Immobilization patterns and dynamics of acetate-utilizing methanogens immobilized in sterile granular sludge in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Jens Ejbye; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1999-01-01

Sterile granular sludge was inoculated with either Methanosarcina mazeii S-6, Methanosaeta concilii GP-6, or both species in acetate-fea upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to investigate the immobilization patterns and dynamics of aceticlastic methanogens in granular sludge. After......, but where the acetate concentration was low this strain was immobilized on support material as single cells or small clumps, The data clearly show that the two aceticlastic methanogens immobilize differently in UASB systems, depending on the conditions found throughout the UASB reactor....

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation in an immobilized cell trickle bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, C H; Okos, M R; Wankat, P C

1989-06-05

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation was successfully carried out in an immobilized cell trickle bed reactor. The reactor was composed of two serial columns packed with Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 entrapped on the surface of natural sponge segments at a cell loading in the range of 2.03-5.56 g dry cells/g sponge. The average cell loading was 3.58 g dry cells/g sponge. Batch experiments indicated that a critical pH above 4.2 is necessary for the initiation of cell growth. One of the media used during continuous experiments consisted of a salt mixture alone and the other a nutrient medium containing a salt mixture with yeast extract and peptone. Effluent pH was controlled by supplying various fractions of the two different types of media. A nutrient medium fraction above 0.6 was crucial for successful fermentation in a trickle bed reactor. The nutrient medium fraction is the ratio of the volume of the nutrient medium to the total volume of nutrient plus salt medium. Supplying nutrient medium to both columns continuously was an effective way to meet both pH and nutrient requirement. A 257-mL reactor could ferment 45 g/L glucose from an initial concentration of 60 g/L glucose at a rate of 70 mL/h. Butanol, acetone, and ethanol concentrations were 8.82, 5.22, and 1.45 g/L, respectively, with a butanol and total solvent yield of 19.4 and 34.1 wt %. Solvent productivity in an immobilized cell trickle bed reactor was 4.2 g/L h, which was 10 times higher than that obtained in a batch fermentation using free cells and 2.76 times higher than that of an immobilized CSTR. If the nutrient medium fraction was below 0.6 and the pH was below 4.2, the system degenerated. Oxygen also contributed to the system degeneration. Upon degeneration, glucose consumption and solvent yield decreased to 30.9 g/L and 23.0 wt %, respectively. The yield of total liquid product (40.0 wt %) and butanol selectivity (60.0 wt %) remained almost constant. Once the cells were degenerated

Fouling-induced enzyme immobilization for membrane reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luo, Jianquan; Meyer, Anne S.; Jonsson, Gunnar Eigil

2013-01-01

A simple enzyme immobilization method accomplished by promoting membrane fouling formation is proposed. The immobilization method is based on adsorption and entrapment of the enzymes in/on the membrane. To evaluate the concept, two membrane orientations, skin layer facing feed (normal mode......, but the reverse mode allowed for higher enzyme loading and stability, and irreversible fouling (i.e. pore blocking) developed more readily in the support structure than in the skin layer. Compared with an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) with free enzymes, the novel EMR with enzymes immobilized in membrane......) and support layer facing feed (reverse mode), were used to immobilize alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, EC 1.1.1.1) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, EC 1.4.1.3), respectively. The nature of the fouling in each mode was determined by filtration fouling models. The permeate flux was larger in the normal mode...

Development of a novel integrated continuous reactor system for biocatalytic production of biodiesel.

Science.gov (United States)

Chattopadhyay, Soham; Sen, Ramkrishna

2013-11-01

A novel integrated immobilized enzyme-reactor system involving a continuous stirred tank reactor with two packed bed reactors in series was developed for the continuous production of biodiesel. The problem of methanol solubility into oil was solved by introducing a stirred tank reactor to dissolve methanol into partially converted oil. This step made the process perfectly continuous without requiring any organic solvent and intermittent methanol addition in the process. The substrate feeding rate of 0.74 mL/min and enzyme loading of 0.75 g per reactor were determined to be optimum for maximum biodiesel yield. The integrated continuous process was stable up to 45 cycles with biodiesel productivity of 137.2 g/L/h, which was approximately 5 times higher than solvent free batch process. In comparison with the processes reported in literature using expensive Novozyme 435 and hazardous organic solvent, the present process is completely green and perfectly continuous with economic and environmental advantages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and Investigation of PolyFermS In Vitro Continuous Fermentation Models Inoculated with Immobilized Fecal Microbiota Mimicking the Elderly Colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehlbaum, Sophie; Chassard, Christophe; Haug, Martina C; Fourmestraux, Candice; Derrien, Muriel; Lacroix, Christophe

2015-01-01

In vitro gut modeling is a useful approach to investigate some factors and mechanisms of the gut microbiota independent of the effects of the host. This study tested the use of immobilized fecal microbiota to develop different designs of continuous colonic fermentation models mimicking elderly gut fermentation. Model 1 was a three-stage fermentation mimicking the proximal, transverse and distal colon. Models 2 and 3 were based on the new PolyFermS platform composed of an inoculum reactor seeded with immobilized fecal microbiota and used to continuously inoculate with the same microbiota different second-stage reactors mounted in parallel. The main gut bacterial groups, microbial diversity and metabolite production were monitored in effluents of all reactors using quantitative PCR, 16S rRNA gene 454-pyrosequencing, and HPLC, respectively. In all models, a diverse microbiota resembling the one tested in donor's fecal sample was established. Metabolic stability in inoculum reactors seeded with immobilized fecal microbiota was shown for operation times of up to 80 days. A high microbial and metabolic reproducibility was demonstrated for downstream control and experimental reactors of a PolyFermS model. The PolyFermS models tested here are particularly suited to investigate the effects of environmental factors, such as diet and drugs, in a controlled setting with the same microbiota source.

Design and Investigation of PolyFermS In Vitro Continuous Fermentation Models Inoculated with Immobilized Fecal Microbiota Mimicking the Elderly Colon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Fehlbaum

Full Text Available In vitro gut modeling is a useful approach to investigate some factors and mechanisms of the gut microbiota independent of the effects of the host. This study tested the use of immobilized fecal microbiota to develop different designs of continuous colonic fermentation models mimicking elderly gut fermentation. Model 1 was a three-stage fermentation mimicking the proximal, transverse and distal colon. Models 2 and 3 were based on the new PolyFermS platform composed of an inoculum reactor seeded with immobilized fecal microbiota and used to continuously inoculate with the same microbiota different second-stage reactors mounted in parallel. The main gut bacterial groups, microbial diversity and metabolite production were monitored in effluents of all reactors using quantitative PCR, 16S rRNA gene 454-pyrosequencing, and HPLC, respectively. In all models, a diverse microbiota resembling the one tested in donor's fecal sample was established. Metabolic stability in inoculum reactors seeded with immobilized fecal microbiota was shown for operation times of up to 80 days. A high microbial and metabolic reproducibility was demonstrated for downstream control and experimental reactors of a PolyFermS model. The PolyFermS models tested here are particularly suited to investigate the effects of environmental factors, such as diet and drugs, in a controlled setting with the same microbiota source.

Continuous-flow enantioselective α-aminoxylation of aldehydes catalyzed by a polystyrene-immobilized hydroxyproline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xacobe C. Cambeiro

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The application of polystyrene-immobilized proline-based catalysts in packed-bed reactors for the continuous-flow, direct, enantioselective α-aminoxylation of aldehydes is described. The system allows the easy preparation of a series of β-aminoxy alcohols (after a reductive workup with excellent optical purity and with an effective catalyst loading of ca. 2.5% (four-fold reduction compared to the batch process working at residence times of ca. 5 min.

Immobilization: A Revolution in Traditional Brewing

Science.gov (United States)

Virkajärvi, Ilkka; Linko, Matti

In nature many micro-organisms tend to bind to solid surfaces. This tendency has long been utilized in a number of processes, for example in producing vinegar and acetic acid in bioreactors filled with wood shavings. Acetobacteria are attached to the surface of these shavings. In modern technical language: they are immobilized. Also yeast cells can be immobilized. In the brewing industry this has been the basis for maintaining efficient, continuous fermentation in bioreactors with very high yeast concentrations. The most dramatic change in brewing over recent years has been the replacement of traditional lagering of several weeks by a continuous process in which the residence time is only about 2h. Continuous primary fermentation is used on a commercial scale in New Zealand. In this process, instead of a carrier, yeast is retained in reactors by returning it partly after separation. In many pilot scale experiments the primary fermentation is shortened from about 1week to 1-2days using immobilized yeast reactors. When using certain genetically modified yeast strains no secondary fermentation is needed, and the total fermentation time in immobilized yeast reactors can therefore be shortened to only 2days.

Continuous D-tagatose production by immobilized thermostable L-arabinose isomerase in a packed-bed bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Se-Ah; Kim, Chang Sup; Kim, Hye-Jung; Baek, Dae Heoun; Oh, Deok-Kun

2003-01-01

D-Tagatose was continuously produced using thermostable L-arabinose isomerase immobilized in alginate with D-galactose solution in a packed-bed bioreactor. Bead size, L/D (length/diameter) of reactor, dilution rate, total loaded enzyme amount, and substrate concentration were found to be optimal at 0.8 mm, 520/7 mm, 0.375 h(-1), 5.65 units, and 300 g/L, respectively. Under these conditions, the bioreactor produced about 145 g/L tagatose with an average productivity of 54 g tagatose/L x h and an average conversion yield of 48% (w/w). Operational stability of the immobilized enzyme was demonstrated, with a tagatose production half-life of 24 days.

Bio-immobilization of dark fermentative bacteria for enhancing continuous hydrogen production from cornstalk hydrolysate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lei; Cao, Guang-Li; Sheng, Tao; Ren, Hong-Yu; Wang, Ai-Jie; Zhang, Jian; Zhong, Ying-Juan; Ren, Nan-Qi

2017-11-01

Mycelia pellets were employed as biological carrier in a continuous stirred tank reactor to reduce biomass washout and enhance hydrogen production from cornstalk hydrolysate. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) and influent substrate concentration played critical roles on hydrogen production of the bioreactor. The maximum hydrogen production rate of 14.2mmol H 2 L -1 h -1 was obtained at optimized HRT of 6h and influent concentration of 20g/L, 2.6 times higher than the counterpart without mycelia pellets. With excellent immobilization ability, biomass accumulated in the reactor and reached 1.6g/L under the optimum conditions. Upon further energy conversion analysis, continuous hydrogen production with mycelia pellets gave the maximum energy conversion efficiency of 17.8%. These results indicate mycelia pellet is an ideal biological carrier to improve biomass retention capacity of the reactor and enhance hydrogen recovery efficiency from lignocellulosic biomass, and meanwhile provides a new direction for economic and efficient hydrogen production process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of specific-structured lipids by enzymatic interesterification in a pilot continuous enzyme bed reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Xuebing; Balchen, Steen; Høy, Carl-Erik

1998-01-01

Production of specific-structured lipids (interesterified lipids with a specific structure) by enzymatic interesterification was carried out in a continuous enzyme bed pilot scale reactor. Commercial immobilized lipase (Lipozyme IM) was used and investigations of acyl migration, pressure drop...

Continuous thermophilic biohydrogen production in packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Shantonu; Vishnuvardhan, M.; Das, Debabrata

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Continuous H 2 production in whole cell immobilized system was compared with CSTR. • Suitability of environment friendly support matrix for immobilization of whole cells was explored. • Pack bed reactor showed higher stability as compared to CSTR at lower HRTs. • Flow cytometry study showed the influence of recycle ratio on viability of cells. • Novel approach to find out the effect of NADH/NAD + ratio during H 2 production. - Abstract: The present research work deals with the performance of packed bed reactor for continuous H 2 production using cane molasses as a carbon source. Maximum H 2 production rate of 1.7 L L −1 h −1 was observed at a dilution rate and recycle ratio of 0.8 h −1 and 0.6, respectively which was corresponding to the lowest NADH/NAD + ratio. This suggests that the utilization of NADH pool for H 2 and metabolite production might lead to decrement in NADH/NAD + ratio. Thus NADH/NAD + ratio show inverse relation with hydrogen production. The substrate degradation kinetics was investigated as a function of flow rate considering the external film diffusion model. At a flow rate of 245 mL h −1 , the contribution of external film mass transfer coefficient and first order substrate degradation constant were 55.4% and 44.6% respectively. Recycle ratio of 0.6 improved the hydrogen production rates by 9%. The viable cell count was directly proportional to the recycle ratio (within the range 0.1–0.6). Taguchi design showed the significant influence of the feed pH on continuous H 2 production followed by dilution rate and recycle ratio. Thus environmentally friendly and cheaper solid matrix like coconut coir could be efficiently used for thermophilic continuous hydrogen production

Degradation of TCE using sequential anaerobic biofilm and aerobic immobilized bed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Chapatwala, Kirit D.; Babu, G. R. V.; Baresi, Larry; Trunzo, Richard M.

1995-01-01

Bacteria capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) were isolated from contaminated wastewaters and soil sites. The aerobic cultures were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (four species) and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The optimal conditions for the growth of aerobic cultures were determined. The minimal inhibitory concentration values of TCE for Pseudomonas sps. were also determined. The aerobic cells were immobilized in calcium alginate in the form of beads. Degradation of TCE by the anaerobic and dichloroethylene (DCE) by aerobic cultures was studied using dual reactors - anaerobic biofilm and aerobic immobilized bed reactor. The minimal mineral salt (MMS) medium saturated with TCE was pumped at the rate of 1 ml per hour into the anaerobic reactor. The MMS medium saturated with DCE and supplemented with xylenes and toluene (3 ppm each) was pumped at the rate of 1 ml per hour into the fluidized air-uplift-type reactor containing the immobilized aerobic cells. The concentrations of TCE and DCE and the metabolites formed during their degradation by the anaerobic and aerobic cultures were monitored by GC. The preliminary study suggests that the anaerobic and aerobic cultures of our isolates can degrade TCE and DCE.

Study on improvement of continuous hydrogen production by photosynthetic biofilm in interior illuminant reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenhui; Yuan, Linjiang; Wei, Bo

2016-09-01

In the present study, a new type of interior optical fiber illuminating reactor was developed for H2 production to solve the problem of luminous intensity attenuation at the center portion of a reactor, and an immobilization technique was used to enhance the stability of a continuous hydrogen production process with attached photosynthetic bacteria, using glucose as a sole carbon substrate for the indigenous photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) Rhodopseudomonas palustris SP-6. Results of the experiments showed that the interior optical fiber illuminating reactor produces H2 more efficiently and productively than the exterior light source reactor, with the cumulative H2 production, the maximum H2 production rate and H2 yield increased by 813ml, 11.3ml l-1 h-1 and 22.3%, respectively. The stability of the product of continuous hydrogen was realized by immobilizing PSB on the surface of powder active carbon(PAC). After adding the dosage of 2.0g l-1 PAC, the continuous steady operation of H2 production gave a high H2 yield of 1.398 mol H2 mol-1 glucose and an average H2 production rate of 35.1ml l-1 h-1 illuminating with a single interior optical fiber light source. Meanwhile, a higher H2 yield of 1.495 mol H2 mol-1 glucose and an average H2 production rate of 38.7ml l-1 h-1 were attained illuminating with a compound lamp in the continuous H2 production for 20 days.

Continuous production of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel in a packed-bed reactor: optimization and enzyme reuse study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsiao-Ching; Ju, Hen-Yi; Wu, Tsung-Ta; Liu, Yung-Chuan; Lee, Chih-Chen; Chang, Cheng; Chung, Yi-Lin; Shieh, Chwen-Jen

2011-01-01

An optimal continuous production of biodiesel by methanolysis of soybean oil in a packed-bed reactor was developed using immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) as a catalyst in a tert-butanol solvent system. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate molar ratio on the molar conversion of biodiesel. The results showed that flow rate and temperature have significant effects on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 52.1°C, and substrate molar ratio 1 : 4. The predicted and experimental values of molar conversion were 83.31 ± 2.07% and 82.81 ± .98%, respectively. Furthermore, the continuous process over 30 days showed no appreciable decrease in the molar conversion. The paper demonstrates the applicability of using immobilized lipase and a packed-bed reactor for continuous biodiesel synthesis.

Continuous Production of Isomalto-oligosaccharides by Thermo-inactivated Cells of Aspergillus niger J2 with Coarse Perlite as an Immobilizing Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zhihua; Li, Zhihong; Su, Yongjian; Zhu, Yongfeng; Zeng, Wei; Chen, Guiguang; Liang, Zhiqun

2018-02-13

The coarse perlite 40-80 mesh was selected as an immobilizing material and put into a packed bed reactor (PBR) to continuously convert maltose to isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs). The PBR was prepared by mixing the thermo-inactivated cells (TIC) from Aspergillus niger J2 strain with the coarse perlite, then the mixture was put into an overpressure-resistant column. Compared with diatomite 40-80 mesh and thin perlite 80-120 mesh in PBR, coarse perlite was chosen as the best filtration aid, when the ratio of coarse perlite versus TIC was 1:1. The thermal and pH stability of the free and immobilized TIC and the optimum conditions for the transglycosylation reactions were determined. The results show that approximately 75 and 82% and 87 and 91% of α-glucosidase activity were reserved for free and immobilized TIC at temperatures from 30 to 60 °C and pH from 3.00 to 7.00 for 12 h, respectively. With 30% malt syrup under the conditions of 50 °C and pH 4.00, a mini-scale packed bed reactor (Mi-PBR) and medium-scale packed bed reactor (Me-PBR) could continuously produce IMO over 25 and 34 days with the yield of effective IMO (eIMO) ≥ 35% and total IMO (tIMO) ≥ 50%, respectively. The strategy of mixing the coarse perlite with TIC in PBR is a novel approach to continuously produce IMO and has great application potential in industry.

Adsorptive control of water in esterification with immobilized enzymes: II. fixed-bed reactor behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Mensah, P; Gainer, J L; Carta, G

1998-11-20

Experimental and theoretical studies are conducted to understand the dynamic behavior of a continuous-flow fixed-bed reactor in which an esterification is catalyzed by an immobilized enzyme in an organic solvent medium. The experimental system consists of a commercial immobilized lipase preparation known as Lipozyme as the biocatalyst, with propionic acid and isoamyl alcohol (dissolved in hexane) as the reaction substrates. A complex dynamic behavior is observed experimentally as a result of the simultaneous occurrence of reaction and adsorption phenomena. Both propionic acid and water are adsorbed by the biocatalyst resulting in lower reaction rates. In addition, an excessive accumulation of water in the reactor leads to a rapid irreversible inactivation of the enzyme. A model based on previously-obtained adsorption isotherms and kinetic expressions, as well as on adsorption rate measurements obtained in this work, is used to predict the concentration and thermodynamic activity of water along the reactor length. The model successfully predicts the dynamic behavior of the reactor and shows that a maximum thermodynamic activity of water occurs at a point at some distance from the reactor entrance. A cation exchange resin in sodium form, packed in the reactor as a selective water adsorbent together with the catalyst particles, is shown to be an effective means for preventing an excessive accumulation of water formed in the reaction. Its use results in longer cycle times and greater productivity. As predicted by the model, the experimental results show that the water adsorbed on the catalyst and on the ion exchange resin can be removed with isoamyl alcohol with no apparent loss in enzyme activity. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Process intensification of catalytic liquid-liquid solid processes : Continuous biodiesel production using an immobilized lipase in a centrifugal contactor separator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ilmi, M.; Kloekhorst, A.; Winkelman, J. G. M.; Euverink, G. J. W.; Hidayat, C.; Heeres, H. J.

Biodiesel or fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) synthesis from sunflower oil and methanol using an immobilized lipase, an example of a liquid-liquid solid reaction, was studied in batch and various continuous reactor set-ups including the use of a centrifugal contactor separator (CCCS). The latter is an

Continuous Ethanol Production Using Immobilized-Cell/Enzyme Biocatalysts in Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor (FBR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nghiem, NP

2003-11-16

The immobilized-cell fluidized-bed bioreactor (FBR) was developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Previous studies at ORNL using immobilized Zymomonas mobilis in FBR at both laboratory and demonstration scale (4-in-ID by 20-ft-tall) have shown that the system was more than 50 times as productive as industrial benchmarks (batch and fed-batch free cell fermentations for ethanol production from glucose). Economic analysis showed that a continuous process employing the FBR technology to produce ethanol from corn-derived glucose would offer savings of three to six cents per gallon of ethanol compared to a typical batch process. The application of the FBR technology for ethanol production was extended to investigate more complex feedstocks, which included starch and lignocellulosic-derived mixed sugars. Economic analysis and mathematical modeling of the reactor were included in the investigation. This report summarizes the results of these extensive studies.

Continuous Production of Lipase-Catalyzed Biodiesel in a Packed-Bed Reactor: Optimization and Enzyme Reuse Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsiao-Ching Chen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available An optimal continuous production of biodiesel by methanolysis of soybean oil in a packed-bed reactor was developed using immobilized lipase (Novozym 435 as a catalyst in a tert-butanol solvent system. Response surface methodology (RSM and Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate molar ratio on the molar conversion of biodiesel. The results showed that flow rate and temperature have significant effects on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 52.1∘C, and substrate molar ratio 1 : 4. The predicted and experimental values of molar conversion were 83.31±2.07% and 82.81±.98%, respectively. Furthermore, the continuous process over 30 days showed no appreciable decrease in the molar conversion. The paper demonstrates the applicability of using immobilized lipase and a packed-bed reactor for continuous biodiesel synthesis.

Butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Napoli, Fabio; Olivieri, Giuseppe; Russo, Maria Elena; Marzocchella, Antonio; Salatino, Piero

2010-06-01

In this study, we report on a butanol production process by immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor (PBR) using Tygon rings as a carrier. The medium was a solution of lactose (15-30 g/L) and yeast extract (3 g/L) to emulate the cheese whey, an abundant lactose-rich wastewater. The reactor was operated under controlled conditions with respect to the pH and to the dilution rate. The pH and the dilution rate ranged between 4 and 5, the dilution rate between 0.54 and 2.4 h(-1) (2.5 times the maximum specific growth rate assessed for suspended cells). The optimal performance of the reactor was recorded at a dilution rate of 0.97 h(-1): the butanol productivity was 4.4 g/Lh and the selectivity of solvent in butanol was 88%(w).

Horizontal bioreactor for ethanol production by immobilized cells. Pt. 3. Reactor modeling and experimental verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woehrer, W

1989-04-05

A mathematical model which describes ethanol formation in a horizontal tank reactor containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized in small beads of calcium alignate has been developed. The design equations combine flow dynamics of the reactor as well as product formation kinetics. The model was verified for 11 continuous experiments, where dilution rate, feed glucose concentration and bead volume fraction were varied. The model predicts effluent ethanol concentration and CO/sub 2/ production rate within the experimental error. A simplification of the model is possible, when the feed glucose concentration does not exceed 150 kg/m/sup 3/. The simplification results in an analytical solution of the design equation and hence can easily be applied for design purposes as well as for optimization studies.

Continuous bio-catalytic conversion of sugar mixture to acetone-butanol-ethanol by immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792.

Science.gov (United States)

Survase, Shrikant A; van Heiningen, Adriaan; Granström, Tom

2012-03-01

Continuous production of acetone, n-butanol, and ethanol (ABE) was carried out using immobilized cells of Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792 using glucose and sugar mixture as a substrate. Among various lignocellulosic materials screened as a support matrix, coconut fibers and wood pulp fibers were found to be promising in batch experiments. With a motive of promoting wood-based bio-refinery concept, wood pulp was used as a cell holding material. Glucose and sugar mixture (glucose, mannose, galactose, arabinose, and xylose) comparable to lignocellulose hydrolysate was used as a substrate for continuous production of ABE. We report the best solvent productivity among wild-type strains using column reactor. The maximum total solvent concentration of 14.32 g L(-1) was obtained at a dilution rate of 0.22 h(-1) with glucose as a substrate compared to 12.64 g L(-1) at 0.5 h(-1) dilution rate with sugar mixture. The maximum solvent productivity (13.66 g L(-1) h(-1)) was obtained at a dilution rate of 1.9 h(-1) with glucose as a substrate whereas solvent productivity (12.14 g L(-1) h(-1)) was obtained at a dilution rate of 1.5 h(-1) with sugar mixture. The immobilized column reactor with wood pulp can become an efficient technology to be integrated with existing pulp mills to convert them into wood-based bio-refineries.

Ethanol production by repeated batch and continuous fermentations of blackstrap molasses using immobilized yeast cells on thin-shell silk cocoons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rattanapan, Anuchit; Limtong, Savitree; Phisalaphong, Muenduen

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Thin-shell silk cocoons for immobilization of Saccharomycescerevisiae. → Advantages: high mechanical strength, light weight, biocompatibility and high surface area. → Enhanced cell stability and ethanol productivity by the immobilization system. -- Abstract: A thin-shell silk cocoon (TSC), a residual from the silk industry, is used as a support material for the immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae M30 in ethanol fermentation because of its properties such as high mechanical strength, light weight, biocompatibility and high surface area. In batch fermentation with blackstrap molasses as the main fermentation substrate, an optimal ethanol concentration of 98.6 g/L was obtained using a TSC-immobilized cell system at an initial reducing sugar concentration of 240 g/L. The ethanol concentration produced by the immobilized cells was 11.5% higher than that produced by the free cells. Ethanol production in five-cycle repeated batch fermentation demonstrated the enhanced stability of the immobilized yeast cells. Under continuous fermentation in a packed-bed reactor, a maximum ethanol productivity of 19.0 g/(L h) with an ethanol concentration of 52.8 g/L was observed at a 0.36 h -1 dilution rate.

Characterization of an immobilized cell, trickle bed reactor during long term butanol (ABE) fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, C H; Okos, M R; Wankat, P C

1990-06-20

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation was performed continuously in an immobilized cell, trickle bed reactor for 54 days without, degeneration by maintaining the pH above 4.3. Column clogging was minimized by structured packing of immobilization matrix. The reactor contained two serial glass columns packed with Clostridium acetobutylicum adsorbed on 12- and 20-in.-long polyester sponge strips at total flow rates between 38 and 98.7 mL/h. Cells were initially grown at 20 g/L glucose resulting in low butanol (1.15 g/L) production encouraging cell growth. After the initial cell growth phase a higher glucose concentration (38.7 g/L) improved solvent yield from 13.2 to 24.1 wt%, and butanol production rate was the best. Further improvement in solvent yield and butanol production rate was not observed with 60 g/L of glucose. However, when the fresh nutrient supply was limited to only the first column, solvent yield increased to 27.3 wt% and butanol selectivity was improved to 0.592 as compared to 0.541 when fresh feed was fed to both columns. The highest butanol concentration of 5.2 g/L occurred at 55% conversion of the feed with 60 g/L glucose. Liquid product yield of immobilized cells approached the theoretical value reported in the literature. Glucose and product concentration profiles along the column showed that the columns can be divided into production and inhibition regions. The length of each zone was dependent upon the feed glucose concentration and feed pattern. Unlike batch fermentation, there was no clear distinction between acid and solvent production regions. The pH dropped, from 6.18-6.43 to 4.50-4.90 in the first inch of the reactor. The pH dropped further to 4.36-4.65 by the exit of the column. The results indicate that the strategy for long term stable operation with high solvent yield requires a structured packing of biologically stable porous matrix such as polyester sponge, a pH maintenance above 4.3, glucose concentrations up to 60 g/L and

Generation of continuous packed bed reactor with PVA-alginate blend immobilized Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1 cells for effective removal of N,N-dimethylformamide from industrial effluents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanjeev Kumar, S.; Kumar, M. Santosh [Department of Biochemistry, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga 585106, Karnataka (India); Siddavattam, D. [Department of Animal Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Karegoudar, T.B., E-mail: goudartbk@gmail.com [Department of Biochemistry, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga 585106, Karnataka (India)

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Removal of DMF was compared by free and immobilized cells of Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1 cells entrapped in PVA-alginate have shown more tolerance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PVA-alginate beads removed DMF even in the presence of other organic solvents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Removal of DMF from industrial effluents by PVA-alginate blended batch operations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Development of industrially feasible remediation strategy for DMF removal. - Abstract: Effective removal of dimethylformamide (DMF), the organic solvent found in industrial effluents of textile and pharma industries, was demonstrated by using free and immobilized cells of Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1, a soil isolate capable of utilizing DMF as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen. The free cells have efficiently removed DMF from culture media and effluents, only when DMF concentration was less than 1% (v/v). Entrapment of cells either in alginate or in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) failed to increase tolerance limits. However, the cells of Ochrobactrum sp. DGVK1 entrapped in PVA-alginate mixed matrix tolerated higher concentration of DMF (2.5%, v/v) and effectively removed DMF from industrial effluents. As determined through batch fermentation, these immobilized cells have retained viability and degradability for more than 20 cycles. A continuous packed bed reactor, generated by using PVA-alginate beads, efficiently removed DMF from industrial effluents, even in the presence of certain organic solvents frequently found in effluents along with DMF.

Immobilization of xanthine oxidase on a polyaniline silicone support.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadruz, W; Marques, E T; Azevedo, W M; Lima-Filho, J L; Carvalho, L B

1996-03-01

A polyaniline silicone support to immobilize xanthine oxidase is proposed as a reactor coil to monitor the action of xanthine oxidase on hypoxanthine, xanthine and 6-mercaptopurine. A purified xanthine oxidase immobilized on this support lost 80% of the initial activity after 12 min of use. Co-immobilization of superoxide dismutase and catalase increased the stability of immobilized xanthine oxidase so that the derivative maintained 79% of its initial activity after 4.6 h of continuous use in which 1.5 mumol purine bases were converted by the immobilized enzyme system. There is no evidence of either polyaniline or protein leaching from the coil during 3 h of continuous use. When solutions (10 ml) of hypoxanthine, xanthine and 6-mercaptopurine were circulated individually through the xanthine oxidase-superoxide dismutase-catalase-polyaniline coil (1 mm internal diameter and 3 m in length, 3 ml internal volume) activities of 8.12, 11.17 and 1.09 nmol min-1 coil-1, respectively, were obtained. The advantages of the reactor configuration and the redox properties of the polymer, particularly with respect to immobilized oxidoreductases, make this methodology attractive for similar enzyme systems. This immobilized enzyme system using polyaniline-silicone as support converted 6-mercaptopurine to 6-thiouric acid with equal efficiency as resins based on polyacrylamide and polyamide 11.

Chemical immobilization of fission products reactive with nuclear reactor components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grossman, L.N.; Kaznoff, A.I.; Clukey, H.V.

1975-01-01

This invention teaches a method of immobilizing deleterious fission products produced in nuclear fuel materials during nuclear fission chain reactions through the use of additives. The additives are disposed with the nuclear fuel materials in controlled quantities to form new compositions preventing attack of reactor components, especially nuclear fuel cld, by the deleterious fission products. (Patent Office Record)

A catalytic reactor for the organocatalyzed enantioselective continuous flow alkylation of aldehydes.

Science.gov (United States)

Porta, Riccardo; Benaglia, Maurizio; Puglisi, Alessandra; Mandoli, Alessandro; Gualandi, Andrea; Cozzi, Pier Giorgio

2014-12-01

The use of immobilized metal-free catalysts offers the unique possibility to develop sustainable processes in flow mode. The challenging intermolecular organocatalyzed enantioselective alkylation of aldehydes was performed for the first time under continuous flow conditions. By using a packed-bed reactor filled with readily available supported enantiopure imidazolidinone, different aldehydes were treated with three distinct cationic electrophiles. In the organocatalyzed α-alkylation of aldehydes with 1,3-benzodithiolylium tetrafluoroborate, excellent enantioselectivities, in some cases even better than those obtained in the flask process (up to 95% ee at 25 °C), and high productivity (more than 3800 h(-1) ) were obtained, which thus shows that a catalytic reactor may continuously produce enantiomerically enriched compounds. Treatment of the alkylated products with Raney-nickel furnished enantiomerically enriched α-methyl derivatives, key intermediates for active pharmaceutical ingredients and natural products. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

b-GALACTOSIDASE IMMOBILIZATION ON CONTROLLED PORE SILICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. C. Trevisan

1997-12-01

Full Text Available The immobilization of b -galactosidase from Kluyveromyces fragilis on controlled pore silica was investigated. Immobilization was performed on amino silica activated with glutaraldehyde and the product was applied to the hydrolysis of lactose of whey. The behaviors of the soluble and immobilized enzyme were compared by using whey and a lactose solution as the substrate. With the aim of optimizing the method, parameters such as the amount of glutaraldehyde and the size of the particles were evaluated by comparing activities and stabilities on batch and continuously fluidized bed reactors

Immobilization patterns and dynamics of acetate-utilizing methanogens in sterile granular sludge from upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Jens Ejbye; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1999-01-01

Sterile granular sludge was inoculated with either Methanosarcina mazeii S-6, Methanosaeta concilii GP-6, or both species in acetate-fea upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to investigate the immobilization patterns and dynamics of aceticlastic methanogens in granular sludge. After......, but where the acetate concentration was low this strain was immobilized on support material as single cells or small clumps, The data clearly show that the two aceticlastic methanogens immobilize differently in UASB systems, depending on the conditions found throughout the UASB reactor....

Multienzyme Immobilized Polymeric Membrane Reactor for the Transformation of a Lignin Model Compound

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rupam Sarma

2018-04-01

Full Text Available We have developed an integrated, multienzyme functionalized membrane reactor for bioconversion of a lignin model compound involving enzymatic catalysis. The membrane bioreactors were fabricated through the layer-by-layer assembly approach to immobilize three different enzymes (glucose oxidase, peroxidase and laccase into pH-responsive membranes. This novel membrane reactor couples the in situ generation of hydrogen peroxide (by glucose oxidase to oxidative conversion of a lignin model compound, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE. Preliminary investigation of the efficacy of these functional membranes towards GGE degradation is demonstrated under convective flow mode. Over 90% of the initial feed could be degraded with the multienzyme immobilized membranes at a residence time of approximately 22 s. GGE conversion product analysis revealed the formation of oligomeric oxidation products upon reaction with peroxidase, which may be a potential hazard to membrane bioreactors. These oxidation products could further be degraded by laccase enzymes in the multienzymatic membranes, explaining the potential of multi enzyme membrane reactors. The multienzyme incorporated membrane reactors were active for more than 30 days of storage time at 4 °C. During this time span, repetitive use of the membrane reactor was demonstrated involving 5–6 h of operation time for each cycle. The membrane reactor displayed encouraging performance, losing only 12% of its initial activity after multiple cycles of operation.

Development of an ultrahigh-temperature process for the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose. IV. Immobilization of two thermostable beta-glycosidases and optimization of a packed-bed reactor for lactose conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Petzelbauer, Inge; Kuhn, Bernhard; Splechtna, Barbara; Kulbe, Klaus D; Nidetzky, Bernd

2002-03-20

Recombinant hyperthermostable beta-glycosidases from the archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus (Ss beta Gly) and Pyrococcus furiosus (CelB) were covalently attached onto the insoluble carriers chitosan, controlled pore glass (CPG), and Eupergit C. For each enzyme/carrier pair, the protein-binding capacity, the immobilization yield, the pH profiles for activity and stability, the activity/temperature profile, and the kinetic constants for lactose hydrolysis at 70 degrees C were determined. Eupergit C was best among the carriers in regard to retention of native-like activity and stability of Ss beta Gly and CelB over the pH range 3.0-7.5. Its protein binding capacity of approximately 0.003 (on a mass basis) was one-third times that of CPG, while immobilization yields were typically 80% in each case. Activation energies for lactose conversion by the immobilized enzymes at pH 5.5 were in the range 50-60 kJ/mol. This is compared to values of approximately 75 kJ/mol for the free enzymes. Immobilization expands the useful pH range for CelB and Ss beta Gly by approximately 1.5 pH units toward pH 3.5 and pH 4.5, respectively. A packed-bed enzyme reactor was developed for the continuous conversion of lactose in different media, including whey and milk, and operated over extended reaction times of up to 14 days. The productivities of the Eupergit C-immobilized enzyme reactor were determined at dilution rates between 1 and 12 h(-1), and using 45 and 170 g/L initial lactose. Results of kinetic modeling for the same reactor, assuming plug flow and steady state, suggest the presence of mass-transfer limitation of the reaction rate under the conditions used. Formation of galacto-oligosaccharides in the continuous packed-bed reactor and in the batch reactor using free enzyme was closely similar in regard to yield and individual saccharide components produced. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 77: 619-631, 2002; DOI 10.1002/bit.10110

Immobilization of ion exchange radioactive resins of the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia M, H.; Emeterio H, M.; Canizal S, C.

1999-01-01

This work has the objective to develop the process and to define the agglutinating material which allows the immobilization of the ion exchange radioactive resins coming from the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor contaminated with Ba-133, Co-60, Cs-137, Eu-152, and Mn-54 through the behavior analysis of different immobilization agents such as: bitumens, cement and polyester resin. According to the International Standardization the archetype samples were observed with the following tests: determination of free liquid, leaching, charge resistance, biodegradation, irradiation, thermal cycle, burned resistance. Generally all the tests were satisfactorily achieved, for each agent. Therefore, the polyester resin could be considered as the main immobilizing. (Author)

Algal-based immobilization process to treat the effluent from a secondary wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Shengbing; Xue Gang

2010-01-01

Algal-based immobilization process was applied to treat the effluent from a secondary wastewater treatment plant. Batch test proved that algae could attach onto fiber-bundle carrier in 7 days, and then the algal-based immobilization reactor could reduce TN (total nitrogen) and TP (total phosphorus) significantly within 48 h. Based on the above investigations, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the algal-based immobilization reactor in continuous operation mode was determined to be 2 days. During the 91 days of experiment on the treating secondary effluent of Guang-Rao wastewater treatment plant, it was found that the fiber-bundle carrier could collect the heterobacteria and nitrifying bacteria gradually, and thus improved the COD removal efficiency and nitrification performance step by step. Results of the continuous operation indicated that the final effluent could meet the Chinese National First A-level Sewage Discharge Standard when the algal-based immobilization reactor reached steady state.

Immobilization of trypsin on sub-micron skeletal polymer monolith

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yao Chunhe [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Qi Li, E-mail: qili@iccas.ac.cn [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Hu Wenbin [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang Fuyi [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Yang Gengliang [College of Pharmacy, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

2011-04-29

A new kind of immobilized trypsin reactor based on sub-micron skeletal polymer monolith has been developed. Covalent immobilization of trypsin on this support was performed using the epoxide functional groups in either a one- or a multi-step reaction. The proteolytic activity of the immobilized trypsin was measured by monitoring the formation of N-{alpha}-benzoyl-L-arginine (BA) which is the digestion product of a substrate N-{alpha}-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE). Results showed that the digestion speed was about 300 times faster than that performed in free solution. The performance of such an enzyme reactor was further demonstrated by digesting protein myoglobin. It has been found that the protein digestion could be achieved in 88 s at 30 deg. C, which is comparable to 24 h digestion in solution at 37 {sup o}C. Furthermore, the immobilized trypsin exhibits increased stability even after continuous use compared to that in free solution. The present monolithic enzyme-reactor provides a promising platform for the proteomic research.

Study of optimal operation for producing onion vinegar　using　two continuously stirred tank reactors

OpenAIRE

小林, 秀彰; 山口, 文; 富田, 弘毅; 管野, 亨; 小林, 正義; KOBAYASHI, Hideaki; YAMAGUCHI, Kazaru; TOMITA, Koki; KANNO, Tohru; KOBAYASHI, Masayoshi

1997-01-01

　Onion vinegar was produced using a 2-stage continuously stirred tank reactor. Regarding the alcohol fermentation and the acetic acid fermentation examined in this study, the immobilized cells on porous ceramics offered stable production of alcohol and acetic acid for long periods of 300 and 700 days, respectively. Compared with the steady-state operation method, the temperature-change forced-cyclic operation method increased ethanol yield of alcohol fermentation by a maximum of 15％. Acetic a...

A gold-immobilized microchannel flow reactor for oxidation of alcohols with molecular oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Naiwei; Matsumoto, Tsutomu; Ueno, Masaharu; Miyamura, Hiroyuki; Kobayashi, Shū

2009-01-01

Golden capillaries: A gold-immobilized capillary column reactor allows oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds using molecular oxygen. These capillary columns (see picture) can be used for at least four days without loss of activity.

Bioconversion of D-galactose to D-tagatose: continuous packed bed reaction with an immobilized thermostable L-arabinose isomerase and efficient purification by selective microbial degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Min; Chen, Min; Liu, Xinying; Zhai, Yafei; Liu, Xian-wei; Zhang, Houcheng; Xiao, Min; Wang, Peng

2012-02-01

The continuous enzymatic conversion of D-galactose to D-tagatose with an immobilized thermostable L-arabinose isomerase in packed-bed reactor and a novel method for D-tagatose purification were studied. L-arabinose isomerase from Thermoanaerobacter mathranii (TMAI) was recombinantly overexpressed and immobilized in calcium alginate. The effects of pH and temperature on D-tagatose production reaction catalyzed by free and immobilized TMAI were investigated. The optimal condition for free enzyme was pH 8.0, 60°C, 5 mM MnCl(2). However, that for immobilized enzyme was pH 7.5, 75°C, 5 mM MnCl(2). In addition, the catalytic activity of immobilized enzyme at high temperature and low pH was significantly improved compared with free enzyme. The optimum reaction yield with immobilized TMAI increased by four percentage points to 43.9% compared with that of free TMAI. The highest productivity of 10 g/L h was achieved with the yield of 23.3%. Continuous production was performed at 70°C; after 168 h, the reaction yield was still above 30%. The resultant syrup was then incubated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae L1 cells. The selective degradation of D-galactose was achieved, obtaining D-tagatose with the purity above 95%. The established production and separation methods further potentiate the industrial production of D-tagatose via bioconversion and biopurification processes.

Continuous ethanol production from Jerusalem artichokes stalks using immobilized cells of Kluyveromyces marxianus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajpai, P.; Margaritis, A.

1986-01-01

Continuous production of ethanol from the extract of Jerusalem artichoke stalks was investigated in a packed bed bioreactor using Kluyveromyces marxianus cells immobilized in calcium alginate gel beds. Maximum conversion of the sugars to ethanol was achieved with a yield of about 98% of the theoretical. Volumetric ethanol productivities of 102 grams of ethanol per litre per hour and 92 grams ethanol per liter per hour were obtained at 87% and 90% conversion respectively for an inlet substrate concentration of 100 gram sugars per liter. The maximum specific ethanol production rate and maximum specific total sugar uptake rate of the immobilized cells were found to be 0.96 gram ethanol per gram immobilized cells per hour and 2.06 gram sugars per gram immobilized cells per hour respectively. The immobilized cell bioreactor was run continuously at a dilution rate of 2.12 per hour for 30 days which resulted in a loss of 30% of the original activity. The half life of the bioreactor was estimated to be about 56 days.

Ethanol fermentation by immobilized cells of Zymomonas mobilis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grote, W.

1985-01-01

Previous studies have shown that immobilized yeast cell cultures have commercial potential for fuel ethanol production. In this study the suitability of strains of Z. mobilis for whole cell immobilization was investigated. Experiments revealed that immobilization in Ca-alginate or K-carrageenan gel or use of flocculating strains was effective for ethanol production at relatively high productivities. Two laboratory size reactors were designed and constructed. These were a compartmented multiple discshaft column and a tower fermentor. Results of this work supported other studies that established that growth and fermentation could be uncoupled. The data indicated that specific metabolic rates were dependent on the nature of the fermentation media. The addition of lactobacilli to Z. mobilis continuous fermentations had only a transient effect, and was unlikely to affect an immobilized Z. mobilis process. With 150 gl/sup -1/ glucose media and a Z. mobilis ZM4 immobilized cell reactor, a maximum volumetric ethanol productivity of 55 gl/sup -1/h/sup -1/ was obtained. The fermentation of sucrose media or sucrose-based raw materials (molasses, cane juice, synthetic mill liquor) by immobilized Z. mobilis ZM4 revealed a pattern of rapid sucrose hydrolysis, preferential glucose utilization and the conversion of fructose to the undesirable by-products levan and sorbitol.

Efficient preparation of enantiopure D-phenylalanine through asymmetric resolution using immobilized phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1 in a recirculating packed-bed reactor.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Longbao Zhu

Full Text Available An efficient enzymatic process was developed to produce optically pure D-phenylalanine through asymmetric resolution of the racemic DL-phenylalanine using immobilized phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (RgPAL from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1. RgPAL was immobilized on a modified mesoporous silica support (MCM-41-NH-GA. The resulting MCM-41-NH-GA-RgPAL showed high activity and stability. The resolution efficiency using MCM-41-NH-GA-RgPAL in a recirculating packed-bed reactor (RPBR was higher than that in a stirred-tank reactor. Under optimal operational conditions, the volumetric conversion rate of L-phenylalanine and the productivity of D-phenylalanine reached 96.7 mM h⁻¹ and 0.32 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The optical purity (eeD of D-phenylalanine exceeded 99%. The RPBR ran continuously for 16 batches, the conversion ratio did not decrease. The reactor was scaled up 25-fold, and the productivity of D-phenylalanine (eeD>99% in the scaled-up reactor reached 7.2 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹. These results suggest that the resolution process is an alternative method to produce highly pure D-phenylalanine.

Efficient preparation of enantiopure D-phenylalanine through asymmetric resolution using immobilized phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1 in a recirculating packed-bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Longbao; Zhou, Li; Huang, Nan; Cui, Wenjing; Liu, Zhongmei; Xiao, Ke; Zhou, Zhemin

2014-01-01

An efficient enzymatic process was developed to produce optically pure D-phenylalanine through asymmetric resolution of the racemic DL-phenylalanine using immobilized phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (RgPAL) from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1. RgPAL was immobilized on a modified mesoporous silica support (MCM-41-NH-GA). The resulting MCM-41-NH-GA-RgPAL showed high activity and stability. The resolution efficiency using MCM-41-NH-GA-RgPAL in a recirculating packed-bed reactor (RPBR) was higher than that in a stirred-tank reactor. Under optimal operational conditions, the volumetric conversion rate of L-phenylalanine and the productivity of D-phenylalanine reached 96.7 mM h⁻¹ and 0.32 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The optical purity (eeD) of D-phenylalanine exceeded 99%. The RPBR ran continuously for 16 batches, the conversion ratio did not decrease. The reactor was scaled up 25-fold, and the productivity of D-phenylalanine (eeD>99%) in the scaled-up reactor reached 7.2 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹. These results suggest that the resolution process is an alternative method to produce highly pure D-phenylalanine.

Modeling and simulation of enzymatic gluconic acid production using immobilized enzyme and CSTR-PFTR circulation reaction system.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Can; Lin, Jianqun; Gao, Ling; Lin, Huibin; Lin, Jianqiang

2018-04-01

Production of gluconic acid by using immobilized enzyme and continuous stirred tank reactor-plug flow tubular reactor (CSTR-PFTR) circulation reaction system. A production system is constructed for gluconic acid production, which consists of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for pH control and liquid storage and a plug flow tubular reactor (PFTR) filled with immobilized glucose oxidase (GOD) for gluconic acid production. Mathematical model is developed for this production system and simulation is made for the enzymatic reaction process. The pH inhibition effect on GOD is modeled by using a bell-type curve. Gluconic acid can be efficiently produced by using the reaction system and the mathematical model developed for this system can simulate and predict the process well.

Simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, H; Zhang, J-J; Xu, Y; Chao, H-J; Zhou, N-Y

2017-03-01

The ortho-nitrophenol (ONP)-utilizing Alcaligenes sp. strain NyZ215, meta-nitrophenol (MNP)-utilizing Cupriavidus necator JMP134 and para-nitrophenol (PNP)-utilizing Pseudomonas sp. strain WBC-3 were assembled as a consortium to degrade three nitrophenol isomers in sequential batch reactors. Pilot test was conducted in flasks to demonstrate that a mixture of three mononitrophenols at 0·5 mol l -1 each could be mineralized by this microbial consortium within 84 h. Interestingly, neither ONP nor MNP was degraded until PNP was almost consumed by strain WBC-3. By immobilizing this consortium into polyurethane cubes, all three mononitrophenols were continuously degraded in lab-scale sequential reactors for six batch cycles over 18 days. Total concentrations of ONP, MMP and PNP that were degraded were 2·8, 1·5 and 2·3 mol l -1 during this time course respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that each member in the microbial consortium was relatively stable during the entire degradation process. This study provides a novel approach to treat polluted water, particularly with a mixture of co-existing isomers. Nitroaromatic compounds are readily spread in the environment and pose great potential toxicity concerns. Here, we report the simultaneous degradation of three isomers of mononitrophenol in a single system by employing a consortium of three bacteria, both in flasks and lab-scale sequential batch reactors. The results demonstrate that simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers can be achieved by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors, providing a pilot study for a novel approach for the bioremediation of mixed pollutants, especially isomers present in wastewater. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Immobilization of biogenic Pd(0) in anaerobic granular sludge for the biotransformation of recalcitrant halogenated pollutants in UASB reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pat-Espadas, Aurora M; Razo-Flores, Elías; Rangel-Mendez, J Rene; Ascacio-Valdes, Juan A; Aguilar, Cristobal N; Cervantes, Francisco J

2015-10-19

The capacity of anaerobic granular sludge to reduce Pd(II), using ethanol as electron donor, in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor was demonstrated. Results confirmed complete reduction of Pd(II) and immobilization as Pd(0) in the granular sludge. The Pd-enriched sludge was further evaluated regarding biotransformation of two recalcitrant halogenated pollutants: 3-chloro-nitrobenzene (3-CNB) and iopromide (IOP) in batch and continuous operation in UASB reactors. The superior removal capacity of the Pd-enriched biomass when compared with the control (not exposed to Pd) was demonstrated in both cases. Results revealed 80 % of IOP removal efficiency after 100 h of incubation in batch experiments performed with Pd-enriched biomass whereas only 28 % of removal efficiency was achieved in incubations with biomass lacking Pd. The UASB reactor operated with the Pd-enriched biomass achieved 81 ± 9.5 % removal efficiency of IOP and only 61 ± 8.3 % occurred in the control reactor lacking Pd. Regarding 3-CNB, it was demonstrated that biogenic Pd(0) promoted both nitro-reduction and dehalogenation resulting in the complete conversion of 3-CNB to aniline while in the control experiment only nitro-reduction was documented. The complete biotransformation pathway of both contaminants was proposed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis evidencing a higher degree of nitro-reduction and dehalogenation of both contaminants in the experiments with Pd-enriched anaerobic sludge as compared with the control. A biotechnological process is proposed to recover Pd(II) from industrial streams and to immobilize it in anaerobic granular sludge. The Pd-enriched biomass is also proposed as a biocatalyst to achieve the biotransformation of recalcitrant compounds in UASB reactors.

Airlift bioreactor containing chitosan-immobilized Sphingobium sp. P2 for treatment of lubricants in wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khondee, Nichakorn; Tathong, Sitti [International Postgraduate Programs in Environmental Management, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); Bioremediation Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); Pinyakong, Onruthai [Bioremediation Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); National Center of Excellence for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management (NCE-EHWM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); Powtongsook, Sorawit [Center of Excellence for Marine Biotechnology (c/o Department of Marine Science, Chulalongkorn University), National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Pathum Thani (Thailand); Chatchupong, Thawach; Ruangchainikom, Chalermchai [Environmental Research and Management Department, PTT Research and Technology Institute, Ayutthaya (Thailand); Luepromchai, Ekawan, E-mail: ekawan.l@chula.ac.th [Bioremediation Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); National Center of Excellence for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management (NCE-EHWM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand)

2012-04-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sphingobium sp. P2 effectively degraded various lubricant samples. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Efficiency of Sphingobium sp. P2 increased after immobilization on chitosan. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High removal efficiency was due to both sorption and degradation processes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The immobilized bacteria (4 g L{sup -1}) were applied in internal loop airlift bioreactor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The bioreactor continuously removed lubricant from emulsified wastewater. - Abstract: An internal loop airlift bioreactor containing chitosan-immobilized Sphingobium sp. P2 was applied for the removal of automotive lubricants from emulsified wastewater. The chitosan-immobilized bacteria had higher lubricant removal efficiency than free and killed-immobilized cells because they were able to sorp and degrade the lubricants simultaneously. In a semi-continuous batch experiment, the immobilized bacteria were able to remove 80-90% of the 200 mg L{sup -1} total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from both synthetic and carwash wastewater. The internal loop airlift bioreactor, containing 4 g L{sup -1} immobilized bacteria, was later designed and operated at 2.0 h HRT (hydraulic retention time) for over 70 days. At a steady state, the reactor continuously removed 85 {+-} 5% TPH and 73 {+-} 11% chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the carwash wastewater with 25-200 mg L{sup -1} amended lubricant. The internal loop airlift reactor's simple operation and high stability demonstrate its high potential for use in treating lubricants in emulsified wastewater from carwashes and other industries.

Airlift bioreactor containing chitosan-immobilized Sphingobium sp. P2 for treatment of lubricants in wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khondee, Nichakorn; Tathong, Sitti; Pinyakong, Onruthai; Powtongsook, Sorawit; Chatchupong, Thawach; Ruangchainikom, Chalermchai; Luepromchai, Ekawan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Sphingobium sp. P2 effectively degraded various lubricant samples. ► Efficiency of Sphingobium sp. P2 increased after immobilization on chitosan. ► High removal efficiency was due to both sorption and degradation processes. ► The immobilized bacteria (4 g L −1 ) were applied in internal loop airlift bioreactor. ► The bioreactor continuously removed lubricant from emulsified wastewater. - Abstract: An internal loop airlift bioreactor containing chitosan-immobilized Sphingobium sp. P2 was applied for the removal of automotive lubricants from emulsified wastewater. The chitosan-immobilized bacteria had higher lubricant removal efficiency than free and killed-immobilized cells because they were able to sorp and degrade the lubricants simultaneously. In a semi-continuous batch experiment, the immobilized bacteria were able to remove 80–90% of the 200 mg L −1 total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from both synthetic and carwash wastewater. The internal loop airlift bioreactor, containing 4 g L −1 immobilized bacteria, was later designed and operated at 2.0 h HRT (hydraulic retention time) for over 70 days. At a steady state, the reactor continuously removed 85 ± 5% TPH and 73 ± 11% chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the carwash wastewater with 25–200 mg L −1 amended lubricant. The internal loop airlift reactor's simple operation and high stability demonstrate its high potential for use in treating lubricants in emulsified wastewater from carwashes and other industries.

Development of Food Functions and Production Process for Onion Vinegar Using a Two-Stage Continuous-Tank Reactor

OpenAIRE

小林, 秀彰; 山口, 文; 富田, 弘毅; 中井, 義昭; 管野, 亨; 小林, 正義; KOBAYASHI, Hideaki; YAMAGUCHI, Kazaru; TOMITA, Koki; NAKAI, Yoshiaki; KANNO, Tohru; KOBAYASHI, Masayoshi

1998-01-01

A two-stage continuous-tank reactor was developed to optimize the production of onion vinegar, and the onion vinegar produced was studied to determine its benefits for human health. The ”Silan ring” porous ceramics support was available to immobilize microorganisms, maintain higher mechanical strength and provide a stable rate of alcohol production even at higher dilution rates than 1.2 hr^, without wash-out. The forced cyclic operation of reaction temperature yielded an increase of 25％ for ...

Immobilization of Cesium Traps from the BN-350 Fast Reactor (Aktau, Kazakhstan)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. A. Michelbacher; C. Knight; O. G. Romanenko; I. L. Tazhibaeva; I. L. Yakovlev; A. V. Rovneyko; V. I. Maev; D. Wells; A. Herrick

2011-03-01

During BN-350 reactor operations and also during the initial stages of decommissioning, cesium traps were used to decontaminate the reactor’s primary sodium coolant. Two different types of carbon-based trap were used – the MAVR series, low ash granulated graphite adsorber (LAG) contained in a carrier designed to be inserted into the reactor core during shutdown; and a series of ex-reactor trap accumulators(TAs) which used reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) to reduce Cs-137 levels in the sodium after final reactor shutdown. In total four MAVRs and seven TAs were used at BN-350 to remove an estimated cumulative 755 TBq of cesium. The traps, which also contain residual sodium, need to be immobilized in an appropriate way to allow them to be consigned as waste packages for long term storage and, ultimately, disposal. The present paper reports on the current status of the implementation phase, with particular reference to the work done to date on the trap accumulators, which have the most similarity with the cesium traps used at other reactors.

Role of Glutaraldehyde in Imparting Stability to Immobilized β-Galactosidase Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rukhsana Satar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This review article highlights the role of glutaraldehyde as a matrix activator/stabilizer in imparting higher operational and thermal stability to β-galactosidase (βG for biotechnological applications. Glutaraldehyde has been used extensively as a crosslinking agent as well as for functionalization of matrices to immobilize β-galactosidase. Immobilized β-galactosidase systems (IβGS obtained as a result of glutaraldehyde treatment has been employed to hydrolyze whey and milk lactose in batch reactors, continuous packed-bed and fluidized bed reactors under various operational conditions. Moreover, these IβGS have also been utilized for the production of galactooligosaccharides in food, dairy and fermentation industries. It was observed that glutaraldehyde provided remarkable stability to immobilize βG against various physical/chemical denaturants, thus enhancing thermal/operational stability and rendering it more suitable for repeated utilization in industrial scale operations.

Continuous production of ethanol from hexoses and pentoses using immobilized mixed cultures of Escherichia coli strains

Science.gov (United States)

Unrean, Pornkamol; Srienc, Friedrich

2010-01-01

We have developed highly efficient ethanologenic E. coli strains that selectively consume pentoses and/or hexoses. Mixed cultures of these strains can be used to selectively adjust the sugar utilization kinetics in ethanol fermentations. Based on the kinetics of sugar utilization, we have designed and implemented an immobilized cell system for the optimized continuous conversion of sugars into ethanol. The results confirm that immobilized mixed cultures support a simultaneous conversion of hexoses and pentoses into ethanol at high yield and at a faster rate than immobilized homogenous cells. Continuous ethanol production has been maintained for several weeks at high productivity with near complete sugar utilization. The control of sugar utilization using immobilized mixed cultures can be adapted to any composition of hexoses and pentoses by adjusting the strain distribution of immobilized cells. The approach, therefore, holds promise for ethanol fermentation from lignocellulosic hydrolysates where the feedstock varies in sugar composition. PMID:20699108

Removal of triazine herbicides from aqueous systems by a biofilm reactor continuously or intermittently operated.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Sánchez, R; Ahuatzi-Chacón, D; Galíndez-Mayer, J; Ruiz-Ordaz, N; Salmerón-Alcocer, A

2013-10-15

The impact of pesticide movement via overland flow or tile drainage water on the quality of receiving water bodies has been a serious concern in the last decades; thus, for remediation of water contaminated with herbicides, bioreaction systems designed to retain biomass have been proposed. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the atrazine and terbutryn biodegradation capacity of a microbial consortium, immobilized in a biofilm reactor (PBR), packed with fragments of porous volcanic stone. The microbial consortium, constituted by four predominant bacterial strains, was used to degrade a commercial formulation of atrazine and terbutryn in the biofilm reactor, intermittently or continuously operated at volumetric loading rates ranging from 44 to 306 mg L(-1) d(-1). The complete removal of both herbicides was achieved in both systems; however, higher volumetric removal rates were obtained in the continuous system. It was demonstrated that the adjuvants of the commercial formulation of the herbicide significantly enhanced the removal of atrazine and terbutryn. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lipase immobilization and production of fatty acid methyl esters from canola oil using immobilized lipase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuecel, Yasin; Demir, Cevdet; Dizge, Nadir; Keskinler, Buelent

2011-01-01

Lipase enzyme from Aspergillus oryzae (EC 3.1.1.3) was immobilized onto a micro porous polymeric matrix which contains aldehyde functional groups and methyl esters of long chain fatty acids (biodiesel) were synthesized by transesterification of crude canola oil using immobilized lipase. Micro porous polymeric matrix was synthesized from styrene-divinylbenzene (STY-DVB) copolymers by using high internal phase emulsion technique and two different lipases, Lipozyme TL-100L ® and Novozym 388 ® , were used for immobilization by both physical adsorption and covalent attachment. Biodiesel production was carried out with semi-continuous operation. Methanol was added into the reactor by three successive additions of 1:4 M equivalent of methanol to avoid enzyme inhibition. The transesterification reaction conditions were as follows: oil/alcohol molar ratio 1:4; temperature 40 o C and total reaction time 6 h. Lipozyme TL-100L ® lipase provided the highest yield of fatty acid methyl esters as 92%. Operational stability was determined with immobilized lipase and it indicated that a small enzyme deactivation occurred after used repeatedly for 10 consecutive batches with each of 24 h. Since the process is yet effective and enzyme does not leak out from the polymer, the method can be proposed for industrial applications. -- Research highlights: → Lipozyme TL-100L and Novozym 388 were immobilized onto micro porous polymeric matrix by both physical adsorption and covalent linking. → Immobilized enzymes were used for synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters by transesterification of canola oil and methanol using semi-continuous operation system. → According to chromatographic analysis, Lipase Lipozyme TL-100L resulted in the highest yield of methyl ester as 92%.

Development of High-Productivity Continuous Ethanol Production using PVA-Immobilized Zymomonas mobilis in an Immobilized-Cells Fermenter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurhayati Nurhayati

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Ethanol as one of renewable energy was being considered an excellent alternative clean-burning fuel to replace gasoline. Continuous ethanol fermentation systems had offered important economic advantages compared to traditional systems. Fermentation rates were significantly improved, especially when continuous fermentation was integrated with cell immobilization techniques to enrich the cells concentration in fermentor. Growing cells of Zymomonas mobilis immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA gel beads were employed in an immobilized-cells fermentor for continuous ethanol fermentation from glucose. The glucose loading, dilution rate, and cells loading were varied in order to determine which best condition employed in obtaining both high ethanol production and low residual glucose with high dilution rate. In this study, 20 g/L, 100 g/L, 125 g/L and 150 g/L of glucose concentration and 20% (w/v, 40% (w/v and 50% (w/v of cells loading were employed with range of dilution rate at 0.25 to 1 h-1. The most stable production was obtained for 25 days by employing 100 g/L of glucose loading. Meanwhile, the results also exhibited that 125 g/L of glucose loading as well as 40% (w/v of cells loading yielded high ethanol concentration, high ethanol productivity, and acceptable residual glucose at 62.97 g/L, 15.74 g/L/h and 0.16 g/L, respectively. Furthermore, the dilution rate of 4 hour with 100 g/L and 40% (w/v of glucose and cells loading was considered as the optimum condition with ethanol production, ethanol productivity and residual glucose obtained were 49.89 g/L, 12.47 g/L/h, and 2.04 g/L, respectively. This recent study investigated ethanol inhibition as well. The present research had proved that high sugar concentration was successfully converted to ethanol. These achieved results were promising for further study.

Application of a Burkholderia cepacia lipase-immobilized silica monolith to batch and continuous biodiesel production with a stoichiometric mixture of methanol and crude Jatropha oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takahashi Ryo

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The enzymatic production of biodiesel through alcoholysis of triglycerides has become more attractive because it shows potential in overcoming the drawbacks of chemical processes. In this study, we investigate the production of biodiesel from crude, non-edible Jatropha oil and methanol to characterize Burkholderia cepacia lipase immobilized in an n-butyl-substituted hydrophobic silica monolith. We also evaluate the performance of a lipase-immobilized silica monolith bioreactor in the continuous production of biodiesel. Results The Jatropha oil used contained 18% free fatty acids, which is problematic in a base-catalyzed process. In the lipase-catalyzed reaction, the presence of free fatty acids made the reaction mixture homogeneous and allowed bioconversion to proceed to 90% biodiesel yield after a 12 hour reaction time. The optimal molar ratio of methanol to oil was 3.3 to 3.5 parts methanol to one part oil, with water content of 0.6% (w/w. Further experiments revealed that B. cepacia lipase immobilized in hydrophobic silicates was sufficiently tolerant to methanol, and glycerol adsorbed on the support disturbed the reaction to some extent in the present reaction system. The continuous production of biodiesel was performed at steady state using a lipase-immobilized silica monolith bioreactor loaded with 1.67 g of lipase. The yield of 95% was reached at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/h, although the performance of the continuous bioreactor was somewhat below that predicted from the batch reactor. The bioreactor was operated successfully for almost 50 days with 80% retention of the initial yield. Conclusions The presence of free fatty acids originally contained in Jatropha oil improved the reaction efficiency of the biodiesel production. A combination of B. cepacia lipase and its immobilization support, n-butyl-substituted silica monolith, was effective in the production of biodiesel. This procedure is easily applicable to the design

Immobilization of ion exchange radioactive resins of the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor; Inmovilizacion de resinas de intercambio ionico radiactivas del reactor nuclear Triga Mark III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia M, H.; Emeterio H, M.; Canizal S, C. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A.P. 18-1027, C.P. 11801 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2000-07-01

This work has the objective to develop the process and to define the agglutinating material which allows the immobilization of the ion exchange radioactive resins coming from the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor contaminated with Ba-133, Co-60, Cs-137, Eu-152, and Mn-54 through the behavior analysis of different immobilization agents such as: bitumens, cement and polyester resin. According to the International Standardization the archetype samples were observed with the following tests: determination of free liquid, leaching, charge resistance, biodegradation, irradiation, thermal cycle, burned resistance. Generally all the tests were satisfactorily achieved, for each agent. Therefore, the polyester resin could be considered as the main immobilizing. (Author)

Selective synthesis of human milk fat-style structured triglycerides from microalgal oil in a microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Liu, Xi; Wang, Xu-Dong; Dong, Tao; Zhao, Xing-Yu; Zhu, Dan; Mei, Yi-Yuan; Wu, Guo-Hua

2016-11-01

Human milk fat-style structured triacylglycerols were produced from microalgal oil in a continuous microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase for the first time. A remarkably high conversion efficiency was demonstrated in the microreactor with reaction time being reduced by 8 times, Michaelis constant decreased 10 times, the lipase reuse times increased 2.25-fold compared to those in a batch reactor. In addition, the content of palmitic acid at sn-2 position (89.0%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids at sn-1, 3 positions (81.3%) are slightly improved compared to the product in a batch reactor. The increase of melting points (1.7°C) and decrease of crystallizing point (3°C) implied higher quality product was produced using the microfluidic technology. The main cost can be reduced from $212.3 to $14.6 per batch with the microreactor. Overall, the microfluidic bioconversion technology is promising for modified functional lipids production allowing for cost-effective approach to produce high-value microalgal coproducts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A preliminary study of continuous milk coagulation using Cynara cardunculus flower extract and calf rennet immobilized on magnetic particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Liburdi, Katia; Emiliani Spinelli, Sara; Benucci, Ilaria; Lombardelli, Claudio; Esti, Marco

2018-01-15

The aim of this study was to develop a bioreactor design for continuous milk coagulation using a biocatalyst composed of immobilized animal and vegetable rennet on aminated magnetic particles, which has been proven to be an appropriate carrier for enzyme immobilization. Calf and vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) rennets were covalently immobilized on CLEA® magnetic supports and the immobilization procedure was optimized in batch mode, by evaluating protein loading, caseinolytic activity and the coagulation properties of skim milk powder and cow's milk. Subsequently the optimal temperature of immobilized coagulant was defined and a technically-friendly enzyme bioreactor was developed in order to carry out a continuous milk coagulation process with the aim of producing soft cheese. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protein-based inverse opals: A novel support for enzyme immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yanjun; Sun, Wenya; Wang, Yaping; Wang, Lihui; Zhou, Liya; Gao, Jing; He, Ying; Ma, Li; Zhang, Xu

2017-01-01

In this study, protein-based inverse opals were prepared for the first time by using the colloidal crystal templating method. The preparation process involved three steps including filling the templates with protein molecules, crosslinking, and template removal. The obtained inverse opals were used to immobilize Penicillin G acylase (PGA) because of its intrinsic biocompatible property. The immobilization process was optimized and the properties of the immobilized PGA (PGA@IO) were investigated. PGA@IO exhibited improved thermal and pH stability compared with its free counterpart. After reusing nine times, it retained 70% of the initial activity. Besides, the PGA@IO retained high activity during the hydrolysis reactions in continuous catalysis in packed-bed reactor (PBR) after 15 days. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Immobilization of Ion Exchange radioactive resins of the TRIGA Mark III Nuclear Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Martinez, H.

1999-01-01

In the last decades many countries in the world have taken interest in the use, availability, and final disposal of dangerous wastes in the environment, within these, those dangerous wastes that contain radioactive material. That is why studies have been made on materials used as immobilization agent of radioactive waste that may guarantee its storage for long periods of time under drastic conditions of humidity, temperature change and biodegradation. In mexico, the development of different applications of radioactive material in the industry, medicine and investigation, have generated radioactive waste, sealed and open sources, whose require a special technological development for its management and final disposal. The present work has as a finality to develop the process and define the agglutinating material, bitumen, cement and polyester resin that permits immobilization of resins of Ionic Exchange contaminated by Barium 153, Cesium 137, Europium 152, Cobalt 60 and Manganese 54 generated from the nuclear reactor TRIGA Mark III. Ionic interchange contaminated resin must be immobilized and is analysed under different established tests by the Mexican Official Standard NOM-019-NUCL-1995 L ow level radioactive wastes package requirements for its near-surface final disposal. Immobilization of ionic interchange contaminated resins must count with the International Standards applicable in this process; in these standards, the following test must be taken in prototype examples: Free-standing water, leachability, compressive strength, biodegradation, radiation stability, thermal stability and burning rate. (Author)

Rapid and efficient proteolysis through laser-assisted immobilized enzyme reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Gao, Mingxia; Zhu, Shaochun; Lei, Jie; Zhang, Xiangmin

2011-11-25

In this report, laser radiation (808nm) for the first time was employed to enhance the efficiency of proteolysis through immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER). IMER based monolithic support was prepared in the fused-silica capillary via a simple two-step procedure including acryloylation on trypsin surface and in situ aqueous polymerization/immobilization. The feasibility and high efficiency of the laser-assisted IMER were demonstrated by the digestion of bovine serum albumin (BSA), cytochrome c (Cyt-c) and β-casein. The digestion process was achieved in 60s. The peptides were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS, yielding the sequence coverage of 33% for BSA, 73% for Cyt-c and 22% for β-casein. The comparisons between the in-solution digestion and on IMER reaction with/without laser assistance were made. To further confirm its efficiency in proteome analysis, the laser-assisted IMER was also applied to the analysis of one fraction of human serum sample through two-dimensional (2-D) separation of strong anion exchange/reversed-phase liquid chromatography (SAX/RPLC). After a database search, 49 unique peptides corresponding to 5 proteins were identified. The results showed that the laser-assisted IMER provides a promising platform for the high-throughput protein identification. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-rate continuous hydrogen production by Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum PSU-2 immobilized on heat-pretreated methanogenic granules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O-Thong, Sompong; Prasertsan, P.; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov

2008-01-01

as carrier to immobilize T. thermosaccharolyticum strain PSU-2 in UASB reactor operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 0.75 to 24h and corresponding sucrose loading rate from 58.5 to 2.4 mmol sucrose l(-1)h(-1). In comparison with hydrogen production rate of 12.1 mmol H(2)l(-1)h(-1......) obtained by carrier-free reactor upflow anaerobic (UA) system, a greatly improved hydrogen production rate up to 152 mmol H(2)l(-1)h(-1) was demonstrated by the granular cells in UASB system. The biofilm of T. thermosaccharolyticum strain PSU-2 developed on treated methanogenic granules in UASB reactor...... substantially enhanced biomass retention (3 times), and production of hydrogen (12 times) compared to carrier-free reactor. It appears to be the most preferred process for highly efficient dark fermentative hydrogen production from sugar containing wastewater under thermophilic conditions. (C) 2008...

Hydrolysis of whey lactose by immobilized β-Galactosidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Panaro Mariotti

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Hydrolysis of whey lactose to glucose and galactose by immobilized galactosidase comes as an alternative to enlarge the possibilities of commercial use of this feedstock. To be applied at industrial scale, the process should be performed continuously .This work aimed to study the hydrolysis of whey lactose by an immobilized enzyme reactor. b-Galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae was immobilized on silica and activity and stability were evaluated. The best immobilization results were attained by using glutaraldehyde as support's activator and enzyme stabilizer. The optimized enzyme proportion for immobilization was 15-20 mg g-1 of support. Treatments of whey were performed (microfiltration, thermal treatment and ultrafiltration, seeking the elimination of sludge, and the effects on operating the fixed bed reactor were evaluated. Ultrafiltration was the best treatment towards a proper substrate solution for feeding the reactor.A hidrólise de lactose de soro de leite, resultando em glicose e galactose, apresenta-se como uma alternativa para ampliar as possibilidades de uso comercial deste insumo. Para ser aplicado em escala industrial, o processo deve ser operado de modo contínuo. Reporta-se o estudo de um sistema objetivando hidrólise de lactose de soro de leite através de um reator com enzima imobilizada. b-Galactosidase de Aspergillus oryzae foi imobilizada em sílica, sendo avaliadas a estabilidade e atividade. Os melhores resultados de imobilização foram obtidos usando glutaraldeído como ativante do suporte e estabilizador da enzima. A proporção otimizada entre enzima e suporte foi 15-20 mg.g-1. Foram estudadas formas de tratamento do soro (microfiltração, tratamento térmico e ultrafiltração, objetivando eliminação de material suspenso, e avaliando os efeitos na operação de reator de leito fixo. A ultrafiltração foi o melhor tratamento, na busca de uma solução de substrato apropriada para o reator contínuo.

Utilization of newly developed immobilized enzyme reactors for preparation and study of immunoglobulin G fragments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Korecká, L.; Bílková, Z.; Holčapek, M.; Královský, J.; Beneš, Milan J.; Lenfeld, Jiří; Minc, N.; Cecal, R.; Viovy, J.-L.; Przybylski, M.

2004-01-01

Roč. 808, č. 1 (2004), s. 15-24 ISSN 1570-0232. [International Symposium on Polymer Design for BioSeparation and Nanobiotechnology /8./. Compiegne, 27.11.2003-29.11.2003] Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GA203/02/0023 Program:GA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4050913 Keywords : immobilized enzyme reactors * immunoglobulin G Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.176, year: 2004

Continuous acetone-ethanol-butanol fermentation by immobilized cells of Clostridium acetobutylicum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badr, H.R.; Toledo, R.; Hamdy, M.K. [University of Georgia, Athens (Greece). Food Science and Technology Dept.

2001-07-01

Eight Clostridium acetobutylicum strains were examined for {alpha}-amylase and strains B-591, B-594 and P-262 had the highest activities. Defibered-sweet-potato-slurry (DSPS), containing 39.7 g starch l{sup -1}, supplemented with potassium phosphate (1.0 g l{sup -1}), cysteine-HCl (5.0 g l{sup -1}), the antifoam (polypropylene glycol, 0.1 mg ml{sup -1}), was used a continuous feedstock (FS) to a multistage bioreactor system for acetone-ethanol-butanol (AEB) fermentation. The system consisted on four columns (three vertical and one near horizontal) packed with beads containing immobilized cells of C. acetobutylicum P-262. When DSPS was pumped into the bioreactor system, at a flow rate of 2.36 ml min{sup -1}, the effluent has 7.73 g solvents l{sup -1} (1.56, acetone; 0.65, ethanol; 5.52 g, butanol) and no starch. Productivity of total solvents synthesized during continuous operation were 1.0 g 1{sup -1}h{sup -1} and 19.5 % yield compared to 0.12 g l{sup -1}h{sup -1} with 29% yield using the batch system. We proposed using DSPS for AEB fermentation in a continuous mode with immobilized P-262 cells that are active amylase producers which will lead to cost reduction compared to the batch system. (Author)

Phenols removal by immobilized tyrosinase reactor in on-line high performance liquid chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girelli, Anna Maria; Mattei, Enrico; Messina, Antonella

2006-01-01

The development of an immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) based on tyrosinase immobilized on aminopropyl-controlled pore glass (AP-CPG) for the removal of phenols from model aqueous solutions was reported. To elucidate the influence of the substrate nature, the apparent (V ' max , K ' m ) and the inherent (V max , K m ) Michaelis-Menten constants were determined by Lineweaver-Burk method and the external diffusional contributions on measured enzyme activities were removed by a graphical method. The dephenolization process was realized by recycling the phenol solutions through the bioreactor connected to a chitosan trap in order to remove the colored quinone-type products of the tyrosinase reactions. The results indicated that a complete removal of phenol derivatives in the range of 150-300min, with the exception of 60% removal for phenol reached in 400min, was obtained. The observed sequence: cresol>4-methylcathecol>catechol>4-Cl-phenol-bar phenol was in accordance to the V ' max /K ' m values

Characteristics of immobilized lactobacillus delbrueckii in a liquid-solid fluidized bed bioreactor for lactic acid production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Henian; Seki, M.; Furusaki, S. [The Univ. of Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1995-04-20

A fluidized bed bioreactor was employed for lactic acid production using immobilized cells. First, the cell release rate was discussed. A liquid-solid fluidized bed reactor with immobilized cells was used to perform continuous lactic acid fermentation without any operational problems. The performance of the reactor was investigated under different conditions. Cell release rate and contribution of free cells to lactic acid production were studied quantitatively. The results showed that under low gel holdup and low dilution rate conditions, free cells played a significant role in lactic acid production. However, increasing solid holdup decreased the free cell concentration in the broth due to high lactic acid concentration and also decreased the contribution of the free cells to lactic acid production. The effects of growth nutrients on reactor performance were investigated. 16 refs., 12 figs.

Optimization of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel by isopropanolysis in a continuous packed-bed reactor using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Cheng; Chen, Jiann-Hwa; Chang, Chieh-Ming J; Wu, Tsung-Ta; Shieh, Chwen-Jen

2009-10-31

Isopropanolysis reactions were performed using triglycerides with immobilized lipase in a solvent-free environment. This study modeled the degree of isopropanolysis of soybean oil in a continuous packed-bed reactor when Novozym 435 was used as the biocatalyst. Response surface methodology (RSM) and three-level-three-factor Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of synthesis parameters, reaction temperature ( degrees C), flow rate (mL/min) and substrate molar ratio of isopropanol to soybean oil, on the percentage molar conversion of biodiesel by transesterification. The results show that flow rate and temperature have a significant effect on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions for synthesis were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 51.5 degrees C and substrate molar ratio 1:4.14. The predicted value was 76.62+/-1.52% and actual experimental value was 75.62+/-0.81% molar conversion. Moreover, continuous enzymatic process for seven days did not show any appreciable decrease in the percent of molar conversion (75%). This work demonstrates the applicability of lipase catalysis to prepare isopropyl esters by transesterification in solvent-free system with a continuous packed-bed reactor for industrial production.

Biocatalytic conversion of wheat bran hydrolysate using an immobilized GH43 beta-xylosidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Smaali, Issam; Rémond, Caroline; Skhiri, Yousr; O'Donohue, Michael J

2009-01-01

To investigate the concept of a xylosidase-based process for the continuous production of xylose from arabinoxylan-containing feedstocks, a beta-xylosidase from Bacillus halodurans C-125 was immobilized and deployed in packed bed reactor (PBR). Among the several immobilization methods tested, glutaraldehyde-mediated immobilization on chitosan was the best both in terms of immobilization and activity yields (91% and 72.9%, respectively). In batch experiments the immobilized enzyme hydrolyzed wheat bran hydrolysates quite efficiently, consuming nearly all xylobiose and xylotriose after 6h. Its reusability showed only a 50% decrease of its activity after 92h. Using the chitosan-immobilized beta-xylosidase in a PBR, xylose productivity was 7.2g xylose l(-1)h(-1) and the conversion factor was 0.55 (derived from initial xylose in the substrate). The operational stability of the PBR was good, because only 25% of productivity was lost after the treatment of three batches of substrate over a 72-h period.

Biosorption of uranium by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CSU immobilized in a novel matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, M.C.Z.; Reeves, M.

1997-01-01

A number of polymeric materials, including calcium alginate, polyacrylamide, polysulfone, and polyurethane, were evaluated as possible immobilization matrices for lyophilized biomass of P. aeruginoso CSU. Polyurethane-based materials such as hydrogel were identified as superior candidates for biomass immobilization. A novel polyurethane gel-bead fabrication technique was developed and successfully demonstrated at pilot-plant scale for producing mass qualities of spherical, uniform-size beads. The immobilized bacterial biomass was evaluated via the measurement of sorption isotherms and dynamics within a batch, stirred-tank reactor; and loading and elution behavior within a continuous, upflow, packed-bed columnar reactor. Sorption equilibrium and dynamics in a batch stirred tank were modeled with a pore-diffusion mass transfer model, by which a pore-diffusion coefficient was determined to be approximately 2.0 x 10 -6 cm 2 /s for uranyl ion transport through the polyurethane gel matrix. The biosorbent beads were regenerable with dilute (0.01-0.1 M) sodium carbonate solutions. Preliminary column breakthrough-elution studies indicated that P. aeruginosa CSU biomass immobilized within polyurethane gel beads was effective for removal of uranium from low-concentration, acidic wastewater. 35 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs

High-rate continuous hydrogen production by Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum PSU-2 immobilized on heat-pretreated methanogenic granules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O-Thong, Sompong [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800, Kgs Lyngby (Denmark); Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Patthalung 93110 (Thailand); Prasertsan, Poonsuk [Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90120 (Thailand); Karakashev, Dimitar; Angelidaki, Irini [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800, Kgs Lyngby (Denmark)

2008-11-15

Biohydrogen production from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum strain PSU-2 was examined in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and carrier-free upflow anaerobic reactor (UA), both fed with sucrose and operating at 60 C. Heat-pretreated methanogenic granules were used as carrier to immobilize T. thermosaccharolyticum strain PSU-2 in UASB reactor operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 0.75 to 24 h and corresponding sucrose loading rate from 58.5 to 2.4 mmol sucrose l{sup -1} h{sup -1}. In comparison with hydrogen production rate of 12.1 mmol H{sub 2} l{sup -1} h{sup -1} obtained by carrier-free reactor upflow anaerobic (UA) system, a greatly improved hydrogen production rate up to 152 mmol H{sub 2} l{sup -1} h{sup -1} was demonstrated by the granular cells in UASB system. The biofilm of T. thermosaccharolyticum strain PSU-2 developed on treated methanogenic granules in UASB reactor substantially enhanced biomass retention (3 times), and production of hydrogen (12 times) compared to carrier-free reactor. It appears to be the most preferred process for highly efficient dark fermentative hydrogen production from sugar containing wastewater under thermophilic conditions. (author)

Polyketone polymer: a new support for direct enzyme immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Agostinelli, E; Belli, F; Tempera, G; Mura, A; Floris, G; Toniolo, L; Vavasori, A; Fabris, S; Momo, F; Stevanato, R

2007-01-20

Polyketone polymer -[-CO-CH(2)-CH(2)-](n)-, obtained by copolymerization of ethene and carbon monoxide, is utilized for immobilization of three different enzymes, one peroxidase from horseradish (HRP) and two amine oxidases, from bovine serum (BSAO) and lentil seedlings (LSAO). The easy immobilization procedure is carried out in diluted buffer, at pH 7.0 and 3 degrees C, gently mixing the proteins with the polymer. No bifunctional reagents and spacer arms are required for the immobilization, which occurs exclusively via a large number of hydrogen bonds between the carbonyl groups of the polymer and the -NH groups of the polypeptidic chain. Experiments demonstrate a high linking capacity of polymer for BSAO and an extraordinary strong linkage for LSAO. Moreover, activity measurements demonstrate that immobilized LSAO totally retains the catalytic characteristics of the free enzyme, where only a limited increase of K(M) value is observed. Finally, the HRP-activated polymer is successfully used as active packed bed of an enzymatic reactor for continuous flow conversion and flow injection analysis of hydrogen peroxide containing solutions.

Enzyme-Catalyzed Oxidation of 17β-Estradiol Using Immobilized Laccase from Trametes versicolor

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinal-Watkins, Chantale; Nicell, Jim A.

2011-01-01

Many natural and synthetic estrogens are amenable to oxidation through the catalytic action of oxidative enzymes such as the fungal laccase Trametes versicolor. This study focused on characterizing the conversion of estradiol (E2) using laccase that had been immobilized by covalent bonding onto silica beads contained in a bench-scale continuous-flow packed bed reactor. Conversion of E2 accomplished in the reactor declined when the temperature of the system was changed from room temperature to just above freezing at pH 5 as a result of a reduced rate of reaction rather than inactivation of the enzyme. Similarly, conversion increased when the system was brought to warmer temperatures. E2 conversion increased when the pH of the influent to the immobilized laccase reactor was changed from pH 7 to pH 5, but longer-term experiments showed that the enzyme is more stable at pH 7. Results also showed that the immobilized laccase maintained its activity when treating a constant supply of aqueous E2 at a low mean residence time over a 12-hour period and when treating a constant supply of aqueous E2 at a high mean residence time over a period of 9 days. PMID:21869925

Phenols removal by immobilized tyrosinase reactor in on-line high performance liquid chromatography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girelli, Anna Maria [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Roma ' La Sapienza' , P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy)]. E-mail: annamaria.girelli@uniroma1.it; Mattei, Enrico [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Roma ' La Sapienza' , P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Messina, Antonella [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Roma ' La Sapienza' , P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy)

2006-11-24

The development of an immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) based on tyrosinase immobilized on aminopropyl-controlled pore glass (AP-CPG) for the removal of phenols from model aqueous solutions was reported. To elucidate the influence of the substrate nature, the apparent (V{sup '}{sub max}, K{sup '}{sub m}) and the inherent (V{sub max}, K{sub m}) Michaelis-Menten constants were determined by Lineweaver-Burk method and the external diffusional contributions on measured enzyme activities were removed by a graphical method. The dephenolization process was realized by recycling the phenol solutions through the bioreactor connected to a chitosan trap in order to remove the colored quinone-type products of the tyrosinase reactions. The results indicated that a complete removal of phenol derivatives in the range of 150-300min, with the exception of 60% removal for phenol reached in 400min, was obtained. The observed sequence: cresol>4-methylcathecol>catechol>4-Cl-phenol-bar phenol was in accordance to the V{sup '}{sub max}/K{sup '}{sub m} values.

Preparation of reusable bioreactors using reversible immobilization of enzyme on monolithic porous polymer support with attached gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Yongqin; Lin, Zhixing; Tan, Tianwei; Svec, Frantisek

2014-01-01

Porcine lipase has been reversibly immobilized on a monolithic polymer support containing thiol functionalities prepared within confines of a fused silica capillary and functionalized with gold nanoparticles. Use of gold nanoparticles enabled rejuvenation of the activity of the deactivated reactor simply by stripping the inactive enzyme from the nanoparticles using 2-mercaptoethanol and subsequent immobilization of fresh lipase. This flow through enzymatic reactor was then used to catalyze the hydrolysis of glyceryl tributyrate (tributyrin). The highest activity was found within a temperature range of 37-40°C. The reaction kinetics is characterized by Michaelis-Menten constant, Km  = 10.9 mmol/L, and maximum reaction rate, Vmax  = 5.0 mmol/L min. The maximum reaction rate for the immobilized enzyme is 1,000 times faster compared to lipase in solution. The fast reaction rate enabled to achieve 86.7% conversion of tributyrin in mere 2.5 min and an almost complete conversion in 10 min. The reactor lost only less than 10% of its activity even after continuous pumping through it a solution of substrate equaling 1,760 reactor volumes. Finally, potential application of this enzymatic reactor was demonstrated with the transesterification of triacylglycerides from kitchen oil to fatty acid methyl esters thus demonstrating the ability of the reactor to produce biodiesel. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Immobilization of metal-humic acid complexes in anaerobic granular sludge for their application as solid-phase redox mediators in the biotransformation of iopromide in UASB reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Zavala, Aracely S; Pat-Espadas, Aurora M; Rangel-Mendez, J Rene; Chazaro-Ruiz, Luis F; Ascacio-Valdes, Juan A; Aguilar, Cristobal N; Cervantes, Francisco J

2016-05-01

Metal-humic acid complexes were synthesized and immobilized by a granulation process in anaerobic sludge for their application as solid-phase redox mediators (RM) in the biotransformation of iopromide. Characterization of Ca- and Fe-humic acid complexes revealed electron accepting capacities of 0.472 and 0.556milli-equivalentsg(-1), respectively. Once immobilized, metal-humic acid complexes significantly increased the biotransformation of iopromide in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. Control UASB reactor (without humic material) achieved 31.6% of iopromide removal, while 80% was removed in UASB reactors supplied with each metal-humic acid complex. Further analyses indicated multiple transformation reactions taking place in iopromide including deiodination, N-dealkylation, decarboxylation and deacetylation. This is the first successful application of immobilized RM, which does not require a supporting material to maintain the solid-phase RM in long term operation of bioreactors. The proposed redox catalyst could be suitable for enhancing the redox conversion of different recalcitrant pollutants present in industrial effluents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immobilized enzyme studies in a microscale bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Francis; Forrest, Scott; Palmer, Jim; Lu, Zonghuan; Elmore, John; Elmore, Bill B

2004-01-01

Novel microreactors with immobilized enzymes were fabricated using both silicon and polymer-based microfabrication techniques. The effectiveness of these reactors was examined along with their behavior over time. Urease enzyme was successfully incorporated into microchannels of a polymeric matrix of polydimethylsiloxane and through layer-bylayer self-assembly techniques onto silicon. The fabricated microchannels had cross-sectional dimensions ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers in width and height. The experimental results for continuous-flow microreactors are reported for the conversion of urea to ammonia by urease enzyme. Urea conversions of >90% were observed.

Immobilized glucose oxidase--catalase and their deactivation in a differential-bed loop reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Prenosil, J E

1979-01-01

Glucose oxidase containing catalase was immobilized with a copolymer of phenylenediamine and glutaraldehyde on pumice and titania carrier to study the enzymatic oxidation of glucose in a differential-bed loop reactor. The reaction rate was found to be first order with respect to the concentration of limiting oxygen substrate, suggesting a strong external mass-transfer resistance for all the flow rates used. The partial pressure of oxygen was varied from 21.3 up to 202.6 kPa. The use of a differential-bed loop reactor for the determination of the active enzyme concentration in the catalyst with negligible internal pore diffusion resistance is shown. Catalyst deactivation was studied, especially with respect to the presence of catalase. It is believed that the hydrogen peroxide formed in the oxidation reaction deactivates catalase first; if an excess of catalase is present, the deactivation of glucose oxidase remains small. The mathematical model subsequently developed adequately describes the experimental results.

Reactor for Photocatalytic Degradation of Chloroform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simonsen, Morten Enggrob; Søgaard, Erik Gydesen

In the present study a new type of continuous photoreactor is developed in which the TiO2 catalyst is immobilized on the surface of quartz tubes surrounding the UV lamps and on the internal surface of the reactor walls. The study showed that an initial concentration chloroform of 7 mg/l was degra...

Safe immobilization of high-level nuclear reactor wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ringwood, A.; Kesson, S.; Ware, N.; Hibberson, W.; Major, A.

1979-01-01

The advantages and disadvantages of methods of immobilizing high-level radioactive wastes are discussed. Problems include the devitrification of glasses and the occurrence of radiation damage. An alternative method of radioctive waste immobilization is described in which the waste is incorporated in the constituent minerals of a synthetic rock, Synroc. Synroc is immune from devitrification and is composed of phases which possess crystal structures identical to those of minerals which are known to have retained radioactive elements in geological environments at elevated pressures and tempertures for long periods. The composition and mineralogy of Synroc is given and the process of immobilizing wastes in Synroc is described. Accelerated leaching tests at elevated pressures and temperatures are also described

Effect of furfural on ethanol production by S. cerevisiae in a cross-linked immobilized cell reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyer, L.J.; Vega, J.L.; Basu, R.; Clausen, E.C.; Gaddy, J.L. (Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville, AR (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering)

1992-01-01

Furfural, a browning reaction product, inhibits yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) growth and metabolism at low concentration levels in batch culture. The performance of an immobilized cell reactor (ICR) in the presence of 0-2.0 g l[sup -1] of furfural was examined. Cell growth in the ICR, with and without furfural in the media, indicated that either furfural did not impair glucose utilization, or that the negative effects of furfural were negated by increasing cell density in the reactor. Ethanol yields were constant at 0.48 g ethanol per g glucose regardless of the furfural concentration in the media. Although the specific productivity in the ICR decreased with furfural concentration, the productivity based on liquid hold-up remained constant. Furfural was depleted in the ICR during the experimental operation. Thus, furfural levels of 2.0 g 1[sup -1] or less can be tolerated by the yeast for ethanol production in the ICR without negatively affecting reactor performance. (author).

An easily regenerable enzyme reactor prepared from polymerized high internal phase emulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruan, Guihua; Wu, Zhenwei; Huang, Yipeng; Wei, Meiping; Su, Rihui; Du, Fuyou

2016-01-01

A large-scale high-efficient enzyme reactor based on polymerized high internal phase emulsion monolith (polyHIPE) was prepared. First, a porous cross-linked polyHIPE monolith was prepared by in-situ thermal polymerization of a high internal phase emulsion containing styrene, divinylbenzene and polyglutaraldehyde. The enzyme of TPCK-Trypsin was then immobilized on the monolithic polyHIPE. The performance of the resultant enzyme reactor was assessed according to the conversion ability of N_α-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester to N_α-benzoyl-L-arginine, and the protein digestibility of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome (Cyt-C). The results showed that the prepared enzyme reactor exhibited high enzyme immobilization efficiency and fast and easy-control protein digestibility. BSA and Cyt-C could be digested in 10 min with sequence coverage of 59% and 78%, respectively. The peptides and residual protein could be easily rinsed out from reactor and the reactor could be regenerated easily with 4 M HCl without any structure destruction. Properties of multiple interconnected chambers with good permeability, fast digestion facility and easily reproducibility indicated that the polyHIPE enzyme reactor was a good selector potentially applied in proteomics and catalysis areas. - Graphical abstract: Schematic illustration of preparation of hypercrosslinking polyHIPE immobilized enzyme reactor for on-column protein digestion. - Highlights: • A reactor was prepared and used for enzyme immobilization and continuous on-column protein digestion. • The new polyHIPE IMER was quite suit for protein digestion with good properties. • On-column digestion revealed that the IMER was easy regenerated by HCl without any structure destruction.

An easily regenerable enzyme reactor prepared from polymerized high internal phase emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruan, Guihua, E-mail: guihuaruan@hotmail.com [Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magnetochemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004 (China); Wu, Zhenwei; Huang, Yipeng; Wei, Meiping; Su, Rihui [Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magnetochemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guangxi 541004 (China); Du, Fuyou, E-mail: dufu2005@126.com [Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magnetochemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guangxi 541004 (China); Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004 (China)

2016-04-22

A large-scale high-efficient enzyme reactor based on polymerized high internal phase emulsion monolith (polyHIPE) was prepared. First, a porous cross-linked polyHIPE monolith was prepared by in-situ thermal polymerization of a high internal phase emulsion containing styrene, divinylbenzene and polyglutaraldehyde. The enzyme of TPCK-Trypsin was then immobilized on the monolithic polyHIPE. The performance of the resultant enzyme reactor was assessed according to the conversion ability of N{sub α}-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester to N{sub α}-benzoyl-L-arginine, and the protein digestibility of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome (Cyt-C). The results showed that the prepared enzyme reactor exhibited high enzyme immobilization efficiency and fast and easy-control protein digestibility. BSA and Cyt-C could be digested in 10 min with sequence coverage of 59% and 78%, respectively. The peptides and residual protein could be easily rinsed out from reactor and the reactor could be regenerated easily with 4 M HCl without any structure destruction. Properties of multiple interconnected chambers with good permeability, fast digestion facility and easily reproducibility indicated that the polyHIPE enzyme reactor was a good selector potentially applied in proteomics and catalysis areas. - Graphical abstract: Schematic illustration of preparation of hypercrosslinking polyHIPE immobilized enzyme reactor for on-column protein digestion. - Highlights: • A reactor was prepared and used for enzyme immobilization and continuous on-column protein digestion. • The new polyHIPE IMER was quite suit for protein digestion with good properties. • On-column digestion revealed that the IMER was easy regenerated by HCl without any structure destruction.

Continuous citric acid production in repeated-fed batch fermentation by Aspergillus niger immobilized on a new porous foam.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bin; Zhang, Xin; Sun, Wenjun; Xi, Xun; Zhao, Nan; Huang, Zichun; Ying, Zhuojun; Liu, Li; Liu, Dong; Niu, Huanqing; Wu, Jinglan; Zhuang, Wei; Zhu, Chenjie; Chen, Yong; Ying, Hanjie

2018-03-24

The efficiency of current methods for industrial production of citric acid is limited. To achieve continuous citric acid production with enhanced yield and reduced cost, immobilized fermentation was employed in an Aspergillus niger 831 repeated fed-batch fermentation system. We developed a new type of material (PAF201), which was used as a carrier for the novel adsorption immobilization system. Hydrophobicity, pore size and concentration of carriers were researched in A. niger immobilization. The efficiency of the A. niger immobilization process was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Then eight-cycle repeated fed-batch cultures for citric acid production were carried out over 600 h, which showed stable production with maximum citric acid concentrations and productivity levels of 162.7 g/L and 2.26 g L -1  h -1 , respectively. Compared with some other literatures about citric acid yield, PAF201 immobilization system is 11.3% higher than previous results. These results indicated that use of the new adsorption immobilization system could greatly improve citric acid productivity in repeated fed-batch fermentation. Moreover, these results could provide a guideline for A.niger or other filamentous fungi immobilization in industry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ethanol production by immobilized cells with forced substrate supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitani, Y.; Nishizawa, Y.; Nagai, S.

1984-01-01

Ethanol fermentation by a forced substrate supply into an immobilized cell layer was carried out to increase the ethanol production rate and to eliminate the diffusion dependency of substrate supply in an ordinary immobilized cell reaction. Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 2347 was immobilized in a mixture of k-carrageenan, locust bean gum, and celite (2: 0.5: 40 wt/vol %). A glucose minimal medium was fed into the immobilized cell layer (5 to 22 mm in thickness) at retention times between 0.6 and 2.8 h under pressure. The stable ethanol fermentation could be maintained for more than 3 weeks with an ethanol yield of 0.48 g ethanol/g glucose and ethanol productivity of 63 g.(l gel)/sup -1/.h/sup -1/ at a retention time of 1.5 h. The yeast cells were well distributed through the gel layer with a vertical gradient, and an average cell density was ca. 8.0 X 10/sup 9/ cells/ml gel, 4-fold higher than that of ordinary immobilized cells. A small filter press reactor was constructed to examine the applicability of ethanol fermentation with this forced substrate supply. The operation could be continued for a month at a retention time of 2 h yielding 96 g/l of ethanol from 200 g/l of glucose. 6 references, 5 figures, 3 tables.

Preliminary study on aerobic granular biomass formation with aerobic continuous flow reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Yulianto, Andik; Soewondo, Prayatni; Handajani, Marissa; Ariesyady, Herto Dwi

2017-03-01

A paradigm shift in waste processing is done to obtain additional benefits from treated wastewater. By using the appropriate processing, wastewater can be turned into a resource. The use of aerobic granular biomass (AGB) can be used for such purposes, particularly for the processing of nutrients in wastewater. During this time, the use of AGB for processing nutrients more reactors based on a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). Studies on the use of SBR Reactor for AGB demonstrate satisfactory performance in both formation and use. SBR reactor with AGB also has been applied on a full scale. However, the use use of SBR reactor still posses some problems, such as the need for additional buffer tank and the change of operation mode from conventional activated sludge to SBR. This gives room for further reactor research with the use of a different type, one of which is a continuous reactor. The purpose of this study is to compare AGB formation using continuous reactor and SBR with same operation parameter. Operation parameter are Organic Loading Rate (OLR) set to 2,5 Kg COD/m3.day with acetate as substrate, aeration rate 3 L/min, and microorganism from Hospital WWTP as microbial source. SBR use two column reactor with volumes 2 m3, and continuous reactor uses continuous airlift reactor, with two compartments and working volume of 5 L. Results from preliminary research shows that although the optimum results are not yet obtained, AGB can be formed on the continuous reactor. When compared with AGB generated by SBR, then the characteristics of granular diameter showed similarities, while the sedimentation rate and Sludge Volume Index (SVI) characteristics showed lower yields.

Continuous cider fermentation with co-immobilized yeast and Leuconostoc oenos cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Nedovic; Durieuxb; Van Nedervelde L; Rosseels; Vandegans; Plaisant; Simon

2000-06-01

Ca-alginate matrix was used to co-immobilize Saccharomyces bayanus and Leuconostoc oenos in one integrated biocatalytic system in order to perform simultaneously alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation of apple juice to produce cider, in a continuous packed bed bioreactor. The continuous process permitted much faster fermentation compared with the traditional batch process. The flavor formation was also better controlled. By adjusting the flow rate of feeding substrate through the bioreactor, i.e. its residence time, it was possible to obtain either "soft" or "dry" cider. However, the profile of volatile compounds in the final product was modified comparatively to the batch process, especially for higher alcohols, isoamylacetate, and diacetyl. This modification is due to different physiology states of yeast in two processes. Nevertheless, the taste of cider was quite acceptable.

Design-Only Conceptual Design Report: Plutonium Immobilization Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiSabatino, A.; Loftus, D.

1999-01-01

This design-only conceptual design report was prepared to support a funding request by the Department of Energy Office of Fissile Materials Disposition for engineering and design of the Plutonium Immobilization Plant, which will be used to immobilize up to 50 tonnes of surplus plutonium. The siting for the Plutonium Immobilization Plant will be determined pursuant to the site-specific Surplus Plutonium Disposition Environmental Impact Statement in a Plutonium Deposition Record of Decision in early 1999. This document reflects a new facility using the preferred technology (ceramic immobilization using the can-in-canister approach) and the preferred site (at Savannah River). The Plutonium Immobilization Plant accepts plutonium from pit conversion and from non-pit sources and, through a ceramic immobilization process, converts the plutonium into mineral-like forms that are subsequently encapsulated within a large canister of high-level waste glass. The final immobilized product must make the plutonium as inherently unattractive and inaccessible for use in nuclear weapons as the plutonium in spent fuel from commercial reactors and must be suitable for geologic disposal. Plutonium immobilization at the Savannah River Site uses: (1) A new building, the Plutonium Immobilization Plant, which will convert non-pit surplus plutonium to an oxide form suitable for the immobilization process, immobilize plutonium in a titanate-based ceramic form, place cans of the plutonium-ceramic forms into magazines, and load the magazines into a canister; (2) The existing Defense Waste Processing Facility for the pouring of high-level waste glass into the canisters; and (3) The Actinide Packaging and Storage Facility to receive and store feed materials. The Plutonium Immobilization Plant uses existing Savannah River Site infra-structure for analytical laboratory services, waste handling, fire protection, training, and other support utilities and services. The Plutonium Immobilization Plant

Waste incineration and immobilization for nuclear facilities. Status report, April-September 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.J.; Williams, P.M.; Burkhardt, S.C.; Ledford, J.A.; Gallagher, K.Y.

1980-01-01

The fluidized bed incinerator and waste immobilization processes are being developed to process various liquid and solid wastes that are generated by a nuclear facility. The versatility of the incinerator liquid waste handling system has been enhanced by recent changes made in the pumping and related piping system. Tributyl phosphate-solvent incineration has been evaluated thoroughly using the pilot plant fluidized bed incinerator. Vitrified glass pellets were made to determine operating parameters of a resistance-heated reactor and to produce samples for testing. Procedures were developed for testing the product pellets. A simplified start-up procedure was devised as development continued on a second type of reactor, the Joule-heated melter

Evaluation of tritium production rate in a gas-cooled reactor with continuous tritium recovery system for fusion reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuura, Hideaki, E-mail: mat@nucl.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Nakaya, Hiroyuki; Nakao, Yasuyuki [Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Shimakawa, Satoshi; Goto, Minoru; Nakagawa, Shigeaki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Oarai, Ibaraki 311-1393 (Japan); Nishikawa, Masabumi [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)

2013-10-15

Highlights: • The performance of a gas-cooled reactor as a tritium production system was studied. • A continuous tritium recovery using helium gas was considered. • Gas-cooled reactors with 3 GW output in all can produce ∼6 kg of tritium in a year • Performance of the system was examined for Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} and LiAlO{sub 2} compounds. -- Abstract: The performance of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor as a tritium production with continuous tritium recovery system is examined. A gas turbine high-temperature reactor of 300-MWe (600 MW) nominal capacity (GTHTR300) is assumed as the calculation target, and using the continuous-energy Monte Carlo transport code MVP-BURN, burn-up simulations for the three-dimensional entire-core region of the GTHTR300 were performed. A Li loading pattern for the continuous tritium recovery system in the gas-cooled reactor is presented. It is shown that module gas-cooled reactors with a total thermal output power of 3 GW in all can produce ∼6 kg of tritium maximum in a year.

Performance Study of Chromium (VI) Removal in Presence of Phenol in a Continuous Packed Bed Reactor by Escherichia coli Isolated from East Calcutta Wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Bhaswati; Indra, Suvendu; Hazra, Ditipriya; Betai, Rupal; Ray, Lalitagauri; Basu, Srabanti

2013-01-01

Organic pollutants, like phenol, along with heavy metals, like chromium, are present in various industrial effluents that pose serious health hazard to humans. The present study looked at removal of chromium (VI) in presence of phenol in a counter-current continuous packed bed reactor packed with E. coli cells immobilized on clay chips. The cells removed 85% of 500 mg/L of chromium (VI) from MS media containing glucose. Glucose was then replaced by 500 mg/L phenol. Temperature and pH of the MS media prior to addition of phenol were 30°C and 7, respectively. Hydraulic retention times of phenol- and chromium (VI)-containing synthetic media and air flow rates were varied to study the removal efficiency of the reactor system. Then temperature conditions of the reactor system were varied from 10°C to 50°C, the optimum being 30°C. The pH of the media was varied from pH 1 to pH 12, and the optimum pH was found to be 7. The maximum removal efficiency of 77.7% was achieved for synthetic media containing phenol and chromium (VI) in the continuous reactor system at optimized conditions, namely, hydraulic retention time at 4.44 hr, air flow rate at 2.5 lpm, temperature at 30°C, and pH at 7. PMID:24073400

Performance Study of Chromium (VI Removal in Presence of Phenol in a Continuous Packed Bed Reactor by Escherichia coli Isolated from East Calcutta Wetlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhaswati Chakraborty

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Organic pollutants, like phenol, along with heavy metals, like chromium, are present in various industrial effluents that pose serious health hazard to humans. The present study looked at removal of chromium (VI in presence of phenol in a counter-current continuous packed bed reactor packed with E. coli cells immobilized on clay chips. The cells removed 85% of 500 mg/L of chromium (VI from MS media containing glucose. Glucose was then replaced by 500 mg/L phenol. Temperature and pH of the MS media prior to addition of phenol were 30°C and 7, respectively. Hydraulic retention times of phenol- and chromium (VI-containing synthetic media and air flow rates were varied to study the removal efficiency of the reactor system. Then temperature conditions of the reactor system were varied from 10°C to 50°C, the optimum being 30°C. The pH of the media was varied from pH 1 to pH 12, and the optimum pH was found to be 7. The maximum removal efficiency of 77.7% was achieved for synthetic media containing phenol and chromium (VI in the continuous reactor system at optimized conditions, namely, hydraulic retention time at 4.44 hr, air flow rate at 2.5 lpm, temperature at 30°C, and pH at 7.

Ethanol production from concentrated food waste hydrolysates with yeast cells immobilized on corn stalk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Shoubao [Huainan Normal Univ., Anhui (China). School of Life Science; Chen, Xiangsong; Wu, Jingyong; Wang, Pingchao [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China). Key Lab. of Ion Beam Bio-engineering of Inst. of Plasma Physics

2012-05-15

The aim of the present study was to examine ethanol production from concentrated food waste hydrolysates using whole cells of S. cerevisiae immobilized on corn stalks. In order to improve cell immobilization efficiency, biological modification of the carrier was carried out by cellulase hydrolysis. The results show that proper modification of the carrier with cellulase hydrolysis was suitable for cell immobilization. The mechanism proposed, cellulase hydrolysis, not only increased the immobilized cell concentration, but also disrupted the sleek surface to become rough and porous, which enhanced ethanol production. In batch fermentation with an initial reducing sugar concentration of 202.64 {+-} 1.86 g/l, an optimal ethanol concentration of 87.91 {+-} 1.98 g/l was obtained using a modified corn stalk-immobilized cell system. The ethanol concentration produced by the immobilized cells was 6.9% higher than that produced by the free cells. Ethanol production in the 14th cycle repeated batch fermentation demonstrated the enhanced stability of the immobilized yeast cells. Under continuous fermentation in an immobilized cell reactor, the maximum ethanol concentration of 84.85 g/l, and the highest ethanol yield of 0.43 g/g (of reducing sugar) were achieved at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3.10 h, whereas the maximum volumetric ethanol productivity of 43.54 g/l/h was observed at a HRT of 1.55 h. (orig.)

Ethanol production in an immobilized-cell column reactor: The effects of micro-aeration and dual feeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, K

1988-01-01

Immobilized Saccharomyces cerevesiae cells adsorbed onto wood chips in a packed-bed bioreactor were used for ethanol fermentation from glucose solution. In aerobic and anaerobic batch experiments, an increase in initial glucose concentration resulted in a reduction of the specific growth rate, but no apparent glucose inhibition was found at initial glucose concentrations of ca <120 g/l. Since it is inevitable to use high substrate concentration to obtain high product concentration, experiments were performed in an immobilized-cell reactor (ICR) to examine any improvements achieved by a dual-feed mode over a continuous ICR system. The dual scheme can provide the same total amount of substrate while keeping the maximum substrate concentration to which the cells are exposed to about half of that in the single-feed case. In the dual-feed ICR, the ethanol production rate was 15% higher than that of the single-fed ICR. Experiments in skewed and vertical ICRs were performed to observe the difference in CO{sub 2} bubble removal; the bubbles were smoothly released in the skewed ICR compared to significant CO{sub 2} accumulation in the vertical ICR, and a biomass buildup on the wood surface was also observed. The experimental results indicate that trace amounts of dissolved oxygen stimulated fermentation rates, with one experiment showing a 31% improvement in ethanol productivity using aeration. At a controlled aeration rate, cells were observed to flocculate naturally onto the wood surface. Plugging of the void spaces, due to excess cell growth and intermittent CO{sub 2} holdup, was observed to begin at the base of the packed bed and progressed upward with time, thus undesirable channelling of liquid flow occurred. 200 refs., 76 figs., 21 tabs.

Substrate Specificity and Enzyme Recycling Using Chitosan Immobilized Laccase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Everton Skoronski

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The immobilization of laccase (Aspergillus sp. on chitosan by cross-linking and its application in bioconversion of phenolic compounds in batch reactors were studied. Investigation was performed using laccase immobilized via chemical cross-linking due to the higher enzymatic operational stability of this method as compared to immobilization via physical adsorption. To assess the influence of different substrate functional groups on the enzyme’s catalytic efficiency, substrate specificity was investigated using chitosan-immobilized laccase and eighteen different phenol derivatives. It was observed that 4-nitrophenol was not oxidized, while 2,5-xylenol, 2,6-xylenol, 2,3,5-trimethylphenol, syringaldazine, 2,6-dimetoxyphenol and ethylphenol showed reaction yields up 90% at 40 °C. The kinetic of process, enzyme recyclability and operational stability were studied. In batch reactors, it was not possible to reuse the enzyme when it was applied to syringaldazne bioconversion. However, when the enzyme was applied to bioconversion of 2,6-DMP, the activity was stable for eight reaction batches.

Media arrangement impacts cell growth in anaerobic fixed-bed reactors treating sugarcane vinasse: Structured vs. randomic biomass immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

de Aquino, Samuel; Fuess, Lucas Tadeu; Pires, Eduardo Cleto

2017-07-01

This study reports on the application of an innovative structured-bed reactor (FVR) as an alternative to conventional packed-bed reactors (PBRs) to treat high-strength solid-rich wastewaters. Using the FVR prevents solids from accumulating within the fixed-bed, while maintaining the advantages of the biomass immobilization. The long-term operation (330days) of a FVR and a PBR applied to sugarcane vinasse under increasing organic loads (2.4-18.0kgCODm -3 day -1 ) was assessed, focusing on the impacts of the different media arrangements over the production and retention of biomass. Much higher organic matter degradation rates, as well as long-term operational stability and high conversion efficiencies (>80%) confirmed that the FVR performed better than the PBR. Despite the equivalent operating conditions, the biomass growth yield was different in both reactors, i.e., 0.095gVSSg -1 COD (FVR) and 0.066gVSSg -1 COD (PBR), indicating a clear control of the media arrangement over the biomass production in fixed-bed reactors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activity behavior of a HPLC column including α-chymotrypsin immobilized monosized-porous particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilici, Z.; Camli, S.T.; Unsal, E.; Tuncel, A.

2004-01-01

In this study, a polymer-based, α-chymotrypsin (CT) immobilized HPLC column was prepared as a potential material for affinity-HPLC and chiral separation applications. Monosized-macroporous particles were synthesized as the support material by a relatively new polymerization protocol, the so-called, 'modified seeded polymerization'. The particles were obtained in the form of styrene-glycidyl methacrylate- divinylbenzene terpolymer approximately 11 μm in size. The particles were treated with aqueous ammonia to have primary amine groups on the porous surface. The amine functionalized particles were reacted by glutaraldehyde and the enzyme, CT, was covalently attached. CT carrying monosized-porous particles were slurry packed into the HPLC column 50 mmx4.6 mm in size. Since the activity behavior of immobilized CT played an important role in the enantiomeric separations performed by similar columns, the enzymatic activity behavior of the column produced by our protocol was determined. For this purpose, HPLC column was used as a packed bed reactor and the enzymatic reaction was continuously followed by measuring the absorbance of the output flow by the UV-detector of HPLC. S-shaped absorbance-time curves were obtained by monitoring the reactor output both in dynamic and steady-state periods. The columns with relatively lower immobilized enzyme content were more sensitive to the changes in the operating conditions and responded with more appreciable substrate conversion changes. The maximum reaction rate of the immobilized enzyme was estimated as approximately 25% of the free one by the mathematical model describing the activity behavior of the column. No significant loss was observed in the activity of the immobilized enzyme during the course of the experiments

Performance Evaluation of Monolith Based Immobilized Acetylcholinesterase Flow-Through Reactor for Copper(II Determination with Spectrophotometric Detection

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Parawee Rattanakit

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A monolith based immobilized acetylcholinesterase (AChE flow-through reactor has been developed for the determination of copper(II using flow injection spectrophotometric system. The bioreactor was prepared inside a microcapillary column by in situ polymerization of butyl methacrylate, ethylene dimethacrylate, and 2,2-dimethoxy-1,2-diphynyletane-1-one in the presence of 1-decanol, followed by vinyl azlactone functionalization and AChE immobilization. The behavior of AChE before and after being immobilized on the monolith was evaluated by kinetic parameters from Lineweaver and Burk equation. The detection was based on measuring inhibition effect on the enzymatic activity of AChE by copper(II using Ellman’s reaction with spectrophotometric detection at 410 nm. The linear range of the calibration graph was obtained over the range of 0.02–3.00 mg L−1. The detection limit, defined as 10% inhibition (I10, was found to be 0.04 mg L−1. The repeatability was 3.35 % (n=5 for 1.00 mg L−1 of copper(II. The proposed method was applied to the determination of copper(II in natural water samples with sampling rate of 4 h−1.

Modeling Lab-sized Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor (AFBR) for Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) treatment: from Batch to Continuous Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Mufti Azis, Muhammad; Sudibyo, Hanifrahmawan; Budhijanto, Wiratni

2018-03-01

Indonesia is aiming to produce 30 million tones/year of crude palm oil (CPO) by 2020. As a result, 90 million tones/year of POME will be produced. POME is highly polluting wastewater which may cause severe environmental problem due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Due to the limitation of open pond treatment, the use of AFBR has been considered as a potential technology to treat POME. This study aims to develop mathematical models of lab-sized Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor (AFBR) in batch and continuous processes. In addition, the AFBR also utilized natural zeolite as an immobilized media for microbes. To initiate the biomass growth, biodiesel waste has been used as an inoculum. In the first part of this study, a batch AFBR was operated to evaluate the COD, VFA, and CH4 concentrations. By comparing the batch results with and without zeolite, it showed that the addition of 17 g/gSCOD zeolite gave larger COD decrease within 20 days of operation. In order to elucidate the mechanism, parameter estimations of 12 kinetic parameters were proposed to describe the batch reactor performance. The model in general could describe the batch experimental data well. In the second part of this study, the kinetic parameters obtained from batch reactor were used to simulate the performance of double column AFBR where the acidogenic and methanogenic biomass were separated. The simulation showed that a relatively long residence time (Hydraulic Residence Time, HRT) was required to treat POME using the proposed double column AFBR. Sensitivity analyses was conducted and revealed that μm1 appeared to be the most sensitive parameter to reduce the HRT of double column AFBR.

Immobilization of Ion Exchange radioactive resins of the TRIGA Mark III Nuclear Reactor; Inmovilizacion de resinas de intercambio ionico radiactivas del reactor nuclear TRIGA Mark III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Martinez, H

1999-07-01

In the last decades many countries in the world have taken interest in the use, availability, and final disposal of dangerous wastes in the environment, within these, those dangerous wastes that contain radioactive material. That is why studies have been made on materials used as immobilization agent of radioactive waste that may guarantee its storage for long periods of time under drastic conditions of humidity, temperature change and biodegradation. In mexico, the development of different applications of radioactive material in the industry, medicine and investigation, have generated radioactive waste, sealed and open sources, whose require a special technological development for its management and final disposal. The present work has as a finality to develop the process and define the agglutinating material, bitumen, cement and polyester resin that permits immobilization of resins of Ionic Exchange contaminated by Barium 153, Cesium 137, Europium 152, Cobalt 60 and Manganese 54 generated from the nuclear reactor TRIGA Mark III. Ionic interchange contaminated resin must be immobilized and is analysed under different established tests by the Mexican Official Standard NOM-019-NUCL-1995 {sup L}ow level radioactive wastes package requirements for its near-surface final disposal. Immobilization of ionic interchange contaminated resins must count with the International Standards applicable in this process; in these standards, the following test must be taken in prototype examples: Free-standing water, leachability, compressive strength, biodegradation, radiation stability, thermal stability and burning rate. (Author)

Operational stability of naringinase PVA lens-shaped microparticles in batch stirred reactors and mini packed bed reactors-one step closer to industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, Mário A P; Rosa, M Emilia; Fernandes, Pedro C B; Ribeiro, Maria H L

2014-07-01

The immobilization of naringinase in PVA lens-shaped particles, a cheap and biocompatible hydrogel was shown to provide an effective biocatalyst for naringin hydrolysis, an appealing reaction in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The present work addresses the operational stability and scale-up of the bioconversion system, in various types of reactors, namely shaken microtiter plates (volume ⩽ 2 mL), batch stirred tank reactors (volume reactor (PBR, 6.8 mL). Consecutive batch runs were performed with the shaken/stirred vessels, with reproducible and encouraging results, related to operational stability. The PBR was used to establish the feasibility for continuous operation, running continuously for 54 days at 45°C. The biocatalyst activity remained constant for 40 days of continuous operation. The averaged specific productivity was 9.07 mmol h(-1) g enzyme(-1) and the half-life of 48 days. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of a biparticle fluidized-bed bioreactor for the continuous and simultaneous fermentation and purification of lactic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaufman, E. N.; Cooper, S. P.; Clement, S. L.; Little, M. H.

1994-05-01

A continuous biparticle fluidized bed reactor is developed for the simultaneous fermentation and purification of lactic acid. In this processing scheme, bacteria are immobilized in gelatin beads and are fluidized in a columnar reactor. Solid particles with sorbent capacity for the product are introduced at the top of the reactor, and fall counter currently to the biocatalyst, effecting in situ removal of the inhibitory product, while also controlling reactor pH at optimal levels. Initial long-term fermentation trials using immobilized Lactobacillus delbreuckii have demonstrated a 12 fold increase in volumetric productivity during adsorbent addition as opposed to control fermentations in the same reactor. Unoptimized regeneration of the loaded sorbent has effected at least an 8 fold concentration of lactic acid, and a 68 fold enhancement in separation from glucose compared to original levels in the fermentation broth. The benefits of this reactor system as opposed to conventional batch fermentation are discussed in terms of productivity and process economics.

Soluble and immobilized catalase. Effect of pressure and inhibition on kinetics and deactivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasudevan, P T; Thakur, D S

1994-12-01

This article examines the effect of pressure on the steady-state kinetics and long-term deactivation of the enzyme catalase supported on porous alumina. The reaction studied is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The results of studies carried out in a continuous stirred-tank reactor under isothermal conditions are presented and compared with results obtained for soluble catalase. For soluble catalase, it is found that in the range of pressures studied, the oxygen flow rate increases with increase in pressure up to a certain value and then decreases. Hydrogen peroxide concentration appears to have a strong influence on pressure effects. With immobilized catalase, the pressure effects are not as prominent. Fluorescent microscopy studies of the immobilized enzyme suggest that this is probably because of pore diffusional limitations.

Continuous Production of Dextran from Immobilized Cells of Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 Using Acrylamide as a Support

OpenAIRE

Qader, Shah Ali Ul; Aman, Afsheen; Azhar, Abid

2011-01-01

The cells of L. mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 were immobilized for the production of dextran on acrylamide gel and gel concentration was optimized for maximum entrapment. Sucrose at substrate concentration of 10% produced high yield of dextran at 25°C with a percent conversion of 5.82 while at 35°C it was 3.5. However, increasing levels of sucrose diminished dextran yields. The free cells stopped producing dextran after 144 h, while immobilized cells continued to produce dextran even after 480 h. M...

Immobilization of Yarrowia lipolytica lipase Ylip2 for the biocatalytic synthesis of phytosterol ester in a water activity controlled reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Caixia; Guan, Nan; Xing, Chen; Chen, Biqiang; Tan, Tianwei

2016-10-01

In this work, phytosterol ester was synthesized using Yarrowia lipolytica lipase Ylip2 that had been immobilized on inorganic support in a solvent-free system and reacted in a computer-aided water activity controlled bioreactor. The immobilization of Ylip2 on celite led to a remarkable increase in the phytosterol conversion compared to that of free lipase. An investigation of the reaction conditions were oleic acid as the fatty acid variety, 10,000U/g substrate, and a temperature of 50°C for phytosterol ester synthesis. Controlling of the water activity at a set point was accomplished by the introduction of dry air through the reaction medium at a digital feedback controlled flow rate. For the esterification of phytosterol ester, a low (15%) water activity resulted in a considerable improvement in phytosterol conversion (91.1%) as well as a decreased reaction time (78h). Furthermore, Ylip2 lipase immobilized on celite retained 90% esterification activity for the synthesis of phytosterol oleate after reused 8 cycles, while free lipase was only viable for 5 batches with 90% esterification activity remained. Finally, the phytosterol oleate space time yield increased from 1.65g/L/h with free lipase to 2.53g/L/h with immobilized lipase. These results illustrate that the immobilized Yarrowia lipolytica lipase Ylip2 in a water activity controlled reactor has great potential for the application in phytosterol esters synthesis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Continuous Heterogeneous Photocatalysis in Serial Micro-Batch Reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieber, Bartholomäus; Shalom, Menny; Antonietti, Markus; Seeberger, Peter H; Gilmore, Kerry

2018-01-29

Solid reagents, leaching catalysts, and heterogeneous photocatalysts are commonly employed in batch processes but are ill-suited for continuous-flow chemistry. Heterogeneous catalysts for thermal reactions are typically used in packed-bed reactors, which cannot be penetrated by light and thus are not suitable for photocatalytic reactions involving solids. We demonstrate that serial micro-batch reactors (SMBRs) allow for the continuous utilization of solid materials together with liquids and gases in flow. This technology was utilized to develop selective and efficient fluorination reactions using a modified graphitic carbon nitride heterogeneous catalyst instead of costly homogeneous metal polypyridyl complexes. The merger of this inexpensive, recyclable catalyst and the SMBR approach enables sustainable and scalable photocatalysis. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anaerobic digestion of grain stillage at high organic loading rates in three different reactor systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Thomas; Pröter, Jürgen; Scholwin, Frank; Nelles, Michael

2013-01-01

In this study the anaerobic digestion of grain stillage in three different reactor systems (continuous stirred tank reactor, anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, fixed bed reactor) with and without immobilization of microorganisms was investigated to evaluate the performance during increase of the organic loading rate (OLR) from 1 to 10 g of volatile solids (VS) per liter reactor volume and day and decrease of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 40 to 6 days. No significant differences have been observed between the performances of the three examined reactor systems. The changes in OLR and HRT caused a reduction of the specific biogas production (SBP) of about 25% from about 650 to 550 L kg −1 of VS but would also diminish the necessary digester volume and investment costs of about 75% compared to the state of the art. -- Highlights: ► It was shown that without immobilization of microorganisms low HRT's are possible. ► No significant differences have been observed between different digester designs. ► Trace element supplementation is obligatory with grain stillage as substrate

Immobilization of periodate oxidized invertase by adsorption on sepiolite

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RADIVOJE M. PRODANOVIC

2003-11-01

Full Text Available Periodate oxidized invertase was immobilized by adsorption on sepiolite. The obtained immobilized enzyme was more resistant to washing out by concentrated salt solution, and had an eight times higher half-life at 60ºC than adsorbed native invertase. In packed bed reactor 50 % conversion of 500 g/dm3 sucrose at 40ºC and a flow rate of 1 bv/h was achieved. The specific productivity of the immobilized invertase was 0.187 kg/dm3/h.

Growth and substrate consumption of Nitrobacter agilis cells immobilized in carrageenan: part 1. Dynamic modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

de Gooijer, C D; Wijffels, R H; Tramper, J

1991-07-01

The modeling of the growth of Nitrobacter agilis cell immobilized in kappa-carrageenan is presented. A detailed description is given of the modeling of internal diffusion and growth of cells in the support matrix in addition to external mass transfer resistance. The model predicts the substrate and biomass profiles in the support as well as the macroscopic oxygen consumption rate of the immobilized biocatalyst in time. The model is tested by experiments with continuously operated airlift loop reactors containing cells immobilized in kappa-carrageenan. The model describes experimental data very well. It is clearly shown that external mass transfer may not be neglected. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the parameters at their values during the experiments revealed that apart from the radius of the spheres and the substrate bulk concentration, the external mass transfer resistance coefficient is the most sensitive parameter for our case.

Biofilm reactors for ethanol production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega, J L; Clausen, E C; Gaddy, J L

1988-07-01

Whole cell immobilization has been studied in the laboratory during the last few years as a method to improve the performance and economics of most fermentation processes. Among the various techniques available for cell immobilization, methods that provide generation of a biofilm offer reduced diffusional resistance, high productivities, and simple operation. This paper reviews some of the important aspects of biofilm reactors for ethanol production, including reactor start-up, steady state behavior, process stability, and mathematical modeling. Special emphasis is placed on covalently bonded Saccharomyces cerevisiae in packed bed reactors.

Continuous Reusability using Immobilized HasApf in Chemoenzymatic Deracemization: A New Heterogeneous Enzyme Catalysis

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Hiroyuki Nagaoka

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This study found that the calibration curve of heme acquisition system A (HasA, a new reactive active species immobilized by a porous ceramic particle (ImHApf; immobilized HasA from Pseudomonas fluorescens can be constructed in the range of 1750–1450 cm−1 using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR analysis, and evaluated its catalytic efficiency. In the asymmetric oxidation of rac-1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-ylethanol (rac-1: a naproxen precursor, a product ketone from the (R-isomer is desymmetrized using NaBH4 and continuously reused even if treated with an organic solvent in 50 mM glycine–NaOH buffer at 40 °C in the absence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(P, leading to >99% enantiomeric excess and >90% chemical yield; the activity was calculated at 0.74 ± 0.03 mU/(mg·min and the turnover number was determined to be approximately 2 × 106. It was confirmed that the other sec-alcohols such as rac-1-(2-naphthylethanol (rac-2 and m- and p-substituted rac-1-phenyl ethanols (rac-3ab–6ab using ImHApf can also yield a single stereoisomer from a racemate. Therefore, HasA immobilization can be expected to become an important tool for building an environmentally friendly system that promotes industrial sustainability.

Acetylcholinesterase immobilized capillary reactors coupled to protein coated magnetic beads: A new tool for plant extract ligand screening

OpenAIRE

Vanzolini, Kenia Lourenço; Jiang, Zhengjin; Zhang, Xiaoqi; Vieira, Lucas Campos Curcino; Corrêa, Arlene Gonçalvez; Cardoso, Carmen Lucia; Cass, Quezia Bezerra; Moaddel, Ruin

2013-01-01

The use of immobilized capillary enzyme reactors (ICERs) and enzymes coated to magnetic beads ((NT or CT)-MB) for ligand screening has been adopted as a new technique of high throughput screening (HTS). In this work the selected target was the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which acts on the central nervous system and is a validated target for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as for new insecticides. A new approach for the screening of plant extracts was developed based on t...

Use of tower reactors for continuous ethanol production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.C. Viegas

2002-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to develop a continuous fermentation system operating with a tower reactor using some flocculent yeast strains isolated from an industrial process. The strain was an used in the trial of the proposed system, composed of two serial glass tower reactor. The effects of the following variables were studied on the yield and productivity of the system: total reducing sugar (TRS, concentration in feeding, recycle flow in the second reactor, residence time and diameter/height ratio of the reactors. It was observed that the TRS concentration in feeding and residence time is the variables that interfere most with the productivity of the system. Yield was not affected by any of the variables within the range of values studied. All trials were performed according to a factorial experimental design (making up a total of 19 trials and the results were evaluated by response surface.

Microorganism immobilization

Science.gov (United States)

Compere, Alicia L.; Griffith, William L.

1981-01-01

Live metabolically active microorganisms are immobilized on a solid support by contacting particles of aggregate material with a water dispersible polyelectrolyte such as gelatin, crosslinking the polyelectrolyte by reacting it with a crosslinking agent such as glutaraldehyde to provide a crosslinked coating on the particles of aggregate material, contacting the coated particles with live microorganisms and incubating the microorganisms in contact with the crosslinked coating to provide a coating of metabolically active microorganisms. The immobilized microorganisms have continued growth and reproduction functions.

A feasible enzymatic process for D-tagatose production by an immobilized thermostable L-arabinose isomerase in a packed-bed bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hye-Jung; Ryu, Se-Ah; Kim, Pil; Oh, Deok-Kun

2003-01-01

To develop a feasible enzymatic process for d-tagatose production, a thermostable l-arabinose isomerase, Gali152, was immobilized in alginate, and the galactose isomerization reaction conditions were optimized. The pH and temperature for the maximal galactose isomerization reaction were pH 8.0 and 65 degrees C in the immobilized enzyme system and pH 7.5 and 60 degrees C in the free enzyme system. The presence of manganese ion enhanced galactose isomerization to tagatose in both the free and immobilized enzyme systems. The immobilized enzyme was more stable than the free enzyme at the same pH and temperature. Under stable conditions of pH 8.0 and 60 degrees C, the immobilized enzyme produced 58 g/L of tagatose from 100 g/L galactose in 90 h by batch reaction, whereas the free enzyme produced 37 g/L tagatose due to its lower stability. A packed-bed bioreactor with immobilized Gali152 in alginate beads produced 50 g/L tagatose from 100 g/L galactose in 168 h, with a productivity of 13.3 (g of tagatose)/(L-reactor.h) in continuous mode. The bioreactor produced 230 g/L tagatose from 500 g/L galactose in continuous recycling mode, with a productivity of 9.6 g/(L.h) and a conversion yield of 46%.

Hydrolysis of cellulose in a cellulase-bead fluidized bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karube, I; Tanaka, S; Shirai, T; Suzuki, S

1977-08-01

Cellulase was immobilized in a collagen fibril matrix, and no leakage of cellulase from the collagen fibril matrix was observed. The immobilized cellulase was more stable than the native cellulase. The substrate cellulose was hydrolyzed quantitatively with immobilized cellulase. The final reaction product was identified as glucose. Immobilized cellulase was used in a fluidized bed reactor where the pressure drop of the fluidized bed reactor was low and constant. Cellulose was hydrolyzed to glucose by the cellulase-bead fluidized bed reactor. The minimum flow velocity (U/sub mf/) was 0.5 cm/sec and the optimum flow velocity of the cellulose hydrolysis was 1 cm/sec.

MODELLING AND CONTROL OF CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR WITH PID CONTROLLER

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Artur Wodołażski

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a model of dynamics control for continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR in methanol synthesis in a three-phase system. The reactor simulation was carried out for steady and transient state. Efficiency ratio to achieve maximum performance of the product per reactor unit volume was calculated. Reactor dynamics simulation in closed loop allowed to received data for tuning PID controller (proportional-integral-derivative. The results of the regulation process allow to receive data for optimum reactor production capacity, along with local hot spots eliminations or temperature runaway.

Production of D-tagatose at high temperatures using immobilized Escherichia coli cells expressing L-arabinose isomerase from Thermotoga neapolitana.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Young-Ho; Lee, Dong-Woo; Lee, Sang-Jae; Choe, Eun-Ah; Kim, Seong-Bo; Lee, Yoon-Hee; Cheigh, Chan-Ick; Pyun, Yu-Ryang

2007-04-01

Escherichia coli cells expressing L-arabinose isomerase from Thermotoga neapolitana (TNAI) were immobilized in calcium alginate beads. The resulting cell reactor (2.4 U, t (1/2) = 43 days at 70 degrees C) in a continuous recycling mode at 70 degrees C produced 49 and 38 g D-tagatose/l from 180 and 90 g D-galactose/l, respectively, within 12 h.

Interfacial reaction using particle-immobilized reagents in a fluidized reactor. Determination of glycerol in biodiesel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shishov, Andrey, E-mail: andrey.shishov.rus@gmail.com [Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, RU–198504 Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation); Zabrodin, Andrey; Moskvin, Leonid [Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, RU–198504 Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation); Andruch, Vasil [Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of P.J. Šafárik, SK-04154 Košice (Slovakia); Bulatov, Andrey [Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, RU–198504 Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2016-03-31

A novel fluidized beads strategy for utilization of particle-immobilized reagents in flow analysis was developed in this study. The performance of the suggested strategy was demonstrated by the determination of glycerol in biodiesel. This analytical task was used as a proof-of-concept example. The method is based on on-line extraction of glycerol from biodiesel into aqueous stationary phase of extraction-chromatographic column, followed by elution and spectrophotometric determination in the form of copper glycerate formed in a fluidized reactor of stepwise injection system. The floating of cation exchange resin Dowex{sup ®} 50WX4, saturated with Cu(II) ions in liquid phase, was accomplished by air-bubbling. The linear range was from 100 to 1000 mg kg{sup −1}, and the limit of detection, calculated as 3s of a blank test (n = 5), was found to be 30 mg kg{sup −1}. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of biodiesel and biodiesel-blend (B 20) samples. - Highlights: • Novel fluidized beds strategy for utilization of particle-immobilized reagents. • First application of fluidized beds condition in SWIA. • Novel approach based on interfacial formation of copper glycerate. • Automated method for glycerol determination in biodiesel.

Oxygen Limited Bioreactors System For Nitrogen Removal Using Immobilized Mix Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Pathak, B. K.; Sumino, T.; Saiki, Y.; Kazama, F.

2005-12-01

Recently nutrients concentrations especially nitrogen in natural water is alarming in the world wide. Most of the effort is being done on the removal of high concentration of nitrogen especially from the wastewater treatment plants. The removal efficiency is targeted in all considering the effluent discharge standard set by the national environment agency. In many cases, it does not meet the required standard and receiving water is being polluted. Eutrophication in natural water bodies has been reported even if the nitrogen concentration is low and self purification of natural systems itself is not sufficient to remove the nitrogen due to complex phenomenon. In order to recover the pristine water environment, it is very essential to explore bioreactor systems for natural water systems using immobilized mix culture. Microorganism were entrapped in Polyethylene glycol (PEG) prepolymer gel and cut into 3mm cubic immobilized pellets. Four laboratory scale micro bio-reactors having 0.1 L volumes were packed with immobilized pellets with 50% compact ratio. RUN1, RUN2, RUN3 and RUN4 were packed with immobilized pellets from reservoirs sediments, activated sludge (AS), mixed of AS, AG and biodegradable plastic and anaerobic granules (AG) respectively. Water from Shiokawa Reservoirs was feed to all reactors with supplemental ammonia and nitrite nitrogen as specified in the results and discussions. The reactors were operated dark incubated room in continuous flow mode with hydraulic retention time of 12 hours under oxygen limiting condition. Ammonium, nitrate nitrite nitrogen and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were measured as described in APWA and AWWA (1998). Laboratory scale four bioreactors containing different combination of immobilized cell were monitored for 218 days. Influent NH4+-N and NO2--N concentration were 2.27±0.43 and 2.05±0.41 mg/l respectively. Average dissolved oxygen concentration and pH in the reactors were 0.40-2.5 mg/l and pH 6

Optimization and control of a continuous polymerization reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. A. Alvarez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This work studies the optimization and control of a styrene polymerization reactor. The proposed strategy deals with the case where, because of market conditions and equipment deterioration, the optimal operating point of the continuous reactor is modified significantly along the operation time and the control system has to search for this optimum point, besides keeping the reactor system stable at any possible point. The approach considered here consists of three layers: the Real Time Optimization (RTO, the Model Predictive Control (MPC and a Target Calculation (TC that coordinates the communication between the two other layers and guarantees the stability of the whole structure. The proposed algorithm is simulated with the phenomenological model of a styrene polymerization reactor, which has been widely used as a benchmark for process control. The complete optimization structure for the styrene process including disturbances rejection is developed. The simulation results show the robustness of the proposed strategy and the capability to deal with disturbances while the economic objective is optimized.

Consumption of ammonia-nitrogen by aob in immobilized batch ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the performance of bio-filters immobilized nitrifying bacteria, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In particular, it was to assess the consumption of ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) by the AOB. The experiment was conducted in a one litre reactor.The reactor consisted of ...

Butyl acetate synthesis using immobilized lipase in calcium alginate beads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Zulkhairi Abdul Rahim; Lee, Pat M.; Lee, Kong H.

2008-01-01

The esterification reaction of acetic acid and n-butanol using immobilized lipase encapsulated in calcium alginate beads (Lipase - CAB) and in chitosan coated calcium alginate beads (Lipase-CCAB) in n-hexane under mild reaction conditions were studied. Effects of temperature and substrate concentration (acetic acid and n-butanol) using Lipase - CAB, Lipase - CCAB and free lipase on the esterification reaction and their thermal stability towards esterification reaction were investigated. Results of temperature studies showed that the butyl acetate conversion increased with increase of temperature and reached the highest yield of about 70% around 50 degree Celsius for both immobilized systems but the yield of product catalyzed by free enzyme decreased as temperature was increased. Thermal stabilities studies showed that the Lipase-CCAB and Lipase-CAB were stable throughout the temperature range of 30-60 degree Celsius. However, free lipase became less stable at temperatures higher than 50 degree Celsius. The substrates, n-butanol and acetic acid exerted different effects on the esterification reaction and the reaction was favoured by higher acetic acid concentration than butanol. Kinetics parameters, Km and Vmax values for both substrates and the specific activities of the three enzyme system were also determined. The beads morphology was examined using SEM. Batch-wise operational stability studies for both immobilized systems demonstrated that the immobilized lipase performed better in the batch wise reactor system than the continuous bioreactor system and that the immobilized lipase remained active for at least 5 cycles of batch wise esterification reactions. (author)

Immobilization of preconditioned spent fuel from nuclear research reactors in a ceramic matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russo, Diego O.; Rodriguez, Diego S.; Heredia, Arturo D.; Sanfilippo, Miguel; Sterba, Mario E.; Mateos, Patricia

2002-01-01

The fuel elements from nuclear research reactors consist in a laminated sandwich of aluminum with a core of some uranium compound. To process this material its necessary to previously eliminate the aluminum covering the fuel, before the conditioning of the rest of the fuel in a stable matrix, in order to obtain an acceptable waste form for a subsequent disposition in a geological repository. Normally, mechanical and chemical methods are proposed for that purpose. One of the most developed techniques for immobilization of the radioactive elements above mentioned, is the vitrification. In this work we propose a method named CERUS (in Spanish Ceramizacion de Elementos Radiactivos con Uranio Sinterizado - Ceramization of radioactive elements with sintered uranium). This is a sinterization of the pre-treated fuel elements mixed with natural uranium oxide. The properties of the blocks obtained are adequate for final disposal in a deep geological reservoir. (author)

Improvement of Taihu water quality by the technology of immobilized nitrogen cycle bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhengkui; Zhang Weidong; Zhu Jiating; Pu Peimin; Hu Weipin; Hu Chunhua; Chen Baojun; Li Bo; Cheng Xiaoying; Zhang Shengzhao; Fan Yunqi

2002-01-01

Experimental studies were carried out on the purification of eutrophic Taihu Lake water by dynamic experiment using immobilized nitrogen cycle bacteria (INCB). The results showed that the eutrophic water of Taihu Lake can be purified effectively as it passes through the experimental reactor into which some immobilized nitrogen cycle bacteria were put. The removal efficiencies for Total N (TN), NH 4 + -N with immobilized nitrogen cycle bacteria were 72.4% and 85.6%, respectively. It was found that the immobilized nitrogen cycle bacteria also have purificatory effect on eutrophic water of Taihu Lake at winter temperature (7 degree C), and that the removal efficiencies for Total N (TN), NH 4 + -N were 55.6%, and 58.9%, respectively. The removal efficiencies for TN and NH 4 + -N depend on the time the water stays in the experimental reactor

Flow synthesis of phenylserine using threonine aldolase immobilized on Eupergit support

Science.gov (United States)

Tibhe, Jagdish D; Fu, Hui; Noël, Timothy; Wang, Qi; Meuldijk, Jan

2013-01-01

Summary Threonine aldolase (TA) from Thermotoga maritima was immobilized on an Eupergit support by both a direct and an indirect method. The incubation time for the direct immobilization method was optimized for the highest amount of enzyme on the support. By introducing the immobilized TA in a packed-bed microreactor, a flow synthesis of phenylserine was developed, and the effects of temperature and residence time were studied in particular. Calculations of the Damköhler number revealed that no mass transfer limitations are given in the micro-interstices of the packed bed. The yield does not exceed 40% and can be rationalized by the natural equilibrium as well as product inhibition which was experimentally proven. The flow synthesis with the immobilized enzyme was compared with the corresponding transformation conducted with the free enzyme. The product yield was further improved by operating under slug flow conditions which is related to the very short residence time distribution. In all cases 20% diastereomeric excess (de) and 99% enantiomeric excess (ee) were observed. A continuous run of the reactant solution was carried out for 10 hours in order to check enzyme stability at higher temperature. Stable operation was achieved at 20 minute residence time. Finally, the productivity of the reactor was calculated, extrapolated to parallel run units, and compared with data collected previously. PMID:24204429

Flow synthesis of phenylserine using threonine aldolase immobilized on Eupergit support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jagdish D. Tibhe

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Threonine aldolase (TA from Thermotoga maritima was immobilized on an Eupergit support by both a direct and an indirect method. The incubation time for the direct immobilization method was optimized for the highest amount of enzyme on the support. By introducing the immobilized TA in a packed-bed microreactor, a flow synthesis of phenylserine was developed, and the effects of temperature and residence time were studied in particular. Calculations of the Damköhler number revealed that no mass transfer limitations are given in the micro-interstices of the packed bed. The yield does not exceed 40% and can be rationalized by the natural equilibrium as well as product inhibition which was experimentally proven. The flow synthesis with the immobilized enzyme was compared with the corresponding transformation conducted with the free enzyme. The product yield was further improved by operating under slug flow conditions which is related to the very short residence time distribution. In all cases 20% diastereomeric excess (de and 99% enantiomeric excess (ee were observed. A continuous run of the reactant solution was carried out for 10 hours in order to check enzyme stability at higher temperature. Stable operation was achieved at 20 minute residence time. Finally, the productivity of the reactor was calculated, extrapolated to parallel run units, and compared with data collected previously.

Immobilized enzyme reactor chromatography: Optimization of protein retention and enzyme activity in monolithic silica stationary phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besanger, Travis R.; Hodgson, Richard J.; Green, James R.A.; Brennan, John D.

2006-01-01

Our group recently reported on the application of protein-doped monolithic silica columns for immobilized enzyme reactor chromatography, which allowed screening of enzyme inhibitors present in mixtures using mass spectrometry for detection. The enzyme was immobilized by entrapment within a bimodal meso/macroporous silica material prepared by a biocompatible sol-gel processing route. While such columns proved to be useful for applications such as screening of protein-ligand interactions, significant amounts of entrapped proteins leached from the columns owing to the high proportion of macropores within the materials. Herein, we describe a detailed study of factors affecting the morphology of protein-doped bioaffinity columns and demonstrate that specific pH values and concentrations of poly(ethylene glycol) can be used to prepare essentially mesoporous columns that retain over 80% of initially loaded enzyme in an active and accessible form and yet still retain sufficient porosity to allow pressure-driven flow in the low μL/min range. Using the enzyme γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), we further evaluated the catalytic constants of the enzyme entrapped in capillary columns with different silica morphologies as a function of flowrate and backpressure using the enzyme reactor assay mode. It was found that the apparent activity of the enzyme was highest in mesoporous columns that retained high levels of enzyme. In such columns, enzyme activity increased by ∼2-fold with increases in both flowrate (from 250 to 1000 nL/min) and backpressure generated (from 500 to 2100 psi) during the chromatographic activity assay owing to increases in k cat and decreases in K M , switching from diffusion controlled to reaction controlled conditions at ca. 2000 psi. These results suggest that columns with minimal macropore volumes (<5%) are advantageous for the entrapment of soluble proteins for bioaffinity and bioreactor chromatography

Full-Scale Continuous Mini-Reactor Setup for Heterogeneous Grignard Alkylation of a Pharmaceutical Intermediate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Michael Jønch; Holm, Thomas; Rahbek, Jesper P.

2013-01-01

A reactor setup consisting of two reactors in series has been implemented for a full-scale, heterogeneous Grignard alkylation. Solutions pass from a small filter reactor into a static mixer reactor with multiple side entries, thus combining continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and plug flow...

Immobilization of IFR salt wastes in mortar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, D.F.; Johnson, T.R.

1988-01-01

Portland cement-base mortars are being considered for immobilizing chloride salt wastes from the fuel cycle of an integral fast reactor (IFR). The IFR is a sodium-cooled fast reactor with metal fuel. It has a close-coupled fuel cycle in which fission products are separated from the actinides in an electrochemical cell operating at 500 degrees C. This cell has a cadmium anode and a liquid salt electrolyte. The salt will be a low-melting mixture of alkaline and alkaline earth chlorides. This paper discusses one method being considered for immobilizing this treated salt, to disperse it in a portland cement-base motar, which would then be sealed in corrosion-resistant containers. For this application, the grout must be sufficiently fluid that it can be pumped into canisters where it will solidify into a strong, leach-resistant material

Bio-hydrogen production from molasses by anaerobic fermentation in continuous stirred tank reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Wei; Li, Yong-feng; Chen, Hong; Deng, Jie-xuan; Yang, Chuan-ping

2010-11-01

A study of bio-hydrogen production was performed in a continuous flow anaerobic fermentation reactor (with an available volume of 5.4 L). The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for bio-hydrogen production was operated under the organic loading rates (OLR) of 8-32 kg COD/m3 reactor/d (COD: chemical oxygen demand) with molasses as the substrate. The maximum hydrogen production yield of 8.19 L/d was obtained in the reactor with the OLR increased from 8 kg COD/m3 reactor/d to 24 kg COD/m3 d. However, the hydrogen production and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) drastically decreased at an OLR of 32 kg COD/m3 reactor/d. Ethanoi, acetic, butyric and propionic were the main liquid fermentation products with the percentages of 31%, 24%, 20% and 18%, which formed the mixed-type fermentation.

The operation characteristics of biohydrogen production in continuous stirred tank reactor with molasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, C.; Wei, H.; Jie-xuan, D.; Xin, Y.; Chuan-ping, Y. [Northeast Forestry Univ., Harbin (China). School of Forestry; Li, Y.F. [Northeast Forestry Univ., Harbin (China). School of Forestry; Shanghai Univ. Engineering, Shanghai (China). College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

2010-07-01

The anaerobic fermentation biohydrogen production in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was investigated as a means for treating molasses wastewater. The research demonstrated that the reactor has the capacity of continuously producing hydrogen in an initial biomass (as volatile suspension solids) of 17.74 g/L, temperature of approximately 35 degrees Celsius, hydraulic retention time of 6 hours. The reactor could begin the ethanol-type fermentation in 12 days and realize stable hydrogen production. The study also showed that the CSTR reactor has a favourable stability even with an organic shock loading. The hydrogen yield and chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased, as did the hydrogen content.

Hydrolysis of inulin from Jerusalem artichoke by inulinase immobilized on aminoethylcellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, W.Y.; Byun, S.M.; Uhm, T.B.

1982-01-01

Purified inulinase (I, EC 3.2.1.7) of Kluyveromyces fragilis was immobilized on 2-aminoethylcellulose by treatment with 2% glutaraldehyde in 0.05M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, for 2 hours at room temperature. The immobilized enzyme preparation had 39.3 units I activity/dried matrix, with 53.4% recovery yield of activity, and showed good operational stability in the presence of substrate, inulin or the tuber extract of Jerusalem artichoke. Optimum pH and temperature were 5.5 and 45 degrees, respectively. In a batch reactor, the conversion was 90% (D-fructose/D-glucose = 76/24) and 34 mg D-fructose/mL was produced from the artichoke tuber extract by the immobilized I in 20 hours. In column reactor packed with 28 mL immobilized I, the following conditions were optimal: height/diameter ratio of column 10.3 space time 3.8 hours temperature 40 degrees. Operation under these conditions gave 90% conversion of a 7% inulin solution and the productivity was 102 mmol/L/h.

Immobilized TiO2 for Phenol Degradation in a Pilot-Scale Photocatalytic Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylwia Mozia

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Phenol degradation was carried out in a photocatalytic pilot plant reactor equipped with a UV/vis mercury lamp. The total volume of treated water was equal to 1.35 m3. TiO2 P25 was used as a photocatalyst and it was immobilized on two different supports: (i a steel mesh and (ii a fiberglass cloth. Moreover, the performance of commercially available Photospheres-40 was examined. In addition, an experiment in the absence of a photocatalyst was conducted. The commercially available Photospheres-40 were found to be inadequate for the presented application due to their fragility, which in connection with vigorous mixing and pumping led to their mechanical destruction and loss of floating abilities. The highest effectiveness of phenol decomposition and mineralization was observed in the presence of TiO2 supported on the fiberglass cloth. After 15 h of the process, phenol and total organic carbon concentrations decreased by ca. 80% and 50%, respectively.

Production of cellulase from immobilized Trichoderma reesei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasai, Noboru; Tamada, Masao; Kumakura, Minoru

1989-05-01

This report completed the results that obtained on the study of the enzyme activity in the culture of immobilized Trichoderma reesei cells in flask scale (100ml) and bench scale (30l). In the flask scale culture, the batch and repeated batch culture were carried out, and in the bench scale culture, the batch, repeated batch and continuous culture were done by using a culture equipment that is an unit process of the bench scale test plant for saccharification of cellulosic wastes. The enzyme activity of the immobilized cells was higher than that of the intact cells in the flask scale culture and it was confirmed that the enzyme activity was not decreased on the repeated batch culture of six times even. In the bench scale culture, it was found that a optimum culture condition of the immobilized cells was not different from that of the free cells and the immobilized cells gave the enzyme solution with a high enzyme activity in the culture condition of 450rpm stirring speed and air supply of 0.1v/v/m above. The technique of the repeated batch and continuous culture for long times in bench scale without contamination was established. The enzyme activity of the immobilized cells in continuous culture became to be 85 % to that in batch culture and it was found that the enzyme solution with high enzyme activity was continuously obtained in the continuous culture for long times. (author)

Kinetics of propionate conversion in anaerobic continuously stirred tank reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bangsø Nielsen, Henrik; Mladenovska, Zuzana; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

2008-01-01

The kinetic parameters of anaerobic propionate degradation by biomass from 7 continuously stirred tank reactors differing in temperature, hydraulic retention time and substrate composition were investigated. In substrate-depletion experiments (batch) the maximum propionate degradation rate, A......-m, was estimated. The results demonstrate that the rate of endogenous substrate (propionate) production should be taken into account when estimating kinetic parameters in biomass from manure-based anaerobic reactors....

Surface cell immobilization within perfluoroalkoxy microchannels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stojkovič, Gorazd; Krivec, Matic [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 5, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Vesel, Alenka [Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Marinšek, Marjan [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 5, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Žnidaršič-Plazl, Polona, E-mail: polona.znidarsic@fkkt.uni-lj.si [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 5, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2014-11-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A very efficient approach for immobilization of cells into microreactors is presented. • It is applicable to various materials, including PFA and cyclic olefin (co)polymers. • It was used to immobilize different prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes. • Cells were immobilized on the surface in high density and showed good stability. • Mechanisms of APTES interactions with target materials are proposed. - Abstract: Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) is one of the most promising materials for the fabrication of cheap, solvent resistant and reusable microfluidic chips, which have been recently recognized as effective tools for biocatalytic process development. The application of biocatalysts significantly depends on efficient immobilization of enzymes or cells within the reactor enabling long-term biocatalyst use. Functionalization of PFA microchannels by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (ATPES) and glutaraldehyde was used for rapid preparation of microbioreactors with surface-immobilized cells. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to accurately monitor individual treatment steps and to select conditions for cell immobilization. The optimized protocol for Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilization on PFA microchannel walls comprised ethanol surface pretreatment, 4 h contacting with 10% APTES aqueous solution, 10 min treatment with 1% glutaraldehyde and 20 min contacting with cells in deionized water. The same protocol enabled also immobilization of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis cells on PFA surface in high densities. Furthermore, the developed procedure has been proved to be very efficient also for surface immobilization of tested cells on other materials that are used for microreactor fabrication, including glass, polystyrene, poly (methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, and two olefin-based polymers, namely Zeonor{sup ®} and Topas{sup ®}.

Novel regenerative large-volume immobilized enzyme reactor: preparation, characterization and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Guihua; Wei, Meiping; Chen, Zhengyi; Su, Rihui; Du, Fuyou; Zheng, Yanjie

2014-09-15

A novel large-volume immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) on small column was prepared with organic-inorganic hybrid silica particles and applied for fast (10 min) and oriented digestion of protein. At first, a thin enzyme support layer was formed in the bottom of the small column by polymerization with α-methacrylic acid and dimethacrylate. After that, amino SiO2 particles was prepared by the sol-gel method with tetraethoxysilane and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Subsequently, the amino SiO2 particles were activated by glutaraldehyde for covalent immobilization of trypsin. Digestive capability of large-volume IMER for proteins was investigated by using bovine serum albumin (BSA), cytochrome c (Cyt-c) as model proteins. Results showed that although the sequence coverage of the BSA (20%) and Cyt-c (19%) was low, the large-volume IMER could produce peptides with stable specific sequence at 101-105, 156-160, 205-209, 212-218, 229-232, 257-263 and 473-451 of the amino sequence of BSA when digesting 1mg/mL BSA. Eight of common peptides were observed during each of the ten runs of large-volume IMER. Besides, the IMER could be easily regenerated by reactivating with GA and cross-linking with trypsin after breaking the -C=N- bond by 0.01 M HCl. The sequence coverage of BSA from regenerated IMER increased to 25% comparing the non-regenerated IMER (17%). 14 common peptides. accounting for 87.5% of first use of IMER, were produced both with IMER and regenerated IMER. When the IMER was applied for ginkgo albumin digestion, the sequence coverage of two main proteins of ginkgo, ginnacin and legumin, was 56% and 55%, respectively. (Reviewer 2) Above all, the fast and selective digestion property of the large-volume IMER indicated that the regenerative IMER could be tentatively used for the production of potential bioactive peptides and the study of oriented protein digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal Processing of Macroalgal Feedstocks in Continuous-Flow Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elliott, Douglas C.; Hart, Todd R.; Neuenschwander, Gary G.; Rotness, Leslie J.; Roesijadi, Guri; Zacher, Alan H.; Magnuson, Jon K.

2014-02-03

Wet macroalgal slurries have been converted into a biocrude by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) in a bench-scale continuous-flow reactor system. Carbon conversion to a gravity-separable oil product of 58.8% was accomplished at relatively low temperature (350 °C) in a pressurized (subcritical liquid water) environment (20 MPa) when using feedstock slurries with a 21.7% concentration of dry solids. As opposed to earlier work in batch reactors reported by others, direct oil recovery was achieved without the use of a solvent, and biomass trace mineral components were removed by processing steps so that they did not cause processing difficulties. In addition, catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG) was effectively applied for HTL byproduct water cleanup and fuel gas production from water-soluble organics. Conversion of 99.2% of the carbon left in the aqueous phase was demonstrated. Finally, as a result, high conversion of macroalgae to liquid and gas fuel products was found with low levels of residual organic contamination in byproduct water. Both process steps were accomplished in continuous-flow reactor systems such that design data for process scale-up was generated.

Immobilization of iodine in concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Walter E.; Thompson, Clarence T.

1977-04-12

A method for immobilizing fission product radioactive iodine recovered from irradiated nuclear fuel comprises combining material comprising water, Portland cement and about 3-20 wt. % iodine as Ba(IO.sub.3).sub.2 to provide a fluid mixture and allowing the fluid mixture to harden, said Ba(IO.sub.3).sub.2 comprising said radioactive iodine. An article for solid waste disposal comprises concrete prepared by this method. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention was made in the course of, or under a contract with the Energy Research and Development Administration. It relates in general to reactor waste solidification and more specifically to the immobilization of fission product radioactive iodine recovered from irradiated nuclear fuel for underground storage.

Renewable Wood Pulp Paper Reactor with Hierarchical Micro/Nanopores for Continuous-Flow Nanocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Koga, Hirotaka; Namba, Naoko; Takahashi, Tsukasa; Nogi, Masaya; Nishina, Yuta

2017-06-22

Continuous-flow nanocatalysis based on metal nanoparticle catalyst-anchored flow reactors has recently provided an excellent platform for effective chemical manufacturing. However, there has been limited progress in porous structure design and recycling systems for metal nanoparticle-anchored flow reactors to create more efficient and sustainable catalytic processes. In this study, traditional paper is used for a highly efficient, recyclable, and even renewable flow reactor by tailoring the ultrastructures of wood pulp. The "paper reactor" offers hierarchically interconnected micro- and nanoscale pores, which can act as convective-flow and rapid-diffusion channels, respectively, for efficient access of reactants to metal nanoparticle catalysts. In continuous-flow, aqueous, room-temperature catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-anchored paper reactor with hierarchical micro/nanopores provided higher reaction efficiency than state-of-the-art AuNP-anchored flow reactors. Inspired by traditional paper materials, successful recycling and renewal of AuNP-anchored paper reactors were also demonstrated while high reaction efficiency was maintained. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

The use of silica gel prepared by sol-gel method and polyurethane foam as microbial carriers in the continuous degradation of phenol.

Science.gov (United States)

Brányik, T; Kuncová, G; Páca, J

2000-08-01

A mixed microbial culture was immobilized by entrapment into silica gel (SG) and entrapment/ adsorption on polyurethane foam (PU) and ceramic foam. The phenol degradation performance of the SG biocatalyst was studied in a packed-bed reactor (PBR), packed-bed reactor with ceramic foam (PBRC) and fluidized-bed reactor (FBR). In continuous experiments the maximum degradation rate of phenol (q(s)max) decreased in the order: PBRC (598 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > PBR (PU, 471 mg l(-1)h(-1)) > PBR(SG, 394 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > FBR (PU, 161 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > FBR (SG, 91 mg l(-1) h(-1)). The long-term use of the SG biocatalyst in continuous phenol degradation resulted in the formation of a 100-200 microm thick layer with a high cell density on the surface of the gel particles. The abrasion of the surface layer in the FBR contributed to the poor degradation performance of this reactor configuration. Coating the ceramic foam with a layer of cells immobilized in colloidal SiO2 enhanced the phenol degradation efficiency during the first 3 days of the PBRC operation, in comparison with untreated ceramic packing.

Plutonium immobilization plant using ceramic in existing facilities at the Savannah River site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiSabatino, A.

1998-01-01

The Plutonium Immobilization Plant (PIP) accepts plutonium (Pu) from pit conversion and from non-pit sources, and through a ceramic immobilization process converts the plutonium into an immobilized form that can be disposed of in a high level waste (HLW) repository. This immobilization process is shown conceptually in Figure 1-1. The objective is to make an immobilized form, suitable for geologic disposal, in which the plutonium is as inherently unattractive and inaccessible as the plutonium in spent fuel from commercial reactors. The ceramic immobilization alternative presented in this report consists of first converting the surplus material to an oxide, followed by incorporating the plutonium oxide into a titanate-based ceramic material that is placed in metal cans

Characterization of a continuous agitated cell reactor for oxygen dependent biocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Toftgaard Pedersen, Asbjørn; de Carvalho, Teresa Melo; Sutherland, Euan; Rehn, Gustav; Ashe, Robert; Woodley, John M

2017-06-01

Biocatalytic oxidation reactions employing molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor are difficult to conduct in a continuous flow reactor because of the requirement for high oxygen transfer rates. In this paper, the oxidation of glucose to glucono-1,5-lactone by glucose oxidase was used as a model reaction to study a novel continuous agitated cell reactor (ACR). The ACR consists of ten cells interconnected by small channels. An agitator is placed in each cell, which mixes the content of the cell when the reactor body is shaken by lateral movement. Based on tracer experiments, a hydrodynamic model for the ACR was developed. The model consisted of ten tanks-in-series with back-mixing occurring within and between each cell. The back-mixing was a necessary addition to the model in order to explain the observed phenomenon that the ACR behaved as two continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) at low flow rates, while it at high flow rates behaved as the expected ten CSTRs in series. The performance of the ACR was evaluated by comparing the steady state conversion at varying residence times with the conversion observed in a stirred batch reactor of comparable size. It was found that the ACR could more than double the overall reaction rate, which was solely due to an increased oxygen transfer rate in the ACR caused by the intense mixing as a result of the spring agitators. The volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, k L a, was estimated to be 344 h -1 in the 100 mL ACR, opposed to only 104 h -1 in a batch reactor of comparable working volume. Interestingly, the large deviation from plug flow behavior seen in the tracer experiments was found to have little influence on the conversion in the ACR, since both a plug flow reactor (PFR) model and the backflow cell model described the data sufficiently well. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1222-1230. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bisphenol A removal by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized on granular activated carbon and operating in a fluidized bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mita, Luigi [National Laboratory on Endocrine Disruptors, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples (Italy); Institute of Genetic and Biophysics “ABT”, Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples Italy (Italy); Grumiro, Laura [National Laboratory on Endocrine Disruptors, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples (Italy); Rossi, Sergio [Institute of Genetic and Biophysics “ABT”, Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples Italy (Italy); Bianco, Carmen; Defez, Roberto [Institute of Biosciences and BioResources, Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples (Italy); Gallo, Pasquale [Dipartimento di Chimica, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via della Salute 2, 80055 Portici, Naples (Italy); Mita, Damiano Gustavo, E-mail: mita@igb.cnr.it [National Laboratory on Endocrine Disruptors, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples (Italy); Institute of Genetic and Biophysics “ABT”, Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples Italy (Italy); Diano, Nadia [National Laboratory on Endocrine Disruptors, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples (Italy); Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Via S.M. di Costantinopoli, 16, 80138 Naples Italy (Italy)

2015-06-30

Highlights: • A fluidized bed reactor, filled with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized on GAC, has been used for BPA removal. • BPA removal resulted from a biological activated carbon (BAC) process. • Equations describing the results have been indicated. • BPA removal was analyzed as a function of time and biofilm reuse. - Abstract: Serratia rubidiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli K12 have been studied for their ability of Bisphenol A removal from aqueous systems and biofilm formation on activated granule carbon. Mathematical equations for biodegradation process have been elaborated and discussed. P. aeruginosa was found the best strain to be employed in the process of Bisphenol A removal. The yield in BPA removal of a P. aeruginosa biofilm grown on GAC and operating in a fluidized bed reactor has been evaluated. The results confirm the usefulness in using biological activated carbon (BAC process) to remove phenol compounds from aqueous systems.

Bisphenol A removal by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized on granular activated carbon and operating in a fluidized bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mita, Luigi; Grumiro, Laura; Rossi, Sergio; Bianco, Carmen; Defez, Roberto; Gallo, Pasquale; Mita, Damiano Gustavo; Diano, Nadia

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A fluidized bed reactor, filled with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized on GAC, has been used for BPA removal. • BPA removal resulted from a biological activated carbon (BAC) process. • Equations describing the results have been indicated. • BPA removal was analyzed as a function of time and biofilm reuse. - Abstract: Serratia rubidiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli K12 have been studied for their ability of Bisphenol A removal from aqueous systems and biofilm formation on activated granule carbon. Mathematical equations for biodegradation process have been elaborated and discussed. P. aeruginosa was found the best strain to be employed in the process of Bisphenol A removal. The yield in BPA removal of a P. aeruginosa biofilm grown on GAC and operating in a fluidized bed reactor has been evaluated. The results confirm the usefulness in using biological activated carbon (BAC process) to remove phenol compounds from aqueous systems

Immobilization of laccase by encapsulation in a sol-gel matrix and its characterization and use for the removal of estrogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloret, L; Eibes, G; Feijoo, G; Moreira, M T; Lema, J M; Hollmann, F

2011-01-01

Laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila was immobilized by encapsulation in a sol-gel matrix based on methyltrimethoxysilane and tetramethoxysilane. The amount of laccase used for the preparation of the hydrogel was in the range 2.2-22 mg of protein/mL sol and the corresponding enzymatic activities were in the range 5.5-17.0 U/g biocatalyst. The kinetic parameters of the encapsulated laccase showed that the immobilized enzyme presented lower affinity for the substrate 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS). However, the stability of laccase was significantly enhanced after immobilization; thus, both pH and thermal stability improved about 10-30% and tolerance to different inactivating agents (NaN(3) , ZnCl(2) , CoCl(2) , CaCl(2) , methanol, and acetone) was 20-40% higher. The reusability of the immobilized laccase was demonstrated in the oxidation of ABTS for several consecutive cycles, preserving 80% of the initial laccase activity after 10 cycles. The feasibility of the immobilized biocatalyst was tested for the continuous elimination of Acid Green 27 dye as a model compound in a packed-bed reactor (PBR). Removals of 70, 58, 57, and 55% were achieved after four consecutive cycles with limited adsorption on the support: only 10-15%. Finally, both batch stirred tank reactor (BSTR) operated in several cycles and PBR, containing the solid biocatalyst were applied for the treatment of a solution containing the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs): estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). Eliminations of EDCs in the BSTR were higher than 85% and the reusability of the biocatalyst for the degradation of those estrogens was demonstrated. In the continuous operation of the PBR, E1 was degraded by 55% and E2 and EE2 were removed up to 75 and 60%, at steady-state conditions. In addition, a 63% decrease in estrogenic activity was detected. Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AFRICAN JOURNALS ONLINE (AJOL) · Journals · Advanced Search ... stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and the small and large intestines as plug flow reactor (PFR) ... from the two equations are used for the reactor sizing of the modeled reactors.

Research reactor spent fuel management in Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Audero, M.A.; Bevilacqua, A.M.; Mehlich, A.M.; Novara, O.

2002-01-01

The research reactor spent fuel (RRSF) management strategy will be presented as well as the interim storage experience. Currently, low-enriched uranium RRSF is in wet interim storage either at reactor site or away from reactor site in a centralized storage facility. High-enriched uranium RRSF from the centralized storage facility has been sent to the USA in the framework of the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program. The strategy for the management of the RRSF could implement the encapsulation for interim dry storage. As an alternative to encapsulation for dry storage some conditioning processes are being studied which include decladding, isotopic dilution, oxidation and immobilization. The immobilized material will be suitable for final disposal. (author)

Silica-Immobilized Enzyme Reactors; Application to Cholinesterase-Inhibition Studies

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Luckarift, Heather R; Johnson, Glenn R; Spain, Jim C

2006-01-01

...) using silica-encapsulated equine butyrycholinestearse (BuChE) as a model system. Peptide-mediated silica formation was used to encapsulate BuChE, directly immobilizing the enzyme within a commercial pre-packed column...

Quinone-functionalized activated carbon improves the reduction of congo red coupled to the removal of p-cresol in a UASB reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Luis H; Arvizu, Iris C; García-Reyes, Refugio Bernardo; Martinez, Claudia M; Olivo-Alanis, Daniel; Del Angel, Yair A

2017-09-15

In this research was immobilized anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) on granular activated carbon (GAC) to evaluate its capacity to reduce congo red (CR) in batch reactor and continuous UASB reactors. The removal of p-cresol coupled to the reduction of CR was also evaluated. Results show that the immobilization of AQS on GAC (GAC-AQS) achieved 0.469mmol/g, improving 2.85-times the electron-transferring capacity compared to unmodified GAC. In batch, incubations with GAC-AQS achieved a rate of decolorization of 2.64-fold higher than the observed with GAC. Decolorization efficiencies in UASB reactor with GAC-AQS were 83.9, 82, and 79.9% for periods I, II, and III; these values were 14.9-22.8% higher than the obtained by reactor with unmodified GAC using glucose as energy source. In the fourth period, glucose and p-cresol were simultaneously fed, increasing the decolorization efficiency to 87% for GAC-AQS and 72% for GAC. Finally, reactors efficiency decreased when p-cresol was the only energy source, but systems gradually recovered the decolorization efficiency up to 84% (GAC-AQS) and 71% (GAC) after 250 d. This study demonstrates the longest and efficient continuous UASB reactor operation for the reduction of electron-accepting contaminant in presence of quinone-functionalized GAC, but also using a recalcitrant pollutant as electron donor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alcohol production from sterilized and non-sterilized molasses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized on brewer's spent grains in two types of continuous bioreactor systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopsahelis, Nikolaos; Bosnea, Loulouda; Bekatorou, Argyro; Tzia, Constantina; Kanellaki, Maria

2012-01-01

In this work an integrated cost effective system for continuous alcoholic fermentation of a cheap raw material (molasses) is described, involving yeast immobilized by a simple method on brewer's spent grains, able to ferment in the temperature range 30–40 °C, and two types of bioreactors, a Multistage Fixed Bed Tower (MFBT) and a Packed Bed reactor (PB). The MFBT bioreactor gave better results regarding ethanol concentration, productivity and conversion. Furthermore, the use of sterilized and non-sterilized molasses, fed in two similar MFBT bioreactors, showed that ethanol concentration (kg m −3 ) was significantly (p −3 at 35 °C and 44.2–48.2 kg m −3 at 40 °C), compared to sterilized molasses, where ethanol concentration ranged from 35.6 to 46.6 kg m −3 at 35 °C and 30.8–44.2 kg m −3 at 40 °C. During 32 days of continuous operation using non-sterilized molasses no contamination was observed. Industrialization of the proposed system seems to have a potential, mainly due to its high fermentation efficiency and the obtained high operational stability. -- Highlights: ► An integrated cost effective system for continuous alcoholic fermentation. ► Efficient conversion of non-sterilized molasses to ethanol. ► No need for additional treatments to prevent contamination. ► Results showed high fermentation efficiency and high operational stability.

Immobilization in cement of ion exchange resins from Spanish nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebra, A.G. de la; Murillo, R.; Ortiz, S.J.

1990-01-01

Ion exchange materials used at nuclear power plants can be immobilized in cements less expensive than polymer matrices. Cement solidification of spent ion exchange resins shows swelling and cracking troubles (during setting time, or of storage). The objective of this study was to select the types of cement that produce the best quality on immobilization of three kinds of resins and to set up cement formulations containing the maximum possible loading of resin. Four cements were selected to carried out the study. After a study of hydration-dehydration phenomena of ion exchange resins, a systematic work has been carried out on immobilization. Tests were performed to study compressive strength and underwater stability by changing water/cement ratio and resin/cement ratio. Mixtures made with water, cement and resin only were loaded with 10% by weight dry resin. Mixtures with higher loadings show poor workability. Tests were carried out by adding organic plasticizers and silica products to improve waste loading. Plasticizers reduced water demand and silica products permit the use of more water. Leaching tests have been performed at 40 O C. In conclusion Blast Furnace Slag is the best cement for immobilization of ion exchange resin both bead and powdered form for mechanical strength, stability and leaching

Ethanol production from glucose and xylose by immobilized Thermoanaerobacter pentosaceus at 70 °C in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sittijunda, Sureewan; Tomás, Ana Faria; Reungsang, Alissara

2013-01-01

The newly isolated extreme thermophilic ethanologen Thermoanaerobacter pentosaceus was immobilized in different support materials in order to improve its ethanol production ability. In batch fermentation, a maximum ethanol yield of 1.36 mol mol-1 consumed sugars was obtained by T. pentosaceus...... occurred at an HRT of 6 h. The maximum ethanol yield and concentration, 1.50 mol mol-1 consumed sugars and 12.4 g l-1, were obtained with an HRT of 12 h. The latter represented an improvement of 60 % in relation to previously obtained results. This indicates that immobilization of T. pentosaceus...... immobilized on rapeseed straw. Additionally, immobilized T. pentosaceus’ ethanol production was improved by 11 % in comparison to free cells. In continuous mode, it was shown that hydraulic retention time (HRT) affected ethanol yield, and a dramatic shift from ethanol to acetate and lactate production...

Evaluation of Packed-Bed Reactor and Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor for the Production of Colchicine Derivatives

OpenAIRE

Dubey, Kashyap Kumar; Kumar, Dhirendra; Kumar, Punit; Haque, Shafiul; Jawed, Arshad

2013-01-01

Bioconversion of colchicine into its pharmacologically active derivative 3-demethylated colchicine (3-DMC) mediated by P450BM3 enzyme is an economic and promising strategy for the production of this inexpensive and potent anticancer drug. Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and packed-bed reactor (PBR) of 3 L and 2 L total volumes were compared for the production of 3-demethylated colchicine (3-DMC) a colchicine derivative using Bacillus megaterium MTCC*420 under aerobic conditions. Statis...

Immobilized enzymes in blood plasma exchangers via radiation grafting

Science.gov (United States)

Gombotz, Wayne; Hoffman, Allan; Schmer, Gottfried; Uenoyama, Satoshi

The enzyme asparaginase was immobilized onto a porous hollow polypropylene (PP) fiber blood plasma exchange device for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia. The devices were first radiation grafted with polymethacrylic acid (poly(MAAc)). This introduces carboxyl groups onto the surface of the fibers. Several variables were studied in the grafting reaction including the effects of solvent type and monomer concentration. The carboxyl groups were activated with N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) using carbodiimide chemistry. Asparaginase was then covalently immobilized on the activated surfaces. Quantitative relationships were found relating the percent graft to the amount of immobilized enzyme which was active. The enzyme reactor was tested both in vitro and in vivo using a sheep as an animal model.

Biohydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) using thermophilic mixed cultures immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongjan, Prawit; O-Thong, Sompong; Angelidaki, Irini

2011-01-01

Hydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) was investigated in both batch and continuous reactors using thermophilic mixed cultures enriched from digested manure by load shock (loading with DM concentration of 50.1 g-sugar/L) to suppress methanogens. H2 gas, free of methane, was produced......) and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum with a relative abundance of 36%, 27%, and 10% of total microorganisms, respectively. This study shows that hydrogen production could be efficiently facilitated by using anaerobic granules as a carrier, where microbes from mixed culture enriched in the DM batch cultivation....... The enriched hydrogen producing mixed culture achieved from the 16.7 g-sugars/L DM batch cultivation was immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor, operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h fed with 16.7 g...

Immobilized cells of Candida rugosa possessing fumarase activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, L.; Zhone, L.

1980-01-01

Immobilized cells of C. rugosa that possessed fumarase activity were prepared by different methods; the most active immobilized cells were entrapped in polyacrylamide gels. The effects of pH temperature, and divalent cations on the fumarase activity of both immobilized and native cells were the same. Mn/sup 2 +/, Mg/sup 2 +/, Ca/sup 2 +/, and Fe/sup 2 +/ did not protect the immobilized enzyme against thermal inactivation. The activity of immobilized fumarase remained constant during 91 days of storage of 4-6 degrees. The immobilized cell column was used for the continuous production of L-malic acid from 1M fumarate at 30 degrees and pH 8.5. The immobilized column operated steadily for 2 months. Half life of the immobilized fumarase at 30 degrees was 95 days.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF OSCILLATORY FLOW BIODIESEL REACTOR FOR CONTINUOUS BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM JATROPHA TRIGLYCERIDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AZHARI T. I. MOHD. GHAZI

2008-08-01

Full Text Available The concept of a continuous process in producing biodiesel from jatropha oil by using an Oscillatory Flow Biodiesel Reactor (OFBR is discussed in this paper. It has been recognized that the batch stirred reactor is a primary mode used in the synthesis of biodiesel. However, pulsatile flow has been extensively researcehed and the fundamental principles have been successfully developed upon which its hydrodynamics are based. Oscillatory flow biodiesel reactor offers precise control of mixing by means of the baffle geometry and pulsation which facilitates to continuous operation, giving plug flow residence time distribution with high turbulence and enhanced mass and heat transfer. In conjunction with the concept of reactor design, parameters such as reactor dimensions, the hydrodynamic studies and physical properties of reactants must be considered prior to the design work initiated recently. The OFBR reactor design involves the use of simulation software, ASPEN PLUS and the reactor design fundamentals. Following this, the design parameters shall be applied in fabricating the OFBR for laboratory scale biodiesel production.

Production of galacto-oligosaccharides from lactose by Aspergillus oryzae beta-galactosidase immobilized on cotton cloth.

Science.gov (United States)

Albayrak, Nedim; Yang, Shang-Tian

2002-01-05

The production of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) from lactose by A. oryzae beta-galactosidase immobilized on cotton cloth was studied. The total amounts and types of GOS produced were mainly affected by the initial lactose concentration in the reaction media. In general, more and larger GOS can be produced with higher initial lactose concentrations. A maximum GOS production of 27% (w/w) of initial lactose was achieved at 50% lactose conversion with 500 g/L of initial lactose concentration. Tri-saccharides were the major types of GOS formed, accounting for more than 70% of the total GOS produced in the reactions. Temperature and pH affected the reaction rate, but did not result in any changes in GOS formation. The presence of galactose and glucose at the concentrations encountered near maximum GOS greatly inhibited the reactions and reduced GOS yield by as much as 15%. The cotton cloth as the support matrix for enzyme immobilization did not affect the GOS formation characteristics of the enzyme, suggesting no diffusion limitation in the enzyme carrier. The thermal stability of the enzyme increased approximately 25-fold upon immobilization on cotton cloth. The half-life for the immobilized enzyme on cotton cloth was more than 1 year at 40 degrees C and 48 days at 50 degrees C. Stable, continuous operation in a plugflow reactor was demonstrated for 2 weeks without any apparent problem. A maximum GOS production of 21 and 26% (w/w) of total sugars was attained with a feed solution containing 200 and 400 g/L of lactose, respectively, at pH 4.5 and 40 degrees C. The corresponding reactor productivities were 80 and 106 g/L/h, respectively, which are at least several-fold higher than those previously reported. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on continuous biocatalytic calcification reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isik, Mustafa; Altas, Levent; Kurmac, Yakup; Ozcan, Samet; Oruc, Ozcan

2010-01-01

High calcium concentrations in the wastewaters are problematic, because they lead to clogging of pipelines, boilers and heat exchangers through scaling (as carbonate, sulfate or phosphate precipitates), or malfunctioning of aerobic and anaerobic reactors. As a remedy to this problem, the industry typically uses chemical crystallization reactors which are efficient but often require complex monitoring and control and, as a drawback, can give rise to highly alkaline effluents. Biomineralization are emerging as alternative mechanisms for the removal of calcium from aqueous environments. Biocatalytic calcification reactors (BCR) utilize microbial urea hydrolysis by bacteria for the removal of calcium, as calcite, from industrial wastewater. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) effect on calcium removal was studied with a continuous feed BCR reactor treating a simulated pulp paper wastewater. Study showed that HRT is important parameter and HRT of 5-6 h is optimum for calcium removal from calcium-rich wastewaters.

Continuous surveillance of reactor coolant circuit integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

Continuous surveillance is important to assuring the integrity of a reactor coolant circuit. It can give pre-warning of structural degradation and indicate where off-line inspection should be focussed. These proceedings describe the state of development of several techniques which may be used. These involve measuring structural vibration, core neutron noise, acoustic emission from cracks, coolant leakage, or operating parameters such as coolant temperature and pressure. Twenty three papers have been abstracted and indexed separately for inclusion in the data base

Chemically modified, immobilized trypsin reactor with improved digestion efficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Freije, J.R.; Mulder, P.P.; Werkman, W.; Rieux, L.; Niederlander, H.A G; Verpoorte, Sabeth; Bischoff, Rainer

2005-01-01

Tryptic digestion followed by identification using mass spectrometry is an important step in many proteomic studies. Here, we describe the preparation of immobilized, acetylated trypsin for enhanced digestion efficacy in integrated protein analysis platforms. Complete digestion of cytochrome c was

Continuous ethanol production using yeast immobilized on sugar-cane stalks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasconcelos, J.N. de [Alagoas Univ., Maceio, AL (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica]. E-mail: jnunes@ctec.ufal.br; Lopes, C.E. [Pernambuco Univ., Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Antibioticos; Franca, F.P. de [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Escola de Quimica. Dept. de Engenharia Bioquimica

2004-09-01

Sugar-cane stalks, 2.0 cm long, were used as a support for yeast immobilization envisaging ethanol production. The assays were conducted in 38.5 L fermenters containing a bed of stalks with 50% porosity. The operational stability of the immobilized yeast, the efficiency and stability of the process, as well as the best dilution rate were evaluated. Molasses from demerara sugar production was used in the medium formulation. It was diluted to obtain 111.75 {+-} 1.51 g/L without any further treatment. Sulfuric acid was used to adjust the pH value to around 4.2. Every two days Kamoran HJ (10 ppm) or with a mixture containing penicillin (10 ppm) and tetracycline (10 ppm), was added to the medium. Ethanol yield and efficiency were 29.64 g/L.h and 86.40%, respectively, and the total reducing sugars conversion was 74.61% at a dilution rate of 0.83 h{sup -1}. The yeast-stalk system was shown to be stable for over a 60 day period at extremely variable dilution rates ranging from 0.05 h{sup -1} to 3.00 h{sup -1}. The concentration of immobilized cell reached around 109 cells/gram of dry sugar-cane stalk when the fermenter was operating at the highest dilution rate (3.00 h{sup -1}). (author)

Immobilization of wet solid wastes at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neilson, R.M. Jr.

1977-01-01

Wet solid wastes are classified into four basic types: spent resins, filter sludges, evaporator concentrates, and miscellaneous liquids. Although the immobilization of wet solid wastes is primarily concerned with the incorporation of the waste with a solidification agent, there are a number of other discrete operations or subsystems involved in the treatment of these wastes that may affect the immobilized waste product. The immobilization process may be broken down into five basic operations: waste collection, waste pretreatment, solidification agent handling, mixing/packaging, and waste package handling. The properties of the waste forms that are ultimately shipped from the reactor site are primarily influenced by the methods utilized during the waste collection, waste pretreatment and mixing/packaging operations. The mixing/packaging (solidification) operation is perhaps the most important stage of the immobilization process. The basic solidification agent types are: absorbants, hydraulic cement, urea-formaldehyde, bitumen, and other polymer systems

The role of acid incubation in rapid immobilization of hydrogen-producing culture in anaerobic upflow column reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhen-Peng; Tay, Joo-Hwa [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Show, Kuan-Yeow [Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900 Kampar, Perak (Malaysia); Liang, David Tee [Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Lee, Duu-Jong [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617 (China); Su, Ay [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Fuel Cell Center, Yuan-Ze University, Taoyuan 320 (China)

2008-10-15

An approach of acidification was examined on formation of hydrogen-producing granules and biofilms in upflow column-shaped reactors. The reactors were fed with synthetic glucose wastewater and operated at 37 C and pH 5.5. The acclimated anaerobic culture was inoculated in four reactors designated R1, R2, R3 and R4, with R3 and R4 filled with granular activated carbon as support medium. To unveil the roles of acidification, microbial culture in R2 and R3 was subject to an acid incubation for 24 h by shifting the culture pH from 5.5 to 2.0. The experimental results suggested that the acidification substantially accelerated microbial granulation, but not biofilm formation. Microbial activities were inhibited by the acid incubation for about 78 h, resulting in the retarded formation of biofilms of the acidified culture. Reducing culture pH resulted in improvement in cell surface physicochemical properties favoring microbial adhesion and immobilization. Zeta potential increased from -25.3 mV to 11.9 mV, hydrophobicity in terms of contact angle improved from 31 to 38 and production of extracellular polymers increased from 66 mg/g-VSS to 136 mg/g-VSS. As a result of the formation of granules and biofilms, high hydrogen production rates of 6.98 and 7.49 L/L h were achieved in granule-based and biofilm-based reactors, respectively. It is concluded that acid incubation is an efficient means to initiate the rapid formation of granules by regulating the surface characteristics of microbial culture. The use of support media as starting nuclei may result in rapid formation of biofilms without the acidification. (author)

The role of acid incubation in rapid immobilization of hydrogen-producing culture in anaerobic upflow column reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhen-Peng; Tay, Joo-Hwa; Show, Kuan-Yeow; Liang, David Tee; Lee, Duu-Jong; Su, Ay

2008-01-01

An approach of acidification was examined on formation of hydrogen-producing granules and biofilms in upflow column-shaped reactors. The reactors were fed with synthetic glucose wastewater and operated at 37 C and pH 5.5. The acclimated anaerobic culture was inoculated in four reactors designated R1, R2, R3 and R4, with R3 and R4 filled with granular activated carbon as support medium. To unveil the roles of acidification, microbial culture in R2 and R3 was subject to an acid incubation for 24 h by shifting the culture pH from 5.5 to 2.0. The experimental results suggested that the acidification substantially accelerated microbial granulation, but not biofilm formation. Microbial activities were inhibited by the acid incubation for about 78 h, resulting in the retarded formation of biofilms of the acidified culture. Reducing culture pH resulted in improvement in cell surface physicochemical properties favoring microbial adhesion and immobilization. Zeta potential increased from -25.3 mV to 11.9 mV, hydrophobicity in terms of contact angle improved from 31 to 38 and production of extracellular polymers increased from 66 mg/g-VSS to 136 mg/g-VSS. As a result of the formation of granules and biofilms, high hydrogen production rates of 6.98 and 7.49 L/L h were achieved in granule-based and biofilm-based reactors, respectively. It is concluded that acid incubation is an efficient means to initiate the rapid formation of granules by regulating the surface characteristics of microbial culture. The use of support media as starting nuclei may result in rapid formation of biofilms without the acidification. (author)

Design of Continuous Reactor Systems for API Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Michael Jønch

-scale production equipment enabled complete replacement of the existing batch production of this intermediate. The crowning achievement in this work was the realization of continuous laboratory reactor setups capable of manufacturing the entire GMP portion of the synthesis of melitracen HCl at H. Lundbeck A....... The methodology provides suggestions on when and how decisions should be made on continuous production methods for Grignard chemistry within pharmaceutical manufacturing. Physicochemical properties, such as solubility, were found to be critical. However, from a business perspective, issues such as the current......The pharmaceutical industry has experienced many changes over the last few decades. Continuous production has been promoted as one of the more promising methods for making the industry more efficient and sustainable. The primary focus of this thesis is on the performance of Grignard chemistry...

Continuous hyperpolarization with parahydrogen in a membrane reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmkuhl, Sören; Wiese, Martin; Schubert, Lukas; Held, Mathias; Küppers, Markus; Wessling, Matthias; Blümich, Bernhard

2018-06-01

Hyperpolarization methods entail a high potential to boost the sensitivity of NMR. Even though the "Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange" (SABRE) approach uses para-enriched hydrogen, p-H2, to repeatedly achieve high polarization levels on target molecules without altering their chemical structure, such studies are often limited to batch experiments in NMR tubes. Alternatively, this work introduces a continuous flow setup including a membrane reactor for the p-H2, supply and consecutive detection in a 1 T NMR spectrometer. Two SABRE substrates pyridine and nicotinamide were hyperpolarized, and more than 1000-fold signal enhancement was found. Our strategy combines low-field NMR spectrometry and a membrane flow reactor. This enables precise control of the experimental conditions such as liquid and gas pressures, and volume flow for ensuring repeatable maximum polarization.

TiO2 Solar Photocatalytic Reactor Systems: Selection of Reactor Design for Scale-up and Commercialization—Analytical Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasmine Abdel-Maksoud

2016-09-01

Full Text Available For the last four decades, viability of photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds in water streams has been demonstrated. Different configurations for solar TiO2 photocatalytic reactors have been used, however pilot and demonstration plants are still countable. Degradation efficiency reported as a function of treatment time does not answer the question: which of these reactor configurations is the most suitable for photocatalytic process and optimum for scale-up and commercialization? Degradation efficiency expressed as a function of the reactor throughput and ease of catalyst removal from treated effluent are used for comparing performance of different reactor configurations to select the optimum for scale-up. Comparison included parabolic trough, flat plate, double skin sheet, shallow ponds, shallow tanks, thin-film fixed-bed, thin film cascade, step, compound parabolic concentrators, fountain, slurry bubble column, pebble bed and packed bed reactors. Degradation efficiency as a function of system throughput is a powerful indicator for comparing the performance of photocatalytic reactors of different types and geometries, at different development scales. Shallow ponds, shallow tanks and fountain reactors have the potential of meeting all the process requirements and a relatively high throughput are suitable for developing into continuous industrial-scale treatment units given that an efficient immobilized or supported photocatalyst is used.

Flavor formation and cell physiology during the production of alcohol-free beer with immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Iersel, van M.F.M.; Dieren, van B.; Rombouts, F.M.; Abee, T.

1999-01-01

Production of alcohol-free beer by limited fermentation is optimally performed in a packed-bed reactor operating in downflow. This ensures a highly controllable system with optimal reactor design. In the present study, we report on changes in the physiology of immobilized yeast cells in the reactor.

Performance of a reactor containing denitrifying immobilized biomass in removing ethanol and aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) in a short operating period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusmao, Valquiria Ribeiro; Chinalia, Fabio Alexandre; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko; Varesche, Maria Bernadete Amancio

2007-01-01

A horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass reactor (HAIB) containing denitrifying biomass was evaluated with respect to its ability to remove, separately and in a short operating period (30 days), organic matter, nitrate, and the hydrocarbons benzene (41.4 mg L -1 ), toluene (27.8 mg L -1 ), ethylbenzene (31.1 mg L -1 ), o-xylene (28.5 mg L -1 ), m-xylene (28.4 mg L -1 ) and p-xylene (32.1 mg L -1 ). The purified culture, which was grown in the presence of the specific hydrocarbon, was used as the source of cells to be immobilized in the polyurethane foam. After 30 days of operation, the foam was removed and a new immobilized biomass was grown in the presence of another hydrocarbon. The average hydrocarbon removal efficiency attained was 97%. The organic matter, especially ethanol, was removed with an average efficiency of 83% at a mean influent concentration of 1185.0 mg L -1 . A concomitant removal of 97% of nitrate was observed for a mean influent concentration of 423.4 mg L -1 . The independent removal of each hydrocarbon demonstrated that these contaminants can be biodegraded separately, without the need for a compound to be the primary substrate for the degradation of another. This study proposes the application of the system for treatment of areas contaminated with these compounds, with substitution and formation of a biofilm in a 30-day period

Partial nitrification using aerobic granules in continuous-flow reactor: rapid startup.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Chunli; Sun, Supu; Lee, Duu-Jong; Liu, Xiang; Wang, Li; Yang, Xue; Pan, Xiangliang

2013-08-01

This study applied a novel strategy to rapid startup of partial nitrification in continuous-flow reactor using aerobic granules. Mature aerobic granules were first cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor at high chemical oxygen demand in 16 days. The strains including the Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana strain were enriched in cultivated granules to enhance their structural stability. Then the cultivated granules were incubated in a continuous-flow reactor with influent chemical oxygen deamnad being stepped decreased from 1,500 ± 100 (0-19 days) to 750 ± 50 (20-30 days), and then to 350 ± 50 mg l(-1) (31-50 days); while in the final stage 350 mg l(-1) bicarbonate was also supplied. Using this strategy the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, Nitrosomonas europaea, was enriched in the incubated granules to achieve partial nitrification efficiency of 85-90% since 36 days and onwards. The partial nitrification granules were successfully harvested after 52 days, a period much shorter than those reported in literature. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous adsorption and biotransformation of micropollutants by granular activated carbon-bound laccase in a packed-bed enzyme reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Luong N; Hai, Faisal I; Dosseto, Anthony; Richardson, Christopher; Price, William E; Nghiem, Long D

2016-06-01

Laccase was immobilized on granular activated carbon (GAC) and the resulting GAC-bound laccase was used to degrade four micropollutants in a packed-bed column. Compared to the free enzyme, the immobilized laccase showed high residual activities over a broad range of pH and temperature. The GAC-bound laccase efficiently removed four micropollutants, namely, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and bisphenol A, commonly detected in raw wastewater and wastewater-impacted water sources. Mass balance analysis showed that these micropollutants were enzymatically degraded following adsorption onto GAC. Higher degradation efficiency of micropollutants by the immobilized compared to free laccase was possibly due to better electron transfer between laccase and substrate molecules once they have adsorbed onto the GAC surface. Results here highlight the complementary effects of adsorption and enzymatic degradation on micropollutant removal by GAC-bound laccase. Indeed laccase-immobilized GAC outperformed regular GAC during continuous operation of packed-bed columns over two months (a throughput of 12,000 bed volumes). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of emulsion copolymerization reactions in a continuous pulsed sieve-plate column reactor

OpenAIRE

C. Sayer; R. Giudici

2004-01-01

This work addressed the viability of using a pulsed sieve-plate column reactor to carry out continuous vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate emulsion copolymerization reactions. A rigorous mathematical model of emulsion copolymerization reactions in a tubular reactor with axial dispersion was used for this purpose. Operational conditions were defined to attain high monomer conversions at the reactor outlet in a relatively short residence time and, at the same time, produce a copolymer with a more homo...

Investigation of a submerged membrane reactor for continuous biomass hydrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malmali, Mohammadmahdi; Stickel, Jonathan; Wickramasinghe, S. Ranil

2015-10-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is one of the most costly steps in the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass. Use of a submerged membrane reactor has been investigated for continuous enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose thus allowing for greater use of the enzyme compared to a batch process. Moreover, the submerged 0.65 μm polyethersulfone microfiltration membrane avoids the need to pump a cellulose slurry through an external loop. Permeate containing glucose is withdrawn at pressures slightly below atmospheric pressure. The membrane rejects cellulose particles and cellulase enzyme bound to cellulose. Our proof-of-concept experiments have been conducted using a modified, commercially available membrane filtration cell under low fluxes around 75 L/(m2 h). The operating flux is determined by the rate of glucose production. Maximizing the rate of glucose production involves optimizing mixing, reactor holding time, and the time the feed is held in the reactor prior to commencement of membrane filtration and continuous operation. When we maximize glucose production rates it will require that we operate it at low glucose concentration in order to minimize the adverse effects of product inhibition. Consequently practical submerged membrane systems will require a combined sugar concentration step in order to concentrate the product sugar stream prior to fermentation.

Nitrate removal from water using denitrifier-bacteria immobilized on activated carbon at fluidized-bed reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

hatam Godini

2012-09-01

Results: The experimental results demonstrated that the over 94% of NO3-N was removed in the 2-3 h retention time, almost no NO2-N accumulated in treated water when the concentration of NO3-N was around 50-100 mg/L in influent. Under the experimental conditions, drinking water quality was achieved at a nitrogen loading lower than 2.4 kgNO3-N•m-3•day-1 with an influent COD/N ratio of 3 if ethanol was used as the carbon source. The denitrification rate increased up to a maximal value of 3.45 kgNO3-N•m-3•day-1 with increasing nitrogen loading rate (4.8 kgNO3-N•m-3•day-1. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that GAC offers favorable attachment sites for bacteria on the surfaces of GAC for Nitrate removal and denitrification of water was carried out in a fluidized bed reactor (FBR using Activated carbon-immobilized cell beads as support carriers.

Selective distribution of enzymes in a microfluidic reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daugaard, Anders Egede; Pereira Rosinha Grundtvig, Ines; Krühne, Ulrich

Off stoichiometric thiol-ene mixtures are well suited for preparation of microfluidic devices with highly functional surfaces. Here a two stage process employing first thiol-ene chemistry (TEC) to prepare two opposite parts of a microfluidic system with a 30x30 mm reactor and subsequently a thiol......-epoxy bonding was used to prepare a fully sealed microfluidic system. The reactor was surface functionalized in-situ with allyl glycidyl ether in different patterns (half-reactor, full-reactor, checkerboard structures) on the surface to provide a controlled distribution of epoxides. The method additionally...... enables the selective immobilization on either top-side or bottom-side or both sides of the reactor. Thereafter horseradish peroxidase was immobilized on the surface and activity tests illustrated how this distribution of the enzyme on the surface could be used to optimize the activity of the enzyme...

Performance of a continuously operated flocculent sludge UASB reactor with slaughterhouse wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sayed, S.; Zeeuw, W. de

1988-01-01

This investigation was carried out to assess the performance of a continuously operated, one-stage, flocculent sludge upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating slaughterhouse wastewater at a process temperature of 30/sup 0/C. The results indicate that the type of substrate ingredients, coarse suspended solids, colloidal and soluble compounds in the wastewater, affect the performance of the reactor because of different mechanisms involved in their removal and their subsequent conversion into methane. Two different mechanisms are distinguished. An entrapment mechanism prevails for the elimination of coarse suspended solids while an adsorption mechanism is involved in the removal of the colloidal and soluble fractions of the wastewater. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the system can satisfactorily handle organic space loads up to 5 kg COD m/sup -3/ day/sup -1/ at 30/sup 0/C. The data indicate, however, that continuing heavy accumulation of substrate components in the reactor is detrimental to the stability of the anaerobic treatment process as the accumulation can lead to sludge flotation and consequently to a complete loss of the active biomass from the reactor.

Cathepsin D immobilized capillary reactors for on-flow screening assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelio, Vivian Estevam; de Moraes, Marcela Cristina; Domingues, Vanessa de Cassia; Fernandes, João Batista; da Silva, Maria Fátima das Gracas Fernandes; Cass, Quezia Bezerra; Vieira, Paulo Cezar

2018-03-20

The treatment of diseases using enzymes as targets has called for the development of new and reliable methods for screening. The protease cathepsin D is one such target involved in several diseases such as tumors, degenerative processes, and vital processes of parasites causing schistosomiasis. Herein, we describe the preparation of a fused silica capillary, cathepsin D (CatD)-immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) using in a multidimensional High Performance Liquid Chromatography-based method (2D-HPLC) and zonal affinity chromatography as an alternative in the search for new ligands. The activity and kinetic parameters of CatD-IMER were evaluated by monitoring the product MOCAc-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ile-Leu-Phe (P-MOCAc) (K M  = 81.9 ± 7.49 μmol/L) generated by cleavage of the fluorogenic substrate MOCAc-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ile-Leu-Phe-Phe-Arg-Leu-Lys(DNP)-d-Arg-NH2 (S-MOCAc). Stability studies have indicated that CatD-IMER retained 20% of activity after 5 months, a relevant result, because proteases are susceptible to autoproteolysis in solution assays with free enzyme. In the search for inhibitors, 12 crude natural product extracts were analyzed using CatD-IMER as the target, resulting in the isolation of different classes of natural products. In addition, 26 compounds obtained from different species of plants were also screened, demonstrating the efficiency and reproducibility of the herein reported assay even in the case of complex matrices such as plant crude extracts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Summary of detection, location, and characterization capabilities of AE for continuous monitoring of cracks in reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutton, P.H.; Kurtz, R.J.; Friesel, M.A.; Pappas, R.A.; Skorpik, J.R.; Dawson, J.F.

1984-10-01

The objective of the program is to develop acoustic emission (AE) methods for continuous monitoring of reactor pressure boundaries to detect and evaluate crack growth. The approach involves three phases: develop relationships to identify crack growth AE signals and to use identified crack growth AE data to estimate flaw severity; evaluate and refine AE/flaw relationships through fatigue testing a heavy section vessel under simulated reactor conditions; and demonstrate continuous AE monitoring on a nuclear power reactor system

Synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using immobilized lipase in fixed bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Yingming [School of Environment and Urban Construction, Wuhan University of Science and Engineering, Wuhan 430073 (China); Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Xiao Bo [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Chang Jie [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China)], E-mail: changjie@scut.edu.cn; Fu Yan [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Lv Pengmei; Wang Xuewei [Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2009-03-15

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is the residue from the kitchen, restaurants, food factories and even human and animal waste which not only harm people's health but also causes environmental pollution. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy shortage. In this project, synthesis of biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in a three-step fixed bed reactor. The reaction solution was a mixture of WCO, water, methanol and solvent (hexane). The main product was biodiesel consisted of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), of which methyl oleate was the main component. Effects of lipase, solvent, water, and temperature and flow of the reaction mixture on the synthesis of biodiesel were analyzed. The results indicate that a 91.08% of FAME can be achieved in the end product under optimum conditions. Most of the chemical and physical characters of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0 diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D-6751)

Synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using immobilized lipase in fixed bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yingming [School of Environment and Urban Construction, Wuhan University of Science and Engineering, Wuhan 430073 (China)]|[Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Xiao, Bo [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Chang, Jie; Fu, Yan [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); Lv, Pengmei; Wang, Xuewei [Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2009-03-15

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is the residue from the kitchen, restaurants, food factories and even human and animal waste which not only harm people's health but also causes environmental pollution. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy shortage. In this project, synthesis of biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in a three-step fixed bed reactor. The reaction solution was a mixture of WCO, water, methanol and solvent (hexane). The main product was biodiesel consisted of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), of which methyl oleate was the main component. Effects of lipase, solvent, water, and temperature and flow of the reaction mixture on the synthesis of biodiesel were analyzed. The results indicate that a 91.08% of FAME can be achieved in the end product under optimum conditions. Most of the chemical and physical characters of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D-6751). (author)

Synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using immobilized lipase in fixed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yingming; Xiao Bo; Chang Jie; Fu Yan; Lv Pengmei; Wang Xuewei

2009-01-01

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is the residue from the kitchen, restaurants, food factories and even human and animal waste which not only harm people's health but also causes environmental pollution. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy shortage. In this project, synthesis of biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in a three-step fixed bed reactor. The reaction solution was a mixture of WCO, water, methanol and solvent (hexane). The main product was biodiesel consisted of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), of which methyl oleate was the main component. Effects of lipase, solvent, water, and temperature and flow of the reaction mixture on the synthesis of biodiesel were analyzed. The results indicate that a 91.08% of FAME can be achieved in the end product under optimum conditions. Most of the chemical and physical characters of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0 diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D-6751)

Simulation of emulsion copolymerization reactions in a continuous pulsed sieve-plate column reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayer C.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This work addressed the viability of using a pulsed sieve-plate column reactor to carry out continuous vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate emulsion copolymerization reactions. A rigorous mathematical model of emulsion copolymerization reactions in a tubular reactor with axial dispersion was used for this purpose. Operational conditions were defined to attain high monomer conversions at the reactor outlet in a relatively short residence time and, at the same time, produce a copolymer with a more homogeneous composition.

Continuous API-crystal coating via coacervation in a tubular reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Besenhard, M O; Thurnberger, A; Hohl, R; Faulhammer, E; Rattenberger, J; Khinast, J G

2014-11-20

We present a proof-of-concept study of a continuous coating process of single API crystals in a tubular reactor using coacervation as a microencapsulation technique. Continuous API crystal coating can have several advantages, as in a single step (following crystallization) individual crystals can be prepared with a functional coating, either to change the release behavior, to protect the API from gastric juice or to modify the surface energetics of the API (i.e., to tailor the hydrophobic/hydrophilic characteristics, flowability or agglomeration tendency, etc.). The coating process was developed for the microencapsulation of a lipophilic core material (ibuprofen crystals of 20 μm- to 100 μm-size), with either hypromellose phthalate (HPMCP) or Eudragit L100-55. The core material was suspended in an aqueous solution containing one of these enteric polymers, fed into the tubing and mixed continuously with a sodium sulfate solution as an antisolvent to induce coacervation. A subsequent temperature treatment was applied to optimize the microencapsulation of crystals via the polymer-rich coacervate phase. Cross-linking of the coating shell was achieved by mixing the processed material with an acidic solution (pH<3). Flow rates, temperature profiles and polymer-to-antisolvent ratios had to be tightly controlled to avoid excessive aggregation, leading to pipe plugging. This work demonstrates the potential of a tubular reactor design for continuous coating applications and is the basis for future work, combining continuous crystallization and coating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of organic acids in an immobilized cell reactor using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-09-17

Sep 17, 2008 ... 1Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Noushirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran. 2Faculty of Civil ... downstream, immobilization was the method of choice which was ..... These methods can be applied to various.

Plasma dye coating as straightforward and widely applicable procedure for dye immobilization on polymeric materials.

Science.gov (United States)

De Smet, Lieselot; Vancoillie, Gertjan; Minshall, Peter; Lava, Kathleen; Steyaert, Iline; Schoolaert, Ella; Van De Walle, Elke; Dubruel, Peter; De Clerck, Karen; Hoogenboom, Richard

2018-03-16

Here, we introduce a novel concept for the fabrication of colored materials with significantly reduced dye leaching through covalent immobilization of the desired dye using plasma-generated surface radicals. This plasma dye coating (PDC) procedure immobilizes a pre-adsorbed layer of a dye functionalized with a radical sensitive group on the surface through radical addition caused by a short plasma treatment. The non-specific nature of the plasma-generated surface radicals allows for a wide variety of dyes including azobenzenes and sulfonphthaleins, functionalized with radical sensitive groups to avoid significant dye degradation, to be combined with various materials including PP, PE, PA6, cellulose, and PTFE. The wide applicability, low consumption of dye, relatively short procedure time, and the possibility of continuous PDC using an atmospheric plasma reactor make this procedure economically interesting for various applications ranging from simple coloring of a material to the fabrication of chromic sensor fabrics as demonstrated by preparing a range of halochromic materials.

Experiment on continuous operation of the Brazilian IEA-R1 research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas Pintaud, M. de

1994-01-01

In order to increase the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor at IPEN/CNEN-SP, it has been proposed a change in its operation regime from 8 hours per day and 5 days per week to continuous 48 hours per week. The necessary reactor parameters for this new operation regime were obtained through an experiment in which the reactor was for the first time operated in the new regime. This work presents the principal results from this experiment: xenon reactivity, new shutdown margins, and reactivity loss due to fuel burnup in the new operation regime. (author)

Adaptive Controller Design for Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

OpenAIRE

K. Prabhu; V. Murali Bhaskaran

2014-01-01

Continues Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) is an important issue in chemical process and a wide range of research in the area of chemical engineering. Temperature Control of CSTR has been an issue in the chemical control engineering since it has highly non-linear complex equations. This study presents problem of temperature control of CSTR with the adaptive Controller. The Simulation is done in MATLAB and result shows that adaptive controller is an efficient controller for temperature control of C...

Engineering aspects of fluidized bed reactor operation applied to lactase treatment of whole whey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metzdorf, C; Fauquex, P F; Flaschel, E; Renken, A

1985-01-01

An interesting possibility for the use of lactoserum in human nutrition is the hydrolysis of lactose to glucose and galactose, sugars which exhibit a better digestibility, a higher solubility, and which have a greater sweetening power than lactose. The hydrolysis is catalyzed by an enzyme, the ..beta..-galactosidase which, due to its high price, must be used continuously, preferentially in immobilized form. The enzyme used for these studies has been immobilized on silica gel precoated with chitosan. When whole whey or partially deproteinized whey is treated, a fluidized bed reactor seems to be the most appropriate to circumvent problems with protein adsorption and reactor plugging. However the fluidization of fine particles with a small density difference between the solid and the liquid may give rise to stability problems. In order to prevent unstable operation of the fluidized bed, the reactor has been equipped with special internals. They impose a radial distribution of the liquid and the solid phase and increase the linear velocity required to achieve a given expansion by a factor of five. Besides the resulting high solids content, the back-mixing of the liquid decreases significantly when static mixer-packings are used.

Hydrolytic pretreatment of oily wastewater by immobilized lipase.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeganathan, Jeganaesan; Nakhla, George; Bassi, Amarjeet

2007-06-25

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hydrolysis of wastewater with high oil and grease (O&G) concentration from a pet food industry using immobilized lipase (IL) as a pretreatment step for anaerobic treatment through batch and continuous-flow experiments. The intrinsic Michaelis constant (K(m)) and maximum reaction rate (V(max)) were estimated experimentally and the K(m) value of IL (22.5g O&G/L) was six-folds higher than that of the free lipase (FL) (3.6gO&G/L), whereas V(max) of both FL (31.3mM/gmin) and IL (33.1mM/gmin) were similar. Preliminary batch anaerobic respirometric experiments showed that chemical oxygen demand (COD) and O&G reduction were 49 and 45% without pretreatment and 65 and 64% with IL pretreatment respectively, while the maximum growth rate (micromax) for pretreated wastewater (0.17d(-1)) was 3.4-folds higher than that of raw wastewater (0.05d(-1)) with similar Monod half-saturation constants (K(s) approximately 2.7gCOD/L). The continuous-flow experimental study showed the feasibility of employing the hybrid packed bed reactor (PBR)-upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) system for the treatment of high-strength oily wastewater, as reflected by its ability to operate at an oil loading rate (LR) of 4.9kgO&G/m(3)d (to the PBR) without any problems for a period of 100days. During pseudo-steady-state conditions, the hybrid UASB produced relatively higher biogas compared to the control UASB, The effluent COD and O&G concentrations of hybrid system were 100mg/L lower than that of the control UASB reactor and no foam production was observed in the hybrid UASB compared to the control UASB reactor.

Hydrolytic pretreatment of oily wastewater by immobilized lipase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeganathan, Jeganaesan; Nakhla, George; Bassi, Amarjeet

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hydrolysis of wastewater with high oil and grease (O and G) concentration from a pet food industry using immobilized lipase (IL) as a pretreatment step for anaerobic treatment through batch and continuous-flow experiments. The intrinsic Michaelis constant (K m ) and maximum reaction rate (V max ) were estimated experimentally and the K m value of IL (22.5 g O and G/L) was six-folds higher than that of the free lipase (FL) (3.6 g O and G/L), whereas V max of both FL (31.3 mM/g min) and IL (33.1 mM/g min) were similar. Preliminary batch anaerobic respirometric experiments showed that chemical oxygen demand (COD) and O and G reduction were 49 and 45% without pretreatment and 65 and 64% with IL pretreatment respectively, while the maximum growth rate (μ max ) for pretreated wastewater (0.17 d -1 ) was 3.4-folds higher than that of raw wastewater (0.05 d -1 ) with similar Monod half-saturation constants (K s ∼ 2.7 g COD/L). The continuous-flow experimental study showed the feasibility of employing the hybrid packed bed reactor (PBR)-upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) system for the treatment of high-strength oily wastewater, as reflected by its ability to operate at an oil loading rate (LR) of 4.9 kg O and G/m 3 d (to the PBR) without any problems for a period of 100 days. During pseudo-steady-state conditions, the hybrid UASB produced relatively higher biogas compared to the control UASB, The effluent COD and O and G concentrations of hybrid system were 100 mg/L lower than that of the control UASB reactor and no foam production was observed in the hybrid UASB compared to the control UASB reactor

EIS Data Call Report: Plutonium immobilization plant using ceramic in new facilities at the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiSabatino, A.

1998-01-01

The Plutonium Immobilization Plant (PIP) accepts plutonium (Pu) from pit conversion and from non-pit sources and, through a ceramic immobilization process, converts the plutonium into an immobilized form that can be disposed of in a high level waste (HLW) repository. This immobilization process is shown conceptually in Figure 1-1. The objective is to make an immobilized form, suitable for geologic disposal, in which the plutonium is as inherently unattractive and inaccessible as the plutonium in spent fuel from commercial reactors. The ceramic immobilization alternative presented in this report consists of first converting the surplus material to an oxide, followed by incorporating the plutonium oxide into a titanate-based ceramic material that is placed in metal cans

Studies on the preparation of immobilized enzymes by radio-polymerization, 10. Preparation of. beta. -galactosidase and its utilization for the continuous determination of lactose. [Gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amarakone, S P [Ceylon Inst. of Scientific and Industrial Research, Colombo (Sri Lanka); Hayashi, Toru; Kawashima, Koji

1983-03-01

..beta..-Galactosidase of E. coli origin was immobilized in the form of beads by the radiopolymerization of different combinations of monomers using a gamma irradiation technique. With the dialysed enzyme, recoveries of over 300 % could be obtained on suitable monomer combinations containing magnesium and sodium acrylates. The recovery of the enzyme also depended on the irradiation time. The immobilized enzyme had better pH and temperature stability and was less affected by the presence of metal ions in the medium, compared to the native enzyme. The optimum pH and temperatures of the immobilized enzyme were different from those of the native enzyme and were 7.0 to 7.5 and 50 deg C respectively. The immobilized enzyme was used in a column for the continuous determination of lactose with a standard type autoanalyser. Good linearity could be observed even up to 3% lactose in the sample.

Biohydrogen production from rotten orange with immobilized mixed culture: Effect of immobilization media for various composition of substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damayanti, Astrilia, E-mail: liasholehasd@gmail.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Semarang State University, E1 Building, 2nd floor, Kampus Sekaran, Gunungpati, Semarang 50229 (Indonesia); Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Jl. Grafika No. 2, Kampus UGM, Yogyakarta 55281 (Indonesia); Sarto,; Syamsiah, Siti; Sediawan, Wahyudi B. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Jl. Grafika No. 2, Kampus UGM, Yogyakarta 55281 (Indonesia)

2015-12-29

Enriched–immobilized mixed culture was utilized to produce biohydrogen in mesophilic condition under anaerobic condition using rotten orange as substrate. The process was conducted in batch reactors for 100 hours. Microbial cultures from three different sources were subject to a series of enrichment and immobilized in two different types of media, i.e. calcium alginate (CA, 2%) and mixture of alginate and activated carbon (CAC, 1:1). The performance of immobilized culture in each media was tested for biohydrogen production using four different substrate compositions, namely orange meat (OM), orange meat added with peel (OMP), orange meat added with limonene (OML), and mixture of orange meat and peel added with limonene (OMPL). The results show that, with immobilized culture in CA, the variation of substrate composition gave significant effect on the production of biohydrogen. The highest production of biohydrogen was detected for substrate containing only orange meet, i.e. 2.5%, which was about 3-5 times higher than biohydrogen production from other compositions of substrate. The use of immobilized culture in CAC in general has increased the hydrogen production by 2-7 times depending on the composition of substrate, i.e. 5.4%, 4.8%, 5.1%, and 4.4% for OM, OMP, OML, and OMPL, respectively. The addition of activated carbon has eliminated the effect of inhibitory compounds in the substrate. The major soluble metabolites were acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid.

Biohydrogen production from rotten orange with immobilized mixed culture: Effect of immobilization media for various composition of substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Damayanti, Astrilia; Sarto, Syamsiah, Siti; Sediawan, Wahyudi B.

2015-12-01

Enriched-immobilized mixed culture was utilized to produce biohydrogen in mesophilic condition under anaerobic condition using rotten orange as substrate. The process was conducted in batch reactors for 100 hours. Microbial cultures from three different sources were subject to a series of enrichment and immobilized in two different types of media, i.e. calcium alginate (CA, 2%) and mixture of alginate and activated carbon (CAC, 1:1). The performance of immobilized culture in each media was tested for biohydrogen production using four different substrate compositions, namely orange meat (OM), orange meat added with peel (OMP), orange meat added with limonene (OML), and mixture of orange meat and peel added with limonene (OMPL). The results show that, with immobilized culture in CA, the variation of substrate composition gave significant effect on the production of biohydrogen. The highest production of biohydrogen was detected for substrate containing only orange meet, i.e. 2.5%, which was about 3-5 times higher than biohydrogen production from other compositions of substrate. The use of immobilized culture in CAC in general has increased the hydrogen production by 2-7 times depending on the composition of substrate, i.e. 5.4%, 4.8%, 5.1%, and 4.4% for OM, OMP, OML, and OMPL, respectively. The addition of activated carbon has eliminated the effect of inhibitory compounds in the substrate. The major soluble metabolites were acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid.

Biohydrogen production from rotten orange with immobilized mixed culture: Effect of immobilization media for various composition of substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damayanti, Astrilia; Sarto,; Syamsiah, Siti; Sediawan, Wahyudi B.

2015-01-01

Enriched–immobilized mixed culture was utilized to produce biohydrogen in mesophilic condition under anaerobic condition using rotten orange as substrate. The process was conducted in batch reactors for 100 hours. Microbial cultures from three different sources were subject to a series of enrichment and immobilized in two different types of media, i.e. calcium alginate (CA, 2%) and mixture of alginate and activated carbon (CAC, 1:1). The performance of immobilized culture in each media was tested for biohydrogen production using four different substrate compositions, namely orange meat (OM), orange meat added with peel (OMP), orange meat added with limonene (OML), and mixture of orange meat and peel added with limonene (OMPL). The results show that, with immobilized culture in CA, the variation of substrate composition gave significant effect on the production of biohydrogen. The highest production of biohydrogen was detected for substrate containing only orange meet, i.e. 2.5%, which was about 3-5 times higher than biohydrogen production from other compositions of substrate. The use of immobilized culture in CAC in general has increased the hydrogen production by 2-7 times depending on the composition of substrate, i.e. 5.4%, 4.8%, 5.1%, and 4.4% for OM, OMP, OML, and OMPL, respectively. The addition of activated carbon has eliminated the effect of inhibitory compounds in the substrate. The major soluble metabolites were acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid

Human recombinant beta-secretase immobilized enzyme reactor for fast hits' selection and characterization from a virtual screening library.

Science.gov (United States)

De Simone, Angela; Mancini, Francesca; Cosconati, Sandro; Marinelli, Luciana; La Pietra, Valeria; Novellino, Ettore; Andrisano, Vincenza

2013-01-25

In the present work, a human recombinant BACE1 immobilized enzyme reactor (hrBACE1-IMER) has been applied for the sensitive fast screening of 38 compounds selected through a virtual screening approach. HrBACE1-IMER was inserted into a liquid chromatograph coupled with a fluorescent detector. A fluorogenic peptide substrate (M-2420), containing the β-secretase site of the Swedish mutation of APP, was injected and cleaved in the on-line HPLC-hrBACE1-IMER system, giving rise to the fluorescent product. The compounds of the library were tested for their ability to inhibit BACE1 in the immobilized format and to reduce the area related to the chromatographic peak of the fluorescent enzymatic product. The results were validated in solution by using two different FRET methods. Due to the efficient virtual screening methodology, more than fifty percent of the selected compounds showed a measurable inhibitory activity. One of the most active compound (a bis-indanone derivative) was characterized in terms of IC(50) and K(i) determination on the hrBACE1-IMER. Thus, the hrBACE1-IMER has been confirmed as a valid tool for the throughput screening of different chemical entities with potency lower than 30μM for the fast hits' selection and for mode of action determination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance and methanogenic community of rotating disk reactor packed with polyurethane during thermophilic anaerobic digestion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yingnan; Tsukahara, Kenichiro; Sawayama, Shigeki

2007-01-01

A newly developed anaerobic rotating disk reactor (ARDR) packed with polyurethane was used in continuous mode for organic waste removal under thermophilic (55 o C) anaerobic conditions. This paper reports the effects of the rotational speed on the methanogenic performance and community in an ARDR supplied with acetic acid synthetic wastewater as the organic substrate. The best performance was obtained from the ARDR with the rotational speed (ω) of 30 rpm. The average removal of dissolved organic carbon was 98.5%, and the methane production rate was 393 ml/l-reactor/day at an organic loading rate of 2.69 g/l-reactor/day. Under these operational conditions, the reactor had a greater biomass retention capacity and better reactor performance than those at other rotational speeds (0, 5 and 60 rpm). The results of 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis indicated that the major methanogens in the reactor belonged to the genus Methanosarcina spp. The results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis suggested that the cell density of methanogenic archaea immobilized on the polyurethane foam disk could be concentrated more than 2000 times relative to those in the original thermophilic sludge. Scanning electron microphotographs showed that there were more immobilized microbes at ω of 30 rpm than 60 rpm. A rotational speed on the outer layer of the disk of 6.6 m/min could be appropriate for anaerobic digestion using the polyurethane ARDR

Measurements of liquid phase residence time distributions in a pilot-scale continuous leaching reactor using radiotracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, H.J.; Sharma, V.K.; Shenoy, K.T.; Sreenivas, T.

2015-01-01

An alkaline based continuous leaching process is commonly used for extraction of uranium from uranium ore. The reactor in which the leaching process is carried out is called a continuous leaching reactor (CLR) and is expected to behave as a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for the liquid phase. A pilot-scale CLR used in a Technology Demonstration Pilot Plant (TDPP) was designed, installed and operated; and thus needed to be tested for its hydrodynamic behavior. A radiotracer investigation was carried out in the CLR for measurement of residence time distribution (RTD) of liquid phase with specific objectives to characterize the flow behavior of the reactor and validate its design. Bromine-82 as ammonium bromide was used as a radiotracer and about 40–60 MBq activity was used in each run. The measured RTD curves were treated and mean residence times were determined and simulated using a tanks-in-series model. The result of simulation indicated no flow abnormality and the reactor behaved as an ideal CSTR for the range of the operating conditions used in the investigation. - Highlights: • Radiotracer technique was applied for evaluation of design of a pilot-scale continuous leaching reactor. • Mean residence time and dead volume were estimated. Dead volume was found to be ranging from 4% to 15% at different operating conditions. • Tank-in-series model was used to simulate the measured RTD data and was found suitable to describe the flow in the reactor. • No flow abnormality was found and the reactor behaved as a well-mixed system. The design of the reactor was validated

CFD optimization of continuous stirred-tank (CSTR) reactor for biohydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jie; Wang, Xu; Zhou, Xue-Fei; Ren, Nan-Qi; Guo, Wan-Qian

2010-09-01

There has been little work on the optimal configuration of biohydrogen production reactors. This paper describes three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of gas-liquid flow in a laboratory-scale continuous stirred-tank reactor used for biohydrogen production. To evaluate the role of hydrodynamics in reactor design and optimize the reactor configuration, an optimized impeller design has been constructed and validated with CFD simulations of the normal and optimized impeller over a range of speeds and the numerical results were also validated by examination of residence time distribution. By integrating the CFD simulation with an ethanol-type fermentation process experiment, it was shown that impellers with different type and speed generated different flow patterns, and hence offered different efficiencies for biohydrogen production. The hydrodynamic behavior of the optimized impeller at speeds between 50 and 70 rev/min is most suited for economical biohydrogen production. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reactor operating procedures for start up of continuously operated chemical plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verwijs, J.W.; Verwijs, J.W.; Kösters, P.H.; van den Berg, Henderikus; Westerterp, K.R.; Kosters, P.G.H.

1995-01-01

Rules are presented for the startup of an adiabatic tubular reactor, based on a qualitative analysis of the dynamic behavior of continuously-operated vapor- and liquid-phase processes. The relationships between the process dynamics, operating criteria, and operating constraints are investigated,

Assessing the influence of reactor system design criteria on the performance of model colon fermentation units.

Science.gov (United States)

Moorthy, Arun S; Eberl, Hermann J

2014-04-01

Fermentation reactor systems are a key platform in studying intestinal microflora, specifically with respect to questions surrounding the effects of diet. In this study, we develop computational representations of colon fermentation reactor systems as a way to assess the influence of three design elements (number of reactors, emptying mechanism, and inclusion of microbial immobilization) on three performance measures (total biomass density, biomass composition, and fibre digestion efficiency) using a fractional-factorial experimental design. It was determined that the choice of emptying mechanism showed no effect on any of the performance measures. Additionally, it was determined that none of the design criteria had any measurable effect on reactor performance with respect to biomass composition. It is recommended that model fermentation systems used in the experimenting of dietary effects on intestinal biomass composition be streamlined to only include necessary system design complexities, as the measured performance is not benefited by the addition of microbial immobilization mechanisms or semi-continuous emptying scheme. Additionally, the added complexities significantly increase computational time during simulation experiments. It was also noted that the same factorial experiment could be directly adapted using in vitro colon fermentation systems. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuously renewed wall for a thermonuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livshits, A.I.; Pustovojt, YU.M.; Samartsev, A.A.; Gosudarstvennyj Komitet po Ispol'zovaniyu Atomnoj Ehnergii SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Atomnoj Ehnergii)

1982-01-01

The possibility of creating a continuously renewed first wall of a thermonuclear reactor is experimentally investigated. The following variants of the wall are considered: the wall is double, its part turned to plasma is made of comparatively thin material. The external part separated from it by a small gap appears to be protected from interaction with plasma and performs structural functions. The gap contains the mixture of light helium and hydrogen and carbon-containing gas. The light gas transfers heat from internal part of the wall to the external part. Carbon-containing gas provides continuous renewal of carbon coating of the operating surface. The experiment is performed with palladium membrane 20 μm thick. Carbon is introduced into the membrane by benzol pyrolysis on one of the surfaces at the membrane temperature of 900 K. Carbon removal from the operating side of the wall due to its spraying by fast particles is modelled by chemical itching with oxygen given to the operating membrane wall. Observation of the carbon release on the operating surface is performed mass-spectrometrically according to the observation over O 2 transformation into CO and CO 2 . It is shown that in cases of benzol pressure of 5x10 -7 torr, carbon current on the opposite surface is not less than 3x10 12 atoms/sm 2 s and corresponds to the expected wall spraying rate in CF thermonuclear reactors. It is also shown that under definite conditions the formation and maintaining of a through protective carbon coating in the form of a monolayer or volumetric phase is possible

Characteristics of immobilized aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae on macroporous copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

He, B L; Jiang, P; Qiu, Y B

1990-01-01

Aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae was adsorbed on functionallized macroporous copolymers where the enzyme showed excellent catalyzing activity and operation stability. Various factors which effect the activity of the immobilized aminoacylase such as temperature, pH and ionic strength were investigated. The continuous operation of the enzyme immobilized on macroporous copolymers was compared with that of the enzyme immobilized on DEAE-Sephadex.

Continuous transesterification of biodiesel in a helicoidal reactor using recycled oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avellaneda, Fredy; Salvado, Joan

2011-01-01

The main problem with biodiesel is the high cost of oils made from oleaginous crops. For this reason, various raw materials have been analysed with a view to reducing production costs and obtaining a product that can compete with the price of petrodiesel. Recycled oil is one of the most promising alternatives in the production of biodiesel because not only is the cheapest raw material but it also avoids the expense of treating the oil as a residue. Another way to reduce costs is to make the process more economical. Conventional technology uses sodium hydroxide as the basic catalyst and large-scale batch reactors, whose mechanical agitation requires high energy consumption due to residence times of at least 60 min and temperatures of 60 C. In this paper we use a recycled pretreated oil to compare conventional transesterification with continuous transesterification in a tubular reactor. In this reactor the reactants (oil, methanol and sodium hydroxide) flow through a helicoidal tube submerged in a heating bath at 60 C. The reactor has five outlets distributed non-uniformly to enable samples to be taken at different reaction times. This is to reduce the reaction time and avoid the need for mechanical agitation. With the aim of improving the quality of the biodiesel obtained, we varied the helicoidal system by incorporating a static micromixer and supplying energy in the form of ultrasound from the heating bath. This reactor produced biodiesel and glycerine at compositions roughly equal to those obtained in the batch process (89% FAME content at 75 min) but did so continuously (2.5 mL/min) and just 13 min after the reactants were integrated in a single line using a T device. Both the oil and the biodiesel were characterized and analysed in accordance with European standard UNE EN14214 for biodiesel. (author)

Mathematical modeling of methyl ester concentration distribution in a continuous membrane tubular reactor and comparison with conventional tubular reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Talaghat, M. R.; Jokar, S. M.; Modarres, E.

2017-10-01

The reduction of fossil fuel resources and environmental issues made researchers find alternative fuels include biodiesels. One of the most widely used methods for production of biodiesel on a commercial scale is transesterification method. In this work, the biodiesel production by a transesterification method was modeled. Sodium hydroxide was considered as a catalyst to produce biodiesel from canola oil and methanol in a continuous tubular ceramic membranes reactor. As the Biodiesel production reaction from triglycerides is an equilibrium reaction, the reaction rate constants depend on temperature and related linearly to catalyst concentration. By using the mass balance for a membrane tubular reactor and considering the variation of raw materials and products concentration with time, the set of governing equations were solved by numerical methods. The results clearly show the superiority of membrane reactor than conventional tubular reactors. Afterward, the influences of molar ratio of alcohol to oil, weight percentage of the catalyst, and residence time on the performance of biodiesel production reactor were investigated.

Record of Decision; Continued operation of K, L, and P Reactors, Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has considered the environmental impacts, benefits and costs, and institutional and programmatic needs associated with continued operation of the Savannah River Site (SRS) reactors, and has decided that it will continue to operate K and L Reactors at SRS, and will terminate operation of P Reactor in the immediate future and maintain it in cold standby. For P Reactor, this will involve the reactor's defueling; storage of its heavy water moderator in tanks in the reactor building; shutdown of reactor equipment and systems in a protected condition to prevent deterioration; and maintenance of the reactor in a defueled, protected status by a skeleton staff, which would permit any future decision to refuel and restart. Currently committed and planned upgrade activities will be discontinued for P Reactor. DOE will proceed with the safety upgrades and management system improvements currently scheduled for K Reactor in its program to satisfy the criteria of the Safety Evaluation Report (SER), and will conduct an Operational Readiness Review (ORR). The satisfaction of the SER criteria and completion of the ORR will demonstrate that the safety and health criteria for the resumption of production have been met. Reactor restart is expected to be in the third quarter of 1991 for K Reactor

Comparison of two continuous fungal bioreactors for posttreatment of anaerobically pretreated weak black liquor from kraft pulp mills.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega-Clemente, Alfredo; Marín-Mezo, G; Ponce-Noyola, M T; Montes-Horcasitas, M C; Caffarel-Méndez, S; Barrera-Cortés, Josefina; Poggi-Varaldo, Héctor M

2007-03-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate and compare two continuous systems of posttreatment of anaerobically pretreated weak black liquor (WBL). The first system consisted of a packed bed reactor (PBR) with Trametes versicolor (Tv) immobilized on wood cubes of holm oak (biocubes). The second system was a fluidized bed reactor (FBR) with Lentinus edodes (Le) immobilized on wood cubes of holm oak. The reactors operated for 65 days at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 days, at 28 degrees C, with continuous aeration. Response variables monitored were conventional and specific, unit, net removal efficiency (eta and eta(sun), respectively) of chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and ligninoids, and enzymatic activities of manganese peroxidase (MnP), lignin peroxidase (LiP), laccase (Lac) and proteases. The PBR showed an average color eta superior to that of the FBR (52.42 +/- 21.78% and 25.34 +/- 14.38% for PBR and FBR, respectively); removals of COD and ligninoids presented a similar pattern to that of color. Lac activity was significantly larger in PBR than in FBR. Activity of MnP in PBR was higher than that of the FBR (0.004 and 0.002 U MnP/mL, respectively). This difference could be ascribed to the different fungi present in each bioreactor. LiP activity was very low in both reactors. Average value of proteases was almost double in the FBR as compared with PBR (0.472 and 0.209 U Proteases/mL, respectively). During the last 2 weeks of operation, biocubes in the FBR experienced a significant loss of the attached Le biomass, probably by attrition. This and higher protease activity in the FBR could explain the lower pollutant removals achieved in the FBR. Overall, PBR with immobilized Tv showed a better performance than the FBR with Le for the posttreatment of the recalcitrant anaerobic effluent. Extended and sustained pollutant removal (65 days) was achieved in the PBR, although more research is needed to evaluate bioreactor performance at shorter hydraulic

Design and Properties of an Immobilization Enzyme System for Inulin Conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Hang, Hua; Wang, Changbao; Cheng, Yiqun; Li, Ning; Song, Liuli

2018-02-01

A commercial inulinase could convert inulin into fructose, which was optimized to be entrapped in the calcium alginate-gelatin beads with the immobilization yield of 86% for free inulinase activities. The optimum pH values and temperatures were 4.5 and 40 °C for the free enzyme and 5.0-5.5 and 45-50 °C for the immobilized enzyme. The kinetic parameters of V max and K m were 5.24 μmol/min and 57.6 mg/mL for the free inulinase and 4.32 μmol/min and 65.8 mg/mL for the immobilized inulinase, respectively. The immobilized enzyme retained 80% of its initial activities at 45 °C for 4 days, which could exhibit better thermal stability. The reuse of immobilized inulinase throughout the continuous batch operations was explored, which had better reusability of the immobilized biocatalyst. At the same time, the stability of immobilized enzyme in the continuous packed-bed bioreactor was estimated, which showed the better results and had its potential scale-up fructose production for inulin conversion.

Light transfer in agar immobilized microalgae cell cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Kandilian, Razmig; Jesus, Bruno; Legrand, Jack; Pilon, Laurent; Pruvost, Jérémy

2017-09-01

This paper experimentally and theoretically investigates light transfer in agar-immobilized cell cultures. Certain biotechnological applications such as production of metabolites secreted by photosynthetic microorganisms require cells to be immobilized in biopolymers to minimize contamination and to facilitate metabolite recovery. In such applications, light absorption by cells is one of the most important parameters affecting cell growth or metabolite productivity. Modeling light transfer therein can aid design and optimize immobilized-cell reactors. In this study, Parachlorella kessleri cells with areal biomass concentrations ranging from 0.36 to 16.9 g/m2 were immobilized in 2.6 mm thick agar gels. The average absorption and scattering cross-sections as well as the scattering phase function of P. kessleri cells were measured. Then, the absorption and transport scattering coefficients of the agar gel were determined using an inverse method based on the modified two-flux approximation. The forward model was used to predict the normal-hemispherical transmittance and reflectance of the immobilized-cell films accounting for absorption and scattering by both microalgae and the agar gel. Good agreement was found between the measured and predicted normal-hemispherical transmittance and reflectance provided absorption and scattering by agar were taken into account. Moreover, good agreement was found between experimentally measured and predicted mean rate of photon absorption. Finally, optimal areal biomass concentration was determined to achieve complete absorption of the incident radiation.

Effect of mass transfer in a recirculation batch reactor system for immobilized penicillin amidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J M; Choi, C Y; Seong, B L; Han, M H

1982-10-01

The effect of external mass transfer resistance on the overall reaction rate of the immobilized whole cell penicillin amidase of E. coli in a recirculation batch reactor was investigated. The internal diffusional resistance was found negligible as indicated by the value of effectiveness factor, 0.95. The local environmental change in a column due to the pH drop was successfully overcome by employing buffer solution. The reaction rate was measured by pH-stat method and was found to follow the simple Michaelis-Menten law at the initial stage of the reaction. The values of the net reaction rate experimentally determined were used to calculate the substrate concentration at the external surface of the catalyst pellet and then to calculate the mass transfer coefficient, k(L), at various flow rates and substrate concentrations. The correlation proposed by Chilton and Colburn represented adequately the experimental data. The linear change of log j(D) at low log N(Re) with negative slope was ascribed to the fact that the external mass transfer approached the state of pure diffusion in the limit of zero superficial velocity.

Process development of continuous glycerolysis in an immobilized enzyme-packed reactor for industrial monoacylglycerol production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damstrup, Marianne; Kiil, Søren; Jensen, Anker Degn

2007-01-01

Continuous and easily operated glycerolysis was studied in different lipase-packed columns to evaluate the most potential process set-ups for industrial monoacylglycerol (MAG) production. Practical design-related issues such as enzyme-filling degree, required reaction time, mass transfer investig......Continuous and easily operated glycerolysis was studied in different lipase-packed columns to evaluate the most potential process set-ups for industrial monoacylglycerol (MAG) production. Practical design-related issues such as enzyme-filling degree, required reaction time, mass transfer...

Biological treatment of phenolic wastewater in an anaerobic continuous stirred tank reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firozjaee Taghizade Tahere

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the present study, an anaerobic continuous stirred tank reactor (ACSTR with consortium of mixed culture was operated continuously for a period of 110 days. The experiments were performed with three different hydraulic retention times and by varying initial phenol concentrations between 100 to 1000 mg/L. A maximum phenol removal was observed at a hydraulic retention time (HRT of 4 days, with an organic loading rate (OLR of 170.86 mg/L.d. At this condition, phenol removal rate of 89% was achieved. In addition, the chemical oxygen demand (COD removal corresponds to phenol removal. Additional operating parameters such as pH, MLSS and biogas production rate of the effluents were also measured. The present study provides valuable information to design an anaerobic ACSTR reactor for the biodegradation of phenolic wastewater.

Improved Dechlorinating Performance of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactors by Incorporation of Dehalospirillum multivorans into Granular Sludge

Science.gov (United States)

Hörber, Christine; Christiansen, Nina; Arvin, Erik; Ahring, Birgitte K.

1998-01-01

Dechlorination of tetrachloroethene, also known as perchloroethylene (PCE), was investigated in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor after incorporation of the strictly anaerobic, reductively dechlorinating bacterium Dehalospirillum multivorans into granular sludge. This reactor was compared to the reference 1 (R1) reactor, where the granules were autoclaved to remove all dechlorinating abilities before inoculation, and to the reference 2 (R2) reactor, containing only living granular sludge. All three reactors were fed mineral medium containing 3 to 57 μM PCE, 2 mM formate, and 0.5 mM acetate and were operated under sterile conditions. In the test reactor, an average of 93% (mole/mole) of the effluent chloroethenes was dichloroethene (DCE), compared to 99% (mole/mole) in the R1 reactor. The R2 reactor, with no inoculation, produced only trichloroethene (TCE), averaging 43% (mole/mole) of the effluent chloroethenes. No dechlorination of PCE was observed in an abiotic control consisting of sterile granules without inoculum. During continuous operation with stepwise-reduced hydraulic retention times (HRTs), both the test reactor and the R1 reactor showed conversion of PCE to DCE, even at HRTs much lower than the reciprocal maximum specific growth rate of D. multivorans, indicating that this bacterium was immobilized in the living and autoclaved granular sludge. In contrast, the R2 reactor, with no inoculation of D. multivorans, only converted PCE to TCE under the same conditions. Immobilization could be confirmed by using fluorescein-labeled antibody probes raised against D. multivorans. In granules obtained from the R1 reactor, D. multivorans grew mainly in microcolonies located in the centers of the granules, while in the test reactor, the bacterium mainly covered the surfaces of granules. PMID:9572963

Kinetic model for torrefaction of wood chips in a pilot-scale continuous reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shang, Lei; Ahrenfeldt, Jesper; Holm, Jens Kai

2014-01-01

accordance with the model data. In an additional step a continuous, pilot scale reactor was built to produce torrefied wood chips in large quantities. The "two-step reaction in series" model was applied to predict the mass yield of the torrefaction reaction. Parameters used for the calculation were...... at different torrefaction temperatures, it was possible to predict the HHV of torrefied wood chips from the pilot reactor. The results from this study and the presented modeling approach can be used to predict the product quality from pilot scale torrefaction reactors based on small scale experiments and could...

Green synthesis of isopropyl myristate in novel single phase medium Part II: Packed bed reactor (PBR) studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Vadgama, Rajeshkumar N; Odaneth, Annamma A; Lali, Arvind M

2015-12-01

Isopropyl myristate is a useful functional molecule responding to the requirements of numerous fields of application in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry. In the present work, lipase-catalyzed production of isopropyl myristate by esterification of myristic acid with isopropyl alcohol (molar ratio of 1:15) in the homogenous reaction medium was performed on a bench-scale packed bed reactors, in order to obtain suitable reaction performance data for upscaling. An immobilized lipase B from Candida antartica was used as the biocatalyst based on our previous study. The process intensification resulted in a clean and green synthesis process comprising a series of packed bed reactors of immobilized enzyme and water dehydrant. In addition, use of the single phase reaction system facilitates efficient recovery of the product with no effluent generated and recyclability of unreacted substrates. The single phase reaction system coupled with a continuous operating bioreactor ensures a stable operational life for the enzyme.

Green synthesis of isopropyl myristate in novel single phase medium Part II: Packed bed reactor (PBR studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeshkumar N. Vadgama

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Isopropyl myristate is a useful functional molecule responding to the requirements of numerous fields of application in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry. In the present work, lipase-catalyzed production of isopropyl myristate by esterification of myristic acid with isopropyl alcohol (molar ratio of 1:15 in the homogenous reaction medium was performed on a bench-scale packed bed reactors, in order to obtain suitable reaction performance data for upscaling. An immobilized lipase B from Candida antartica was used as the biocatalyst based on our previous study. The process intensification resulted in a clean and green synthesis process comprising a series of packed bed reactors of immobilized enzyme and water dehydrant. In addition, use of the single phase reaction system facilitates efficient recovery of the product with no effluent generated and recyclability of unreacted substrates. The single phase reaction system coupled with a continuous operating bioreactor ensures a stable operational life for the enzyme.

Exploring bio-hydrogen-producing performance in three-phase fluidized bed bioreactors using different types of immobilized cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu-Yii Wu; Chi-Neng Lin; Yuan-Chang Shen; Shu-Yii Wu; Chiu-Yue Lin; Jo-Shu Chang

2006-01-01

In this study, the spherical activated carbon (AC) and silicone gel (SC) were used as the primary matrices to immobilize H 2 -producing activated sludge. The experiments were carried out in two different types of three-phase fluidized beds; namely, conventional fluidized bed reactor (FBR) and draft tube fluidized bed reactor (DTFBR). The solid volume of AC and SC immobilized cells was 10 vol.% for both FBR and DTFBR. Sucrose (at 20000 mg COD/l) was used as the carbon substrate for H 2 production. The H 2 -producing performance was examined at different hydraulic retention times (HRT = 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, and 0.5 h). The results show that the best volumetric H 2 production rate was 1.23 ± 0.08 l/h/l (HRT = 2 h) and 2.33 ± 0.22 l/h/l (HRT 0.5 h) for fluidized beds containing AC and SC immobilized cells, respectively. The highest H 2 yield was 3.37 mol H 2 /mol sucrose (HRT = 6 h) and 4.07 mol H 2 /mol sucrose (HRT = 4 h) for fluidized beds with AC and SC immobilized cells, respectively. The H 2 content in the biogas was stably maintained at 35% or higher for all the reactors, while the primary soluble metabolites in the cultures were acetic acid and butyric acid. (authors)

Electro-Fenton decolourisation of dyes in an airlift continuous reactor using iron alginate beads.

Science.gov (United States)

Iglesias, O; Rosales, E; Pazos, M; Sanromán, M A

2013-04-01

In this study, electro-Fenton dye degradation was performed in an airlift continuous reactor configuration by harnessing the catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads. Electro-Fenton experiments were carried out in an airlift reactor with a working volume of 1.5 L, air flow of 1.5 L/min and 115 g of Fe alginate gel beads. An electric field was applied by two graphite bars connected to a direct current power supply with a constant potential drop. In this study, Lissamine Green B and Reactive Black 5 were selected as model dyes. Fe alginate gel beads can be used as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the degradation of organic dyes in the electro-Fenton process, as they are more efficient than the conventional electrochemical techniques. At optimal working conditions (3 V and pH 2), the continuous process was performed. For both dyes, the degree of decolourisation increases when the residence time augments. Taking into account hydrodynamic and kinetic behaviour, a model to describe the reactor profile was obtained, and the standard deviation between experimental and theoretical data was lower than 6%. The results indicate the suitability of the electro-Fenton technique to oxidise polluted effluents in the presence of Fe alginate gel beads. Moreover, the operation is possible in a continuous airlift reactor, due to the entrapment of iron in the alginate matrix.

Acetylcholinesterase immobilized capillary reactors coupled to protein coated magnetic beads: A new tool for plant extract ligand screening

Science.gov (United States)

Vanzolini, Kenia Lourenço; Jiang, Zhengjin; Zhang, Xiaoqi; Vieira, Lucas Campos Curcino; Corrêa, Arlene Gonçalvez; Cardoso, Carmen Lucia; Cass, Quezia Bezerra; Moaddel, Ruin

2013-01-01

The use of immobilized capillary enzyme reactors (ICERs) and enzymes coated to magnetic beads ((NT or CT)-MB) for ligand screening has been adopted as a new technique of high throughput screening (HTS). In this work the selected target was the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which acts on the central nervous system and is a validated target for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as for new insecticides. A new approach for the screening of plant extracts was developed based on the ligand fishing experiments and zonal chromatography. For that, the magnetic beads were used for the ligand fishing experiments and capillary bioreactors for the activity assays. The latter was employed also under non-linear conditions to determine the affinity constants of known ligands, for the first time, as well as for the active fished ligand. PMID:24148457

Change in blood glucose level in rats after immobilization

Science.gov (United States)

Platonov, R. D.; Baskakova, G. M.; Chepurnov, S. A.

1981-01-01

Experiments were carried out on male white rats divided into four groups. In group one the blood glucose level was determined immediately after immobilization. In the other three groups, two hours following immobilization, the blood glucose level was determined every 20 minutes for 3 hours 40 minutes by the glucose oxidase method. Preliminary immobilization for 2 hours removed the increase in the blood glucose caused by the stress reaction. By the 2nd hour of immobilization in the presence of continuing stress, the blood glucose level stabilized and varied within 42 + or - 5.5 and 47 + or - 8.1 mg %. Within 2 hours after the immobilization, the differences in the blood glucose level of the rats from the control groups were statistically insignificant.

Characterization of a continuous agitated cell reactor for oxygen dependent biocatalysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Asbjørn Toftgaard; Teresa de Melo Machado Simoes Carvalho, Ana; Sutherland, Euan

2017-01-01

Biocatalytic oxidation reactions employing molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor are difficult to conduct in a continuous flow reactor because of the requirement for high oxygen transfer rates. In this paper, the oxidation of glucose to glucono-1,5-lactone by glucose oxidase was used as a model...

Continuous cryopump for steady state mirror fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batzer, T.H.; Call, W.R.

1983-01-01

The characteristics of mirror fusion reactors, i.e., steady state operation, a low neutral gas density, and a large gas throughput require unique vacuum pumping capabilities. One approach that appears to meet these requirements is a liquid helium-cooled cryopump system in which a fixed portion can be isolated and degassed while the remainder continues to pump. The time to degas a rotating, fixed portion of the pumping area and the ratio of that area to the total area fixes the gas inventory in the chamber. It follows that the active pump area maintains the required neutral gas density and the time-averaged degassing rate equals the gas throughput. We have built such a cryopump whereby the gas condensed (deuterium) on the liquid helium-cooled panel can be transferred to a collector pump and subsequently to an exterior mechanical pump and exhausted. At panel loadings as high as 0.55 Torr-/lcm 2 the gas leakage during degassing is less than 8% and the degassing time is less than 10 min. Scaling to reactor size appears to be feasible

Terminal sliding mode control for continuous stirred tank reactor

OpenAIRE

Zhao, D.; Zhu, Q.; Dubbeldam, J.

2015-01-01

A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is a typical example of chemical industrial equipment, whose dynamics represent an extensive class of second order nonlinear systems. It has been witnessed that designing a good control algorithm for the CSTR is very challenging due to the high complexity. The two difficult issues in CSTR control are state estimation and external disturbance attenuation. In general, in industrial process control a fast and robust response is essential. Driven by these ...

Enhanced photo-H2 production by Rhodopseudomonas faecalis RLD-53 immobilization on activated carbon fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Guo-Jun; Liu, Bing-Feng; Ding, Jie; Xing, De-Feng; Ren, Hong-Yu; Guo, Wan-Qian; Ren, Nan-Qi

2012-01-01

Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were firstly applied as fluidized solid carrier to immobilize photo-fermentative bacteria (PFB) for H 2 production in batch culture. The observations by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) demonstrated the close interaction between ACFs and PFB. The amount of immobilized bacteria and the performance of H 2 production were strongly affected by specific surface area, length and amount of ACFs, respectively. Large specific surface area provided more surface attachment sites and more PFB were immobilized. ACFs with proper length avoided intertwining with each other and better fluidized during reactor operation. Excessive amount of ACFs not only limited the light conversion efficiency, but also increased biofilm detachment, resulting in low H 2 yield. The maximum yield (3.08 mol H 2 mol −1 acetate) and rate (32.85 ml l −1 h −1 ) of H 2 production were obtained, using specific surface area (1500 m 2 g −1 ), length (1 mm) and amount (0.8 g l −1 ) of ACFs. Compared with the conventional solid carriers, ACFs were effective solid carriers to immobilize PFB for improving H 2 production, due to bacteria immobilized on the external surface of fluidized ACFs and formed a layer of dense biofilm. -- Highlights: ► ACFs were firstly used to immobilize photo-fermentative bacteria for H 2 production. ► ACFs were fluidized in the reactor during the operation. ► Bacteria covered on the external surface of ACFs and formed dense biofilm. ► Each bacterium on the ACFs could absorb the light and convert substrate into H 2 .

Process integration for biological sulfate reduction in a carbon monoxide fed packed bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manoj; Sinharoy, Arindam; Pakshirajan, Kannan

2018-05-09

This study examined immobilized anaerobic biomass for sulfate reduction using carbon monoxide (CO) as the sole carbon source under batch and continuous fed conditions. The immobilized bacteria with beads made of 10% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) showed best results in terms of sulfate reduction (84 ± 3.52%) and CO utilization (98 ± 1.67%). The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT), sulfate loading rate and CO loading rate on sulfate and CO removal was investigated employing a 1L packed bed bioreactor containing the immobilized biomass. At 48, 24 and 12 h HRT, the sulfate removal was 94.42 ± 0.15%, 89.75 ± 0.47% and 61.08 ± 0.34%, respectively, along with a CO utilization of more than 90%. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the results obtained showed that only the initial CO concentration significantly affected the sulfate reduction process. The reactor effluent sulfate concentrations were 27.41 ± 0.44, 59.16 ± 1.08, 315.83 ± 7.33 mg/L for 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L of influent sulfate concentrations respectively, under the optimum operating conditions. The sulfate reduction rates matched well with low inlet sulfate loading rates, indicating stable performance of the bioreactor system. Overall, this study yielded very high sulfate reduction efficiency by the immobilized anaerobic biomass under high CO loading condition using the packed bed reactor system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous removal and recovery of tellurium in an upflow anaerobic granular sludge bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mal, Joyabrata; Nancharaiah, Yarlagadda V.; Maheshwari, Neeraj; Hullebusch, Eric D. van; Lens, Piet N.L.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Tellurite bioreduction coupled to recovery of biogenic Te(0) nanocrystals. • First report on continuous tellurite removal in a UASB reactor. • Biogenic Te(0) was mainly associated with loosely-bound EPS of granular sludge. • Repeated exposure to tellurite caused compositional changes in the EPS matrix. - Abstract: Continuous removal of tellurite (TeO 3 2− ) from synthetic wastewater and subsequent recovery in the form of elemental tellurium was studied in an upflow anaerobic granular sludge bed (UASB) reactor operated at 30 °C. The UASB reactor was inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge and fed with lactate as carbon source and electron donor at an organic loading rate of 0.6 g COD L −1 d −1 . After establishing efficient and stable COD removal, the reactor was fed with 10 mg TeO 3 2− L −1 for 42 d before increasing the influent concentration to 20 mg TeO 3 2− L −1 . Tellurite removal (98 and 92%, respectively, from 10 and 20 mg Te L −1 ) was primarily mediated through bioreduction and most of the removed Te was retained in the bioreactor. Characterization using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDX and TEM confirmed association of tellurium with the granular sludge, typically in the form of elemental Te(0) deposits. Furthermore, application of an extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extraction method to the tellurite reducing sludge recovered up to 78% of the tellurium retained in the granular sludge. This study demonstrates for the first time the application of a UASB reactor for continuous tellurite removal from tellurite-containing wastewater coupled to elemental Te(0) recovery.

Removal of natural organic matter and arsenic from water by electrocoagulation/flotation continuous flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohora, Emilijan; Rončević, Srdjan; Dalmacija, Božo; Agbaba, Jasmina; Watson, Malcolm; Karlović, Elvira; Dalmacija, Milena

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A continuous electrocoagulation/flotation reactor was designed built and operated. ► Highest NOM removal according to UV 254 was 77% relative to raw groundwater. ► Highest NOM removal accordance to DOC was 71%, relative to raw groundwater. ► Highest As removal archived was 85% (6.2 μg/l), relative to raw groundwater. ► Specific reactor energy and electrode consumption was 1.7 kWh/m 3 and 66 g Al/m 3 . - Abstract: The performance of the laboratory scale electrocoagulation/flotation (ECF) reactor in removing high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM) and arsenic from groundwater was analyzed in this study. An ECF reactor with bipolar plate aluminum electrodes was operated in the horizontal continuous flow mode. Electrochemical and flow variables were optimized to examine ECF reactor contaminants removal efficiency. The optimum conditions for the process were identified as groundwater initial pH 5, flow rate = 4.3 l/h, inter electrode distance = 2.8 cm, current density = 5.78 mA/cm 2 , A/V ratio = 0.248 cm −1 . The NOM removal according to UV 254 absorbance and dissolved organic matter (DOC) reached highest values of 77% and 71% respectively, relative to the raw groundwater. Arsenic removal was 85% (6.2 μg As/l) relative to raw groundwater, satisfying the drinking water standards. The specific reactor electrical energy consumption was 17.5 kWh/kg Al. The specific aluminum electrode consumption was 66 g Al/m 3 . According to the obtained results, ECF in horizontal continuous flow mode is an energy efficient process to remove NOM and arsenic from groundwater.

Enzymatic interesterification of butterfat with rapeseed oil in a continuous packed bed reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønne, Torben Harald; Yang, Tiankui; Mu, Huiling

2005-01-01

, whereafter it dramatically decreased over the next 10 days to an activity level of 40%. In general, the study shows no significant difference for butterfat interesterification in terms of enzyme behavior from normal vegetable oils and fats even though it contains short-chain fatty acids and cholesterol......Lipase-catalyzed interesterification of butterfat blended with rapeseed oil (70/30, w/w) was investigated both in batch and in continuous reactions. Six commercially available immobilized lipases were screened in batch experiments, and the lipases, Lipozyme TL IM and Lipozyme RM IM, were chosen...

Globally linearized control on diabatic continuous stirred tank reactor: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jana, Amiya Kumar; Samanta, Amar Nath; Ganguly, Saibal

2005-07-01

This paper focuses on the promise of globally linearized control (GLC) structure in the realm of strongly nonlinear reactor system control. The proposed nonlinear control strategy is comprised of: (i) an input-output linearizing state feedback law (transformer), (ii) a state observer, and (iii) an external linear controller. The synthesis of discrete-time GLC controller for single-input single-output diabatic continuous stirred tank reactor (DCSTR) has been studied first, followed by the synthesis of feedforward/feedback controller for the same reactor having dead time in process as well as in disturbance. Subsequently, the multivariable GLC structure has been designed and then applied on multi-input multi-output DCSTR system. The simulation study shows high quality performance of the derived nonlinear controllers. The better-performed GLC in conjunction with reduced-order observer has been compared with the conventional proportional integral controller on the example reactor and superior performance has been achieved by the proposed GLC control scheme.

Significance of membrane bioreactor design on the biocatalytic performance of glucose oxidase and catalase: Free vs. immobilized enzyme systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morthensen, Sofie Thage; Meyer, Anne S.; Jørgensen, Henning

2017-01-01

Membrane separation of xylose and glucose can be accomplished via oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid by enzymatic glucose oxidase catalysis. Oxygen for this reaction can be supplied via decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by enzymatic catalase catalysis. In order to maximize the biocatalytic...... productivity of glucose oxidase and catalase (gluconic acid yield per total amount of enzyme) the following system set-ups were compared: immobilization of glucose oxidase alone; co-immobilization of glucose oxidase and catalase; glucose oxidase and catalase free in the membrane bioreactor. Fouling......-induced enzyme immobilization in the porous support of an ultrafiltration membrane was used as strategy for entrapment of glucose oxidase and catalase. The biocatalytic productivity of the membrane reactor was found to be highly related to the oxygen availability, which in turn depended on the reactor...

Measurements of liquid phase residence time distributions in a pilot-scale continuous leaching reactor using radiotracer technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, H J; Sharma, V K; Shenoy, K T; Sreenivas, T

2015-03-01

An alkaline based continuous leaching process is commonly used for extraction of uranium from uranium ore. The reactor in which the leaching process is carried out is called a continuous leaching reactor (CLR) and is expected to behave as a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for the liquid phase. A pilot-scale CLR used in a Technology Demonstration Pilot Plant (TDPP) was designed, installed and operated; and thus needed to be tested for its hydrodynamic behavior. A radiotracer investigation was carried out in the CLR for measurement of residence time distribution (RTD) of liquid phase with specific objectives to characterize the flow behavior of the reactor and validate its design. Bromine-82 as ammonium bromide was used as a radiotracer and about 40-60MBq activity was used in each run. The measured RTD curves were treated and mean residence times were determined and simulated using a tanks-in-series model. The result of simulation indicated no flow abnormality and the reactor behaved as an ideal CSTR for the range of the operating conditions used in the investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corrosion of steel drums containing immobilized ion exchange-resins and incineration ashes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marotta, F.; Schulz Rodriguez, F.M.; Farina, Silvia B.; Duffo, Gustavo S.

2009-01-01

The Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is responsible for developing the management nuclear waste disposal programme. This programme contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The proposed model is a near-surface monolithic repository similar to those in operation in El Cabril, Spain. The design of this type of repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. The intermediate radioactive waste consists mostly in spent ionic exchange resins and filters from the nuclear power plants, research reactors and radioisotopes production facilities. The spent resins, as well as the incineration ashes, have to be immobilized before being stored to improve leach resistance of waste matrix and to maintain mechanical stability for safety requirements. Generally, cementation processes have been used as immobilization techniques for economical reasons as well as for being a simple operation. The immobilized resins and incineration ashes are thus contained in steel drums that, in turn, can undergo corrosion depending on the ionic content of the matrix. This work is a part of a systematic study of the corrosion susceptibility of steel drums in contact with immobilized cemented exchange-resins with different types and contents of aggressive species and incineration ashes. To this purpose, a special type of specimen was manufactured to simulate the cemented waste in the drum. The evolution of the corrosion potential and the corrosion current density of the steel, as well as the electrical resistivity of the matrix are being monitored along time. The aggressive species studied were chloride ions (the main ionic species present in nature) and sulphate ions (produced during the radiolysis process of the cationic exchange-resins after cementation). Preliminary results show the strong effect of chloride on the corrosion susceptibility of the steel. Monitoring will continue for

Continuous formation of N-chloro-N,N-dialkylamine solutions in well-mixed meso-scale flow reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Jolley, Katherine E

2015-01-01

Summary The continuous flow synthesis of a range of organic solutions of N,N-dialkyl-N-chloramines is described using either a bespoke meso-scale tubular reactor with static mixers or a continuous stirred tank reactor. Both reactors promote the efficient mixing of a biphasic solution of N,N-dialkylamine in organic solvent, and aqueous sodium hypochlorite to achieve near quantitative conversions, in 72–100% in situ yields, and useful productivities of around 0.05 mol/h with residence times from 3 to 20 minutes. Initial calorimetric studies have been carried out to inform on reaction exotherms, rates and safe operation. Amines which partition mainly in the organic phase require longer reaction times, provided by the CSTR, to compensate for low mass transfer rates in the biphasic system. The green metrics of the reaction have been assessed and compared to existing procedures and have shown the continuous process is improved over previous procedures. The organic solutions of N,N-dialkyl-N-chloramines produced continuously will enable their use in tandem flow reactions with a range of nucleophilic substrates. PMID:26734089

Continuous formation of N-chloro-N,N-dialkylamine solutions in well-mixed meso-scale flow reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. John Blacker

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The continuous flow synthesis of a range of organic solutions of N,N-dialkyl-N-chloramines is described using either a bespoke meso-scale tubular reactor with static mixers or a continuous stirred tank reactor. Both reactors promote the efficient mixing of a biphasic solution of N,N-dialkylamine in organic solvent, and aqueous sodium hypochlorite to achieve near quantitative conversions, in 72–100% in situ yields, and useful productivities of around 0.05 mol/h with residence times from 3 to 20 minutes. Initial calorimetric studies have been carried out to inform on reaction exotherms, rates and safe operation. Amines which partition mainly in the organic phase require longer reaction times, provided by the CSTR, to compensate for low mass transfer rates in the biphasic system. The green metrics of the reaction have been assessed and compared to existing procedures and have shown the continuous process is improved over previous procedures. The organic solutions of N,N-dialkyl-N-chloramines produced continuously will enable their use in tandem flow reactions with a range of nucleophilic substrates.

Evaluation of Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor Performance by Using Radioisotope Tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noor Anis Kundari; Djoko Marjanto; Ardhani Dyah W

2009-01-01

Research on performance evaluation of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) using radioisotope tracer has been carried out. The aim of research is to assess a validity of assumption that stirring or mixing process in a CSTR is perfect. In order to follow the flow dynamics process of the fluid in the reactor, I-131 was used. The reactor was equipped with four baffles. The fluid/water leaving the reactor was sampled at 13 up to 1393 seconds and analysed its I-131 concentration. The performance of CSTR is expressed as dispersed number (D/uL) as function of retention time and Reynolds number under axial dispersed model. The experimental result show that the relation between the dispersion number and retention time is D/uL = 9X10 -4 (t s * ) 2 - 6.9X10 -1 (t s * ) + 148 and the dispersion number and Reynolds number is D/uL = 65.7 e 0.0003/Re . The dispersion number obtained were much higher than 0.01 that in between 11.08 up to 21.4. That mean the mixing process occurred in the CSTR can be assumed to be ideal. (author)

Diels–Alder reactions of myrcene using intensified continuous-flow reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian H. Hornung

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This work describes the Diels–Alder reaction of the naturally occurring substituted butadiene, myrcene, with a range of different naturally occurring and synthetic dienophiles. The synthesis of the Diels–Alder adduct from myrcene and acrylic acid, containing surfactant properties, was scaled-up in a plate-type continuous-flow reactor with a volume of 105 mL to a throughput of 2.79 kg of the final product per day. This continuous-flow approach provides a facile alternative scale-up route to conventional batch processing, and it helps to intensify the synthesis protocol by applying higher reaction temperatures and shorter reaction times.

Immobilization of NTPDase-1 from Trypanosoma cruzi and Development of an Online Label-Free Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Calil, Felipe Antunes; Lima, Juliana Maria; de Oliveira, Arthur Henrique Cavalcante; Mariotini-Moura, Christiane; Fietto, Juliana Lopes Rangel; Cardoso, Carmen Lucia

2016-01-01

The use of IMERs (Immobilized Enzyme Reactors) as a stationary phase coupled to high performance chromatographic systems is an interesting approach in the screening of new ligands. In addition, IMERs offer many advantages over techniques that employ enzymes in solution. The enzyme nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase-1) from Trypanosoma cruzi acts as a pathogen infection facilitator, so it is a good target in the search for inhibitors. In this paper, immobilization of NTPDase-1 afforded ICERs (Immobilized Capillary Enzyme Reactors). A liquid chromatography method was developed and validated to monitor the ICER activity. The conditions for the application of these bioreactors were investigated, and excellent results were obtained. The enzyme was successfully immobilized, as attested by the catalytic activity detected in the Tc NTPDase-1-ICER chromatographic system. Kinetic studies on the substrate ATP gave K M of 0.317 ± 0.044 mmol·L -1 , which still presented high affinity compared to in solution. Besides that, the ICER was stable for 32 days, enough time to investigate samples of possible inhibitors, including especially the compound Suramin, that inhibited 51% the enzyme activity at 100  µ mol·L -1 , which is in accordance with the data for the enzyme in solution.

Immobilization of NTPDase-1 from Trypanosoma cruzi and Development of an Online Label-Free Assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Antunes Calil

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The use of IMERs (Immobilized Enzyme Reactors as a stationary phase coupled to high performance chromatographic systems is an interesting approach in the screening of new ligands. In addition, IMERs offer many advantages over techniques that employ enzymes in solution. The enzyme nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase-1 from Trypanosoma cruzi acts as a pathogen infection facilitator, so it is a good target in the search for inhibitors. In this paper, immobilization of NTPDase-1 afforded ICERs (Immobilized Capillary Enzyme Reactors. A liquid chromatography method was developed and validated to monitor the ICER activity. The conditions for the application of these bioreactors were investigated, and excellent results were obtained. The enzyme was successfully immobilized, as attested by the catalytic activity detected in the TcNTPDase-1-ICER chromatographic system. Kinetic studies on the substrate ATP gave KM of 0.317 ± 0.044 mmol·L−1, which still presented high affinity compared to in solution. Besides that, the ICER was stable for 32 days, enough time to investigate samples of possible inhibitors, including especially the compound Suramin, that inhibited 51% the enzyme activity at 100 µmol·L−1, which is in accordance with the data for the enzyme in solution.

Immobilized laccase mediated dye decolorization and transformation pathway of azo dye acid red 27

OpenAIRE

Chhabra, Meenu; Mishra, Saroj; Sreekrishnan, Trichur Ramaswamy

2015-01-01

Background Laccases have good potential as bioremediating agents and can be used continuously in the immobilized form like many other enzymes. Methods In the present study, laccase from Cyathus bulleri was immobilized by entrapment in Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) beads cross-linked with either nitrate or boric acid. Immobilized laccase was used for dye decolorization in both batch and continuous mode employing a packed bed column. The products of degradation of dye Acid Red 27 were identified by ...

Immobilization of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Compounds: A Synthetic Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Rui; Lindhorst, Anja C; Groche, Florian J; Kühn, Fritz E

2017-02-08

Over the course of the past 15 years the success story of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) compounds in organic, inorganic, and organometallic chemistry has been extended to another dimension. The immobilization of NHC compounds, undergoing continuous diversification, broadens their range of applications and leads to new solutions for challenges in catalytic and synthetic chemistry. This review intends to present a synthetic toolkit for the immobilization of NHC compounds, giving the reader an overview on synthetic techniques and strategies available in the literature. By individually summarizing and assessing the synthetic steps of the immobilization process, a comprehensive picture of the strategies and methodologies for the immobilization of NHC compounds is presented. Furthermore, the characterization of supported NHC compounds is discussed in detail in order to set up necessary criteria for an in-depth analysis of the immobilized derivatives. Finally, the catalytic applications of immobilized NHC compounds are briefly reviewed to illustrate the practical use of this technique for a broad variety of reaction types.

Immobilized laccase mediated dye decolorization and transformation pathway of azo dye acid red 27.

Science.gov (United States)

Chhabra, Meenu; Mishra, Saroj; Sreekrishnan, Trichur Ramaswamy

2015-01-01

Laccases have good potential as bioremediating agents and can be used continuously in the immobilized form like many other enzymes. In the present study, laccase from Cyathus bulleri was immobilized by entrapment in Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) beads cross-linked with either nitrate or boric acid. Immobilized laccase was used for dye decolorization in both batch and continuous mode employing a packed bed column. The products of degradation of dye Acid Red 27 were identified by LC MS/MS analysis. The method led to very effective (90%) laccase immobilization and also imparted significant stability to the enzyme (more than 70% after 5 months of storage at 4°C). In batch decolorization, 90-95% decolorization was achieved of the simulated dye effluent for up to 10-20 cycles. Continuous decolorization in a packed bed bioreactor led to nearly 90% decolorization for up to 5 days. The immobilized laccase was also effective in decolorization and degradation of Acid Red 27 in the presence of a mediator. Four products of degradation were identified by LC-MS/MS analysis. The immobilized laccase in PVA-nitrate was concluded to be an effective agent in treatment of textile dye effluents.

Removal of natural organic matter and arsenic from water by electrocoagulation/flotation continuous flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohora, Emilijan, E-mail: emohora@ifc.org [University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg D. Obradovica 3, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia); Roncevic, Srdjan; Dalmacija, Bozo; Agbaba, Jasmina; Watson, Malcolm; Karlovic, Elvira; Dalmacija, Milena [University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg D. Obradovica 3, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia)

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A continuous electrocoagulation/flotation reactor was designed built and operated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highest NOM removal according to UV{sub 254} was 77% relative to raw groundwater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highest NOM removal accordance to DOC was 71%, relative to raw groundwater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highest As removal archived was 85% (6.2 {mu}g/l), relative to raw groundwater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Specific reactor energy and electrode consumption was 1.7 kWh/m{sup 3} and 66 g Al/m{sup 3}. - Abstract: The performance of the laboratory scale electrocoagulation/flotation (ECF) reactor in removing high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM) and arsenic from groundwater was analyzed in this study. An ECF reactor with bipolar plate aluminum electrodes was operated in the horizontal continuous flow mode. Electrochemical and flow variables were optimized to examine ECF reactor contaminants removal efficiency. The optimum conditions for the process were identified as groundwater initial pH 5, flow rate = 4.3 l/h, inter electrode distance = 2.8 cm, current density = 5.78 mA/cm{sup 2}, A/V ratio = 0.248 cm{sup -1}. The NOM removal according to UV{sub 254} absorbance and dissolved organic matter (DOC) reached highest values of 77% and 71% respectively, relative to the raw groundwater. Arsenic removal was 85% (6.2 {mu}g As/l) relative to raw groundwater, satisfying the drinking water standards. The specific reactor electrical energy consumption was 17.5 kWh/kg Al. The specific aluminum electrode consumption was 66 g Al/m{sup 3}. According to the obtained results, ECF in horizontal continuous flow mode is an energy efficient process to remove NOM and arsenic from groundwater.

Continuous removal and recovery of tellurium in an upflow anaerobic granular sludge bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mal, Joyabrata, E-mail: joyabrata2006@gmail.com [UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft (Netherlands); Nancharaiah, Yarlagadda V. [Biofouling and Biofilm Processes Section, Water and Steam Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Kalpakkam, 603102, Tamil Nadu (India); Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushakti Nagar Complex, Mumbai 400094 (India); Maheshwari, Neeraj [CNRS UMR 7338, BMBI University de Technologie Compiegne, 60200 Compiegne (France); Hullebusch, Eric D. van [UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft (Netherlands); Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Géomatériaux et Environnement (LGE), EA 4508, UPEM, 77454, Marne-la-Vallée (France); Lens, Piet N.L. [UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft (Netherlands); Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O-Box 541, Tampere (Finland)

2017-04-05

Highlights: • Tellurite bioreduction coupled to recovery of biogenic Te(0) nanocrystals. • First report on continuous tellurite removal in a UASB reactor. • Biogenic Te(0) was mainly associated with loosely-bound EPS of granular sludge. • Repeated exposure to tellurite caused compositional changes in the EPS matrix. - Abstract: Continuous removal of tellurite (TeO{sub 3}{sup 2−}) from synthetic wastewater and subsequent recovery in the form of elemental tellurium was studied in an upflow anaerobic granular sludge bed (UASB) reactor operated at 30 °C. The UASB reactor was inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge and fed with lactate as carbon source and electron donor at an organic loading rate of 0.6 g COD L{sup −1} d{sup −1}. After establishing efficient and stable COD removal, the reactor was fed with 10 mg TeO{sub 3}{sup 2−} L{sup −1} for 42 d before increasing the influent concentration to 20 mg TeO{sub 3}{sup 2−} L{sup −1}. Tellurite removal (98 and 92%, respectively, from 10 and 20 mg Te L{sup −1}) was primarily mediated through bioreduction and most of the removed Te was retained in the bioreactor. Characterization using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDX and TEM confirmed association of tellurium with the granular sludge, typically in the form of elemental Te(0) deposits. Furthermore, application of an extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extraction method to the tellurite reducing sludge recovered up to 78% of the tellurium retained in the granular sludge. This study demonstrates for the first time the application of a UASB reactor for continuous tellurite removal from tellurite-containing wastewater coupled to elemental Te(0) recovery.

Copper (II) Removal In Anaerobic Continuous Column Reactor System By Using Sulfate Reducing Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgin, A.; Jaffe, P. R.

2017-12-01

Copper is an essential element for the synthesis of the number of electrons carrying proteins and the enzymes. However, it has a high level of toxicity. In this study; it is aimed to treat copper heavy metal in anaerobic environment by using anaerobic continuous column reactor. Sulfate reducing bacteria culture was obtained in anaerobic medium using enrichment culture method. The column reactor experiments were carried out with bacterial culture obtained from soil by culture enrichment method. The system is operated with continuous feeding and as parallel. In the first rector, only sand was used as packing material. The first column reactor was only fed with the bacteria nutrient media. The same solution was passed through the second reactor, and copper solution removal was investigated by continuously feeding 15-600 mg/L of copper solution at the feeding inlet in the second reactor. When the experiment was carried out by adding the 10 mg/L of initial copper concentration, copper removal in the rate of 45-75% was obtained. In order to determine the use of carbon source during copper removal of mixed bacterial cultures in anaerobic conditions, total organic carbon TOC analysis was used to calculate the change in carbon content, and it was calculated to be between 28% and 75%. When the amount of sulphate is examined, it was observed that it changed between 28-46%. During the copper removal, the amounts of sulphate and carbon moles were equalized and more sulfate was added by changing the nutrient media in order to determine the consumption of sulphate or carbon. Accordingly, when the concentration of added sulphate is increased, it is calculated that between 35-57% of sulphate is spent. In this system, copper concentration of up to 15-600 mg / L were studied.

Enzyme Engineering for In Situ Immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehm, Fabian B H; Chen, Shuxiong; Rehm, Bernd H A

2016-10-14

Enzymes are used as biocatalysts in a vast range of industrial applications. Immobilization of enzymes to solid supports or their self-assembly into insoluble particles enhances their applicability by strongly improving properties such as stability in changing environments, re-usability and applicability in continuous biocatalytic processes. The possibility of co-immobilizing various functionally related enzymes involved in multistep synthesis, conversion or degradation reactions enables the design of multifunctional biocatalyst with enhanced performance compared to their soluble counterparts. This review provides a brief overview of up-to-date in vitro immobilization strategies while focusing on recent advances in enzyme engineering towards in situ self-assembly into insoluble particles. In situ self-assembly approaches include the bioengineering of bacteria to abundantly form enzymatically active inclusion bodies such as enzyme inclusions or enzyme-coated polyhydroxyalkanoate granules. These one-step production strategies for immobilized enzymes avoid prefabrication of the carrier as well as chemical cross-linking or attachment to a support material while the controlled oriented display strongly enhances the fraction of accessible catalytic sites and hence functional enzymes.

[Research on change process of nitrosation granular sludge in continuous stirred-tank reactor].

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Fang-Fang; Liu, Wen-Ru; Wang, Jian-Fang; Wu, Peng; Shen, Yao-Liang

2014-11-01

In order to investigate the effect of different types of reactors on the nitrosation granular sludge, a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) was studied, using mature nitrosation granular sludge cultivated in sequencing batch reactor (SBR) as seed sludge. Results indicated that the change of reactor type and influent mode could induce part of granules to lose stability with gradual decrease in sludge settling ability during the initial period of operation. However, the flocs in CSTR achieved fast granulation in the following reactor operation. In spite of the changes of particle size distribution, e. g. the decreasing number of granules with diameter larger than 2.5 mm and the increasing number of granules with diameter smaller than 0.3 mm, granular sludge held the absolute predominance of sludge morphology in CSTR during the entire experimental period. Moreover, results showed that the change of reactor type and influent mode didn't affect the nitrite accumulation rate which was still kept at about 85% in effluent. Additionally, the average activity of the sludge in CSTR was stronger than that of the seed sludge, because the newly generated small particles in CSTR had higher specific reactive activity than the larger granules.

Aerobic biodegradation of a sulfonated phenylazonaphthol dye by a bacterial community immobilized in a multistage packed-bed BAC reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Arias, Alfredo; Juárez-Ramírez, Cleotilde; de los Cobos-Vasconcelos, Daniel; Ruiz-Ordaz, Nora; Salmerón-Alcocer, Angélica; Ahuatzi-Chacón, Deifilia; Galíndez-Mayer, Juvencio

2010-11-01

A microbial community able to aerobically degrade the azo dye Acid Orange 7 was selected from riparian or lacustrine sediments collected at sites receiving textile wastewaters. Three bacterial strains, pertaining to the genera Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, and Rhizobium, constitute the selected community. The biodegradation of AO7 was carried out in batch-suspended cell culture and in a continuously operated multistage packed-bed BAC reactor. The rapid decolorization observed in batch culture, joined to a delay of about 24 h in COD removal and cell growth, suggests that enzymes involved in biodegradation of the aromatic amines generated after AO7 azo-bond cleavage (1-amino-2-naphthol [1-A2N] and 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid [4-ABS]), are inducible in this microbial consortium. After this presumptive induction period, the accumulated byproducts, measured through COD, were partially metabolized and transformed in cell mass. At all azo dye loading rates used, complete removal of AO7 and 1-A2N was obtained in the multistage packed-bed BAC reactor (PBR).; however, the overall COD (eta ( COD )) and 4-ABS (eta ( ABS )) removal efficiencies obtained in steady state continuous culture were about 90%. Considering the toxicity of 1-A2N, its complete removal has particular relevance. In the first stages of the packed-bed BAC reactor (Fig. 4a-c), major removal was observed. In the last stage, only a slight removal of COD and 4-ABS was obtained. Comparing to several reported studies, the continuously operated multistage packed-bed BAC reactor showed similar or superior results. In addition, the operation of large-packed-bed BAC reactors could be improved by using several shallow BAC bed stages, because the pressure drop caused by bed compaction of a support material constituted by small and fragile particles can be reduced.

A cubic autocatalytic reaction in a continuous stirred tank reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yakubu, Aisha Aliyu; Yatim, Yazariah Mohd [School of Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang Malaysia (Malaysia)

2015-10-22

In the present study, the dynamics of the cubic autocatalytic reaction model in a continuous stirred tank reactor with linear autocatalyst decay is studied. This model describes the behavior of two chemicals (reactant and autocatalyst) flowing into the tank reactor. The behavior of the model is studied analytically and numerically. The steady state solutions are obtained for two cases, i.e. with the presence of an autocatalyst and its absence in the inflow. In the case with an autocatalyst, the model has a stable steady state. While in the case without an autocatalyst, the model exhibits three steady states, where one of the steady state is stable, the second is a saddle point while the last is spiral node. The last steady state losses stability through Hopf bifurcation and the location is determined. The physical interpretations of the results are also presented.

Immobilization of IFR salt wastes in mortar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, D.F.; Johnson, T.R.

1988-01-01

Portland cement-base mortars are being considered for immobilizing chloride salt wastes produced by the fuel cycles of Integral Fast Reactors (IFR). The IFR is a sodium-cooled fast reactor with metal alloy fuels. It has a close-coupled fuel cycle in which fission products are separated from the actinides in an electrochemical cell operating at 500/degree/C. This cell has a liquid cadmium anode in which the fuels are dissolved and a liquid salt electrolyte. The salt will be a mixture of either lithium, potassium, and sodium chlorides or lithium, calcium, barium, and sodium chlorides. One method being considered for immobilizing the treated nontransuranic salt waste is to disperse the salt in a portland cement-base mortar that will be sealed in corrosion-resistant containers. For this application, the grout must be sufficiently fluid that it can be pumped into canister-molds where it will solidify into a strong, leach-resistant material. The set times must be longer than a few hours to allow sufficient time for processing, and the mortar must reach a reasonable compressive strength (/approximately/7 MPa) within three days to permit handling. Because fission product heating will be high, about 0.6 W/kg for a mortar containing 10% waste salt, the effects of elevated temperatures during curing and storage on mortar properties must be considered

Cellulase immobilization on superparamagnetic nanoparticles for reuse in cellulosic biomass conversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Segato

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Current cellulosic biomass hydrolysis is based on the one-time use of cellulases. Cellulases immobilized on magnetic nanocarriers offer the advantages of magnetic separation and repeated use for continuous hydrolysis. Most immobilization methods focus on only one type of cellulase. Here, we report co-immobilization of two types of cellulases, β-glucosidase A (BglA and cellobiohydrolase D (CelD, on sub-20 nm superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles demonstrated 100% immobilization efficiency for both BglA and CelD. The total enzyme activities of immobilized BglA and CelD were up to 67.1% and 41.5% of that of the free cellulases, respectively. The immobilized BglA and CelD each retained about 85% and 43% of the initial immobilized enzyme activities after being recycled 3 and 10 times, respectively. The effects of pH and temperature on the immobilized cellulases were also investigated. Co-immobilization of BglA and CelD on MNPs is a promising strategy to promote synergistic action of cellulases while lowering enzyme consumption.

Biosorption of americium-241 by immobilized Rhizopus arrihizus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Jiali; Yang Yuanyou; Luo Shunzhong; Liu Ning; Jin Jiannan; Zhang Taiming; Zhao Pengji

2004-01-01

Rhizopus arrihizus (R. arrihizus), a fungus, which in previous experiments had shown encouraging ability to remove 241 Am from solutions, was immobilized by calcium alginate and other reagents. The various factors affecting 241 Am biosorption by the immobilized R. arrihizus were investigated. The results showed that not only can immobilized R. arrihizus adsorb 241 Am as efficiently as free R. arrihizus, but that also can be used repeatedly or continuously. The biosorption equilibrium was achieved within 2 h, and more than 94% of 241 Am was removed from 241 Am solutions of 1.08 MBq/l by immobilized R. arrihizu in the pH range 1-7. Temperature did not affect the adsorption on immobilized R. arrihizus in the range 15-45 deg. C. After repeated adsorption for 8 times, the immobilized R. arrihizus still adsorbed more than 97% of 241 Am. At this time, the total adsorption of 241 Am was more than 88.6 KBq/g, and had not yet reached saturation. Ninety-five percent of the adsorbed 241 Am was desorbed by saturated EDTA solution and 98% by 2 mol/l HNO 3

Pepsin immobilized in dextran-modified fused-silica capillaries for on-line protein digestion and peptide mapping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stigter, E.C.A. [Division of Biomedical Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht (Netherlands)], E-mail: e.c.a.stigter@uu.nl; Jong, G.J. de; Bennekom, W.P. van [Division of Biomedical Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht (Netherlands)

2008-07-07

On-line digestion of proteins under acidic conditions was studied using micro-reactors consisting of dextran-modified fused-silica capillaries with covalently immobilized pepsin. The proteins used in this study differed in molecular weight, isoelectric point and sample composition. The injected protein samples were completely digested in 3 min and the digest was analyzed with micro-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The different proteins present in the samples could be identified with a Mascot database search on the basis of auto-MS/MS data. It proved also to be possible to digest and analyze protein mixtures with a sequence coverage of 55% and 97% for the haemoglobin {beta}- and {alpha}-chain, respectively, and 35-55% for the various casein variants. Protease auto-digestion, sample carry-over and loss of signal due to adsorption of the injected proteins were not observed. The backpressure of the reactor is low which makes coupling to systems such as Surface Plasmon Resonance biosensors, which do not tolerate too high pressure, possible. The reactor was stable for at least 40 days when used continuously.

Pepsin immobilized in dextran-modified fused-silica capillaries for on-line protein digestion and peptide mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Stigter, E C A; de Jong, G J; van Bennekom, W P

2008-07-07

On-line digestion of proteins under acidic conditions was studied using micro-reactors consisting of dextran-modified fused-silica capillaries with covalently immobilized pepsin. The proteins used in this study differed in molecular weight, isoelectric point and sample composition. The injected protein samples were completely digested in 3 min and the digest was analyzed with micro-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The different proteins present in the samples could be identified with a Mascot database search on the basis of auto-MS/MS data. It proved also to be possible to digest and analyze protein mixtures with a sequence coverage of 55% and 97% for the haemoglobin beta- and alpha-chain, respectively, and 35-55% for the various casein variants. Protease auto-digestion, sample carry-over and loss of signal due to adsorption of the injected proteins were not observed. The backpressure of the reactor is low which makes coupling to systems such as Surface Plasmon Resonance biosensors, which do not tolerate too high pressure, possible. The reactor was stable for at least 40 days when used continuously.

Spent fuel from nuclear research reactors immobilized in sintered glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mateos, P.; Russo, D.O.; Rodriguez, D.; Heredia, A.; Sanfilippo, M.; Sterba, M.

2002-01-01

Different kinds of glasses, borosilicates, Iron borosilicates and Iron phosphates, were tested in order to determine its capability to immobilize calcined uranium silicide in a sintering process. Iron phosphate glass developed in our laboratory showed the best results in SEM analysis. Also its gravimetric leaching rate is less than 0.45 g.m -2 .day -1 for 7 and 10% loading which is lower than any previously studied for us. (author)

Critical assessment of anaerobic processes for continuous biohydrogen production from organic wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Show, Kuan-Yeow [Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan University, Bandar Barat, 31900 Kampar, Perak (Malaysia); Zhang, Zhen-Peng [Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited, BLK 25, No. 3 Minzhuang Road, Beijing 100195 (China); Tay, Joo-Hwa [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue (Singapore); Liang, David Tee [Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Lee, Duu-Jong [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei (China); Ren, Nanqi; Wang, Aijie [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China)

2010-12-15

Production of biohydrogen using dark fermentation has received much attention owing to the fact that hydrogen can be generated from renewable organics including waste materials. The key to successful application of anaerobic fermentation is to uncouple the liquid retention time and the biomass retention time in the reactor system. Various reactor designs based on biomass retention within the reactor system have been developed. This paper presents our research work on bioreactor designs and operation for biohydrogen production. Comparisons between immobilized-cell systems and suspended-cell systems based on biomass growth in the forms of granule, biofilm and flocs were made. Reactor configurations including column- and tank-based reactors were also assessed. Experimental results indicated that formation of granules or biofilms substantially enhanced biomass retention which was found to be proportional to the hydrogen production rate. Rapid hydrogen-producing culture growth and high organic loading rate might limit the application of biofilm biohydrogen production, since excessive growth of fermentative biomass would result in washout of support carrier. It follows that column-based granular sludge process is a preferred choice of process for continuous biohydrogen production from organic wastewater, indicating maximum hydrogen yield of 1.7 mol-H{sub 2}/mol-glucose and hydrogen production rate of 6.8 L-H{sub 2}/L-reactor h. (author)

Immobilized Trienzymatic System with Enhanced Stabilization for the Biotransformation of Lactose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Torres

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The use of ketohexose isomerases is a powerful tool in lactose whey processing, but these enzymes can be very sensitive and expensive. Development of immobilized/stabilized biocatalysts could be a further option to improve the process. In this work, β-galactosidase from Bacillus circulans, l-arabinose (d-galactose isomerase from Enterococcus faecium, and d-xylose (d-glucose isomerase from Streptomyces rubiginosus were immobilized individually onto Eupergit C and Eupergit C 250 L. Immobilized activity yields were over 90% in all cases. With the purpose of increasing thermostability of derivatives, two post-immobilization treatments were performed: alkaline incubation to favor the formation of additional covalent linkages, and blocking of excess oxirane groups by reacting with glycine. The greatest thermostability was achieved when alkaline incubation was carried out for 24 h, producing l-arabinose isomerase-Eupergit C derivatives with a half-life of 379 h and d-xylose isomerase-Eupergit C derivatives with a half-life of 554 h at 50 °C. Preliminary assays using immobilized and stabilized biocatalysts sequentially to biotransform lactose at pH 7.0 and 50 °C demonstrated improved performances as compared with soluble enzymes. Further improvements in ketohexose productivities were achieved when the three single-immobilizates were incubated simultaneously with lactose in a mono-reactor system.

Diesel oil removal by immobilized Pseudoxanthomonas sp. RN402.

Science.gov (United States)

Nopcharoenkul, Wannarak; Netsakulnee, Parichat; Pinyakong, Onruthai

2013-06-01

Pseudoxanthomonas sp. RN402 was capable of degrading diesel, crude oil, n-tetradecane and n-hexadecane. The RN402 cells were immobilized on the surface of high-density polyethylene plastic pellets at a maximum cell density of 10(8) most probable number (MPN) g(-1) of plastic pellets. The immobilized cells not only showed a higher efficacy of diesel oil removal than free cells but could also degrade higher concentrations of diesel oil. The rate of diesel oil removal by immobilized RN402 cells in liquid culture was 1,050 mg l(-1) day(-1). Moreover, the immobilized cells could maintain high efficacy and viability throughout 70 cycles of bioremedial treatment of diesel-contaminated water. The stability of diesel oil degradation in the immobilized cells resulted from the ability of living RN402 cells to attach to material surfaces by biofilm formation, as was shown by CLSM imaging. These characteristics of the immobilized RN402 cells, including high degradative efficacy, stability and flotation, make them suitable for the purpose of continuous wastewater bioremediation.

Design and operation of a filter reactor for continuous production of a selected pharmaceutical intermediate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Kim Müller; Pedersen, Michael Jønch; Dam-Johansen, Kim

2012-01-01

in tetrahydrofuran solvent. The use of the filter reactor design was explored by examining the transferability of a synthesis step in a present full-scale semi-batch pharmaceutical production into continuous processing. The main advantages of the new continuous minireactor system, compared to the conventional semi...

Cassava Stillage Treatment by Thermophilic Anaerobic Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Gang; Xie, Li; Zou, Zhonghai; Zhou, Qi

2010-11-01

This paper assesses the performance of a thermophilic anaerobic Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) in the treatment of cassava stillage under various organic loading rates (OLRs) without suspended solids (SS) separation. The reactor was seeded with mesophilic anaerobic granular sludge, and the OLR increased by increments to 13.80 kg COD/m3/d (HRT 5d) over 80 days. Total COD removal efficiency remained stable at 90%, with biogas production at 18 L/d (60% methane). Increase in the OLR to 19.30 kg COD/m3/d (HRT 3d), however, led to a decrease in TCOD removal efficiency to 79% due to accumulation of suspended solids and incomplete degradation after shortened retention time. Reactor performance subsequently increased after OLR reduction. Alkalinity, VFA and pH levels were not significantly affected by OLR variation, indicating that no additional alkaline or pH adjustment is required. More than half of the SS in the cassava stillage could be digested in the process when HRT was 5 days, which demonstrated the suitability of anaerobic treatment of cassava stillage without SS separation.

Removal of natural organic matter and arsenic from water by electrocoagulation/flotation continuous flow reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohora, Emilijan; Rončević, Srdjan; Dalmacija, Božo; Agbaba, Jasmina; Watson, Malcolm; Karlović, Elvira; Dalmacija, Milena

2012-10-15

The performance of the laboratory scale electrocoagulation/flotation (ECF) reactor in removing high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM) and arsenic from groundwater was analyzed in this study. An ECF reactor with bipolar plate aluminum electrodes was operated in the horizontal continuous flow mode. Electrochemical and flow variables were optimized to examine ECF reactor contaminants removal efficiency. The optimum conditions for the process were identified as groundwater initial pH 5, flow rate=4.3 l/h, inter electrode distance=2.8 cm, current density=5.78 mA/cm(2), A/V ratio=0.248 cm(-1). The NOM removal according to UV(254) absorbance and dissolved organic matter (DOC) reached highest values of 77% and 71% respectively, relative to the raw groundwater. Arsenic removal was 85% (6.2 μg As/l) relative to raw groundwater, satisfying the drinking water standards. The specific reactor electrical energy consumption was 17.5 kWh/kg Al. The specific aluminum electrode consumption was 66 g Al/m(3). According to the obtained results, ECF in horizontal continuous flow mode is an energy efficient process to remove NOM and arsenic from groundwater. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PDBD with continuous liquids flows in a discharge reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez-Méndez, B G; Gutiérrez-León, D G; López-Callejas, R; Valencia-Alvarado, R; Muñoz-Castro, A E; Mercado-Cabrera, A; Peña-Eguiluz, R; Belman-Flores, J M; De la Piedad-Beneitez, A

2015-01-01

This paper presents the design, construction and testing of a cylindrical pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (PDBD) reactor aimed to microbiological elimination of Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 bacteria. In the reactor, water flowed continuously and to countercurrent an oxygen gas was injected. The water pumping was carried out with a peristaltic pump type, stainless steel and aluminum constructed, and water was recirculated through norprene tubing. The considered parameters in order to promote energetic efficiency were: the residence time of the water contaminated with bacteria, flow rate of the liquid, shape and material used to build electrodes and dielectric, pressure, and gas injection flow rate. The pulsed power supply parameters are featured by 25-30 kV high voltage, 500 Hz frequency and 30 μs width. The outcome elimination of E. coli bacteria at 10 3 , 10 4 and 10 6 CFU/mL concentrations reached an efficiency over 0.5 log-order in absence of oxygen; while >2 log-orders when oxygen gas was injected during the process. (paper)

Microorganism selection and biosurfactant production in a continuously and periodically operated bioslurry reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, D P; Hudak, A J

2001-06-29

A continuous-flow reactor (CSTR) and a soil slurry-sequencing batch reactor (SS-SBR) were maintained in 8l vessels for 180 days to treat a soil contaminated with diesel fuel (DF). Concentrations of Candida tropicalis, Brevibacterium casei, Flavobacterium aquatile, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas fluorescens were determined using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. DF removal (biological and volatile) and biosurfactant concentrations were measured. The SS-SBR encouraged the growth of biosurfactant-producing species relative to the CSTR. Counts of biosurfactant-producing species (C. tropicalis, P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens) relative to total microbial counts were 88% in the SS-SBR and 23% in the CSTR. Biosurfactants were produced in the SS-SBR to levels of nearly 70 times the critical micelle concentration (CMC) early in the cycle, but were completely degraded by the end of each cycle. No biosurfactant production was observed in the CSTR. DF biodegradation rates were over 40% greater and DF stripping was over five times lower in the SS-SBR than the CSTR. However, considerable foaming occurred in the SS-SBR. Reversing the mode of operation in the reactors on day 80 caused a complete reversal in microbial consortia and reactor performance by day 120. These results show that bioslurry reactor operation can be manipulated to control overall reactor performance.

The continuous fuel cycle model and the gas cooled fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christie, Stuart; Lathouwers, Danny; Kloosterman, Jan Leen; Hagen, Tim van der

2011-01-01

The gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) is one of the generation IV designs currently being evaluated for future use. It is intended to behave as an isobreeder, producing the same amount of fuel as it consumes during operation. The actinides in the fuel will be recycled repeatedly in order to minimise the waste output to fission products only. Striking the balance of the fissioning of various actinides against transmutation and decay to achieve these goals is a complex problem. This is compounded by the time required for burn-up modelling, which can be considerable for a single cycle, and even longer for studies of fuel evolution over many cycles. The continuous fuel cycle model approximates the discrete steps of loading, operating and unloading a reactor as continuous processes. This simplifies the calculations involved in simulating the behaviour of the fuel, reducing the time needed to model the changes to the fuel composition over many cycles. This method is used to study the behaviour of GFR fuel over many cycles and compared to results obtained from direct calculations. The effects of varying fuel cycle properties such as feed material, recycling of additional actinides and reprocessing losses are also investigated. (author)

Production of α-keto acids Part I. Immobilized cells ofTrigonopsis variabilis containing D-amino acid oxidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodelius, P; Nilsson, K; Mosbach, K

1981-12-01

Whole cells ofTrigonopsis variabilis were immobilized by entrapment in Ca(2+)-alginate and used for the production of α-keto acids from the corresponding D-amino acids. The D-amino acid oxidase within the immobilized cells has a broad substrate specificity. Hydrogen peroxide formed in the enzymatic reaction was efficiently hydrolyzed by manganese oxide co-immobilized with the cells. The amino acid oxidase activity was assayed with a new method based on reversed-phase HPLC. Oxygen requirements, bead size, concentration of cells in the beads, flow rate, and other factors were investigated in a " trickle-bed " reactor.

Production of structured lipids in a packed-bed reactor with Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Xuebing; Porsgaard, Trine; Zhang, Hong

2002-01-01

Lipase-catalyzed interesterification between fish oil and medium-chain TAG has been investigated in a packed-bed reactor with a commercially immobilized enzyme. The enzyme, a Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase immobilized on silica by granulation (Lipozyme TL IM; Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark), ha...

Uranium uptake by immobilized cells of Pseudomonas strain EPS 5028

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pons, M.P.; Fuste, M.C.

1993-01-01

Polyacrylamide-gel-immobilized cells of Pseudomonas strain EPS 5028 were effective in the removal of uranium (U) from synthetic effluents. Metal accumulation was performed in an open system in columns filled with immobilized cells that were challenged with continuous flows containing U. Possible variable of the system were studied. Uranium uptake by the immobilized cells of this microorganism was affected by pH but not by temperature or flow rate. In addition, U binding could be interpreted in terms of the Freundlich adsorption isotherm indicating single-layer adsorption. The feasibility of reusing the immobilized cells was suggested after the recovery of U with a solution of 0.1 M sodium carbonate. (orig.)

Estimation of mass transfer parameters in a Taylor-Couette-Poiseuille heterogeneous reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Resende M. M.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A bench-scale, continuous vortex flow reactor (VFR, with a radius ratio, h, equal to 0.48 and an aspect ratio, G, equal to 11.19 was studied. This reactor may be used in the enzymatic hydrolysis of polypeptides obtained from sweet cheese whey with enzymes immobilized on agarose gel. Operational conditions were 2410 < Re q < 11793 and 30-min residence time for glycerol-water, 14% w/w, 27ºC (Re ax = 1.1 and for water, 38ºC (Re ax = 1.5. Residence time distributions (RTDs were obtained after pulse injections of different tracers (including dyed solid particles. Mass transfer coefficients of a lumped-parameter model of the reactor were estimated from these data. Model fitting to experimental data was accurate. Working conditions were selected so that transport properties of the fluids would be similar to the ones in the actual process at the final stages of whey hydrolysis.

Using Flow Electrodes in Multiple Reactors in Series for Continuous Energy Generation from Capacitive Mixing

KAUST Repository

Hatzell, Marta C.

2014-12-09

Efficient conversion of “mixing energy” to electricity through capacitive mixing (CapMix) has been limited by low energy recoveries, low power densities, and noncontinuous energy production resulting from intermittent charging and discharging cycles. We show here that a CapMix system based on a four-reactor process with flow electrodes can generate constant and continuous energy, providing a more flexible platform for harvesting mixing energy. The power densities were dependent on the flow-electrode carbon loading, with 5.8 ± 0.2 mW m–2 continuously produced in the charging reactor and 3.3 ± 0.4 mW m–2 produced in the discharging reactor (9.2 ± 0.6 mW m–2 for the whole system) when the flow-electrode carbon loading was 15%. Additionally, when the flow-electrode electrolyte ion concentration increased from 10 to 20 g L–1, the total power density of the whole system (charging and discharging) increased to 50.9 ± 2.5 mW m–2.

A continuing success - The United States Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustin, Tracy P.; Clapper, Maureen; Reilly, Jill E.

2000-01-01

The United States Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of State, adopted the Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel in May 1996. To date, the Foreign Research Reactor (FRR) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Acceptance Program, established under this policy, has completed 16 spent fuel shipments. 2,651 material test reactor (MTR) assemblies, one Slowpoke core containing less than 1 kilogram of U.S.-origin enriched uranium, 824 Training, Research, Isotope, General Atomic (TRIGA) rods, and 267 TRIGA pins from research reactors around the world have been shipped to the United States so far under this program. As the FRR SNF Acceptance Program progresses into the fifth year of implementation, a second U.S. cross country shipment has been completed, as well as a second overland truck shipment from Canada. Both the cross country shipment and the Canadian shipment were safely and successfully completed, increasing our knowledge and experience in these types of shipments. In addition, two other shipments were completed since last year's RERTR meeting. Other program activities since the last meeting included: taking pre-emptive steps to avoid license amendment pitfalls/showstoppers for spent fuel casks, publication of a revision to the Record of Decision allowing up to 16 casks per ocean going vessel, and the issuance of a cable to 16 of the 41 eligible countries reminding their governments and the reactor operators that the U.S.-origin uranium in their research reactors may be eligible for return to the United States under the Acceptance Program and urging them to begin discussions on shipping schedules. The FRR SNF program has also supported the Department's implementation of the competitive pricing policy for uranium and resumption of shipments of fresh uranium for fabrication into assemblies for research reactors. The United States Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program continues

Production of Biodiesel Using Immobilized Lipase and the Characterization of Different Co-Immobilizing Agents and Immobilization Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Zhao

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Lipase from Candida sp. 99–125 is widely employed to catalyzed transesterification and can be used for biodiesel production. In this study, the lipase was immobilized by combined adsorption and entrapment to catalyze biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO via transesterification, and investigating co-immobilizing agents as additives according to the enzyme activity. The addition of the mixed co-immobilizing agents has positive effects on the activities of the immobilized lipase. Three different immobilizing methods were compared by the conversion ratio of biodiesel and structured by Atom Force Microscopy (AFM and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, respectively. It was found that entrapment followed by adsorption was the best method. The effect of the co-immobilizing agent amount, lipase dosage, water content, and reuse ability of the immobilized lipase was investigated. By comparison with previous research, this immobilized lipase showed good reuse ability: the conversion ratio excesses 70% after 10 subsequent reactions, in particular, was better than Novozym435 and TLIM on waste cooking oil for one unit of lipase.

Non-proliferation, safeguards, and security for the fissile materials disposition program immobilization alternatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duggan, R.A.; Jaeger, C.D.; Tolk, K.M. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Moore, L.R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

1996-05-01

The Department of Energy is analyzing long-term storage and disposition alternatives for surplus weapons-usable fissile materials. A number of different disposition alternatives are being considered. These include facilities for storage, conversion and stabilization of fissile materials, immobilization in glass or ceramic material, fabrication of fissile material into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for reactors, use of reactor based technologies to convert material into spent fuel, and disposal of fissile material using geologic alternatives. This paper will focus on how the objectives of reducing security and proliferation risks are being considered, and the possible facility impacts. Some of the areas discussed in this paper include: (1) domestic and international safeguards requirements, (2) non-proliferation criteria and measures, (3) the threats, and (4) potential proliferation, safeguards, and security issues and impacts on the facilities. Issues applicable to all of the possible disposition alternatives will be discussed in this paper. However, particular attention is given to the plutonium immobilization alternatives.

Use of a Ceramic Membrane to Improve the Performance of Two-Separate-Phase Biocatalytic Membrane Reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranieri, Giuseppe; Mazzei, Rosalinda; Wu, Zhentao; Li, Kang; Giorno, Lidietta

2016-03-14

Biocatalytic membrane reactors (BMR) combining reaction and separation within the same unit have many advantages over conventional reactor designs. Ceramic membranes are an attractive alternative to polymeric membranes in membrane biotechnology due to their high chemical, thermal and mechanical resistance. Another important use is their potential application in a biphasic membrane system, where support solvent resistance is highly needed. In this work, the preparation of asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes and their use in a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor will be described. The asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes were prepared using a combined phase inversion and sintering technique. The prepared fibres were then used as support for lipase covalent immobilization in order to develop a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor. A functionalization method was proposed in order to increase the density of the reactive hydroxyl groups on the surface of ceramic membranes, which were then amino-activated and treated with a crosslinker. The performance and the stability of the immobilized lipase were investigated as a function of the amount of the immobilized biocatalytst. Results showed that it is possible to immobilize lipase on a ceramic membrane without altering its catalytic performance (initial residual specific activity 93%), which remains constant after 6 reaction cycles.

Use of a Ceramic Membrane to Improve the Performance of Two-Separate-Phase Biocatalytic Membrane Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Ranieri

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Biocatalytic membrane reactors (BMR combining reaction and separation within the same unit have many advantages over conventional reactor designs. Ceramic membranes are an attractive alternative to polymeric membranes in membrane biotechnology due to their high chemical, thermal and mechanical resistance. Another important use is their potential application in a biphasic membrane system, where support solvent resistance is highly needed. In this work, the preparation of asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes and their use in a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor will be described. The asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes were prepared using a combined phase inversion and sintering technique. The prepared fibres were then used as support for lipase covalent immobilization in order to develop a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor. A functionalization method was proposed in order to increase the density of the reactive hydroxyl groups on the surface of ceramic membranes, which were then amino-activated and treated with a crosslinker. The performance and the stability of the immobilized lipase were investigated as a function of the amount of the immobilized biocatalytst. Results showed that it is possible to immobilize lipase on a ceramic membrane without altering its catalytic performance (initial residual specific activity 93%, which remains constant after 6 reaction cycles.

Immobilization of trypsin on miniature incandescent bulbs for infrared-assisted proteolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ge, Huimin; Bao, Huimin; Zhang, Luyan; Chen, Gang, E-mail: gangchen@fudan.edu.cn

2014-10-03

Highlights: • Trypsin was immobilized on miniature incandescent bulbs via chitosan coating. • The bulbs acted as enzymatic reactors and the generators of infrared radiation. • The bulb bioreactors were successfully employed in infrared-assisted proteolysis. • The proteolysis could accomplish within 5 min with high sequence coverages. - Abstract: A novel efficient proteolysis approach was developed based on trypsin-immobilized miniature incandescent bulbs and infrared (IR) radiation. Trypsin was covalently immobilized in the chitosan coating on the outer surface of miniature incandescent bulbs with the aid of glutaraldehyde. When an illuminated enzyme-immobilized bulb was immersed in protein solution, the emitted IR radiation could trigger and accelerate heterogeneous protein digestion. The feasibility and performance of the novel proteolysis approach were demonstrated by the digestion of hemoglobin (HEM), cytochrome c (Cyt-c), lysozyme (LYS), and ovalbumin (OVA) and the digestion time was significantly reduced to 5 min. The obtained digests were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS with the sequence coverages of 91%, 77%, 80%, and 52% for HEM, Cyt-c, LYS, and OVA (200 ng μL{sup −1} each), respectively. The suitability of the prepared bulb bioreactors to complex proteins was demonstrated by digesting human serum.

Intrinsic kinetic parameters of substrate utilization by immobilized anaerobic sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaiat, M; Vieira, L G; Foresti, E

1997-01-20

This article presents a method for evaluating the intrinsic kinetic parameters of the specific substrate utilization rate (r) equation and discusses the results obtained for anaerobic sludge-bed samples taken from a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized sludge (HAIS) reactor. This method utilizes a differential reactor filled with polyurethane foam matrices containing immobilized anaerobic sludge which is subjected to a range of feeding substrate flow rates. The range of liquid superficial velocities thus obtained are used for generating data of observed specific substrate utilization rates (r(obs)) under a diversity of external mass transfer resistance conditions. The r(obs) curves are then adjusted to permit their extrapolation for the condition of no external mass transfer resistance, and the values determined are used as a test for the condition of absence of limitation of internal mass transfer. The intrinsic parameters r(max), the maximum specific substrate utilization rate, and K(s), the half-velocity coefficient, are evaluated from the r values under no external mass transfer resistance and no internal mass transfer limitation. The application of such a method for anaerobic sludge immobilized in polyurethane foam particles treating a glucose substrate at 30 degrees C resulted in intrinsic r(max) and K(s), respectively, of 0.330 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD) . mg(-1) volatile suspended solids (VSS) . h(-1) and 72 mg COD . L(-1). In comparison with the values found in the literature, intrinsic r(max) is significantly high and intrinsic K(s) is relatively low. (c) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Magnetic enzyme reactors for isolation and study of heterogeneous glycoproteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korecka, Lucie; Jezova, Jana; Bilkova, Zuzana; Benes, Milan; Horak, Daniel; Hradcova, Olga; Slovakova, Marcela; Viovy, Jean-Louis

2005-01-01

The newly developed magnetic micro- and nanoparticles with defined hydrophobicity and porosity were used for the preparation of magnetic enzyme reactors. Magnetic particles with immobilized proteolytic enzymes trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain and with enzyme neuraminidase were used to study the structure of heterogeneous glycoproteins. Factors such as the type of carrier, immobilization procedure, operational and storage stability, and experimental conditions were optimized

Stability of immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase for the synthesis of pentyl octanoate in a continuous packed bed bioreactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Skoronski

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The enzymatic synthesis of organic compounds in continuous bioreactors is an efficient way to obtain industrially important chemicals. However, few works have focused on the study of the operational conditions and the bioprocess performance. In this work, the aliphatic ester pentyl octanoate was obtained by direct esterification using a continuous packed bed bioreactor containing the immobilized enzyme Lipozyme® RM IM as catalyst. Enzymatic deactivation was evaluated under different conditions for the operational parameters substrate/enzyme ratio (5.00, 1.67, 0.83 and 0.55 mmol substrate∙min-1∙g-1enzyme and temperature (30, 40, 50 and 60 °C. The optimal condition was observed at 30 ºC, which gave the minimum enzymatic deactivation rate and the maximum conversion to the desired product, yielding approximately 60 mmols of ester for an enzyme loading of 0.5 g into the bioreactor. A first-order deactivation model showed good agreement with the experimental data.

High density gold nanoparticles immobilized on surface via plasma deposited APTES film for decomposing organic compounds in microchannels

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Xi; Guyon, Cédric; Ognier, Stephanie; Da Silva, Bradley; Chu, Chenglin; Tatoulian, Michaël; Hassan, Ali Abou

2018-05-01

Immobilization of colloidal particles (e.g. gold nanoparticles (AuNps)) on the inner surface of micro-/nano- channels has received a great interest for catalysis. A novel catalytic ozonation setup using a gold-immobilized microchannel reactor was developed in this work. To anchor AuNps, (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) with functional amine groups was deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. The results clearly evidenced that PECVD processing exhibited relatively high efficiency for grafting amine groups and further immobilizing AuNPs. The catalytic activity of gold immobilized microchannel was evaluated by pyruvic acid ozonation. The decomposition rate calculated from High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) indicated a much better catalytic performance of gold in microchannel than that in batch. The results confirmed immobilizing gold nanoparticles on plasma deposited APTES for preparing catalytic microreactors is promising for the wastewater treatment in the future.

A rapid and continuous system for immobilization of nuclear material waste by vitrification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shareef, M.U.; Hussain, S.H.; Tufail, M.; Rashid, F.

2009-01-01

The nuclear technology has prime importance and backbone for rapid development of medical sciences, industries and in power generation as an alternate source of energy. Despite all these facts there is a major problem which is always associated with nuclear technology, that is, the generation of undesirable radioactive wastes. The radioactive wastes are quite problematic and need major attention for its treatment, conditioning and properly disposal to keep the environmental activities and human ecosystem healthy and safe. There are different large scale methods and processes to treat and dispose off the radioactive wastes. These processes are evaluated and designed by the various world competent and pronounced scientists in the light of rules and safety limits set by IAEA and other regulatory authorities to protect the environment and eventually protect our ecosystem. The research and development work on radioactive waste has been proceeding for the last fifty years but still it is a core issue and a big challenge for the nuclear scientists and radiation workers. In this study a rapid and continuous system for immobilization of nuclear waste into glass matrix by vitrification has been designed. In general treatment methods, Borosilicate glass is preferred because it is efficient, cost effective and rapid to that of other radioactive waste form. In this process the simulated waste is mixed with glass forming material and process for melting to form a glassy substrate in continuous manner. The waste is being converted into vitreous form and encapsulate into a glass matrix. (author)

Treatment of low-strength wastewater using immobilized biomass in a sequencing batch external loop reactor: influence of the medium superficial velocity on the stability and performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camargo E.F.M.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available An anaerobic sequencing batch bioreactor with external circulation of the liquid phase wherein the biomass was immobilized on a polyurethane foam matrix was analyzed, focussing on the influence of the liquid superficial velocity on the reactor's stability and efficiency. Eight-hour cycles were carried out at 30ºC treating glucose-based synthetic wastewater around 500 mgDQO/L. The performance of the reactor was assessed without circulation and with circulating liquid superficial velocity between 0.034 and 0.188 cm/s. The reactor attained operating stability and a high organic matter removal was achieved when liquid was circulated. A first order model was used to evaluate the influence of the liquid superficial velocity (vS, resulting in an increase in the apparent first order parameter when vS increased from 0.034 to 0.094 cm/s. The parameter value remained unchangeable when 0.188 cm/s was applied, indicating that beyond this value no improvement on liquid mass transfer was observed. Moreover, the necessary time to reach the final removal efficiency decreased when liquid circulation was applied, indicating that a 3-hour cycle could be enough.

Modelling of slaughterhouse solid waste anaerobic digestion: determination of parameters and continuous reactor simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Iván; Borzacconi, Liliana

2010-10-01

A model based on the work of Angelidaki et al. (1993) was applied to simulate the anaerobic biodegradation of ruminal contents. In this study, two fractions of solids with different biodegradation rates were considered. A first-order kinetic was used for the easily biodegradable fraction and a kinetic expression that is function of the extracellular enzyme concentration was used for the slowly biodegradable fraction. Batch experiments were performed to obtain an accumulated methane curve that was then used to obtain the model parameters. For this determination, a methodology derived from the "multiple-shooting" method was successfully used. Monte Carlo simulations allowed a confidence range to be obtained for each parameter. Simulations of a continuous reactor were performed using the optimal set of model parameters. The final steady-states were determined as functions of the operational conditions (solids load and residence time). The simulations showed that methane flow peaked at a flow rate of 0.5-0.8 Nm(3)/d/m(reactor)(3) at a residence time of 10-20 days. Simulations allow the adequate selection of operating conditions of a continuous reactor. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modifications in the operational conditions of the IEA-R1 reactor under continuous 48 hours operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, Joao Manoel Losada; Frajndlich, Roberto

1995-01-01

This work shows the required changes in the IEA-R1 reactor for operation at 2 Mw, 48 hours continuously. The principal technical change regards the operating conditions of the reactor, namely, the required excess reactivity which now will amount to 4800 pcm in order to compensate the Xe poisoning at equilibrium at 2 Mw. (author). 6 refs, 1 fig, 1 tab

A monolithic lipase reactor for biodiesel production by transesterification of triacylglycerides into fatty acid methyl esters

KAUST Repository

Urban, Jiří T.

2011-09-26

An enzymatic reactor with lipase immobilized on a monolithic polymer support has been prepared and used to catalyze the transesterification of triacylglycerides into the fatty acid methyl esters commonly used for biodiesel. A design of experiments procedure was used to optimize the monolithic reactor with variables including control of the surface polarity of the monolith via variations in the length of the hydrocarbon chain in alkyl methacrylate monomer, time of grafting of 1-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone used to activate the monolith, and time used for the immobilization of porcine lipase. Optimal conditions involved the use of a poly(stearyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith, grafted first with vinylazlactone, then treated with lipase for 2h to carry out the immobilization of the enzyme. Best conditions for the transesterification of glyceryl tributyrate included a temperature of 37°C and a 10min residence time of the substrate in the bioreactor. The reactor did not lose its activity even after pumping through it a solution of substrate equaling 1,000 reactor volumes. This enzymatic reactor was also used for the transesterification of triacylglycerides from soybean oil to fatty acid methyl esters thus demonstrating the ability of the reactor to produce biodiesel. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A monolithic lipase reactor for biodiesel production by transesterification of triacylglycerides into fatty acid methyl esters

KAUST Repository

Urban, Jiří T.; Švec, František; Frechet, Jean

2011-01-01

An enzymatic reactor with lipase immobilized on a monolithic polymer support has been prepared and used to catalyze the transesterification of triacylglycerides into the fatty acid methyl esters commonly used for biodiesel. A design of experiments procedure was used to optimize the monolithic reactor with variables including control of the surface polarity of the monolith via variations in the length of the hydrocarbon chain in alkyl methacrylate monomer, time of grafting of 1-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone used to activate the monolith, and time used for the immobilization of porcine lipase. Optimal conditions involved the use of a poly(stearyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith, grafted first with vinylazlactone, then treated with lipase for 2h to carry out the immobilization of the enzyme. Best conditions for the transesterification of glyceryl tributyrate included a temperature of 37°C and a 10min residence time of the substrate in the bioreactor. The reactor did not lose its activity even after pumping through it a solution of substrate equaling 1,000 reactor volumes. This enzymatic reactor was also used for the transesterification of triacylglycerides from soybean oil to fatty acid methyl esters thus demonstrating the ability of the reactor to produce biodiesel. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A monolithic lipase reactor for biodiesel production by transesterification of triacylglycerides into fatty acid methyl esters.

Science.gov (United States)

Urban, Jiri; Svec, Frantisek; Fréchet, Jean M J

2012-02-01

An enzymatic reactor with lipase immobilized on a monolithic polymer support has been prepared and used to catalyze the transesterification of triacylglycerides into the fatty acid methyl esters commonly used for biodiesel. A design of experiments procedure was used to optimize the monolithic reactor with variables including control of the surface polarity of the monolith via variations in the length of the hydrocarbon chain in alkyl methacrylate monomer, time of grafting of 1-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone used to activate the monolith, and time used for the immobilization of porcine lipase. Optimal conditions involved the use of a poly(stearyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith, grafted first with vinylazlactone, then treated with lipase for 2 h to carry out the immobilization of the enzyme. Best conditions for the transesterification of glyceryl tributyrate included a temperature of 37°C and a 10 min residence time of the substrate in the bioreactor. The reactor did not lose its activity even after pumping through it a solution of substrate equaling 1,000 reactor volumes. This enzymatic reactor was also used for the transesterification of triacylglycerides from soybean oil to fatty acid methyl esters thus demonstrating the ability of the reactor to produce biodiesel. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bioremoval of trivalent chromium using Bacillus biofilms through continuous flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundar, K.; Sadiq, I. Mohammed; Mukherjee, Amitava; Chandrasekaran, N.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Effective bioremoval of Cr(III) using bacterial biofilms. ► Simplified bioreactor was fabricated for the biofilm development and Cr(III) removal. ► Economically feasible substrate like coarse sand and pebbles were used. - Abstract: Present study deals with the applicability of bacterial biofilms for the bioremoval of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A continuous flow reactor was designed for the development of biofilms on different substrates like glass beads, pebbles and coarse sand. The parameters for the continuous flow reactor were 20 ml/min flow rate at 30 °C, pH4. Biofilm biomass on the substrates was in the following sequence: coarse sand > pebbles > glass beads (4.8 × 10 7 , 4.5 × 10 7 and 3.5 × 10 5 CFU/cm 2 ), which was confirmed by CLSM. Biofilms developed using consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus on coarse sand had more surface area and was able to remove 98% of Cr(III), SEM-EDX proved 92.60% Cr(III) adsorption on biofilms supported by coarse sand. Utilization of Bacillus biofilms for effective bioremoval of Cr(III) from chrome tanning effluent could be a better option for tannery industry, especially during post chrome tanning operation.

Investigation of bi-enzymatic reactor based on hybrid monolith with nanoparticles embedded and its proteolytic characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Shangguan, Lulu; Zhang, Lingyi; Xiong, Zhichao; Ren, Jun; Zhang, Runsheng; Gao, Fangyuan; Zhang, Weibing

2015-04-03

The bottom-up strategy of proteomic profiling study based on mass spectrometer (MS) has drawn high attention. However, conventional solution-based digestion could not satisfy the demands of highly efficient and complete high throughput proteolysis of complex samples. We proposed a novel bi-enzymatic reactor by immobilizing two different enzymes (trypsin/chymotrypsin) onto a mixed support of hybrid organic-inorganic monolith with SBA-15 nanoparticles embedded. Typsin and chymotrypsin were crossly immobilized onto the mixed support by covalent bonding onto the monolith with glutaraldehyde as bridge reagent and chelation via copper ion onto the nanoparticles, respectively. Compared with single enzymatic reactors, the bi-enzymatic reactor improved the overall functional analysis of membrane proteins of rat liver by doubling the number of identified peptides (from 1184/1010 with trypsin/chymotrypsin enzymatic reactors to 2891 with bi-enzymatic reactor), which led to more proteins identified with deep coverage (from 452/336 to 620); the efficiency of the bi-enzymatic reactor is also better than that of solution-based tandem digestion, greatly shorting the digestion time from 24h to 50s. Moreover, more transmembrane proteins were identified by bi-enzymatic reactor (106) compared with solution-based tandem digestion (95) with the same two enzymes and enzymatic reactors with single enzyme immobilized (75 with trypsin and 66 with chymotrypsin). The proteolytic characteristics of the bi-enzymatic reactors were evaluated by applying them to digestion of rat liver proteins. The reactors showed good digestion capability for proteins with different hydrophobicity and molecular weight. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous backfitting measures for the FRG-1 and FRG-2 research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blom, K.H.; Falck, K.; Krull, W.

1990-01-01

The GKSS-Research Centre Geesthacht GmbH has been operating the research reactors FRG-1 and FRG-2 with power levels of 5 MW and 15 MW for 31 and 26 years respectively. Safe operation at full power levels over so many years with an average utilization between 180 d to 250 d per year is possible only with great efforts in modernization and upgrading of the research reactors. Emphasis has been placed on backfitting since around 1975. At that time within the Federal Republic of Germany many new guidelines, rules, ordinances, and standards in the field of (power) reactor safety were published. Much work has been done on the modernization of the FRG-1 and FRG-2 research reactors therefore within the last ten years. Work done within the last two years and presently underway includes: measures against water leakage through the concrete and along the beam tubes; repair of both cooling towers; modernization of the ventilation system; measures for fire protection; activities in water chemistry and water quality; installation of a double tubing for parts of the primary piping of the FRG-1; replacement of instrumentation, process control systems (operation and monitoring system) and alarm system; renewal of the emergency power supply; installation of internal lightning protection; installation of a cold neutron source; enrichment reduction for FRG-1. These efforts will continue to allow safe operation of our research reactors over their whole operational life

Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor Under Continuous Aeration: A Demonstration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilmore, Kevin R.; Terada, Akihiko; Smets, Barth F.

2013-01-01

This work describes the successful coupling of partial nitrification (nitritation) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) with continuous aeration. Controlling the relative surface loadings of oxygen versus ammonium prevented complete nitrite oxidation and a...

Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation of hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae in a continuous plug-flow reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranganathan, Panneerselvam; Savithri, Sivaraman

2018-06-01

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique is used in this work to simulate the hydrothermal liquefaction of Nannochloropsis sp. microalgae in a lab-scale continuous plug-flow reactor to understand the fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and reaction kinetics in a HTL reactor under hydrothermal condition. The temperature profile in the reactor and the yield of HTL products from the present simulation are obtained and they are validated with the experimental data available in the literature. Furthermore, the parametric study is carried out to study the effect of slurry flow rate, reactor temperature, and external heat transfer coefficient on the yield of products. Though the model predictions are satisfactory in comparison with the experimental results, it still needs to be improved for better prediction of the product yields. This improved model will be considered as a baseline for design and scale-up of large-scale HTL reactor. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous radiochemical analysis of fission products in a nuclear reactor water coolant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moskvin, L.N.; Zakharov, L.K.; Leont'ev, G.G.; Mel'nikov, V.A.; Orlenkov, I.S.; Slutskij, G.K.

1975-01-01

Method for continuous radiochemical analysis of I, Cs, Ba, Sr and Ce isotopes in a reactor water heat-transfer agent was developed. A continuous two-dimensional chromatographic process of complex mixtures separation of substances proved to be feasible on several parallel sorbent layers, which moved at constant velocities and separated by stationary intermediate collectors. Tests on model solutions containing I, Ce, Cs and Ba isotopes and on heat-carrier samples showed quantitative separation of elements. The results were indicative of a basic possibility of using multisorbent chromatographs for continuous control of multicomponent mixtures, particularly for control of radioactive fission product compositions in water heat-transfer agents in nuclear power plants. A diagram is shown for a two-dimensional chromatographic separation of a multicomponent mixture. Also shown is a flow chart of an installation for continuous control of iodine and cesium isotope activities

Ethanol production from molasses by immobilized cells of zymomonas mobilis EMCC 1546

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meliegy, S.A.; Abdelaziz, A.H.

2004-01-01

Ethanol production from beet molasses by zymomonas mobilis EMCC 1546 was studied using continuous processes in which immobilized bacterial cells of Z.mobilis EMCC 1546 was grown on both sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA). The fermentation was performed in a shaking incubation and 1-liter ferment or with final working 750 ml. The initial sugar concentration studied was 50, 100,150, 200 and 250 g/l. The results showed that optimum initial sugar for ethanol production was 200 g/l. In batch fermentation, the highest ethanol concentration was 28.50 g/. Also effect of gamma irradiation was studied to enhance ethanol production. The highest ethanol production at dose dose 0.25 kGy was 34.82 g/l. The results showed that continuous fermentation, at dilution rate 1.36 (I/h), helped to increase the ethanol production significantly and continuous fermentation with immobilized cells in alginate gave higher ethanol production, 35.8 (g/I), as compared with those immobilized in hydrogel (PVA)

Method for immobilizing particulate materials in a packed bed

Science.gov (United States)

Even, Jr., William R.; Guthrie, Stephen E.; Raber, Thomas N.; Wally, Karl; Whinnery, LeRoy L.; Zifer, Thomas

1999-01-01

The present invention pertains generally to immobilizing particulate matter contained in a "packed" bed reactor so as to prevent powder migration, compaction, coalescence, or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a technique for immobilizing particulate materials using a microporous foam-like polymer such that a) the particulate retains its essential chemical nature, b) the local movement of the particulate particles is not unduly restricted, c) bulk powder migration and is prevented, d) physical and chemical access to the particulate is unchanged over time, and e) very high particulate densities are achieved. The immobilized bed of the present invention comprises a vessel for holding particulate matter, inlet and an outlet ports or fittings, a loosely packed bed of particulate material contained within the vessel, and a three dimensional porous matrix for surrounding and confining the particles thereby fixing the movement of individual particle to a limited local position. The established matrix is composed of a series of cells or chambers comprising walls surrounding void space, each wall forming the wall of an adjacent cell; each wall containing many holes penetrating through the wall yielding an overall porous structure and allowing useful levels of gas transport.

Potential Applications of Immobilized β-Galactosidase in Food Processing Industries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parmjit S. Panesar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The enzyme β-galactosidase can be obtained from a wide variety of sources such as microorganisms, plants, and animals. The use of β-galactosidase for the hydrolysis of lactose in milk and whey is one of the promising enzymatic applications in food and dairy processing industries. The enzyme can be used in either soluble or immobilized forms but the soluble enzyme can be used only for batch processes and the immobilized form has the advantage of being used in batch wise as well as in continuous operation. Immobilization has been found to be convenient method to make enzyme thermostable and to prevent the loss of enzyme activity. This review has been focused on the different types of techniques used for the immobilization of β-galactosidase and its potential applications in food industry.

The effect of biomass concentration on polymer alginate in the immobilized biosorbent formation during the sorption processof heavy metal Cu2+

Science.gov (United States)

Rinanti, A.; Jonathan, D.; Silalahi, M. D. S.; Fachrul, M. F.; Hadisoebroto, R.

2018-01-01

A research in environmental biotechnology has been done to analysis adsorption of ion Cu2+ by biomass of microalgae (Chlorella sp, Ankistrodesmus braunii, Scenedesmus quadricauda) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae onto alginate polymeras immobilized biosorbent on laboratory scale. The purpose of this study is to achieve the optimum biomass concentration which gives the best biosorption performance. Biosorption of Cu2+ was carried out in continuous fixed-bed column reactor system, volume of 1.5 L, equipped with peristaltic pump with a flow rate of 13 mL/min. Biosorption of Cu2+ was investigated using immobilized biosorbent with concentration of (g biomass/g polymer) 0.25; 0.5; 1, at pH4,initial concentration Cu2+15 mg/L and 26°C±1. The results of this study showed that the increasing of biomass concentration (0 to 0.5 g/g) would result in better biosorption performance but soon decreased its performance at biomass concentration of 1 g/g. Biosorption capacity and highest removal efficiency of 0.1025 mg Cu2+/g biosorbent and 66.36% occurred by immobilized biosorbent with 0.5 g/g concentration. The connection between the variation of biomass concentration in alginate to the biosorption performance by immobilized biosorbent shown by breakthrough curve, total adsorbed metal mass(qtotal ), efficiency of removal (%R) and biosorption capacity at breakthrough(qe ). Excessive biomass concentrations lead to reduced porosity of the beads thus slowing down the adsorption process.

A low perfusion rate microreactor for continuous monitoring of enzyme characteristics : application to glucose oxidase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Posthuma-Trumpie, G. A.; Venema, K.; van Berkel, W. J. H.; Korf, J.

This report describes a versatile and robust microreactor for bioactive proteins physically immobilized on a polyether sulfone filter. The potential of the reactor is illustrated with glucose oxidase immobilized on a filter with a cut-off value of 30 kDa. A flow-injection system was used to deliver

Increased performance of continuous stirred tank reactor with calcium supplementation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Zhuliang; Yang, Haijun; Zhi, Xiaohua; Shen, Jianquan [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), New Materials Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2010-04-15

Continuous biohydrogen production with calcium supplementation at low hydraulic retention time (HRT) in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was studied to maximize the hydrogen productivity of anaerobic mixed cultures. After stable operations at HRT of 8-4 h, the bioreactor became unstable when the HRT was lowered to 2 h. Supplementation of 100 mg/L calcium at HRT 2 h improved the operation stability through enhancement of cell retention with almost two-fold increase in cell density than that without calcium addition. Hydrogen production rate and hydrogen yield reached 24.5 L/d/L and 3.74 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose, respectively, both of which were the highest values our group have ever achieved. The results showed that calcium supplementation can be an effective way to improve the performance of CSTR at low HRT. (author)

General empirical model for 60Co generation in pressurized water reactors with continuous refueling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urrutia, G.A.; Blesa, M.A.; Fernandez-Prini, R.; Maroto, A.J.G.

1984-01-01

A simplified model is presented that permits one to calculate the average activity on the fuel elements of a reactor that operates under continuous refueling, based on the assumption of crud interchange between fuel element surface and coolant in the form of particulate material only and using the crud specific activity as an empirical parameter determined in plant. The net activity flux from core to out-of-core components is then calculated in the form of parametric curves depending on crud specific activity and rate of particulate release from fuel surface. In pressure vessel reactors, contribution to out-ofcore radionuclide inventory arising in the release of activated materials from core components must be taken into account. The contribution from in situ activation of core components is calculated from the rates of release and the specific activities corresponding to the exposed surface of the component (calculated in a straightforward way on the basis of core geometry and neutron fluxes). The rates of release can be taken from the literature, or in the case of cobalt-rich alloys, can be calculated from experimentally determined cobalt contents of structural components and crud. For pressure vessel reactors operating under continuous refueling, activation of deposited crud and release of activated materials are compared; the latter, in certain cases, may represent a sizable (and even the largest) fraction of the total cobalt activity. It is proposed that the ratio of activities of 59 Fe to 54 Mn may be used as a diagnostic tool for in situ activation of structural materials; available data indicate ratios close to unity for pressure tube heavy water reactors (no in situ activation) and ratios around 4 to 10 for pressure vessel, heavy water reactors

Heat transfer and the continuous production of hydroxypropyl starch in a static mixer reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lammers, Gerard; Beenackers, Antonie A. C. M.

1994-01-01

A novel continuous reactor for the chemical derivation of aqueous starch solutions based on static mixers is proposed. Both the experimentally observed axial and radial temperature gradients in the static mixer could be accurately described by a pseudohomogeneous two-dimensional heat transfer (PTHT)

Activity of an enzyme immobilized on superparamagnetic particles in a rotational magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuki, Toru; Watanabe, Noriyuki; Nagaoka, Yutaka [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Fukushima, Tadamasa [Shimadzu GLC Ltd., Phenomenex Support Centre, Tokyo 110-0016 (Japan); Morimoto, Hisao; Usami, Ron [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Maekawa, Toru, E-mail: maekawa@toyonet.toyo.ac.jp [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan)

2010-03-19

We immobilize {alpha}-amylase extracted from Bacillus Iicheniformis on the surfaces of superparamagnetic particles and investigate the effect of a rotational magnetic field on the enzyme's activity. We find that the activity of the enzyme molecules immobilized on superparamagnetic particles increases in the rotational magnetic field and reaches maximum at a certain frequency. We clarify the effect of the cluster structures formed by the superparamagnetic particles on the activity. Enzyme reactions are enhanced even in a tiny volume of solution using the present method, which is very important for the development of efficient micro reactors and micro total analysis systems ({mu}-TAS).

Immobilization of Lactobacillus rhamnosus in mesoporous silica-based material: An efficiency continuous cell-recycle fermentation system for lactic acid production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zijian; Xie, Xiaona; Wang, Zhi; Tao, Yanchun; Niu, Xuedun; Huang, Xuri; Liu, Li; Li, Zhengqiang

2016-06-01

Lactic acid bacteria immobilization methods have been widely used for lactic acid production. Until now, the most common immobilization matrix used is calcium alginate. However, Ca-alginate gel disintegrated during lactic acid fermentation. To overcome this deficiency, we developed an immobilization method in which Lactobacillus rhamnosus cells were successfully encapsulated into an ordered mesoporous silica-based material under mild conditions with a high immobilization efficiency of 78.77% by using elemental analysis. We also optimized the cultivation conditions of the immobilized L. rhamnosus and obtained a high glucose conversion yield of 92.4%. Furthermore, L. rhamnosus encapsulated in mesoporous silica-based material exhibited operational stability during repeated fermentation processes and no decrease in lactic acid production up to 8 repeated batches. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous control of pH value and chloride concentration in a water coolant of nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moskvin, L.N.; Krasnoperov, V.M.; Fokina, K.G.; Vilkov, N.Ya.

1975-01-01

Potentiometry method with the use of flowing cells with two identical electrodes is the simplest and most safe for continuous pH value and chloride control in nuclear reactor circulating circuits. The constant potential on the comparison electrode may be provided by supplying the analyzed solution to it through the ion resin filter of mixed operation. The pos--sibility of a continuous pH value monitoring in a flowing cell with two glass electrodes in parallel is considered. To monitor clorides a cell with two porous chlorine-silver electrodes positioned in series is used. The cells of the design described are shown to be workable in water simulating coolants for water-cooled reactors

Chitin hydrolysis assisted by cell wall degrading enzymes immobilized of Thichoderma asperellum on totally cinnamoylated D-sorbitol beads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Kátia F.; Cortijo-Triviño, David; Batista, Karla A.; Ulhoa, Cirano J.; García-Ruiz, Pedro A.

2013-01-01

In this study, cell wall degrading enzymes produced by Thrichoderma asperellum (TCWDE) were immobilized on totally cinnamoylated D-sorbitol (TCNSO) beads and used for chitin hydrolysis. In order to optimize immobilization efficiency, the reaction time was varied from 2 to 12 h and reactions were conducted in the presence or absence of Na 2 SO 4 . Immobilized enzymes were analysed concerning to thermal and operational stability. Immobilization in presence of Na 2 SO 4 was 54% more efficient than immobilization in absence of salt. After optimization, 32% of the total enzyme offered was immobilized, with 100% of bounding efficiency, measured as the relation between protein and enzyme immobilized. Free and TCNSO–TCWDE presented very similar kinetics with maximum hydrolysis reached at 90 min of reaction. Thermal stability of both free and TCNSO–TCWDE was similar, with losses in activity after 55 °C. Moreover, free and TCNSO–TCWDE retained 100% activity after 3 h incubation at 55 °C. TCNSO–TCWDE were used in a bath-wise reactor during 14 cycles, producing 1825 μg of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) maintaining 83% of initial activity. - Highlights: • TCWDE immobilized on TCNSO, a support with highly hydrophobic character • New immobilization strategy for immobilization on a hydrophobic support • TCNSO–TCWDE were retained during washes and during incubation at 55 °C for 3 h

Chitin hydrolysis assisted by cell wall degrading enzymes immobilized of Thichoderma asperellum on totally cinnamoylated D-sorbitol beads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandes, Kátia F., E-mail: katia@icb.ufg.br [Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituo de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Cx. Postal 131, 74001-970 Goiânia, GO (Brazil); Grupo de Química de Carbohidratos y Biotecnología de Alimentos (QCBA), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Murcia, E-30100 Espinardo, Murcia (Spain); Cortijo-Triviño, David [Grupo de Química de Carbohidratos y Biotecnología de Alimentos (QCBA), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Murcia, E-30100 Espinardo, Murcia (Spain); Batista, Karla A.; Ulhoa, Cirano J. [Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituo de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Cx. Postal 131, 74001-970 Goiânia, GO (Brazil); García-Ruiz, Pedro A. [Grupo de Química de Carbohidratos y Biotecnología de Alimentos (QCBA), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Murcia, E-30100 Espinardo, Murcia (Spain)

2013-07-01

In this study, cell wall degrading enzymes produced by Thrichoderma asperellum (TCWDE) were immobilized on totally cinnamoylated D-sorbitol (TCNSO) beads and used for chitin hydrolysis. In order to optimize immobilization efficiency, the reaction time was varied from 2 to 12 h and reactions were conducted in the presence or absence of Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. Immobilized enzymes were analysed concerning to thermal and operational stability. Immobilization in presence of Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4} was 54% more efficient than immobilization in absence of salt. After optimization, 32% of the total enzyme offered was immobilized, with 100% of bounding efficiency, measured as the relation between protein and enzyme immobilized. Free and TCNSO–TCWDE presented very similar kinetics with maximum hydrolysis reached at 90 min of reaction. Thermal stability of both free and TCNSO–TCWDE was similar, with losses in activity after 55 °C. Moreover, free and TCNSO–TCWDE retained 100% activity after 3 h incubation at 55 °C. TCNSO–TCWDE were used in a bath-wise reactor during 14 cycles, producing 1825 μg of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) maintaining 83% of initial activity. - Highlights: • TCWDE immobilized on TCNSO, a support with highly hydrophobic character • New immobilization strategy for immobilization on a hydrophobic support • TCNSO–TCWDE were retained during washes and during incubation at 55 °C for 3 h.

Decoloration of textile wastewater by means of a fluidized-bed loop reactor and immobilized anaerobic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgiou, D.; Aivasidis, A.

2006-01-01

Textile wastewater was treated by means of a fluidized-bed loop reactor and immobilized anaerobic bacteria. The main target of this treatment was decoloration of the wastewater and transformation of the non-biodegradable azo-reactive dyes to the degradable, under aerobic biological conditions, aromatic amines. Special porous beads (Siran'' (registered)) were utilized as the microbial carriers. Acetic acid solution, enriched with nutrients and trace elements, served both as a pH-regulator and as an external substrate for the growth of methanogenic bacteria. The above technique was firstly applied on synthetic wastewater (an aqueous solution of a mixture of different azo-reactive dyes). Hydraulic residence time was gradually decreased from 24 to 6 h over a period of 3 months. Full decoloration of the wastewater could be achieved even at such a low hydraulic residence time (6 h), while methane-rich biogas was also produced. The same technique was then applied on real textile wastewater with excellent results (full decoloration at a hydraulic residence time of 6 h). Furthermore, the effluent proved to be highly biodegradable by aerobic microbes (activated-sludge). Thus, the above-described anaerobic/aerobic biological technique seems to be a very attractive method for treating textile wastewater since it is cost-effective and environment-friendly

Continuous ARGET ATPR of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate in a stirred tank reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chan, N.; Meuldijk, J.; Cunningham, M.F.; Hutchinson, R.A.

2013-01-01

ARGET ATRP (activator regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization) of butyl acrylate (BA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was successfully adapted from a batch process to a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with 50 ppm copper. A series of batch polymerizations were first

Bioremoval of trivalent chromium using Bacillus biofilms through continuous flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundar, K.; Sadiq, I. Mohammed; Mukherjee, Amitava [Centre for Nanobiotechnology, Nano Bio-Medicine Laboratory School of Bio Sciences and Technology VIT University, Vellore - 632014 (India); Chandrasekaran, N., E-mail: nchandrasekaran@vit.ac.in [Centre for Nanobiotechnology, Nano Bio-Medicine Laboratory School of Bio Sciences and Technology VIT University, Vellore - 632014 (India)

2011-11-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Effective bioremoval of Cr(III) using bacterial biofilms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simplified bioreactor was fabricated for the biofilm development and Cr(III) removal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Economically feasible substrate like coarse sand and pebbles were used. - Abstract: Present study deals with the applicability of bacterial biofilms for the bioremoval of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A continuous flow reactor was designed for the development of biofilms on different substrates like glass beads, pebbles and coarse sand. The parameters for the continuous flow reactor were 20 ml/min flow rate at 30 Degree-Sign C, pH4. Biofilm biomass on the substrates was in the following sequence: coarse sand > pebbles > glass beads (4.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7}, 4.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} and 3.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} CFU/cm{sup 2}), which was confirmed by CLSM. Biofilms developed using consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus on coarse sand had more surface area and was able to remove 98% of Cr(III), SEM-EDX proved 92.60% Cr(III) adsorption on biofilms supported by coarse sand. Utilization of Bacillus biofilms for effective bioremoval of Cr(III) from chrome tanning effluent could be a better option for tannery industry, especially during post chrome tanning operation.

3-Chloro-1,2-propanediol biodegradation by Ca-alginate immobilized Pseudomonas putida DSM 437 cells applying different processes: mass transfer effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Konti, Aikaterini; Mamma, Diomi; Hatzinikolaou, Dimitios G; Kekos, Dimitris

2016-10-01

3-Chloro-1,2-propanediol (3-CPD) biodegradation by Ca-alginate immobilized Pseudomonas putida cells was performed in batch system, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), and packed-bed reactor (PBR). Batch system exhibited higher biodegradation rates and 3-CPD uptakes compared to CSTR and PBR. The two continuous systems (CSTR and PBR) when compared at 200 mg/L 3-CPD in the inlet exhibited the same removal of 3-CPD at steady state. External mass-transfer limitations are found negligible at all systems examined, since the observable modulus for external mass transfer Ω ≪ 1 and the Biot number Bi > 1. Intra-particle diffusion resistance had a significant effect on 3-CPD biodegradation in all systems studied, but to a different extent. Thiele modulus was in the range of 2.5 in batch system, but it was increased at 11 when increasing cell loading in the beads, thus lowering significantly the respective effectiveness factor. Comparing the systems at the same cell loading in the beads PBR was less affected by internal diffusional limitations compared to CSTR and batch system, and, as a result, exhibited the highest overall effectiveness factor.

Flow injection determination of choline in milk hydrolysates by an immobilized enzyme reactor coupled to a selective hydrogen peroxide amperometric sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pati, Sandra [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari (Italy); Quinto, Maurizio [Dipartimento di Scienze Agroambientali, Chimica e Difesa Vegetale, Universita degli Studi di Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia (Italy); Palmisano, Francesco [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari (Italy)]. E-mail: palmisano@chimica.uniba.it

2007-07-02

A choline oxidase (ChO) immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) prepared by glutaraldehyde coupling of the enzyme on aminopropyl modified controlled pore glass beads is described. The ChO-IMER was coupled, in a flow injection configuration system, to an interference free hydrogen peroxide amperometric sensor based on a Pt surface modified by an overoxidized polypyrrole film. The resulting analytical device responds selectively to choline and displays a sensitivity of 46.9 {+-} 0.2 {mu}C mM{sup -1} and a limit of detection, calculated at a signal-to-noise ratio equal to 3, of 7 {mu}M. Sensitivity remains constant for about 20 days and then starts to slowly deteriorate and after 2 months a 70% of the initial sensitivity was still retained. The application to choline determination in milk hydrolysates is demonstrated. Short- and long-term drift observed in the analytical response can be corrected by a bracketing technique.

Genetic Algorithm Based PID Controller Tuning Approach for Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

OpenAIRE

A. Jayachitra; R. Vinodha

2014-01-01

Genetic algorithm (GA) based PID (proportional integral derivative) controller has been proposed for tuning optimized PID parameters in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) process using a weighted combination of objective functions, namely, integral square error (ISE), integral absolute error (IAE), and integrated time absolute error (ITAE). Optimization of PID controller parameters is the key goal in chemical and biochemical industries. PID controllers have narrowed down the operating r...

Enzyme Immobilization on Inorganic Surfaces for Membrane Reactor Applications: Mass Transfer Challenges, Enzyme Leakage and Reuse of Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigurdardóttir, Sigyn Björk; Lehmann, Jonas; Ovtar, Simona

2018-01-01

Enzyme immobilization is an established method for the enhancement of enzyme stability and reusability, two factors that are of great importance for industrial biocatalytic applications. Immobilization can be achieved by different methods and on a variety of carrier materials, both organic and in...

Bioremediation of contaminated surface water by immobilized Micrococcus roseus.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, H; Li, P; Hua, T; Zhang, Y; Xiong, X; Gong, Z

2005-08-01

The problems caused by contaminated surface water have gradually become more serious in recent years. Although various remediation technologies were investigated, unfortunately, no efficient method was developed. In this paper, a new bioremediation technology was studied using Micrococcus roseus, which was immobilized in porous spherical beads by an improved polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) - sodium alginate (SA) embedding method. The experimental results indicated that COD removal rate could reach 64.7 % within 72 hours when immobilized M. roseus beads were used, which was ten times as high as that of free cells. The optimum inoculation rate of immobilized M. roseus beads was 10 % (mass percent of the beads in water sample, g g(-1)). Suitable aeration was proved necessary to enhance the bioremediation process. The immobilized cells had an excellent tolerance to pH and temperature changes, and were also more resistant to heavy metal stress compared with free cells. The immobilized M. roseus beads had an excellent regeneration capacity and could be reused after 180-day continuous usage. The Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) analysis showed that the bead microstructure was suitable for M. roseus growth, however, some defect structures should still be improved.

Tritium immobilization and packaging using metal hydrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holtslander, W.J.; Yaraskavitch, J.M.

1981-04-01

Tritium recovered from CANDU heavy water reactors will have to be packaged and stored in a safe manner. Tritium will be recovered in the elemental form, T 2 . Metal tritides are effective compounds in which to immobilize the tritium as a stable non-reactive solid with a high tritium capacity. The technology necessary to prepare hydrides of suitable metals, such as titanium and zirconium, have been developed and the properties of the prepared materials evaluated. Conceptual designs of packages for containing metal tritides suitable for transportation and long-term storage have been made and initial testing started. (author)

Continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor 20-L demonstration test: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.D.; Collins, J.L.

2000-01-01

One of the proposed methods of removing the cesium, strontium, and transuranics from the radioactive waste storage tanks at Savannah River is the small-tank tetraphenylborate (TPB) precipitation process. A two-reactor-in-series (15-L working volume each) continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) system was designed, constructed, and installed in a hot cell to test the Savannah River process. The system also includes two cross-flow filtration systems to concentrate and wash the slurry produced in the process, which contains the bulk of radioactivity from the supernatant processed through the system. Installation, operational readiness reviews, and system preparation and testing were completed. The first test using the filtration systems, two CSTRs, and the slurry concentration system was conducted over a 61-h period with design removal of Cs, Sr, and U achieved. With the successful completion of Test 1a, the following tests, 1b and 1c, were not required

Continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor 20-L demonstration test: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D.D.; Collins, J.L.

2000-02-01

One of the proposed methods of removing the cesium, strontium, and transuranics from the radioactive waste storage tanks at Savannah River is the small-tank tetraphenylborate (TPB) precipitation process. A two-reactor-in-series (15-L working volume each) continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) system was designed, constructed, and installed in a hot cell to test the Savannah River process. The system also includes two cross-flow filtration systems to concentrate and wash the slurry produced in the process, which contains the bulk of radioactivity from the supernatant processed through the system. Installation, operational readiness reviews, and system preparation and testing were completed. The first test using the filtration systems, two CSTRs, and the slurry concentration system was conducted over a 61-h period with design removal of Cs, Sr, and U achieved. With the successful completion of Test 1a, the following tests, 1b and 1c, were not required.

Production and Characterization of Biodiesel Using Nonedible Castor Oil by Immobilized Lipase from Bacillus aerius

Science.gov (United States)

Narwal, Sunil Kumar; Saun, Nitin Kumar; Dogra, Priyanka; Chauhan, Ghanshyam

2015-01-01

A novel thermotolerant lipase from Bacillus aerius was immobilized on inexpensive silica gel matrix. The immobilized lipase was used for the synthesis of biodiesel using castor oil as a substrate in a solvent free system at 55°C under shaking in a chemical reactor. Several crucial parameters affecting biodiesel yield such as incubation time, temperature, substrate molar ratio, and amount of lipase were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the highest biodiesel yield was up to 78.13%. The characterization of synthesized biodiesel was done through FTIR spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectra, and gas chromatography. PMID:25874205

Continuous throughput and long-term observation of single-molecule FRET without immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyagi, Swati; VanDelinder, Virginia; Banterle, Niccolò; Fuertes, Gustavo; Milles, Sigrid; Agez, Morgane; Lemke, Edward A

2014-03-01

We present an automated microfluidic platform that performs multisecond observation of single molecules with millisecond time resolution while bypassing the need for immobilization procedures. With this system, we confine biomolecules to a thin excitation field by reversibly collapsing microchannels to nanochannels. We demonstrate the power of our method by studying a variety of complex nucleic acid and protein systems, including DNA Holliday junctions, nucleosomes and human transglutaminase 2.

Analysis of transition to fuel cycle system with continuous recycling in fast and thermal reactors - 5060

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Passereini, S.; Feng, B.; Fei, T.; Kim, T.K.; Taiwo, T.A.; Brown, N.R.; Cuadra, A.

2015-01-01

A recent Evaluation and Screening study of nuclear fuel cycle options identified a few groups of options as most promising. One of these most promising Evaluation Groups (EGs) is characterized by the continuous recycling of uranium (U) and transuranics (TRU) with natural uranium feed in both fast and thermal critical reactors. This evaluation group, designated as EG30, is represented by an example fuel cycle option that employs a two-technology, two-stage fuel cycle system. The first stage involves the continuous recycling of co-extracted U/TRU in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) with metallic fuel and breeding ratio greater than 1. The second stage involves the use of the surplus TRU in Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel in Pressurized Water Reactors that are MOX-capable (MOX-PWRs). This paper presents and discusses preliminary fuel cycle analysis results from the fuel cycle codes VISION and DYMOND for the transition to this fuel cycle option from the current once-through cycle in the United States (U.S.) that consists of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) that only use conventional UO 2 fuel. The analyses in this paper are applicable for a constant 100 GWe capacity, roughly the size of the U.S. nuclear fleet. Two main strategies for the transition to EG30 were analyzed: 1) deploying both SFRs and MOX-PWRs in parallel or 2) deploying them in series with the SFR fleet first. With an estimated retirement schedule for the existing LWRs, an assumed reactor lifetime of 60 years, and no growth, the nuclear system fully transitions to the new fuel cycle within 100 years for both strategies without SFR fuel shortages. Compared to the once-through cycle, transition to the SFR/MOX-PWR fleet with continuous recycle was shown to offer significant reductions in uranium consumption and waste disposal requirements. In addition, these initial calculations revealed a few notable modeling and strategy questions regarding how recycled resources are allocated, reactors that can switch between

Degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether by gel immobilized Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dongzhi; Chen, Jianmeng; Zhong, Weihong; Cheng, Zhuowei

2008-07-01

Cells of Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1 were immobilized in gel beads to degrade methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Calcium alginate, agar, polyacrylamide and polyvinvyl alcohol were screened as suitable immobilization matrices, with calcium alginate demonstrating the fastest MTBE-degradation rate. The rate was accelerated by 1.8-fold when the beads had been treated in physiological saline for 24h at 28 degrees C. MTBE degradation in mineral salts medium (MSM) was accompanied by the increase of biomass. The half-life of MTBE-degradation activity for the encapsulated cells stored at 28 degrees C was about 120 h, which was obviously longer than that of free cells (approximately 36 h). Efficient reusability of the beads up to 30 batches was achieved in poor nutrition solution as compared to only 6 batches in MSM. The immobilized cells could be operated in a packed-bed reactor for degradation of 10 mg L(-1) MTBE in groundwater with more than 99% removal efficiency at hydraulic retention time of 20 min. These results suggested that immobilized cells of PM1 in bioreactor might be applicable to a groundwater treatment system for the removal of MTBE.

Immobilization of microorganisms. Part 1. Preparation of immobilized Lactobacillus bulgaricus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, K H

1981-01-01

The immobilization of Lactobacillus bulgaricus on polyacrylamide and on alginate beads was investigated. The most active immobilized cells were obtained by entrapment in Ca alginate beads. These immobilized microbial cells, when introduced into 4.5% lactose solution and whey solution showed maximum relative activity of 28% for lactose and 18% for whey compared to free cells.

Kinetics of pyridine degradation along with toluene and methylene chloride with Bacillus sp. in packed bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uma, B.; Sandhya, S. [National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, CSIR-Complex, Madras (India)

1998-04-01

Bacillus coagulans strain isolated from contaminated soil was immobilised on activated carbon for degradation of pyridine, toluene and methylene chloride containing synthetic wastewaters. Pyridine was supplied as the only source of nitrogen in the wastewaters. Continuous runs in a packed bed laboratory reactor showed that immobilized B. coagulans can degrade pyridine along with other organics rapidly and the effluent ammonia is also controlled in presence of ``organic carbon``. About 644 mg/l of influent TOC was efficiently degraded (82.85%) at 64.05 mg/l/hr loading. (orig.) With 2 figs., 4 tabs., 15 refs.

Continuous reduction of tellurite to recoverable tellurium nanoparticles using an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Ruiz, Adriana; Sesma-Martin, Juan; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A

2017-01-01

According to the U.S. Department of Energy and the European Union, tellurium is a critical element needed for energy and defense technology. Thus methods are needed to recover tellurium from waste streams. The objectives of this study was to determine the feasibility of utilizing upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors to convert toxic tellurite (Te IV ) oxyanions to non-toxic insoluble elemental tellurium (Te 0 ) nanoparticles (NP) that are amendable to separation from aqueous effluents. The reactors were supplied with ethanol as the electron donating substrate to promote the biological reduction of Te IV . One reactor was additionally amended with the redox mediating flavonoid compound, riboflavin (RF), with the goal of enhancing the bioreduction of Te IV . Its performance was compared to a control reactor lacking RF. The continuous formation of Te 0 NPs using the UASB reactors was found to be feasible and remarkably improved by the addition of RF. The presence of this flavonoid was previously shown to enhance the conversion rate of Te IV by approximately 11-fold. In this study, we demonstrated that this was associated with the added benefit of reducing the toxic impact of Te IV towards the methanogenic consortium in the UASB and thus enabled a 4.7-fold higher conversion rate of the chemical oxygen demand. Taken as a whole, this work demonstrates the potential of a methanogenic granular sludge to be applied as a bioreactor technology producing recoverable Te 0 NPs in a continuous fashion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One step bioconversion of waste precious metals into Serratia biofilm-immobilized catalyst for Cr(VI) reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, P; Liu, W; Zhang, Z; Beauregard, D; Johns, M L; Macaskie, L E

2015-11-01

For reduction of Cr(VI) the Pd-catalyst is excellent but costly. The objectives were to prove the robustness of a Serratia biofilm as a support for biogenic Pd-nanoparticles and to fabricate effective catalyst from precious metal waste. Nanoparticles (NPs) of palladium were immobilized on polyurethane reticulated foam and polypropylene supports via adhesive biofilm of a Serratia sp. The biofilm adhesion and cohesion strength were unaffected by palladization and catalytic biofilm integrity was also shown by magnetic resonance imaging. Biofilm-Pd and mixed precious metals on biofilm (biofilm-PM) reduced 5 mM Cr(VI) to Cr(III) when immobilized in a flow-through column reactor, at respective flow rates of 9 and 6 ml/h. The lower activity of the latter was attributed to fewer, larger, metal deposits on the bacteria. Activity was lost in each case at pH 7 but was restored by washing with 5 mM citrate solution or by exposure of columns to solution at pH 2, suggesting fouling by Cr(III) hydroxide product at neutral pH. A 'one pot' conversion of precious metal waste into new catalyst for waste decontamination was shown in a continuous flow system based on the use of Serratia biofilm to manufacture and support catalytic Pd-nanoparticles.

Beyond organometallic flow chemistry : the principles behind the use of continuous-flow reactors for synthesis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noel, T.; Su, Y.; Hessel, V.; Noël, T.

2015-01-01

Flow chemistry is typically used to enable challenging reactions which are difficult to carry out in conventional batch equipment. Consequently, the use of continuous-flow reactors for applications in organometallic and organic chemistry has witnessed a spectacular increase in interest from the

Biodegradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Tallur, Preeti N; Mulla, Sikandar I; Megadi, Veena B; Talwar, Manjunatha P; Ninnekar, Harichandra Z

2015-01-01

Pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin is a environmental pollutant because of its widespread use, toxicity and persistence. Biodegradation of such chemicals by microorganisms may provide an cost-effective method for their detoxification. We have investigated the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 in various matrices such as, polyurethane foam (PUF), polyacrylamide, sodium alginate and agar. The optimum temperature and pH for the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. were found to be 30 °C and 7.0, respectively. The rate of degradation of 10 and 20 mM of cypermethrin by freely suspended cells were compared with that of immobilized cells in batches and semi-continuous with shaken cultures. PUF-immobilized cells showed higher degradation of cypermethrin (10 mM and 20 mM) than freely suspended cells and cells immobilized in other matrices. The PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 were retain their degradation capacity. Thus, they can be reused for more than 32 cycles, without losing their degradation capacity. Hence, the PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. could potentially be used in the bioremediation of cypermethrin contaminated water.

Biodegradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti N. Tallur

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin is a environmental pollutant because of its widespread use, toxicity and persistence. Biodegradation of such chemicals by microorganisms may provide an cost-effective method for their detoxification. We have investigated the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 in various matrices such as, polyurethane foam (PUF, polyacrylamide, sodium alginate and agar. The optimum temperature and pH for the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. were found to be 30 °C and 7.0, respectively. The rate of degradation of 10 and 20 mM of cypermethrin by freely suspended cells were compared with that of immobilized cells in batches and semi-continuous with shaken cultures. PUF-immobilized cells showed higher degradation of cypermethrin (10 mM and 20 mM than freely suspended cells and cells immobilized in other matrices. The PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 were retain their degradation capacity. Thus, they can be reused for more than 32 cycles, without losing their degradation capacity. Hence, the PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. could potentially be used in the bioremediation of cypermethrin contaminated water.

Optimum cadmium reactor designs for colorimetric determination of nitrate with flow injection and gas-segmented continuous flow analyzers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patton, C.J.

1989-01-01

Cadmium reactor types can be grouped into four categories: packed bed; filamentous; open tubular; and planar. Packed bed cadmium reactors, in the form of cadmium filings, granules, powder, or electrolytically precipitated needles packed into glass or polymeric tubes, are by far the most widely used for both FIA and CFA methods. Surprisingly, filamentous cadmium reactors, in the form of cadmium wire slipped into flexible polymeric tubing, have been reported for CFA applications only. Open tubular cadmium reactors, in the form of small diameter cadmium tubing coiled into a helix, have been fully characterized and described for CFA applications. A preliminary description of planar cadmium reactors, in the form of cadmium foil sandwiched between continuous flow dialyzer blocks has also been reported. In this presentation, each reactor type is evaluated in terms of cost, ease of use, reduction efficiency, and long-term stability. Factors that make some reactors more applicable to FIA than to CFA (or the reverse) are also discussed, and experimental data are presented

Dual-lifetime referencing (DLR: a powerful method for on-line measurement of internal pH in carrier-bound immobilized biocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boniello Caterina

2012-03-01

conditions of continuous measurement. During hydrolysis of cephalosporin C by the immobilizate in a stirred reactor with bulk pH maintained at 8.0, the intraparticle pH dropped initially by about 1 pH unit and gradually returned to the bulk pH, reflecting the depletion of substrate from solution. These results support measurement of intraparticle pH as a potential analytical processing tool for proton-forming/consuming biotransformations catalyzed by carrier-bound immobilized enzymes. Conclusions Fluorescein and Ru(dpp constitute a useful pair of luminophores in by DLR-based intraparticle pH monitoring. The pH range accessible by the chosen DLR system overlaps favorably with the pH ranges at which enzymes are optimally active and stable. DLR removes the restriction of working with static immobilized enzyme particles, enabling suspensions of particles to be characterized also. The pH gradient developed between particle and bulk liquid during reaction steady state is an important carrier selection parameter for enzyme immobilization and optimization of biocatalytic conversion processes. Determination of this parameter was rendered possible by the presented DLR method.

Ammonia tolerant enriched methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula to alleviate ammonia inhibition in continuous anaerobic reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Wang, Han; Angelidaki, Irini

Ammonia is the most common inhibitor of anaerobic digestion (AD) process, resulting in suboptimal exploitation of the biogas potential of the feedstocks, causing significant economic losses to the biogas plants. Ammonia is mainly inhibiting the aceticlastic methanogens, while the hydrogenotrophic...... methanogens are more robust to ammonia toxicity effect. It has been shown that bioaugmentation of a pure strain of a hydrogenotrophic methanogen (i.e. Methanoculleus bourgensis) in an ammonia inhibited continuous anaerobic reactor can improve methane production more than 30%. Nevertheless, cultivation...... tolerant methanogenic culture as potential bioaugmentation inoculum in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) operating under “inhibited steady-state”, triggered by high ammonia levels (5 g NH4+-N L-1). The results of the current study established for the first time that bioaugmentation of an enriched...

New sampling method in continuous energy Monte Carlo calculation for pebble bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Isao; Takahashi, Akito; Mori, Takamasa; Nakagawa, Masayuki.

1997-01-01

A pebble bed reactor generally has double heterogeneity consisting of two kinds of spherical fuel element. In the core, there exist many fuel balls piled up randomly in a high packing fraction. And each fuel ball contains a lot of small fuel particles which are also distributed randomly. In this study, to realize precise neutron transport calculation of such reactors with the continuous energy Monte Carlo method, a new sampling method has been developed. The new method has been implemented in the general purpose Monte Carlo code MCNP to develop a modified version MCNP-BALL. This method was validated by calculating inventory of spherical fuel elements arranged successively by sampling during transport calculation and also by performing criticality calculations in ordered packing models. From the results, it was confirmed that the inventory of spherical fuel elements could be reproduced using MCNP-BALL within a sufficient accuracy of 0.2%. And the comparison of criticality calculations in ordered packing models between MCNP-BALL and the reference method shows excellent agreement in neutron spectrum as well as multiplication factor. MCNP-BALL enables us to analyze pebble bed type cores such as PROTEUS precisely with the continuous energy Monte Carlo method. (author)

Cell immobilization for production of lactic acid biofilms do it naturally.

Science.gov (United States)

Dagher, Suzanne F; Ragout, Alicia L; Siñeriz, Faustino; Bruno-Bárcena, José M

2010-01-01

Interest in natural cell immobilization or biofilms for lactic acid fermentation has developed considerably over the last few decades. Many studies report the benefits associated with biofilms as industrial methods for food production and for wastewater treatment, since the formation represents a protective means of microbial growth offering survival advantages to cells in toxic environments. The formation of biofilms is a natural process in which microbial cells adsorb to a support without chemicals or polymers that entrap the cells and is dependent on the reactor environment, microorganism, and characteristics of the support. These unique characteristics enable biofilms to cause chronic infections, disease, food spoilage, and devastating effects as in microbial corrosion. Their distinct resistance to toxicity, high biomass potential, and improved stability over cells in suspension make biofilms a good tool for improving the industrial economics of biological lactic acid production. Lactic acid bacteria and specific filamentous fungi are the main sources of biological lactic acid. Over the past two decades, studies have focused on improving the lactic acid volumetric productivity through reactor design development, new support materials, and improvements in microbial production strains. To illustrate the operational designs applied to the natural immobilization of lactic acid producing microorganisms, this chapter presents the results of a search for optimum parameters and how they are affected by the physical, chemical, and biological variables of the process. We will place particular emphasis upon the relationship between lactic acid productivity attained by various types of reactors, supports, media formulations, and lactic acid producing microorganisms. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dry fermentation of manure with straw in continuous plug flow reactor: Reactor development and process stability at different loading rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Patinvoh, Regina J; Kalantar Mehrjerdi, Adib; Sárvári Horváth, Ilona; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J

2017-01-01

In this work, a plug flow reactor was developed for continuous dry digestion processes and its efficiency was investigated using untreated manure bedded with straw at 22% total solids content. This newly developed reactor worked successfully for 230days at increasing organic loading rates of 2.8, 4.2 and 6gVS/L/d and retention times of 60, 40 and 28days, respectively. Organic loading rates up to 4.2gVS/L/d gave a better process stability, with methane yields up to 0.163LCH 4 /gVS added /d which is 56% of the theoretical yield. Further increase of organic loading rate to 6gVS/L/d caused process instability with lower volatile solid removal efficiency and cellulose degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling for Temperature Non-Isothermal Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor Using Fuzzy Logic

OpenAIRE

Nasser Mohamed Ramli; Mohamad Syafiq Mohamad

2017-01-01

Many types of controllers were applied on the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) unit to control the temperature. In this research paper, Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller are compared with Fuzzy Logic controller for temperature control of CSTR. The control system for temperature non-isothermal of a CSTR will produce a stable response curve to its set point temperature. A mathematical model of a CSTR using the most general operating condition was developed through a set of...

Packed-Bed Reactor Study of NETL Sample 196c for the Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Simulated Flue Gas Mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, James S.; Hammache, Sonia; Gray, McMahan L.; Fauth Daniel J.; Pennline, Henry W.

2012-04-24

An amine-based solid sorbent process to remove CO2 from flue gas has been investigated. The sorbent consists of polyethylenimine (PEI) immobilized onto silica (SiO2) support. Experiments were conducted in a packed-bed reactor and exit gas composition was monitored using mass spectrometry. The effects of feed gas composition (CO2 and H2O), temperature, and simulated steam regeneration were examined for both the silica support as well as the PEI-based sorbent. The artifact of the empty reactor was also quantified. Sorbent CO2 capacity loading was compared to thermogravimetric (TGA) results to further characterize adsorption isotherms and better define CO2 working capacity. Sorbent stability was monitored by periodically repeating baseline conditions throughout the parametric testing and replacing with fresh sorbent as needed. The concept of the Basic Immobilized Amine Sorbent (BIAS) Process using this sorbent within a system where sorbent continuously flows between the absorber and regenerator was introduced. The basic tenet is to manipulate or control the level of moisture on the sorbent as it travels around the sorbent circulation path between absorption and regeneration stages to minimize its effect on regeneration heat duty.

Immobilized cell technology in beer brewing: Current experience and results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leskošek-Čukalov Ida J.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Immobilized cell technology (ICT has been attracting continual attention in the brewing industry over the past 30 years. Some of the reasons are: faster fermentation rates and increased volumetric productivity, compared to those of traditional beer production based on freely suspended cells, as well as the possibility of continuous operation. Nowadays, ICT technology is well established in secondary fermentation and alcohol- free and low-alcohol beer production. In main fermentation, the situation is more complex and this process is still under scrutiny on both the lab and pilot levels. The paper outlines the most important ICT processes developed for beer brewing and provides an overview of carrier materials, bioreactor design and examples of their industrial applications, as well as some recent results obtained by our research group. We investigated the possible applications of polyvinyl alcohol in the form of LentiKats®, as a potential porous matrices carrier for beer fermentation. Given are the results of growth studies of immobilized brewer's yeast Saccharomyces uvarum and the kinetic parameters obtained by using alginate microbeads with immobilized yeast cells and suspension of yeast cells as controls. The results indicate that the immobilization procedure in LentiKat® carriers has a negligible effect on cell viability and growth. The apparent specific growth rate of cells released in medium was comparable to that of freely suspended cells, implying preserved cell vitality. A series of batch fermentations performed in shaken flasks and an air-lift bioreactor indicated that the immobilized cells retained high fermentation activity. The full attenuation in green beer was reached after 48 hours in shaken flasks and less than 24 hours of fermentation in gas-lift bioreactors.

Engymatic synthesis of aspartame precursor in organic solvent; Yuki yobaichu deno asuparutemu zenkutai no koso gosei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakanishi, K. [Okayama Univ., Okayama (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1996-11-05

Taking up the synthetic reaction of the precursor of artificial sweetener aspartame for which thermolysin is used as the catalyst, the features and problems of enzymatic reaction in organic solvent are discussed. It is found that immobilized enzyme which has high activity and stability can be prepared by adsorbing high concentration thermolysin in Amberlite XAD7 followed by bridge immobilization. The initial rate of the synthesis and the stability of immobilized enzyme depend on the types of solvents. Continuous reaction is attempted using a columnar ferment reactor (PFR) in ethyl acetate at the beginning, but the yield decreases in a short period because the immobilized enzyme lose its activity gradually from the upper area of the column where Z-Asp concentration is high. When CSTR (complete mixed type reactor) is used, deactivation of immobilized enzyme can be restricted because low Z-Asp concentration in the reactor can be maintained. It is demonstrated that continuous reaction of longer than 200 hours is possible although the reaction rate is as low as 90%. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

Nonequilibrium chemical instabilities in continuous flow stirred tank reactors: The effect of stirring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horsthemke, W.; Hannon, L.

1984-01-01

We present a stochastic model for stirred chemical reactors. In the limiting case of practical interest, i.e., fast stirring, we solve for the characteristic function in steady state and derive expressions for the stationary moments through a perturbation expansion. Moments are explicitly calculated for a generic model of bistable behavior. We find that stirring decreases the area of the bistable region essentially by changing the point of transition from the high reaction rate state to the low reaction rate state. This is in remarkable agreement with the experimental findings of Roux, et al. Our results indicate that stirring should not be considered simply as an ''enhanced diffusion'' process and that nucleation plays only a minor role in transitions between multiple steady states in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR)

Engineering Porous Polymer Hollow Fiber Microfluidic Reactors for Sustainable C-H Functionalization.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yingxin; Rezaei, Fateme; Kapila, Shubhender; Rownaghi, Ali A

2017-05-17

Highly hydrophilic and solvent-stable porous polyamide-imide (PAI) hollow fibers were created by cross-linking of bare PAI hollow fibers with 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APS). The APS-grafted PAI hollow fibers were then functionalized with salicylic aldehyde for binding catalytically active Pd(II) ions through a covalent postmodification method. The catalytic activity of the composite hollow fiber microfluidic reactors (Pd(II) immobilized APS-grafted PAI hollow fibers) was tested via heterogeneous Heck coupling reaction of aryl halides under both batch and continuous-flow reactions in polar aprotic solvents at high temperature (120 °C) and low operating pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyses of the starting and recycled composite hollow fibers indicated that the fibers contain very similar loadings of Pd(II), implying no degree of catalyst leaching from the hollow fibers during reaction. The composite hollow fiber microfluidic reactors showed long-term stability and strong control over the leaching of Pd species.

The U.S.-Russian joint studies on using power reactors to disposition surplus weapons plutonium as spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chebeskov, A.; Kalashnikov, A.; Pavlovichev, A.

1997-09-01

In 1996, the US and the Russian Federation completed an initial joint study of the candidate options for the disposition of surplus weapons plutonium in both countries. The options included long term storage, immobilization of the plutonium in glass or ceramic for geologic disposal, and the conversion of weapons plutonium to spent fuel in power reactors. For the latter option, the US is only considering the use of existing light water reactors (LWRs) with no new reactor construction for plutonium disposition, or the use of Canadian deuterium uranium (CANDU) heavy water reactors. While Russia advocates building new reactors, the cost is high, and the continuing joint study of the Russian options is considering only the use of existing VVER-1000 LWRs in Russia and possibly Ukraine, the existing BN-60O fast neutron reactor at the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, or the use of the Canadian CANDU reactors. Six of the seven existing VVER-1000 reactors in Russia and the eleven VVER-1000 reactors in Ukraine are all of recent vintage and can be converted to use partial MOX cores. These existing VVER-1000 reactors are capable of converting almost 300 kg of surplus weapons plutonium to spent fuel each year with minimum nuclear power plant modifications. Higher core loads may be achievable in future years

One-step synthesis of pyridines and dihydropyridines in a continuous flow microwave reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark C. Bagley

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The Bohlmann–Rahtz pyridine synthesis and the Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis can be carried out in a microwave flow reactor or using a conductive heating flow platform for the continuous processing of material. In the Bohlmann–Rahtz reaction, the use of a Brønsted acid catalyst allows Michael addition and cyclodehydration to be carried out in a single step without isolation of intermediates to give the corresponding trisubstituted pyridine as a single regioisomer in good yield. Furthermore, 3-substituted propargyl aldehydes undergo Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis in preference to Bohlmann–Rahtz reaction in a very high yielding process that is readily transferred to continuous flow processing.

Nitrite accumulation in continuous-flow partial autotrophic denitrification reactor using sulfide as electron donor.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunshuang; Li, Wenfei; Li, Xuechen; Zhao, Dongfeng; Ma, Bin; Wang, Yongqiang; Liu, Fang; Lee, Duu-Jong

2017-11-01

The nitrite accumulation in handling nitrate and sulfide-laden wastewater in a continuous-flow upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor was studied. At sulfide/nitrate-nitrogen ratio of 1:0.76 and loading rates of 1.2kg-Sm -3 d -1 and 0.4kg-Nm -3 d -1 , the elemental sulfur and nitrite accumulation rates peaked at 90% and 70%, respectively, with Acrobacter, Azoarcus and Thauera presenting the functional strains in the studied reactor. The accumulated nitrite was proposed a promising feedstock for anaerobic ammonia oxidation process. An integrated partial autotrophic denitrification-anaerobic ammonia oxidation-aeration process for handling the ammonia and sulfide-laden wastewaters is proposed for further studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous biological waste gas treatment in stirred trickle-bed reactor with discontinuous removal of biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurenzis, A; Heits, H; Wübker, S; Heinze, U; Friedrich, C; Werner, U

1998-02-20

A new reactor for biological waste gas treatment was developed to eliminate continuous solvents from waste gases. A trickle-bed reactor was chosen with discontinuous movement of the packed bed and intermittent percolation. The reactor was operated with toluene as the solvent and an optimum average biomass concentration of between 5 and 30 kg dry cell weight per cubic meter packed bed (m3pb). This biomass concentration resulted in a high volumetric degradation rate. Reduction of surplus biomass by stirring and trickling caused a prolonged service life and prevented clogging of the trickle bed and a pressure drop increase. The pressure drop after biomass reduction was almost identical to the theoretical pressure drop as calculated for the irregular packed bed without biomass. The reduction in biomass and intermittent percolation of mineral medium resulted in high volumetric degradation rates of about 100 g of toluene m-3pb h-1 at a load of 150 g of toluene m-3pb h-1. Such a removal rate with a trickle-bed reactor was not reported before. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Startup and oxygen concentration effects in a continuous granular mixed flow autotrophic nitrogen removal reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Varas, Rodrigo; Guzmán-Fierro, Víctor; Giustinianovich, Elisa; Behar, Jack; Fernández, Katherina; Roeckel, Marlene

2015-08-01

The startup and performance of the completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process was tested in a continuously fed granular bubble column reactor (BCR) with two different aeration strategies: controlling the oxygen volumetric flow and oxygen concentration. During the startup with the control of oxygen volumetric flow, the air volume was adjusted to 60mL/h and the CANON reactor had volumetric N loadings ranging from 7.35 to 100.90mgN/Ld with 36-71% total nitrogen removal and high instability. In the second stage, the reactor was operated at oxygen concentrations of 0.6, 0.4 and 0.2mg/L. The best condition was 0.2 mgO2/L with a total nitrogen removal of 75.36% with a CANON reactor activity of 0.1149gN/gVVSd and high stability. The feasibility and effectiveness of CANON processes with oxygen control was demonstrated, showing an alternative design tool for efficiently removing nitrogen species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on the preparation of immobilized enzymes by radio-polymerization, 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amarakone, S.P.; Hayashi, Toru; Kawashima, Koji.

1983-01-01

β-Galactosidase of E. coli origin was immobilized in the form of beads by the radiopolymerization of different combinations of monomers using a gamma irradiation technique. With the dialysed enzyme, recoveries of over 300 % could be obtained on suitable monomer combinations containing magnesium and sodium acrylates. The recovery of the enzyme also depended on the irradiation time. The immobilized enzyme had better pH and temperature stability and was less affected by the presence of metal ions in the medium, compared to the native enzyme. The optimum pH and temperatures of the immobilized enzyme were different from those of the native enzyme and were 7.0 to 7.5 and 50 deg C respectively. The immobilized enzyme was used in a column for the continuous determination of lactose with a standard type autoanalyser. Good linearity could be observed even up to 3 % lactose in the sample. (author)

Iron phosphate glass: a promising matrix for the immobilization of Cs and Mo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemadevi, V.; Joseph, Kitheri

2015-01-01

Presently, borosilicate glass (BSG) is the acceptable vitrification matrix for the immobilization of high level waste. The solubility of Mo in BSG is limited in the presence of Cs. As per the literature, solubility of Mo in BSG is about 2.5 wt. % in the presence of Cs. Hence it is difficult to immobilize nuclear waste rich in Cs and Mo in borosilicate glass. It is observed that the composition of Cs and Mo expressed as oxides are 10.4 and 14.7 wt. % respectively in simulated fast reactor waste. Iron phosphate glass containing 20 wt. % simulated fast reactor waste (referred as IP20FRW) was synthesized and characterized. IP20FRW contains ~ 3 wt. % of molybdenum oxide along with 2 wt. % cesium oxide. IPG is a suitable matrix for the immobilization of Cs and Mo separately. Hence it is essential to understand the glass characteristics of IPG containing both Cs and Mo. This paper explores systematic loading of both Cs and Mo such that the final composition corresponds to 10.5 wt. % Cs 2 O-15 wt. % MoO 3 -31.9 wt. % Fe 2 O 3 -42.6 wt. % P 2 O 5 . In addition to synthesis, the present study also includes understanding the change in glass characteristics of IPG containing both Cs and Mo. The possibility of higher percent loading of both Cs and Mo in IPG demonstrates the better glass forming characteristics of IPG. The synthesis and characterization of Cs-Mo loaded glasses will be discussed in this paper. (author)

Continuous Photo-Oxidation in a Vortex Reactor: Efficient Operations Using Air Drawn from the Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Darren S; Amara, Zacharias; Clark, Charlotte A; Xu, Zeyuan; Kakimpa, Bruce; Morvan, Herve P; Pickering, Stephen J; Poliakoff, Martyn; George, Michael W

2017-07-21

We report the construction and use of a vortex reactor which uses a rapidly rotating cylinder to generate Taylor vortices for continuous flow thermal and photochemical reactions. The reactor is designed to operate under conditions required for vortex generation. The flow pattern of the vortices has been represented using computational fluid dynamics, and the presence of the vortices can be easily visualized by observing streams of bubbles within the reactor. This approach presents certain advantages for reactions with added gases. For reactions with oxygen, the reactor offers an alternative to traditional setups as it efficiently draws in air from the lab without the need specifically to pressurize with oxygen. The rapid mixing generated by the vortices enables rapid mass transfer between the gas and the liquid phases allowing for a high efficiency dissolution of gases. The reactor has been applied to several photochemical reactions involving singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) including the photo-oxidations of α-terpinene and furfuryl alcohol and the photodeborylation of phenyl boronic acid. The rotation speed of the cylinder proved to be key for reaction efficiency, and in the operation we found that the uptake of air was highest at 4000 rpm. The reactor has also been successfully applied to the synthesis of artemisinin, a potent antimalarial compound; and this three-step synthesis involving a Schenk-ene reaction with 1 O 2 , Hock cleavage with H + , and an oxidative cyclization cascade with triplet oxygen ( 3 O 2 ), from dihydroartemisinic acid was carried out as a single process in the vortex reactor.

Continuous method for refining sodium. [for use in LMFBR type reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batoux, B; Laurent-Atthalin, A; Salmon, M

1973-11-16

The invention relates to a refining method according to which commercial sodium provides a high purity sodium with, in particular, a very small calcium content. The method consists in continuously feeding a predetermined amount of sodium peroxide into a sodium stream, mixing and causing said sodium peroxide to reach with sodium at an appropriate temperature, and, finally, separating the reaction products from sodium by decanting and filtering same. The thus obtained high purity sodium meets the requirements of atomic industries in particular, in view of its possible use as coolant in nuclear reactors of the ''breeder'' type.

The on-line synthesis of enzyme functionalized silica nanoparticles in a microfluidic reactor using polyethylenimine polymer and R5 peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Ping; Greenway, Gillian; Haswell, Stephen J

2008-01-01

A simple microfluidic reactor system is described for the effective synthesis of enzyme functionalized nanoparticles which offers many advantages over batch reactions, including excellent enzyme efficiencies. Better control of the process parameters in the microfluidic reactor system over batch based methodology enables the production of silica nanoparticles with the optimum size for efficient enzyme immobilization with long-term stability. The synthetic approach is demonstrated with glucose oxidase (GOD) and two different nucleation catalysts of similar molecular mass: the natural R5 peptide, and polyethylenimine (PEI) polymer. Near-quantitative immobilization of GOD in the nanoparticles is obtained using PEI; the immobilization is attributed to electrostatic interaction between PEI and GOD. This interaction, however, limits the mobility of the immobilized enzyme, producing orientation hindrance of the enzyme's active sites as compared to free GOD in solution. In contrast, when the GOD is immobilized inside the silica nanoparticles using R5, lower enzyme immobilization efficiencies are obtained compared to using PEI polymers; however, similar Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters (i.e. Michaelis constant and turnover number) to those of free GOD are observed. Reactions were monitored in situ using simple, rapid, separation-free amperometric detection

Chromatographic separation and continuously referenced, on-line monitoring of creatine kinase isoenzymes by use of an immobilized-enzyme microreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denton, M.S.; Bostick, W.D.; Dinsmore, S.R.; Mrochek, J.E.

1978-01-01

We describe a new concept in continuously referenced monitoring of the isoenzyme activities of creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) after liquid-chromatographic separation. After separation on a diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel column, the three isoenzymes of creatine kinase undergo a series of upled enzyme reactions, ultimately resulting in the formation of ultraviolet-detectable NADPH. A major advantage of this detection system is the immobilized-enzyme microreactor (2 x 17 mm), which may be removed and stored refrigerated when not in use. A split-stream configuration allows self-blanking of endogenous ultraviolet-absorbing constituents in authentic sera samples, which would otherwise make definitive diagnosis and quantitation difficult or impossible. This detection system is applicable to the automated analysis of creatine kinase isoenzymes in the clinical laboratory. 5 figures; 42 references

Co-digestion and model simulations of source separated municipal organic waste with cattle manure under batch and continuously stirred tank reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsapekos, Panagiotis; Kougias, Panagiotis; Kuthiala, Sidhant

2018-01-01

reactor was comparable with the results obtained from the batch assay (i.e. expected value). Finally, the outputs from an applied mathematical model were in good agreement with the experimental data obtained from the continuous reactor operation, demonstrating that the BioModel can...

Immobilization of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae in Rice Hulls for Ethanol Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edita Martini

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The whole cell immobilization in ethanol fermentation can be done by using natural carriers or through synthetic carriers. All of these methods have the same purpose of retaining high cell concentrations within a certain defined region of space which leads to higher ethanol productivity. Lignocellulosic plant substance represents one of highly potential sources in ethanol production. Some studies have found that cellulosic substances substances can also be used as a natural carrier in cell immobilization by re-circulating pre-culture medium into a reactor. In this experiment, rice hulls without any treatment were used to immobilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae through semi solid state incubation combined with re-circulating pre-culture medium. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM pictures of the carrier show that the yeast cells are absorbed and embedded to the rice hull pore. In liquid batch fermentation system with an initial sugar concentration of 50 g/L, nearly 100% total sugar was consumed after 48 hours. This resulted in an ethanol yield of 0.32 g ethanol/g glucose, which is 62.7% of the theoretical value. Ethanol productivity of 0.59 g/(L.h is 2.3 fold higher than that of free cells which is 0.26 g/(L.h. An effort to reuse the immobilized cells in liquid fermentation system showed poor results due to cell desorption in the first batch which led to high sugar concentration inhibitory effect in the second batch fermentation. This might be solved by using semi solid fermentation process in the future work.

Esterification of Fatty Acids with Short-Chain Alcohols over Commercial Acid Clays in a Semi-Continuous Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed H. Frikha

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Production of fatty acid esters from stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids and short-chain alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol for the production of biodiesel was investigated in this work. A series of montmorillonite-based clays catalysts (KSF, KSF/0, KP10, and K10 were used as acidic catalysts. The influence of the specific surface area and the acidity of the catalysts on the esterification rate were investigated. The best catalytic activities were obtained with KSF/0 catalyst. The esterification reaction has been carried out efficiently in a semi-continuous reactor at 150°C temperature higher than the boiling points of water and alcohol. The reactor used enabled the continuous removal of water and esterification with hydrated alcohol (ethanol 95% without affecting the original activity of the clay.

Small-scale semi-continuous reactor for the conversion of wood to fuel oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eager, R L; Pepper, J M; Mathews, J F

1983-04-01

The design and operation of a small-scale semi-continuous reactor to convert aspen wood meal into an oil product is described. Modifications that reduce erosion/corrosion are also presented. Short residence times and relatively low operating pressures have been achieved for the reaction of aspen with CO and H2O in the presence of Na2CO3. Conversions, char formation, and the effect of sodium carbonate concentration on oil product are reported.

UK program: glasses and ceramics for immobilization of radioactive wastes for disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, K.D.B.

1979-01-01

The UK Research Program on Radioactive Waste Management includes the development of processes for the conversion of high-level-liquid-reprocessing wastes from thermal and fast reactors to borosilicate glasses. The properties of these glasses and their behavior under storage and disposal conditions have been examined. Methods for immobilizing activity from other wastes by conversion to glass or ceramic forms are described. The UK philosophy of final solutions to waste management and disposal is presented

Review of continuous ceramic-lined melter and associated experience at PNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buelt, J.L.; Chapman, C.C.; Barnes, S.M.; Dierks, R.D.

1979-01-01

Development of continuous, ceramic-lined melters applicable to immobilization of radioactive wastes began at PNL in 1973. A comprehensive program is curretly in progress. The melters constructed at PNL have incorporated remote and reliable design features necessary for radioactive use. The extensive experience with vitrification of simulated wastes has proven the continuous melter's applicability to radioactive waste immobilization

Limb immobilization and corticobasal syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Graff-Radford, Jonathan; Boeve, Bradley F; Drubach, Daniel A; Knopman, David S; Ahlskog, J Eric; Golden, Erin C; Drubach, Dina I; Petersen, Ronald C; Josephs, Keith A

2012-12-01

Recently, we evaluated two patients with corticobasal syndrome (CBS) who reported symptom onset after limb immobilization. Our objective was to investigate the association between trauma, immobilization and CBS. The charts of forty-four consecutive CBS patients seen in the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer Disease Research Center were reviewed with attention to trauma and limb immobilization. 10 CBS patients (23%) had immobilization or trauma on the most affected limb preceding the onset or acceleration of symptoms. The median age at onset was 61. Six patients manifested their first symptoms after immobilization from surgery or fracture with one after leg trauma. Four patients had pre-existing symptoms of limb dysfunction but significantly worsened after immobilization or surgery. 23 percent of patients had immobilization or trauma of the affected limb. This might have implications for management of CBS, for avoiding injury, limiting immobilization and increasing movement in the affected limb. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status of plutonium ceramic immobilization processes and immobilization forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebbinghaus, B.B.; Van Konynenburg, R.A.; Vance, E.R.; Jostsons, A.

1996-01-01

Immobilization in a ceramic followed by permanent emplacement in a repository or borehole is one of the alternatives currently being considered by the Fissile Materials Disposition Program for the ultimate disposal of excess weapons-grade plutonium. To make Pu recovery more difficult, radioactive cesium may also be incorporated into the immobilization form. Valuable data are already available for ceramics form R ampersand D efforts to immobilize high-level and mixed wastes. Ceramics have a high capacity for actinides, cesium, and some neutron absorbers. A unique characteristic of ceramics is the existence of mineral analogues found in nature that have demonstrated actinide immobilization over geologic time periods. The ceramic form currently being considered for plutonium disposition is a synthetic rock (SYNROC) material composed primarily of zirconolite (CaZrTi 2 O 7 ), the desired actinide host phase, with lesser amounts of hollandite (BaAl 2 Ti 6 O 16 ) and rutile (TiO 2 ). Alternative actinide host phases are also being considered. These include pyrochlore (Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 ), zircon (ZrSiO 4 ), and monazite (CePO 4 ), to name a few of the most promising. R ampersand D activities to address important technical issues are discussed. Primarily these include moderate scale hot press fabrications with plutonium, direct loading of PuO 2 powder, cold press and sinter fabrication methods, and immobilization form formulation issues

Hydrolysis of whey by whole cells of Kluyveromyces bulgaricus immobilized in calcium alginate gels in hen egg white

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Decleire, M; Huynh, N van; Motte, J C; Cat, W de

1985-10-01

Whey hydrolysis was compared in column reactors containing whole yeast cells immobilized in Ca-alginate or in hen egg white in relation to cell US -galactosidase activity, flow rates, temperature and time. With cells of 1.3 U/mg dry weight (ONPG method) immobilized in Ca-alignate, 80% hydrolysis was obtained at 4 and 20C with, respectively 0.50 and 1.65 bed volume/H; the values were 0.2 and 0.74 with cells entrapped in hen egg white. When the flow rate was expressed as ml/H/g wet yeast, no significant difference was observed between both matrices and 80% hydrolysis was reached with a flow rate 1.7 and 5 according to the temperature. The best performance was achieved by the yeast egg white reactor. At 4C, hydrolysis deccreased by 10% after 13 days; by 20% after 17 days. The presence of lactose transport inhibitors in whey did not significantly influence lactose hydrolysis. (orig.).

Contribution of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 Biofilms to U(VI) Immobilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Bin; Ahmed, B.; Kennedy, David W.; Wang, Zheming; Shi, Liang; Marshall, Matthew J.; Fredrickson, Jim K.; Isern, Nancy G.; Majors, Paul D.; Beyenal, Haluk

2011-06-05

The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in U(VI) immobilization by Shewanella sp. HRCR-1. Through comparison of U(VI) immobilization using cells with bound EPS (bEPS) and cells without EPS, we showed that i) bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms contributed significantly to U(VI) immobilization, especially at low initial U(VI) concentrations, through both sorption and reduction; ii) bEPS could be considered as a functional extension of the cells for U(VI) immobilization and they likely play more important roles at initial U(VI) concentrations; and iii) U(VI) reduction efficiency was found to be dependent upon initial U(VI) concentration and the efficiency decreased at lower concentrations. To quantify relative contribution of sorption and reduction in U(VI) immobilization by EPS fractions, we isolated loosely associated EPS (laEPS) and bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms grown in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor and tested their reactivity with U(V). We found that, when in reduced form, the isolated cell-free EPS fractions could reduce U(VI). Polysaccharides in the EPS likely contributed to U(VI) sorption and dominated reactivity of laEPS while redox active components (e.g., outer membrane c-type cytochromes), especially in bEPS, might facilitate U(VI) reduction.

Contribution of extracellular polymeric substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms to U(VI) immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Bin; Ahmed, Bulbul; Kennedy, David W; Wang, Zheming; Shi, Liang; Marshall, Matthew J; Fredrickson, Jim K; Isern, Nancy G; Majors, Paul D; Beyenal, Haluk

2011-07-01

The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to U(VI) immobilization by Shewanella sp. HRCR-1. Through comparison of U(VI) immobilization using cells with bound EPS (bEPS) and cells with minimal EPS, we show that (i) bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms contribute significantly to U(VI) immobilization, especially at low initial U(VI) concentrations, through both sorption and reduction; (ii) bEPS can be considered a functional extension of the cells for U(VI) immobilization and they likely play more important roles at lower initial U(VI) concentrations; and (iii) the U(VI) reduction efficiency is dependent upon the initial U(VI) concentration and decreases at lower concentrations. To quantify the relative contributions of sorption and reduction to U(VI) immobilization by EPS fractions, we isolated loosely associated EPS (laEPS) and bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms grown in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor and tested their reactivity with U(VI). We found that, when reduced, the isolated cell-free EPS fractions could reduce U(VI). Polysaccharides in the EPS likely contributed to U(VI) sorption and dominated the reactivity of laEPS, while redox active components (e.g., outer membrane c-type cytochromes), especially in bEPS, possibly facilitated U(VI) reduction.

Organic matter and containment of uranium and fissiogenic isotopes at the Oklo natural reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagy, B.; Rigali, M.J.; Davis, D.W.; Parnell, J.

1991-01-01

Some of the Precambrian natural fission reactors at Oklo in Gabon contain abundant organic matter, part of which was liquefied at the time of criticality and subsequently converted to a graphitic solid. The liquid organic matter helps to reduce U(VI) to U(IV) from aqueous solutions, resulting in the precipitation of uraninite. It is known that in the prevailing reactor environments, precipitated uraninite grains incorporated fission products. We report here observations which show that these uraninite crystals were held immobile within the re-solidified, graphitic bituminous organics at Oklo thus enhanced radionuclide containment. Uraninite encased in solid graphitic matter in the organic-rich reactor zones lost virtually no fissiogenic lanthanide isotopes. The first major episode of uranium and lead migration was caused by the intrusion of a swarm of adjacent dolerite dykes about 1,100 Myr after the reactors went critical. Our results from Oklo imply that the use of organic, hydrophobic solids such as graphitic bitumen as a means of immobilizing radionuclides in pre-treated nuclear waste warrants further investigation. (author)

Hemophilia as a defect of the tissue factor pathway of blood coagulation: Effect of factors VIII and IX on factor X activation in a continuous-flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repke, D.; Gemmell, C.H.; Guha, A.; Turitto, V.T.; Nemerson, Y.; Broze, G.J. Jr.

1990-01-01

The effect of factors VIII and IX on the ability of the tissue factor-factor VIIa complex to activate factor X was studied in a continuous-flow tubular enzyme reactor. Tissue factor immobilized in a phospholipid bilayer on the inner surface of the tube was exposed to a perfusate containing factors VIIa, VIII, IX, and X flowing at a wall shear rate of 57, 300, or 1130 sec -1 . The addition of factors VIII and IX at their respective plasma concentrations resulted in a further 2 endash-to 3 endash fold increase. The direct activation of factor X by tissue factor-factor VIIa could be virtually eliminated by the lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor. These results suggest that the tissue factor pathway, mediated through factors VIII and IX, produces significant levels of factor Xa even in the presence of an inhibitor of the tissue factor-factor VIIa complex; moreover, the activation is dependent on local shear conditions. These findings are consistent both with a model of blood coagulation in which initiation of the system results from tissue factor and with the bleeding observed in hemophilia

Effect of mixing mode on the behavior of an ASBBR with immobilized biomass in the treatment of cheese whey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. H. S. Damasceno

2008-06-01

Full Text Available A hydrodynamic study of a mechanically stirred anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR containing immobilized biomass on polyurethane foam was performed with the aim to determine homogeneity of the reactor based on total mixing time. Turbine or helix propellers were used for stirring at rotor speeds of 100, 200, 300 and 500 rpm. Experimental values obtained were fitted to a Boltzmann sigmoid. Homogenization times of the reactor were negligible when compared to the 8-h cycle time for all conditions studied. At low propeller rotations the turbine propeller showed the best performance. For higher rotations total mixing times were similar for both propellers; however the helix propeller had better homogeneity conditions. At a subsequent stage the system was operated in batch mode treating cheese whey at concentrations of 500, 1000 and 2000 mgCOD/L and rotations of 200, 300 and 500 rpm. In these assays the importance of the propeller became evident not only for mixing, but also for substrate flow across the bed containing immobilized biomass. Due to axial flow, the helix propeller offered better mass transfer conditions, evidenced by improved organic matter conversion and lower production of total volatile acids.

Evaluation of an integrated continuous stirred microbial electrochemical reactor: Wastewater treatment, energy recovery and microbial community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Haiman; Qu, Youpeng; Li, Da; Zhou, Xiangtong; Feng, Yujie

2015-11-01

A continuous stirred microbial electrochemical reactor (CSMER) was developed by integrating anaerobic digestion (AD) and microbial electrochemical system (MES). The system was capable of treating high strength artificial wastewater and simultaneously recovering electric and methane energy. Maximum power density of 583±9, 562±7, 533±10 and 572±6 mW m(-2) were obtained by each cell in a four-independent circuit mode operation at an OLR of 12 kg COD m(-3) d(-1). COD removal and energy recovery efficiency were 87.1% and 32.1%, which were 1.6 and 2.5 times higher than that of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Larger amount of Deltaproteobacteria (5.3%) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens (47%) can account for the better performance of CSMER, since syntrophic associations among them provided more degradation pathways compared to the CSTR. Results demonstrate the CSMER holds great promise for efficient wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the functional properties of thermophilic enzymes by chemical modification and immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowan, Don A; Fernandez-Lafuente, Roberto

2011-09-10

The immobilization of proteins (mostly typically enzymes) onto solid supports is mature technology and has been used successfully to enhance biocatalytic processes in a wide range of industrial applications. However, continued developments in immobilization technology have led to more sophisticated and specialized applications of the process. A combination of targeted chemistries, for both the support and the protein, sometimes in combination with additional chemical and/or genetic engineering, has led to the development of methods for the modification of protein functional properties, for enhancing protein stability and for the recovery of specific proteins from complex mixtures. In particular, the development of effective methods for immobilizing large multi-subunit proteins with multiple covalent linkages (multi-point immobilization) has been effective in stabilizing proteins where subunit dissociation is the initial step in enzyme inactivation. In some instances, multiple benefits are achievable in a single process. Here we comprehensively review the literature pertaining to immobilization and chemical modification of different enzyme classes from thermophiles, with emphasis on the chemistries involved and their implications for modification of the enzyme functional properties. We also highlight the potential for synergies in the combined use of immobilization and other chemical modifications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term performance and stability of a continuous granular airlift reactor treating a high-strength wastewater containing a mixture of aromatic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramos, Carlos; Suárez-Ojeda, María Eugenia; Carrera, Julián, E-mail: julian.carrera@uab.cat

2016-02-13

Highlights: • Aerobic biodegradation of a mixture of aromatics is feasible in a granular reactor. • Applied organic loading rate is a key parameter for an optimal reactor performance. • Stable mature aerobic granules were maintained 400 days in a continuous reactor. • Sphingobium, Cytophaga and Comamonas were the main genera in the aerobic granules. - Abstract: Continuous feeding operation of an airlift reactor and its inoculation with mature aerobic granules allowed the successful treatment of a mixture of aromatic compounds (p-nitrophenol, o-cresol and phenol). Complete biodegradation of p-nitrophenol, o-cresol, phenol and their metabolic intermediates was achieved at an organic loading rate of 0.61 g COD L{sup −1} d{sup −1}. Stable granulation was obtained throughout the long-term operation (400 days) achieving an average granule size of 2.0 ± 1 mm and a sludge volumetric index of 26 ± 1 mL g{sup −1} TSS. The identified genera in the aerobic granular biomass were heterotrophic bacteria able to consume aromatic compounds. Therefore, the continuous feeding regimen and the exposure of aerobic granules to a mixture of aromatic compounds make possible to obtain good granulation and high removal efficiency.

Long-term performance and stability of a continuous granular airlift reactor treating a high-strength wastewater containing a mixture of aromatic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, Carlos; Suárez-Ojeda, María Eugenia; Carrera, Julián

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Aerobic biodegradation of a mixture of aromatics is feasible in a granular reactor. • Applied organic loading rate is a key parameter for an optimal reactor performance. • Stable mature aerobic granules were maintained 400 days in a continuous reactor. • Sphingobium, Cytophaga and Comamonas were the main genera in the aerobic granules. - Abstract: Continuous feeding operation of an airlift reactor and its inoculation with mature aerobic granules allowed the successful treatment of a mixture of aromatic compounds (p-nitrophenol, o-cresol and phenol). Complete biodegradation of p-nitrophenol, o-cresol, phenol and their metabolic intermediates was achieved at an organic loading rate of 0.61 g COD L"−"1 d"−"1. Stable granulation was obtained throughout the long-term operation (400 days) achieving an average granule size of 2.0 ± 1 mm and a sludge volumetric index of 26 ± 1 mL g"−"1 TSS. The identified genera in the aerobic granular biomass were heterotrophic bacteria able to consume aromatic compounds. Therefore, the continuous feeding regimen and the exposure of aerobic granules to a mixture of aromatic compounds make possible to obtain good granulation and high removal efficiency.

Photocatalytic oxidation of low concentration 2,4-D solution with new TiO2 fiber catalyst in a continuous flow reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Terashima, Y; Ozaki, H; Giri, R R; Tano, T; Nakatsuji, S; Takanami, R; Taniguchi, S

2006-01-01

Environmental pollution by low concentrations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a concern these days due to ever increasingly stringent regulations. Photocatalysis with immobilized TiO2 fiber is a promising oxidation method. Laboratory experiments on photocatalytic degradation of 0.045 mmol l(-1) 2,4-D with the world's first high-strength TiO2 fiber catalyst were carried out in a continuous flow reactor in which the degradations were, in general, similar to those with high 2,4-D concentrations investigated elsewhere. Degradation and mineralization of 2,4-D were significantly enhanced with no initial pH adjustments. The rate constants for total organic carbon (TOC) without pH adjustment were about two-fold bigger than the pH adjustment cases. CO2 gas measurement and carbon mass-balance were carried out for the first time, where about 34% organic carbon converted into CO2 gas during four-hour oxidation. 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), phenol, benzyl alcohol and two unknowns (RT = 2.65 and 3.78 min.) were detected as aromatic intermediates while Phenol was the new aromatic in HPLC analysis. Dechlorination efficiencies were high (> 70%) in all the cases, and more than 90% efficiencies were observed in chloride mass balance. Bigger flow rates and solution temperature fixed at 20 degrees C without pH adjustment greatly enhanced 2,4-D mineralization. These results can be an important basis in applying the treatment method for dioxin-contaminated water and wastewater.

Status of plutonium ceramic immobilization processes and immobilization forms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ebbinghaus, B.B.; Van Konynenburg, R.A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Vance, E.R.; Jostsons, A. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, Menai (Australia)] [and others

1996-05-01

Immobilization in a ceramic followed by permanent emplacement in a repository or borehole is one of the alternatives currently being considered by the Fissile Materials Disposition Program for the ultimate disposal of excess weapons-grade plutonium. To make Pu recovery more difficult, radioactive cesium may also be incorporated into the immobilization form. Valuable data are already available for ceramics form R&D efforts to immobilize high-level and mixed wastes. Ceramics have a high capacity for actinides, cesium, and some neutron absorbers. A unique characteristic of ceramics is the existence of mineral analogues found in nature that have demonstrated actinide immobilization over geologic time periods. The ceramic form currently being considered for plutonium disposition is a synthetic rock (SYNROC) material composed primarily of zirconolite (CaZrTi{sub 2}O{sub 7}), the desired actinide host phase, with lesser amounts of hollandite (BaAl{sub 2}Ti{sub 6}O{sub 16}) and rutile (TiO{sub 2}). Alternative actinide host phases are also being considered. These include pyrochlore (Gd{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}), zircon (ZrSiO{sub 4}), and monazite (CePO{sub 4}), to name a few of the most promising. R&D activities to address important technical issues are discussed. Primarily these include moderate scale hot press fabrications with plutonium, direct loading of PuO{sub 2} powder, cold press and sinter fabrication methods, and immobilization form formulation issues.

The immobilization of filamentous fungi by cellular adherence and surface film growth on radiopolymerized hydrogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petre, M.; Zarnea, G.; Adrian, P.; Gheorghiu, E.; Gheordunescu, V.

1998-01-01

The continuous biodegradation processes of cellulose wastes, from wine-producing industry and canned food processing were performed using immobilized fungal cells on complex polyhydrogels such as: collagen-polyacrylamide (CPAA), elastin-polyacrylamide (EPAA), gelatin-polyacrylamide (GPAA) and poly-hydroxy-ethyl-methyl-methacrylate (PHEMA) which were prepared by experimental radiopolymerization methods using a 60 Co radioactive source. The experiments were performed using cellulolytic micro- and macrofungal species and the immobilization methods were applied in connection with morphogenetic characteristics of each one of these species that were used as inoculum. A flow-cascade bioreactor was achieved as a research laboratory tool in order to control the cellulose waste biodegradation in continuous processes using immobilized fungal cells on complex polyhydrogels. In this way the continuous control was possible for fungal metabolic activity during the cellulose biodegradation processes by microscopical hyphal growth measurements inside the polyhydrogels and, also, by mycelial protein content analysis. The tested fungal species were Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus florida from macromycetes and Trichoderma viride from micromycetes. There were noticed significant differences in biodegradation rate of cellulose wastes between 'in vitro' immobilized fungal cultures and free fungal cells cultures used as control samples to be compared with cellulose biodegradation processes in natural conditions of polluted ecosystems. The fungal growth displayed by soluble mycelial protein were compared with cellulose biodegradation rates which were expressed by cellulose weight loss in the culture medium. (authors)

Immobilization of Bacillus sp. in mesoporous activated carbon for degradation of sulphonated phenolic compound in wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekaran, G., E-mail: ganesansekaran@gmail.com [Environmental Technology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai-600 020 (India); Karthikeyan, S. [Environmental Technology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai-600 020 (India); Gupta, V.K. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee-247 667 (India); Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Boopathy, R.; Maharaja, P. [Environmental Technology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai-600 020 (India)

2013-03-01

Xenobiotic compounds are used in considerable quantities in leather industries besides natural organic and inorganic compounds. These compounds resist biological degradation and thus they remain in the treated wastewater in the unaltered molecular configurations. Immobilization of organisms in carrier matrices protects them from shock load application and from the toxicity of chemicals in bulk liquid phase. Mesoporous activated carbon (MAC) has been considered in the present study as the carrier matrix for the immobilization of Bacillus sp. isolated from Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) employed for the treatment of wastewater containing sulphonated phenolic (SP) compounds. Temperature, pH, concentration, particle size and mass of MAC were observed to influence the immobilization behavior of Bacillus sp. The percentage immobilization of Bacillus sp. was the maximum at pH 7.0, temperature 20 Degree-Sign C and at particle size 300 {mu}m. Enthalpy, free energy and entropy of immobilization were - 46.9 kJ mol{sup -1}, - 1.19 kJ mol{sup -1} and - 161.36 J K{sup -1} mol{sup -1} respectively at pH 7.0, temperature 20 Degree-Sign C and particle size 300 {mu}m. Higher values of {Delta}H{sup 0} indicate the firm bonding of the Bacillus sp. in MAC. Degradation of aqueous sulphonated phenolic compound by Bacillus sp. immobilized in MAC followed pseudo first order rate kinetics with rate constant 1.12 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} min{sup -1}. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Degradation on phenolic syntan using immobilized activated carbon as catalyst. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bacillus sp. immobilized cell reactor removed all refractory organic loads. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The removal mechanism is due to co-metabolism between carbon and organisms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The organics are completely metabolized rather than adsorption.

Enzyme Immobilization: An Overview on Methods, Support Material, and Applications of Immobilized Enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirisha, V L; Jain, Ankita; Jain, Amita

Immobilized enzymes can be used in a wide range of processes. In recent years, a variety of new approaches have emerged for the immobilization of enzymes that have greater efficiency and wider usage. During the course of the last two decades, this area has rapidly expanded into a multidisciplinary field. This current study is a comprehensive review of a variety of literature produced on the different enzymes that have been immobilized on various supporting materials. These immobilized enzymes have a wide range of applications. These include applications in the sugar, fish, and wine industries, where they are used for removing organic compounds from waste water. This study also reviews their use in sophisticated biosensors for metabolite control and in situ measurements of environmental pollutants. Immobilized enzymes also find significant application in drug metabolism, biodiesel and antibiotic production, bioremediation, and the food industry. The widespread usage of immobilized enzymes is largely due to the fact that they are cheaper, environment friendly, and much easier to use when compared to equivalent technologies. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of textile effluent in a developed phytoreactor with immobilized bacterial augmentation and subsequent toxicity studies on Etheostoma olmstedi fish

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watharkar, Anuprita D. [Department of Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India); Khandare, Rahul V. [School of Life Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon (India); Waghmare, Pankajkumar R.; Jagadale, Ashwini D.; Govindwar, Sanjay P. [Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India); Jadhav, Jyoti P., E-mail: jpj_biochem@unishivaji.ac.in [Department of Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India); Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India)

2015-02-11

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A phytoreactor was developed and augmented with immobilized bacteria. • This consortium showed enhanced treatment than the individual species. • Oxido-reductases from P. crinitum and B. pumilus could decolorize the effluent. • Characterization of effluent samples endorsed the efficacy of consortial strategy. • Toxicity studies revealed the less toxic nature of the consortium treated effluent. - Abstract: A static hydroponic bioreactor using nursery grown plants of Pogonatherum crinitum along with immobilized Bacillus pumilus cells was developed for the treatment of textile wastewater. Independent reactors with plants and immobilized cells were also kept for performance and efficacy evaluation. The effluent samples characterized before and after their treatment showed that the plant–bacterial consortium reactor was more efficient than those of individual plant and bacterium reactors. COD, BOD, ADMI, conductivity, turbidity, TDS and TSS of the textile effluent was found to be reduced by 78, 70, 93, 4, 90, 13 and 70% respectively within 12 d by the consortial set. HPTLC analysis revealed the transformation of the textile effluent to new products. The phytotoxicity study on Phaeseolus mungo and Sorghum vulgare seeds showed reduced toxicity of treated effluents. The animal toxicity study performed on Etheostoma olmstedi fishes showed the toxic nature of untreated effluent giving extreme stress to fishes leading to death. Histology of fish gills exposed to treated effluent was found to be less affected. The oxidative stress related enzymes like superoxide dismutase and catalase were found to show decreased activities and less lipid peroxidation in fishes exposed to treated effluent.

Treatment of textile effluent in a developed phytoreactor with immobilized bacterial augmentation and subsequent toxicity studies on Etheostoma olmstedi fish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watharkar, Anuprita D.; Khandare, Rahul V.; Waghmare, Pankajkumar R.; Jagadale, Ashwini D.; Govindwar, Sanjay P.; Jadhav, Jyoti P.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A phytoreactor was developed and augmented with immobilized bacteria. • This consortium showed enhanced treatment than the individual species. • Oxido-reductases from P. crinitum and B. pumilus could decolorize the effluent. • Characterization of effluent samples endorsed the efficacy of consortial strategy. • Toxicity studies revealed the less toxic nature of the consortium treated effluent. - Abstract: A static hydroponic bioreactor using nursery grown plants of Pogonatherum crinitum along with immobilized Bacillus pumilus cells was developed for the treatment of textile wastewater. Independent reactors with plants and immobilized cells were also kept for performance and efficacy evaluation. The effluent samples characterized before and after their treatment showed that the plant–bacterial consortium reactor was more efficient than those of individual plant and bacterium reactors. COD, BOD, ADMI, conductivity, turbidity, TDS and TSS of the textile effluent was found to be reduced by 78, 70, 93, 4, 90, 13 and 70% respectively within 12 d by the consortial set. HPTLC analysis revealed the transformation of the textile effluent to new products. The phytotoxicity study on Phaeseolus mungo and Sorghum vulgare seeds showed reduced toxicity of treated effluents. The animal toxicity study performed on Etheostoma olmstedi fishes showed the toxic nature of untreated effluent giving extreme stress to fishes leading to death. Histology of fish gills exposed to treated effluent was found to be less affected. The oxidative stress related enzymes like superoxide dismutase and catalase were found to show decreased activities and less lipid peroxidation in fishes exposed to treated effluent

Novel swirl-flow reactor for kinetic studies of semiconductor photocatalysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ray, A.K; Beenackers, A.A C M

1997-01-01

A new two-phase swirl-flow monolithic-type reactor was designed to study the kinetics of heterogeneous photocatalytic processes on immobilized semiconductor catalysts. True kinetic rate constants for destruction of a textile dye were measured as a function of wavelength of light intensity and angle

Assessing attitudes toward spinal immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouland, Andrew J; Jenkins, J Lee; Levy, Matthew J

2013-10-01

Prospective studies have improved knowledge of prehospital spinal immobilization. The opinion of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers regarding spinal immobilization is unknown, as is their knowledge of recent research advances. To examine the attitudes, knowledge, and comfort of prehospital and Emergency Department (ED) EMS providers regarding spinal immobilization performed under a non-selective protocol. An online survey was conducted from May to July of 2011. Participants were drawn from the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services and the Howard County General Hospital ED. The survey included multiple choice questions and responses on a modified Likert scale. Correlation analysis and descriptive data were used to analyze results. Comfort using the Kendrick Extrication Device was low among ED providers. Experienced providers were more likely to indicate comfort using this device. Respondents often believed that spinal immobilization is appropriate in the management of penetrating trauma to the chest and abdomen. Reported use of padding decreased along with the frequency with which providers practice and encounter immobilized patients. Respondents often indicated that they perform spinal immobilization due solely to mechanism of injury. Providers who feel as if spinal immobilization is often performed unnecessarily were more likely to agree that immobilization causes an unnecessary delay in patient care. The results demonstrate the need for improved EMS education in the use of the Kendrick Extrication Device, backboard padding, and spinal immobilization in the management of penetrating trauma. The attitudes highlighted in this study are relevant to the implementation of a selective spinal immobilization protocol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highly Selective Continuous Flow Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde to Cinnamyl Alcohol in a Pt/SiO2 Coated Tube Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Bai

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A novel continuous flow process for selective hydrogenation of α, β-unsaturated aldehyde (cinnamaldehyde, CAL to the unsaturated alcohol (cinnamyl alcohol, COL has been reported in a tube reactor coated with a Pt/SiO2 catalyst. A 90% selectivity towards the unsaturated alcohol was obtained at the aldehyde conversion of 98.8%. This is a six-fold improvement in the selectivity compared to a batch process where acetals were the main reaction products. The increased selectivity in the tube reactor was caused by the suppression of acid sites responsible for the acetal formation after a short period on stream in the continuous process. In a fixed bed reactor, it had a similar acetal suppression phenomenon but showed lower product selectivity of about 47–72% due to mass transfer limitations. A minor change in selectivity and conversion caused by product inhibition was observed during the 110 h on stream with a turnover number (TON reaching 3000 and an alcohol production throughput of 0.36 kg gPt−1 day−1 in the single tube reactor. The catalysts performance after eight reaction cycles was fully restored by calcination in air at 400 °C. The tube reactors provide an opportunity for process intensification by increasing the reaction rates by a factor of 2.5 at the reaction temperature of 150 °C compared to 90 °C with no detrimental effects on catalyst stability or product selectivity.

A three-year experiment confirms continuous immobilization of cadmium and lead in contaminated paddy field with biochar amendment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bian, Rongjun; Joseph, Stephen; Cui, Liqiang; Pan, Genxing; Li, Lianqing; Liu, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Afeng; Rutlidge, Helen; Wong, Singwei; Chia, Chee; Marjo, Chris; Gong, Bin; Munroe, Paul; Donne, Scott

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Biochar significantly increased soil pH, organic matter and immobilized soil Cd and Pb. • Biochar treatment consistently reduced rice Cd and Pb content in three years. • Contaminated biochar from the study field contained much higher heavy metals than fresh biochar. • Biochar caused metal immobilization primarily due to the precipitation and surface adsorption. - Abstract: Heavy metal contamination in croplands has been a serious concern because of its high health risk through soil-food chain transfer. A field experiment was conducted in 2010–2012 in a contaminated rice paddy in southern China to determine if bioavailability of soil Cd and Pb could be reduced while grain yield was sustained over 3 years after a single soil amendment of wheat straw biochar. Contaminated biochar particles were separated from the biochar amended soil and microscopically analyzed to help determine where, and how, metals were immobilized with biochar. Biochar soil amendment (BSA) consistently and significantly increased soil pH, total organic carbon and decreased soil extractable Cd and Pb over the 3 year period. While rice plant tissues’ Cd content was significantly reduced, depending on biochar application rate, reduction in plant Pb concentration was found only in root tissue. Analysis of the fresh and contaminated biochar particles indicated that Cd and Pb had probably been bonded with the mineral phases of Al, Fe and P on and around and inside the contaminated biochar particle. Immobilization of the Pb and Cd also occurred to cation exchange on the porous carbon structure

A three-year experiment confirms continuous immobilization of cadmium and lead in contaminated paddy field with biochar amendment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bian, Rongjun [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Joseph, Stephen [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Discipline of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia); Cui, Liqiang [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Pan, Genxing, E-mail: pangenxing@aliyun.com [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Li, Lianqing [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Liu, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Afeng [Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095 (China); Rutlidge, Helen [Solid State and Elemental Analysis Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052 (Australia); Wong, Singwei [Electron Microscope Unit, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia); Chia, Chee [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Marjo, Chris; Gong, Bin [Solid State and Elemental Analysis Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052 (Australia); Munroe, Paul [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Donne, Scott [Discipline of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • Biochar significantly increased soil pH, organic matter and immobilized soil Cd and Pb. • Biochar treatment consistently reduced rice Cd and Pb content in three years. • Contaminated biochar from the study field contained much higher heavy metals than fresh biochar. • Biochar caused metal immobilization primarily due to the precipitation and surface adsorption. - Abstract: Heavy metal contamination in croplands has been a serious concern because of its high health risk through soil-food chain transfer. A field experiment was conducted in 2010–2012 in a contaminated rice paddy in southern China to determine if bioavailability of soil Cd and Pb could be reduced while grain yield was sustained over 3 years after a single soil amendment of wheat straw biochar. Contaminated biochar particles were separated from the biochar amended soil and microscopically analyzed to help determine where, and how, metals were immobilized with biochar. Biochar soil amendment (BSA) consistently and significantly increased soil pH, total organic carbon and decreased soil extractable Cd and Pb over the 3 year period. While rice plant tissues’ Cd content was significantly reduced, depending on biochar application rate, reduction in plant Pb concentration was found only in root tissue. Analysis of the fresh and contaminated biochar particles indicated that Cd and Pb had probably been bonded with the mineral phases of Al, Fe and P on and around and inside the contaminated biochar particle. Immobilization of the Pb and Cd also occurred to cation exchange on the porous carbon structure.

Immobilization of cellulase by radiation polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumakura, M.; Kaetsu, I.

1983-01-01

Immobilization of cellulase by radiation polymerization at low temperatures was studied. The enzymatic activity of immobilized cellulase pellets varied with the monomer, enzyme concentration, and the thickness of immobilized cellulase pellets. The optimum monomer concentration in the immobilization of cellulase was 30-50% at the pellet thickness of 1.0 mm, in which the enzymatic activity was 50%. The enzymatic activity of immobilized cellulase pellets was examined using various substrates such as cellobiose, carboxymethylcellulose, and paper pretreated by radiation. It was found that irradiated paper can be hydrolyzed by immobilized cellulase pellets. (author)

Effect of hydraulic retention time on hydrodynamic behavior of anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor treating cattle slaughterhouse effluent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daiane Cristina de Freitas

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study of the hydrodynamic behavior in reactors provides characteristics of the flow regime and its anomalies that can reduce biological processes efficiency due to the decrease of the useful volume and the hydraulic retention time required for the performance of microbial activity. In this study, the hydrodynamic behavior of an anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor, operated with HRT (hydraulic retention time of 24, 18 and 12 hours, was evaluated in the treatment of raw cattle slaughterhouse wastewater. Polyurethane foam and expanded clay were used as support media for biomass immobilization. Experimental data of pulse type stimulus-response assays were performed with eosin Y and bromophenol blue, and adjusted to the single-parameter theoretical models of dispersion and N-continuous stirred tank reactors in series (N-CSTR. N-CSTR model presented the best adjustment for the HRT and tracers evaluated. RDT (residence time distribution curves obtained with N-CSTR model in the assays with bromophenol blue resulted in better adjustment compared to the eosin Y. The predominant flow regime in AAFBR (anaerobic aerobic fixed bed reactor is the N-CSTR in series, as well as the existence of preferential paths and hydraulic short-circuiting.

Selective C–C Coupling Reaction of Dimethylphenol to Tetramethyldiphenoquinone Using Molecular Oxygen Catalyzed by Cu Complexes Immobilized in Nanospaces of Structurally-Ordered Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zen Maeno

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Two high-performance Cu catalysts were successfully developed by immobilization of Cu ions in the nanospaces of poly(propylene imine (PPI dendrimer and magadiite for the selective C–C coupling of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP to 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyldiphenoquinone (DPQ with O2 as a green oxidant. The PPI dendrimer encapsulated Cu ions in the internal nanovoids to form adjacent Cu species, which exhibited significantly high catalytic activity for the regioselective coupling reaction of DMP compared to previously reported enzyme and metal complex catalysts. The magadiite-immobilized Cu complex acted as a selective heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidative C–C coupling of DMP to DPQ. This heterogeneous catalyst was recoverable from the reaction mixture by simple filtration, reusable without loss of efficiency, and applicable to a continuous flow reactor system. Detailed characterization using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR, electronic spin resonance (ESR, and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS spectroscopies and the reaction mechanism investigation revealed that the high catalytic performances of these Cu catalysts were ascribed to the adjacent Cu species generated within the nanospaces of the PPI dendrimer and magadiite.

Immobilization and continuous culture of cells with radiation polymerized supports for the uses of biomass conversion processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaetsu, I.; Kumakura, M.; Fujimura, T.; Tamada, M.; Kasai, N.

1988-01-01

A novel technique for immobilization and biofunctional components such as enzyme, antibody, protein, drug, hormone and organella by means of radiation polymerization was studied and developed. (E.G.) [pt

Immobilized waste leaching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez, A.A.

1989-01-01

The main mechanism by which the immobilized radioactive materials can return to biosphere is the leaching due to the intrusion of water into the repositories. Some mathematical models and experiments utilized to evaluate the leaching rates in different immobilization matrices are described. (author) [pt

Radionuclide trap for liquid metal cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGuire, J.C.; Brehm, W.F.

1978-10-01

At liquid metal cooled reactor operating temperatures, radioactive corrosion product transport and deposition in the primary system will be sufficiently high to limit access time for maintenance of system components. A radionuclide trap has been developed to aid in controlling radioactivity transport. This is a device which is located above the reactor core and which acts as a getter, physically immobilizing radioactive corrosion products, particularly 54 Mn. Nickel is the getter material used. It is most effective at temperatures above 450 0 C and effectiveness increases with increasing temperature. Prototype traps have been tested in sodium loops for 40,000 hours at reactor primary temperatures and sodium velocities. Several possible in-reactor trap sites were considered but a location within the top of each driver assembly was chosen as the most convenient and effective. In this position the trap is changed each time fuel is changed

Nuclear reactor physics course for reactor operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baeten, P.

2006-01-01

The education and training of nuclear reactor operators is important to guarantee the safe operation of present and future nuclear reactors. Therefore, a course on basic 'Nuclear reactor physics' in the initial and continuous training of reactor operators has proven to be indispensable. In most countries, such training also results from the direct request from the safety authorities to assure the high level of competence of the staff in nuclear reactors. The aim of the basic course on 'Nuclear Reactor Physics for reactor operators' is to provide the reactor operators with a basic understanding of the main concepts relevant to nuclear reactors. Seen the education level of the participants, mathematical derivations are simplified and reduced to a minimum, but not completely eliminated

Plutonium Disposition by Immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gould, T.; DiSabatino, A.; Mitchell, M.

2000-01-01

The ultimate goal of the Department of Energy (DOE) Immobilization Project is to develop, construct, and operate facilities that will immobilize between 17 to 50 tonnes (MT) of U.S. surplus weapons-usable plutonium materials in waste forms that meet the ''spent fuel'' standard and are acceptable for disposal in a geologic repository. Using the ceramic can-in-canister technology selected for immobilization, surplus plutonium materials will be chemically combined into ceramic forms which will be encapsulated within large canisters of high level waste (HLW) glass. Deployment of the immobilization capability should occur by 2008 and be completed within 10 years. In support of this goal, the DOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (MD) is conducting development and testing (D and T) activities at four DOE laboratories under the technical leadership of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The Savannah River Site has been selected as the site for the planned Plutonium Immobilization Plant (PIP). The D and T effort, now in its third year, will establish the technical bases for the design, construction, and operation of the U. S. capability to immobilize surplus plutonium in a suitable and cost-effective manner. Based on the D and T effort and on the development of a conceptual design of the PIP, automation is expected to play a key role in the design and operation of the Immobilization Plant. Automation and remote handling are needed to achieve required dose reduction and to enhance operational efficiency

Biological hydrogen production in continuous stirred tank reactor systems with suspended and attached microbial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Nan-Qi; Tang, Jing; Liu, Bing-Feng; Guo, Wan-Qian [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.202 Haihe Road, Harbin 150090 (China)

2010-04-15

Fermentative H{sub 2} production in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system with bacteria attached onto granular activated carbon (GAC) was designed to produce H{sub 2} continuously. The H{sub 2} production performances of CSTR with suspended and attached-sludge from molasses were examined and compared at various organic loading rates (8-40 g COD/L/d) at hydraulic retention time of 6 h under mesophilic conditions (35 C). Both reactor systems achieved ethanol-type fermentation in the pH ranges 4.5-4.8 and 3.8-4.4, respectively, while ORP ranges from -450 to -470 mV and from -330 to -350 mV, respectively. The hydrogen production rate in the attached system was higher compared to that of the suspended system (9.72 and 6.65 L/d/L, respectively) while specific hydrogen production rate of 5.13 L/g VSS/d was higher in the suspended system. The attached-sludge CSTR is more stable than the suspended-sludge CSTR with regard to hydrogen production, pH, substrate utilization efficiency and metabolic products (e.g., volatile fatty acids and ethanol) during the whole test. (author)

Modeling Substrate Utilization, Metabolite Production, and Uranium Immobilization in Shewanella oneidensis Biofilms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan S. Renslow

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, we developed a two-dimensional mathematical model to predict substrate utilization and metabolite production rates in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 biofilm in the presence and absence of uranium (U. In our model, lactate and fumarate are used as the electron donor and the electron acceptor, respectively. The model includes the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS. The EPS bound to the cell surface and distributed in the biofilm were considered bound EPS (bEPS and loosely associated EPS (laEPS, respectively. COMSOL® Multiphysics finite element analysis software was used to solve the model numerically (model file provided in the Supplementary Material. The input variables of the model were the lactate, fumarate, cell, and EPS concentrations, half saturation constant for fumarate, and diffusion coefficients of the substrates and metabolites. To estimate unknown parameters and calibrate the model, we used a custom designed biofilm reactor placed inside a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR microimaging and spectroscopy system and measured substrate utilization and metabolite production rates. From these data we estimated the yield coefficients, maximum substrate utilization rate, half saturation constant for lactate, stoichiometric ratio of fumarate and acetate to lactate and stoichiometric ratio of succinate to fumarate. These parameters are critical to predicting the activity of biofilms and are not available in the literature. Lastly, the model was used to predict uranium immobilization in S. oneidensis MR-1 biofilms by considering reduction and adsorption processes in the cells and in the EPS. We found that the majority of immobilization was due to cells, and that EPS was less efficient at immobilizing U. Furthermore, most of the immobilization occurred within the top 10 μm of the biofilm. To the best of our knowledge, this research is one of the first biofilm immobilization mathematical models based on experimental

Live cell imaging compatible immobilization of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in microfluidic platform for biodiesel research.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae Woo; Na, Sang Cheol; Nguyen, Thanh Qua; Paik, Sang-Min; Kang, Myeongwoo; Hong, Daewha; Choi, Insung S; Lee, Jae-Hyeok; Jeon, Noo Li

2015-03-01

This paper describes a novel surface immobilization method for live-cell imaging of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for continuous monitoring of lipid droplet accumulation. Microfluidics allows high-throughput manipulation and analysis of single cells in precisely controlled microenvironment. Fluorescence imaging based quantitative measurement of lipid droplet accumulation in microalgae had been difficult due to their intrinsic motile behavior. We present a simple surface immobilization method using gelatin coating as the "biological glue." We take advantage of hydroxyproline (Hyp)-based non-covalent interaction between gelatin and the outer cell wall of microalgae to anchor the cells inside the microfluidic device. We have continuously monitored single microalgal cells for up to 6 days. The immobilized microalgae remain viable (viability was comparable to bulk suspension cultured controls). When exposed to wall shear stress, most of the cells remain attached up to 0.1 dyne/cm(2) . Surface immobilization allowed high-resolution, live-cell imaging of mitotic process in real time-which followed previously reported stages in mitosis of suspension cultured cells. Use of gelatin coated microfluidics devices can result in better methods for microalgae strain screening and culture condition optimization that will help microalgal biodiesel become more economically viable. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye using anaerobic/aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) and photochemical membrane reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You, Sheng-Jie; Damodar, Rahul A.; Hou, Sheng-Chon

2010-01-01

Three different types of advance treatment methods were evaluated for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5). The performance of two stage anaerobic SBR-aerobic MBR, anaerobic MBR with immobilized and suspended biocells and an integrated membrane photocatalytic reactor (MPR) using slurry UV/TiO 2 system were investigated. The results suggest that, nearly 99.9% color removal and 80-95% organic COD and TOC removal can be achieved using different reactor systems. Considering the Taiwan EPA effluent standard discharge criteria for COD/TOC, the degree of treatment achieved by combining the anaerobic-aerobic system was found to be acceptable. Anew, Bacilluscereus, high color removal bacterium was isolated from Anaerobic SBR. Furthermore, when this immobilized into PVA-calcium alginate pellets, and suspended in the anaerobic MBR was able to achieve high removal efficiencies, similar to the suspended biocells system. However, the immobilized cell Anaerobic MBR was found to be more advantageous, due to lower fouling rates in the membrane unit. Results from slurry type MPR system showed that this system was capable of mineralizing RB5 dyes with faster degradation rate as compared to other systems. The reactor was also able to separate the catalyst effectively and perform efficiently without much loss of catalyst activity.

Performance of an enzymatic packed bed reactor running on babassu oil to yield fatty ethyl esters (FAEE in a solvent-free system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Simões

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The transesterification reaction of babassu oil with ethanol mediated by Burkholderia cepacia lipase immobilized on SiO2-PVA composite was assessed in a packed bed reactor running in the continuous mode. Experiments were performed in a solvent-free system at 50 °C. The performance of the reactor (14 mm ×210 mm was evaluated using babassu oil and ethanol at two molar ratios of 1:7 and 1:12, respectively, and operational limits in terms of substrate flow rate were determined. The system’s performance was quantified for different flow rates corresponding to space times between 7 and 13 h. Under each condition, the impact of the space time on the ethyl esters formation, the transesterification yield and productivity were determined. The oil to ethanol molar ratio was found as a critical parameter in the conversion of babassu oil into the correspondent ethyl esters. The highest transesterification yield of 96.0 ± 0.9% and productivity of 41.1 ± 1.6 mgester gcatalyst-1h-1 were achieved at the oil to ethanol molar ratio of 1:12 and for space times equal or higher than 11 h. Moreover, the immobilized lipase was found stable with respect to its catalytic characteristics, exhibiting a half-life of 32 d.

Dismantling method for reactor shielding wall and device therefor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akagawa, Katsuhiko.

1995-01-01

A ring member having an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of a reactor shielding wall to be dismantled is lowered in the inside of the reactor shielding wall while keeping a horizontal posture. A cutting device is disposed at the lower peripheral edge of the ring member. The cutting device can move along the peripheral edge of the circular shape of the ring member. The ring member is urged against the inner surface of the reactor shielding wall by using an urging member to immobilize the ring member. Then, the cutting device is operated to cut the reactor shielding wall into a plurality of ring-like blocks at a plurality of inner horizontal ribs or block connection ribs. Then, the blocks of the cut reactor shielding wall are supported by the ring member, and transported out of the reactor container by a lift. The cut blocks transported to the outside are finely dismantled for every block in a closed chamber. (I.N.)

Membranes suited for immobilizing biomolecules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2009-01-01

The present invention relates to flow-through membranes suitable for the immobilization of biomols., methods for the prepn. of such membranes and the use of such membranes for the immobilization of biomols. and subsequent detection of immobilized biomols. The invention concerns a flow-through

Limits and conditions for continuous operation of WWR-S reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pittermann, P.; Listik, E.

1979-02-01

The fundamental technological and nuclear characteristics of the WWR-S reactor, safety limits and concepts of technical surveillance with particular attention to radiation safety of staff and of neighbouring population are outlined. The rules are mandatory for the reactor staff and for the users. The material is part of safety documentation for the WWR-S reactor. (author)

Immobilized enzymes and cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bucke, C; Wiseman, A

1981-04-04

This article reviews the current state of the art of enzyme and cell immobilization and suggests advances which might be made during the 1980's. Current uses of immobilized enzymes include the use of glucoamylase in the production of glucose syrups from starch and glucose isomerase in the production of high fructose corn syrup. Possibilities for future uses of immobilized enzymes and cells include the utilization of whey and the production of ethanol.

Study on immobilization technology of krypton gas by ion-implantation and sputtering process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, S.; Kamiya, S.; Ikeda, S.; Nakanishi, Y.

1997-01-01

At the Waste Technology Development Division of PNC''s Tokai Works, we have been carrying out the development of the recovering and storing technology of radioactive krypton to reduce the radioactive gaseous effluent released to the environment arising from reprocessing of nuclear spent fuels. As a part of this technical development, the method of storing radioactive krypton is an encapsulation in a metal matrix which appears to offer the most secure immobilization of krypton. From the result of the ion-implantation test used non-radioactive krypton and the evaluation of electrical characteristics, we have selected the metallic materials, they are Nickel and Yttrium, and designed the vessel and the apparatus which continuously immobilized the krypton into metal matrix. This article described the following experiment result. (1) The long-term immobilization technology was established with respect to handling a equipment and plasma controlling. (2) Stability of the krypton immobilized alloy was considered satisfactory because the release was tolerably small. (author)

Electrochemical removal of fluoride from water by PAOA-modified carbon felt electrodes in a continuous flow reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Hao; Qian, Yan; An, Hao; Sun, Chencheng; Zhai, Jianping; Li, Qin

2012-08-01

A novel poly(aniline-co-o-aminophenol) (PAOA) modified carbon felt electrode reactor was designed and investigated for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions. This reactor design is innovative because it operates under a wider pH range because of coating with a copolymer PAOA ion exchange film. In addition, contaminant mass transfer from bulk solution to the electrode surface is enhanced by the porous carbon felt as an electron-conducting carrier material compared to other reactors. The electrically controlled anion exchange mechanism was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The applicability of the reactor in the field was tested through a series of continuous flow experiments. When the flow rate and initial fluoride concentration were increased, the breakthrough curve became sharper, which lead to a decrease in the breakthrough time and the defluoridation capacity of the reactor. The terminal potential values largely influenced fluoride removal by the reactor and the optimal defluoridation efficiency was observed at around 1.2V. The breakthrough capacities were all >10mg/g over a wide pH range (pH 5-9) with an initial fluoride concentration of 10mg/L. Consecutive treatment-regeneration studies over a week (once each day) revealed that the PAOA-modified carbon felt electrode could be effectively regenerated for reuse. The PAOA-modified carbon felt electrode reactor is a promising system that could be made commercially available for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions in field applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of tubular urease immobilized on the inner wall of glass tube by radiation-polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Y; Hayashi, T; Kawashima, K [National Food Research Inst., Yatabe, Ibaraki (Japan); Oka, O

1981-03-01

A method to prepare immobilized urease on the inner wall of a glass tube by radiation-polymerization under frozen state was investigated. As a part of a continuous flow analyzer, i.w.. Technicon Auto Analyzer II, the immobilized urease tube of 1 cm length was set and used for the routine determination of urea. This flow-through system could measure urea concentration of up to 30 mM at rate of 30 samples per hour. The system were possible to assay 2000 to 3000 samples, continuously in practice. The activity of the urease tube stored in a refrigerator maintained 94% of the initial activity after 115 days.

Preparation of tubular urease immobilized on the inner wall of glass tube by radiation-polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Yoshikazu; Hayashi, Toru; Kawashima, Koji; Oka, Osamu.

1981-01-01

A method to prepare immobilized urease on the inner wall of a glass tube by radiation-polymerization under frozen state was investigated. As a part of a continuous flow analyzer, i.w.. Technicon Auto Analyzer II, the immobilized urease tube of 1 cm length was set and used for the routine determination of urea. This flow-through system could measure urea concentration of up to 30 mM at rate of 30 samples per hour. The system were possible to assay 2000 to 3000 samples, continuously in practice. The activity of the urease tube stored in a refrigirator maintained 94% of the initial activity after 115 days. (author)

Magnetite synthesis from ferrous iron solution at pH 6.8 in a continuous stirred tank reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mos, Yvonne M; Zorzano, Karin Bertens; Buisman, Cees J N; Weijma, Jan

2018-04-01

Partial oxidation of defined Fe 2+ solutions is a well-known method for magnetite synthesis in batch systems. The partial oxidation method could serve as basis for an iron removal process in drinking water production, yielding magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) as a compact and valuable product. As a first step toward such a process, a series of experiments was carried out, in which magnetite was synthesized from an Fe 2+ solution in a 2 L continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) at atmospheric pressure and 32 °C. In four experiments, elevating the pH from an initial value of 5.5 or 6.0 to a final value of 6.8, 7.0 or 7.5 caused green rust to form, eventually leading to magnetite. Formation of NH 4 + in the reactor indicated that NO 3 - and subsequently NO 2 - served as the oxidant. However, mass flow analysis revealed an influx of O 2 to the reactor. In a subsequent experiment, magnetite formation was achieved in the absence of added nitrate. In another experiment, seeding with magnetite particles led to additional magnetite precipitation without the need for a pH elevation step. Our results show, for the first time, that continuous magnetite formation from an Fe 2+ solution is possible under mild conditions, without the need for extensive addition of chemicals.

Survey of Basic Red 18 Dye Removal Using Biofilm Formed on Granular Bagass in Continuous Aerobic Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferdos Kord Mostafapour

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dyes comprising a major pollutant in the effluent from textile plants are mostly toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and non-biodegradable. This experimental-laboratory study was carried out using a biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor to investigate the kinetic coefficients of the aerobic reactor as well as the effects of color concentration (30-200 mg/l, hydraulic retention time (2-8 h, and BOD concentration (200-100 mg /l on the removal of Basic Red (18 from textile effluents. The results revealed a maximum removal efficiency of 90% for an initial color concentration of 30 mg/l and a hydraulic retention time of 8 hours. A color removal efficiency of 86% was recorded for an influent BOD concentration of 200 mg/l. Also, maximum substrate utilization rate (K for organic loadings of 100 and 200 mg/L were 0.23 and 1.41 while the half velocity constant values were 44.85 and 19.39, respectively. Moreover, for the same organic loadings, the values of 0.35 and 0.5 were recorded for decay coefficient (Kd and 37.36, 4.83 for maximum specific growth rate coefficient (μm, respectively. Based on the findings of this study, it may be claimed that the biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor has a good Basic Red (18 removal efficiency.

Application of neural network and pattern recognition software to the automated analysis of continuous nuclear monitoring of on-load reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howell, J.A.; Eccleston, G.W.; Halbig, J.K.; Klosterbuer, S.F. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Larson, T.W. [California Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo, CA (US)

1993-08-01

Automated analysis using pattern recognition and neural network software can help interpret data, call attention to potential anomalies, and improve safeguards effectiveness. Automated software analysis, based on pattern recognition and neural networks, was applied to data collected from a radiation core discharge monitor system located adjacent to an on-load reactor core. Unattended radiation sensors continuously collect data to monitor on-line refueling operations in the reactor. The huge volume of data collected from a number of radiation channels makes it difficult for a safeguards inspector to review it all, check for consistency among the measurement channels, and find anomalies. Pattern recognition and neural network software can analyze large volumes of data from continuous, unattended measurements, thereby improving and automating the detection of anomalies. The authors developed a prototype pattern recognition program that determines the reactor power level and identifies the times when fuel bundles are pushed through the core during on-line refueling. Neural network models were also developed to predict fuel bundle burnup to calculate the region on the on-load reactor face from which fuel bundles were discharged based on the radiation signals. In the preliminary data set, which was limited and consisted of four distinct burnup regions, the neural network model correctly predicted the burnup region with an accuracy of 92%.

Green enzymatic production of glyceryl monoundecylenate using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Manish G; Kavadia, Monali R; Vadgama, Rajeshkumar N; Odaneth, Annamma A; Lali, Arvind M

2017-11-26

Enzymatic synthesis of glyceryl monoundecylenate (GMU) was performed using indigenously immobilized Candida anatarctica lipase B preparation (named as PyCal) using glycerol and undecylenic acid as substrates. The effect of molar ratio, enzyme load, reaction time, and organic solvent on the reaction conversion was determined. Both batch and continuous processes for GMU synthesis with shortened reaction time were developed. Under optimized batch reaction conditions such as 1:5 molar ratio of undecylenic acid and glycerol, 2 h of reaction time at 30% substrate concentration in tert-butyl alcohol, conversion of 82% in the absence of molecular sieve, and conversion of 93% in the presence of molecular sieve were achieved. Packed bed reactor studies resulted in high conversion of 86% in 10-min residence time. Characterization of formed GMU was performed by FTIR, MS/MS. Enzymatic process resulted in GMU as a predominant product in high yield and shorter reaction time periods with GMU content of 92% and DAG content of 8%. Optimized GMU synthesis in the present study can be used as a useful reference for industrial synthesis of fatty acid esters of glycerol by the enzymatic route.

Continuous fermentative hydrogen production from coffee drink manufacturing wastewater by applying UASB reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Kyung-Won; Shin, Hang-Sik [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, KAIST, 373-1 Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong-Hoon [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Essex Hall, Windsor, Ontario (Canada)

2010-12-15

The feasibility of continuous H{sub 2} production from coffee drink manufacturing wastewater (CDMW) was tested in two different types of reactors: a completely-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBr). While the performance in CSTR was limited, it was significantly enhanced in UASBr. The maximum H{sub 2} yield of 1.29 mol H{sub 2}/mol hexose{sub added} was achieved at HRT of 6 h in UASBr operation. Non-hydrogenic, lactic acid was the dominant in CSTR, while butyric and caproic acids in UASBr. As caproic acid is generated by consuming acetic and butyric acids, all of which are related to H{sub 2} production, the presence of caproic acid in the broth also indicates H{sub 2} production, yielding 1.33 mol H{sub 2}/glucose. It was speculated that the enhanced performance in UASBr was attributed to the high concentration of biomass over 60,000 mg VSS/L in the blanket zone, which provided insufficient substrate for indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to survive. The abundance of LAB in CDMW was confirmed by natural fermentation of CDMW. That is without the addition of external inoculum, CDMW was mainly fermented into lactic acid under mesophilic condition. For the first time ever, H{sub 2} producing granules (HPG) with diameters of 2.1 mm were successfully formed by using actual waste as a substrate. (author)

Activity and lifetime of urease immobilized using layer-by-layer nano self-assembly on silicon microchannels.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, Scott R; Elmore, Bill B; Palmer, James D

2005-01-01

Urease has been immobilized and layered onto the walls of manufactured silicon microchannels. Enzyme immobilization was performed using layer-by-layer nano self-assembly. Alternating layers of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, with enzyme layers "encased" between them, were deposited onto the walls of the silicon microchannels. The polycations used were polyethylenimine (PEI), polydiallyldimethylammonium (PDDA), and polyallylamine (PAH). The polyanions used were polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) and polyvinylsulfate (PVS). The activity of the immobilized enzyme was tested by pumping a 1 g/L urea solution through the microchannels at various flow rates. Effluent concentration was measured using an ultraviolet/visible spectrometer by monitoring the absorbance of a pH sensitive dye. The architecture of PEI/PSS/PEI/urease/PEI with single and multiple layers of enzyme demonstrated superior performance over the PDDA and PAH architectures. The precursor layer of PEI/PSS demonstrably improved the performance of the reactor. Conversion rates of 70% were achieved at a residence time of 26 s, on d 1 of operation, and >50% at 51 s, on d 15 with a six-layer PEI/urease architecture.

Continuous and rapid synthesis of nanoclusters and nanocrystals using scalable microstructured reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Hyung Dae

Recent advances in nanocrystalline materials production are expected to impact the development of next generation low-cost and/or high efficiency solar cells. For example, semiconductor nanocrystal inks are used to lower the fabrication cost of the absorber layers of the solar cells. In addition, some quantum confined nanocrystals display electron-hole pair generation phenomena with greater than 100% quantum yield, called multiple exciton generation (MEG). These quantum dots could potentially be used to fabricate solar cells that exceed the Schockley-Queisser limit. At present, continuous syntheses of nanoparticles using microreactors have been reported by several groups. Microreactors have several advantages over conventional batch synthesis. One advantage is their efficient heat transfer and mass transport. Another advantage is the drastic reduction in the reaction time, in many cases, down to minutes from hours. Shorter reaction time not only provides higher throughput but also provide better particle size control by avoiding aggregation and by reducing probability of oxidizing precursors. In this work, room temperature synthesis of Au11 nanoclusters and high temperature synthesis of chalcogenide nanocrystals were demonstrated using continuous flow microreactors with high throughputs. A high rate production of phosphine-stabilized Au11 nanoclusters was achieved using a layer-up strategy which involves the use of microlamination architectures; the patterning and bonding of thin layers of material (laminae) to create a multilayered micromixer in the range of 25-250 mum thick was used to step up the production of phosphine-stabilized Au11 nanoclusters. Continuous production of highly monodispersed phosphine-stabilized Au 11 nanoclusters at a rate of about 11.8 [mg/s] was achieved using a microreactor with a size of 1.687cm3. This result is about 30,000 times over conventional batch synthesis according to production rate/per reactor volume. We have elucidated the

Fossil fuel furnace reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, William J.

1987-01-01

A fossil fuel furnace reactor is provided for simulating a continuous processing plant with a batch reactor. An internal reaction vessel contains a batch of shale oil, with the vessel having a relatively thin wall thickness for a heat transfer rate effective to simulate a process temperature history in the selected continuous processing plant. A heater jacket is disposed about the reactor vessel and defines a number of independent controllable temperature zones axially spaced along the reaction vessel. Each temperature zone can be energized to simulate a time-temperature history of process material through the continuous plant. A pressure vessel contains both the heater jacket and the reaction vessel at an operating pressure functionally selected to simulate the continuous processing plant. The process yield from the oil shale may be used as feedback information to software simulating operation of the continuous plant to provide operating parameters, i.e., temperature profiles, ambient atmosphere, operating pressure, material feed rates, etc., for simulation in the batch reactor.

Multiregion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moura Neto, C. de; Nair, R.P.K.

1979-08-01

The study of reflected reactors can be done employing the multigroup diffusion method. The neutron conservation equations, inside the intervals, can be written by fluxes and group constants. A reflected reactor (one and two groups) for a slab geometry is studied, aplying the continuity of flux and current in the interface. At the end, the appropriated solutions for a infinite cylindrical reactor and for a spherical reactor are presented. (Author) [pt

An overview of technologies for immobilization of enzymes and surface analysis techniques for immobilized enzymes

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamad, Nur Royhaila; Marzuki, Nur Haziqah Che; Buang, Nor Aziah; Huyop, Fahrul; Wahab, Roswanira Abdul

2015-01-01

The current demands of sustainable green methodologies have increased the use of enzymatic technology in industrial processes. Employment of enzyme as biocatalysts offers the benefits of mild reaction conditions, biodegradability and catalytic efficiency. The harsh conditions of industrial processes, however, increase propensity of enzyme destabilization, shortening their industrial lifespan. Consequently, the technology of enzyme immobilization provides an effective means to circumvent these concerns by enhancing enzyme catalytic properties and also simplify downstream processing and improve operational stability. There are several techniques used to immobilize the enzymes onto supports which range from reversible physical adsorption and ionic linkages, to the irreversible stable covalent bonds. Such techniques produce immobilized enzymes of varying stability due to changes in the surface microenvironment and degree of multipoint attachment. Hence, it is mandatory to obtain information about the structure of the enzyme protein following interaction with the support surface as well as interactions of the enzymes with other proteins. Characterization technologies at the nanoscale level to study enzymes immobilized on surfaces are crucial to obtain valuable qualitative and quantitative information, including morphological visualization of the immobilized enzymes. These technologies are pertinent to assess efficacy of an immobilization technique and development of future enzyme immobilization strategies. PMID:26019635

Tentacle carrier for immobilization of potato phenoloxidase and its application for halogenophenols removal from aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lončar, Nikola; Vujčić, Zoran

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► We synthesized novel immobilization carrier from reused DEAE-cellulose. ► We used it for immobilization of PPO through coordinative bonding with copper ions. ► Immobilized PPO showed better characteristics than soluble PPO. ► TC-PPO removed over 90% of halogenophenols at concentration of 100 mg/L. - Abstract: Halogenated compounds represent one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, due to their widespread usage as biocides, fungicides, disinfectants, solvent and other industrial chemicals. Immobilization of a protein through coordinate bonds formed with divalent metal ions is becoming an attractive method due to its reversible nature, since the protein may be easily removed from the support matrix through interruption of the protein–metal bond hence giving inherently cleaner and cheaper technology for wastewater treatment. We have synthesized novel ‘tentacle’ carrier (TC) and used it for immobilization of partially purified potato polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The obtained biocatalyst TC-PPO showed pH optimum at 7.0–8.0 and temperature optimum at 25 °C. Immobilized PPO shows almost 100% of activity at 0 °C. TC-PPO was more resistant to the denaturation induced by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) detergent as compared to its soluble counterpart and was even slightly activated at SDS concentration of 1%. TC-PPO was tested in the batch reactor for 4-chlorophenol and 4-bromophenol removal. More than 90% removal was achieved for both halogenophenols at concentration of 100 mg/L from aqueous solution. For both halogenophenols TC-PPO works with over 90% removal during first three cycles which decrease to 60% removal efficiency after six cycles each of 8 h duration.

Comparison of four supports for adsorption of reactive dyes by immobilized Aspergillus fumigatus beads

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Bao-e; HU Yong-you

2007-01-01

Four materials, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC), sodium alginate (SA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and chitosan (CTS), were prepared as supports for entrapping fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The adsorption of synthetic dyes, reactive brilliant blue KN-R, and reactive brilliant red K-2BP, by these immobilized gel beads and plain gel beads was evaluated. The adsorption efficiencies of reactive brilliant red K-2BP and reactive brilliant blue KN-R by CTS immobilized beads were 89.1% and 93.5% in 12 h, respectively. The adsorption efficiency by Na-CMC immobilized beads was slightly lower than that of mycelial pellets. But the dye culture mediums were almost completely decolorized in 48 h using the above-mentioned two immobilized beads (exceeding 95%). The adsorption efficiency by SA immobilized beads exceeded 92% in 48 h. PVA-SA immobilized beads showed the lowest adsorption efficiency, which was 79.8% for reactive brilliant red K-2BP and 92.5% for reactive brilliant blue KN-R in 48 h. Comparing the adsorption efficiency by plain gel beads, Na-CMC plain gel beads ranked next to CTS ones. SA and PVA-SA plain gel beads hardly had the ability of adsorbing dyes. Subsequently, the growth of mycelia in Na-CMC and SA immobilized beads were evaluated. The biomass increased continuously in 72 h. The adsorption capacity of reactive brilliant red K-2BP and reactive brilliant blue KN-R by Na-CMC immobilized beads was 78.0 and 86.7 mg/g, respectively. The SEM micrographs show that the surface structure of Na-CMC immobilized bead is loose and finely porous, which facilitates diffusion of the dyes.

Development and testing of a glass waste form for the immobilization of plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chamberlain, D.B.; Hanchar, J.M.; Emery, J.W.; Hoh, J.C.; Wolf, S.F.; Finch, R.J.; Bates, J.K.; Ellison, A.J.G.; Dingwell, D.B.

1996-01-01

The United States has declared about 50 metric tons of weapons-grade Pu surplus to national security needs. The President has directed that this Pu be placed in a form that provides a high degree of proliferation resistance in which the surplus Pu is both unattractive and inaccessible for use by others [I]. Three alternatives are being evaluated for the disposal 2048 of this material: (1) use of the Pu as a fuel source for commercial reactors; (2) immobilization, where Pu is fixed in a glass or ceramic matrix that also contains or is surrounded by highly radioactive material; and (3) deep bore hole, where Pu is emplaced at depths of several kilometers. The immobilization alternative is being directed by the staff at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The staff at ANL are assisting by developing a glass for the immobilization of Pu and in the corrosion testing of glass and ceramic material prepared both at ANL and at other DOE laboratories. As part of this program, we have developed an ATS glass into which 5-7 wt percent Pu has been dissolved. The ATS glass was engineered to accommodate high Pu loading and to be durable under conditions likely to accelerate glass reactions in the geological environment during long-term storage

Hydrothermal gasification of glucose and starch in a batch and continuous reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuhiro Kumabe

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A batch reactor was used for the gasification of glucose and starch as carbohydrate model compounds. The effects of H2O in various states (low-pressure hot compressed water (LP-HCW, 300 °C and 10 MPa, high-pressure hot compressed water (HP-HCW, 360 °C and 20 MPa, high-temperature steam (HTS, 400 °C and 10 MPa, and supercritical water (SCW, 400 °C and 25 MPa, as well as reaction time (10, 30, and 60 min, sample concentration (10, 20, and 30 wt%, and catalyst (mixture of Ca(OH2 and Na2CO3 on gas production were investigated in the hydrothermal gasification. In addition, using a continuous reactor, the hydrothermal gasification of glucose was examined with LP-HCW (200 °C and 5 MPa, HP-HCW (200 °C and 25 MPa, HTS (600 °C, 5 MPa, and SCW (600 °C, 25 MPa in order to study the productions of gases and tar, and the mass balance. The reaction temperature affected gasification considerably, but pressure had little effect. In the batch experiments, the characteristics of the produced gases were almost identical after a reaction time of 10 min, and addition of Ca(OH2 and Na2CO3 as catalysts in a molar ratio of 7:3 led to selective production of H2 in the SCW gasification of 10 wt% glucose for 30 min. In a continuous experiment under the SCW conditions, the conversion efficiency of glucose to gas was 26% and the composition of the produced gas was 29 vol% CO, 23 vol% H2, and 16 vol% CH4. Under the hydrothermal conditions, glucose was mainly converted to char and suspended components of high-molecular-weight compounds such as fat, whereas starch was mainly converted to gas and liquid.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF A CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR BY MEANS OF TWO DIFFERENT INTELLIGENT STRATEGIES

OpenAIRE

Rahmat, Mohd Fua'ad; Yazdani, Amir Mehdi; Movahed, Mohammad Ahmadi; Mahmoudzadeh, Somaiyeh

2011-01-01

Continues Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) is an important subject in chemical process and offering a diverse range of researches in the area of the chemical and control engineering. Various control approaches have been applied on CSTR to control its parameters. This paper presents two different control strategies based on the combination of a novel socio-political optimization algorithm, called Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA), and concept of the gain scheduling performed by means of the l...