of wet N. oceanica, compared with a control experiment using chloroform and methanol, increased the FAME conversion yield by 11-fold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae hold great promise as a source of biofuels and biochemicals. The main obstacles to their industrial application are the high cultivation and downstream costs related to media and harvesting. In the work, we explored the multiple potentials of seawater to address key issues relating to the cultivation of Scenedesmus obliquus. Seawater can sufficiently replace some of the key elements in BG11 medium such as MgSO, CaCl, and NaCO, and its use can significantly reduce the quantity of water required for the preparation of culture media. Among our results, the total chlorophyll content in cells grown in modified BG11 using 10 % (v/v) seawater was increased 1.47-fold without sacrificing biomass or lipid production. More than 70 % of the total algal biomass was auto-flocculated within one hour when cells were grown in seawater-supplemented media, which compares very favorably with a yield of only 3 % from cells grown in BG11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cost-efficient process devoid of several washing steps was developed, which is related to direct cultivation following the decomposition of the sterilizer. Peracetic acid (PAA) is known to be an efficient antimicrobial agent due to its high oxidizing potential. Sterilization by 2 mM PAA demands at least 1 h incubation time for an effective disinfection. Direct degradation of PAA was demonstrated by utilizing components in conventional algal medium. Consequently, ferric ion and pH buffer (HEPES) showed a synergetic effect for the decomposition of PAA within 6 h. On the contrary, NaNO, one of the main components in algal media, inhibits the decomposition of PAA. The improved growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Synechocystis PCC6803 was observed in the prepared BG11 by decomposition of PAA. This process involving sterilization and decomposition of PAA should help cost-efficient management of photobioreactors in a large scale for the production of value-added products and biofuels from microalgal biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wastewater has been investigated to overcome the economic challenge involved with a production of microalgae-based biodiesel. In this study, to achieve economical biodiesel production along with effective wastewater treatment at the same time, anaerobically treated brewery wastewater (ABWW) was utilized as a low-cost nutrient source, in the cultivation of Chlorella protothecoides. About 96 and 90 % of total nitrogen and phosphorus in ABWW were removed, respectively, while C. protothecoides was accumulating 1.88 g L of biomass. The C. protothecoides grown in ABWW showed increases in cell size and cell aggregation, resulting in a near 80 % enhanced harvesting efficiency within 20 min, as compared with only 4 % in BG-11. In addition, the total fatty acid content of the C. protothecoides grown in ABWW increased by 1.84-fold (35.94 ± 1.54 % of its dry cell weight), relative to that of BG-11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium ion and trace metals play important roles in various metabolisms of photosynthetic organisms. In this study, simple methods were developed to extract calcium ion and micronutrients from oyster shell and common soil, and the prepared extracts were tested as a replacement of the corresponding chemicals that are essential for growth of microalgae. The oyster shell and soil were treated with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide or with 10 % hydrogen peroxide, respectively. The potential application of these natural sources to cultivation was investigated with Spirulina maxima. When compared to standard Zarrouk medium, the Spirulina maxima cultivated in a modified Zarrouk media with elements from oyster shell and soil extract exhibited increases in biomass, chlorophyll, and phycocyanin by 17, 16, and 64 %, respectively. These results indicate that the extracts of oyster shell and soil provide sufficient amounts of calcium and trace metals for successful cultivation of Spirulina maxima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, lipid extraction from Aurantiochytrium sp. was performed using a molten-salt/ionic-liquid mixture. The total fatty acid content of Aurantiochytrium sp. was 478.8 mg/g cell, from which 145 mg/g cell (30.3 % of total fatty acids) of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was obtained. FeCl·6HO showed a high lipid extraction yield (207.9 mg/g cell), when compared with that of [Emim]OAc, which was only 118.1 mg/g cell; notably however, when FeCl·6HO was mixed with [Emim]OAc (5:1, w/w), the yield was increased to 478.6 mg/g cell. When lipid was extracted by the FeCl·6HO/[Emim]OAc mixture at a 5:1 (w/w) blending ratio under 90 °C, 30 min reaction conditions, the fatty acid content of the extracted lipid was a high purity 997.7 mg/g lipid, with most of the DHA having been extracted (30.2 % of total fatty acids). Overall, lipid extraction from Aurantiochytrium sp. was enhanced by the synergistic effects of the molten-salt/ionic-liquid mixture with different ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in harvesting of microalgae are needed for the efficient and economical production of microalgal biodiesel. In addition to improvements in recovery efficiency, developments in harvest technology should focus on reducing the adverse impact of subsequent processes, and should also allow water recycling. We investigated a continuous electrochemical approach for microalgal biodiesel production. Instead of conventional DC, pulsed DC was applied as a method of polarity exchange and its performance was analyzed in terms of recovery efficiency, electricity consumption, and residual Al concentration. Under optimized pulsed-DC conditions, 32 % less electricity was required and 7 % less Al was remained after continuous harvesting and there was no decrease in recovery efficiency compared to the continuous harvesting by conventional DC. We also examined the effect of this new protocol on biodiesel quality and water reusability. There were no differences in the microalgal oil composition before and after electrolytic harvesting. In addition, the harvested oil quality, based on four key parameters, was superior to that produced by other terrestrial crops. Lastly, there was no retardation of growth in recycled medium relative to that in fresh medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae-derived biomass has been considered as the most promising candidate for next generation biofuel due to its sustainability and biodegradability. In this study, microalgal strain Chlamydmonas reinhardtii was randomly mutagenized by using a chemical mutagen, ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) to create mutants showing enhanced lipid production. We identified three random mutants that displayed high lipid production in the screening using Nile red staining. Among those, mutant #128 was selected as candidate for further studies. Our flow cytometry and confocal microscopy analysis revealed that mutant #128 contains larger and more abundant lipid bodies than that of wild-type. Moreover, mutant #128 showed 1.4-fold increased fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content compared to wild-type under nitrogen depleted condition. In addition, mutant #128 grew faster and accumulated more biomass, resulting in high lipid production. 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF analysis used for gene targeting revealed that β-subunit of mitochondrial ATP Synthase and two-component response regulator PilR may be involved in enhanced characteristics of mutant #128. These results show the possibilities of EMS mediated random mutagenesis in generation of mutants to produce high amount of lipid as well as further study for molecular mechanism of mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ability to increase the lipid production in microalgae is one of the heavily sought-after ideas to improve the economic feasibility of microalgae-derived transportation fuels for commercial applications. We used the oxidative stress by TiO nanoparticles, a well-known photocatalyst, to induce lipid production in microalgae. Chlorella vulgaris UTEX 265 was cultivated under various concentrations of TiO ranging from 0.1 to 5 g/L under UV-A illumination. Maximum specific growth rate was affected in responding to TiO concentrations. In the presence of UV-A, chlorophyll concentration was decreased at the highest concentration of TiO (5 g/L TiO) by oxidative stress. The fatty acid ethyl ester (FAME) composition analysis suggested that oxidative stress causes the accumulation and decomposition of lipids. The highest FAME productivity was 18.2 g/L/d under low concentrations of TiO (0.1 g/L) and a short induction time (two days). The controlled condition of TiO/UV-A inducing oxidative stress (0.1 g/L TiO and two days induction) could be used to increase the lipid productivity of C. vulgaris UTEX 265. Our results show the possibility of modulating the lipid induction process through oxidative stress with TiO/UV-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phycocyanin is a highly valuable pigmented protein synthesized by several species of cyanobacteria and red alga. In this study we demonstrate the production of thermostable phycocyanin from the unicellular red alga Galdieria sulphuraria. Phycocyanin was extracted by repeated freeze-thaw cycles and purified in a two-step process using ammonium sulfate fractionation, at 25% and 50% concentrations. Purified phycocyanin exhibited maximum absorbance at 620 nm, and the purity ratio (A/A) was found to be greater than 4. The recovery efficiency of phycocyanin from the crude extract was above 80%. In total, approximately 19 milligram pure phycocyanin was obtained from 3 g of wet cell mass of Galdieria sp. Subunits α and β of the protein were separated by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by MALDITOF mass spectrometry for identification, which confirmed that the isolated protein is phycocyanin. The molecular weight of α and β subunits of phycocyanin was found to be 17.6 and 18.4 kDa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acidogenic reactor with a 0.5-L working volume and a methanogenic digester with a 5-L of working volume were operated for 150 days on a continuous mode to investigate the structure of a microbial community during food wastewater treatment. During the steady state of anaerobic digestion, volatile solids (VS) removal efficiency in the pilot plant was approximately 65%. The bacterial population was higher than any other methanogens detected during the entire anaerobic process and treatment of raw food wastewater. Methanomicrobiales (MMB), Methanosarcinales (MSL), and Methanobacteriales (MBT) were detected during digestion. The methanogenic population present in the acidogenic reactor was directly affected by the archaeal community in raw food wastewater. However, the shift of microbial community in the methanogenic digester was relatively gradual. The performance of methanogenic digester might be more related to the change of microbial metabolism affected by the physicochemical properties of the input substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the use of Chlorella vulgaris for the simultaneous bioremediation of municipal wastewater and production of biodiesel. We tested the effect of wastewater dilution on C. vulgaris growth in filtered and sterilized wastewater, sterilized wastewater, and untreated wastewater. Growth was the greatest in untreated wastewater, suggesting that certain wastewater components, such as bacteria, may promote microalgal growth. We confirmed the presence of beneficial bacteria by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and inoculation of wastewater bacteria into microalgal cultures in artificial medium. Furthermore, we employed a semi-continuous cultivation process that successfully combined the advantages of indigenous bacteria with a high level of inoculum. Finally, cells grown in wastewater contained high levels of useful fatty acids. Collectively, our data suggest that it may be feasible to use wastewater-grown C. vulgaris biomass for simultaneous bioremediation and biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgal cultivation has been limited by the efficiency and costs associated with providing light energy, the most expensive and essential element needed for microalgal growth to a culture, particularly to cultures grown in a photo bioreactor (PBR). This study examined the economic benefits of using flashing illumination conditions in the context of microalgal cultivation. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was cultivated under various conditions, including various inoculum sizes, light intensities, and durations of the light and dark periods. Our results showed that the highest microalgal growth efficiencies could be obtained using a large inoculum size under high intensity illumination accompanied by a 1:1 ratio of light and dark periods. The duration of the flashing light period was further optimized; permitting light energy savings of 62.5% of the light energy expended under continuous illumination conditions without reducing the biomass or lipid productivity. This study provides a more economical approach to cultivating C. reinhardtii via optimized flashing illumination without sacrificing microalgal growth or lipid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation is the most expensive step in the production of biodiesel from microalgae, and substantial research has been devoted to developing more cost-effective cultivation methods. Plant hormones (phytohormones) are chemical messengers that regulate various aspects of growth and development and are typically active at very low concentrations. In this study, we investigated the effect of different phytohormones on microalgal growth and biodiesel production in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and their potential to lower the overall cost of commercial biofuel production. The results indicated that all five of the tested phytohormones (indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, kinetin, 1-triacontanol, and abscisic acid) promoted microalgal growth. In particular, hormone treatment increased biomass production by 54 to 69 % relative to the control growth medium (Tris-acetate-phosphate, TAP). Phytohormone treatments also affected microalgal cell morphology but had no effect on the yields of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) as a percent of biomass. We also tested the effect of these phytohormones on microalgal growth in nitrogen-limited media by supplementation in the early stationary phase. Maximum cell densities after addition of phytohormones were higher than in TAP medium, even when the nitrogen source was reduced to 40 % of that in TAP medium. Taken together, our results indicate that phytohormones significantly increased microalgal growth, particularly in nitrogen-limited media, and have potential for use in the development of efficient microalgal cultivation for biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the development of a microfluidic device for the high-throughput screening of culture conditions, such as the optimum sodium acetate concentration for promoting rapid growth and high lipid accumulation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. An analysis of the microalgal growth on the microfluidic device revealed an optimum sodium acetate concentration of 5.72 g L −1. The lipid content, determined by the 4,4-Difluoro-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza- s-indacene (BODIPY® 505/515) staining method, increased with the sodium acetate concentration. The results were found to be statistically reproducible with respect to cell growth and lipid production. Other nutrient conditions, including the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, can also be optimized on the same microfluidic platform. The microfluidic device performance results agreed well with the results obtained from the flask-scale experiments, validating that the culture conditions were scalable. Finally, we, for the first time, established a method for the absolute quantification of the microalgal lipid content in the picoliter culture volumes by comparing the on-chip and off-chip data. In conclusion, we successfully demonstrated the high-throughput screening of sodium acetate concentrations that induced high growth rates and high lipid contents in C. reinhardtii cells on the microfluidic device. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we established a genetic system for manipulating the oleaginous heterotrophic microalgae Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101, using cycloheximide resistance as the selectable marker. The gene encoding ribosomal protein L44 (RPL44) of Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101 was first identified and characterized. Proline 56 was replaced with glutamine, affording cycloheximide resistance to strains encoding the mutant protein. This resistance served as a novel selection marker. The gene encoding the Δ12-fatty acid desaturase of Mortierella alpina, used as a reporter, was successfully introduced into chromosomal DNA of Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101 via 18S rDNA-targeted homologous recombination. Enzymatic conversion of oleic acid (C18:1) to linoleic acid (C18:2) was detected in transformants but not in the wild-type strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two genes from Zymomonas mobilis that are responsible for ethanol production, pyruvate decarboxylase ( pdc) and alcohol dehydrogenase II ( adhII), were heterologously expressed in the Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces lividans TK24. An examination of carbon distribution revealed that a significant portion of carbon metabolism was switched from biomass and organic acid biosynthesis to ethanol production upon the expression of pdc and adhII. The recombinant S. lividans TK24 produced ethanol from glucose with a yield of 23.7 % based on the carbohydrate consumed. The recombinant was able to produce ethanol from xylose, l-arabinose, mannose, l-rhamnose, galactose, ribose, and cellobiose with yields of 16.0, 25.6, 21.5, 33.6, 30.6, 14.6, and 33.3 %, respectively. Polymeric substances such as starch and xylan were directly converted to ethanol by the recombinant with ethanol yields of 18.9 and 8.8 %, respectively. The recombinant S. lividans TK24/ Tpet developed in this study is potentially a useful microbial resource for ethanol production from various sources of biomasses, especially microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oleaginous microalga Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101 was cultivated in enzymatic hydrolysates of alkali-pretreated empty palm fruit bunches (EFBs), without prior detoxification process. The maximal levels of lipid and docosahexaenoic acid synthesized were 12.5 and 5.4 g L after cultivation for 36 h. Similar lipid levels were also obtained via simultaneous saccharification and cultivation. The results suggested that EFB is a promising source for production of useful lipids by the microalgal strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common that physicians are faced with patients who have severe steno-occlusion of intracranial arteries in the absence of clinical symptoms. This study is to determine whether a 7T magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) could provide the improved depiction of microvessels of asymptomatic patients with steno-occlusive middle cerebral artery (MCA) and possible clues for diagnosis of their clinical symptoms. All the patients who were identified as severe MCA steno-occlusions underwent a 7T MRA study. Three of these also underwent conventional angiography (TFCA). The vascular densities around the steno-occlusive MCA and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) branches as control vessels were measured and the difference between the median values of 7T and 3T MRA data was also analyzed. The results of 7T MRA revealed numerous microvessels not visible by conventional MRA. These 7T MRA images were also comparable to those obtained by an invasive conventional angiography (TFCA). The median values of vascular densities observed by 7T MRA were significantly higher than those by 3T MRA (5.28 at 7T vs. 1.45 at 3T for steno-occlusive MCA, p = 0.012, while 3.39 at 7T vs. 3.32 at 3T for normal PCA, p = 0.093). Ultra-high-field 7T MRA is a totally noninvasive angiographic technique that is capable of visualizing microvascular circulation that is usually difficult with conventional MRA. This visualization technique, therefore, could provide an important avenue on the diagnosis of steno-occlusion as well as the search of the roles of the microvessel, especially collaterals, in the preservation of normal blood circulation in patients with asymptomatic MCA steno-occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past several decades, the pharmacological effects of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng roots have been extensively investigated. Here, we developed a method for producing specific ginsenosides (F1 and F2) with good yields (F1:162 mg/g, F2:305 mg/g) using β-glycosidase purified from Aspergillus niger. In addition, each ginsenoside (at least 25 species) was separated and purified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using five different types of solvents and different purification steps. In addition, the Rg3:Rh2 mixture (1:1, w/w) was shown to inhibit a specific lung cancer cell line (NCI-H232) in vivo, displaying an anticancer effect at a dose lower than achieved using treatments with single Rg3 or Rh2. This finding suggests that the combination of ginsenosides for targeting anticancer is more effective than the use of a single ginsenoside from ginseng or red ginseng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Divalent ions were removed by ultrafiltration of anionic surfactant solution and the removal characteristics in single and mixed systems were investigated. The removal efficiency was >95% when the ratio of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to metal ions (S/M ratio) was >10. In single metal systems, the removal efficiency of each metal ion was almost the same. In the mixture, however, there was slight difference (ca. 1–2%) of removal efficiency and the order was Cd2+>Cu2+>Co2+≈Zn2+. As S/M ratio increased, the difference in removal efficiency diminished. To explain the difference of removal efficiency in a mixture, complexation of divalent metal ion with counterion was considered. The distribution of complexed form of each metal ion was calculated, but it did not coincide with the experimental results. Further research will be necessary for a clear explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of humic acid (HA) on the sorption and desorption of Co(II) on kaolin was investigated. Cobalt ions interact with carboxylic and phenolic groups in HA and form HA-cobalt complex. The solubility of HA was affected by the surrounding pH. The presence of HA reduced the equilibrium time for the Co(II) sorption on kaolin compared to the absence of HA. Solution pH, not HA concentration, was a main factor to affect sorption of Co(II) on kaolin in the presence of HA. In the kinetic sorption and desorption of Co(II) on kaolin, the presence of HA shortened the breakthrough of Co(II) sorption on kaolin compared to bare kaolin, and HA solution enhanced the displacement of Co(II) from kaolin compared with deionized water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Headspace analysis using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was tested as a rapid method to evaluate micellar solubilization of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). At equilibrium between aqueous phase and vapor phase, free MTBE in vapor phase (i.e., not solubilized MTBE by SDS or CPC) was analyzed by GC-FID (Hewlett Packard 5890 series II) equipped with a capillary HP1 column (30 m × 0.25 mm). This method showed a good analytical performance such as linearity of calibration curve and precision (RSD less than 5%). Extent of MTBE solubilization was expressed as a function of molar ratio of SDS to MTBE and CPC to MTBE, and was saturated at about 57% and 37% with over the value of ratio 13 for SDS and CPC, respectively. This technique can be applied to analyze micellar solubilization potential of various surfactants on volatile and semi-volatile compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical removal of sodium ion from fermented food composts was analyzed and statistically modeled by response surface methodology (RSM). Empirical models were developed to describe relationships between the operating variables (operation time, current density and water contents) and three responses (removal efficiency, energy expenditure and energy efficiency). Statistical analysis indicated that operation time and current density have significant effect on all responses. Good agreement between predicted and measured values confirmed the usefulness of the model. The models were verified by additional experimental at optimum conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) using an additive-enhanced electrokinetic method was studied in a model system. Kaolinite and phenanthrene were selected as a model clay soil and a representative HOC, respectively. Three different chemically-synthesized surfactants along with two different biosurfactants were used to remove phenanthrene. Hydrogen peroxide was also used to degrade phenanthrene. Electrokinetic (EK) column experiments were performed using these additives. When no additive was used, a removal efficiency of phenanthrene was 4.23% after 2 weeks. When surfactants were added in the EK system, the removal efficiencies after 2 weeks were as follows: APG 11.1%, Brij 30 6.31%, SDS 9.97%, MEL 16.2% and BS-UC 17.4%. Among surfactants, biosurfactants had higher removal efficiencies than chemically-synthesized surfactants. When hydrogen peroxide was used, 54.7% of initial amount was removed at a current of 5 mA for 2 weeks. Even a higher removal efficiency was achieved (84.2%) at 10 mA within 1 week. These results suggest a detailed future study on the chemical treatment by hydrogen peroxide incorporated with EK method to remove phenanthrene from clay soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of pH/temperature-sensitive hydrogels composed of maleilated chitosan (MC) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) were prepared and characterized with respect to their swelling behaviors, change of lower critical solution temperature (LCST). These hydrogels showed broad pH-sensitivities below 32 °C, but above that temperature exhibited sharp pH-dependent phase transition behaviors which depended on the content of MC in the hydrogels. The change of ratio of NIPAAm to MC in weight did not affect LCST significantly, while it affected equilibrium water content (EWC) at high pH region. The hydrogels also exhibited a typical of reversibility depending on temperature and pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable alginate-derived polymeric surfactants (APSs) with a linear alkyl group (C8, C12, C16) were synthesized by oxidation followed by reductive amination of 2,3-dialdehydic alginate. The oxidized alginates and all APSs were characterized by spectral and X-ray diffractometry analysis. The sonicated suspension test was employed to form self-aggregates in aqueous solution. In the case of 40% CHO-C8 APS, the lowest interfacial tension, 31.5 mNm−1, was obtained at the c.m.c. value of 1.35 g L−1. A biodegradability test on the 30% CHO-C12 APS system suggested that it would be attacked by a soil microorganism, Aspergillus niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to establish cost-effective monitoring strategies for soil vapor extraction (SVE), a simplified model for multi-component mass transfer of a complex liquid mixture in porous media and gas sensor are proposed and experimentally evaluated. The basic task for the cost-effective monitoring of SVE is to decide how to predict the performances of venting systems in terms of the contaminant vapor removal rate and the time required to accomplish the clean-up specification. The method includes classifying of individual components of a complex mixture on the basis of gas chromatographic (GC) profile and treating each resulting group as a pseudo-single compound. BTEX components of gasoline were selected for model input and the remainders were divided into 4 groups based on their GC retention times. The model proposed in this study is capable of predicting with accuracy volatilization behaviors of gasoline components in soil and the gas sensor (FIGARO TGS 823) was tested by GC-FID to toluene and TPH-GRO(Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon – Gasoline Range Organics) gas samples. A VOC gas sensor was developed which recognizes TPH-GRO concentrations between 250 and 50 ppm. The developed gas sensor test and proposed model can be used as a valuable tool for the cost-effective monitoring for SVE systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid-sugar alcohol conjugates were synthesized by a commercial serine protease, Optimase M-440, in organic media. Optimase M-440 showed broad substrate specificity towards N-t-Boc-protected l-amino acids as acyl donors and sugar alcohols as nucleophiles. Among various solvents tested Optimase M-440 showed the highest activity in pyridine. The regioselective acylation of the primary -OH groups of sugar alcohols gave the amino acid conjugates in good yields without byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AR (apple residue) was used as an alternative and cheap material for binding metal ions due to the presence of carboxyl and phenolic functional groups. The binding capacity of copper, lead, and cadmium by AR was pH dependent. Carboxyl groups of AR were esterified by acidic methanol to determine the contribution of carboxyl groups to metal ions binding. The extent of esterification was determined by analyzing the amount of methanol released in the sample hydrolysates by gas chromatography. The effect of esterification on binding metal ions was investigated in batch experiments by unmodified and modified AR. All esterified AR showed significant decreases in binding copper, lead and cadmium. The loss in the capacity of metal ion binding was proportional to the extent of esterification. The capacity of metal binding decreased with increase in the concentration of methanol in the respective hydrolysates or the modified AR. The data indicate that carboxyl groups on AR play an important role in the metal ion binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have been made on the fragmentation of liquid metal drops falling through a waterglycerine mixture containing small amounts of nitrogen bubbles owing to the passage of a strong shock wave. The apparent drop volume increased with lime, but neither stripping of small droplets nor misty wake formation was observed in the high-speed photographs. The drop flattened initially into a spherical cap which increased in radius, but remained smooth, within the time period of interest. Hence the Taylor instability is not the principal fragmentation mechanism at these Weber numbers (5-644). Entrainment of liquid into the drop was the cause of breakup, and was postulated to be due to turbulent mixing resulting from vorticity generation near the plane of separation. A hydrodynamic fragmentation model was developed which predicts the rale of drop volume increase reasonably well. The breakup time constant was presented, and drop trajectory can also be predicted from the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tubular nonisothermal-nonadiabatic chemical reactor with consecutive reactions described by a set of three nonlinear parabolic equations, shows a sequence of period doubling bifurcations of a limit cycle. A numerical examination of the model reveals that complex periodic and irregular oscillations are possible. With increasing values of the Peclet number, regular and irregular oscillations are suppressed and disappear. The results of this numerical study may be used to explain turbulization of laminar flames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormer-Numerov approximations of high accuracy were developed for solutions of non-linear boundary value problems and nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations. The approximations can be easily adopted also for parabolic partial differential equations in one and more space dimensions and feature fourth-order accuracy. For boundary value problems only three nodes are necessary to obtain the desired fourth order accuracy. The finite difference formula for parabolic partial differential equations can be readily generalized to a nonequidistant mesh so that automatic regridding in space may be used. The Stomer-Numerov approximations are important for solution of problems where storage limitations and computer time expenditure preclude standard second order methods. Because of the fourth order approximations a low number of mesh points can be used for a majority of chemical engineering problems. The application of Stormer-Numerov approximations is illustrated on a number of examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexation and physical characteristics of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposome containing amphotericin B (AmB) were investigated through circular dichroism (CD) spectra, the size distribution, the turbidity change, and the calcein release. CD spectra of AmB-containing egg PC mixture exhibited a positive peak around 330 nm indicative of complexation of AmB and four negative peaks. The positive peak increased up to 2.2 millidegree/μg AmB as AmB contents increased up to 12% (w/w), suggesting that AmB-phospholipid complexation was promoted by the antibiotics. The effective diameter of liposomes by dynamic light scattering decreased from 450 nm to 220 nm as the amount of AmB in liposomes increased from 0 to 30% (w/w). The complexation may be responsible for the reduction in size. On the other hand, at around 1 mM deoxycholate (DOC), the relative turbidities of 5 and 10% (w/w) AmB-containing liposome suspension were less than 1 probably due to the solubilization of the complex, while those of pure PC liposome suspension were larger than 1 at the same concentration. Deoxycholate-induced release of calcein entrapped in AmB-containing liposomes was lower than those of pure egg PC liposomes, indicating the intercalation of the drug into the bilayers. Therefore, it is concluded that in AmB/egg PC/water system, AmB-phospholipid complex coexists with AmB-containing liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermented food composts, to be recycled into fertilizer and animal feed, require sodium chloride concentrations to be less than 1 wt% due to several toxicities. Electrochemical methods are used to remove sodium ions from fermented food composts. By washing the compost with tap water (with no electric current applied), 48% of the initial sodium ion is removed. With an electric current density of 3 mA/cm2 (the distance between the electrodes is 16 cm), the removal efficiency increases to 96% for a 36 h operation. Major factors influencing the efficiency are the treatment time and the electric current density. Removal efficiency increases with energy demand to yield 96% removal at 60 Kwh/m2. Due to the difference in relative ionic mobility, less than 9% of calcium is removed, during the same operation time, which supports the feasibility of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "An Application of β-glycosidase to Transformation of Ginsenosides for the Effective Production of Specific Ginsenosides with Biological Efficacy" that was published in the February 7, 2012 issue is presented.