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Sample records for degradation product formed

  1. Identification and in vitro cytotoxicity of ochratoxin A degradation products formed during coffee roasting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cramer, Benedikt; Königs, Maika; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich

    2008-07-23

    The mycotoxin ochratoxin A is degraded by up to 90% during coffee roasting. In order to investigate this degradation, model heating experiments with ochratoxin A were carried out, and the reaction products were analyzed by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS/MS. Two ochratoxin A degradation products were identified, and their structure and absolute configuration were determined. As degradation reactions, the isomerization to 14-(R)-ochratoxin A and the decarboxylation to 14-decarboxy-ochratoxin A were identified. Subsequently, an analytical method for the determination of these compounds in roasted coffee was developed. Quantification was carried out by HPLC-MS/MS and the use of stable isotope dilution analysis. By using this method for the analysis of 15 coffee samples from the German market, it could be shown that, during coffee roasting, the ochratoxin A diastereomer 14-(R)-ochratoxin A was formed in amounts of up to 25.6% relative to ochratoxin A. The decarboxylation product was formed only in traces. For toxicity evaluations, first preliminary cell culture assays were performed with the two new substances. Both degradation products exhibited higher IC50 values and caused apoptotic effects with higher concentrations than ochratoxin A in cultured human kidney epithelial cells. Thus, these cell culture data suggest that the degradation products are less cytotoxic than ochratoxin A.

  2. Characterization of degradation products of amorphous and polymorphic forms of clopidogrel bisulphate under solid state stress conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raijada, Dhara K; Prasad, Bhagwat; Paudel, Amrit

    2010-01-01

    The present study deals with the stress degradation studies on amorphous and polymorphic forms of clopidogrel bisulphate. The objective was to characterize the degradation products and postulate mechanism of decomposition of the drug under solid state stress conditions. For that, amorphous form, ...

  3. Stability-indicating UPLC method for determination of Valsartan and their degradation products in active pharmaceutical ingredient and pharmaceutical dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnaiah, Ch; Reddy, A Raghupathi; Kumar, Ramesh; Mukkanti, K

    2010-11-02

    A simple, precise, accurate stability-indicating gradient reverse phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-UPLC) method was developed for the quantitative determination of purity of Valsartan drug substance and drug products in bulk samples and pharmaceutical dosage forms in the presence of its impurities and degradation products. The method was developed using Waters Aquity BEH C18 (100 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.7 microm) column with mobile phase containing a gradient mixture of solvents A and B. The eluted compounds were monitored at 225 nm, the run time was within 9.5 min, which Valsartan and its seven impurities were well separated. Valsartan was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. Valsartan was found to degrade significantly in acid and oxidative stress conditions and stable in base, hydrolytic and photolytic degradation conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from main peak and its impurities, proving the stability-indicating power of the method. The developed method was validated as per international conference on harmonization (ICH) guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and robustness. This method was also suitable for the assay determination of Valsartan in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

  4. Liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of donepezil degradation products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mladenović Aleksandar R.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the investigation of degradation products of donepezil (DP using stability indicating RP-HPLC method for determination of donepezil, which is a centrally acting reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. In order to investigate the stability of drug and formed degradation products, a forced degradation study of drug sample and finished product under different forced degradation conditions has been conducted. Donepezil hydrochloride and donepezil tablets were subjected to stress degradation conditions recommended by International Conference on Harmonization (ICH. Donepezil hydrochloride solutions were subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, chemical oxidation and thermal degradation. Significant degradation was observed under alkali hydrolysis and oxidative degradation conditions. Additional degradation products were observed under the conditions of oxidative degradation. The degradation products observed during forced degradation studies were monitored using the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC method developed. The parent method was modified in order to obtain LC-MS compatible method which was used to identify the degradation products from forced degradation samples using high resolution mass spectrometry. The mass spectrum provided the precise mass from which derived molecular formula of drug substance and degradation products formed and proved the specificity of the method unambiguously. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172013

  5. Identification of major degradation products of 5-aminosalicylic acid formed in aqueous solutions and in pharmaceuticals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, J.; Cornett, Claus; Olsen, C. E.

    1992-01-01

    of polymeric species by oxidative self-coupling of 5-ASA moieties. These results indicate that the degradation of 5-ASA follows the same mechanism as observed for the autooxidation of 4-aminophenol and 1,4-phenylenediamine. Some of the identified degradation products were found in 5-ASA......The formation of four major degradation products of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in buffered solutions at pH 7.0 was demonstrated by gradient HPLC analysis. The isolation and structural elucidation of the resulting degradation products showed that the degradation of 5-ASA led to the formation...

  6. Challenges in Modeling the Degradation of Ceramic Waste Forms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Devanathan, Ramaswami; Gao, Fei; Sun, Xin

    2011-09-01

    We identify the state of the art, gaps in current understanding, and key research needs in the area of modeling the long-term degradation of ceramic waste forms for nuclear waste disposition. The directed purpose of this report is to define a roadmap for Waste IPSC needs to extend capabilities of waste degradation to ceramic waste forms, which overlaps with the needs of the subconsinuum scale of FMM interests. The key knowledge gaps are in the areas of (i) methodology for developing reliable interatomic potentials to model the complex atomic-level interactions in waste forms; (ii) characterization of water interactions at ceramic surfaces and interfaces; and (iii) extension of atomic-level insights to the long time and distance scales relevant to the problem of actinide and fission product immobilization.

  7. Challenges in Modeling the Degradation of Ceramic Waste Forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devanathan, Ramaswami; Gao, Fei; Sun, Xin

    2011-01-01

    We identify the state of the art, gaps in current understanding, and key research needs in the area of modeling the long-term degradation of ceramic waste forms for nuclear waste disposition. The directed purpose of this report is to define a roadmap for Waste IPSC needs to extend capabilities of waste degradation to ceramic waste forms, which overlaps with the needs of the subconsinuum scale of FMM interests. The key knowledge gaps are in the areas of (i) methodology for developing reliable interatomic potentials to model the complex atomic-level interactions in waste forms; (ii) characterization of water interactions at ceramic surfaces and interfaces; and (iii) extension of atomic-level insights to the long time and distance scales relevant to the problem of actinide and fission product immobilization.

  8. Modelling the behaviour of organic degradation products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cross, J.E.; Ewart, F.T.; Greenfield, B.F.

    1989-03-01

    Results are presented from recent studies at Harwell which show that the degradation products which are formed when certain organic waste materials are exposed to the alkaline conditions typical of a cementitious environment, can enhance the solubility of plutonium, even at pH values as high as 12, by significant factors. Characterisation of the degradation products has been undertaken but the solubility enhancement does not appear to be related to the concentration of any of the major organic species that have been identified in the solutions. While it has not been possible to identify by analysis the organic ligand responsible for the increased solubility of plutonium, the behaviour of D-Saccharic acid does approach the behaviour of the degradation products. The PHREEQE code has been used to simulate the solubility of plutonium in the presence of D-Saccharic acid and other model degradation products, in order to explain the solubility enhancement. The extrapolation of the experimental conditions to the repository is the major objective, but in this work the ability of a model to predict the behaviour of plutonium over a range of experimental conditions has been tested. (author)

  9. A STUDY ON THE DEGRADATION MECHANISM OF PHOTOCROSSLINKING PRODUCTS FORMED BY CYCLIZED POLYISOPRENE-DIAZIDE SYSTEM UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALKYL BENZENE SULFONIC ACIDS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HUANG Junlian; SUN Meng

    1989-01-01

    The degradation mechanism of photocrosslinking products formed by cyclized polyisoprene-diazide system under the influence of the different alkyl benzene sulfonic acids was studied. The effects ofalkyl chain length and the concentration of alkyl benzene sulfonic acids on the rate of degradation reaction were discussed. It was found that in the initial stage of degradation, the cyclicity ratio and the average fused ring number did not change considerably, but the percentage of uncyclized parts content varied significantly. The suitable mechanism was supposed.

  10. Anthocyanins degradation during storage of Hibiscus sabdariffa extract and evolution of its degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinela, André; Rawat, Nadirah; Mertz, Christian; Achir, Nawel; Fulcrand, Hélène; Dornier, Manuel

    2017-01-01

    Degradation parameters of two main anthocyanins from roselle extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) stored at different temperatures (4-37°C) over 60days were determined. Anthocyanins and some of their degradation products were monitored and quantified using HPLC-MS and DAD. Degradation of anthocyanins followed first-order kinetics and reaction rate constants (k values), which were obtained by non-linear regression, showed that the degradation rate of delphinidin 3-O-sambubioside was higher than that of cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside with k values of 9.2·10(-7)s(-1) and 8.4·10(-7)s(-1) at 37°C respectively. The temperature dependence of the rate of anthocyanin degradation was modeled by the Arrhenius equation. Degradation of delphinidin 3-O-sambubioside (Ea=90kJmol(-1)) tended to be significantly more sensitive to an increase in temperature than cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside (Ea=80kJmol(-1)). Degradation of these anthocyanins formed scission products (gallic and protocatechuic acids respectively) and was accompanied by an increase in polymeric color index. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Possible Appearance of Degradation Products of Paraquat in Crops

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Slade, P. [Imperial Chemical Industries LTD., Jealott' s Hill Research Station, Bracknell, Berks. (United Kingdom)

    1966-05-15

    Chemical analysis has established that residue levels of paraquat in crops harvested after use of the chemical are at such a low level as to constitute no hazard to the consuming public. (Paraquat dichloride is 1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium dichloride). There remained the possibility that toxic metabolites or other conversion products of paraquat might appear in crops. This paper is concerned with attempts to evaluate this possibility, and demonstrates that no hazard arises from the formation of degradation products. It has been shown, using paraquat labelled with {sup 14}C in the methyl groups and in the pyridine nuclei, that the chemical is not metabolically degraded in plants. However, photochemical degradation of paraquat can occur on the surface of leaves in sunlight. In vitro experiments involving ultra-violet irradiation of aqueous solutions of {sup 14}C-paraquat have shown that 4-carboxy-1-methylpyridinium chloride and methylamine hydrochloride are the only products formed in significant amount in the photochemical degradation. Paper chromatography and isotope dilution have shown that these products are formed on leaves of plants treated with {sup 14}C-paraquat (mostly after the plants are dead). Whole plant radioautography has established that 4-carboxy-1-{sup 14}C methylpyridinium chloride is not translocated at all from the dead leaves on which it is formed and certainly this compound will not appear in harvested crops. This has been confirmed in an experiment in which {sup 14}C-paraquat was used to desiccate the tops of potato plants before harvesting the tubers. All the radioactivity subsequently found in the tubers could be accounted for as paraquat (level 0.08 ppm). There was no evidence for the presence of significant amounts of other radioactive compounds in the tubers, even though chromatography of extracts of the desiccated plants showed that photochemical degradation products were formed on the leaves: these were not translocated into the

  12. Structural characterisation of degradation products formed upon di-n-butyl phthalate radiolysis by high-performance liquid chromatography electro-spray tandem mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tintaru, A.; Charles, L. [Univ Aix Marseille 1, CNRS, Lab Chim Provence Spectrometries Appl Chim Struct, UMR 6264, F-13397 Marseille (France); Univ Aix Marseille 2, CNRS, Lab Chim Provence Spectrometries Appl Chim Struct, UMR 6264, F-13397 Marseille (France); Labed, V. [CEA Marcoule, DTCD SPDE L2ED, F-30207 Bagnols Sur Ceze (France)

    2010-07-01

    Complete text of publication follows: Structural characterisation of 15 degradation products, formed upon di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) radiolysis, has been achieved using a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) coupling. The dissociation behaviour of protonated DBP was first established to be further used to characterise structural deviation in the degradation products. Based on accurate mass measurements, compounds shown by HPLC-MS analysis were all found to be DBP oxidation products, amongst which various sets of isomers could be distinguished. Collision-induced dissociation experiments performed on each electro-sprayed molecule first allowed unambiguous definition of the location of the additional oxygen atoms; that is, in the alkyl branch or on the aromatic ring. Although location of the oxygen atom in the alkyl branches could not always be precisely determined, relative abundances of some product ions allowed oxygenated functions to be identified

  13. Sonochemical degradation of perfluorooctanesulfonate in aqueous film-forming foams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vecitis, Chad D; Wang, Yajuan; Cheng, Jie; Park, Hyunwoong; Mader, Brian T; Hoffmann, Michael R

    2010-01-01

    Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are fire extinguishing agents developed by the Navy to quickly and effectively combat fires occurring close to explosive materials and are utilized today at car races, airports, oil refineries, and military locations. Fluorochemical (FC) surfactants represent 1-5% of the AFFF composition, which impart properties such as high spreadability, negligible fuel diffusion, and thermal stability to the foam. FC's are oxidatively recalcitrant, persistent in the environment, and have been detected in groundwater at AFFF training sites. Ultrasonic irradiation of aqueous FCs has been reported to degrade and subsequently mineralize the FC surfactants perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). Here we present results of the sonochemical degradation of aqueous dilutions of FC-600, a mixture of hydrocarbon (HC) and fluorochemical components including cosolvents, anionic hydrocarbon surfactants, fluorinated amphiphilic surfactants, anionic fluorinated surfactants, and thickeners such as starch. The primary FC surfactant in FC-600, PFOS, was sonolytically degraded over a range of FC-600 aqueous dilutions, 65 ppb or = 1, indicating that bubble-water interfacial pyrolytic cleavage of the C-S bond in PFOS is the initial degradation step, in agreement with previous studies done in Milli-Q water. Sonochemical fluoride production is significantly below quantitative expectations, delta[F-]/delta[PFOS] 4 vs 17, suggesting that in the AFFF matrix, PFOS' fluorochemical tail is not completely degraded, whereas Milli-Q studies yielded quantitative F- production. Measurements of time-dependent methylene blue active substances and total organic carbon indicate that the other FC-600 components were also sonolytically decomposed.

  14. Validation of an HPLC method for the determination of fleroxacin and its photo-degradation products in pharmaceutical forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djurdjevic, Predrag; Laban, Aleksandra; Jelikic-Stankov, Milena

    2004-01-01

    HPLC determination of fleroxacin in dosage forms was carried out using either reversed-phase column YMC pack ODS-AQ or Supelco LC Hisep shielded hydrophobic phase column, with UV detection at 280 nm. The mobile phase for ODS column consisted of 50:50:0.5 v/v/v and for Hisep column 15:85:0.5 v/v/v acetonitrile-water-triethylamine. The pH of the mobile phase was adjusted to 6.30 for ODS column and to 6.85 for Hisep column, with H3PO4. Linear response was obtained in the concentration range of fleroxacin between 0.01 and 1.30 micrograms/mL. Detection limit was 4.8 ng/mL. Recovery test in the determination of fleroxacin in "Quinodis" tablets (Hoffmann La Roche, nominal mass 400 or 200 mg) was 98-101% for both columns. The effect of the composition and pH of the mobile phase on spectra, retention time and dissociation constants of fleroxacin was discussed. The proposed method could be also used for separation of the photo-degradation products of fleroxacin. Ten degradation products were separated on the ODS-AQ column, thus confirming the suitability of the proposed method for stability study of fleroxacin in pharmaceuticals.

  15. LC/MS/MS identification of some folic acid degradation products after E-beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Araújo, M.M.; Marchioni, E.; Zhao, M.; Kuntz, F.; Di Pascoli, T.; Villavicencio, A.L.C.H.; Bergaentzle, M.

    2012-01-01

    Folates belong to the B vitamin group based on the parental compound folic acid (FA). They are involved in important biochemical processes like DNA synthesis and repair. FA is composed of a pteridine ring, p-aminobenzoic acid and glutamate moieties. The human metabolism is not able to synthesize folates and therefore obtain them from diet. FA, a synthetic vitamin, is used as a food fortificant because of its low price, relative stability and increased bioavailability compared to natural folate forms. FA is known to be a sensitive compound easily degradable in aqueous solution by ultraviolet and visible light towards various by-products. Irradiation is a process for preservation of foods that uses accelerated electrons, gamma rays or X-rays. Irradiation is proposed for the treatment of various food products, eliminating or reducing pathogens and insects, increasing the storage time and replacing chemical fumigants. This study concerns the identification of degradation products of FA after E-beam irradiation. FA aqueous solutions were irradiated with a Van de Graaff electrons beam accelerator (2 MeV, 100 μA current, 20 cm scan width, dose rate about 2 kGy/s). Applied doses were between 0 (control) and 10.0 kGy. Absorbed doses were monitored with FWT 60.00 radiochromic dosimeters. - Highlights: ► We investigated the degradation of folic acid aqueous solution after electron beam treatment. ► Radiation doses over 5 kGy promote huge folic acid degradation and appearance of several degradation products. ► PCA, PABA and pABGA, already known folic acid degradation products, are formed due to E-beam treatment. ► Xanthopterin, a new radio-induced breakdown product, is formed after irradiation treatment.

  16. Phenol Is the Initial Product Formed during Growth and Degradation of Bromobenzene by Tropical Marine Yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica NCIM 3589 via an Early Dehalogenation Step.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vatsal, Aakanksha A; Zinjarde, Smita S; RaviKumar, Ameeta

    2017-01-01

    Bromobenzene (BrB), a hydrophobic, recalcitrant organic compound, is listed by the environmental protection agencies as an environmental and marine pollutant having hepatotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects. The tropical marine yeast Yarrowia lipolytica 3589 was seen to grow aerobically on BrB and displayed a maximum growth rate (μ max ) of 0.04 h -1 . Furthermore, we also observed an increase in cell size and sedimentation velocity for the cells grown on BrB as compared to the glucose grown cells. The cells attached to the hydrophobic bromobenzene droplets through its hydrophobic and acid-base interactions. The BrB (0.5%, 47.6 mM) was utilized by the cells with the release of a corresponding amount of bromide (12.87 mM) and yielded a cell mass of 1.86 g/L after showing 34% degradation in 96 h. Maximum dehalogenase activity of 16.16 U/mL was seen in the cell free supernatant after 24 h of growth. Identification of metabolites formed as a result of BrB degradation, namely, phenol, catechol, cis, cis muconic acid, and carbon dioxide were determined by LC-MS and GC-MS. The initial attack on bromobenzene by Y. lipolytica cells lead to the transient accumulation of phenol as an early intermediate which is being reported for the first time. Degradation of phenol led to catechol which was degraded by the ortho- cleavage pathway forming cis, cis muconic acid and then to Krebs cycle intermediates eventually leading to CO 2 production. The study shows that dehalogenation via an extracellular dehalogenase occurs prior to ring cleavage with phenol as the preliminary degradative compound being produced. The yeast was also able to grow on the degradative products, i.e., phenol and catechol, to varying degrees which would be of potential relevance in the degradation and remediation of xenobiotic environmental bromoaromatic pollutants such as bromobenzene.

  17. Identification of Degradation Products of Lincomycin and Iopromide by Electron Beam Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cha, Yongbyoung; Ham, Hyunsun; Myung, Seungwoon

    2013-01-01

    Lincomycin and Iopromide are major species among the Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) from four major rivers in Korea. The structure characterization of six lincomycin's and two iopromide's degradation products formed under the irradiation of electron beam was performed, and the degradation efficiency as a function of the various irradiation dose and sample concentration was investigated. Electron beam (10 MeV, 0.5 mA and 5 kW) experiments for the structural characterization of the degradation products, which is fortified with lincomycin, were performed at the dose of 10 kGy. The separation of its degradation products and lincomycin was carried by C18 column (2.1 Χ 100 mm, 3.5 μm), using gradient elution with 20 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile. The structures of degradation products of lincomycin and iopromide were proposed by interpretation of mass spectra and chromatograms by LC/MS/MS, and also the mass fragmentation pathways of mass spectra in tandem mass spectrometry were proposed. The experiments of the degradation efficiency as a function of the irradiation dose intensity and the initial concentration of lincomycin in aqueous environment were performed, and higher dose of electron beam and lower concentration was observed the increased degradation efficiency

  18. Rapid and Simultaneous Determination of Acetylsalicylic Acid, Paracetamol, and Their Degradation and Toxic Impurity Products by HPLC in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

    OpenAIRE

    AKAY, Cemal

    2008-01-01

    Aims: Determinations of drug impurity and drug degradation products are very important from both pharmacological and toxicological perspectives. Establishment of monitoring methods for impurities and degradation products during pharmaceutical development is necessary because of their potential toxicity. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simultaneous determination method for paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid (ACA) and their degradation and toxic impurity products by high perf...

  19. DSNF AND OTHER WASTE FORM DEGRADATION ABSTRACTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thornton, T.A.

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis/model report (AMR) is to select and/or abstract conservative degradation models for DOE-(US. Department of Energy) owned spent nuclear fuel (DSNF) and the immobilized ceramic plutonium (Pu) disposition waste forms for application in the proposed monitored geologic repository (MGR) postclosure Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA). Application of the degradation models abstracted herein for purposes other than TSPA should take into consideration the fact that they are, in general, very conservative. Using these models, the forward reaction rate for the mobilization of radionuclides, as solutes or colloids, away from the waste fondwater interface by contact with repository groundwater can then be calculated. This forward reaction rate generally consists of the dissolution reaction at the surface of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in contact with water, but the degradation models, in some cases, may also include and account for the physical disintegration of the SNF matrix. The models do not, however, account for retardation, precipitation, or inhibition of the migration of the mobilized radionuclides in the engineered barrier system (EBS). These models are based on the assumption that all components of the DSNF waste form are released congruently with the degradation of the matrix

  20. DSNF and other waste form degradation abstraction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thornton, Thomas A.

    2000-12-20

    The purpose of this analysis/model report (AMR) is to select and/or abstract conservative degradation models for DOE-(US. Department of Energy) owned spent nuclear fuel (DSNF) and the immobilized ceramic plutonium (Pu) disposition waste forms for application in the proposed monitored geologic repository (MGR) postclosure Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA). Application of the degradation models abstracted herein for purposes other than TSPA should take into consideration the fact that they are, in general, very conservative. Using these models, the forward reaction rate for the mobilization of radionuclides, as solutes or colloids, away from the waste fondwater interface by contact with repository groundwater can then be calculated. This forward reaction rate generally consists of the dissolution reaction at the surface of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in contact with water, but the degradation models, in some cases, may also include and account for the physical disintegration of the SNF matrix. The models do not, however, account for retardation, precipitation, or inhibition of the migration of the mobilized radionuclides in the engineered barrier system (EBS). These models are based on the assumption that all components of the DSNF waste form are released congruently with the degradation of the matrix.

  1. Identification of Forced Degradation Products of Itopride by LC-PDA and LC-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Payal; Bhoir, Suvarna; Bhagwat, A M; Vishwanath, K; Jadhav, R K

    2011-05-01

    Degradation products of itopride formed under different forced conditions have been identified using LC-PDA and LC-MS techniques. Itopride was subjected to forced degradation under the conditions of hydrolysis, photolysis, oxidation, dry and wet heat, in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization. The stress solutions were chromatographed on reversed phase C18 (250×4.6 mm, 5 μm) column with a mobile phase methanol:water (55:45, v/v) at a detection wavelength of 215 nm. Itopride degraded in acid, alkali and oxidative stress conditions. The stability indicating method was developed and validated. The degradation pathway of the drug to products II-VIII is proposed.

  2. Biodegradation of the alkaline cellulose degradation products generated during radioactive waste disposal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rout, Simon P; Radford, Jessica; Laws, Andrew P; Sweeney, Francis; Elmekawy, Ahmed; Gillie, Lisa J; Humphreys, Paul N

    2014-01-01

    The anoxic, alkaline hydrolysis of cellulosic materials generates a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP) including α and β forms of isosaccharinic acid (ISA) and is expected to occur in radioactive waste disposal sites receiving intermediate level radioactive wastes. The generation of ISA's is of particular relevance to the disposal of these wastes since they are able to form complexes with radioelements such as Pu enhancing their migration. This study demonstrates that microbial communities present in near-surface anoxic sediments are able to degrade CDP including both forms of ISA via iron reduction, sulphate reduction and methanogenesis, without any prior exposure to these substrates. No significant difference (n = 6, p = 0.118) in α and β ISA degradation rates were seen under either iron reducing, sulphate reducing or methanogenic conditions, giving an overall mean degradation rate of 4.7 × 10(-2) hr(-1) (SE ± 2.9 × 10(-3)). These results suggest that a radioactive waste disposal site is likely to be colonised by organisms able to degrade CDP and associated ISA's during the construction and operational phase of the facility.

  3. Phenol Is the Initial Product Formed during Growth and Degradation of Bromobenzene by Tropical Marine Yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica NCIM 3589 via an Early Dehalogenation Step

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aakanksha A. Vatsal

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Bromobenzene (BrB, a hydrophobic, recalcitrant organic compound, is listed by the environmental protection agencies as an environmental and marine pollutant having hepatotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects. The tropical marine yeast Yarrowia lipolytica 3589 was seen to grow aerobically on BrB and displayed a maximum growth rate (μmax of 0.04 h-1. Furthermore, we also observed an increase in cell size and sedimentation velocity for the cells grown on BrB as compared to the glucose grown cells. The cells attached to the hydrophobic bromobenzene droplets through its hydrophobic and acid–base interactions. The BrB (0.5%, 47.6 mM was utilized by the cells with the release of a corresponding amount of bromide (12.87 mM and yielded a cell mass of 1.86 g/L after showing 34% degradation in 96 h. Maximum dehalogenase activity of 16.16 U/mL was seen in the cell free supernatant after 24 h of growth. Identification of metabolites formed as a result of BrB degradation, namely, phenol, catechol, cis, cis muconic acid, and carbon dioxide were determined by LC–MS and GC–MS. The initial attack on bromobenzene by Y. lipolytica cells lead to the transient accumulation of phenol as an early intermediate which is being reported for the first time. Degradation of phenol led to catechol which was degraded by the ortho- cleavage pathway forming cis, cis muconic acid and then to Krebs cycle intermediates eventually leading to CO2 production. The study shows that dehalogenation via an extracellular dehalogenase occurs prior to ring cleavage with phenol as the preliminary degradative compound being produced. The yeast was also able to grow on the degradative products, i.e., phenol and catechol, to varying degrees which would be of potential relevance in the degradation and remediation of xenobiotic environmental bromoaromatic pollutants such as bromobenzene.

  4. Determination of impurities and degradation products from veterinary medicinal products by HPLC method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Gabriela Oltean

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The organic or inorganic impurities in the veterinary medicinal product can derive from starting materials, manufacturing process, incomplete purification, inappropriate storage. The acceptable levels of impurities in pharmaceuticals are estimated by comparison with standard solutions, according to the appropriate monographs. Forced degradation studies determine the stability of the method of dosage for the active compounds and for the entire finished product under excessive accelerated degradation conditions. They also provide information on degradation pathways and selectivity of analytical methods applied. The information provided by the degradation studies on the active compound and finished pharmaceutical product should demonstrate the specificity of the analytical method regarding impurities. Forced degradation studies should demonstrate that the impurities and degradation products generated do not interfere with the active compound. The current forced degradation methods consist of acid hydrolysis, basic hydrolysis, oxidation, exposure of the medicinal product to temperature and light. HPLC methods are an integral analytical instrument for the analysis of the medicinal product. The HPLC method should be able to separate, detect and quantify various specific degradation products that can appear after manufacture or storage of the medicinal product, as well as new elements appearing after synthesis. FDA and ICH guidelines recommend the enclosure of the results, including the chromatograms specific to the forced degradation-subjected medicinal product, in the documentation for marketing authorization. Using HPLC methods in forced degradation studies on medicinal products provides relevant information on the method of determination for the formulation of the medicinal product, synthesis product, packaging methods and storage.

  5. Biodegradation of the alkaline cellulose degradation products generated during radioactive waste disposal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon P Rout

    Full Text Available The anoxic, alkaline hydrolysis of cellulosic materials generates a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP including α and β forms of isosaccharinic acid (ISA and is expected to occur in radioactive waste disposal sites receiving intermediate level radioactive wastes. The generation of ISA's is of particular relevance to the disposal of these wastes since they are able to form complexes with radioelements such as Pu enhancing their migration. This study demonstrates that microbial communities present in near-surface anoxic sediments are able to degrade CDP including both forms of ISA via iron reduction, sulphate reduction and methanogenesis, without any prior exposure to these substrates. No significant difference (n = 6, p = 0.118 in α and β ISA degradation rates were seen under either iron reducing, sulphate reducing or methanogenic conditions, giving an overall mean degradation rate of 4.7 × 10(-2 hr(-1 (SE ± 2.9 × 10(-3. These results suggest that a radioactive waste disposal site is likely to be colonised by organisms able to degrade CDP and associated ISA's during the construction and operational phase of the facility.

  6. Isolation and characterization of a degradation product in leflunomide and a validated selective stability-indicating HPLC–UV method for their quantification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balraj Saini

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Leflunomide (LLM is subjected to forced degradation under conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, dry heat, and photolysis as recommended by International Conference on Harmonization guideline Q1A(R2. In total, four degradation products (I–IV were formed under different conditions. Products I, II and IV were formed in alkaline hydrolytic, acidic hydrolytic and alkaline photolytic conditions. LLM and all degradation products were optimally resolved by gradient elution over a C18 column. The major degradation product (IV formed in hydrolytic alkaline conditions was isolated through column chromatography. Based on its 1H NMR, IR and mass spectral data, it was characterized as a British Pharmacopoeial impurity B. The HPLC method was found to be linear, accurate, precise, sensitive, specific, rugged and robust for quantification of LLM as well as product IV. Finally, the method was applied to stability testing of the commercially available LLM tablets. Keywords: Leflunomide, Characterization, Forced degradation, Degradation product, HPLC–UV

  7. Analysis of the Precursors, Simulants and Degradation Products of Chemical Warfare Agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witkiewicz, Zygfryd; Neffe, Slawomir; Sliwka, Ewa; Quagliano, Javier

    2018-09-03

    Recent advances in analysis of precursors, simulants and degradation products of chemical warfare agents (CWA) are reviewed. Fast and reliable analysis of precursors, simulants and CWA degradation products is extremely important at a time, when more and more terrorist groups and radical non-state organizations use or plan to use chemical weapons to achieve their own psychological, political and military goals. The review covers the open source literature analysis after the time, when the chemical weapons convention had come into force (1997). The authors stated that during last 15 years increased number of laboratories are focused not only on trace analysis of CWA (mostly nerve and blister agents) in environmental and biological samples, but the growing number of research are devoted to instrumental analysis of precursors and degradation products of these substances. The identification of low-level concentration of CWA degradation products is often more important and difficult than the original CWA, because of lower level of concentration and a very large number of compounds present in environmental and biological samples. Many of them are hydrolysis products and are present in samples in the ionic form. For this reason, two or three instrumental methods are used to perform a reliable analysis of these substances.

  8. Particulate and gas-phase products from the atmospheric degradation of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-oxon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borrás, Esther; Ródenas, Milagros; Vázquez, Mónica; Vera, Teresa; Muñoz, Amalia

    2015-12-01

    The phosphorothioate structure is highly present in several pesticides. However, there is a lack of information about its degradation process in air and the secondary pollutants formed. Herein, the atmospheric reactions of chlorpyrifos, one of the most world-used insecticide, and its main degradation product - chlorpyrifos-oxon - are described. The photo-oxidation under the presence of NOx was studied in a large outdoor simulation chamber for both chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-oxon, observing a rapid degradation (Half lifetime < 3.5 h for both compounds). Also, the photolysis reactions of both were studied. The formation of particulate matter (aerosol mass yield ranged 6-59%) and gaseous products were monitored. The chemical composition of minor products was studied, identifying 15 multi-oxygenated derivatives. The most abundant products were ring-retaining molecules such as 3,5,6-trichloropyridin-2-ol and ethyl 3,5,6-trichloropyridin-2-yl hydrogen phosphate. An atmospheric degradation mechanism has been amplified based on an oxidation started with OH-nucleophilic attack to Pdbnd S bond.

  9. Studies on the Conditioning Methods of Spent Tri-butyl Phosphate/Kerosene and its Degradation Product in Different Matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Dessouky, M.I.; El-sourougy, M.R.; Abed El-Aziz, M.M.; Aly, H.F.

    1999-01-01

    The destruction of spent TBP/Kerosene (odourless Kerosene (OK)) with potassium permanganate have been investigated. Comparative studies on the immobilization of spent TBP/Kerosene and its degradation product into different matrices have been carried out. The matrices used include, ordinary Portland cement, silica fume, treated fly ash, epoxy resin and cement mixed with epoxy resin.The different factors affecting solidified waste forms such as, compressive strength, water resistance, thermal stability, chemical resistance, radiological stability and leachability have been investigated. It was found that, epoxy resin and cement mixed with 5,10,20, and 50% of epoxy resin enhance the compressive strength of the solidified waste forms with spent TBP/OK more than that obtained from degradation products. The leaching rates of 152 and 154 Eu and 181 Hf from waste forms containing TBP/OK was found lower than that with degradation product

  10. A validated stability-indicating RP-HPLC method for levofloxacin in the presence of degradation products, its process related impurities and identification of oxidative degradant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalitha Devi, M; Chandrasekhar, K B

    2009-12-05

    The objective of current study was to develop a validated specific stability indicating reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of levofloxacin as well as its related substances determination in bulk samples, pharmaceutical dosage forms in the presence of degradation products and its process related impurities. Forced degradation studies were performed on bulk sample of levofloxacin as per ICH prescribed stress conditions using acid, base, oxidative, water hydrolysis, thermal stress and photolytic degradation to show the stability indicating power of the method. Significant degradation was observed during oxidative stress and the degradation product formed was identified by LCMS/MS, slight degradation in acidic stress and no degradation was observed in other stress conditions. The chromatographic method was optimized using the samples generated from forced degradation studies and the impurity spiked solution. Good resolution between the peaks corresponds to process related impurities and degradation products from the analyte were achieved on ACE C18 column using the mobile phase consists a mixture of 0.5% (v/v) triethyl amine in sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate dihydrate (25 mM; pH 6.0) and methanol using a simple linear gradient. The detection was carried out at 294 nm. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation for the levofloxacin and its process related impurities were established. The stressed test solutions were assayed against the qualified working standard of levofloxacin and the mass balance in each case was in between 99.4 and 99.8% indicating that the developed LC method was stability indicating. Validation of the developed LC method was carried out as per ICH requirements. The developed LC method was found to be suitable to check the quality of bulk samples of levofloxacin at the time of batch release and also during its stability studies (long term and accelerated stability).

  11. Forced degradation studies of lansoprazole using LC-ESI HRMS and 1 H-NMR experiments: in vitro toxicity evaluation of major degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankar, G; Borkar, R M; Suresh, U; Guntuku, L; Naidu, V G M; Nagesh, N; Srinivas, R

    2017-07-01

    Regulatory agencies from all over the world have set up stringent guidelines with regard to drug degradation products due to their toxic effects or carcinogenicity. Lansoprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor, was subjected to forced degradation studies as per ICH guidelines Q1A (R2). The drug was found to degrade under acidic, basic, neutral hydrolysis and oxidative stress conditions, whereas it was found to be stable under thermal and photolytic conditions. The chromatographic separation of the drug and its degradation products were achieved on a Hiber Purospher, C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μ) column using 10 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile as a mobile phase in a gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The eight degradation products (DP1-8) were identified and characterized by UPLC/ESI/HRMS with in-source CID experiments combined with accurate mass measurements. DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3 were formed in acidic, DP-4 in basic, DP-5 in neutral and DP-1, DP-6, DP-7 and DP-8 were in oxidation stress condition Among eight degradation products, five were hitherto unknown degradation products. In addition, one of the major degradation products, DP-2, was isolated by using semi preparative HPLC and other two, DP-6 and DP-7 were synthesized. The cytotoxic effect of these degradation products (DP-2, DP-6 and DP-7) were tested on normal human cells such as HEK 293 (embryonic kidney cells) and RWPE-1(normal prostate epithelial cells) by MTT assay. From the results of cytotoxicity, it was found that lansoprazole as well as its degradation products (DP-2, DP-6 and DP-7) were nontoxic up to 50-μM concentrations, and the latter showed slightly higher cytotoxicity when compared with that of lansoprazole. DNA binding studies using spectroscopic techniques indicate that DP-2, DP-6 and DP-7 molecules interact with ctDNA and may bind to its surface. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Product analysis for polyethylene degradation by radiation and thermal ageing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugimoto, Masaki; Shimada, Akihiko; Kudoh, Hisaaki; Tamura, Kiyotoshi; Seguchi, Tadao

    2013-01-01

    The oxidation products in crosslinked polyethylene for cable insulation formed during thermal and radiation ageing were analyzed by FTIR-ATR. The products were composed of carboxylic acid, carboxylic ester, and carboxylic anhydride for all ageing conditions. The relative yields of carboxylic ester and carboxylic anhydride increased with an increase of temperature for radiation and thermal ageing. The carboxylic acid was the primary oxidation product and the ester and anhydride were secondary products formed by the thermally induced reactions of the carboxylic acids. The carboxylic acid could be produced by chain scission at any temperature followed by the oxidation of the free radicals formed in the polyethylene. The results of the analysis led to formulation of a new oxidation mechanism which was different from the chain reactions via peroxy radicals and peroxides. - Highlights: ► Products analysis of polyethylene degradation by radiation and thermal ageing. ► Components of carbonyl compounds produced in polyethylene by thermal and radiation oxidation were determined by FTIR. ► Carbonyl compounds comprised carboxylic acid, carboxylic ester, and carboxylic anhydride. ► Carboxylic acid was the primary oxidation product of chain scission at any oxidation temperature. ► Carboxylic ester and carboxylic anhydride are secondary products formed from carboxylic acid at higher temperature.

  13. Modeling the degradation of a metallic waste form intended for geologic disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauer, T.H.; Morris, E.E.

    2007-01-01

    Nuclear reactors operating with metallic fuels have led to development of robust metallic waste forms intended to immobilize hazardous constituents in oxidizing environments. Release data from a wide range of tests where small waste form samples have been immersed in a variety of oxidizing solutions have been analyzed and fit to a mechanistically-derived 'logarithmic growth' form for waste form degradation. A bounding model is described which plausibly extrapolates these fits to long-term degradation in a geologic repository. The resulting empirically-fit degradation model includes dependence on solution pH, temperature, and chloride concentration as well as plausible estimates of statistical uncertainty. (authors)

  14. Research of the degradation products of chitosan's angiogenic function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jianyun; Chen Yuanwei; Ding Yulong; Shi Guoqi; Wan Changxiu

    2008-01-01

    Angiogenesis is of great importance in tissue engineering and has gained large attention in the past decade. But how it will be influenced by the biodegradable materials, especially their degradation products, remains unknown. Chitosan (CS) is a kind of naturally occurred polysaccharide which can be degraded in physiological environment. In order to gain some knowledge of the influences of CS degradation products on angiogenesis, the interaction of vascular endothelial cells with the degradation products was investigated in the present study. The CS degradation products were prepared by keeping CS sample in physiological saline aseptically at 37 deg. C for 120 days. Endothelial cells were co-cultured with the degradation products and the angiogenic cell behaviors, including cell proliferation, migration and tube-like structure (TLS) formation, were tested by MTT assay, cell migration quantification method (CMQM), and tube-like structure quantification method (TLSQM) respectively. Furthermore, mRNA expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metallo proteinase (MMP-2) were determined by real-time reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Physiological saline served as a negative control. As the results showed, the degradation products obtained from 20th to 60th day significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and TLS formation of endothelial cells. However, degradation products of the first 14 days and the last 30 days were found to be proangiogenic. At the molecular level, the initial results indicated that the mRNA expressions of VEGF and MMP-2 were increased by the degradation products of 7th day, but were decreased by the ones of 60th day. According to all the results, it could be concluded that the angiogenic behaviors of endothelial cells at both cellular and molecular level could be significantly stimulated or suppressed by the degradation products of CS and the influences are quite time-dependent

  15. Influence of radiolytic degradation products from organic phase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azevedo, H.L.P. de.

    1980-01-01

    The influence of primary and secondary degradation products from TBP - dodecane on zirconium extraction is studied. The presence of radiolytical degradation at organic phase, in systems of initial concentration of HNO 3 1 and 4M, and absorbed γ radiation doses from 0,5 to 4,5 Wh/l, lead to an increase of zirconium extraction, being the HDBP the main product of degradation responsable by this effect. The influence of secondary degradation products is significative in systems of HNO 3 1M initial concentration. The formation of precipitator in extractions of Zr in HNO 3 1M with irradiated TBP-dodecane was observed. (M.C.K.) [pt

  16. Vitamin C degradation products and pathways in the human lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemet, Ina; Monnier, Vincent M

    2011-10-28

    Vitamin C and its degradation products participate in chemical modifications of proteins in vivo through non-enzymatic glycation (Maillard reaction) and formation of different products called advanced glycation end products. Vitamin C levels are particularly high in selected tissues, such as lens, brain and adrenal gland, and its degradation products can inflict substantial protein damage via formation of advanced glycation end products. However, the pathways of in vivo vitamin C degradation are poorly understood. Here we have determined the levels of vitamin C oxidation and degradation products dehydroascorbic acid, 2,3-diketogulonic acid, 3-deoxythreosone, xylosone, and threosone in the human lens using o-phenylenediamine to trap both free and protein-bound adducts. In the protein-free fraction and water-soluble proteins (WSP), all five listed degradation products were identified. Dehydroascorbic acid, 2,3-diketogulonic acid, and 3-deoxythreosone were the major products in the protein-free fraction, whereas in the WSP, 3-deoxythreosone was the most abundant measured dicarbonyl. In addition, 3-deoxythreosone in WSP showed positive linear correlation with age (p degradation product bound to human lens proteins provides in vivo evidence for the non-oxidative pathway of dehydroascorbate degradation into erythrulose as a major pathway for vitamin C degradation in vivo.

  17. The Inhibitory Effect of Natural Products on Protein Fibrillation May Be Caused by Degradation Products – A Study Using Aloin and Insulin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lobbens, Eva Stephanie; Foderà, Vito; Nyberg, Nils

    2016-01-01

    , high-performance liquid chromatography and transmission electron microscopy it was found that a degradation product of aloin, formed over weeks of storage, was able to significantly inhibit insulin fibrillation. The activity of the stored aloin was significantly reduced in the presence of small amounts...... of sodium azide or ascorbic acid, suggesting the active compound to be an oxidation product. A high-performance liquid chromatography method and a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method were developed to investigate the degradation products in the aged aloin solution. We found that the major...

  18. Inhibition of ethanol-producing yeast and bacteria by degradation products produced during pre-treatment of biomass

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klinke, H.B.; Thomsen, A.B.; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

    2004-01-01

    for ethanol fermentation. The resulting hydrolyzsates contain substances inhibitory to fermentation-depending on both the raw material (biomass) and the pre-treatment applied. An overview of the inhibitory effect on ethanol production by yeast and bacteria is presented. Apart from furans formed by sugar......An overview of the different inhibitors formed by pre-treatment of lignocellulosic materials and their inhibition of ethanol production in yeast and bacteria is given. Different high temperature physical pre-treatment methods are available to render the carbohydrates in lignocellulose accessible...... degradation, phenol monomers from lignin degradation are important co-factors in hydrolysate inhibition, and inhibitory effects of these aromatic compounds on different ethanol producing microorganisms is reviewed. The furans and phenols generally inhibited growth and ethanol production rate (Q...

  19. Sinalbin degradation products in mild yellow mustard paste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paunović Dragana

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Sinalbin degradation products in mild yellow mustard paste were investigated. The analyzed material consisted of a mild yellow mustard paste condiment and ground white mustard seeds which were originally used in the mustard paste production process. The samples were extracted in a Soxhlet extraction system and analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS technique. The only sinalbin degradation product in ground mustard seeds was 2-(4-hydroxyphenylacetonitrile. The most abundant sinalbin degradation product in yellow mustard paste was 4-(hydroxymethylphenol. Other compounds identified in this sample were: 4-methyl phenol, 4-ethyl phenol, 4-(2-hydroxyethylphenol and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl ethanoic acid.

  20. Fate of products of degradation processes: consequences for climatic change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slanina, J.; Brink, H.M. ten; Khlystov, A.

    1999-01-01

    The end products of atmospheric degradation are not only CO 2 and H 2 O but also sulfate and nitrate depending on the chemical composition of the substances which are subject to degradation processes. Atmospheric degradation has thus a direct influence on the radiative balance of the earth not only due to formation of greenhouse gases but also of aerosols. Aerosols of a diameter of 0.1 to 2 micrometer, reflect short wave sunlight very efficiently leading to a radiative forcing which is estimated to be about -0.8 watt per m 2 by IPCC. Aerosols also influence the radiative balance by way of cloud formation. If more aerosols are present, clouds are formed with more and smaller droplets and these clouds have a higher albedo and are more stable compared to clouds with larger droplets. Not only sulfate, but also nitrate and polar organic compounds, formed as intermediates in degradation processes, contribute to this direct and indirect aerosol effect. Estimates for the Netherlands indicate a direct effect of -4 watt m -2 and an indirect effect of as large as -5 watt m -2 . About one third is caused by sulfates, one third by nitrates and last third by polar organic compounds. This large radiative forcing is obviously non-uniform and depends on local conditions. (author)

  1. 21 CFR 864.7320 - Fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products assay. 864.7320 Section 864.7320 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN....7320 Fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products assay. (a) Identification. A fibrinogen/fibrin degradation...

  2. A stability indicating HPLC method for determination of mebeverine in the presence of its degradation products and kinetic study of its degradation in oxidative condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souri, E; Aghdami, A Negahban; Adib, N

    2014-01-01

    An HPLC method for determination of mebeverine hydrochloride (MH) in the presence of its degradation products was developed. The degradation of MH was studied under hydrolysis, oxidative and photolysis stress conditions. Under alkaline, acidic and oxidative conditions, degradation of MH was observed. The separation was performed using a Symmetry C18 column and a mixture of 50 mM KH2PO4, acetonitrile and tetrahydrfuran (THF) (63:35:2; v/v/v) as the mobile phase. No interference peaks from degradation products in acidic, alkaline and oxidative conditions were observed. The linearity, accuracy and precision of the method were studied. The method was linear over the range of 1-100 μg/ml MH (r(2)>0.999) and the CV values for intra-day and inter-day variations were in the range of 1.0-1.8%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and the limit of detection (LOD) of the method were 1.0 and 0.2 μg/ml, respectively. Determination of MH in pharmaceutical dosage forms was performed using the developed method. Furthermore the kinetics of the degradation of MH in the presence of hydrogen peroxide was investigated. The proposed method could be a suitable method for routine quality control studies of mebeverine dosage forms.

  3. Vitamin C Degradation Products and Pathways in the Human Lens*

    OpenAIRE

    Nemet, Ina; Monnier, Vincent M.

    2011-01-01

    Vitamin C and its degradation products participate in chemical modifications of proteins in vivo through non-enzymatic glycation (Maillard reaction) and formation of different products called advanced glycation end products. Vitamin C levels are particularly high in selected tissues, such as lens, brain and adrenal gland, and its degradation products can inflict substantial protein damage via formation of advanced glycation end products. However, the pathways of in vivo vitamin C degradation ...

  4. Mass spectrometry for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalczuk, Marek; Adamus, Grażyna

    2016-01-01

    Contemporary reports by Polish authors on the application of mass spectrometric methods for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products will be presented. Special emphasis will be given to natural aliphatic (co)polyesters (PHA) and their synthetic analogues, formed through anionic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of β-substituted β-lactones. Moreover, the application of MS techniques for the evaluation of the structure of biodegradable polymers obtained in ionic and coordination polymerization of cyclic ethers and esters as well as products of step-growth polymerization, in which bifunctional or multifunctional monomers react to form oligomers and eventually long chain polymers, will be discussed. Furthermore, the application of modern MS techniques for the assessment of polymer degradation products, frequently bearing characteristic end groups that can be revealed and differentiated by MS, will be discussed within the context of specific degradation pathways. Finally, recent Polish accomplishments in the area of mass spectrometry will be outlined. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Identification of Forced Degradation Products of Itopride by LC-PDA and LC-MS

    OpenAIRE

    Joshi, Payal; Bhoir, Suvarna; Bhagwat, A. M.; Vishwanath, K.; Jadhav, R. K.

    2011-01-01

    Degradation products of itopride formed under different forced conditions have been identified using LC-PDA and LC-MS techniques. Itopride was subjected to forced degradation under the conditions of hydrolysis, photolysis, oxidation, dry and wet heat, in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization. The stress solutions were chromatographed on reversed phase C18 (250×4.6 mm, 5 μm) column with a mobile phase methanol:water (55:45, v/v) at a detection wavelength of 215 nm. Itop...

  6. Time extrapolation of radiolytic degradation product kinetics: the case of polyurethane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dannoux, A.

    2007-02-01

    The prediction of the environmental impact of organic materials in nuclear waste geological storage needs knowledge of radiolytic degradation mechanisms and kinetics in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In this framework, the effect of high doses (> MGy) and the variation of dose rate have to be considered. The material studied is a polyurethane composed of polyether soft segment and aromatic hard segments. Mechanisms were built on the analysis of material submitted to irradiations of simulation (high energy electrons and gamma radiation) by FTIR spectroscopy and gaseous and liquid degradation products by gas mass spectrometry and size exclusion chromatography. The electron paramagnetic resonance study of radical process and the determination of oxygen consumption and gas formation radiolytic yields allowed us to acquire kinetic data and to estimate dose rate and high doses effects. The polyurethane radio-oxidation mainly concerns soft segments and induced cross-linkings and production by scissions of oxidised compounds (esters, alcohols, carboxylic acids). The kinetic of radical termination is rapid and the dose rate effect is limited. After 10 MGy, branching and scission reactions are in equilibrium and low molecular weight products accumulate. At last, the degradation products release in water is influenced by the oxidation rate and the temperature. After 10 MGy, the soluble fraction is stabilised at 25%. The water soluble products identified by electro-spray ionisation mass spectrometry (alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids) potentially formed complexes with radionuclides. (author)

  7. Toxicity of tetracyclines and tetracycline degradation products to environmentally relevant bacteria, including selected tetracycline-resistant bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halling-Sørensen, B.; Sengeløv, G.; Tjørnelund, J.

    2002-01-01

    Tetracyclines used in veterinary therapy invariably will find their way as parent compound and degradation products to the agricultural field. Major degradation products formed due to the limited stability of parent tetracyclines (tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline) in aqueous...... at the same concentration level as tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline on both the sludge and the tetracycline-sensitive soil bacteria. Further, both 5a,6-anhydrotetracychne and 5a,6-anhydrochlortetracycline had potency on tetracycline-resistant bacteria supporting a mode of action different...

  8. Sinalbin degradation products in mild yellow mustard paste

    OpenAIRE

    Paunović, Dragana; Šolević-Knudsen, Tatjana; Krivokapić, Mirjana; Zlatković, Branislav; Antić, Mališa

    2012-01-01

    Sinalbin degradation products in mild yellow mustard paste were investigated. The analyzed material consisted of a mild yellow mustard paste condiment and ground white mustard seeds which were originally used in the mustard paste production process. The samples were extracted in a Soxhlet extraction system and analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The only sinalbin degradation product in ground mustard seeds was 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetonitrile. The most a...

  9. Charcoal production and environmental degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosier, R.H.

    1993-01-01

    This paper examines the environmental impacts of continued tree harvesting for charcoal production to supply the urban areas in Tanzania. Woodlands appear to recover relatively well following harvesting for charcoal production. Selective harvesting, where the high quality, low cost fuel production species and specimens are culled first from a piece of land, serves to maintain the viability of the woodlands resource while providing charcoal. This recovery period can be prolonged through any number of human induced activities, such as heavy grazing, multiple burns and extended cultivation periods. At the same time, post-harvest management techniques, such as coppice management, sprout protection and fertilization, can also improve the ability of woodlands to recover following harvesting. The environmental history of a given area determines why certain areas continue to be strong suppliers of woodfuel while others are not. For example, Shinyanga started from a low productivity base and has been degraded by successive waves of tree harvesting compounded by heavy grazing pressure. It is this multiple complex of pressures over a long period of time on land which is intrinsically of low productivity, and not the harvesting of woodlands for fuels, which has led to the environmental degradation in these areas. (author)

  10. Time extrapolation of radiolytic degradation product kinetics: the case of polyurethane; Extrapolation dans le temps des cinetiques de production des produits de degradation radiolytique: application a un polyurethane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dannoux, A

    2007-02-15

    The prediction of the environmental impact of organic materials in nuclear waste geological storage needs knowledge of radiolytic degradation mechanisms and kinetics in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In this framework, the effect of high doses (> MGy) and the variation of dose rate have to be considered. The material studied is a polyurethane composed of polyether soft segment and aromatic hard segments. Mechanisms were built on the analysis of material submitted to irradiations of simulation (high energy electrons and gamma radiation) by FTIR spectroscopy and gaseous and liquid degradation products by gas mass spectrometry and size exclusion chromatography. The electron paramagnetic resonance study of radical process and the determination of oxygen consumption and gas formation radiolytic yields allowed us to acquire kinetic data and to estimate dose rate and high doses effects. The polyurethane radio-oxidation mainly concerns soft segments and induced cross-linkings and production by scissions of oxidised compounds (esters, alcohols, carboxylic acids). The kinetic of radical termination is rapid and the dose rate effect is limited. After 10 MGy, branching and scission reactions are in equilibrium and low molecular weight products accumulate. At last, the degradation products release in water is influenced by the oxidation rate and the temperature. After 10 MGy, the soluble fraction is stabilised at 25%. The water soluble products identified by electro-spray ionisation mass spectrometry (alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids) potentially formed complexes with radionuclides. (author)

  11. PRODUCTION AND RECOVERY OF POLY-Β-HYDROXYBUTYRATE FROM WHEY DEGRADATION BY AZOTOBACTER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Khanafari , A. Akhavan Sepahei, M. Mogharab

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Three strains of Azotobacter chroococcum were studied to produce poly-β hydroxybutyrate as a inclusion body by whey degradation. Optimum degradation whey results were obtained when using whey broth as a fermentation medium without extra salt, temperature at 35 °C and pH 7 (P<0.05. Lambda max for whey broth medium was determined probably about 400 nm. The effect of different nitrogenous rich compounds (NH4NO3, Bactopeptone, Casein, Yeast extract, Meat extract, Protease peptone and Tryptone on whey degradation showed that incorporation of nitrogenous compounds into the medium did not increase whey degradation by Azotobacter chroococcum 1723 (P<0.05. But poly-β hydroxyl-butyrate production was increased in presence Meat extract up to 75% of the cell dry weight after 48h. The addition of nitrogenous sourced (except ammonium nitrate had a positive effect on poly-β hydroxyl-butyrate production as it peaked in the presence of Meat extract and 4.43 g/L was accumulated in comparison to 0.5g at diazotrophically growing cells. Increasing the O2 values resulted by shaking at 122 rpm in decreased poly-β hydroxyl-butyrate yield form 4.43 to 0.04 g/L. The results show that this medium supports the growth of strain 1735 and also that this waste could be utilized as a carbon and nitrogen source. Production of poly-β hydroxyl-butyrate by using whey as a medium looks promising, since the use of inexpensive feed-stocks for poly-β hydroxyl-butyrate is essential if bioplastics are to become competitive products.

  12. LC-MS characterization of valsartan degradation products and comparison with LC-PDA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumaia Araújo Pires

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available abstract Valsartan was submitted to forced degradation under acid hydrolysis condition as prescribed by the ICH. Degraded sample aliquots were separated via HPLC using a Hypersil ODS (C18 column (250 x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 µm. Either photodiode array (PDA detection or mass spectrometry (MS full scan monitoring of HPLC runs were used. HPLC-PDA failed to indicate Valsartan degradation under forced acid degradation, showing an insignificant peak area variation and that Valsartan apparently remained pure. HPLC-MS using electrospray ionization (ESI and total ionic current (TIC monitoring did not reveal any peak variation either, but inspection of the ESI mass spectra showed the appearance of m/z 306 and m/z 352 ions for the same retention time as that of Valsartan (m/z 436. These ions were identified as being protonated molecules of two co-eluting degradation products formed by hydrolysis. These assignments were confirmed by ESI-MS/MS with direct infusion of the degraded samples. The results showed that the use of selective HPLC-MS is essential for monitoring Valsartan degradation. Efficient HPLC separation coupled to selective and structural diagnostic MS monitoring seems therefore mandatory for comprehensive drug degradation studies, particularly for new drugs and formulations, and for method development.

  13. Degradation study of pesticides by direct photolysis - Structural characterization and potential toxicity of photo products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rifai, A.

    2013-01-01

    molecules was clarified by the identification of mass-to-charge (m /z) of the pseudo molecular ions obtained using different modes of ionization in mass spectrometry: electronic ionization (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) in GC-MS and electrospray ionization (ESI) in LC-MS. The strategy used for the structural elucidation of degradation products has been very effective; most of the chemical structures of the products formed have been elucidated. A kinetic study was performed to visualize the appearance and disappearance of degradation products during the photolysis and gave us an idea of the rate of disappearance of the parent compound for each pesticide. The results showed that the photolysis méthalochlore, procymidone and boscalid were degraded under UV light after a while releasing degradation products with structures close or different from the parent molecules. While, pyrimethanil presented a high stability during 8 hours of irradiation (remaining amount after irradiation is 60%) and gave degradation products with moderate amounts. Regarding the estimation of the toxicity, most identified degradation products are equivalent or greater than those of the original molecules toxicities. The chemical analysis methods used and the estimated toxicities of the identified degradation products are proven complementary and indispensable for highlighting the presence of other toxic pollutants that emerge in the real environment without control. (author)

  14. Four new degradation products of doxorubicin: An application of forced degradation study and hyphenated chromatographic techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dheeraj Kaushik

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Forced degradation study on doxorubicin (DOX was carried out under hydrolytic condition in acidic, alkaline and neutral media at varied temperatures, as well as under peroxide, thermal and photolytic conditions in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization (ICH guidelines Q1(R2. It was found extremely unstable to alkaline hydrolysis even at room temperature, unstable to acid hydrolysis at 80 °C, and to oxidation at room temperature. It degraded to four products (O-I–O-IV in oxidative condition, and to single product (A-I in acid hydrolytic condition. These products were resolved on a C8 (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 µm column with isocratic elution using mobile phase consisting of HCOONH4 (10 mM, pH 2.5, acetonitrile and methanol (65:15:20, v/v/v. Liquid chromatography–photodiode array (LC–PDA technique was used to ascertain the purity of the products noted in LC–UV chromatogram. For their characterization, a six stage mass fragmentation (MS6 pattern of DOX was outlined through mass spectral studies in positive mode of electrospray ionization (+ESI as well as through accurate mass spectral data of DOX and the products generated through liquid chromatography–time of flight mass spectrometry (LC–MS–TOF on degraded drug solutions. Based on it, O-I–O-IV were characterized as 3-hydroxy-9-desacetyldoxorubicin-9-hydroperoxide, 1-hydroxy-9-desacetyldoxorubicin-9-hydroperoxide, 9-desacetyldoxorubicin-9-hydroperoxide and 9-desacetyldoxorubicin, respectively, whereas A-I was characterized as deglucosaminyl doxorubicin. While A-I was found to be a pharmacopoeial impurity, all oxidative products were found to be new degradation impurities. The mechanisms and pathways of degradation of doxorubicin were outlined and discussed. Keywords: Doxorubicin, TOF, Forced degradation, Liquid chromatography, Degradation product, Mass fragmentation pattern

  15. Effects of organic degradation products on the sorption of actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Bond, K.A.; Brownsword, M.; Linklater, C.M.

    1992-01-01

    Previous work has shown that products from the chemical degradation of cellulosic matter can significantly reduce sorption of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) on geological materials. Uranium(IV) batch sorption experiments have now been performed to study the effect of organic degradation products in a reducing environment. Thorium(IV) sorption has also been studied since thorium is an important radioelement in its own right and has potential use as a simulant for other tetravalent actinides. Sorption onto London clay, Caithness flagstones and St. Bees sandstone was investigated. Experimental conditions were chosen to simulate both those expected close to cementitious repository (pH ∝ 11) and at the edge of the zone of migration of the alkaline plume (pH ∝ 8). Work was carried out with both authentic degradation products and with gluconate, acting as a well-characterized simulant for cellulosic degradation products. The results show that the presence of organic species can cause a reduction in sorption. This is especially so in the presence of a high concentration of gluconate ions, but the reduction is significantly less with authentic degradation products. (orig.)

  16. DSNF AND OTHER WASTE FORM DEGRADATION ABSTRACTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    CUNNANE, J.

    2004-01-01

    Several hundred distinct types of DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel (DSNF) may potentially be disposed in the Yucca Mountain repository. These fuel types represent many more types than can be viably individually examined for their effect on the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application (TSPA-LA). Additionally, for most of these fuel types, there is no known direct experimental test data for the degradation and dissolution of the waste form in repository groundwaters. The approach used in the TSPA-LA model is, therefore, to assess available information on each of 11 groups of DSNF, and to identify a model that can be used in the TSPA-LA model without differentiating between individual codisposal waste packages containing different DSNF types. The purpose of this report is to examine the available data and information concerning the dissolution kinetics of DSNF matrices for the purpose of abstracting a degradation model suitable for use in describing degradation of the DSNF inventory in the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application. The data and information and associated degradation models were examined for the following types of DSNF: Group 1--Naval spent nuclear fuel; Group 2--Plutonium/uranium alloy (Fermi 1 SNF); Group 3--Plutonium/uranium carbide (Fast Flux Test Facility-Test Fuel Assembly SNF); Group 4--Mixed oxide and plutonium oxide (Fast Flux Test Facility-Demonstration Fuel Assembly/Fast Flux Test Facility-Test Demonstration Fuel Assembly SNF); Group 5--Thorium/uranium carbide (Fort St. Vrain SNF); Group 6--Thorium/uranium oxide (Shippingport light water breeder reactor SNF); Group 7--Uranium metal (N Reactor SNF); Group 8--Uranium oxide (Three Mile Island-2 core debris); Group 9--Aluminum-based SNF (Foreign Research Reactor SNF); Group 10--Miscellaneous Fuel; and Group 11--Uranium-zirconium hydride (Training Research Isotopes-General Atomics SNF). The analyses contained in this document provide an ''upper-limit'' (i

  17. CSNF WASTE FORM DEGRADATION: SUMMARY ABSTRACTION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J.C. CUNNANE

    2004-08-31

    The purpose of this model report is to describe the development and validation of models that can be used to calculate the release of radionuclides from commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) following a hypothetical breach of the waste package and fuel cladding in the repository. The purpose also includes describing the uncertainties associated with modeling the radionuclide release for the range of CSNF types, exposure conditions, and durations for which the radionuclide release models are to be applied. This document was developed in accordance with Technical Work Plan for: Regulatory Integration Modeling and Analysis of the Waste Form and Waste Package (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169944]). This document considers radionuclides to be released from CSNF when they are available for mobilization by gas-phase mass transport, or by dissolution or colloid formation in water that may contact the fuel. Because other reports address limitations on the dissolved and colloidal radionuclide concentrations (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169944], Table 2-1), this report does not address processes that control the extent to which the radionuclides released from CSNF are mobilized and transported away from the fuel either in the gas phase or in the aqueous phase as dissolved and colloidal species. The scope is limited to consideration of degradation of the CSNF rods following an initial breach of the cladding. It considers features of CSNF that limit the availability of individual radionuclides for release into the gaseous or aqueous phases that may contact the fuel and the processes and events expected to degrade these CSNF features. In short, the purpose is to describe the characteristics of breached fuel rods and the degradation processes expected to influence radionuclide release.

  18. CSNF WASTE FORM DEGRADATION: SUMMARY ABSTRACTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    CUNNANE, J.C.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this model report is to describe the development and validation of models that can be used to calculate the release of radionuclides from commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) following a hypothetical breach of the waste package and fuel cladding in the repository. The purpose also includes describing the uncertainties associated with modeling the radionuclide release for the range of CSNF types, exposure conditions, and durations for which the radionuclide release models are to be applied. This document was developed in accordance with Technical Work Plan for: Regulatory Integration Modeling and Analysis of the Waste Form and Waste Package (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169944]). This document considers radionuclides to be released from CSNF when they are available for mobilization by gas-phase mass transport, or by dissolution or colloid formation in water that may contact the fuel. Because other reports address limitations on the dissolved and colloidal radionuclide concentrations (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169944], Table 2-1), this report does not address processes that control the extent to which the radionuclides released from CSNF are mobilized and transported away from the fuel either in the gas phase or in the aqueous phase as dissolved and colloidal species. The scope is limited to consideration of degradation of the CSNF rods following an initial breach of the cladding. It considers features of CSNF that limit the availability of individual radionuclides for release into the gaseous or aqueous phases that may contact the fuel and the processes and events expected to degrade these CSNF features. In short, the purpose is to describe the characteristics of breached fuel rods and the degradation processes expected to influence radionuclide release

  19. Effects of organic degradation products on the sorption of actinides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Bond, K.A.; Brownsword, M.; Linklater, C.M. (AEA Decommissioning and Radwaste, Harwell Lab. (United Kingdom))

    1992-01-01

    Previous work has shown that products from the chemical degradation of cellulosic matter can significantly reduce sorption of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) on geological materials. Uranium(IV) batch sorption experiments have now been performed to study the effect of organic degradation products in a reducing environment. Thorium(IV) sorption has also been studied since thorium is an important radioelement in its own right and has potential use as a simulant for other tetravalent actinides. Sorption onto London clay, Caithness flagstones and St. Bees sandstone was investigated. Experimental conditions were chosen to simulate both those expected close to cementitious repository (pH [proportional to] 11) and at the edge of the zone of migration of the alkaline plume (pH [proportional to] 8). Work was carried out with both authentic degradation products and with gluconate, acting as a well-characterized simulant for cellulosic degradation products. The results show that the presence of organic species can cause a reduction in sorption. This is especially so in the presence of a high concentration of gluconate ions, but the reduction is significantly less with authentic degradation products. (orig.).

  20. DSNF AND OTHER WASTE FORM DEGRADATION ABSTRACTION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J. CUNNANE

    2004-11-19

    Several hundred distinct types of DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel (DSNF) may potentially be disposed in the Yucca Mountain repository. These fuel types represent many more types than can be viably individually examined for their effect on the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application (TSPA-LA). Additionally, for most of these fuel types, there is no known direct experimental test data for the degradation and dissolution of the waste form in repository groundwaters. The approach used in the TSPA-LA model is, therefore, to assess available information on each of 11 groups of DSNF, and to identify a model that can be used in the TSPA-LA model without differentiating between individual codisposal waste packages containing different DSNF types. The purpose of this report is to examine the available data and information concerning the dissolution kinetics of DSNF matrices for the purpose of abstracting a degradation model suitable for use in describing degradation of the DSNF inventory in the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application. The data and information and associated degradation models were examined for the following types of DSNF: Group 1--Naval spent nuclear fuel; Group 2--Plutonium/uranium alloy (Fermi 1 SNF); Group 3--Plutonium/uranium carbide (Fast Flux Test Facility-Test Fuel Assembly SNF); Group 4--Mixed oxide and plutonium oxide (Fast Flux Test Facility-Demonstration Fuel Assembly/Fast Flux Test Facility-Test Demonstration Fuel Assembly SNF); Group 5--Thorium/uranium carbide (Fort St. Vrain SNF); Group 6--Thorium/uranium oxide (Shippingport light water breeder reactor SNF); Group 7--Uranium metal (N Reactor SNF); Group 8--Uranium oxide (Three Mile Island-2 core debris); Group 9--Aluminum-based SNF (Foreign Research Reactor SNF); Group 10--Miscellaneous Fuel; and Group 11--Uranium-zirconium hydride (Training Research Isotopes-General Atomics SNF). The analyses contained in this document provide an &apos

  1. Core degradation and fission product release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, R.W.; Hagen, S.J.L.

    1992-01-01

    Experiments on core degradation and melt progression in severe LWR accidents have provided reasonable understanding of the principal processes involved in the early phase of melt progression that extends through core degradation and metallic material melting and relocation. A general but not a quantitative understanding of late phase melt progression that involves ceramic material melting and relocation has also been obtained, primarily from the TMI-2 core examination. A summary is given of the current state of knowledge on core degradation and melt progression obtained from these integral experiments and of the principal remaining significant uncertainties. A summary is also given of the principal results on in-vessel fission product release obtained from these experiments. (author). 8 refs, 5 figs, 3 tabs

  2. Mapping intermediate degradation products of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jian; Nemes, Peter; Guo, Ji

    2018-04-01

    There is widespread interest in using absorbable polymers, such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), as components in the design and manufacture of new-generation drug eluting stents (DES). PLGA undergoes hydrolysis to progressively degrade through intermediate chemical entities to simple organic acids that are ultimately absorbed by the human body. Understanding the composition and structure of these intermediate degradation products is critical not only to elucidate polymer degradation pathways accurately, but also to assess the safety and performance of absorbable cardiovascular implants. However, analytical approaches to determining the intermediate degradation products have yet to be established and evaluated in a standard or regulatory setting. Hence, we developed a methodology using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to qualitatively and quantitatively describe intermediate degradation products generated in vitro from two PLGA formulations commonly used in DES. Furthermore, we assessed the temporal evolution of these degradation products using time-lapse experiments. Our data demonstrated that PLGA degradation products via heterogeneous cleavage of ester bonds are modulated by multiple intrinsic and environmental factors, including polymer chemical composition, degradants solubility in water, and polymer synthesis process. We anticipate the methodologies and outcomes presented in this work will elevate the mechanistic understanding of comprehensive degradation profiles of absorbable polymeric devices, and facilitate the design and regulation of cardiovascular implants by supporting the assessments of the associated biological response to degradation products. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1129-1137, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Insulin degradation products from perfused rat kidney

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duckworth, W.C.; Hamel, F.G.; Liepnieks, J.; Peavy, D.; Frank, B.; Rabkin, R.

    1989-01-01

    The kidney is a major site for insulin metabolism, but the enzymes involved and the products generated have not been established. To examine the products, we have perfused rat kidneys with insulin specifically iodinated on either the A14 or the B26 tyrosine. Labeled material from both the perfusate and kidney extract was examined by Sephadex G50 and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In perfusate from a filtering kidney, 22% of the insulin-sized material was not intact insulin on HPLC. With the nonfiltering kidney, 10.6% was not intact insulin. Labeled material from HPLC was sulfitolyzed and reinjected on HPLC. By use of 125 I-iodo(A14)-insulin, almost all the degradation products contained an intact A-chain. By use of 125 I-iodo(B26)-insulin, several different B-chain-cleaved products were obtained. The material extracted from the perfused kidney was different from perfusate products but similar to intracellular products from hepatocytes, suggesting that cellular metabolism by kidney and liver are similar. The major intracellular product had characteristics consistent with a cleavage between the B16 and B17 amino acids. This product and several of the perfusate products are also produced by insulin protease suggesting that this enzyme is involved in the degradation of insulin by kidney

  4. Impact Of Elastic Modulus Degradation On Springback In Sheet Metal Forming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halilovic, Miroslav; Stok, Boris; Vrh, Marko

    2007-01-01

    Strain recovery after removal of forming loads, commonly defined as springback, is of great concern in sheet metal forming, in particular with regard to proper prediction of the final shape of the part. To control the problem a lot of work has been done, either by minimizing the springback on the material side or by increasing the estimation precision in corresponding process simulations. Unfortunately, by currently available software springback still cannot be adequately predicted, because most analyses of springback are using linear, isotropic and constant Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. But, as it was measured and reported, none of it is true. The aim of this work is to propose an upgraded mechanical model which takes evolution of damage and related orthotropic stiffness degradation into account. Damage is considered by inclusion of ellipsoidal cavities, and their influence on the stiffness degradation is taken in accordance with the Mori-Tanaka theory, adopting the GTN model for plastic flow. In order to improve the numerical springback prediction, two major things are important: first, the correct evaluation of the stress-strain state at the end of the forming process, and second, correctness of the elastic properties used in the elastic relaxation analysis. Since in modelling of the forming process we adopt a damage constitutive model with orthotropic stiffness degradation considered, a corresponding damage parameters identification upon specific experimental tests data must be performed first, independently of the metal forming modelling. An improved identification of material parameters, which simultaneously considers tensile test results with different type of specimens and using neural network, is proposed. With regard to the case in which damage in material is neglected it is shown in the article how the springback of a formed part differs, when we take orthotropic damage evolution into consideration

  5. In-Vitro gas production technique as for feed evaluation: volume of gas production and feed degradability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asih Kurniawati

    2007-01-01

    In-vitro gas production technique can be used to predict feed quality. The effect of molasses supplementation as a source of degradable carbohydrate to protein source red clover silage has been done using this technique. Data showed there were positive correlation between total volume gas produced and feed degradability (r = 0.96), between total volume gas produced and microbial biomass (r = 0,96). Dry matter degradability, dry matter degraded, microbial biomass production and efficiency of nitrogen utilization, highly significant (P<0,01) increased due to increasing of degradable carbohydrate. The addition of 0.3 g molasses gave the best result whereas the addition of 0.15 g and 0.225 g have better effect than 0.0625 g molasses addition and red clover only. This result suggested that In-vitro production technique can be used as tool for feed evaluation. (author)

  6. WEATHERABILITY OF ENHANCED DEGRADABLE PLASTICS

    Science.gov (United States)

    The main objective of this study was to assess the performance and the asociated variability of several selected enhanced degradable plastic materials under a variety of different exposure conditions. Other objectives were to identify the major products formed during degradation ...

  7. Report: More Information Is Needed On Toxaphene Degradation Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Report #2006-P-00007, Dec 16, 2005. Toxaphene in the environment changes, or degrades. The degradation products are different from the original toxaphene in chemical composition and how they appear to testing instruments, so they could go unreported.

  8. Identification of degradation products of ionic liquids in an ultrasound assisted zero-valent iron activated carbon micro-electrolysis system and their degradation mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Haimei; Lv, Ping; Shen, Yuanyuan; Wang, Jianji; Fan, Jing

    2013-06-15

    Ionic liquids (ILs) have potential applications in many areas of chemical industry because of their unique properties. However, it has been shown that the ILs commonly used to date are toxic and not biodegradable in nature, thus development of efficient chemical methods for the degradation of ILs is imperative. In this work, degradation of imidazolium, piperidinium, pyrrolidinium and morpholinium based ILs in an ultrasound and zero-valent iron activated carbon (ZVI/AC) micro-electrolysis system was investigated, and some intermediates generated during the degradation were identified. It was found that more than 90% of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Cnmim]Br, n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) could be degraded within 110 min, and three intermediates 1-alkyl-3-methyl-2,4,5-trioxoimidazolidine, 1-alkyl-3-methylurea and N-alkylformamide were detected. On the other hand, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium bromide ([C4mpip]Br), 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bromide ([C4mpyr]Br) and N-butyl-N-methylmorpholinium bromide ([C4mmor]Br) were also effectively degraded through the sequential oxidization into hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups in different positions of the butyl side chain, and then the N-butyl side chain was broken to form the final products of N-methylpiperidinium, N-methylpyrrolidinium and N-methylmorpholinium, respectively. Based on these intermediate products, degradation pathways of these ILs were suggested. These findings may provide fundamental information on the assessment of the factors related to the environmental fate and environmental behavior of these commonly used ILs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Gamma radiolytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol determination of degraded products with HPLC and GC-MS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butt, S.B.; Masood, M.N.

    2007-01-01

    Contamination by chlorophenols of surface water and groundwater is an emerging issue in environmental science and engineering. After their usage as pesticide, herbicide and disinfectant, these organic compounds subsequently enter the aquatic environment through a number of routes. Some of the chlorophenols are slightly biodegradable, while others are more persistent and mobile in the aquatic environment especially chlorophenols. Gamma radiolytic degradation is one of advance oxidation process that has been thought to be one of the promising treatments to deal with this problem. This radiolytic study was carried out in methanolic 4-CP (4-chlorophenol) samples. Among several factors effecting radiolytic degradation of 4-CP, dose and concentration are important that were evaluated under atmospheric conditions. A degradation yield (G -value) for 4- CP of 0.38 and 1.35 was achieved in 20 and 100 mg/dm/sup 3/ solution. It was observed that degradation yield decreases with increasing 4-CP concentration. Gamma radiolysis produce free radicals in solvent which further react with 4-CP molecules to generate different products. The identification of degradation products was proposed using HPLC and GC-MS. (author)

  10. Antifoam degradation testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lambert, D. P. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Zamecnik, J. R. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Newell, D. D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Williams, M. S. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)

    2015-08-20

    This report describes the results of testing to quantify the degradation products resulting from the dilution and storage of Antifoam 747. Antifoam degradation is of concern to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) due to flammable decomposition products in the vapor phase of the Chemical Process Cell vessels, as well as the collection of flammable and organic species in the offgas condensate. The discovery that hexamethyldisiloxane is formed from the antifoam decomposition was the basis for a Potential Inadequacy in the Safety Analysis declaration by the DWPF.

  11. Formation and degradation pathways of intermediate products formed during the hydropyrolysis of glucose as a model substance for wet biomass in a tubular reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sinag, A. [Department of Chemistry, Science Faculty, Ankara University, 06100 Besevler-Ankara (Turkey); Kruse, A.; Schwarzkopf, V. [Institut fuer Technische Chemie - CPV, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, P.O. Box 3640, D-76021 Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2003-12-10

    In this study, glucose as a model substance for cellulose is pyrolyzed in supercritical water. The experiments are conducted in a continuously operated tubular reactor. From the usage of model substances, key information on the degradation pathway of biomass in supercritical water can be obtained. With this knowledge, it is tried to optimize a new method for gasification of wet biomass considering high yields of hydrogen and methane and also the suppressing of tar and char formation. The gaseous products mainly contain hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and a small amount of carbon monoxide. The effect of experimental conditions, such as pressure, temperature and reaction time, on the degradation of glucose is investigated in the experiments. The qualitative and quantitative composition of the gas and liquid phases formed are determined. The results show that only the amount of phenols increases with increasing temperature in the liquid phase. No complete gasification of glucose is achieved in the studied temperature range between 400 C and 500 C. The addition of alkali salts leads to a higher gas generation and to a decrease in carbon monoxide concentration via water-gas-shift reaction. A lower furfural concentration is obtained in the presence of KHCO{sub 3}. Furthermore, this study shows that there is a wide conformity between the results of real and model biomass. A simplified scheme for glucose degradation is also presented with the help of the results found. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  12. Use of Activated Carbon in Packaging to Attenuate Formaldehyde-Induced and Formic Acid-Induced Degradation and Reduce Gelatin Cross-Linking in Solid Dosage Forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colgan, Stephen T; Zelesky, Todd C; Chen, Raymond; Likar, Michael D; MacDonald, Bruce C; Hawkins, Joel M; Carroll, Sophia C; Johnson, Gail M; Space, J Sean; Jensen, James F; DeMatteo, Vincent A

    2016-07-01

    Formaldehyde and formic acid are reactive impurities found in commonly used excipients and can be responsible for limiting drug product shelf-life. Described here is the use of activated carbon in drug product packaging to attenuate formaldehyde-induced and formic acid-induced drug degradation in tablets and cross-linking in hard gelatin capsules. Several pharmaceutical products with known or potential vulnerabilities to formaldehyde-induced or formic acid-induced degradation or gelatin cross-linking were subjected to accelerated stability challenges in the presence and absence of activated carbon. The effects of time and storage conditions were determined. For all of the products studied, activated carbon attenuated drug degradation or gelatin cross-linking. This novel use of activated carbon in pharmaceutical packaging may be useful for enhancing the chemical stability of drug products or the dissolution stability of gelatin-containing dosage forms and may allow for the 1) extension of a drug product's shelf-life when the limiting attribute is a degradation product induced by a reactive impurity, 2) marketing of a drug product in hotter and more humid climatic zones than currently supported without the use of activated carbon, and 3) enhanced dissolution stability of products that are vulnerable to gelatin cross-linking. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Linear equations on thermal degradation products of wood chips in alkaline glycerol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demirbas, Ayhan

    2004-01-01

    Wood chips of 0.3 and 2 mm depth from poplar and spruce wood samples, respectively, were degraded by using glycerol as a solvent and alkaline glycerol with and without Na 2 CO 3 and NaOH catalysts at different degradation temperatures: 440, 450, 460, 470, 480, 490 and 500 K. By products from the degradation processes of the ligno celluloses include lignin degradation products. Lignin and its degradation products have fuel values. The total degradation degree and cellulose degradation of the wood chips were determined to find the relationship, if any, between the yields of total degradation degree (YTD) and degradation temperature (T). There is a good linear relationship between YTD or the yields of cellulose degradation (YCD) and T (K). For the wood samples, the regression equations from NaOH (10%) catalytic runs for 0.3 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm chip size are: For poplar wood: (YTD=0.7250T-267.507) (YCD=0.1736T-71.707) For spruce wood: (YTD=0.2650T-105.979) (YCD=0.0707T-27.507) For Eqs., the square of the correlation coefficient (r 2 ) were 0.9841, 0.9496, 0.9839 and 0.9447, respectively

  14. By-products formation during degradation of isoproturon in aqueous solution. II: Chlorination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mascolo, G; Lopez, A; James, H; Fielding, M

    2001-05-01

    After a previous study in which the considered oxidant was ozone (Part I), a laboratory investigation has been carried out to study the degradation of the herbicide isoproturon during its reaction with another oxidant, i.e. chlorine, in aqueous solution (Part II; this paper). The specific aim was to identify the by-products formed. The effects of pH and the presence of bromide ions were studied. Reactions have been carried out at room temperature, in phosphate buffered aqueous solutions, at four pHs (6, 7, 8 and 9). By-products identification was first performed using relatively high initial reagent concentrations which were analytically convenient ([isoproturon] = 40 mg/l, [HClO + ClO-] = 160 mg Cl/l, [Br-] = 80 mg/l). In follow-up studies, the by-products identified during this preliminary step were searched for when using concentration values closer to those actually encountered at real water treatment plants ([isoproturon] = 0.4 and 0.004 mg/l, [HClO + ClO-] = 1.6 mg Cl/l, [Br-] = 0.8 and 0.008 mg/l). Under all of the studied conditions, the results showed that isoproturon is completely degraded and that it decays much faster in the presence of bromide. The pH has a negligible influence when bromide ions are absent. On the contrary, if bromide ions are present, the isoproturon decay is slower at higher pH values. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analyses have led to the identification of several by-products as a result of simultaneous oxidation and substitution reactions, both occurring on the aromatic ring of the herbicide. However, the more abundant by-products are those resulting from the oxidation of the isoproturon aromatic ring. As far as halogenated by-products are concerned, the higher the bromide ion concentration the higher the ratio of brominated to chlorinated by-products. On the basis of the analytical results, a pathway for isoproturon degradation under the studied conditions is proposed.

  15. Microbially influenced degradation of cement-solidified low-level radioactive waste forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, R.D.; Hamilton, M.A.; Veeh, R.H.; McConnell, J.W. Jr.

    1996-01-01

    Because of its apparent structural integrity, cement has been widely used in the United States as a binder to solidify Class B and C low-level radioactive waste (LLW). However, the resulting cement preparations are susceptible to failure due to the actions of stress and environment. This paper contains information on three groups of microoganisms that are associated with the degradation of cement materials: sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus), nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter), and heterotrophic bacteria, which produce organic acids. Preliminary work using laboratory- and vendor-manufactured, simulated waste forms exposed to thiobacilli has shown that microbiologically influenced degradation has the potential to severely compromise the structural integrity of ion-exchange resin and evaporator-bottoms waste that is solidified with cement. In addition, it was found that a significant percentage of calcium was leached from the treated waste forms. Also, the surface pH of the treated specimens was decreased to below 2. These conditions apparently contributed to the physical deterioration of simulated waste forms after 30 to 60 days of exposure

  16. Degradation of Histamine by Lactobacillus plantarum Isolated from Miso Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kung, Hsien-Feng; Lee, Yi-Chen; Huang, Ya-Ling; Huang, Yu-Ru; Su, Yi-Cheng; Tsai, Yung-Hsiang

    2017-10-01

    Histamine is a toxic chemical and is the causative agent of food poisoning. This foodborne toxin may be degraded by the oxidative deamination activity of certain microorganisms. In this study, we isolated four histamine-degrading Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria from miso products. Among them, L. plantarum D-103 exhibited 100% degradation of histamine in de Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) broth containing 50 ppm of histamine after 24 h of incubation at 30°C. The optimal growth, histamine oxidase, and histamine-degrading activity of L. plantarum D-103 were observed in histamine MRS broth at pH 7.0, 3% NaCl, and 30°C. It also exhibited tolerance to broad ranges of pH (4 to 10) and salt concentrations (0 to 12%) in histamine MRS broth. Therefore, the histamine-degrading L. plantarum D-103 might be used as an additive culture to prevent histamine accumulation in miso products during fermentation.

  17. The relevance of humus forms for land degradation in Mediterranean mountainous areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevink, J.; Verstraten, J. M.; Jongejans, J.

    1998-06-01

    In the Gavarras (NE Spain), a large number of plots on respective schists, leucogranite and granodiorite was studied for their soils and vegetation. Results were used to check conclusions from earlier studies of Mediterranean forest soils (mostly shallow Regosols and Cambisols) on such acidic to intermediate rocks. They confirmed that the humus form depends on catenary position and lithology, and that aggregate stability and infiltration characteristics of the upper mineral soil horizon relate to humus form type. Aggregate stability of the topsoil was found to be relatively high in mor and mull type humus forms, but differences with moder type humus forms were not statistically significant. Differences in aggregate stability are attributed to the presence of stable humus-clay-iron complexes in mulls and to high fungal activity and organic matter content of mors. Low infiltration rates were only encountered in topsoils with mor type humus form, in line with results from the earlier studies. In deeper soil horizons with low organic matter content, aggregate stability will be largely related to soil reaction and base saturation. On leucogranite and granodiorite, these were found to vary strongly, most probably largely due to local differences in fast acid neutralizing capacity (ANC f). These local differences are primarily attributed to differences in the mineralogical composition and texture of the soil material, connected with differences in lithology and/or brought about by erosion, colluviation and soil formation. Consonant with earlier studies, it is concluded that the susceptibility of these forest soils to erosion largely depends on properties of the upper mineral soil horizon, which are controlled by or related with humus form development. General trends in the latter are clear and can be used to predict this susceptibility. In the case of land degradation, which implies a more severe erosion, deeper soil horizons are also involved. Spatial variability in

  18. Products of aqueous vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) formed by free radical reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schittl, H.; Quint, R.M.; Getoff, N.

    2007-01-01

    The radiolysis of aqueous vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) has been investigated under various experimental conditions. The highest vitamin degradation (G=3.22) was observed in solutions saturated with N 2 O, where 90% OH radicals are operating. As final products, the following were established: aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ammonia. Their yield strongly depends on the presence/absence of air as well as on N 2 O (used to convert e aq - into OH) and was determined as a function of absorbed radiation dose. HPLC-analysis showed that in all media, a main product is formed, having the highest yield in aerated solutions. Based on the chemical analysis, it appears that the OH radicals are most involved in the degradation process. A precise sequence of the reaction steps could not be given presently, because of the implication of many simultaneous reactions

  19. ESI-MSn and LC-ESI-MS studies to characterize forced degradation products of bosentan and a validated stability-indicating LC-UV method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Gulshan; Singh, Ranjit; Saini, Balraj; Bansal, Yogita

    2013-01-01

    The present study reports the characterization of forced degradation products of bosentan and a validated stability-indicating HPLC method for the stability testing of bosentan tablets. The forced degradation was carried out under the conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, dry heat and photolysis. The drug was found unstable in acid, alkali and oxidative media whereas stable to the hydrolysis in water, to dry heat and to photolysis. In total, six degradation products were formed in all conditions which were resolved in a single run on a C-18 column with gradient elution using ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.5, 5.0mM), methanol and acetonitrile. Structures of all the degradation products were characterized through +ESI-MS(n) and LC-ESI-MS spectral data of bosentan as well as LC-ESI-MS spectral data of the products. The products II-VI were characterized as 6-amino-[2,2']bipyrimidinyl-4,5-diol, 6-amino-5-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-[2,2']-bipyrimidinyl-4-ol, 2-[6-amino-5-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-[2,2']-bipyrimidinyl-4-yloxy]-ethanol, 4-tert-butyl-N-[6-(1-methoxyethoxy)-5-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-[2,2']-bipyrimidinyl-4-yl]-benzenesulfonamide and 4-tert-butyl-N-[6-hydroxy-5-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-[2,2']bipyrimidinyl-4-yl]-benzenesulfonamide, respectively. The peak of the product I was found to be due to two secondary degradation products which co-eluted and were characterized as β-hydroxyethyl p-tert-butylphenylsulfonate (Ia) and 2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-phenoxy]-ethanol (Ib). These products were formed due to hydrolysis of sulfonamide and alkylaryl ether and the diaryl ether linkages as well as dehydration of the primary alcohol group. The most probable degradation mechanisms were proposed. The HPLC method was found to be stability-indicating, linear (2-100 μg ml(-1)), accurate, precise, sensitive, specific, rugged and robust for quantitation of the drug. The method was applied to the stability testing of the commercially available bosentan tablets successfully. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All

  20. Degradation of chitosan hydrogel dispersed in dilute carboxylic acids by solution plasma and evaluation of anticancer activity of degraded products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chokradjaroen, Chayanaphat; Rujiravanit, Ratana; Theeramunkong, Sewan; Saito, Nagahiro

    2018-01-01

    Chitosan is a polysaccharide that has been extensively studied in the field of biomedicine, especially its water-soluble degraded products called chitooligosaccharides (COS). In this study, COS were produced by the degradation of chitosan hydrogel dispersed in a dilute solution (i.e., 1.55 mM) of various kinds of carboxylic acids using a non-thermal plasma technology called solution plasma (SP). The degradation rates of chitosan were influenced by the type of carboxylic acids, depending on the interaction between chitosan and each carboxylic acid. After SP treatment, the water-soluble degraded products containing COS could be easily separated from the water-insoluble residue of chitosan hydrogel by centrifugation. The production yields of the COS were mostly higher than 55%. Furthermore, the obtained COS products were evaluated for their inhibitory effect as well as their selectivity against human lung cancer cells (H460) and human lung normal cells (MRC-5).

  1. A Bayesian approach to degradation-based burn-in optimization for display products exhibiting two-phase degradation patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Tao; Bae, Suk Joo; Zhu, Xiaoyan

    2016-01-01

    Motivated by the two-phase degradation phenomena observed in light displays (e.g., plasma display panels (PDPs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs)), this study proposes a new degradation-based burn-in testing plan for display products exhibiting two-phase degradation patterns. The primary focus of the burn-in test in this study is to eliminate the initial rapid degradation phase, while the major purpose of traditional burn-in tests is to detect and eliminate early failures from weak units. A hierarchical Bayesian bi-exponential model is used to capture two-phase degradation patterns of the burn-in population. Mission reliability and total cost are introduced as planning criteria. The proposed burn-in approach accounts for unit-to-unit variability within the burn-in population, and uncertainty concerning the model parameters, mainly in the hierarchical Bayesian framework. Available pre-burn-in data is conveniently incorporated into the burn-in decision-making procedure. A practical example of PDP degradation data is used to illustrate the proposed methodology. The proposed method is compared to other approaches such as the maximum likelihood method or the change-point regression. - Highlights: • We propose a degradation-based burn-in test for products with two-phase degradation. • Mission reliability and total cost are used as planning criteria. • The proposed burn-in approach is built within the hierarchical Bayesian framework. • A practical example was used to illustrate the proposed methodology.

  2. The sources, fate, and toxicity of chemical warfare agent degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munro, N B; Talmage, S S; Griffin, G D; Waters, L C; Watson, A P; King, J F; Hauschild, V

    1999-01-01

    We include in this review an assessment of the formation, environmental fate, and mammalian and ecotoxicity of CW agent degradation products relevant to environmental and occupational health. These parent CW agents include several vesicants: sulfur mustards [undistilled sulfur mustard (H), sulfur mustard (HD), and an HD/agent T mixture (HT)]; nitrogen mustards [ethylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN1), methylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN2), tris(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN3)], and Lewisite; four nerve agents (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (VX), tabun (GA), sarin (GB), and soman (GD)); and the blood agent cyanogen chloride. The degradation processes considered here include hydrolysis, microbial degradation, oxidation, and photolysis. We also briefly address decontamination but not combustion processes. Because CW agents are generally not considered very persistent, certain degradation products of significant persistence, even those that are not particularly toxic, may indicate previous CW agent presence or that degradation has occurred. Of those products for which there are data on both environmental fate and toxicity, only a few are both environmentally persistent and highly toxic. Major degradation products estimated to be of significant persistence (weeks to years) include thiodiglycol for HD; Lewisite oxide for Lewisite; and ethyl methyl phosphonic acid, methyl phosphonic acid, and possibly S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioic acid (EA 2192) for VX. Methyl phosphonic acid is also the ultimate hydrolysis product of both GB and GD. The GB product, isopropyl methylphosphonic acid, and a closely related contaminant of GB, diisopropyl methylphosphonate, are also persistent. Of all of these compounds, only Lewisite oxide and EA 2192 possess high mammalian toxicity. Unlike other CW agents, sulfur mustard agents (e.g., HD) are somewhat persistent; therefore, sites or conditions involving potential HD contamination should include an

  3. Effects of cellulosic degradation products on uranium sorption in the geosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Bond, K.A.; Boult, K.A.; Brownsword, M.; Linklater, C.M.

    1994-01-01

    The current design concept for intermediate- and some low-level radioactive waste disposal in the UK involves emplacement in a cementitious repository deep underground. The movement of radionuclides away from such a repository through the host rock formation towards the biosphere is expected to be retarded to a significant degree by sorption processes. One major issue being studied is the effect on uranium sorption of degradation products arising from organic waste matter, especially cellulosic materials. The sorption of uranium could be reduced by degradation products, either because of complexation, or through the organic materials competing for sorption sites. Because of the complexity of authentic degradation products, work has also been carried out using gluconate and iso-saccharinate as well-characterised simulants. In the presence of high concentrations of either the authentic or simulated degradation products, significant reductions in uranium sorption have been observed. However, in the presence of lower concentrations of these organic materials, such as would be present in the repository, sorption was reduced at most by only a small margin and, in some cases, the results suggested a slight increase. ((orig.))

  4. Effects of cellulosic degradation products on uranium sorption in the geosphere

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baston, G.M.N. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom)); Berry, J.A. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom)); Bond, K.A. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom)); Boult, K.A. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom)); Brownsword, M. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom)); Linklater, C.M. (AEA Technology, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RA (United Kingdom))

    1994-10-01

    The current design concept for intermediate- and some low-level radioactive waste disposal in the UK involves emplacement in a cementitious repository deep underground. The movement of radionuclides away from such a repository through the host rock formation towards the biosphere is expected to be retarded to a significant degree by sorption processes. One major issue being studied is the effect on uranium sorption of degradation products arising from organic waste matter, especially cellulosic materials. The sorption of uranium could be reduced by degradation products, either because of complexation, or through the organic materials competing for sorption sites. Because of the complexity of authentic degradation products, work has also been carried out using gluconate and iso-saccharinate as well-characterised simulants. In the presence of high concentrations of either the authentic or simulated degradation products, significant reductions in uranium sorption have been observed. However, in the presence of lower concentrations of these organic materials, such as would be present in the repository, sorption was reduced at most by only a small margin and, in some cases, the results suggested a slight increase. ((orig.))

  5. ANALYTICAL METHOD DEVELOPMENT FOR ALACHLOR ESA AND OTHER ACETANILIDE HERBICIDE DEGRADATION PRODUCTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    In 1998, USEPA published a Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) of 50 chemicals and 10 microorganisms. "Alachlor ESA and other acetanilide herbicide degradation products" is listed on the the 1998 CCL. Acetanilide degradation products are generally more water soluble...

  6. Derivative spectrophotometry for the determination of faropenem in the presence of degradation products: an application for kinetic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cielecka-Piontek, Judyta

    2013-07-01

    A simple and selective derivative spectrophotometric method was developed for the quantitative determination of faropenem in pure form and in pharmaceutical dosage. The method is based on the zero-crossing effect of first-derivative spectrophotometry (λ = 324 nm), which eliminates the overlapping effect caused by the excipients present in the pharmaceutical preparation, as well as degradation products, formed during hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis, and thermolysis. The method was linear in the concentration range 2.5-300 μg/mL (r = 0.9989) at λ = 341 nm; the limits of detection and quantitation were 0.16 and 0.46 μg/mL, respectively. The method had good precision (relative standard deviation from 0.68 to 2.13%). Recovery of faropenem ranged from 97.9 to 101.3%. The first-order rate constants of the degradation of faropenem in pure form and in pharmaceutical dosage were determined by using first-derivative spectrophotometry. A statistical comparison of the validation results and the observed rate constants for faropenem degradation with these obtained with the high-performance liquid chromatography method demonstrated that both were compatible.

  7. Products of aqueous vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) formed by free radical reactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schittl, H. [Section of Radiation Biology, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, UZA II, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Quint, R.M. [Section of Radiation Biology, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, UZA II, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Getoff, N. [Section of Radiation Biology, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, UZA II, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)]. E-mail: nikola.getoff@univie.ac.at

    2007-10-15

    The radiolysis of aqueous vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) has been investigated under various experimental conditions. The highest vitamin degradation (G=3.22) was observed in solutions saturated with N{sub 2}O, where 90% OH radicals are operating. As final products, the following were established: aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ammonia. Their yield strongly depends on the presence/absence of air as well as on N{sub 2}O (used to convert e{sub aq} {sup -} into OH) and was determined as a function of absorbed radiation dose. HPLC-analysis showed that in all media, a main product is formed, having the highest yield in aerated solutions. Based on the chemical analysis, it appears that the OH radicals are most involved in the degradation process. A precise sequence of the reaction steps could not be given presently, because of the implication of many simultaneous reactions.

  8. On-Site Enzyme Production by Trichoderma asperellum for the Degradation of Duckweed

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bech, Lasse; Herbst, Florian-Alexander; Grell, Morten Nedergaard

    2015-01-01

    The on-site production of cell wall degrading enzymes is an important strategy for the development of sustainable bio-refinery processes. This study concerns the optimization of production of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes produced by Trichoderma asperellum. A comparative secretome analysis...

  9. Development and application of a validated stability-indicating HPLC method for simultaneous determination of granisetron hydrochloride, benzyl alcohol and their main degradation products in parenteral dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewala, Ismail; El-Fatatre, Hamed; Emam, Ehab; Mubrouk, Mokhtar

    2010-06-30

    A simple, rapid and sensitive reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method using photodiode array detection was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of granisetron hydrochloride, benzyl alcohol, 1-methyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxylic acid (the main degradation product of granisetron) and benzaldehyde (the main degradation product of benzyl alcohol) in granisetron injections. The separation was achieved on Hypersil BDS C8 (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm particle diameter) column using a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile:0.05 M KH(2)PO(4):triethylamine (22:100:0.15) adjusted to pH 4.8. The column was maintained at 25 degrees C and 20 microL of solutions was injected. Photodiode array detector was used to test the peak purity and the chromatograms were extracted at 210 nm. Naphazoline hydrochloride was used as internal standard. The method was validated with respect to specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of quantitation and limit of detection. The validation acceptance criteria were met in all cases. Identification of the pure peaks was carried out using library match programmer and wavelengths of derivative optima of the spectrograms of the peaks. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the investigated drugs and their degradation products in different batches of granisetron injections. The method was proved to be sensitive for the determination down to 0.03 and 0.01% of granisetron degradation product and benzaldehyde, respectively, which are far below the compendia limits for testing these degradation products in their corresponding intact drugs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline by Ti-MCM-41 prepared at room temperature and biotoxicity of degradation products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Kefu; Xie, Xiao-Dan; Chang, Chang-Tang

    2017-09-01

    Ti-doped MCM-41 with different Si/Ti molar ratios was prepared at room temperature to degrade tetracycline antibiotics in aqueous solution. The Ti was doped into the skeleton structure of MCM-41. The photocatalytic activity of Ti-doped MCM-41 was investigated. The optimal catalyst had Si/Ti molar ratio of 25 and over 99% removal of oxytetracycline in 150 min, and the removal could maintain 98% after 5 reuses. Ions and soluble organic matters in natural water affected the degradation reaction when Ti-doped MCM-41 was used to treat simulated wastewater of chicken farms. The degradation products of oxytetracycline, tetracycline and chlortetracycline were detected by Escherichia coli DH5α and HPLC-MS/MS. No intermediate product with higher toxicity was detected.

  11. Tool degradation during sheet metal forming of three stainless steel alloys

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wadman, Boel; Nielsen, Peter Søe; Wiklund, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate if changes in tool design and tool surface preparation are needed when low-Ni stainless steels are used instead of austenitic stainless steels, the effect on tool degradation in the form of galling was investigated with three different types of stainless steel. The resistance to tool ...

  12. RP-HPLC assay method development for Paracetamol and Lornoxicam in combination and characterization of oxidative degradation products of Lornoxicam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jain Pritam S.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A simple, specific, accurate and precise reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of Paracetamol and Lornoxicam from tablets and to characterize degradation products of Lornoxicam by reverse phase C18 column (Inertsil ODS 3V C-18, 250 x 4.6 mm, 5 μ. The sample was analyzed using Buffer (0.02504 Molar: Methanol in the ratio of 45:55, as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and detection at 290 nm. The retention time for Paracetamol and Lornoxicam was found to be 2.45 and 9.40 min respectively. The method can be used for estimation of combination of these drugs in tablets. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines. The linearity of developed method was achieved in the range of 249.09 - 747.29 μg/mL (r2=0.9999 for Paracetamol and 4.0125 - 12.0375 μg/mL (r2=0.9999 for Lornoxicam. Recoveries from tablets were between 98 and 102%. The method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, robustness and forced degradation studies which further proved the stability-indicating power. During the forced degradation studies lornoxicam was observed to be labile to alkaline hydrolytic stress and oxidative stress (in the solution form. However, it was stable to the acid hydrolytic, photolytic and thermal stress (in both solid and solution form. The degraded products formed were investigated by electrospray ionization (ESI time-of-flight mass spectrometry, NMR and IR spectroscopy. A possible degradation pathway was outlined based on the results. The method was found to be sensitive with a detection limit of 0.193 μg/ml, 2.768 μg/ml and a quantitation limit of 0.638 μg/ml, 9.137 μg/ml for lornoxicam and paracetamol, respectively. Due to these attributes, the proposed method could be used for routine quality control analysis of these drugs in combined dosage forms.

  13. Reliability demonstration methodology for products with Gamma Process by optimal accelerated degradation testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Chunhua; Lu, Xiang; Tan, Yuanyuan; Wang, Yashun

    2015-01-01

    For products with high reliability and long lifetime, accelerated degradation testing (ADT) may be adopted during product development phase to verify whether its reliability satisfies the predetermined level within feasible test duration. The actual degradation from engineering is usually a strictly monotonic process, such as fatigue crack growth, wear, and erosion. However, the method for reliability demonstration by ADT with monotonic degradation process has not been investigated so far. This paper proposes a reliability demonstration methodology by ADT for this kind of product. We first apply Gamma process to describe the monotonic degradation. Next, we present a reliability demonstration method by converting the required reliability level into allowable cumulative degradation in ADT and comparing the actual accumulative degradation with the allowable level. Further, we suggest an analytical optimal ADT design method for more efficient reliability demonstration by minimizing the asymptotic variance of decision variable in reliability demonstration under the constraints of sample size, test duration, test cost, and predetermined decision risks. The method is validated and illustrated with example on reliability demonstration of alloy product, and is applied to demonstrate the wear reliability within long service duration of spherical plain bearing in the end. - Highlights: • We present a reliability demonstration method by ADT for products with monotonic degradation process, which may be applied to verify reliability with long service life for products with monotonic degradation process within feasible test duration. • We suggest an analytical optimal ADT design method for more efficient reliability demonstration, which differs from the existed optimal ADT design for more accurate reliability estimation by different objective function and different constraints. • The methods are applied to demonstrate the wear reliability within long service duration of

  14. Degradation products of irradiated haloperidol: implications for the development of an implantible delivery system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Booker, J

    1988-01-01

    Haloperidol was chosen as a model compound to determine whether the degradation products created by sterilizing dose of gamma radiation would contaminate an implantible delivery device and be hazardous to the health of the person using it. Acrolein, chlorobenzene, and several other products were identified among the degradation products. They were quantitated and evaluated as being potentially dangerous. It is recommended that the development protocol for a radiation-sterilized, implantible drug include the identification and evaluation of the degradation products.

  15. Degradation products of irradiated haloperidol: implications for the development of an implantible delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Booker, J.

    1988-01-01

    Haloperidol was chosen as a model compound to determine whether the degradation products created by sterilizing dose of gamma radiation would contaminate an implantible delivery device and be hazardous to the health of the person using it. Acrolein, chlorobenzene, and several other products were identified among the degradation products. They were quantitated and evaluated as being potentially dangerous. It is recommended that the development protocol for a radiation-sterilized, implantible drug include the identification and evaluation of the degradation products. (author)

  16. TBP degradation products. Separation and gas-chromatographic determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuada, T.A.; Alem, C.M.; Matsuda, H.T.; Araujo, B.F. de; Araujo, J.A de.

    1991-11-01

    A separation method for di butylphosphate, mono butylphosphate and phosphoric acid as degradation products in organic and aqueous streams of the process containing variable amounts of actinides and fission products is described. The products were separated by extraction and after methylation the final determination was carried out by gas chromatography. TPP was used as internal standard and 5 to 500 mg/L concentration range was determined with 1 to 10% deviation depending on the concentration of organo phosphates. (author)

  17. Microbial degradation of coconut coir dust for biomass production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uyenco, F.R.; Ochoa, J.A.K.

    Several species of white-rot fungi were studied for its ability to degrade the lignocellulose components of coir dust at optimum conditions. The most effective fungi was Phanerochaeta chrysosporium UPCC 4003. This organism degraded the lignocellulose complex of coir dust at a rate of about 25 percent in 4 weeks. The degradation process was carried on with minimal nitrogen concentration, coconut water supplementation and moisture levels between 85-90 percent. Shake flask cultures of the degraded coir dust using cellulolytic fungi were not effective. In fermentor cultures with Chaetomium cellulolyticum UPCC 3934, supplemented coir dust was converted into a microbial biomass product (MBP) with 15.58 percent lignin, 19.20 percent cellulose and 18.87 percent protein. More work is being done on the utilization of coir dust on a low technology.

  18. Degradation product characterization of therapeutic oligonucleotides using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elzahar, N M; Magdy, N; El-Kosasy, Amira M; Bartlett, Michael G

    2018-05-01

    Synthetic antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (PS) have undergone rapid development as novel therapeutic agents. The increasing significance of this class of drugs requires significant investment in the development of quality control methods. The determination of the many degradation pathways of such complex molecules presents a significant challenge. However, an understanding of the potential impurities that may arise is necessary to continue to advance these powerful new therapeutics. In this study, four different antisense oligonucleotides representing several generations of oligonucleotide therapeutic agents were evaluated under various stress conditions (pH, thermal, and oxidative stress) using ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (IP-RPLC-MS/MS) to provide in-depth characterization and identification of the degradation products. The oligonucleotide samples were stressed under different pH values at 45 and 90 °C. The main degradation products were observed to be losses of nucleotide moieties from the 3'- and 5'-terminus, depurination, formation of terminal phosphorothioates, and production of ribose, ribophosphorothioates (Rp), and phosphoribophosphorothioates (pRp). Moreover, the effects of different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were studied resulting in primarily extensive desulfurization and subsequent oxidation of the phosphorothioate linkage to produce the corresponding phosphodiester. The reaction kinetics for the degradation of the oligonucleotides under the different stress conditions were studied and were found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Differences in rates exist even for oligonucleotides of similar length but consisting of different sequences. Graphical abstract Identification of degradation products across several generations of oligonucleotide therapeutics using LC-MS.

  19. Enhancing wastewater degradation and biogas production by intermittent operation of UASB reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nadais, Helena; Barbosa, Marta; Capela, Isabel; Arroja, Luis; Ramos, Christian G.; Grilo, Andre; Sousa, Silvia A.; Leitao, Jorge H.

    2011-01-01

    The present work establishes intermittent operation of UASB reactors as a novel form of enhancing the anaerobic degradation of complex wastewaters and its conversion to usable biogas. Results show that the average methane production rate is 25% higher with the intermittent operation than with the continuous mode, meaning that it could produce 25% more electricity or heat. The methanization efficiency obtained in intermittent UASB reactors is around 20% higher than in the continuous systems, confirming a higher biological degradation of the substrates. It has been suggested that intermittent operation causes a forced adaptation of the biomass towards the degradation of complex substrates and results from morphological analyses of the biomass developed in intermittent and continuous UASB reactors showed marked differences between them. In order to gain a deeper knowledge on how microbial populations are affected by these operational parameters, a strategy involving the amplification, cloning, and analysis of the nucleotide sequences of genes encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA was undertaken and is described in this work. This strategy allowed the identification of a total of 49 different sequences. Results from the molecular characterization of the microbial populations are consistent with the higher methanization efficiency of the intermittent mode of operation.

  20. A Structure Identification and Toxicity Assessment of the Degradation Products of Aflatoxin B₁ in Peanut Oil under UV Irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Jin; He, Bing; Zhang, Liangxiao; Li, Peiwu; Zhang, Qi; Ding, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Wen

    2016-11-12

    Aflatoxins, a group of extremely hazardous compounds because of their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity to human and animals, are commonly found in many tropical and subtropical regions. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is proven to be an effective method to reduce or detoxify aflatoxins. However, the degradation products of aflatoxins under UV irradiation and their safety or toxicity have not been clear in practical production such as edible oil industry. In this study, the degradation products of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) in peanut oil were analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Thermo Quadrupole Exactive Focus mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQEF-MS/MS). The high-resolution mass spectra reflected that two main products were formed after the modification of a double bond in the terminal furan ring and the fracture of the lactone ring, while the small molecules especially nitrogen-containing compound may have participated in the photochemical reaction. According to the above results, the possible photodegradation pathway of AFB₁ in peanut oil is proposed. Moreover, the human embryo hepatocytes viability assay indicated that the cell toxicity of degradation products after UV irradiation was much lower than that of AFB₁, which could be attributed to the breakage of toxicological sites. These findings can provide new information for metabolic pathways and the hazard assessment of AFB₁ using UV detoxification.

  1. Transformation efficiency and formation of transformation products during photochemical degradation of TCE and PCE at micromolar concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobaradaran, Sina; Lutze, Holger; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Schmidt, Torsten C

    2014-01-08

    Trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene are the most common pollutants in groundwater and two of the priority pollutants listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In previous studies on TCE and PCE photolysis and photochemical degradation, concentration ranges exceeding environmental levels by far with millimolar concentrations of TCE and PCE have been used, and it is not clear if the obtained results can be used to explain the degradation of these contaminants at more realistic environmental concentration levels. Experiments with micromolar concentrations of TCE and PCE in aqueous solution using direct photolysis and UV/H2O2 have been conducted and product formation as well as transformation efficiency have been investigated. SPME/GC/MS, HPLC/UV and ion chromatography with conductivity detection have been used to determine intermediates of degradation. The results showed that chloride was a major end product in both TCE and PCE photodegradation. Several intermediates such as formic acid, dichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetaldehyede, chloroform, formaldehyde and glyoxylic acid were formed during both, UV and UV/H2O2 treatment of TCE. However chloroacetaldehyde and chloroacetic acid were only detected during direct UV photolysis of TCE and oxalic acid was only formed during the UV/H2O2 process. For PCE photodegradation, formic acid, di- and trichloroacetic acids were detected in both UV and UV/H2O2 systems, but formaldehyde and glyoxylic acid were only detected during direct UV photolysis. For water treatment UV/H2O2 seems to be favorable over direct UV photolysis because of its higher degradation efficiency and lower risk for the formation of harmful intermediates.

  2. Identification and ecotoxicity of degradation products of chloroacetamide herbicides from UV-treatment of water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Souissi, Yasmine; Bouchonnet, Stéphane; Bourcier, Sophie

    2013-01-01

    The widespread occurrence of chlorinated herbicides and their degradation products in the aquatic environment raises health and environmental concerns. As a consequence pesticides, and to a lesser degree their degradation products, are monitored by authorities both in surface waters and drinking...... waters. In this study the formation of degradation products from ultraviolet (UV) treatment of the three chloroacetamide herbicides acetochlor, alachlor and metolachlor and their biological effects were investigated. UV treatment is mainly used for disinfection in water and wastewater treatments. First...

  3. Enrofloxacin degradation in broiler chicken manure under various laboratory conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slana, Marko; Sollner-Dolenc, Marija

    2016-03-01

    The rate of degradation of enrofloxacin in broiler chicken manure has been characterized in the laboratory according to the CVMP guideline on determining the fate of veterinary medicinal products in manure. Degradation was followed in a flow-through system under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, in the dark and in the presence of light. The rate of degradation of enrofloxacin and the formation of its degradation products are dependent on laboratory conditions. A rapid degradation of enrofloxacin in the dark was noticed, where a shorter degradation half-life under aerobic (DT50 = 59.1 days), comparing to anaerobic conditions (DT50 = 88.9 days), was determined. The presence of light slowed down the enrofloxacin degradation half-life, which was significantly shorter under aerobic (DT50 = 115.0 days), comparing to anaerobic conditions (DT50 = 190.8 days). Desethylene-enrofoxacin was the only degradation product formed, its concentrations ranged from 2.5 to 14.9 %. The concentration of the degradation product was approximately 2.5-fold higher under aerobic conditions. Enrofloxacin degradation in sterile manure incubated under sterile conditions was marginal comparing to non-sterile conditions; after 120 days of incubation, approximately 80 % of enrofloxacin was still present in manure and only 1 % of desethylene-enrofloxacin was formed. The present work demonstrates that enrofloxacin degradation in chicken manure is relatively fast when incubated in the dark under aerobic conditions which is the recommended incubation system for chicken manure according to CVMP guideline.

  4. Chitin Degradation Proteins Produced by the Marine Bacterium Vibrio harveyi Growing on Different Forms of Chitin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svitil, A L; Chadhain, S; Moore, J A; Kirchman, D L

    1997-02-01

    Relatively little is known about the number, diversity, and function of chitinases produced by bacteria, even though chitin is one of the most abundant polymers in nature. Because of the importance of chitin, especially in marine environments, we examined chitin-degrading proteins in the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi. This bacterium had a higher growth rate and more chitinase activity when grown on (beta)-chitin (isolated from squid pen) than on (alpha)-chitin (isolated from snow crab), probably because of the more open structure of (beta)-chitin. When exposed to different types of chitin, V. harveyi excreted several chitin-degrading proteins into the culture media. Some chitinases were present with all of the tested chitins, while others were unique to a particular chitin. We cloned and identified six separate chitinase genes from V. harveyi. These chitinases appear to be unique based on DNA restriction patterns, immunological data, and enzyme activity. This marine bacterium and probably others appear to synthesize separate chitinases for efficient utilization of different forms of chitin and chitin by-products.

  5. Identification of thermal degradation products of polymers by capillary gas chromatography

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pacakova, V.; Borecka, M.; Leclercq, P.A.; Kaiser, R.E.

    1981-01-01

    Samples of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and five styrene copolymers were thermally degraded in a quartz tubular reactor at 5100e in an inert atmosphere. The degradation products were separated on-line on capillary coltmlS coated with squalane, OV-17 and SE-30 as stationary phases. The

  6. Organochlorine Pesticides and Degradation Products in Soil around ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The levels and compositions of organochlorine pesticides and degradation products in soil samples collected from a former formulation plant in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania, were determined. Extraction was performed by pressurized fluid extraction using n-hexane:acetone (75:25) mixture. Clean-up of extracts was ...

  7. Dependence of transformation product formation on pH during photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salma, Alaa; Thoröe-Boveleth, Sven; Schmidt, Torsten C.; Tuerk, Jochen

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Identification of transformation products using an isotopically labeled surrogate. • 4 of 18 detected transformation products have been identified for the first time. • Revision of 2 molecular structures of previously reported transformation products. • PH dependence of photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin. - Abstract: Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with five pH dependent species in aqueous medium, which makes its degradation behavior difficult to predict. For the identification of transformation products and prediction of degradation mechanisms, a new experimental concept making use of isotopically labeled compounds together with high resolution mass spectrometry was successfully established. The utilization of deuterated ciprofloxacin (CIP-d8) facilitated the prediction of three different degradation pathways and the corresponding degradation products, four of which were identified for the first time. Moreover, two molecular structures of previously reported transformation products were revised according to the mass spectra and product ion spectra of the deuterated transformation products. Altogether, 18 transformation products have been identified during the photolytic and photocatalytic reactions at different pH values (3, 5, 7 and 9). In this work the influence of pH on both reaction kinetics and degradation mechanism was investigated for direct ultraviolet photolysis (UV-C irradiation) and photocatalysis (TiO_2/UV-C). It could be shown that the removal rates strongly depended on pH with highest removal rates at pH 9. A comparison with those at pH 3 clearly indicated that under acidic conditions ciprofloxacin cannot be easily excited by UV irradiation. We could confirm that the first reaction step for both oxidative treatment processes is mainly defluorination, followed by degradation at the piperazine ring of CIP.

  8. Dependence of transformation product formation on pH during photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salma, Alaa [Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Straße 58-60, 47229 Duisburg (Germany); Thoröe-Boveleth, Sven [University Hospital Aachen, Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen (Germany); Schmidt, Torsten C. [University Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Chemistry, Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen (Germany); Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, 45141 Essen (Germany); Tuerk, Jochen, E-mail: tuerk@iuta.de [Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Straße 58-60, 47229 Duisburg (Germany); Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, 45141 Essen (Germany)

    2016-08-05

    Highlights: • Identification of transformation products using an isotopically labeled surrogate. • 4 of 18 detected transformation products have been identified for the first time. • Revision of 2 molecular structures of previously reported transformation products. • PH dependence of photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin. - Abstract: Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with five pH dependent species in aqueous medium, which makes its degradation behavior difficult to predict. For the identification of transformation products and prediction of degradation mechanisms, a new experimental concept making use of isotopically labeled compounds together with high resolution mass spectrometry was successfully established. The utilization of deuterated ciprofloxacin (CIP-d8) facilitated the prediction of three different degradation pathways and the corresponding degradation products, four of which were identified for the first time. Moreover, two molecular structures of previously reported transformation products were revised according to the mass spectra and product ion spectra of the deuterated transformation products. Altogether, 18 transformation products have been identified during the photolytic and photocatalytic reactions at different pH values (3, 5, 7 and 9). In this work the influence of pH on both reaction kinetics and degradation mechanism was investigated for direct ultraviolet photolysis (UV-C irradiation) and photocatalysis (TiO{sub 2}/UV-C). It could be shown that the removal rates strongly depended on pH with highest removal rates at pH 9. A comparison with those at pH 3 clearly indicated that under acidic conditions ciprofloxacin cannot be easily excited by UV irradiation. We could confirm that the first reaction step for both oxidative treatment processes is mainly defluorination, followed by degradation at the piperazine ring of CIP.

  9. Relationship between gas production and starch degradation in feed samples

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chai, W.Z.; Gelder, van A.H.; Cone, J.W.

    2004-01-01

    An investigation was completed of the possibilities to estimate starch fermentation in rumen fluid using the gas production technique by incubating the total sample. Gas production from six starchy feed ingredients and eight maize silage samples were recorded and related to starch degradation

  10. Phototransformation of amlodipine: degradation kinetics and identification of its photoproducts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Jakimska

    Full Text Available Nowadays, monitoring focuses on the primary compounds and does not include degradation products formed during various biological and chemical processes. Transformation products may have the same effects to human health and the environment or sometimes they can be more toxic than the parent compound. Unfortunately, knowledge about the formation of degradation products is still limited, however, can be very important for the environmental risk assessment. Firstly, the photodegradation kinetic of amlodipine was investigated in two experimental conditions: during the exposure to solar radiation and during the exposure to the light emitted by the xenon lamp. In all cases degradation of amlodipine followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. In the next step, identification of transformation products of amlodipine formed during the exposure to xenon lamp irradiation was performed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS. As a result sixteen photoproducts were identified, their structures were elucidated and ultimately the transformation pathway was proposed. Fifteen compounds (out of 16 photoproducts were newly identified and reported here for the first time; some of those compounds were formed from the first photoproduct, amlodipine pyridine derivative. Several analytes were formed only in acidic or basic conditions. Furthermore, the occurrence of amlodipine and its identified degradation products was investigated in environmental waters. Only one out of 16 compounds was found in wastewater effluent. The possibility of the sorption of examined analytes to sewage sludge particles was discussed based on QSAR.

  11. Conversion of waste polystyrene through catalytic degradation into valuable products

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shah, Jasmin; Jan, Muhammad Rasul; Adnan [University of Peshawar, Peshawar (Pakistan)

    2014-08-15

    Waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) represents a source of valuable chemical products like styrene and other aromatics. The catalytic degradation was carried out in a batch reactor with a mixture of polystyrene (PS) and catalyst at 450 .deg. C for 30 min in case of Mg and at 400 .deg. C for 2 h both for MgO and MgCO{sub 3} catalysts. At optimum degradation conditions, EPS was degraded into 82.20±3.80 wt%, 91.60±0.20 wt% and 81.80±0.53 wt% liquid with Mg, MgO and MgCO{sub 3} catalysts, respectively. The liquid products obtained were separated into different fractions by fractional distillation. The liquid fractions obtained with three catalysts were compared, and characterized using GC-MS. Maximum conversion of EPS into styrene monomer (66.6 wt%) was achieved with Mg catalyst, and an increase in selectivity of compounds was also observed. The major fraction at 145 .deg. C showed the properties of styrene monomer. The results showed that among the catalysts used, Mg was found to be the most effective catalyst for selective conversion into styrene monomer as value added product.

  12. Production of rhamnolipids and diesel oil degradation by bacteria isolated from soil contaminated by petroleum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leite, Giuseppe G F; Figueirôa, Juciane V; Almeida, Thiago C M; Valões, Jaqueline L; Marques, Walber F; Duarte, Maria D D C; Gorlach-Lira, Krystyna

    2016-03-01

    Biosurfactants are microbial secondary metabolites. The most studied are rhamnolipids, which decrease the surface tension and have emulsifying capacity. In this study, the production of biosurfactants, with emphasis on rhamnolipids, and diesel oil degradation by 18 strains of bacteria isolated from waste landfill soil contaminated by petroleum was analyzed. Among the studied bacteria, gram-positive endospore forming rods (39%), gram positive rods without endospores (17%), and gram-negative rods (44%) were found. The following methods were used to test for biosurfactant production: oil spreading, emulsification, and hemolytic activity. All strains showed the ability to disperse the diesel oil, while 77% and 44% of the strains showed hemolysis and emulsification of diesel oil, respectively. Rhamnolipids production was observed in four strains that were classified on the basis of the 16S rRNA sequences as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only those strains showed the rhlAB gene involved in rhamnolipids synthesis, and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Erwinia carotovora, and Ralstonia solanacearum. The highest production of rhamnolipids was 565.7 mg/L observed in mineral medium containing olive oil (pH 8). With regard to the capacity to degrade diesel oil, it was observed that 7 strains were positive in reduction of the dye 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (2,6-DCPIP) while 16 had the gene alkane mono-oxygenase (alkB), and the producers of rhamnolipids were positive in both tests. Several bacterial strains have shown high potential to be explored further for bioremediation purposes due to their simultaneous ability to emulsify, disperse, and degrade diesel oil. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:262-270, 2016. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  13. Multifaceted metabolomics approaches for characterization of lignocellulosic biomass degradation products formed during ammonia fiber expansion pretreatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vismeh, Ramin

    Lignocellulosic biomass represents a rather unused resource for production of biofuels, and it offers an alternative to food sources including corn starch. However, structural and compositional impediments limit the digestibility of sugar polymers in biomass cell walls. Thermochemical pretreatments improve accessibility of cellulose and hemicellulose to hydrolytic enzymes. However, most pretreatment methods generate compounds that either inhibit enzymatic hydrolysis or exhibit toxicity to fermentive microorganisms. Characterization and quantification of these products are essential for understanding chemistry of the pretreatment and optimizing the process efficiency to achieve higher ethanol yields. Identification of oligosaccharides released during pretreatment is also critical for choosing hydrolases necessary for cost-effective hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose to fermentable monomeric sugars. Two chapters in this dissertation describe new mass spectrometry-based strategies for characterization and quantification of products that are formed during ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment of corn stover. Comparison of Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) profiles of AFEX-treated corn stover (AFEXTCS) and untreated corn stover (UTCS) extract shows that ammonolysis of lignin carbohydrate ester linkages generates a suite of nitrogenous compounds that are present only in the AFEXTCS extract and represent a loss of ammonia during processing. Several of these products including acetamide, feruloyl, coumaroyl and diferuloyl amides were characterized and quantified in the AFEXTCS extracts. The total amount of characterized and uncharacterized phenolic amides measured 17.4 mg/g AFEXTCS. Maillard reaction products including pyrazines and imidazoles were also identified and measured in the AFEXTCS extract totaling almost 1 mg/g AFEXTCS. The total of quantified nitrogenous products that are formed during AFEX was 43.4 mg/g AFEXTCS which was equivalent

  14. Degradation of cellulosic materials under the alkaline conditions of a cementitious repository for low- and intermediate level radioactive waste. Pt. III. Effect of degradation products on the sorption of radionuclides on feldspar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loon, L.R. van; Glaus, M.A.; Laube, A.; Stallone, S.

    1999-01-01

    The effect of degradation products of different cellulosic materials on the sorption behaviour of Th(IV), Eu(III) and Ni(II) on feldspar at pH 13.3 was studied. For all three metals, a decrease in sorption could be observed with increasing concentration of organics in solution. For Th(IV), α-ISA is the effective ligand present in the solutions of degraded cellulose, independent on the type of cellulose studied. For Eu(III), α-ISA is the effective ligand in the case of pure cellulose degradation. In the case of other cellulosic materials, unknown ligands cause the sorption reduction. For Ni(II), also unknown ligands cause sorption reduction, independent on the type of cellulose studied. These unknown ligands are not formed during alkaline degradation of cellulose, but are present as impurities in certain cellulosic materials. (orig.)

  15. ST2 suppresses IL-6 production via the inhibition of IκB degradation induced by the LPS signal in THP-1 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takezako, Naoki; Hayakawa, Morisada; Hayakawa, Hiroko; Aoki, Shinsuke; Yanagisawa, Ken; Endo, Hitoshi; Tominaga, Shin-ichi

    2006-01-01

    LPS induces the production of inflammatory cytokines via the stimulation of Toll-like receptors. In this study, we demonstrated that a soluble secreted form of the ST2 gene product (ST2), a member of the interleukin-1 receptor family, suppressed the production of IL-6 in an LPS-stimulated human monocytic leukemia cell line, THP-1. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy revealed the binding of ST2 to the surface of the THP-1 cells, in which ST2 led to decreased binding of nuclear factor-κB to the IL-6 promoter. Furthermore, the degradation of IκB in the cytoplasm after LPS stimulation was reduced by pretreatment with ST2. These results demonstrated that ST2 negatively regulates LPS-induced IL-6 production via the inhibition of IκB degradation in THP-1 cells

  16. Spectroscopic evidence for intermediate species formed during aniline polymerization and polyaniline degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Planes, G A; Rodríguez, J L; Miras, M C; García, G; Pastor, E; Barbero, C A

    2010-09-21

    Spectroscopic methods are used to investigate the formation of low molecular mass intermediates during aniline (ANI) oxidation and polyaniline (PANI) degradation. Studying ANI anodic oxidation by in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) it is possible to obtain, for the first time, spectroscopic evidence for ANI dimers produced by head-to-tail (4-aminodiphenylamine, 4ADA) and tail-to-tail (benzidine, BZ) coupling of ANI cation radicals. The 4ADA dimer is adsorbed on the electrode surface during polymerization, as proved by cyclic voltammetry of thin PANI films and its infrared spectrum. This method also allows, with the help of computational simulations, to assign characteristic vibration frequencies for the different oxidation states of PANI. The presence of 4ADA retained inside thin polymer layers is established too. On the other hand, FTIRS demonstrates that the electrochemically promoted degradation of PANI renders p-benzoquinone as its main product. This compound, retained inside the film, is apparent in the cyclic voltammogram in the same potential region previously observed for 4ADA dimer. Therefore, applying in situ FTIRS is possible to distinguish between different chemical species (4ADA or p-benzoquinone) which give rise to voltammetric peaks in the same potential region. Indophenol and CO(2) are also detected by FTIRS during ANI oxidation and polymer degradation. The formation of CO(2) during degradation is confirmed by differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence of the oxidation of a conducting polymer to CO(2) by electrochemical means. The relevance of the production of different intermediate species towards PANI fabrication and applications is discussed.

  17. Analysis of deltamethrin's degradation products by irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Ling; Huang Min; Chen Chun; Lei Qing; Du Xiaoying; Xie Yan; Wang Yan; Gao Peng; He Jiang

    2012-01-01

    Deltamethrin were dissolved in ethanol and water; acetone and water; dimethylsulfoxide and water, irradiating these liquors by 60 Co-γ under the dose of 5∼50 kGy. The irradiation system were analyzed by GC/MS, result shows: there were some differences under different irradiation doses; the main degradation products are: α-cyano-3-phenoxy benzyl alcohol, 3-Phenoxybenzaldehyde, 3-Phenoxybenzacetonitrile and bromomethane. (authors)

  18. Treatment of low level radioactive liquid waste containing appreciable concentration of TBP degraded products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valsala, T P; Sonavane, M S; Kore, S G; Sonar, N L; De, Vaishali; Raghavendra, Y; Chattopadyaya, S; Dani, U; Kulkarni, Y; Changrani, R D

    2011-11-30

    The acidic and alkaline low level radioactive liquid waste (LLW) generated during the concentration of high level radioactive liquid waste (HLW) prior to vitrification and ion exchange treatment of intermediate level radioactive liquid waste (ILW), respectively are decontaminated by chemical co-precipitation before discharge to the environment. LLW stream generated from the ion exchange treatment of ILW contained high concentrations of carbonates, tributyl phosphate (TBP) degraded products and problematic radio nuclides like (106)Ru and (99)Tc. Presence of TBP degraded products was interfering with the co-precipitation process. In view of this a modified chemical treatment scheme was formulated for the treatment of this waste stream. By mixing the acidic LLW and alkaline LLW, the carbonates in the alkaline LLW were destroyed and the TBP degraded products got separated as a layer at the top of the vessel. By making use of the modified co-precipitation process the effluent stream (1-2 μCi/L) became dischargeable to the environment after appropriate dilution. Based on the lab scale studies about 250 m(3) of LLW was treated in the plant. The higher activity of the TBP degraded products separated was due to short lived (90)Y isotope. The cement waste product prepared using the TBP degraded product was having good chemical durability and compressive strength. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Phosphorus, carbon- and nitrogen interactions in productive and degraded tropical pastures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberson, A.; Hegglin, D. D.; Nesper, M.; Rao, I.; Fonte, S.; Ramirez, B.; Velasquez, J.; Tamburini, F.; Bünemann, E. K.; Frossard, E.

    2011-12-01

    Pastures are the main land use in deforested areas of tropical South America. The highly weathered soils of these regions usually have low total and available phosphorus (P) contents. Low P availability can strongly limit plant and animal productivity and other soil ecosystem functions. Most introduced pastures of Brachiaria spp. are grass-alone (GA) while some are grass-legume (GL) pastures. The majority of the introduced pastures, particularly the grass-alone are at some state of degradation (GD). Pasture degradation induces severe loss of plant biomass production, with drastic ecological and economic implications. Although the importance of P deficiency in pasture degradation has been recognized, the knowledge generated on stoichiometry of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and P along pathways of the nutrient cycles of pastures, with different botanical composition and productivity, has been very limited. We will present results of a case study realized during 2010 to 2011 in the forest margins agro-ecosystem of the department of Caquetá, Colombia. Our objectives were to determine: i) whether P availability is lower in degraded compared to productive pastures, and ii) whether the introduction of legumes in the pasture increases P availability through enhanced biological P cycling through plant growth, plant litter decomposition and the soil microbial biomass; and iii) whether pasture types (GA vs GL) and the state of pasture degradation affect the C:N:P ratios in nutrient pools of the soil-plant system. An on-farm study was conducted on nine farms in the department of Caquetá, Colombia. On every farm three different pasture types were studied: degraded grass alone pastures (GD), productive grass-alone pastures (GA) and productive grass-legume pastures (GL). Basic soil characteristics and indicators on soil P status, microbial P cycling, plant biomass production, plant litter deposition and nutrient concentrations in plant tissue were determined. Analysis of P, C and N

  20. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of insulin degradation products from a cultured kidney cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duckworth, W.C.; Hamel, F.G.; Liepnieks, J.; Frank, B.H.; Yagil, C.; Rabkin, R.

    1988-01-01

    The kidney is a major site for insulin removal and degradation, but the subcellular processes and enzymes involved have not been established. We have examined this process by analyzing insulin degradation products by HPLC. Monoiodoinsulin specifically labeled on either the A14 or B26 tyrosine residue was incubated with a cultured kidney epithelial cell line, and both intracellular and extracellular products were examined on HPLC. The products were then compared with products of known structure generated by hepatocytes and the enzyme insulin protease. Intracellular and extracellular products were different, suggesting two different degradative pathways, as previously shown in liver. The extracellular degradation products eluted from HPLC both before and after sulfitolysis similarly with hepatocyte products and products generated by insulin protease. The intracellular products also eluted identically with hepatocyte products. Based on comparisons with identified products, the kidney cell generates two fragments from the A chain of intact insulin, one with a cleavage at A13-A14 and the other at A14-A15. The B chain of intact insulin is cleaved in a number of different sites, resulting in peptides that elute identically with B chain peptides cleaved at B9-B10, B13-B14, B16-B17, B24-B25, and B25-B26. These similarities with hepatocytes and insulin protease suggest that liver and kidney have similar mechanisms for insulin degradation and that insulin protease or a very similar enzyme is involved in both tissues

  1. Stability-indicating methods for the determination of racecadotril in the presence of its degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Afaf O; Fouad, Manal M; Hasan, Mona M; Abdel Razeq, Sawsan A; Elsherif, Zeinab A

    2009-12-01

    Three stability-indicating methods were developed for the determination of racecadotril (RCT) in the presence of its alkaline degradation products. The first was an HPLC method in which efficient chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 analytical column and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-methanol-water-acetic acid (52:28:20:0.1, v/v/v/v). Linearity was obtained in the range of 4-40 microg/mL with mean accuracy of 99.5 +/- 0.88%. The second method was a densitometric evaluation of thin-layer chromatograms of the drug using a mobile phase of isopropanol-ammonia (33%)-n-hexane (9:0.5:20, v/v/v). The chromatograms were scanned at 232 nm, a wavelength at which RCT can be readily separated from its degradation products and determined in the range of 2-20 microg per spot with mean accuracy of 99.5 +/- 0.56%. The third method is based on the use of first-derivative spectrophotometry (D1) at 240 nm, and the drug was determined in the range of 5-40 microg/mL with mean accuracy of 99.2 +/- 1.02%. The three methods provided satisfactory recovery of the intact drug (100.8 +/- 0.82, 100.4 +/- 0.55, and 99.9 +/- 0.72%, respectively) in the presence of up to 90% of its degradation products. Determination was also successful when analyzing RCT in a formulation in the form of acetorphan packets. Results were statistically analyzed and found to be in accordance with those given by a reported method.

  2. Analysis of neem oils by LC-MS and degradation kinetics of azadirachtin-A in a controlled environment. Characterization of degradation products by HPLC-MS-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrek, Sami; Paisse, Olivier; Grenier-Loustalot, Marie-Florence

    2004-02-01

    different conditions of pH and temperature. The data show that at room temperature and pH between 4 and 5 the product degrades into two preferential forms that are hydrolyzed to a single product over time and as a function of pH change.

  3. Investigation of degradation products of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in the aquatic environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bijlsma, Lubertus; Boix, Clara; Niessen, Wilfried M.A.; Ibáñez, María; Sancho, Juan V.; Hernández, Félix

    2013-01-01

    In this work, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QTOF MS) has allowed the discovery and elucidation of degradation products of cocaine and its main metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE) in water. Spiked surface water was subjected to hydrolysis, chlorination and photo-degradation (both ultraviolet irradiation and simulated sunlight). After degradation of cocaine, up to sixteen compounds were detected and tentatively identified (1 resulting from hydrolysis; 8 from chlorination; 7 from photo-degradation), three of which are well known cocaine metabolites (BE, norbenzoylecgonine and norcocaine). Regarding BE degradation, up to ten compounds were found (3 from chlorination; 7 from photo-degradation), including one known metabolite (norbenzoylecgonine). Since reference standards were available for the major metabolites, they could be confirmed using information on retention time and fragment ions. The other degradates resulted from chlorination, dealkylation, hydroxylation and nitration, or from a combination of these processes. Several influent and effluent sewage water, and surface water samples were then screened for the identified compounds (known and unknown) using UHPLC–tandem MS with triple quadrupole. BE, norcocaine and norbenzoylecgonine were identified in these samples as major metabolites. Four previously unreported degradates were also found in some of the samples under study, illustrating the usefulness and applicability of the degradation experiments performed in this work. Highlights: ► Cocaine and benzoylecgonine degradation/transformation products investigated in water ► Hydrolysis, chlorination and photo degradation studied under laboratory conditions ► Several TPs discovered and tentatively elucidated by high resolution MS ► Structures of non-previously reported TPs have been suggested. ► Several reported/known TPs but also new TPs were found in sewage and surface

  4. Investigation of degradation products of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in the aquatic environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bijlsma, Lubertus; Boix, Clara [Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, E-12071 Castellón (Spain); Niessen, Wilfried M.A. [hyphen MassSpec, Leiden (Netherlands); Ibáñez, María; Sancho, Juan V. [Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, E-12071 Castellón (Spain); Hernández, Félix, E-mail: felix.hernandez@uji.es [Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, E-12071 Castellón (Spain)

    2013-01-15

    In this work, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QTOF MS) has allowed the discovery and elucidation of degradation products of cocaine and its main metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE) in water. Spiked surface water was subjected to hydrolysis, chlorination and photo-degradation (both ultraviolet irradiation and simulated sunlight). After degradation of cocaine, up to sixteen compounds were detected and tentatively identified (1 resulting from hydrolysis; 8 from chlorination; 7 from photo-degradation), three of which are well known cocaine metabolites (BE, norbenzoylecgonine and norcocaine). Regarding BE degradation, up to ten compounds were found (3 from chlorination; 7 from photo-degradation), including one known metabolite (norbenzoylecgonine). Since reference standards were available for the major metabolites, they could be confirmed using information on retention time and fragment ions. The other degradates resulted from chlorination, dealkylation, hydroxylation and nitration, or from a combination of these processes. Several influent and effluent sewage water, and surface water samples were then screened for the identified compounds (known and unknown) using UHPLC–tandem MS with triple quadrupole. BE, norcocaine and norbenzoylecgonine were identified in these samples as major metabolites. Four previously unreported degradates were also found in some of the samples under study, illustrating the usefulness and applicability of the degradation experiments performed in this work. Highlights: ► Cocaine and benzoylecgonine degradation/transformation products investigated in water ► Hydrolysis, chlorination and photo degradation studied under laboratory conditions ► Several TPs discovered and tentatively elucidated by high resolution MS ► Structures of non-previously reported TPs have been suggested. ► Several reported/known TPs but also new TPs were found in sewage and surface

  5. Degradation of sec-hexylbenzene and its metabolites by a biofilm-forming yeast Trichosporon asahii B1 isolated from oil-contaminated sediments in Quangninh coastal zone, Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nhi-Cong, Le Thi; Mai, Cung Thi Ngoc; Minh, Nghiem Ngoc; Ha, Hoang Phuong; Lien, Do Thi; Tuan, Do Van; Quyen, Dong Van; Ike, Michihiko; Uyen, Do Thi To

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on the ability of yeast Trichosporon asahii B1 biofilm-associated cells, compared with that of planktonic cells, to transform sec-hexylbenzene and its metabolites. This B1 strain was isolated from a petroleum-polluted sediment collected in the QuangNinh coastal zones in Vietnam, and it can transform the branched aromatic hydrocarbons into a type of forming biofilm (pellicle) more efficiency than that the planktonic forms can. In the biofilm cultivation, seven metabolites, including acetophenone, benzoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, β-methylcinnamic acid, 2-phenylpropionic acid, 3-phenylbutyric acid, and 5-phenylhexanoic acid were extracted by ethyl acetate and analyzed by HPLC and GC-MS. In contrast, in the planktonic cultivation, only three of these intermediates were found. An individual metabolite was independently used as an initial substrate to prove its degradation by biofilm and planktonic types. The degradation of these products indicated that their inoculation with B1 biofilms was indeed higher than that observed in their inoculation with B1 planktonic cells. This is the first report on the degradation of sec-hexylbenzene and its metabolites by a biofilm-forming Trichosporon asahii strain. These results enhance our understanding of the degradation of branched-side-chain alkylbenzenes by T. asahii B1 biofilms and give a new insight into the potential role of biofilms formed by such species in the bioremediation of other recalcitrant aromatic compounds.

  6. Immobilization of fission products in phosphate ceramic waste forms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, D.; Wagh, A. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

    1997-10-01

    Chemically bonded phosphate ceramics (CBPCs) have several advantages that make them ideal candidates for containing radioactive and hazardous wastes. In general, phosphates have high solid-solution capacities for incorporating radionuclides, as evidenced by several phosphates (e.g., monazites and apatites) that are natural analogs of radioactive and rare-earth elements. The phosphates have high radiation stability, are refractory, and will not degrade in the presence of internal heating by fission products. Dense and hard CBPCs can be fabricated inexpensively and at low temperature by acid-base reactions between an inorganic oxide/hydroxide powder and either phosphoric acid or an acid-phosphate solution. The resulting phosphates are extremely insoluble in aqueous media and have excellent long-term durability. CBPCs offer the dual stabilization mechanisms of chemical fixation and physical encapsulation, resulting in superior waste forms. The goal of this task is develop and demonstrate the feasibility of CBPCs for S/S of wastes containing fission products. The focus of this work is to develop a low-temperature CBPC immobilization system for eluted {sup 99}Tc wastes from sorption processes.

  7. Chemical and photochemical degradation of chlorantraniliprole and characterization of its transformation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavtižar, Vesna; van Gestel, Cornelis A M; Dolenc, Darko; Trebše, Polonca

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed at assessing the photodegradation of the insecticide chlorantraniliprole (CAP) in deionized water and in tap water amended with humic acids and nitrate. Photolysis was carried out under simulated solar or UV-A light. CAP (39 μM) photodegradation was slightly faster in tap water than in deionized water with half lives of 4.1 and 5.1 days, respectively. Photodegradation rate of CAP was hardly affected by humic acids (up to 100 mg L(-1)) and nitrate. Photodegradation pattern was different in slightly acidic (pH=6.1) deionized water compared to basic (pH=8.0) tap water. Four main degradation products have been isolated and characterized spectroscopically, and crystal structure was recorded for the first two photodegradation products. CAP also degraded in the dark controls, but only at basic pH (23% loss at pH 8.0 in tap water after 6 days), resulting in the formation of one single degradation product. Our study shows that the degradation of chlorantraniliprole in water is a combination of chemical and photochemical reactions, which are highly dependent on the pH of the solution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Degradation of diclofenac by UV-activated persulfate process: Kinetic studies, degradation pathways and toxicity assessments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xian; Shao, Yisheng; Gao, Naiyun; Chen, Juxiang; Zhang, Yansen; Xiang, Huiming; Guo, Youluo

    2017-07-01

    Diclofenac (DCF) is the frequently detected non-steroidal pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. In this study, the degradation of DCF was evaluated by UV-254nm activated persulfate (UV/PS). The degradation of DCF followed the pseudo first-order kinetics pattern. The degradation rate constant (k obs ) was accelerated by UV/PS compared to UV alone and PS alone. Increasing the initial PS dosage or solution pH significantly enhanced the degradation efficiency. Presence of various natural water constituents had different effects on DCF degradation, with an enhancement or inhibition in the presence of inorganic anions (HCO 3 - or Cl - ) and a significant inhibition in the presence of NOM. In addition, preliminary degradation mechanisms and major products were elucidated using LC-MS/MS. Hydroxylation, decarbonylation, ring-opening and cyclation reaction involving the attack of SO 4 • - or other substances, were the main degradation mechanism. TOC analyzer and Microtox bioassay were employed to evaluate the mineralization and cytotoxicity of solutions treated by UV/PS at different times, respectively. Limited elimination of TOC (32%) was observed during the mineralization of DCF. More toxic degradation products and their related intermediate species were formed, and the UV/PS process was suitable for removing the toxicity. Of note, longer degradation time may be considered for the final toxicity removal. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. A Study of Method Development, Validation, and Forced Degradation for Simultaneous Quantification of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form by RP-HPLC Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Sarowar Jahan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A rapid and stability-indicating reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC method was developed for simultaneous quantification of paracetamol and ibuprofen in their combined dosage form especially to get some more advantages over other methods already developed for this combination. The method was validated according to United States Pharmacopeia (USP guideline with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity, linearity, solution stability, robustness, sensitivity, and system suitability. Forced degradation study was validated according to International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH. For this, an isocratic condition of mobile phase comprising phosphate buffer (pH 6.8 and acetonitrile in a ratio of 65:35, v/v at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/minute over RP C18 (octadecylsilane (ODS, 150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm, Phenomenex Inc. column at ambient temperature was maintained. The method showed excellent linear response with correlation coefficient ( R 2 values of 0.999 and 1.0 for paracetamol and ibuprofen respectively, which were within the limit of correlation coefficient ( R 2 > 0.995. The percent recoveries for two drugs were found within the acceptance limit of (97.0-103.0%. Intra-and inter-day precision studies of the new method were less than the maximum allowable limit percentage of relative standard deviation (%RSD ≤ 2.0. Forced degradation of the drug product was carried out as per the ICH guidelines with a view to establishing the stability-indicating property of this method and providing useful information about the degradation pathways, degradation products, and how the quality of a drug substance and drug product changes with time under the influence of various stressing conditions. The degradation of ibuprofen was within the limit (5-20%, according to the guideline of ICH, while paracetamol showed <20% degradation in oxidation and basic condition.

  10. A Study of Method Development, Validation, and Forced Degradation for Simultaneous Quantification of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form by RP-HPLC Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahan, Md Sarowar; Islam, Md Jahirul; Begum, Rehana; Kayesh, Ruhul; Rahman, Asma

    2014-01-01

    A rapid and stability-indicating reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous quantification of paracetamol and ibuprofen in their combined dosage form especially to get some more advantages over other methods already developed for this combination. The method was validated according to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) guideline with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity, linearity, solution stability, robustness, sensitivity, and system suitability. Forced degradation study was validated according to International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH). For this, an isocratic condition of mobile phase comprising phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) and acetonitrile in a ratio of 65:35, v/v at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/minute over RP C18 (octadecylsilane (ODS), 150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm, Phenomenex Inc.) column at ambient temperature was maintained. The method showed excellent linear response with correlation coefficient (R (2)) values of 0.999 and 1.0 for paracetamol and ibuprofen respectively, which were within the limit of correlation coefficient (R (2) > 0.995). The percent recoveries for two drugs were found within the acceptance limit of (97.0-103.0%). Intra-and inter-day precision studies of the new method were less than the maximum allowable limit percentage of relative standard deviation (%RSD) ≤ 2.0. Forced degradation of the drug product was carried out as per the ICH guidelines with a view to establishing the stability-indicating property of this method and providing useful information about the degradation pathways, degradation products, and how the quality of a drug substance and drug product changes with time under the influence of various stressing conditions. The degradation of ibuprofen was within the limit (5-20%, according to the guideline of ICH), while paracetamol showed degradation in oxidation and basic condition.

  11. Production of xylan-degrading enzymes by a Trichoderma harzianum strain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cacais André O.Guerreiro

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Trichoderma harzianum strain 4 produced extracellular xylan-degrading enzymes, namely beta-xylanase, beta-xylosidase and alpha-arabinofuranosidase, when grown in liquid medium cultures containing oat spelt xylan as inducer. Cellulase activity was not detected. The pattern of xylan-degrading enzymes induction was influenced by the form of xylan present in the medium. They were detected in different incubation periods. Electrophoretic separation of the proteins from liquid culture filtrates by SDS-PAGE showed a variety of bands with high and low molecular weights.

  12. Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Mikael Rørdam; Giese, Malene; de Vries, Ronald P.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required....... For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential...... of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. Results: Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list...

  13. Degradation of the pharmaceuticals diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole and their transformation products under controlled environmental conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poirier-Larabie, S.; Segura, P.A.; Gagnon, C.

    2016-01-01

    Contamination of the aquatic environment by pharmaceuticals via urban effluents is well known. Several classes of drugs have been identified in waterways surrounding these effluents in the last 15 years. To better understand the fate of pharmaceuticals in ecosystems, degradation processes need to be investigated and transformation products must be identified. Thus, this study presents the first comparative study between three different natural environmental conditions: photolysis and biodegradation in aerobic and anaerobic conditions both in the dark of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole, two common drugs present in significant amounts in impacted surface waters. Results indicated that degradation kinetics differed depending on the process and the type of drug and the observed transformation products also differed among these exposure conditions. Diclofenac was nearly degraded by photolysis after 4 days, while its concentration only decreased by 42% after 57 days of exposure to bacteria in aerobic media and barely 1% in anaerobic media. For sulfamethoxazole, 84% of the initial concentration was still present after 11 days of exposure to light, while biodegradation decreased its concentration by 33% after 58 days of exposure under aerobic conditions and 5% after 70 days of anaerobic exposure. In addition, several transformation products were observed and persisted over time while others degraded in turn. For diclofenac, chlorine atoms were lost primarily in the photolysis, while a redox reaction was promoted by biodegradation under aerobic conditions. For sulfamethoxazole, isomerization was favored by photolysis while a redox reaction was also favored by the biodegradation under aerobic conditions. To summarize this study points out the occurrence of different transformation products under variable degradation conditions and demonstrates that specific functional groups are involved in the tested natural attenuation processes. Given the complexity of environmental

  14. Degradation of the pharmaceuticals diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole and their transformation products under controlled environmental conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poirier-Larabie, S. [Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Water Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2E7 (Canada); Segura, P.A. [Department of Chemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1 (Canada); Gagnon, C., E-mail: christian.gagnon@canada.ca [Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Water Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2E7 (Canada)

    2016-07-01

    Contamination of the aquatic environment by pharmaceuticals via urban effluents is well known. Several classes of drugs have been identified in waterways surrounding these effluents in the last 15 years. To better understand the fate of pharmaceuticals in ecosystems, degradation processes need to be investigated and transformation products must be identified. Thus, this study presents the first comparative study between three different natural environmental conditions: photolysis and biodegradation in aerobic and anaerobic conditions both in the dark of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole, two common drugs present in significant amounts in impacted surface waters. Results indicated that degradation kinetics differed depending on the process and the type of drug and the observed transformation products also differed among these exposure conditions. Diclofenac was nearly degraded by photolysis after 4 days, while its concentration only decreased by 42% after 57 days of exposure to bacteria in aerobic media and barely 1% in anaerobic media. For sulfamethoxazole, 84% of the initial concentration was still present after 11 days of exposure to light, while biodegradation decreased its concentration by 33% after 58 days of exposure under aerobic conditions and 5% after 70 days of anaerobic exposure. In addition, several transformation products were observed and persisted over time while others degraded in turn. For diclofenac, chlorine atoms were lost primarily in the photolysis, while a redox reaction was promoted by biodegradation under aerobic conditions. For sulfamethoxazole, isomerization was favored by photolysis while a redox reaction was also favored by the biodegradation under aerobic conditions. To summarize this study points out the occurrence of different transformation products under variable degradation conditions and demonstrates that specific functional groups are involved in the tested natural attenuation processes. Given the complexity of environmental

  15. The Impact of Charcoal Production on Forest Degradation: a Case Study in Tete, Mozambique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedano, F.; Silva. J. A.; Machoco, R.; Meque, C. H.; Sitoe, A.; Ribeiro, N.; Anderson, K.; Ombe, Z. A.; Baule, S. H.; Tucker, C. J.

    2016-01-01

    Charcoal production for urban energy consumption is a main driver of forest degradation in sub-Saharan Africa. Urban growth projections for the continent suggest that the relevance of this process will increase in the coming decades. Forest degradation associated to charcoal production is difficult to monitor and commonly overlooked and underrepresented in forest cover change and carbon emission estimates. We use a multi-temporal dataset of very high-resolution remote sensing images to map kiln locations in a representative study area of tropical woodlands in central Mozambique. The resulting maps provided a characterization of the spatial extent and temporal dynamics of charcoal production. Using an indirect approach we combine kiln maps and field information on charcoal making to describe the magnitude and intensity of forest degradation linked to charcoal production, including aboveground biomass and carbon emissions. Our findings reveal that forest degradation associated to charcoal production in the study area is largely independent from deforestation driven by agricultural expansion and that its impact on forest cover change is in the same order of magnitude as deforestation. Our work illustrates the feasibility of using estimates of urban charcoal consumption to establish a link between urban energy demands and forest degradation. This kind of approach has potential to reduce uncertainties in forest cover change and carbon emission assessments in sub-Saharan Africa.

  16. A Structure Identification and Toxicity Assessment of the Degradation Products of Aflatoxin B1 in Peanut Oil under UV Irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Mao

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Aflatoxins, a group of extremely hazardous compounds because of their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity to human and animals, are commonly found in many tropical and subtropical regions. Ultraviolet (UV irradiation is proven to be an effective method to reduce or detoxify aflatoxins. However, the degradation products of aflatoxins under UV irradiation and their safety or toxicity have not been clear in practical production such as edible oil industry. In this study, the degradation products of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 in peanut oil were analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Thermo Quadrupole Exactive Focus mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQEF-MS/MS. The high-resolution mass spectra reflected that two main products were formed after the modification of a double bond in the terminal furan ring and the fracture of the lactone ring, while the small molecules especially nitrogen-containing compound may have participated in the photochemical reaction. According to the above results, the possible photodegradation pathway of AFB1 in peanut oil is proposed. Moreover, the human embryo hepatocytes viability assay indicated that the cell toxicity of degradation products after UV irradiation was much lower than that of AFB1, which could be attributed to the breakage of toxicological sites. These findings can provide new information for metabolic pathways and the hazard assessment of AFB1 using UV detoxification.

  17. A Structure Identification and Toxicity Assessment of the Degradation Products of Aflatoxin B1 in Peanut Oil under UV Irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Jin; He, Bing; Zhang, Liangxiao; Li, Peiwu; Zhang, Qi; Ding, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Wen

    2016-01-01

    Aflatoxins, a group of extremely hazardous compounds because of their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity to human and animals, are commonly found in many tropical and subtropical regions. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is proven to be an effective method to reduce or detoxify aflatoxins. However, the degradation products of aflatoxins under UV irradiation and their safety or toxicity have not been clear in practical production such as edible oil industry. In this study, the degradation products of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in peanut oil were analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Thermo Quadrupole Exactive Focus mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQEF-MS/MS). The high-resolution mass spectra reflected that two main products were formed after the modification of a double bond in the terminal furan ring and the fracture of the lactone ring, while the small molecules especially nitrogen-containing compound may have participated in the photochemical reaction. According to the above results, the possible photodegradation pathway of AFB1 in peanut oil is proposed. Moreover, the human embryo hepatocytes viability assay indicated that the cell toxicity of degradation products after UV irradiation was much lower than that of AFB1, which could be attributed to the breakage of toxicological sites. These findings can provide new information for metabolic pathways and the hazard assessment of AFB1 using UV detoxification. PMID:27845743

  18. Diesel degradation and biosurfactant production by Gram-positive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The ability of Gram-positive bacteria to degrade diesel increased in a comparable trend as its biosurfactant production increased. The E24 index was highest at 87.6% for isolate D9. Isolates D2, D9 and D10, were identified as Paenibacillus sp. whilst isolate DJLB was found to belong to Stenotrophomonas sp. This study ...

  19. Degradation of triketone herbicides, mesotrione and sulcotrione, using advanced oxidation processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jović, Milica; Manojlović, Dragan; Stanković, Dalibor; Dojčinović, Biljana; Obradović, Bratislav; Gašić, Uroš; Roglić, Goran

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Thirteen products are identified during all degradations for both pesticides. • In all degradations same products and mechanism was observed for both pesticides. • Dominant mechanism for all degradations starts with attack on the carbonyl group. • Only in ozone and DBD degradation one product is formed in radical reaction. • Only in Fenton degradation opening of benzene ring occurs. -- Abstract: Degradation of two triketone herbicides, mesotrione and sulcotrione, was studied using four different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs): ozonization, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD reactor), photocatalysis and Fenton reagent, in order to find differences in mechanism of degradation. Degradation products were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC–DAD) and UHPLC–Orbitrap–MS analyses. A simple mechanism of degradation for different AOP was proposed. Thirteen products were identified during all degradations for both pesticides. It was assumed that the oxidation mechanisms in the all four technologies were not based only on the production and use of the hydroxyl radical, but they also included other kinds of oxidation mechanisms specific for each technology. Similarity was observed between degradation mechanism of ozonation and DBD. The greatest difference in the products was found in Fenton degradation which included the opening of benzene ring. When degraded with same AOP pesticides gave at the end of treatment the same products. Global toxicity and COD value of samples was determined after all degradations. Real water sample was used to study influence of organic matter on pesticide degradation. These results could lead to accurate estimates of the overall effects of triketone herbicides on environmental ecosystems and also contributed to the development of improved removal processes

  20. Quantitative analysis of Loperamide hydrochloride in the presence its acid degradation products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Savić Ivana M.

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to develop a new RP-HPLC method for the determination of loperamide hydrochloride in the presence of its acid degradation products. Separation of loperamide from degradation products was performed using ZORBAX Eclipse XDB C-18, column with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% sodium-octansulphonate, 0.05% triethylamine, 0.1% ammonium hydroxide in water:acetonitrile (45:55 v/v. The mobile phase was adjusted to pH 3.2 with phosphoric acid. The method showed high sensitivity with good linearity over the concentration range of 10 to 100 μg cm-3. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of a pharmaceutical formulation (Loperamide, Zdravlje-Actavis, Serbia containing loperamide hydrochloride with excellent recovery. The loperamide hydrochloride degradation during acid hydrolysis and kinetics investigation was carried out in hydrochloric acid solutions of 0.1, 1.0 and 1.5 mol dm-3, at different temperatures (25 and 40°C, by monitoring the parent compound itself. The first order reaction of loperamide degradation in acid solution was determined. The activation energy was estimated from the Arrhenius plot and it was found to be 38.81 kJ mol-1 at 40°C. The developed procedure was successfully applied for the rapid determination of loperamide hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulation (Loperamide, Zdravlje-Actavis, Serbia and in the presence of its acid degradation products.

  1. The degradation of lining of rotary furnaces in the production of zinc oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natália Luptáková

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper is closely connected with the complex problem of degradation relating to the refractories of rotary furnace linings in the production of zinc oxide. Zinc oxide can be produced by variety of ways, but the most common method of production which is used in Europe is indirect, i.e. pyrolytic combustion of zinc. This method is also called "French process" of manufacturing ZnO. But this mentioned method of preparation leads to the creation of the enormous amount of zinc slag including chemical complexes of elements Fe, Zn and Al. The mechanism of degradation of the lining leads to slag rests and it is closely connected with the mutual interaction of the aggressive agents with the components of the lining. This process creates a new undesired surface layer which increased the overall thickness of zinc slag. Stuck slag has the influence on rapid degradation of the linings and moreover it also decreases the production quality of ZnO. Analysis results introduced in this paper are significant information for minimizing of degradation of rotary furnaces.  

  2. Novel chromatographic separation and carbon solid-phase extraction of acetanilide herbicide degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoemaker, Jody A

    2002-01-01

    One acetamide and 5 acetanilide herbicides are currently registered for use in the United States. Over the past several years, ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) and oxanilic acid (OA) degradation products of these acetanilide/acetamide herbicides have been found in U.S. ground waters and surface waters. Alachlor ESA and other acetanilide degradation products are listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 1998 Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List. Consequently, EPA is interested in obtaining national occurrence data for these contaminants in drinking water. EPA currently does not have a method for determining these acetanilide degradation products in drinking water; therefore, a research method is being developed using liquid chromatography/negative ion electrospray/mass spectrometry with solid-phase extraction (SPE). A novel chromatographic separation of the acetochlor/alachlor ESA and OA structural isomers was developed which uses an ammonium acetate-methanol gradient combined with heating the analytical column to 70 degrees C. Twelve acetanilide degradates were extracted by SPE from 100 mL water samples using carbon cartridges with mean recoveries >90% and relative standard deviations < or =16%.

  3. UPLC and LC-MS studies on degradation behavior of irinotecan hydrochloride and development of a validated stability-indicating ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of irinotecan hydrochloride and its impurities in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Navneet; Sangeetha, Dhanaraj; Reddy, Sunil P

    2012-10-01

    The objective of the current investigation was to study the degradation behavior of irinotecan hydrochloride under different International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) recommended stress conditions using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and to establish a validated stability-indicating reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of irinotecan hydrochloride and its seven impurities and degradation products in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Irinotecan hydrochloride was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. Irinotecan hydrochloride was found to degrade significantly in oxidative and base hydrolysis and photolytic degradation conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from the main peak and its impurities, thus proving the stability-indicating power of the method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters Acquity BEH C8 (100 × 2.1 mm) 1.7-µm column with a mobile phase containing a gradient mixture of solvent A (0.02M KH(2)PO(4) buffer, pH 3.4) and solvent B (a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol in the ratio of 62:38 v/v). The mobile phase was delivered at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min with ultraviolet detection at 220 nm. The run time was 8 min, within which irinotecan and its seven impurities and degradation products were satisfactorily separated. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and robustness. This method was also suitable for the assay determination of irinotecan hydrochloride in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

  4. Chromatographic determination of itopride hydrochloride in the presence of its degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaul, Neeraj; Agrawal, Himani; Maske, Pravin; Rao, Janhavi Ramchandra; Mahadik, Kakasaheb Ramoo; Kadam, Shivajirao S

    2005-08-01

    Two sensitive and reproducible methods are described for the quantitative determination of itopride hydrochloride (IH) in the presence of its degradation products. The first method is based on HPLC separation on a reversed phase Kromasil column [C18 (5-microm, 25 cm x 4.6 mm, ID)] at ambient temperature using a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (70:30, v/v) adjusted to pH 4.0 with orthophosphoric acid with UV detection at 258 nm. The flow rate was 1.0 mL per min with an average operating pressure of 180 kg/cm2. The second method is based on HPTLC separation on silica gel 60 F254 using toluene:methanol:chloroform:10% ammonia (5.0:3.0:6.0:0.1, v/v/v/v) as mobile phase at 270 nm. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's t-test were applied to correlate the results of IH determination in dosage form by means of HPLC and HPTLC methods. The drug was subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation, dry heat, wet heat treatment, UV, and photodegradation. The proposed HPLC method was utilized to investigate the kinetics of the acidic, alkaline, and oxidative degradation processes at different temperatures and the apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant, half-life, and activation energy were calculated. In addition the pH-rate profile of degradation of IH in constant ionic strength buffer solutions in the pH range 2-11 was studied.

  5. Elucidation of oxidation and degradation products of oxygen containing fuel components by combined use of a stable isotopic tracer and mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frauscher, Marcella; Besser, Charlotte; Allmaier, Günter; Dörr, Nicole

    2017-11-15

    In order to reveal the degradation products of oxygen-containing fuel components, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, a novel approach was developed to characterize the oxidation behaviour. Combination of artificial alteration under pressurized oxygen atmosphere, a stable isotopic tracer, and gas chromatography electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) was used to obtain detailed information on the formation of oxidation products of (9Z), (12Z)-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester (C18:2 ME). Thereby, biodiesel simulating model compound C18:2 ME was oxidized in a rotating pressurized vessel standardized for lubricant oxidation tests (RPVOT), i.e., artificially altered, under 16 O 2 as well as 18 O 2 atmosphere. Identification of the formed degradation products, mainly carboxylic acids of various chain lengths, alcohols, ketones, and esters, was performed by means of GC-EI-MS. Comparison of mass spectra of compounds under both atmospheres revealed not only the degree of oxidation and the origin of oxygen atoms, but also the sites of oxidative attack and bond cleavage. Hence, the developed and outlined strategy based on a gas-phase stable isotopic tracer and mass spectrometry provides insight into the degradation of oxygen-containing fuels and fuel components by means of the accurate differentiation of oxygen origin in a degradation product. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Halotolerance, ligninase production and herbicide degradation ability of basidiomycetes strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.L. Arakaki

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Fungi have been recently recognized as organisms able to grow in presence of high salt concentration with halophilic and halotolerance properties and their ligninolytic enzyme complex have an unspecific action enabling their use to degradation of a number of xenobiotic compounds. In this work, both the effect of salt and polyols on growth of the basidiomycetes strains, on their ability to produce ligninolytic enzyme and diuron degradation were evaluated. Results showed that the presence of NaCl in the culture medium affected fungal specimens in different ways. Seven out of ten tested strains had growth inhibited by salt while Dacryopinax elegans SXS323, Polyporus sp MCA128 and Datronia stereoides MCA167 fungi exhibited higher biomass production in medium containing 0.5 and 0.6 mol.L-1 of NaCl, suggesting to be halotolerant. Polyols such as glycerol and mannitol added into the culture media improved the biomass and ligninases production by D. elegans but the fungus did not reveal consumption of these polyols from media. This fungus degraded diuron in medium control, in presence of NaCl as well as polyols, produced MnP, LiP and laccase.

  7. Halotolerance, ligninase production and herbicide degradation ability of basidiomycetes strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arakaki, R L; Monteiro, D A; Boscolo, M; Dasilva, R; Gomes, E

    2013-12-01

    Fungi have been recently recognized as organisms able to grow in presence of high salt concentration with halophilic and halotolerance properties and their ligninolytic enzyme complex have an unspecific action enabling their use to degradation of a number of xenobiotic compounds. In this work, both the effect of salt and polyols on growth of the basidiomycetes strains, on their ability to produce ligninolytic enzyme and diuron degradation were evaluated. Results showed that the presence of NaCl in the culture medium affected fungal specimens in different ways. Seven out of ten tested strains had growth inhibited by salt while Dacryopinax elegans SXS323, Polyporus sp MCA128 and Datronia stereoides MCA167 fungi exhibited higher biomass production in medium containing 0.5 and 0.6 mol.L(-1) of NaCl, suggesting to be halotolerant. Polyols such as glycerol and mannitol added into the culture media improved the biomass and ligninases production by D. elegans but the fungus did not reveal consumption of these polyols from media. This fungus degraded diuron in medium control, in presence of NaCl as well as polyols, produced MnP, LiP and laccase.

  8. Determination of membrane degradation products in the product water of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zedda, Marco

    2011-05-12

    The predominant long term failure of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM) is caused by hydroxyl radicals generated during fuel cell operation. These radicals attack the polymer, leading to chain scission, unzipping and consequently to membrane decomposition products. The present work has investigated decomposition products of novel sulfonated aromatic hydrocarbon membranes on the basis of a product water analysis. Degradation products from the investigated membrane type and the possibility to detect these compounds in the product water for diagnostic purposes have not been discovered yet. This thesis demonstrates the potential of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS) for the extraction, separation, characterization, identification and quantification of membrane degradation products in the product water of fuel cells. For this purpose, several polar aromatic hydrocarbons with different functional groups were selected as model compounds for the development of reliable extraction, separation and detection methods. The results of this thesis have shown that mixed mode sorbent materials with both weak anion exchange and reversed phase retention properties are well suited for reproducible extraction of both molecules and ions from the product water. The chromatographic separation of various polar aromatic hydrocarbons was achieved by means of phase optimized liquid chromatography using a solvent gradient and on a C18 stationary phase. Sensitive and selective detection of model compounds could be successfully demonstrated by the analysis of the product water using tandem mass spectrometry. The application of a hybrid mass spectrometer (Q Trap) for the characterization of unknown polar aromatic hydrocarbons has led to the identification and confirmation of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in the product water. In addition, 4-HBA could be verified as a degradation product resulting from PEM decomposition by hydroxyl radicals using an

  9. Radiolysis of kaempferol in water/methanol mixtures. Evaluation of antioxidant activity of kaempferol and products formed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marfak, Abdelghafour; Trouillas, Patrick; Allais, Daovy-Paulette; Champavier, Yves; Calliste, Claude-Alain; Duroux, Jean-Luc

    2003-02-26

    Oxidative reaction between hydroxymethyl radical ((*)CH(2)OH) and kaempferol, in methanol and methanol/water mixtures, was studied by gamma-radiolysis using a (60)Co source. Radiolysis was performed with concentrations and doses ranging from 5 x 10(-)(5) M to 5 x 10(-)(3) M and from 0.5 kGy to 14 kGy, respectively. Kaempferol degradation was followed by HPLC. Results showed that (*)CH(2)OH reacts with kaempferol at the 3-OH group and produces two depsides (K1 and K2) and other products including K3. K1, K2, and K3 were identified by NMR, LC-MS, and HRMS. The kaempferol degradation pathway leading to the K1, K2, and K3 formation is proposed. It was observed that the more water concentration in the irradiation medium increases, the more K2 concentration increases. Comprehension of food preservation is not clear because many phenomena occurring during irradiation are not established. Radiolysis of kaempferol in water/methanol mixtures helps to elucidate the phenomenon and it is possible that during the treatment of nutriments by gamma-irradiation, a series of products such as depside K2 could be formed. Antioxidant properties of kaempferol radiolysis products were evaluated according to their capacity to decrease the EPR DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) signal and to inhibit superoxide radicals formed by the enzyme reaction "xanthine + xanthine oxidase".

  10. Physicochemical Characteristics, in Vitro Fermentation Indicators, Gas Production Kinetics, and Degradability of Solid Herbal Waste as Alternative Feed Source for Ruminants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. N. Kisworo

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this research were to study the nutrient and secondary metabolite contents of solid herbal wastes (SHW that were preserved by freeze drying, sun drying and silage, as well as to analyze their effects on in vitro fermentation indicators i.e., gas production kinetics and degradability of solid herbal waste. Physical and chemical properties on three forms of SHW (sun dry, freeze dry, and silage were characterized and then an in vitro gas production experiment was performed to determine the kinetics of gas production, methane production, NH3, microbial protein, and SHW degradability. Polyethylene glycol (PEG was added to the three treatments to determine the biological activity of tannins. Results showed that all three preparations of SHW still contained high nutrient and plant secondary metabolite contents. Gas production, methane, NH3, microbial protein, in vitro degradability of dry matter (IVDMD and organic matter (IVDOM of SHW silage were lower (P<0.05 compared to sun dry and freeze dry. These results were apparently due to the high content of secondary metabolites especially tannin. It can be concluded that solid herbal wastes (SHW can be used as an alternative feed ingredients for ruminants with attention to the content of secondary metabolites that can affect the process of fermentation and digestibility in the rumen.

  11. Photocatalytic degradation of 4-amino-6-chlorobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide stable hydrolysis product of hydrochlorothiazide: Detection of intermediates and their toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armaković, Sanja J; Armaković, Stevan; Četojević-Simin, Dragana D; Šibul, Filip; Abramović, Biljana F

    2018-02-01

    In this work we have investigated in details the process of degradation of the 4-amino-6-chlorobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide (ABSA), stable hydrolysis product of frequently used pharmaceutical hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), as one of the most ubiquitous contaminants in the sewage water. The study encompassed investigation of degradation by hydrolysis, photolysis, and photocatalysis employing commercially available TiO 2 Degussa P25 catalyst. The process of direct photolysis and photocatalytic degradation were investigated under different type of lights. Detailed insights into the reactive properties of HCTZ and ABSA have been obtained by density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Specifically, preference of HCTZ towards hydrolysis was confirmed experimentally and explained using computational study. Results obtained in this study indicate very limited efficiency of hydrolytic and photolytic degradation in the case of ABSA, while photocatalytic degradation demonstrated great potential. Namely, after 240 min of photocatalytic degradation, 65% of ABSA was mineralizated in water/TiO 2 suspension under SSI, while the nitrogen was predominantly present as NH 4 + . Reaction intermediates were studied and a number of them were detected using LC-ESI-MS/MS. This study also involves toxicity assessment of HCTZ, ABSA, and their mixtures formed during the degradation processes towards mammalian cell lines (rat hepatoma, H-4-II-E, human colon adenocarcinoma, HT-29, and human fetal lung, MRC-5). Toxicity assessments showed that intermediates formed during the process of photocatalysis exerted only mild cell growth effects in selected cell lines, while direct photolysis did not affect cell growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Starch-degrading enzymes from anaerobic non-clostridial bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weber, H; Schepers, H J; Troesch, W [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Grenzflaechen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik (IGB), Stuttgart (Germany, F.R.)

    1990-08-01

    A number of meso- and thermophilic anaerobic starch-degrading non-spore-forming bacteria have been isolated. All the isolates belonging to different genera are strictly anaerobic, as indicated by a catalase-negative reaction, and produce soluble starch-degrading enzymes. Compared to enzymes of aerobic bacteria, those of anaerobic origin mainly show low molecular mass of about 25 000 daltons. Some of the enzymes may have useful applications in the starch industry because of their unusual product pattern, yielding maltotetraose as the main hydrolysis product. (orig.).

  13. Toxicity and physical properties of atrazine and its degradation products: A literature survey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pugh, K.C.

    1994-10-01

    The Tennessee Valley Authority`s Environmental Research Center has been developing a means of detoxifying atrazine waste waters using TiO{sub 2} photocatalysis. The toxicity and physical properties of atrazine and its degradation products will probably be required information in obtaining permits from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the demonstration of any photocatalytic treatment of atrazine waste waters. The following report is a literature survey of the toxicological and physical properties of atrazine and its degradation products.

  14. Pathways for degradation of plastic polymers floating in the marine environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gewert, Berit; Plassmann, Merle M; MacLeod, Matthew

    2015-09-01

    Each year vast amounts of plastic are produced worldwide. When released to the environment, plastics accumulate, and plastic debris in the world's oceans is of particular environmental concern. More than 60% of all floating debris in the oceans is plastic and amounts are increasing each year. Plastic polymers in the marine environment are exposed to sunlight, oxidants and physical stress, and over time they weather and degrade. The degradation processes and products must be understood to detect and evaluate potential environmental hazards. Some attention has been drawn to additives and persistent organic pollutants that sorb to the plastic surface, but so far the chemicals generated by degradation of the plastic polymers themselves have not been well studied from an environmental perspective. In this paper we review available information about the degradation pathways and chemicals that are formed by degradation of the six plastic types that are most widely used in Europe. We extrapolate that information to likely pathways and possible degradation products under environmental conditions found on the oceans' surface. The potential degradation pathways and products depend on the polymer type. UV-radiation and oxygen are the most important factors that initiate degradation of polymers with a carbon-carbon backbone, leading to chain scission. Smaller polymer fragments formed by chain scission are more susceptible to biodegradation and therefore abiotic degradation is expected to precede biodegradation. When heteroatoms are present in the main chain of a polymer, degradation proceeds by photo-oxidation, hydrolysis, and biodegradation. Degradation of plastic polymers can lead to low molecular weight polymer fragments, like monomers and oligomers, and formation of new end groups, especially carboxylic acids.

  15. Environmental, biochemical and genetic drivers of DMSP degradation and DMS production in the Sargasso Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Naomi Marcil; Varaljay, Vanessa A; Toole, Dierdre A; Dacey, John W H; Doney, Scott C; Moran, Mary Ann

    2012-05-01

    Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is a climatically relevant trace gas produced and cycled by the surface ocean food web. Mechanisms driving intraannual variability in DMS production and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) degradation in open-ocean, oligotrophic regions were investigated during a 10-month time-series at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study site in the Sargasso Sea. Abundance and transcription of bacterial DMSP degradation genes, DMSP lyase enzyme activity, and DMS and DMSP concentrations, consumption rates and production rates were quantified over time and depth. This interdisciplinary data set was used to test current hypotheses of the role of light and carbon supply in regulating upper-ocean sulfur cycling. Findings supported UV-A-dependent phytoplankton DMS production. Bacterial DMSP degraders may also contribute significantly to DMS production when temperatures are elevated and UV-A dose is moderate, but may favour DMSP demethylation under low UV-A doses. Three groups of bacterial DMSP degraders with distinct intraannual variability were identified and niche differentiation was indicated. The combination of genetic and biochemical data suggest a modified 'bacterial switch' hypothesis where the prevalence of different bacterial DMSP degradation pathways is regulated by a complex set of factors including carbon supply, temperature and UV-A dose. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Determination of trace amounts of chemical warfare agent degradation products in decontamination solutions with NMR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koskela, Harri; Rapinoja, Marja-Leena; Kuitunen, Marja-Leena; Vanninen, Paula

    2007-12-01

    Decontamination solutions are used for an efficient detoxification of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). As these solutions can be composed of strong alkaline chemicals with hydrolyzing and oxidizing properties, the analysis of CWA degradation products in trace levels from these solutions imposes a challenge for any analytical technique. Here, we present results of application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for analysis of trace amounts of CWA degradation products in several untreated decontamination solutions. Degradation products of the nerve agents sarin, soman, and VX were selectively monitored with substantially reduced interference of background signals by 1D 1H-31P heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) spectrometry. The detection limit of the chemicals was at the low part-per-million level (2-10 microg/mL) in all studied solutions. In addition, the concentration of the degradation products was obtained with sufficient confidence with external standards.

  17. Degradable polyphosphazene/poly(alpha-hydroxyester) blends: degradation studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosio, Archel M A; Allcock, Harry R; Katti, Dhirendra S; Laurencin, Cato T

    2002-04-01

    Biomaterials based on the polymers of lactic acid and glycolic acid and their copolymers are used or studied extensively as implantable devices for drug delivery, tissue engineering and other biomedical applications. Although these polymers have shown good biocompatibility, concerns have been raised regarding their acidic degradation products, which have important implications for long-term implantable systems. Therefore, we have designed a novel biodegradable polyphosphazene/poly(alpha-hydroxyester) blend whose degradation products are less acidic than those of the poly(alpha-hydroxyester) alone. In this study, the degradation characteristics of a blend of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (50:50 PLAGA) and poly[(50% ethyl glycinato)(50% p-methylphenoxy) phosphazene] (PPHOS-EG50) were qualitatively and quantitatively determined with comparisons made to the parent polymers. Circular matrices (14mm diameter) of the PLAGA, PPHOS-EG50 and PLAGA-PPHOS-EG50 blend were degraded in non-buffered solutions (pH 7.4). The degraded polymers were characterized for percentage mass loss and molecular weight and the degradation medium was characterized for acid released in non-buffered solutions. The amounts of neutralizing base necessary to bring about neutral pH were measured for each polymer or polymer blend during degradation. The poly(phosphazene)/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) blend required significantly less neutralizing base in order to bring about neutral solution pH during the degradation period studied. The results indicated that the blend degraded at a rate intermediate to that of the parent polymers and that the degradation products of the polyphosphazene neutralized the acidic degradation products of PLAGA. Thus, results from these in vitro degradation studies suggest that the PLAGA-PPHOS-EG50 blend may provide a viable improvement to biomaterials based on acid-releasing organic polymers.

  18. Hydroxyl radical induced degradation of ibuprofen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Illés, Erzsébet, E-mail: erzsebet.illes@chem.u-szeged.hu [Institute of Chemistry, Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged (Hungary); Institute of Isotopes, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary); Takács, Erzsébet [Institute of Isotopes, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary); Dombi, András [Institute of Chemistry, Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged (Hungary); Gajda-Schrantz, Krisztina [Institute of Chemistry, Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged (Hungary); Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged (Hungary); EMPA, Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics, Duebendorf (Switzerland); Rácz, Gergely; Gonter, Katalin; Wojnárovits, László [Institute of Isotopes, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary)

    2013-03-01

    Pulse radiolysis experiments were used to characterize the intermediates formed from ibuprofen during electron beam irradiation in a solution of 0.1 mmol dm{sup −3}. For end product characterization {sup 60}Co γ-irradiation was used and the samples were evaluated either by taking their UV–vis spectra or by HPLC with UV or MS detection. The reactions of {sup ·}OH resulted in hydroxycyclohexadienyl type radical intermediates. The intermediates produced in further reactions hydroxylated the derivatives of ibuprofen as final products. The hydrated electron attacked the carboxyl group. Ibuprofen degradation is more efficient under oxidative conditions than under reductive conditions. The ecotoxicity of the solution was monitored by Daphnia magna standard microbiotest and Vibrio fischeri luminescent bacteria test. The toxic effect of the aerated ibuprofen solution first increased upon irradiation indicating a higher toxicity of the first degradation products, then decreased with increasing absorbed dose. Highlights: ► In hydroxyl radical attack on the ring mainly hydroxylated products form ► The hydrated electron attacks the carboxyl group. ► Oxidative conditions are more effective in ibuprofen decomposition than reductive. ► Ecotoxicity of ibuprofen solution first increases then decreases with irradiation.

  19. Hydroxyl radical induced degradation of ibuprofen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Illés, Erzsébet; Takács, Erzsébet; Dombi, András; Gajda-Schrantz, Krisztina; Rácz, Gergely; Gonter, Katalin; Wojnárovits, László

    2013-01-01

    Pulse radiolysis experiments were used to characterize the intermediates formed from ibuprofen during electron beam irradiation in a solution of 0.1 mmol dm −3 . For end product characterization 60 Co γ-irradiation was used and the samples were evaluated either by taking their UV–vis spectra or by HPLC with UV or MS detection. The reactions of · OH resulted in hydroxycyclohexadienyl type radical intermediates. The intermediates produced in further reactions hydroxylated the derivatives of ibuprofen as final products. The hydrated electron attacked the carboxyl group. Ibuprofen degradation is more efficient under oxidative conditions than under reductive conditions. The ecotoxicity of the solution was monitored by Daphnia magna standard microbiotest and Vibrio fischeri luminescent bacteria test. The toxic effect of the aerated ibuprofen solution first increased upon irradiation indicating a higher toxicity of the first degradation products, then decreased with increasing absorbed dose. Highlights: ► In hydroxyl radical attack on the ring mainly hydroxylated products form ► The hydrated electron attacks the carboxyl group. ► Oxidative conditions are more effective in ibuprofen decomposition than reductive. ► Ecotoxicity of ibuprofen solution first increases then decreases with irradiation

  20. Characterization of stress degradation products of benazepril by using sophisticated hyphenated techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanam, Mallikarjun; Sahu, Archana; Singh, Saranjit

    2013-01-04

    Benazepril, an anti-hypertensive drug, was subjected to forced degradation studies. The drug was unstable under hydrolytic conditions, yielding benazeprilat, which is a known major degradation product (DP) and an active metabolite. It also underwent photochemical degradation in acid and neutral pH conditions, resulting in multiple minor DPs. The products were separated on a reversed phase (C18) column in a gradient mode, and subjected to LC-MS and LC-NMR studies. Initially, comprehensive mass fragmentation pathway of the drug was established through support of high resolution mass spectrometric (HR-MS) and multi stage tandem mass spectrometric (MS(n)) data. The DPs were also subjected to LC-MS/TOF studies to obtain their accurate masses. Along with, on-line H/D exchange data were obtained to ascertain the number of exchangeable hydrogens in each molecule. LC-(1)H NMR and LC-2DNMR data were additionally acquired in a fraction loop mode. The whole information was successfully employed for the characterization of all the DPs. A complete degradation pathway of the drug was also established. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Reliability modeling of degradation of products with multiple performance characteristics based on gamma processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Zhengqiang; Balakrishnan, Narayanaswamy

    2011-01-01

    Many highly reliable products usually have complex structure, with their reliability being evaluated by two or more performance characteristics. In certain physical situations, the degradation of these performance characteristics would be always positive and strictly increasing. In such a case, the gamma process is usually considered as a degradation process due to its independent and non-negative increments properties. In this paper, we suppose that a product has two dependent performance characteristics and that their degradation can be modeled by gamma processes. For such a bivariate degradation involving two performance characteristics, we propose to use a bivariate Birnbaum-Saunders distribution and its marginal distributions to approximate the reliability function. Inferential method for the corresponding model parameters is then developed. Finally, for an illustration of the proposed model and method, a numerical example about fatigue cracks is discussed and some computational results are presented.

  2. Optimization of Forced Degradation Using Experimental Design and Development of a Stability-Indicating Liquid Chromatographic Assay Method for Rebamipide in Bulk and Tablet Dosage Form

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep SONAWANE

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A novel stability-indicating RP-HPLC assay method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of rebamipide in bulk and tablet dosage form. Rebamipide (drug and drug product solutions were exposed to acid and alkali hydrolysis, thermal stress, oxidation by hydrogen peroxide and photodegradation. Experimental design has been used during forced degradation to determine significant factors responsible for degradation and to obtain optimal degradation conditions. In addition, acid and alkali hydrolysis was performed using a microwave oven. The chromatographic method employed the HiQ sil C-18HS (250 × 4.6 mm; 5 μm column with mobile phase consisting of 0.02 M potassium phosphate (pH adjusted to 6.8 and methanol (40:60, v/v and the detection was performed at 230 nm. The procedure was validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. There was no interference observed of excipients and degradation products in the determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The method showed good accuracy and precision (intra and inter day and the response was linear in a range from 0.5 to 5 μg mL−1. The method was found to be simple and fast with less trial and error experimentation by making use of experimental design. Also, it proved that microwave energy can be used to expedite hydrolysis of rebamipide.

  3. Stability indicating spectrophotometric and spectrodensitometric methods for the determination of diatrizoate sodium in presence of its degradation product

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd El-Rahman, Mohamed K.; Riad, Safaa M.; Abdel Gawad, Sherif A.; Fawaz, Esraa M.; Shehata, Mostafa A.

    2015-02-01

    Three sensitive, selective, and precise stability indicating methods for the determination of the X-ray contrast agent, diatrizoate sodium (DTA), in the presence of its acidic degradation product (highly cytotoxic 3,5 diamino metabolite) and in pharmaceutical formulation were developed and validated. The first method is a first derivative (D1) spectrophotometric one, which allows the determination of DTA in the presence of its degradate at 231.2 nm (corresponding to zero crossing of the degradate) over a concentration range of 2-24 μg/mL with mean percentage recovery 99.95 ± 0.97%. The second method is the first derivative of the ratio spectra (DD1) by measuring the peak amplitude at 227 nm over the same concentration range as D1 spectrophotometric method, with mean percentage recovery 99.99 ± 1.15%. The third method is a TLC-densitometric one, where DTA was separated from its degradate on silica gel plates using chloroform:methanol:ammonium hydroxide (20:10:2 by volume) as a developing system. This method depends on quantitative densitometric evaluation of thin layer chromatogram of DTA at 238 nm over a concentration range of 4-20 μg/spot, with mean percentage recovery 99.88 ± 0.89%. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory-prepared mixtures. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of DTA in pharmaceutical dosage forms without interference from other dosage form additives. The results were statistically compared with the official US pharmacopeial method. No significant difference for either accuracy or precision was observed.

  4. Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. Results Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan. Conclusions The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger. PMID:22799883

  5. Formation of chlorinated breakdown products during degradation of sunscreen agent, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate in the presence of sodium hypochlorite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gackowska, Alicja; Przybyłek, Maciej; Studziński, Waldemar; Gaca, Jerzy

    2016-01-01

    In this study, a new degradation path of sunscreen active ingredient, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) in the presence of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), was discussed. The reaction products were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Since HOCl treatment leads to more polar products than EHMC, application of polar extracting agents, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate/n-hexane mixture, gave better results in terms of chlorinated breakdown products identification than n-hexane. Reaction of EHMC with HOCl lead to the formation of C=C bridge cleavage products such as 2-ethylhexyl chloroacetate, 1-chloro-4-methoxybenzene, 1,3-dichloro-2-methoxybenzene, and 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzaldehyde. High reactivity of C=C bond attached to benzene ring is also characteristic for MCA, since it can be converted in the presence of HOCl to 2,4-dichlorophenole, 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone, 1,3-dichloro-2-methoxybenzene, 1,2,4-trichloro-3-methoxybenzene, 2,4,6-trichlorophenole, and 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxyacetophenone. Surprisingly, in case of EHMC/HOCl/UV, much less breakdown products were formed compared to non-UV radiation treatment. In order to describe the nature of EHMC and MCA degradation, local reactivity analysis based on the density functional theory (DFT) was performed. Fukui function values showed that electrophilic attack of HOCl to the C=C bridge in EHMC and MCA is highly favorable (even more preferable than phenyl ring chlorination). This suggests that HOCl electrophilic addition is probably the initial step of EHMC degradation.

  6. Electrochemical degradation of the chloramphenicol at flow reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rezende, Luis Gustavo P.; Prado, Vania M. do; Rocha, Robson S.; Beati, Andre A.G.F.; Sotomayor, Maria del Pilar T.; Lanza, Marcos R.V.

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports a study of electrochemical degradation of the chloramphenicol antibiotic in aqueous medium using a flow-by reactor with DSA anode. The process efficiency was monitored by chloramphenicol concentration analysis with liquid chromatography (HPLC) during the experiments. Analysis of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) was performed to estimate the degradation degree and Ion Chromatography (IC) was performed to determinate inorganic ions formed during the electrochemical degradation process. In electrochemical flow-by reactor, 52% of chloramphenicol was degraded, with 12% TOC reduction. IC analysis showed the production of chloride ions (25 mg L -1 ), nitrate ions (6 mg L -1 ) and nitrite ions (4.5 mg L -1 ). (author)

  7. Chromatin degradation under the effect of differentiation inductors and γ-radiation on thymus lymphocytes in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soldatenkov, V.A.; Sorokina, N.I.; Filippovich, I.V.

    1985-01-01

    Chemical inductors of differentiation were shown to cause chromatin degradation in thymus lymphocytes. This process was prevented by the protein synthesis inhibitors. The fragments formed after the effect of chemical differentiation inductors on thymocytes were fully identical to chromatin internucleosome degradation products formed in the exposed cells. Chromatin degradation under the effect of chemical differentiation inductors was most pronounced in a more radiosensitive thymocyte fraction

  8. Estimating grass and grass silage degradation characteristics by in situ and in vitro gas production methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danijel Karolyi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Fermentation characteristics of grass and grass silage at different maturities were studied using in situ and in vitro gas production methods. In situ data determined difference between grass and silage. Degradable fraction decreased as grass matured while the undegradable fraction increased. Rate of degradation (kd was slower for silage than fresh grass. Gas production method (GP data showed that fermentation of degradable fraction was different between stage of maturity in both grass and silage. Other data did not show any difference with the exception for the rate of GP of soluble and undegradable fraction. The in situ degradation characteristics were estimated from GP characteristics. The degradable and undegradable fractions could be estimated by multiple relationships. Using the three-phases model for gas production kd and fermentable organic matter could be estimated from the same parameters. The only in situ parameter that could not be estimated with GP parameters was the soluble fraction. The GP method and the three phases model provided to be an alternative to the in situ method for animal feed evaluations.

  9. Investigation of the hydrolytic and radiolytic degradation of HEH[EHP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peterman, Dean Richard; McDowell, Rocklan George; Zarzana, Christopher Andrew; Johnson, Kristyn Marie; Rowe, Salene Marie; Groenewold, Gary Steven

    2016-01-01

    The extractant 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (HEH[EHP]) is a component used in both the Advanced TALSPEAK and ALSEP solvent extraction processes. The most likely compound formed via hydrolytic or radiolytic degradation of HEH[EHP] would be the phosphonic acid 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid (H2EHP) that is formed by cleavage of the P-O-R bond. Thus far, attempts to detect H2EHP by gas chromatography or mass spectrometry have not been successful. The inability to detect this proposed degradation product in analytical samples is likely due to inadequate analysis techniques, lack of H2EHP production, further decomposition of H2EHP forming products not detectable by the employed analytical techniques, or a combination of all of the above scenarios. In order to address this problem, commercially available alkylphosphonic acids were acquired and used as surrogates for H2EHP in the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of samples. Once the ability to detect alkylphosphonic acid compounds was confirmed, these analytical techniques were used to confirm the production of H2EHP in samples of HEH[EHP] exposed to nitric acid and nitric acid plus gamma radiation. This report provides a brief summary of results and serves as documentation of the completion the level four milestone M4FT-16IN030102025 “Investigate the hydrolytic and radiolytic degradation of HEH[EHP]”.

  10. Full Product Pattern Recognition in β-Carotene Thermal Degradation through Ionization Enhancement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Xiaoyin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Miller, Lance Lee [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bernstein, Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hochrein, James M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2015-07-01

    The full product pattern including both volatile and nonvolatile compounds was presented for the first time for β-Carotene thermal degradation at variable temperatures up to 600°C. Solvent-enhanced ionization was used to confirm and distinguish between the dissociation mechanisms that lead to even and odd number mass products.

  11. Estimation of physicochemical properties of 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) degradation products and their toxicological evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gackowska, Alicja; Studziński, Waldemar; Kudlek, Edyta; Dudziak, Mariusz; Gaca, Jerzy

    2018-06-01

    The organic UV filters, commonly used in personal protection products, are of concern because of their potential risk to aquatic ecosystems and living organisms. One of UV filters is ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) acid. Studies have shown that, in the presence of oxidizing and chlorinating factors, EHMC forms a series of products with different properties than the substrate. In this study, the toxicities of EHMC and its transformation/degradation products formed under the influence of NaOCl/UV and H 2 O 2 /UV systems in the water medium were tested using Microtox® bioassay and by observation of mortality of juvenile crustaceans Daphnia magna and Artemia Salina. We have observed that oxidation and chlorination products of EHMC show significantly higher toxicity than EHMC alone. The toxicity of chemicals is related to their physicochemical characteristic such as lipophilicity and substituent groups. With the increase in lipophilicity of products, expressed as log K OW , the toxicity (EC 50 ) increases. On the basis of physicochemical properties such as vapour pressure (VP), solubility (S), octanol-water partition coefficient (K OW ), bioconcentration factor (BCF) and half-lives, the overall persistence (P OV ) and long-range transport potential (LRTP) of all the products and EHMC were calculated. It was shown that the most persistent and traveling on the long distances in environment are methoxyphenol chloroderivatives, then methoxybenzene chloroderivatives, EHMC chloroderivatives, methoxybenzaldehyde chloroderivatives and methoxycinnamate acid chloroderivatives. These compounds are also characterised by high toxicity.

  12. Evaluation of anaerobic degradation, biogas and digestate production of cereal silages using nylon-bags.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negri, Marco; Bacenetti, Jacopo; Fiala, Marco; Bocchi, Stefano

    2016-06-01

    In this study, the degradation efficiency and the biogas and digestate production during anaerobic digestion were evaluated for the cereal silages most used to feed biogas plants. To this purpose, silages of: maize from the whole plant, maize from the ear, triticale and wheat were digested, inside of nylon bags, in laboratory scale digesters, for 75days. Overall, the test involved 288 nylon bags. After 75days of digestion, the maize ear silage shows the highest degradation efficiency (about 98%) while wheat silage the lowest (about 83%). The biogas production ranges from 438 to 852Nm(3)/t of dry matter for wheat and ear maize silage, respectively. For all the cereal silages, the degradation as well as the biogas production are faster at the beginning of the digestion time. Digestate mass, expressed as percentage of the fresh matter, ranges from 38% to 84% for wheat and maize ear silage, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Supercritical water oxidation of ion exchange resins: Degradation mechanisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leybros, A.; Roubaud, A. [CEA Marcoule, DEN DTCD SPDE LFSM, F-30207 Bagnols Sur Ceze (France); Guichardon, P. [Ecole Cent Marseille, F-13451 Marseille 20 (France); Boutin, O. [Aix Marseille Univ, UMR CNRS 6181, F-13545 Aix En Provence 4 (France)

    2010-07-01

    Spent ion exchange resins are radioactive process wastes for which there is no satisfactory industrial treatment. Supercritical water oxidation could offer a viable treatment alternative to destroy the organic structure of resins and contain radioactivity. IER degradation experiments were carried out in a continuous supercritical water reactor. Total organic carbon degradation rates in the range of 95-98% were obtained depending on operating conditions. GC-MS chromatography analyses were carried out to determine intermediate products formed during the reaction. Around 50 species were identified for cationic and anionic resins. Degradation of poly-styrenic structure leads to the formation of low molecular weight compounds. Benzoic acid, phenol and acetic acid are the main compounds. However, other products are detected in appreciable yields such as phenolic species or heterocycles, for anionic IERs degradation. Intermediates produced by intramolecular rearrangements are also obtained. A radical degradation mechanism is proposed for each resin. In this overall mechanism, several hypotheses are foreseen, according to HOO center dot radical attack sites. (authors)

  14. A regression-based Kansei engineering system based on form feature lines for product form design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Xiong

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available When developing new products, it is important for a designer to understand users’ perceptions and develop product form with the corresponding perceptions. In order to establish the mapping between users’ perceptions and product design features effectively, in this study, we presented a regression-based Kansei engineering system based on form feature lines for product form design. First according to the characteristics of design concept representation, product form features–product form feature lines were defined. Second, Kansei words were chosen to describe image perceptions toward product samples. Then, multiple linear regression and support vector regression were used to construct the models, respectively, that predicted users’ image perceptions. Using mobile phones as experimental samples, Kansei prediction models were established based on the front view form feature lines of the samples. From the experimental results, these two predict models were of good adaptability. But in contrast to multiple linear regression, the predict performance of support vector regression model was better, and support vector regression is more suitable for form regression prediction. The results of the case showed that the proposed method provided an effective means for designers to manipulate product features as a whole, and it can optimize Kansei model and improve practical values.

  15. Analysis of deltamethrin's degradation products by irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Ling; Huang Min; Chen Chun; Lei Qing; Du Xiaoying; Xie Yan; Wang Yan; Gao Peng; He Jiang

    2011-01-01

    Deltamethrin were dissolved in ethanol and water; acetone and water; dimethylsulfoxide and water, irradiating these liquors by 60 Co-γ under the dose of 5∼50 kGy. The irradiation system were analyzed by GC/MS, result shows: there were some differences under different irradiation doses; the main degradation products are: α-cyano-3-phenoxy benzyl alcohol, 3-Phenoxybenzaldehyde, 3-Phenoxybenzacetonitrile and bromomethane. (authors)

  16. Oxidative degradation of triclosan by potassium permanganate: Kinetics, degradation products, reaction mechanism, and toxicity evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jing; Qu, Ruijuan; Pan, Xiaoxue; Wang, Zunyao

    2016-10-15

    In this study, we systematically investigated the potential applicability of potassium permanganate for removal of triclosan (TCS) in water treatment. A series of kinetic experiments were carried out to study the influence of various factors, including the pH, oxidant doses, temperature, and presence of typical anions (Cl(-), SO4(2-), NO3(-)), humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) on triclosan removal. The optimal reaction conditions were: pH = 8.0, [TCS]0:[KMnO4]0 = 1:2.5, and T = 25 °C, where 20 mg/L of TCS could be completely degraded in 120 s. However, the rate of TCS (20 μg/L) oxidation by KMnO4 ([TCS]0:[KMnO4]0 = 1:2.5) was 1.64 × 10(-3) mg L(-1)·h(-1), lower than that at an initial concentration of 20 mg/L (2.24 × 10(3) mg L(-1)·h(-1)). A total of eleven products were detected by liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) analysis, including phenol and its derivatives, benzoquinone, an organic acid, and aldehyde. Two main reaction pathways involving CO bond cleavage (-C(8)O(7)-) and benzene ring opening (in the less chlorinated benzene ring) were proposed, and were further confirmed based on frontier electron density calculations and point charges. Furthermore, the changes in the toxicity of the reaction solution during TCS oxidation by KMnO4 were evaluated by using both the luminescent bacteria Photobacterium phosphoreum and the water flea Daphnia magna. The toxicity of 20 mg/L triclosan to D. magna and P. phosphoreum after 60 min was reduced by 95.2% and 43.0%, respectively. Phenol and 1,4-benzoquinone, the two representative degradation products formed during permanganate oxidation, would yield low concentrations of DBPs (STHMFP, 20.99-278.97 μg/mg; SHAAFP, 7.86 × 10(-4)-45.77 μg/mg) after chlorination and chloramination. Overall, KMnO4 can be used as an effective oxidizing agent for TCS removal in water and wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Modeling Degradation Product Partitioning in Chlorinated-DNAPL Source Zones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boroumand, A.; Ramsburg, A.; Christ, J.; Abriola, L.

    2009-12-01

    Metabolic reductive dechlorination degrades aqueous phase contaminant concentrations, increasing the driving force for DNAPL dissolution. Results from laboratory and field investigations suggest that accumulation of cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) may occur within DNAPL source zones. The lack of (or slow) degradation of cis-DCE and VC within bioactive DNAPL source zones may result in these dechlorination products becoming distributed among the solid, aqueous, and organic phases. Partitioning of cis-DCE and VC into the organic phase may reduce aqueous phase concentrations of these contaminants and result in the enrichment of these dechlorination products within the non-aqueous phase. Enrichment of degradation products within DNAPL may reduce some of the advantages associated with the application of bioremediation in DNAPL source zones. Thus, it is important to quantify how partitioning (between the aqueous and organic phases) influences the transport of cis-DCE and VC within bioactive DNAPL source zones. In this work, abiotic two-phase (PCE-water) one-dimensional column experiments are modeled using analytical and numerical methods to examine the rate of partitioning and the capacity of PCE-DNAPL to reversibly sequester cis-DCE. These models consider aqueous-phase, nonaqueous phase, and aqueous plus nonaqueous phase mass transfer resistance using linear driving force and spherical diffusion expressions. Model parameters are examined and compared for different experimental conditions to evaluate the mechanisms controlling partitioning. Biot number, a dimensionless number which is an index of the ratio of the aqueous phase mass transfer rate in boundary layer to the mass transfer rate within the NAPL, is used to characterize conditions in which either or both processes are controlling. Results show that application of a single aqueous resistance is capable to capture breakthrough curves when DNAPL is distributed in porous media as low

  18. Microbial surface displayed enzymes based biofuel cell utilizing degradation products of lignocellulosic biomass for direct electrical energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Shuqin; Hou, Chuantao; Liang, Bo; Feng, Ruirui; Liu, Aihua

    2015-09-01

    In this work, a bacterial surface displaying enzyme based two-compartment biofuel cell for the direct electrical energy conversion from degradation products of lignocellulosic biomass is reported. Considering that the main degradation products of the lignocellulose are glucose and xylose, xylose dehydrogenase (XDH) displayed bacteria (XDH-bacteria) and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) displayed bacteria (GDH-bacteria) were used as anode catalysts in anode chamber with methylene blue as electron transfer mediator. While the cathode chamber was constructed with laccase/multi-walled-carbon nanotube/glassy-carbon-electrode. XDH-bacteria exhibited 1.75 times higher catalytic efficiency than GDH-bacteria. This assembled enzymatic fuel cell exhibited a high open-circuit potential of 0.80 V, acceptable stability and energy conversion efficiency. Moreover, the maximum power density of the cell could reach 53 μW cm(-2) when fueled with degradation products of corn stalk. Thus, this finding holds great potential to directly convert degradation products of biomass into electrical energy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andersen Mikael R

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. Results Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan. Conclusions The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger.

  20. Radiolytic gas production in the alpha particle degradation of plastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reed, D.T.; Hoh, J.; Emery, J.; Hobbs, D.

    1992-01-01

    Net gas generation due to alpha particle irradiation of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride was investigated. Experiments were performed in an air environment at 30, 60, and 100 degree C. The predominant radiolytic degradation products of polyethylene were hydrogen and carbon dioxide with a wide variety of trace organic species noted. Irradiation of polyvinyl chloride resulted in the formation of HCl in addition to the products observed for polyethylene. For both plastic materials, a strong enhancement of net yields was noted at 100 degree C

  1. Degradation of the Alternaria mycotoxins alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, and altenuene upon bread baking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegel, David; Feist, Michael; Proske, Matthias; Koch, Matthias; Nehls, Irene

    2010-09-08

    The stability of the Alternaria mycotoxins alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, and altenuene upon bread baking was investigated by model experiments using a spiked wholemeal wheat flour matrix. For alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether, but not for altenuene, degradation products, formed through a sequence of hydrolysis and decarboxylation, could be identified in pilot studies. The simultaneous quantification of alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, and the degradation products was achieved by a newly developed high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) multimethod. The obtained quantitative data indicate that the Alternaria mycotoxins are barely degraded during wet baking, while significant degradation occurs upon dry baking, with the stability decreasing in the order alternariol monomethyl ether>alternariol>altenuene. The novel degradation products could be detected after the wet baking of flour spiked with alternariol and in a sample survey of 24 commercial cereal based baking products.

  2. Contribution to the study of the degradation of the solvent used in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goasmat, F.

    1984-01-01

    The degradation of a mixed solvent (tributylphosphate - hydrocarbons) in a fuel reprocessing plant (UP 2 at La Hague, France) is studied in this thesis. Laboratory studies on degradation mechanisms, decomposition products and regeneration processes are reviewed in a bibliographic synthesis. Solvent degradation is investigated on a real solvent from a reprocessing plant. Influence of degradation on solvent performance is shown and regeneration processes should be improved. Many regeneration processes are tested on solvent from the plant and results are discussed. Separation and analysis of degradation products show the polyfunctional structure of compounds formed [fr

  3. Enhanced enzymatic cellulose degradation by cellobiohydrolases via product removal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hassan; Meyer, Anne S.; Mikkelsen, Jørn Dalgaard

    2013-01-01

    Product inhibition by cellobiose decreases the rate of enzymatic cellulose degradation. The optimal reaction conditions for two Emericella (Aspergillus) nidulans-derived cellobiohydrolases I and II produced in Pichia pastoris were identified as CBHI: 52 °C, pH 4.5–6.5, and CBHII: 46 °C, pH 4.......8. The optimum in a mixture of the two was 50 °C, pH 4.9. An almost fourfold increase in enzymatic hydrolysis yield was achieved with intermittent product removal of cellobiose with membrane filtration (2 kDa cut-off): The conversion of cotton cellulose after 72 h was ~19 % by weight, whereas the conversion...

  4. Ruminal degradation kinetics of protein foods by in vitro gas production technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivone Yurika Mizubuti

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Chemical analysis of carbohydrates and nitrogen fractions, as well as, determination their carbohydrates digestion rates in soyben meal (SM, crambe meal (CM, radish meal (RM, wet brewery residue (WBR and dehydrated silkworm chrysalis (SCD were accomplished. The kinetics parameters of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC and B2 fraction were estimated using cumulative gas production technique. Among the foods studied there was considerable variation in chemical composition. The crambe meal was the only food that did not present synchronism between carbohydrate and nitrogen fractions. In this food there was predominance of A+B1 carbohydrates fractions and B1+B2 nitrogen compounds fraction, and for the other predominated B2 carbohydrate fraction and B1+ B2 nitrogen compounds fraction. There were differences among the digestive kinetic parameters for all foods. The greater participation in gas production due to non-fibrous carbohydrates was found in the crambe meal and oilseed radish meal. The fermentation of fibrous carbohydrates provided higher gas volume in the wet brewery residue and in the soybean meal, however, the soybean meal was food with higher total gas volume. Non fibrous carbohydrates degradation rates of wet brewery residue and dehydrated silkworm chrysalis were far below the limits of degradation of this fraction. Due to the parameters obtained by the cumulative gas production, the soybean meal was the best food, however, all others have potential for use in animal nutrition. The cumulative gas production technique allows the estimative of degradation rates and provides further information about the ruminal fermentation kinetics of foods.

  5. Synergistic effect of co-digestion to enhance anaerobic degradation of catering waste and orange peel for biogas production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anjum, Muzammil; Khalid, Azeem; Qadeer, Samia; Miandad, Rashid

    2017-09-01

    Catering waste and orange peel were co-digested using an anaerobic digestion process. Orange peel is difficult to degrade anaerobically due to the presence of antimicrobial agents such as limonene. The present study aimed to examine the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of catering waste with orange peel to provide the optimum nutrient balance with reduced inhibitory effects of orange peel. Batch experiments were conducted using catering waste as a potential substrate mixed in varying ratios (20-50%) with orange peel. Similar ratios were followed using green vegetable waste as co-substrate. The results showed that the highest organic matter degradation (49%) was achieved with co-digestion of catering waste and orange peel at a 50% mixing ratio (CF4). Similarly, the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) was increased by 51% and reached its maximum value (9040 mg l -1 ) due to conversion of organic matter from insoluble to soluble form. Biogas production was increased by 1.5 times in CF4 where accumulative biogas was 89.61 m 3 t -1 substrate compared with 57.35 m 3 t -1 substrate in the control after 80 days. The main reason behind the improved biogas production and degradation is the dilution of inhibitory factors (limonene), with subsequent provision of balanced nutrients in the co-digestion system. The tCOD of the final digestate was decreased by 79.9% in CF4, which was quite high as compared with 68.3% for the control. Overall, this study revealed that orange peel waste is a highly feasible co-substrate for anaerobic digestion with catering waste for enhanced biogas production.

  6. Reaction pathway of the degradation of the p-hydroxybenzoic acid by sulfate radical generated by ionizing radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Criquet, Justine; Leitner, Nathalie Karpel Vel

    2015-01-01

    The degradation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) in aqueous solutions by ionizing radiation was studied. The phenolic pollutant was easily removed by the electron beam irradiation, as more than 80% of the initial 100 µM introduced was degraded for a dose of 600 Gy. It was shown that the addition of persulfate, producing the sulfate radical as additional reactive species, induced a change in the reaction pathway. LC–MS analyses were performed in order to identify the different by-products formed. In the absence of persulfate, the main by-product formed was 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, while in presence of persulfate, 1,4-benzoquinone was detected and the hydroxylated by-products were not present. A reaction pathway of HBA degradation by hydroxyl and sulfate radicals was proposed from the identification of the chemical structure of the different by-products detected. The influences of pH and dissolved oxygen were also studied. A high decline of HBA degradation was observed at pH 11 compared to pH 4.5, this decrease was minimized in the presence of persulfate. The dissolved oxygen concentration was found to be a limiting parameter of HBA degradation, however an excess of dissolved oxygen in solution did not improve the degradation to a large extent. - Highlights: • p-Hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) is easily removed by e-beam irradiation. • The sulfate radicals formed from persulfate induce loss of the benzoic acid skeleton. • The dissolved oxygen concentration is a limiting parameter of the HBA degradation. • The effect of pH is minimized in presence of persulfate

  7. Maize production and land degradation: a Portuguese agriculture field case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Carla S. S.; Pato, João V.; Moreira, Pedro M.; Valério, Luís M.; Guilherme, Rosa; Casau, Fernando J.; Santos, Daniela; Keizer, Jacob J.; Ferreira, António J. D.

    2016-04-01

    While food security is a main challenge faced by human kind, intensive agriculture often leads to soil degradation which then can threaten productivity. Maize is one of the most important crops across the world, with 869 million tons produced worldwide in 2012/2013 (IGC 2015), of which 929.5 thousand tons in Portugal (INE 2014). In Portugal, maize is sown in April/May and harvest occurs generally in October. Conventional maize production requires high inputs of water and fertilizers to achieve higher yields. As Portuguese farmers are typically rather old (on average, 63 years) and typically have a low education level (INE 2014), sustainability of their land management practises is often not a principal concern. This could explain why, in 2009, only 4% of the Portuguese temporary crops were under no-tillage, why only 8% of the farmers performed soil analyses in the previous three years, and why many soils have a low organic matter content (INE 2014). Nonetheless, sustainable land management practices are generally accepted to be the key to reducing agricultural soil degradation, preventing water pollution, and assuring long-term crop production objectives and food security. Sustainable land management should therefore not only be a concern for policy makers but also for farmers, since land degradation will have negative repercussions on the productivity, thus, on their economical income. This paper aims to assess the impact of maize production on soil properties. The study focusses on an 8 ha maize field located in central Portugal, with a Mediterranean climate on a gently sloping terrain (<3%) and with a soil classified as Eutric Fluvisol. On the field, several experiments were carried out with different maize varieties as well as with different fertilizers (solid, liquid and both). Centre pivot irrigation was largely used. Data is available from 2003, and concerns crop yield, fertilization and irrigation practices, as well as soil properties assessed through

  8. Reactivity of tributyl phosphate degradation products with nitric acid: Relevance to the Tomsk-7 accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barney, G.S.; Cooper, T.D.

    1995-01-01

    The reaction of a degraded tributyl phosphate (TBP) solvent with nitric acid is thought to have caused the chemical explosion at the Tomsk-7 reprocessing plant at Tomsk, Russia in 1993. The estimated temperature of the organic layer was not high eneough to cause significant reaction of nitric acid with TBP or hydrocarbon diluent compounds. A more reactive organic compound was likely present in the organic layer that reacted with sufficient heat generation to raise the temperature to the point where an autocatalytic oxidation of the organic solvent was initiated. Two of the most likely reactive compounds that are present in degraded TBP solvents are n-butanol and n-butyl nitrate. The reactions of these compounds with nitric acid are the subject of this study. The objective of laboratory-scale tests was to identify chemical reactions that occur when n-butanol and n-butyl nitrate contact heated nitric acid solutions. Reaction products were identified and quantitified, the temperatures at which these reactions occur and heats of reaction were measured, and reaction variables (temperature, nitric acid concentration, organic concentration, and reaction time) were evaluated. Data showed that n-butyl nitrate is less reactive than n-butanol. An essentially complete oxidation reaction of n-butanol at 110-120 C produced four major reaction products. Mass spectrometry identified the major inorganic oxidation products for both n-butanol and n-butyl nitrate as nitric oxide and carbon dioxide. Calculated heats of reaction for n-butanol and n-butyl nitrate to form propionic acid, a major reaction product, are -1860 cal/g n-butanol and -953 cal/g n-butyl nitrate. These heats of reaction are significant and could have raised the temperature of the organic layer in the Tomsk-7 tank to the point where autocatalytic oxidation of other organic compounds present resulted in an explosion

  9. Structural characterization of chemical warfare agent degradation products in decontamination solutions with proton band-selective (1)H-(31)P NMR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koskela, Harri; Hakala, Ullastiina; Vanninen, Paula

    2010-06-15

    Decontamination solutions, which are usually composed of strong alkaline chemicals, are used for efficient detoxification of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). The analysis of CWA degradation products directly in decontamination solutions is challenging due to the nature of the matrix. Furthermore, occasionally an unforeseen degradation pathway can result in degradation products which could be eluded to in standard analyses. Here, we present the results of the application of proton band-selective (1)H-(31)P NMR spectroscopy, i.e., band-selective 1D (1)H-(31)P heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) and band-selective 2D (1)H-(31)P HSQC-total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), for ester side chain characterization of organophosphorus nerve agent degradation products in decontamination solutions. The viability of the approach is demonstrated with a test mixture of typical degradation products of nerve agents sarin, soman, and VX. The proton band-selective (1)H-(31)P NMR spectroscopy is also applied in characterization of unusual degradation products of VX in GDS 2000 solution.

  10. Large-scale bioreactor production of the herbicide-degrading Aminobacter sp. strain MSH1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz-Jensen, Nadja; Knudsen, Berith Elkær; Frkova, Zuzana

    2014-01-01

    The Aminobacter sp. strain MSH1 has potential for pesticide bioremediation because it degrades the herbicide metabolite 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM). Production of the BAM-degrading bacterium using aerobic bioreactor fermentation was investigated. A mineral salt medium limited for carbon and with ......The Aminobacter sp. strain MSH1 has potential for pesticide bioremediation because it degrades the herbicide metabolite 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM). Production of the BAM-degrading bacterium using aerobic bioreactor fermentation was investigated. A mineral salt medium limited for carbon...... and with an element composition similar to the strain was generated. The optimal pH and temperature for strain growth were determined using shaker flasks and verified in bioreactors. Glucose, fructose, and glycerol were suitable carbon sources for MSH1 (μ =0.1 h−1); slower growth was observed on succinate and acetic...... acid (μ =0.01 h−1). Standard conditions for growth of theMSH1 strain were defined at pH 7 and 25 °C, with glucose as the carbon source. In bioreactors (1 and 5 L), the specific growth rate of MSH1 increased from μ =0.1 h−1 on traditional mineral salt medium to μ =0.18 h−1 on the optimized mineral salt...

  11. Photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the drug omeprazole on nanocrystalline titania films in alkaline media: Effect of applied electrical bias on degradation and transformation products

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tantis, Iosif [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Caratheodory 1, University Campus, GR-26504 Patras (Greece); Bousiakou, Leda [Department of Physics and Astronomy, King Saud University, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Department of Automation Engineering, Technological Educational Institute of Pireaus, GR-12244 Athens (Greece); Frontistis, Zacharias; Mantzavinos, Dionissios [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Caratheodory 1, University Campus, GR-26504 Patras (Greece); Konstantinou, Ioannis; Antonopoulou, Maria [Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, GR-30100 Agrinio (Greece); Karikas, George-Albert [Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, 12210 Athens (Greece); Lianos, Panagiotis, E-mail: lianos@upatras.gr [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Caratheodory 1, University Campus, GR-26504 Patras (Greece); FORTH/ICE-HT, P.O. Box 1414, GR-26504 Patras (Greece)

    2015-08-30

    Highlights: • Photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the proton pump omeprazole. • Improvement of photocatalysis rate by applying a moderate forward bias. • Highlighting of the advantages of photoelectrocatalysis in a straightforward manner. • HPLC and HR-LC–MS analysis of transformation products. - Abstract: Photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the drug omeprazole has been studied in the presence of nanocrystalline titania films supported on glass slides or transparent FTO electrodes in alkaline environment. Its photocatalytic degradation rate was assessed by its UV absorbance and by HPLC, while its transformation products were analyzed by HR-LC–MS. Based on UV absorbance, omeprazole can be photocatalytically degraded at an average rate of 6.7 × 10{sup −4} min{sup −1} under low intensity UVA irradiation of 1.5 mW cm{sup −2} in the presence of a nanoparticulate titania film. This corresponds to degradation of 1.4 mg of omeprazole per gram of the photocatalyst per liter of solution per hour. The photodegradation rate can be accelerated in a photoelectrochemical cell by applying a forward bias. In this case, the maximum rate reached under the present conditions was 11.6 × 10{sup −4} min{sup −1} by applying a forward bias of +0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Four major transformation products were successfully identified and their profiles were followed by HR-LC–MS. The major degradation path includes the scission of the sulfoxide bridge into the corresponding pyridine and benzimidazole ring derivates and this is accompanied by the release of sulfate anions in the reaction mixture.

  12. Characterization of degradation products from alkaline wet oxidation of wheat straw

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klinke, H.B.; Ahring, B.K.; Schmidt, A.S.

    2002-01-01

    to their chemical structure, e.g. diacids (oxalic and succinic acids), furan aldehydes, phenol aldehydes, phenol ketones and phenol acids. Aromatic aldehyde formation was correlated to severe conditions with high temperatures and low pH. Apart from CO2 and water, carboxylic acids were the main degradation products...... degreesC with addition of 12 bar oxygen and 6.5 g l(-1) Na2CO3. At these conditions the hemicellulose fraction from 100 g straw consisted of soluble hemicellulose (16 g), low molecular weight carboxylic acids (11 g), monomeric phenols (0.48 g) and 2-furoic acid (0.01 g). Formic acid and acetic acid...... constituted the majority of degradation products (8.5 g). The main phenol monomers were 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, syringaldehyde, acetosyringone (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-acetophenone), vanillic acid and syringic acid, occurring in 0.04-0.12 g per 100 g straw concentrations. High lignin removal from...

  13. Phytase production by Aspergillus niger NCIM 563 for a novel application to degrade organophosphorus pesticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Parin C; Kumar, V Ravi; Dastager, Syed G; Khire, Jayant M

    2017-12-01

    The production of phytase using Aspergillus niger NCIM 563 under submerged fermentation conditions was studied using protein rich chickpea flour as substrate. Employing a hybrid statistical media optimization strategy of Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken experimental designs in shake-flasks gave an increased phytase activity from an initial 66 IU/mL in 216 h to 160 IU/mL in a reduced time of 132 h. Productivity, thus increased by 3.97 times from 7.3 to 29 IU/mL/day. Using the optimized media, the production was successfully scaled-up further and improved up to 164 IU/mL in 96 h by studies carried out employing 2 and 10-L fermenters. The enzyme supernatant was recovered using centrifugal separation of biomass and the stability of the produced phytase was tested for animal feed applications under gastric conditions. In vitro degradation studies of water soluble monocrotophos, methyl parathion and water insoluble chlorpyrifos, pesticides used extensively in agriculture was carried out. It was observed by HPLC analysis that phytase could degrade 72% of chlorpyrifos at pH 7.0, 35 °C. Comparable results were obtained with monocrotophos and methyl parathion. With chlorpyrifos at higher temperature 50 °C as much as 91% degradation could be obtained. The degradation of chlorpyrifos was further validated by spraying phytase on harvested green chilli (Capsicum annuum L) under normal conditions of pH 7.0, 35 °C and the degradation products obtained analyzed by LCMS. Thus, the present study brings out a potentially novel application of phytase for biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides.

  14. Rapid quantification of TBP and TBP degradation product ratios by FTIR-ATR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gillens, A.R.; Powell, B.A.; Clemson University, Clemson, SC

    2013-01-01

    Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) is the key complexant within the plutonium and uranium reduction extraction process used to extract uranium and plutonium from used nuclear fuel. During reprocessing TBP degrades to dibutyl phosphate (DBP), butyl acid phosphate (MBP), butanol, and phosphoric acid over time. A method for rapidly monitoring TBP degradation is needed for the support of nuclear forensics. Therefore, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) technique was developed to determine approximate peak intensity ratios of TBP and its degradation products. The technique was developed by combining variable concentrations of TBP, DBP, and MBP to simulate TBP degradation. This method is achieved by analyzing selected peak positions and peak intensity ratios of TBP and DBP at different stages of degradation. The developed technique was tested on TBP samples degraded with nitric acid. In mock degradation samples, the 1,235 cm -1 peak position shifts to 1,220 cm -1 as the concentration of TBP decreases and DBP increases. Peak intensity ratios of TBP positions at 1,279 and 1,020 cm -1 relative to DBP positions at 909 and 1,003 cm -1 demonstrate an increasing trend as the concentration of DBP increases. The same peak intensity ratios were used to analyze DBP relative to MBP whereas a decreasing trend is seen with increasing DBP concentrations. The technique developed from this study may be used as a tool to determine TBP degradation in nuclear reprocessing via a rapid FTIR-ATR measurement without gas chromatography analysis. (author)

  15. Method for determination of methyl tert-butyl ether and its degradation products in water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Church, C.D.; Isabelle, L.M.; Pankow, J.F.; Rose, D.L.; Tratnyek, P.G.

    1997-01-01

    An analytical method is described that can detect the major alkyl ether compounds that are used as gasoline oxygenates (methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE; ethyl tert-butyl ether, ETBE; and tert-amyl methyl ether, TAME) and their most characteristic degradation products (tert-butyl alcohol, TBA; tert-butyl formate, TBF; and tert-amyl alcohol, TAA) in water at sub-ppb concentrations. The new method involves gas chromatography (GC) with direct aqueous injection (DAI) onto a polar column via a splitless injector, coupled with detection by mass spectrometry (MS). DAI-GC/MS gives excellent agreement with conventional purge-and-trap methods for MTBE over a wide range of environmentally relevant concentrations. The new method can also give simultaneous identification of polar compounds that might occur as degradation products of gasoline oxygenates, such as TBA, TBF, TAA, methyl acetate, and acetone. When the method was applied to effluent from a column microcosm prepared with core material from an urban site in New Jersey, conversion of MTBE to TBA was observed after a lag period of 35 days. However, to date, analyses of water samples from six field sites using the DAI-GC/MS method have not produced evidence for the expected products of in situ degradation of MTBE.An analytical method is described that can detect the major alkyl ether compounds that are used as gasoline oxygenates (methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE; ethyl tert-butyl ether, ETBE; and tert-amyl methyl ether, TAME) and their most characteristic degradation products (tert-butyl alcohol, TBA; tert-butyl formate, TBF; and tert-amyl alcohol, TAA) in water at sub-ppb concentrations. The new method involves gas chromatography (GC) with direct aqueous injection (DAI) onto a polar column via a splitless injector, coupled with detection by mass spectrometry (MS). DAI-GC/MS gives excellent agreement with conventional purge-and-trap methods for MTBE over a wide range of environmentally relevant concentrations. The new method

  16. Hydrogen and Carbon Black Production from the Degradation of Methane by Thermal Plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leila Cottet

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Methane gas (CH4 is the main inducer of the so called greenhouse gases effect. Recent scientific research aims to minimize the accumulation of this gas in the atmosphere and to develop processes capable of producing stable materials with added value. Thermal plasma technology is a promising alternative to these applications, since it allows obtaining H2 and solid carbon from CH4, without the parallel formation of byproducts such as CO2 and NOx. In this work, CH4 was degraded by thermal plasma in order to produce hydrogen (H2 and carbon black. The degradation efficiency of CH4, selectivity for H2 production as well as the characterization of carbon black were studied. The best results were obtained in the CH4 flow rate of 5 L min-1 the degradation percentage and the selectivity for H2 production reached 98.8 % and 48.4 %, respectively. At flow rates of less than 5 L min-1 the selectivity for H2 production increases and reaches 91.9 %. The carbon black has obtained amorphous with hydrophobic characteristics and can be marketed to be used in composite material, and can also be activated chemically and/or physically and used as adsorbent material.

  17. Investigation of Oxidative Degradation in Polymers Using (17)O NMR Spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alam, Todd M.; Celina, Mathew; Assink, Roger A.; Clough, Roger L.; Gillen, Kenneth T.; Wheeler David R.

    1999-07-20

    The thermal oxidation of pentacontane (C{sub 50}H{sub 102}), and of the homopolymer polyisoprene, has been investigated using {sup 17}O NMR spectroscopy. By performing the oxidation using {sup 17}O labeled O{sub 2} gas, it is possible to easily identify degradation products, even at relatively low concentrations. It is demonstrated that details of the degradation mechanism can be obtained from analysis of the {sup 17}O NMR spectra as a function of total oxidation. Pentacontane reveals the widest variety of reaction products, and exhibits changes in the relative product distributions with increasing O{sub 2} consumption. At low levels of oxygen incorporation, peroxides are the major oxidation product, while at later stages of degradation these species are replaced by increasing concentrations of ketones, alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters. Analyzing the product distribution can help in identification of the different free-radical decomposition pathways of hydroperoxides, including recombination, proton abstraction and chain scission, as well as secondary reactions. The {sup 17}O NMR spectra of thermally oxidized polyisoprene reveal fewer degradation functionalities, but exhibit an increased complexity in the type of observed degradation species due to structural features such as unsaturation and methyl branching. Alcohols and ethers formed from hydrogen abstraction and free radical termination.

  18. Fate of CL-20 in sandy soils: Degradation products as potential markers of natural attenuation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteil-Rivera, Fanny; Halasz, Annamaria; Manno, Dominic; Kuperman, Roman G.; Thiboutot, Sonia; Ampleman, Guy; Hawari, Jalal

    2009-01-01

    Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is an emerging explosive that may replace the currently used explosives such as RDX and HMX, but little is known about its fate in soil. The present study was conducted to determine degradation products of CL-20 in two sandy soils under abiotic and biotic anaerobic conditions. Biotic degradation was prevalent in the slightly acidic VT soil, which contained a greater organic C content, while the slightly alkaline SAC soil favored hydrolysis. CL-20 degradation was accompanied by the formation of formate, glyoxal, nitrite, ammonium, and nitrous oxide. Biotic degradation of CL-20 occurred through the formation of its denitrohydrogenated derivative (m/z 393 Da) while hydrolysis occurred through the formation of a ring cleavage product (m/z 156 Da) that was tentatively identified as CH 2 =N-C(=N-NO 2 )-CH=N-CHO or its isomer N(NO 2 )=CH-CH=N-CO-CH=NH. Due to their chemical specificity, these two intermediates may be considered as markers of in situ attenuation of CL-20 in soil. - Two key intermediates of CL-20 degradation are potential markers of its natural attenuation in soil

  19. Kinetics and mechanism for the sonochemical degradation of a nonionic surfactant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singla, Ritu; Grieser, Franz; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

    2009-03-26

    The sonolytic degradation of the nonionic surfactant, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C(12)E(8)), has been studied at various initial concentrations below and above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). It has been observed that the degradation rate increases with an increase in the initial concentration of the surfactant until the CMC is reached. Above the CMC an almost constant degradation rate is observed, suggesting that the surfactant in its monomer form is involved in the degradation process. The degradation process of C(12)E(8) involves two distinct primary processes occurring at the bubble/solution interface: (a) hydroxylation/oxidation of the surfactant and (b) pyrolytic fragmentation of the surfactant. The oxidative cleavage of ethylene oxide units provides evidence for OH radical attack. Hydroxylation of the ethoxy chain gives rise to various short-chain carboxyalkyl-polyethylene glycol intermediates. The polyethylene glycol chain formed, due to the scission of the C(12)E(8) molecule, undergoes rapid hydroxylation/oxidation to yield simple compounds that have the potential to undergo further degradation. The detection of multiple intermediates indicates that several processes affect the complete degradation pathways of the surfactant molecule. TOC analysis, however, indicates that the sonolytic mineralization of the surfactant is difficult to achieve at reasonable rates due to the relatively low surface activity of the degradation products formed during sonolysis.

  20. Investigation of the thermal degradation of PET, zinc phosphinate, OMPOSS and their blends-Identification of the formed species

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vannier, Aurore [Centre de Recherche et d' Etude sur les Procedes d' Ignifugation des Materiaux (CREPIM), Parc de la porte Nord, F-62200 Bruay-la-Buissiere (France); Duquesne, Sophie, E-mail: Sophie.duquesne@ensc-lille.fr [Laboratoire des Procedes d' Elaboration de Revetements Fonctionnels (PERF), UMR-CNRS 8008/LSPES - Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Lille, BP 90108, F-59652 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Bourbigot, Serge [Laboratoire des Procedes d' Elaboration de Revetements Fonctionnels (PERF), UMR-CNRS 8008/LSPES - Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Lille, BP 90108, F-59652 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Alongi, Jenny; Camino, Giovanni [Centro di Cultura per l' Ingegneria delle Materie Plastiche - Politechnico di Torino, V.le T. Michel, 5, 15100 Alessandria (Italy); Delobel, Rene [Centre de Recherche et d' Etude sur les Procedes d' Ignifugation des Materiaux (CREPIM), Parc de la porte Nord, F-62200 Bruay-la-Buissiere (France)

    2009-11-10

    The incorporation of both OMPOSS and Exolit OP950 (zinc phosphinate) into PET leads to increased fire retarding properties and a synergistic effect has been established between the three components. Here the thermal degradation of OMPOSS, Exolit OP950, PET and blends of them is investigated via thermal degradation in pyrolytic and thermo-oxidative conditions. All species formed during the degradation of the additives or the blends are identified by solid state NMR and X-ray diffraction in the condensed phase and by GC-MS in the gas phase. The investigation shows that no chemical interaction occurs between the additives, which suggests that the synergy responsible for the improvement of fire properties of the material has a physical origin.

  1. Investigation of the thermal degradation of PET, zinc phosphinate, OMPOSS and their blends-Identification of the formed species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vannier, Aurore; Duquesne, Sophie; Bourbigot, Serge; Alongi, Jenny; Camino, Giovanni; Delobel, Rene

    2009-01-01

    The incorporation of both OMPOSS and Exolit OP950 (zinc phosphinate) into PET leads to increased fire retarding properties and a synergistic effect has been established between the three components. Here the thermal degradation of OMPOSS, Exolit OP950, PET and blends of them is investigated via thermal degradation in pyrolytic and thermo-oxidative conditions. All species formed during the degradation of the additives or the blends are identified by solid state NMR and X-ray diffraction in the condensed phase and by GC-MS in the gas phase. The investigation shows that no chemical interaction occurs between the additives, which suggests that the synergy responsible for the improvement of fire properties of the material has a physical origin.

  2. Hydroxyl radical induced degradation of salicylates in aerated aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szabó, László; Tóth, Tünde; Homlok, Renáta; Rácz, Gergely; Takács, Erzsébet; Wojnárovits, László

    2014-01-01

    Ionizing radiation induced degradation of acetylsalicylic acid, its hydrolysis product salicylic acid and a salicylic acid derivative 5-sulpho-salicylic acid, was investigated in dilute aqueous solutions by UV–vis spectrophotometry, HPLC separation and diode-array or MS/MS detection, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon content and by Vibrio fischeri toxicity measurements. Hydroxyl radicals were shown to degrade these molecules readily, and first degradation products were hydroxylated derivatives in all cases. Due to the by-products, among them hydrogen peroxide, the toxicity first increased and then decreased with the absorbed dose. With prolonged irradiation complete mineralization was achieved. - Highlights: • In OH induced reactions of salicylates first products are hydroxylated derivatives. • With prolonged irradiation dihydroxy derivatives also form. • In aerated solutions the one-electron oxidant OH induces 3–4 oxidations. • Toxicity first increases and then decreases with dose mainly due to H 2 O 2 formation. • The toxicity in tap water is smaller than in pure water

  3. Estimating product-to-product variations in metal forming using force measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havinga, Jos; van den Boogaard, Ton

    2017-10-01

    The limits of production accuracy of metal forming processes can be stretched by the development of control systems for compensation of product-to-product variations. Such systems require the use of measurements from each semi-finished product. These measurements must be used to estimate the final quality of each product. We propose to predict part of the product-to-product variations in multi-stage forming processes based on force measurements from previous process stages. The reasoning is that final product properties as well as process forces are expected to be correlated since they are both affected by material and process variation. In this study, an approach to construct a moving window process model based on historical data from the process is presented. These regression models can be built and updated in real-time during production. The approach is tested with data from a demonstrator process with cutting, deep drawing and bending stages. It is shown that part of the product-to-product variations in the process can be predicted with the developed process model.

  4. Radiation induced degradation of dyes-An overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rauf, M.A.; Ashraf, S. Salman

    2009-01-01

    Synthetic dyes are a major part of our life. Products ranging from clothes to leather accessories to furniture all depend on extensive use of organic dyes. An unfortunate side effect of extensive use of these chemicals is that huge amounts of these potentially carcinogenic compounds enter our water supplies. Various advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) including the use of high-energy radiation have been developed to degrade these compounds. In this review, dye decoloration and degradation as a result of its exposure to high energy radiation such as gamma radiation and pulsed electron beam are discussed in detail. The role of various transient species such as ·H, ·OH and e aq - are taken into account as reported by various researchers. Literature citations in this area show that e aq - is very effective in decolorization but is less active in the further degradation of the products formed. The degradation of the dyes is initiated exclusively by ·OH attack on electron-rich sites of the dye molecules. Additionally, various parameters that affect the efficiency of radiation induced degradation of dyes, such as effect of radiation dose, oxygen, pH, hydrogen peroxide, added ions and dye classes are also reviewed and summarized. Lastly, pilot plant application of radiation for wastewater treatment is briefly discussed.

  5. Productivity, fertilizer responses and nutrient balances of farming systems in central Tigray, Ethiopia: a multi-perspective view in relation to degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraaijvanger, Richard; Veldkamp, Tom; Nyssen, Jan

    2014-05-01

    In many rural livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, crop productivity plays an important role since it links with food insecurity, which again is a major constraining factor in livelihood development. Sustainable livelihood development and land degradation are closely connected: lacking sustainability often results in land degradation, whereas the incidence of land degradation frequently frustrates sustainable development. Important forms of land degradation are soil erosion and nutrient depletion, both often being attributed to exhaustive land use practices and both having a direct and major impact on crop productivity. Application of nutrients is an important way to increase productivity. In our study area, central Tigray, development agents recommend the application of fertilizers at high rates in order to boost productivity and to deal with nutrient depletion. In the discussion about the use of fertilizers different perspectives can be taken, in which especially responses and nutrient balances are important issues, linking respectively with socio-economic and agro-ecological livelihood aspects. Ethiopian soils for example are, based on large scale nutrient balances, considered to be depleted, at field scale fertilizer responses are frequently disappointing and achieving sustainable nutrient balances at farm level seems difficult. At a temporal scale however, agricultural systems remained almost unchanged for over 2500 years, suggesting at least some degree of sustainability. With respect to productivity data resulting from on-farm experimentation with natural and artificial fertilizers in 26 sites, we took four perspectives, different in ownership and scale, on nutrient related land degradation and its assumed impact on crop productivity. Taking a farmer perspective we found no significant difference between responses to recommended and current farmer based practices. Taking a more scientific perspective highlighted that, based on the positive correlation between

  6. Estimating product-to-product variations in metal forming using force measurements

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Havinga, Gosse Tjipke; Van Den Boogaard, Ton

    2017-01-01

    The limits of production accuracy of metal forming processes can be stretched by the development of control systems for compensation of product-to-product variations. Such systems require the use of measurements from each semi-finished product. These measurements must be used to estimate the final

  7. Enhanced sulfamethoxazole degradation through ammonia oxidizing bacteria co-metabolism and fate of transformation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassotaki, Elissavet; Buttiglieri, Gianluigi; Ferrando-Climent, Laura; Rodriguez-Roda, Ignasi; Pijuan, Maite

    2016-05-01

    The occurrence of the widely-used antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SFX) in wastewaters and surface waters has been reported in a large number of studies. However, the results obtained up-to-date have pointed out disparities in its removal. This manuscript explores the enhanced biodegradation potential of an enriched culture of Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) towards SFX. Several sets of batch tests were conducted to establish a link between SFX degradation and specific ammonia oxidation rate. The occurrence, degradation and generation of SFX and some of its transformation products (4-Nitro SFX, Desamino-SFX and N(4)-Acetyl-SFX) was also monitored. A clear link between the degradation of SFX and the nitrification rate was found, resulting in an increased SFX removal at higher specific ammonia oxidation rates. Moreover, experiments conducted under the presence of allylthiourea (ATU) did not present any removal of SFX, suggesting a connection between the AMO enzyme and SFX degradation. Long term experiments (up to 10 weeks) were also conducted adding two different concentrations (10 and 100 μg/L) of SFX in the influent of a partial nitrification sequencing batch reactor, resulting in up to 98% removal. Finally, the formation of transformation products during SFX degradation represented up to 32%, being 4-Nitro-SFX the most abundant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of RP-HPLC, Stability Indicating Method for Degradation Products of Linagliptin in Presence of Metformin HCl by Applying 2 Level Factorial Design; and Identification of Impurity-VII, VIII and IX and Synthesis of Impurity-VII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushant B. Jadhav

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The novel reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC, stability indicating method was developed for determination of linagliptin (LGP and its related substances in linagliptin and metformin HCl (MET HCl tablets by implementing design of experiment to understand the critical method parameters and their relation with critical method attributes; to ensure robustness of the method. The separation of nine specified impurities was achieved with a Zorbax SB-Aq 250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm column, using gradient elution and a detector wavelength of 225 nm, and validated in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization (ICH guidelines and found to be accurate, precise, reproducible, robust, and specific. The drug was found to be degrading extensively in heat, humidity, basic, and oxidation conditions and was forming degradation products during stability studies. After slight modification in the buffer and the column, the same method was used for liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS and ultra-performance liquid chromatography -time-of-flight/mass spectrometry UPLC-TOF/MS analysis, to identify m/z and fragmentation of maximum unspecified degradation products i.e., Impurity-VII (7, Impurity-VIII (8, and Impurity-IX (9 formed during stability studies. Based on the results, a degradation pathway for the drug has been proposed and synthesis of Impurity-VII (7 is also discussed to ensure an in-depth understanding of LGP and its related degradation products and optimum performance during the lifetime of the product.

  9. Wood Degradation by Thermotolerant and Thermophilic Fungi for Sustainable Heat Production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Caizan Juanarena, Leire; ter Heijne, Annemiek; Buisman, Cees; Van der Wal, A.

    2016-01-01

    The use of renewable biomass for production of heat and electricity plays an important role in the circular economy. Degradation of wood biomass to produce heat is a clean and novel process proposed as an alternative to wood burning, and could be used for various heating applications. So far, wood

  10. Chemical durability and degradation mechanisms of HT9 based alloy waste forms with variable Zr content

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olson, L. N. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2015-10-30

    In Corrosion studies were undertaken on alloy waste forms that can result from advanced electrometallurgical processing techniques to better classify their durability and degradation mechanisms. The waste forms were based on the RAW3-(URe) composition, consisting primarily of HT9 steel and other elemental additions to simulate nuclear fuel reprocessing byproducts. The solution conditions of the corrosion studies were taken from an electrochemical testing protocol, and meant to simulate conditions in a repository. The alloys durability was examined in alkaline and acidic brines.

  11. Effects of cellulose degradation products on the mobility of Eu(III) in repositories for low and intermediate level radioactive waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diesen, Veronica; Forsberg, Kerstin; Jonsson, Mats

    2017-10-15

    The deep repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste SFR in Sweden will contain large amounts of cellulosic waste materials contaminated with radionuclides. Over time the repository will be filled with water and alkaline conditions will prevail. In the present study degradation of cellulosic materials and the ability of cellulosic degradation products to solubilize and thereby mobilise Eu(III) under repository conditions has been investigated. Further, the possible immobilization of Eu(III) by sorption onto cement in the presence of degradation products has been investigated. The cellulosic material has been degraded under anaerobic and aerobic conditions in alkaline media (pH: 12.5) at ambient temperature. The degradation was followed by measuring the total organic carbon (TOC) content in the aqueous phase as a function of time. After 173days of degradation the TOC content is highest in the anaerobic artificial cement pore water (1547mg/L). The degradation products are capable of solubilising Eu(III) and the total europium concentration in the aqueous phase was 900μmol/L after 498h contact time under anaerobic conditions. Further it is shown that Eu(III) is adsorbed to the hydrated cement to a low extent (<9μmol Eu/g of cement) in the presence of degradation products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Degradation of polysaccharides by endo- and exoenzymes: dextran--dextranase model systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wheatley, M A; Moo-Young, M

    1977-02-01

    Experiments were carried out on dextran-dextranase systems to test the prediction of a mechanistic model recently proposed by us, for the synergistic effect of combined exo/endo enzymic action in the degradation of polymeric substrates. Soluble forms of the substrate were used. Preliminary experiments with an insoluble form of the substrate were also carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the analytical techniques to these cases. Molecular weight distributions of the degradation products were determined (by gel-permeation chromatography) and the rates of production of glucose and of other reducing sugars were also measured. It was found that the exodextranase alone had very little effect on the molecular weight distributions compared to a significant shift towards lower molecular weights obtained with the endodextranase which was synergistically enhanced by the action of the combined enzymes. Glucose was produced more rapidly by the exoenzyme compared to the endoenzyme, but combinations of the two enzymes gave a rate enhancement greater than the linear sum of the effects of the two individual enzymes. In comparing the degradation indices and polydispersities of the various degradation products, similar synergistic effects of the combined enzymes in accordance with the theoretical predictions were observed. The practical implications of these findings to the design of fermentation processes which depend on the action of endo- and exoenzyme mixtures are noted.

  13. Degradation of alachlor in aqueous solution by using hydrodynamic cavitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xikui; Zhang, Yong

    2009-01-15

    The degradation of alachlor aqueous solution by using hydrodynamic cavitation was systematically investigated. It was found that alachlor in aqueous solution can be deomposed with swirling jet-induced cavitation. The degradation can be described by a pseudo-first-order kinetics and the degradation rate was found to be 4.90x10(-2)min(-1). The effects of operating parameters such as fluid pressure, solution temperature, initial concentration of alachlor and medium pH on the degradation rates of alachlor were also discussed. The results showed that the degradation rates of alachlor increased with increasing pressure and decreased with increasing initial concentration. An optimum temperature of 40 degrees C existed for the degradation rate of alachlor and the degradation rate was also found to be slightly depend on medium pH. Many degradation products formed during the process, and some of them were qualitatively identified by GC-MS.

  14. Global sensitivity analysis for UNSATCHEM simulations of crop production with degraded waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    One strategy for maintaining irrigated agricultural productivity in the face of diminishing resource availability is to make greater use of marginal quality waters and lands. A key to sustaining systems using degraded irrigation waters is salinity management. Advanced simulation models and decision ...

  15. HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE TROPOSPHERIC FLUX OF VINCLOZOLIN AND ITS DEGRADATION PRODUCTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    A laboratory chamber was used to determine hydrologic conditions that lead to the tropospheric flux of a suspected anti-androgenic dicarboximide fungicide, vinclozolin (3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-methyl-5-vinyl-oxzoli-dine-2,4-dione) and three degradation products from sterilized...

  16. In silico, in vitro and antifungal activity of the surface layers formed on zinc during this biomaterial degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves, Marta M.; Marques, Luísa M.; Nogueira, Isabel; Santos, Catarina F.; Salazar, Sara B.; Eugénio, Sónia; Mira, Nuno P.; Montemor, M. F.

    2018-07-01

    Zinc (Zn) has been proposed as an alternative metallic biodegradable material to support transient wound-healing processes. Once a Zn piece is implanted inside the organism the degradation will depend upon the physiological surrounding environment. This, by modulating the composition of the surface layers formed on Zn devices, will govern the subsequent interactions with the surrounding living cells (e.g. biocompatibility and/or antifungal behaviour). In silico simulation of an implanted Zn piece at bone-muscle interface or inside the bone yielded the preferential precipitation of simonkolleite or zincite, respectively. To study the impact of these surface layers in the in vitro behaviour of Zn biomaterials, simonkolleite and zincite where synthesised. The successful production of simonkolleite or zincite was confirmed by an extensive physicochemical characterization. An in vitro layer formed on the top of these surface layers revealed that simonkolleite was rather inert, while zincite yielded a complex matrix containing hydroxyapatite, an important bone analogue. When analysing the "anti-biofilm" activity simonkolleite stood out for its activity against an important pathogenic fungi involved in implant-device infections, Candida albicans. The possible physiological implications of these findings are discussed.

  17. A New Platform for Profiling Degradation-Related Impurities Via Exploiting the Opportunities Offered by Ion-Selective Electrodes: Determination of Both Diatrizoate Sodium and Its Cytotoxic Degradation Product.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riad, Safaa M; Abd El-Rahman, Mohamed K; Fawaz, Esraa M; Shehata, Mostafa A

    2018-05-01

    Although the ultimate goal of administering active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is to save countless lives, the presence of impurities and/or degradation products in APIs or formulations may cause harmful physiological effects. Today, impurity profiling (i.e., the identity as well as the quantity of impurity in a pharmaceutical) is receiving critical attention from regulatory authorities. Despite the predominant use of spectroscopic and chromatographic methods over electrochemical methods for impurity profiling of APIs, this work investigates the opportunities offered by electroanalytical methods, particularly, ion-selective electrodes (ISEs), for profiling degradation-related impurities (DRIs) compared with conventional spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. For a meaningful comparison, diatrizoate sodium (DTA) was chosen as the anionic X-ray contrast agent based on its susceptibility to deacetylation into its cytotoxic and mutagenic degradation product, 3,5-diamino-2,4,6 triiodobenzoic acid (DTB). This cationic diamino compound can be also detected as an impurity in the final product because it is used as a synthetic precursor for the synthesis of DTA. In this study, four novel sensitive and selective sensors for the determination of both DTA and its cytotoxic degradation products are presented. Sensors I and II were developed for the determination of the anionic drug, DTA, and sensors III and IV were developed for the determination of the cationic cytotoxic impurity. The use of these novel sensors not only provides a stability-indicating method for the selective determination of DTA in the presence of its degradation product, but also permits DRI profiling. Moreover, a great advantage of these proposed ISE systems is their higher sensitivity for the quantification of DTB relative to other spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, so it can measure trace amounts of DTB impurities in DTA bulk powder and pharmaceutical formulation without a need for

  18. Wet oxidative degradation of cellulosic wastes 5- chemical and thermal properties of the final waste forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eskander, S.B.; Saleh, H.M.

    2002-01-01

    In this study, the residual solution arising from the wet oxidative degradation of solid organic cellulosic materials, as one of the component of radioactive solid wastes, using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Were incorporated into ordinary Portland cement matrix. Leaching as well as thermal characterizations of the final solidified waste forms were evaluated to meet the final disposal requirements. Factors, such as the amount of the residual solution incorporated, types of leachant. Release of different radionuclides and freezing-thaw treatment, that may affect the leaching characterization. Were studied systematically from the data obtained, it was found that the final solid waste from containing 35% residual solution in tap water is higher than that in ground water or sea water. Based on the data obtained from thermal analysis, it could be concluded that incorporating the residual solution form the wet oxidative degradation of cellulosic materials has no negative effect on the hydration of cement materials and consequently on the thermal stability of the final solid waste from during the disposal process

  19. Production of metal waste forms from spent fuel treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westphal, B.R.; Keiser, D.D.; Rigg, R.H.; Laug, D.V.

    1995-01-01

    Treatment of spent nuclear fuel at Argonne National Laboratory consists of a pyroprocessing scheme in which the development of suitable waste forms is being advanced. Of the two waste forms being proposed, metal and mineral, the production of the metal waste form utilizes induction melting to stabilize the waste product. Alloying of metallic nuclear materials by induction melting has long been an Argonne strength and thus, the transition to metallic waste processing seems compatible. A test program is being initiated to coalesce the production of the metal waste forms with current induction melting capabilities

  20. How language production shapes language form and comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryellen C MacDonald

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Language production processes can provide insight into how language comprehension works and language typology—why languages tend to have certain characteristics more often than others. Drawing on work in memory retrieval, motor planning, and serial order in action planning, the Production-Distribution-Comprehension (PDC account links work in the fields of language production, typology, and comprehension: 1 faced with substantial computational burdens of planning and producing utterances, language producers implicitly follow three biases in utterance planning that promote word order choices that reduce these burdens, thereby improving production fluency. 2 These choices, repeated over many utterances and individuals, shape the distributions of utterance forms in language. The claim that language form stems in large degree from producers’ attempts to mitigate utterance planning difficulty is contrasted with alternative accounts in which form is driven by language use more broadly, language acquisition processes, or producers’ attempts to create language forms that are easily understood by comprehenders. 3 Language perceivers implicitly learn the statistical regularities in their linguistic input, and they use this prior experience to guide comprehension of subsequent language. In particular, they learn to predict the sequential structure of linguistic signals, based on the statistics of previously-encountered input. Thus key aspects of comprehension behavior are tied to lexico-syntactic statistics in the language, which in turn derive from utterance planning biases promoting production of comparatively easy utterance forms over more difficult ones. This approach contrasts with classic theories in which comprehension behaviors are attributed to innate design features of the language comprehension system and associated working memory. The PDC instead links basic features of comprehension to a different source: production processes that shape

  1. Chromatographic studies on thermal and radiolytic degradation of n-dodecane-HNO3 two components system and its purification employing silica gel treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadam, Prashant; Kaushik, C.P.; Ozarde, P.D.; Bindu, M.; Tripathi, S.C.; Jambunathan, U.; Pandit, G.G.

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes the studies carried out to examine the extent of degradation of n-dodecane at elevated temperature for different time periods and the effect of gamma radiolysis at different absorbed dose, in n-dodecane- nitric acid two components system. The studies also involved the identification of the degradation products formed during above process using GC-MS. A large number of degradation products were observed. Formation of degradation products increases with absorbed dose and time of heating. Further purification of degraded dodecane was carried out with silica gel crystals as an adsorbent. Treated dodecane samples were subjected to GC/GC-MS analysis, to confirm the extent of removal degradation products. (author)

  2. Radiolytic degradation of diclofenac and 2,6-dichloroaniline in aqueous in solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Homlok, R.; Takacs, E.; Wojnarovits, L.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. The pharmaceutical companies in designing new molecules pay attention to the environmental toxicity of the drug; from the different variants they try to choose the less toxic one. However, metabolites, degradation products may also be toxic for the fauna and flora. For instance, diclofenac (DCF), a non steroid type anti inflammatory drug, is a moderately toxic compound. During its degradation 2,6-dichloroaniline (DCA) forms which is much more toxic than the initial molecule. In this work the radiation induced degradation of DCF and DCA is reported. The purpose of the work is the elimination of these compounds from water. The intermediates are studied using pulse radiolysis, while the degradation is followed by UV-VIS spectroscopy, separation by HPLC and products identification by diode array and MS-MS detection. The effect of dose, irradiation atmosphere, and additives are investigated. The change in chemical oxygen demand, in total organic carbon content and in toxicity of the solutions are also followed as a function of dose. The · OH radicals at both molecules add to the ring and this reaction initiates the degradation. In the case of DCF hydroxylated molecules, DCA, and quinone type compound form. In the presence of oxygen there is an increase in the hydroxylated product yield. Ring opening and mineralization is suggested to proceed through peroxy intermediates. In the case of DCA the hydroxy radical reaction is accompanied by chlorine atom elimination.

  3. Source of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products in the CSF after subarachnoid hemorrhage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeulen, M.; van Vliet, H. H.; Lindsay, K. W.; Hijdra, A.; van Gijn, J.

    1985-01-01

    In 48 patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, levels of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP's), total protein, and plasminogen were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between Days 9 and 15 after the bleed. Of these 48 patients, 22 received tranexamic acid. Despite a significant

  4. Degradation of the blister agent sulfur mustard, bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, on concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brevett, Carol A.S.; Sumpter, Kenneth B.; Wagner, George W.; Rice, Jeffrey S.

    2007-01-01

    The products formed from the degradation of the blister agent sulfur mustard [bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide] on concrete were identified using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC/MSD), 1 H NMR, 2D 1 H- 13 C NMR and 13 C solid state magic angle spinning (SSMAS) NMR. In situ and extraction experiments were performed. Sulfur mustard was detected in the in situ 13 C SSMAS samples for 12 weeks, whereas less than 5% of the sulfur mustard was detected in extracts from the concrete monoliths after 8 days. Sulfonium ions and (2-chloroethylthio)ethyl ether (T) were observed on the in situ samples after a period of 12 weeks, whereas vinyl species and bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfoxide were observed in the extracts of the concrete monoliths within 24 h. The differences between the extraction and the SSMAS data indicated that the sulfur mustard existed in the concrete in a non-extractable form prior to its degradation. Extraction methods alone were not sufficient to identify the products; methods to identify the presence of non-extractable degradation products were also required

  5. Metal complexation in near field conditions of nuclear waste repository - stability constant of copper complexation with cellulose degradation products, in alkaline conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guede, Kipre Bertin

    2005-11-01

    Copper is a stable element and spent fuel component which constitutes the radioactive waste. The reaction of Copper with cellulose degradation products in alkaline conditions was performed to mimic what occurs in near field conditions of nuclear waste repository. From the characteristics of Cu (II), this thesis aims at inferring the behaviour of radionuclides vis a vis the degradation products of cellulose. The contribution of the present work is therefore the assessment of the stability of the major cellulose degradation product, its affinity for Copper and the extent of the complexation function 13 between Cu (II) and the organic moieties. The formation of cellulose degradation products was followed by measurement of p11, Conductivity, Angle of rotation, relative abundance of aliphatics and aromatics (E4/E6 ) aid by UV-visible spectroscopy. The TOC was determined using the Walkley and Black titration after respectively 31 weeks and 13 weeks of degradation for the reaction mixtures T and A, N. The stability of the major degradation products gave the following figures: ISA(A): - 13 43.39 <ΔG -10639.88 ISA(N): - Ii 436.45<ΔG< -9103.6. The study of the characteristics of Gluconic Acid, as a model compound, was carried out in an attempt to give a general picture of the roper ties of cellulose degradation products. The Complexation between Cu (II) and the organic ligand (Cellulose degradation products) was performed using UV-visible spectroscopy and Ion Distribution technique. The Log B value obtained from the complexation studies at 336 nm for 1 = 0. I Ni NaClO4 and I = 0.01 M NaClO4, falls within a range of 3.48 to 3.74 for the standard reference material (Gluconic Acid), and within I .87 to 2.3 I, and I .6 to 2.01, respectively for the degradation Products ISA (A) and ISA(N). The ion distribution studies showed that: • In (he absence of the degradation product ISA and at pH = 3.68. 56. 17 % of Cu (II) was bound to the resin. • In the presence of ISA and at 2

  6. Degradation and crosslinking of perfluoroalkyl polyethers under X-ray irradiation in ultrahigh vacuum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, S.; Morales, W.

    1989-03-01

    Degradation of three types of commercially available perfluoroalkyl polyethers (PFPE)-Demnum S200, Fomblin Z25, and Krytox 16256-by X-ray irradiation was studied by using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and a mass spectrometer under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. The carbons in the polymers were characterized by chemical shifts of Cls binding energies. Gaseous products containing COF2 and low-molecular-weight fluorocarbons were formed. From Fomblin Z25, which has acetal linkages (-OCF2O-), a large quantity of COF2 gas was evolved. Liquid products became tacky after a long irradiation time, and some did not dissolve in Freon. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that molecular weight distribution became broader and that higher molecular weight polymers were formed from Demnum and Krytox. We concluded from these results that degradation and cross-linking took place simultaneously. Demnum crosslinked more easily than the other fluids. The time dependence of both XPS spectra of Cls and mass spectra showed that C-O-bonded carbons in PFPE'S were removed faster than other carbons. There was no substrate effect on the degradation reaction because the first-order rate constants calculated from the change of gaseous products were similar when stainless steel (440C) and gold-coated surfaces were used. Metal fluorides were formed on stainless steel during the reaction. A mechanism for the degradation of PFPE'S is discussed on the basis of their molecular structures

  7. Contribution to the study of degradation products of spent fuel reprocessing solvents using mass spectroscopy, its different linkages and by the use of stable isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesage, Denis

    1995-01-01

    Tributylphosphate (TBP) is used as an extraction solvent in nuclear fuel reprocessing. The presence of uranium fission products leads to the formation of a large variety of organic compounds resulting from radiolytic degradation of TBP. Some of these compounds can complex metallic cations, and as a result, to decrease nuclear fuel extraction yields. In this work we have studied by tandem mass spectrometry the fragmentation mechanisms of different TBP and their dimers. These molecules are interesting because of the similarity of their structures to other more complex molecules formed by irradiation (functionalized TBP and TBP dimers). This work allowed to identify mixtures of degradation products and relate their structures to radiolytic mechanisms. Ail these results, including structure determination and formation mechanisms, have been validated by using specifically labeled compounds (deuterium, oxygen 18, nitrogen 15). (author) [fr

  8. Investigation of forced and total degradation products of amlodipine besylate by liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stoiljković Zora Ž.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An isocratic, reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was applied for the investigation of the degradation products of amlodipine besylate under the stressed conditions in solution. Amlodipine besylate stock solutions were subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, chemical oxidation and photodegradation as well as to the electrochemical degradation by cyclic voltammetry in 0.05 mol/L NaHCO3 on gold electrode. The total degradation of amlodipine besylate was achieved in 5 mol/L NaOH at 80°C for 6 h and the compound with molecular formula C15H16NOCl was identified as a main degradation product. Under acidic (5 mol/L HCl at 80°C for 6 h stress conditions 75.2% of amlodipine besylate degradation was recorded. Oxidative degradation in the solution of 3% H2O2-methanol 80:20 at 80°C for 6 h showed that amlodipine besylate degraded to 80.1%. After 14 days of expose in photostability chamber amlodipine besylate solution showed degradation of 32.2%. In electrochemical degradation after 9 hours of cyclization the beginning of amlodipine oxidation was shifted for 200 mV to more negative potentials, with the degradation of 66.5%. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of dehydro amlodipine derivate with molecular formula C20H23N2O5Cl in oxidative and acidic conditions while in electrochemical degradation was detected in traces. [Projekat Ministarsva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172013

  9. Enzymatic degradation of plutonium-contaminated cellulose products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heintz, C.E.; Rainwater, K.A.; Swift, L.M.; Barnes, D.L.; Worl, L.; Avens, L.

    1999-01-01

    Enzyme solutions produced for commercial purposes unrelated to waste management have the potential for reducing the volume of wastes in streams containing cellulose, lipid and protein materials. For example, the authors have shown that cellulases used in denim production and in detergent formulations are able to digest cellulose-containing sorbents and other cellulose-based wastes contaminated either with crude oil or with radionuclides. This presentation describes the use of one such enzyme preparation (Rapidase trademark) for the degradation of cotton sorbents intentionally contaminated with low levels of plutonium. This is part of a feasibility study to determine if such treatments have a role in reducing the volume of low level and transuranic wastes to minimize the amount of radionuclide-contaminated waste that must be disposed of in secured storage areas

  10. Enzymatic degradation of plutonium-contaminated cellulose products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heintz, C.E.; Rainwater, K.A.; Swift, L.M.; Barnes, D.L.; Worl, L.A.

    1999-01-01

    Enzyme solutions produced for commercial purposes unrelated to waste management have the potential for reducing the volume of wastes in streams containing cellulose, lipid and protein materials. For example, the authors have shown previously that cellulases used in denim production and in detergent formulations are able to digest cellulose-containing sorbents and other cellulose-based wastes contaminated either with crude oil or with uranium. This presentation describes the use of one such enzyme preparation (Rapidase trademark, manufactured by Genencor, Rochester, NY) for the degradation of cotton sorbents intentionally contaminated with low levels of plutonium. This is part of a feasibility study to determine if such treatments have a role in reducing the volume of low level and transuranic wastes to minimize the amount of radionuclide-contaminated waste destined for costly disposal options

  11. Natural and enhanced anaerobic degradation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane and its degradation products in the subsurface – A critical review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scheutz, Charlotte; Durant, Neal D.; Hansen, Maria Heisterberg

    2011-01-01

    1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA) in groundwater is susceptible to a variety of natural degradation mechanisms. Evidence of intrinsic decay of TCA in aquifers is commonly observed; however, TCA remains a persistent pollutant at many sites and some of the daughter products that accumulate from intrinsic...

  12. Effectiveness of commercial microbial products in enhancing oil degradation in Prince William Sound field plots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venosa, A.D.; Haines, J.R.; Allen, D.M.

    1991-01-01

    In the spring of 1990, previously reported laboratory experiments were conducted on 10 commercial microbial products to test for enhanced biodegradation of weathered crude oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The laboratory tests measured the rate and extent of oil degradation in closed flasks. Weathered oil from the beaches in Alaska and seawater from Prince William Sound were used in the tests. Two of the 10 products were found to provide significantly greater alkane degradation than flasks supplemented with mineral nutrients alone. These two products were selected for further testing on a beach in Prince William Sound. A randomized complete block experiment was designed to compare the effectiveness of these two products in enhancing oil degradation compared to simple fertilizer alone. Four small plots consisting of a no nutrient control, a mineral nutrient plot, and two plots receiving mineral nutrients plus the two products, were laid out on a contaminated beach. These four plots comprised a 'block' of treatments, and this block was replicated four times on the same beach. Triplicate samples of beach sediment were collected at four equally spaced time intervals and analyzed for oil residue weight and alkane hydrocarbon profile changes with time. The objective was to determine if either of the two commercial microbiological products was able to enhance bioremediation of an oil-contaminated beach in Prince William Sound to an extent greater than that achievable by simple fertilizer application. Results indicated no significant differences among the four treatments in the 27-day period of the experiment

  13. Tritium Labeled Gentamicin C: II.- Bioradiactive Degradation Products of Gentamicin by Catalytic H2O-3H Exchange Reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez, C.; Diaz, A.; Paz, D.; Jimeno, M. L.

    1992-01-01

    The main bio radioactive degradation products from catalytic hydrogen exchange of gentamicin C, (C1 + C2 + Cla) in basic form, are generated by N-demethylation in 3 - N and 6-N positions. Their structures were confirmed by 1HNMR and 13CNMR. These derivatives were fractionated by chromatography on silica gel. Antibacterial activities were similar to those of the parent antibiotics. Tritium exchange, under vacuum or nitrogen, is highly increased (4:1) when gentamicin are in basic form. In contrast with gentamicin sulfate, hydrolytic sub products as gramine, genta mines, garosamine and purpurosamines are practically absent. To properly optimize the exchange process, the composition of the gentamicin C complex must be taken into account. The exchange decreases in the order C2 > C1> Cla. Because of 6'-N-demethyl gentamicin C1 is C2, the radiochemical yield of C2 appears enhanced in the H2O-3H exchange of a mixture of them. Radioactivity distribution among the components and subunits of these three gentamicin were studied by strong and mild hydrolysis, and by methanolysis. (Author) 18 refs

  14. Estimation of PMI depends on the changes in ATP and its degradation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Shiwei; Fu, Gaowen; Seese, Ronald R; Wang, Zhen-Yuan

    2013-09-01

    Estimating the time since death, or postmortem interval (PMI), has been one of the biggest difficulties in modern forensic investigation. This study tests if the concentrations of breakdown products of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) correlate with PMI in multiple organs from rat. Brains, spleens, and kidneys of rats were harvested at different time points in carcasses maintained at 4°C or 20°C. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify concentrations of metabolites related to ATP degradation. A K value (Kv=100×(Hx+HxR)/(ATP+ADP+AMP+IMP+HxR+Hx)) was calculated and correlated with PMI for each organ and temperature. The results indicate that the K value is a robust index for the estimation of PMI based on highly significant linear correlations between PMI and concentrations of ATP breakdown products. Compared with other current research methods, the changing tendency of ATP and its degradation products may be potentially a better way for the estimation of PMI in medico-legal practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. End-to-end gene fusions and their impact on the production of multifunctional biomass degrading enzymes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizk, Mazen; Antranikian, Garabed; Elleuche, Skander

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Multifunctional enzymes offer an interesting approach for biomass degradation. ► Size and conformation of separate constructs play a role in the effectiveness of chimeras. ► A connecting linker allows for maximal flexibility and increased thermostability. ► Genes with functional similarities are the best choice for fusion candidates. -- Abstract: The reduction of fossil fuels, coupled with its increase in price, has made the search for alternative energy resources more plausible. One of the topics gaining fast interest is the utilization of lignocellulose, the main component of plants. Its primary constituents, cellulose and hemicellulose, can be degraded by a series of enzymes present in microorganisms, into simple sugars, later used for bioethanol production. Thermophilic bacteria have proven to be an interesting source of enzymes required for hydrolysis since they can withstand high and denaturing temperatures, which are usually required for processes involving biomass degradation. However, the cost associated with the whole enzymatic process is staggering. A solution for cost effective and highly active production is through the construction of multifunctional enzyme complexes harboring the function of more than one enzyme needed for the hydrolysis process. There are various strategies for the degradation of complex biomass ranging from the regulation of the enzymes involved, to cellulosomes, and proteins harboring more than one enzymatic activity. In this review, the construction of multifunctional biomass degrading enzymes through end-to-end gene fusions, and its impact on production and activity by choosing the enzymes and linkers is assessed.

  16. Effects of cellulosic degradation product concentration on actinide sorption on tuffs from the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, Sellafield, Cumbria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Bond, K.A.; Boult, K.A.; Linklater, C.M.

    1994-01-01

    The Nirex Safety Assessment Research Programme includes an investigation into the effects of cellulosic degradation products on the sorption of radioelements onto geological materials. Previous batch sorption studies have shown that the presence of high concentrations of both authentic cellulosic degradation products (produced by alkaline degradation of wood/tissue) and the well-characterised simulant, gluconate, can cause marked reductions in actinide sorption. This work has now been extended to cover a range of concentrations of both authentic cellulosic degradation products and their simulants, gluconate and iso-saccharinate. Geological samples were from the proposed Nirex underground radioactive waste disposal site at Sellafied, Cumbria. The nuclides studied were thorium and plutonium. In the presence of gluconate or iso-saccharinate, at concentrations above 10 -4 M, the present work has confirmed the trends shown by earlier experiments, with a significant reduction in actinide sorption (R D values reduced by less than a factor of two), and in some cases the results suggested a slight increase (R D values increased by up to a factor of four). (orig.)

  17. Effects of cellulosic degradation product concentration on actinide sorption on tuffs from the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, Sellafield, Cumbria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baston, G.M.N. [AEA Technology, Decommissioning and Waste Management, Harwell (United Kingdom); Berry, J.A. [AEA Technology, Decommissioning and Waste Management, Harwell (United Kingdom); Bond, K.A. [AEA Technology, Decommissioning and Waste Management, Harwell (United Kingdom); Boult, K.A. [AEA Technology, Decommissioning and Waste Management, Harwell (United Kingdom); Linklater, C.M. [AEA Technology, Decommissioning and Waste Management, Harwell (United Kingdom)

    1994-12-31

    The Nirex Safety Assessment Research Programme includes an investigation into the effects of cellulosic degradation products on the sorption of radioelements onto geological materials. Previous batch sorption studies have shown that the presence of high concentrations of both authentic cellulosic degradation products (produced by alkaline degradation of wood/tissue) and the well-characterised simulant, gluconate, can cause marked reductions in actinide sorption. This work has now been extended to cover a range of concentrations of both authentic cellulosic degradation products and their simulants, gluconate and iso-saccharinate. Geological samples were from the proposed Nirex underground radioactive waste disposal site at Sellafied, Cumbria. The nuclides studied were thorium and plutonium. In the presence of gluconate or iso-saccharinate, at concentrations above 10{sup -4} M, the present work has confirmed the trends shown by earlier experiments, with a significant reduction in actinide sorption (R{sub D} values reduced by less than a factor of two), and in some cases the results suggested a slight increase (R{sub D} values increased by up to a factor of four). (orig.)

  18. Different Spectrophotometric Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Trelagliptin and Its Acid Degradation Product

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Mostafa A.; Zaghary, Wafaa A.

    2018-01-01

    New spectrophotometric and chemometric methods were carried out for the simultaneous assay of trelagliptin (TRG) and its acid degradation product (TAD) and applied successfully as a stability indicating assay to recently approved Zafatek® tablets. TAD was monitored using TLC to ensure complete degradation. Furthermore, HPLC was used to confirm dealing with one major acid degradation product. The proposed methods were developed by manipulating zero-order, first-derivative, and ratio spectra of TRG and TAD using simultaneous equation, first-derivative, and mean-centering methods, respectively. Using Spectra Manager II and Minitab v.14 software, the absorbance at 274 nm–260.4 nm, amplitudes at 260.4 nm–274.0 nm, and mean-centered values at 287.6 nm–257.2 nm were measured against methanol as a blank for TRG and TAD, respectively. Linearity and the other validation parameters were acceptable at concentration ranges of 5–50 μg/mL and 2.5–25 μg/mL for TRG and TAD, respectively. Using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the optimized methods were compared and proved to be accurate for the simultaneous assay of TRG and TAD. PMID:29629213

  19. In situ ruminal crude protein degradability of by-products from cereals, oilseeds and animal origin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Habib, G.; Khan, N.A.; Ali, M.; Bezabih, M.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to establish a database on in situ ruminal crude protein (CP) degradability characteristics of by-products from cereal grains, oilseeds and animal origin commonly fed to ruminants in Pakistan and South Asian Countries. The oilseed by-products were soybean meal, sunflower

  20. Uptake and degradation of natural surfactant by isolated rat granular pneumocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, A.B.; Chander, A.; Reicherter, J.

    1987-01-01

    It has been previously shown that isolated granular pneumocytes internalize and degrade dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) in synthetic lipid vesicles and reutilize degradation products for phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis. In this study, the authors evaluated the uptake and degradation of radiolabeled natural surfactant (NS) isolated from lung lavage after perfusing isolated rat lungs with [ 3 H]choline. Uptake of NS by isolated granular pneumocytes was increased approximately fourfold compared with synthetic liposomes, suggesting that physical form or a component (e.g., a protein) of NS plays a role in phospholipid uptake by these cells. Uptake was significantly decreased by metabolic inhibitors, indicating an energy requirement for this process. After 2-h incubation, the pattern of radioactivity in cells compared with NS showed a significant decrease in PC and DSPC and increase in free choline, choline phosphate, and CDP-choline. This pattern of metabolism indicates degradation of PC and metabolic reutilization of products. These studies support the hypothesis that alveolar phospholipids are accumulated and reutilized by granular pneumocytes for surfactant synthesis

  1. Biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas fluorescens growing on molasses and its application in phenol degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryantia, Venty; Marliyana, Soerya Dewi; Wulandari, Astri

    2015-12-01

    A molasses based medium for the biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas fluorescens was developed, where the effect of pre-treated of molasses and medium composition were evaluated. Biosurfactant production was followed by measuring optical density (OD), surface tension and emulsifying index (E24) over 12 days of fermentation. The optimum condition for the biosurfactant production was obtained when a medium containing of 8 g/L nutrient broth, 5 g/L NaCl, 1 g/L NH4NO3 and 5% v/v pre-treated molasses with centrifugation was used as media with 3 days of fermentation. The biosurfactant was identified as a rhamnolipid type biosurfactant which had critical micelle concentration (CMC) value of 801 mg/L and was able to reduce the surface tension of the water from 80 mN/m to 51 mN/m. The biosurfactants had water in oil (w/o) emulsion type. Biosurfactant was able to emulsify various hydrocarbons, which were able to decrase the interfacial tension about 50-75% when benzyl chloride, anisaldehyde and palm oil were used as immiscible compounds. The biosurfactant exhibited the E24 value of about 50% and the stable emulsion was reached up to 30 days when lubricant was used as an immiscible compound. Up to 68% of phenol was degraded in the presence of biosurfactant within 15 days, whereas only 56% of phenol was degraded in the absence of biosurfactant. Overall, the results exhibited that molasses are recommended for the rhamnolipids production which possessed good surface-active properties and had potential application in the enhancement of phenol degradation.

  2. Investigation of relationships between removals of tetracycline and degradation products and physicochemical parameters in municipal wastewater treatment plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topal, Murat; Uslu Şenel, Gülşad; Öbek, Erdal; Arslan Topal, E Işıl

    2016-05-15

    Determination of the effect of physicochemical parameters on the removal of tetracycline (TC) and degradation products is important because of the importance of the removal of antibiotics in Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between removals of TC and degradation products and physicochemical parameters in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP). For this aim, (i) the removals of physicochemical parameters in a MWWTP located in Elazığ city (Turkey) were determined (ii) the removals of TC and degradation products in MWWTP were determined (iii) the relationships between removals of TC and degradation products and physicochemical parameters were investigated. TC, 4-epitetracycline (ETC), 4-epianhydrotetracycline (EATC), anhydrotetracycline (ATC), and physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), suspended solids (SS), BOD5, COD, total organic carbon (TOC), NH4(+)-N, NO2(-)-N, NO3(-)-N and O-PO4(-3)) were determined. The calculation of the correlation coefficients of relationships between the physicochemical parameters and TC, EATC, ATC showed that, among the investigated parameters, EATC and SS most correlated. The removals of other physicochemical parameters were not correlated with TC, EATC and ATC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. An Operational Framework for Defining and Monitoring Forest Degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian D. Thompson

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Forest degradation is broadly defined as a reduction in the capacity of a forest to produce ecosystem services such as carbon storage and wood products as a result of anthropogenic and environmental changes. The main causes of degradation include unsustainable logging, agriculture, invasive species, fire, fuelwood gathering, and livestock grazing. Forest degradation is widespread and has become an important consideration in global policy processes that deal with biodiversity, climate change, and forest management. There is, however, no generally recognized way to identify a degraded forest because perceptions of forest degradation vary depending on the cause, the particular goods or services of interest, and the temporal and spatial scales considered. Here, we suggest that there are types of forest degradation that produce a continuum of decline in provision of ecosystem services, from those in primary forests through various forms of managed forests to deforestation. Forest degradation must be measured against a desired baseline condition, and the types of degradation can be represented using five criteria that relate to the drivers of degradation, loss of ecosystem services and sustainable management, including: productivity, biodiversity, unusual disturbances, protective functions, and carbon storage. These criteria are not meant to be equivalent and some might be considered more important than others, depending on the local forest management objectives. We propose a minimum subset of seven indicators for the five criteria that should be assessed to determine forest degradation under a sustainable ecosystem management regime. The indicators can be remotely sensed (although improving calibration requires ground work and aggregated from stand to management unit or landscape levels and ultimately to sub-national and national scales.

  4. Generation of toxic degradation products by sonication of Pluronic® dispersants: implications for nanotoxicity testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ruhung; Hughes, Tyler; Beck, Simon; Vakil, Samee; Li, Synyoung; Pantano, Paul; Draper, Rockford K

    2013-11-01

    Poloxamers (known by the trade name Pluronic®) are triblock copolymer surfactants that contain two polyethylene glycol blocks and one polypropylene glycol block of various sizes. Poloxamers are widely used as nanoparticle dispersants for nanotoxicity studies wherein nanoparticles are sonicated with a dispersant to prepare suspensions. It is known that poloxamers can be degraded during sonication and that reactive oxygen species contribute to the degradation process. However, the possibility that poloxamer degradation products are toxic to mammalian cells has not been well studied. We report here that aqueous solutions of poloxamer 188 (Pluronic® F-68) and poloxamer 407 (Pluronic® F-127) sonicated in the presence or absence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) can became highly toxic to cultured cells. Moreover, toxicity correlated with the sonolytic degradation of the polymers. These findings suggest that caution should be used in interpreting the results of nanotoxicity studies where the potential sonolytic degradation of dispersants was not controlled.

  5. Reducing the potential for migration of radioactive waste: Aqueous thermal degradation of the chelating agent disodium EDTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boles, J.S.; Ritchie, K.; Crerar, D.A.

    1987-01-01

    Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a common component of cleaning solutions used for decontamination of radioactive equipment, has been associated with increased migration of radionuclides into local groundwaters at some radwaste disposal sites. It has been proposed that predisposal thermal degradation of EDTA-containing aqueous solutions may reduce the potential for chelate-enhanced mobilization of radionuclides at these sites. Aqueous thermal degradation experiments with disodium EDTA have shown that the compound degrades rapidly at 200 0 C with an activation energy of 114.3 +- 7.87 kJ/mol, and forms the decomposition product methyliminodiacetic acid (MIDA). A comparison of the values for stability constants of transition metal and actinide complexes with EDTA, MIDA, and two other reported degradation products, indicates that the chelating efficiency of the degradation products is 6 to 22 orders of magnitude lower than that of EDTA at 25 0 C. It is concluded that aqueous thermal degradation should significantly reduce the overall chelating efficiency of EDTA-containing solutions

  6. Complexation of Cu2+, Ni2+ and UO22+ by radiolytic degradation products of bitumen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loon, L.R. Van; Kopajtic, Z.

    1990-05-01

    The radiolytic degradation of bitumen was studied under conditions which reflect those which will exist in the near field of a cementitious radioactive waste repository. The potential complexation capacity of the degradation products was studied and complexation experiments with Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ and UO 2 2+ were performed. In general 1:1 complexes with Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ and UO 2 2+ , with log K values of between 5.7 and 6.0 for Cu 2+ , 4.2 for Ni 2+ and 6.1 for UO 2 2+ , were produced at an ionic strength of 0.1 M. The composition of the bitumen water was analysed by GC-MS and IC. The major proportion of the bitumen degradation products in solution were monocarboxylic acids (acetic acid, formic acid, myric acid, stearic acid ...), dicarboxylic acids (oxalic acid, phthalic acid) and carbonates. The experimentally derived log K data are in good agreement with the literature and suggest that oxalate determines the speciation of Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ and UO 2 2+ in the bitumen water below pH=7. However, under the high pH conditions typical of the near field of a cementitious repository, competition with OH-ligands will be large and oxalate, therefore, will not play a significant role in the speciation of radionuclides. The main conclusion of the study is that the radiolytic degradation products of bitumen will have no influence on radionuclide speciation in a cementitious near field and, as such, need not to be considered in the appropriate safety assessment models. (author) 12 figs., 11 tabs., 31 refs

  7. Cyanide utilization and degradation by microorganisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowles, C J

    1988-01-01

    Various microorganisms can produce (cyanogenesis) or degrade cyanide. They degrade cyanide either to detoxify it, or to use it as a source of nitrogen for growth. Significant amounts of cyanide are formed as a secondary metabolite by a wide range of fungi and a few bacteria by decarboxylation of glycine. When cyanide has been formed by the snow mould fungus it is degraded by conversion to carbon dioxide and ammonia via an unknown pathway. In contrast, cyanogenic bacteria either do not further catabolize cyanide or they convert it into beta-cyanoalanine by addition to cysteine or O-acetylserine. Several non-cyanogenic fungi that are pathogens of cyanogenic plants are known to degrade cyanide by hydration to formamide by the enzyme cyanide hydratase. Such fungi can be immobilized and used in packed-cell columns to continuously detoxify cyanide. ICI Biological Products Business market a preparation of spray-dried fungal mycelia, 'CYCLEAR', to detoxify industrial wastes. Novo Industri have also introduced a cyanidase preparation to convert cyanide directly into formate and ammonia. Bacteria have been isolated that use cyanide as a source of nitrogen for growth. Because cyanide, as KCN or NaCN, is toxic for growth, the bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) have to be grown in fed-batch culture with cyanide as the limiting nutrient. Cyanide is converted to carbon dioxide and ammonia (which is then assimilated) by an NADH-linked cyanide oxygenase system.

  8. Biological activity of anthocyanins and their phenolic degradation products and metabolites in human vascular endothelial cells

    OpenAIRE

    Edwards, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Human, animal, and in vitro data indicate significant vasoprotective activity of anthocyanins. However, few studies have investigated the activity of anthocyanin degradation products and metabolites which are likely to mediate bioactivity in vivo. The present thesis therefore examined the vascular bioactivity in vitro of anthocyanins, their phenolic degradants, and the potential for interactions between dietary bioactive compounds. Seven treatment compounds (cyanidin-, peonidin-, petunidin- &...

  9. Intrinsic immunogenicity of rapidly-degradable polymers evolves during degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andorko, James I; Hess, Krystina L; Pineault, Kevin G; Jewell, Christopher M

    2016-03-01

    Recent studies reveal many biomaterial vaccine carriers are able to activate immunostimulatory pathways, even in the absence of other immune signals. How the changing properties of polymers during biodegradation impact this intrinsic immunogenicity is not well studied, yet this information could contribute to rational design of degradable vaccine carriers that help direct immune response. We use degradable poly(beta-amino esters) (PBAEs) to explore intrinsic immunogenicity as a function of the degree of polymer degradation and polymer form (e.g., soluble, particles). PBAE particles condensed by electrostatic interaction to mimic a common vaccine approach strongly activate dendritic cells, drive antigen presentation, and enhance T cell proliferation in the presence of antigen. Polymer molecular weight strongly influences these effects, with maximum stimulation at short degradation times--corresponding to high molecular weight--and waning levels as degradation continues. In contrast, free polymer is immunologically inert. In mice, PBAE particles increase the numbers and activation state of cells in lymph nodes. Mechanistic studies reveal that this evolving immunogenicity occurs as the physicochemical properties and concentration of particles change during polymer degradation. This work confirms the immunological profile of degradable, synthetic polymers can evolve over time and creates an opportunity to leverage this feature in new vaccines. Degradable polymers are increasingly important in vaccination, but how the inherent immunogenicity of polymers changes during degradation is poorly understood. Using common rapidly-degradable vaccine carriers, we show that the activation of immune cells--even in the absence of other adjuvants--depends on polymer form (e.g., free, particulate) and the extent of degradation. These changing characteristics alter the physicochemical properties (e.g., charge, size, molecular weight) of polymer particles, driving changes in

  10. Optimization of liquid-state fermentation conditions for the glyphosate degradation enzyme production of strain Aspergillus oryzae by ultraviolet mutagenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Gui-Ming; Li, Ru-Yi; Li, Kai-Min; Hu, Ming; Yuan, Xiao-Qiang; Li, Bin; Wang, Feng-Xue; Liu, Cheng-Mei; Wan, Yin

    2016-11-16

    This study aimed to obtain strains with high glyphosate-degrading ability and improve the ability of glyphosate degradation enzyme by the optimization of fermentation conditions. Spore from Aspergillus oryzae A-F02 was subjected to ultraviolet mutagenesis. Single-factor experiment and response surface methodology were used to optimize glyphosate degradation enzyme production from mutant strain by liquid-state fermentation. Four mutant strains were obtained and named as FUJX 001, FUJX 002, FUJX 003, and FUJX 004, in which FUJX 001 gave the highest total enzyme activity. Starch concentration at 0.56%, GP concentration at 1,370 mg/l, initial pH at 6.8, and temperature at 30°C were the optimum conditions for the improved glyphosate degradation endoenzyme production of A. oryzae FUJX 001. Under these conditions, the experimental endoenzyme activity was 784.15 U/100 ml fermentation liquor. The result (784.15 U/100 ml fermentation liquor) was approximately 14-fold higher than that of the original strain. The result highlights the potential of glyphosate degradation enzyme to degrade glyphosate.

  11. Isolation of oxidative degradation products of atorvastatin with supercritical fluid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klobčar, Slavko; Prosen, Helena

    2015-12-01

    The isolation of four oxidative degradation products of atorvastatin using preparative high-performance liquid chromatography applying at least two chromatographic steps is known from the literature. In this paper it is shown that the same four impurities could be isolated from similarly prepared mixtures in only one step using supercritical fluid chromatography. The methods for separation were developed and optimized. The preparation of the mixtures was altered in such a way as to enhance the concentration of desired impurities. Appropriate solvents were applied for collection of separated impurities in order to prevent degradation. The structures of the isolated impurities were confirmed and their purity determined. The preparative supercritical fluid chromatography has proven to be superior to preparative HPLC regarding achieved purity of standards applying fewer chromatographic as well as isolation steps. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Environmental degradation, global food production, and risk for large-scale migrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doeoes, B.R.

    1994-01-01

    This paper attempts to estimate to what extent global food production is affected by the ongoing environmental degradation through processes, such as soil erosion, salinization, chemical contamination, ultraviolet radiation, and biotic stress. Estimates have also been made of available opportunities to improve food production efficiency by, e.g., increased use of fertilizers, irrigation, and biotechnology, as well as improved management. Expected losses and gains of agricultural land in competition with urbanization, industrial development, and forests have been taken into account. Although estimated gains in food production deliberately have been overestimated and losses underestimated, calculations indicate that during the next 30-35 years the annual net gain in food production will be significantly lower than the rate of world population growth. An attempt has also been made to identify possible scenarios for large-scale migrations, caused mainly by rapid population growth in combination with insufficient local food production and poverty. 18 refs, 7 figs, 6 tabs

  13. The effects of the antibiotics ampicillin, florfenicol, sulfamethazine, and tylosin on biogas production and their degradation efficiency during anaerobic digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Shannon M; Ullman, Jeffrey L; Teel, Amy L; Watts, Richard J; Frear, Craig

    2013-12-01

    The impacts of four common animal husbandry antibiotics (ampicillin, florfenicol, sulfamethazine, and tylosin) on anaerobic digestion (AD) treatment efficiency and the potential for antibiotic degradation during digestion were evaluated. Sulfamethazine and ampicillin exhibited no impact on total biogas production up to 280 and 350 mg/L, respectively, although ampicillin inhibited biogas production rates during early stages of AD. Tylosin reduced biogas production by 10-38% between 130 and 913 mg/L. Florfenicol reduced biogas by ≈ 5%, 40% and 75% at 6.4, 36 and 210 mg/L, respectively. These antibiotic concentrations are higher than commonly seen for mixed feedlot manure, so impacts on full scale AD should be minimal. Antibiotic degradation products were found, confirming AD effectively degraded ampicillin, florfenicol, and tylosin, although some products were persistent throughout the process. Contamination of AD solid and liquid effluents with sulfamethazine and antibiotic transformation products from florfenicol and tylosin could present an environmental concern. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Optimization of crude oil degradation by Dietzia cinnamea KA1, capable of biosurfactant production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavynifard, Amirarsalan; Ebrahimipour, Gholamhossein; Ghasempour, Alireza

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this study was isolation and characterization of a crude oil degrader and biosurfactant-producing bacterium, along with optimization of conditions for crude oil degradation. Among 11 isolates, 5 were able to emulsify crude oil in Minimal Salt Medium (MSM) among which one isolate, named KA1, showed the highest potency for growth rate and biodegradation. The isolate was identified as Dietzia cinnamea KA1 using morphological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The optimal conditions were 510 mM NaCl, pH 9.0, 35 °C, and minimal requirement of 46.5 mM NH4 Cl and 2.10 mM NaH2 PO4 . Gravimetric test and Gas chromatography-Mass spectroscopy technique (GC-MS) showed that Dietzia cinnamea KA1 was able to utilize and degrade 95.7% of the crude oil after 5 days, under the optimal conditions. The isolate was able to grow and produce biosurfactant when cultured in MSM supplemented with crude oil, glycerol or whey as the sole carbon sources, but bacterial growth was occurred using molasses with no biosurfactant production. This is the first report of biosurfactant production by D. cinnamea using crude oil, glycerol and whey and the first study to report a species of Dietzia degrading a wide range of hydrocarbons in a short time. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Aqueous photodegradation of 4-tert-butylphenol: By-products, degradation pathway and theoretical calculation assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Yanlin [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Shi, Jin; Chen, Hongche [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Zhao, Jianfu [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Dong, Wenbo, E-mail: wbdong@fudan.edu.cn [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

    2016-10-01

    4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP), an endocrine disrupting chemical, is widely distributed in natural bodies of water but is difficult to biodegrade. In this study, we focused on the transformation of 4-t-BP in photo-initiated degradation processes. The steady-state photolysis and laser flash photolysis (LFP) experiments were conducted in order to elucidate its degradation mechanism. Identification of products was performed using the GC–MS, LC-MS and theoretical calculation techniques. The oxidation pathway of 4-t-BP by hydroxyl radical (HO·) was also studied and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} was added to produce HO·. 4-tert-butylcatechol and 4-tert-butylphenol dimer were produced in 4-t-BP direct photolysis. 4-tert-butylcatechol and hydroquinone were produced by the oxidation of HO·. But the formation mechanism of 4-tert-butylcatechol in the two processes was different. The benzene ring was fractured in 4-t-BP oxidation process and 29% of TOC was degraded after 16 h irradiation. - Highlights: • Photodegradation of 4-t-BP, an endocrine disrupting chemical, has been investigated. • 3 stable byproducts were identified from photolysis and oxidation processes. • 5 transient by-products were concluded from LFP experiments. • The theoretical calculation was performed to confirm the byproducts. • 4-t-BP was degraded with increasing efficiency: 254 nm < H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/313 nm < H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/254 nm.

  16. Soil-ecological risks for soil degradation estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trifonova, Tatiana; Shirkin, Leonid; Kust, German; Andreeva, Olga

    2016-04-01

    Soil degradation includes the processes of soil properties and quality worsening, primarily from the point of view of their productivity and decrease of ecosystem services quality. Complete soil cover destruction and/or functioning termination of soil forms of organic life are considered as extreme stages of soil degradation, and for the fragile ecosystems they are normally considered in the network of their desertification, land degradation and droughts /DLDD/ concept. Block-model of ecotoxic effects, generating soil and ecosystem degradation, has been developed as a result of the long-term field and laboratory research of sod-podzol soils, contaminated with waste, containing heavy metals. The model highlights soil degradation mechanisms, caused by direct and indirect impact of ecotoxicants on "phytocenosis- soil" system and their combination, frequently causing synergistic effect. The sequence of occurring changes here can be formalized as a theory of change (succession of interrelated events). Several stages are distinguished here - from heavy metals leaching (releasing) in waste and their migration downward the soil profile to phytoproductivity decrease and certain phytocenosis composition changes. Phytoproductivity decrease leads to the reduction of cellulose content introduced into the soil. The described feedback mechanism acts as a factor of sod-podzolic soil self-purification and stability. It has been shown, that using phytomass productivity index, integrally reflecting the worsening of soil properties complex, it is possible to solve the problems dealing with the dose-reflecting reactions creation and determination of critical levels of load for phytocenosis and corresponding soil-ecological risks. Soil-ecological risk in "phytocenosis- soil" system means probable negative changes and the loss of some ecosystem functions during the transformation process of dead organic substance energy for the new biomass composition. Soil-ecological risks estimation is

  17. Degradation of carbendazim in water via photo-Fenton in Raceway Pond Reactor: assessment of acute toxicity and transformation products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa, Elizângela Pinheiro; Bottrel, Sue Ellen C; Starling, Maria Clara V M; Leão, Mônica M D; Amorim, Camila Costa

    2018-05-08

    This study aimed at investigating the degradation of fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) via photo-Fenton reactions in artificially and solar irradiated photoreactors at laboratory scale and in a semi-pilot scale Raceway Pond Reactor (RPR), respectively. Acute toxicity was monitored by assessing the sensibility of bioluminescent bacteria (Aliivibrio fischeri) to samples taken during reactions. In addition, by-products formed during solar photo-Fenton were identified by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS). For tests performed in lab-scale, two artificial irradiation sources were compared (UV λ > 254nm and UV-Vis λ > 320nm ). A complete design of experiments was performed in the semi-pilot scale RPR in order to optimize reaction conditions (Fe 2+ and H 2 O 2 concentrations, and water depth). Efficient degradation of carbendazim (> 96%) and toxicity removal were achieved via artificially irradiated photo-Fenton under both irradiation sources. Control experiments (UV photolysis and UV-Vis peroxidation) were also efficient but led to increased acute toxicity. In addition, H 2 O 2 /UV λ > 254nm required longer reaction time (60 minutes) when compared to the photo-Fenton process (less than 1 min). While Fenton's reagent achieved high CBZ and acute toxicity removal, its efficiency demands higher concentration of reagents in comparison to irradiated processes. Solar photo-Fenton removed carbendazim within 15 min of reaction (96%, 0.75 kJ L -1 ), and monocarbomethoxyguanidine, benzimidazole isocyanate, and 2-aminobenzimidazole were identified as transformation products. Results suggest that both solar photo-Fenton and artificially irradiated systems are promising routes for carbendazim degradation.

  18. Computational consideration on advanced oxidation degradation of phenolic preservative, methylparaben, in water: mechanisms, kinetics, and toxicity assessments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Yanpeng [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); An, Taicheng, E-mail: antc99@gig.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Fang, Hansun [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Ji, Yuemeng; Li, Guiying [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

    2014-08-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Computational approach is effective to reveal the transformation mechanism of MPB. • MPB degradation was more dependent on the [{sup •} OH] than temperature during AOPs. • O{sub 2} could enhance MPB degradation, but more harmful products were formed. • The risks of MPB products in natural waters should be considered seriously. • The risks of MPB products can be overlooked in AOPs due to short half-time. - Abstract: Hydroxyl radicals ({sup •} OH) are strong oxidants that can degrade organic pollutants in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The mechanisms, kinetics, and toxicity assessment of the {sup •} OH-initiated oxidative degradation of the phenolic preservative, methylparaben (MPB), were systematically investigated using a computational approach, as the supplementary information for experimental data. Results showed that MPB can be initially attacked by {sup •} OH via OH-addition and H-abstraction routes. Among these routes, the {sup •} OH addition to the C atom at the ortho-position of phenolic hydroxyl group was the most significant route. However, the methyl-H-abstraction route also cannot be neglected. Further, the formed transient intermediates, OH-adduct ({sup •} MPB-OH{sub 1}) and dehydrogenated radical ({sup •} MPB(-H)α), could be easily transformed to several stable degradation products in the presence of O{sub 2} and {sup •} OH. To better understand the potential toxicity of MPB and its products to aquatic organisms, both acute and chronic toxicities were assessed computationally at three trophic levels. Both MPB and its products, particularly the OH-addition products, are harmful to aquatic organisms. Therefore, the application of AOPs to remove MPB should be carefully performed for safe water treatment.

  19. New approach for determination of the degradation products of fenspiride hydrochloride found in oral liquid formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cioroiu, Bogdan I; Caba, Ioana C; Prisăcaru, Irina; Cioroiu, Mona E; Lazar, Mihai I; Niculaua, Marius

    2018-05-01

    Fenspiride hydrochloride (FNS) is used in treating chronic inflammatory diseases, most commonly as a liquid oral solution. FNS produces degradation products along with fenspiride N-oxide (FNO) and 1-phenylethyl-4-hydroxy-4-aminomethyl piperidine hydrochloride (PHAP). We aimed to develop and validate a chromatographic method in order to identify the main degradation products in the presence of other compounds from a liquid preparation. The method used a dual gradient using two buffer solutions: the first with pH 4.5 (buffer 1, pH 4.5-MeOH 90:10%, v/v) and the second with pH 2.9 (buffer 2, pH 2.9-acetronitrile-methanol, 65:15:10%, v/v/v). As mentioned, there was a modification of the organic mixture, starting with 10% methanol and ending with a mixture of acetonitrile-methanol (15:10%, v/v). The flow-rate was 1.5 mL/min. According to the elution program, experimental conditions started with 100% solution S1, which decreased to 0% and, simultaneously, solution S2 increased to 100% during the first 10 min and was maintained for a further 5 min. After 15 min, initial conditions were re-established. The linearity interval was 0.5-2 μg/mL and the minimum correlation coefficient was 0.999. The recovery factor was 100.47-103.17% and the limit of quantification was 0.19-0.332 μg/mL. Intra-day maximum precision was 4.08% for FNS and 2.65% for PHAP. This double-gradient mobile phase produced good specificity in relation to the degradation products of FNS and other constituents of the oral liquid formulation. Forced degradation studies revealed other related substances that were confirmed in mass balance analyses. Degradation products were confirmed in acidic, basic and oxidative media. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Plutonium and surrogate fission products in a composite ceramic waste form

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esh, D. W.; Frank, S. M.; Goff, K. M.; Johnson, S. G.; Moschetti, T. L.; O'Holleran, T.

    1999-01-01

    Argonne National Laboratory is developing a ceramic waste form to immobilize salt containing fission products and transuranic elements. Preliminary results have been presented for ceramic waste forms containing surrogate fission products such as cesium and the lanthanides. In this work results from scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction are presented in greater detail for ceramic waste forms containing surrogate fission products. Additionally, results for waste forms containing plutonium and surrogate fission products are presented. Most of the surrogate fission products appear to be silicates or aluminosilicates whereas the plutonium is usually found in an oxide form. There is also evidence for the presence of plutonium within the sodalite phase although the chemical speciation of the plutonium is not known

  1. Influence of a heavy rainfall event on the leaching of [14C]isoproturon and its degradation products in outdoor lysimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doerfler, Ulrike; Cao Guoyin; Grundmann, Sabine; Schroll, Reiner

    2006-01-01

    In four different agricultural soils the long-term leaching behaviour of [ 14 C]isoproturon was studied in outdoor lysimeters (2 m length, 1 m 2 surface area). The herbicide was applied in spring 1997 and spring 2001. At the end of the first 4-year-investigation period between 0.13% and 0.31% of the applied radioactivity was leached. Isoproturon or known metabolites could not be detected in the leachate. However, shortly after the second application isoproturon and its degradation products 2-hydroxy-isoproturon and monodemethyl-isoproturon were leached via preferential flow in one of the lysimeters (Mollic gleysol) in concentrations of 4.5 μg L -1 , 3.1 μg L -1 and 0.9 μg L -1 , respectively, thus considerably exceeding the EU threshold limit of 0.1 μg L -1 for ground and drinking water. The results indicate that in soils where mass flow transfer dominates, leaching of isoproturon to groundwater is of low probability whereas in highly structured soils which have the tendency to form macropores, isoproturon can be transported via preferential flow to the groundwater. - In a heavy clay soil isoproturon and its degradation products can be leached to the groundwater via preferential flow

  2. The degradation of lining of rotary furnaces in the production of zinc oxide

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Luptáková, Natália; Pešlová, F.; Anisimov, E.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 21, č. 3 (2014), s. 116-121 ISSN 1335-0803 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : zinc oxide * the production of zinc oxide * zinc slag * refractories * the degradation of rotary furnace linings Subject RIV: JG - Metallurgy http://ojs.mateng.sk/index.php/Mateng/article/view/133/194

  3. Production of heterologous cutinases by E. coli and improved enzyme formulation for application on plastic degradation

    OpenAIRE

    Gomes,Daniela S; Matamá,Teresa; Cavaco-Paulo,Artur; Campos-Takaki,Galba M; Salgueiro,Alexandra A

    2013-01-01

    Background: The hydrolytic action of cutinases has been applied to the degradation of plastics. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have long half-life which constitutes a major problem for their treatment as urban solid residues. The aim of this work was to characterize and to improve stable the enzyme to optimize the process of degradation using enzymatic hydrolysis of PET by recombinant cutinases. Results: The wild type form of cutinase from Fusarium solani pisi and its C-terminal fusion to c...

  4. A comparative study on the radiation induced degradation of chlorinated organics and water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bekboelet, M.; Balcioglu, A.I.; Getoff, N.

    1998-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Radiation induced degradation of chlorinated benzaldehydes has been studied by the application of UV-photolysis, UV-assisted catalytic oxidation and gamma radiolysis processes. The degradation was followed in terms of the substrate removal and formation of the decomposition products such as chloride and formaldehyde. Formation of the acidic compounds were also determined by the pH decrease during irradiation periods. The below given table summarizes the obtained results in terms of photochemical G (G PH )values. The main idea of this paper was to evaluate the applied processes in relation to the end products rather and to compare the efficiency of the methods. Besides, chloride and formaldehyde formation, the substrate degradation and formation of the stable end products, were followed by HPLC analyses. Hydroxylated parent compounds chlorophenols, benzaldehyde were also detected. Formation of muconic acid through ring opening as well as the formation of lower molecular weight organic acids by decomposition such as oxalic, citric, tartaric and formic acids were observed with respect the applied oxidation process. Depending on the formed stable end products and the related probable reaction mechanisms, isomeric positions were found to be selective toward oxidative degradation

  5. Development of a stability-indicating UPLC method for determining olanzapine and its associated degradation products present in active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceutical dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnaiah, Ch; Vishnu Murthy, M; Kumar, Ramesh; Mukkanti, K

    2011-03-25

    A simple, sensitive and reproducible ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with a photodiode array detector method was developed for the quantitative determination of olanzapine (OLN) in API and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The method is applicable to the quantification of related substances and assays of drug substances. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Acquity UPLC BEH 100-mm, 2.1-mm, and 1.7-μm C-18 columns, and the gradient eluted within a short runtime, i.e., within 10.0 min. The eluted compounds were monitored at 250 nm, the flow rate was 0.3 mL/min, and the column oven temperature was maintained at 27°C. The resolution of OLN and eight (potential, bi-products and degradation) impurities was greater than 2.0 for all pairs of components. The high correlation coefficient (r(2)>0.9991) values indicated clear correlations between the investigated compound concentrations and their peak areas within the test ranges. The repeatability and intermediate precision, expressed by the RSD, were less than 2.4%. The accuracy and validity of the method were further ascertained by performing recovery studies via a spike method. The accuracy of the method expressed as relative error was satisfactory. No interference was observed from concomitant substances normally added to the tablets. The drug was subjected to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH)-prescribed hydrolytic, oxidative, photolytic and thermal stress conditions. The performance of the method was validated according to the present ICH guidelines for specificity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, linearity, accuracy, precision, ruggedness and robustness. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Operationalizing measurement of forest degradation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dons, Klaus; Smith-Hall, Carsten; Meilby, Henrik

    2015-01-01

    . In Tanzania, charcoal production is considered a major cause of forest degradation, but is challenging to quantify due to sub-canopy biomass loss, remote production sites and illegal trade. We studied two charcoal production sites in dry Miombo woodland representing open woodland conditions near human......Quantification of forest degradation in monitoring and reporting as well as in historic baselines is among the most challenging tasks in national REDD+ strategies. However, a recently introduced option is to base monitoring systems on subnational conditions such as prevalent degradation activities...

  7. Isolation, identification and characterization of lignin-degrading bacteria from Qinling, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, C-X; Wang, T; Gao, L-N; Yin, H-J; Lü, X

    2017-12-01

    Lignin is an aromatic heteropolymer forming a physical barrier and it is a big challenge in biomass utilization. This paper first investigated lignin-degradation bacteria from rotten wood in Qinling Mountain. Nineteen potential strains were selected and ligninolytic enzyme activities were determined over 84 h. Strains that had higher enzyme activities were selected. Further, the biodegradation of wheat straw lignin and alkali lignin was evaluated indicating that Burkholderia sp. H1 had the highest capability. It was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and field emission scanning electron microscope that alkali lignin was depolymerized into small fragments. The degraded products were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total ion chromatograph of products treated for 7 days showed the formation of aromatic compounds, an important intermediate from lignin degradation. Interestingly, they disappeared in 15 days while the aldehyde and ester compounds increased. The results suggest that the lignin-degrading bacteria are abundant in rotten wood and strain H1 has high potential to break down lignin. The diversity of lignin-degrading bacteria in Qinling Mountain is revealed. The study of Burkholderia sp. H1 expands the range of bacteria for lignin degradation and provides novel bacteria for application to lignocellulosic biomass. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  8. The effect of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates degradation rate on nitrous oxide production in a denitrifying phosphorus removal system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yan; Wang, Shuying; Ma, Bin; Li, Xiyao; Yuan, Zhiguo; He, Yuelan; Peng, Yongzhen

    2014-10-01

    Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and free nitrous acid (FNA) have been revealed as significant factors causing nitrous oxide (N2O) production in denitrifying phosphorus removal systems. In this study, the effect of PHA degradation rate on N2O production was studied at low FNA levels. N2O production always maintained at approximately 40% of the amount of nitrite reduced independent of the PHA degradation rate. The electrons distributed to nitrite reduction were 1.6 times that to N2O reduction. This indicated that electron competition between these two steps was not affected by the PHA degradation rate. Continuous feed of nitrate was proposed, and demonstrated to reduce N2O accumulation by 75%. While being kept low, a possible compounding effect of a low-level FNA could not be ruled out. The sludge used likely contained both polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms, and the results could not be simply attributed to either group of organisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Relationship between in situ degradation kinetics and in vitro gas production fermentation using different mathematical models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodrigues, M.A.M.; Cone, J.W.; Ferreira, L.M.M.; Blok, M.C.; Guedes, C.

    2009-01-01

    In vitro and in situ studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of different mathematical models, used to fit gas production profiles of 15 feedstuffs, on estimates of nylon bag organic matter (OM) degradation kinetics. The gas production data were fitted to Exponential, Logistic, Gompertz and

  10. In-vessel core degradation code validation matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haste, T.J.; Adroguer, B.; Gauntt, R.O.; Martinez, J.A.; Ott, L.J.; Sugimoto, J.; Trambauer, K.

    1996-01-01

    The objective of the current Validation Matrix is to define a basic set of experiments, for which comparison of the measured and calculated parameters forms a basis for establishing the accuracy of test predictions, covering the full range of in-vessel core degradation phenomena expected in light water reactor severe accident transients. The scope of the review covers PWR and BWR designs of Western origin: the coverage of phenomena extends from the initial heat-up through to the introduction of melt into the lower plenum. Concerning fission product behaviour, the effect of core degradation on fission product release is considered. The report provides brief overviews of the main LWR severe accident sequences and of the dominant phenomena involved. The experimental database is summarised. These data are cross-referenced against a condensed set of the phenomena and test condition headings presented earlier, judging the results against a set of selection criteria and identifying key tests of particular value. The main conclusions and recommendations are listed. (K.A.)

  11. Structure elucidation and in vitro cytotoxicity of ochratoxin α amide, a new degradation product of ochratoxin A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bittner, Andrea; Cramer, Benedikt; Harrer, Henning; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich

    2015-05-01

    The mycotoxin ochratoxin A is a secondary metabolite occurring in a wide range of commodities. During the exposure of ochratoxin A to white and blue light, a cleavage between the carbon atom C-14 and the nitrogen atom was described. As a reaction product, the new compound ochratoxin α amide has been proposed based on mass spectrometry (MS) experiments. In the following study, we observed that this compound is also formed at high temperatures such as used for example during coffee roasting and therefore represents a further thermal ochratoxin A degradation product. To confirm the structure of ochratoxin α amide, the compound was prepared in large scale and complete structure elucidation via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and MS was performed. Additionally, first studies on the toxicity of ochratoxin α amide were performed using immortalized human kidney epithelial (IHKE) cells, a cell line known to be sensitive against ochratoxin A with an IC50 value of 0.5 μM. Using this system, ochratoxin α amide revealed no cytotoxicity up to concentrations of 50 μM. Thus, these results propose that the thermal degradation of ochratoxin A to ochratoxin α amide might be a detoxification process. Finally, we present a sample preparation and a HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of ochratoxin α amide in extrudates and checked its formation during the extrusion of artificially contaminated wheat grits at 150 and 180 °C, whereas no ochratoxin α amide was detectable under these conditions.

  12. Degradation in steam of 60 cm-long B{sub 4}C control rods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dominguez, C., E-mail: christina.dominguez@irsn.fr; Drouan, D.

    2014-08-01

    In the framework of nuclear reactor core meltdown accident studies, the degradation of boron carbide control rod segments exposed to argon/steam atmospheres was investigated up to about 2000 °C in IRSN laboratories. The sequence of the phenomena involved in the degradation has been found to take place as expected. Nevertheless, the ZrO{sub 2} oxide layer formed on the outer surface of the guide tube was very protective, significantly delaying and limiting the guide tube failure and therefore the boron carbide pellet oxidation. Contrary to what was expected, the presence of the control rod decreases the hydrogen release instead of increasing it by additional oxidation of boron compounds. Boron contents up to 20 wt.% were measured in metallic mixtures formed during degradation. It was observed that these metallic melts are able to attack the surrounding fuel rods, which could have consequences on fuel degradation and fission product release kinetics during severe accidents.

  13. Organophosphorus insecticides: Toxic effects and bioanalytical tests for evaluating toxicity during degradation processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Čolović Mirjana B.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Organophosphorus insecticides have been the most applied group of insecticides for the last two decades. Their main toxic effects are related to irreversible inactivation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE. Actually, they covalently bind to serine OH group in the enzyme active site forming phosphorylated enzyme that cannot hydrolyze acetylcholine. Organophosphorus insecticides in the environment undergo the natural degradation pathway including mainly homogeneous and heterogeneous hydrolysis (especially at high pH generating non-inhibiting products. Additionally, thio organophosphates are easily oxidized by naturally present oxidants and UV light, forming more toxic and stable oxons. Thus, oxidative degradation procedures, generally referred as advanced oxidation processes (AOP, have been applied for their efficient removal from contaminated waters. The most applied bioassays to monitor the organophosphate toxicity i.e. the detoxification degree during AOP are Vibrio fischeri and AChE bioassays. Vibrio fischeri toxicity test exploits bioluminescence as the measure of luciferase activity of this marine bacterium, whereas AChE bioassay is based on AChE activity inhibition. Both bioanalytical techniques are rapid (several minutes, simple, sensitive and reproducible. Vibrio fischeri test seems to be a versatile indicator of toxic compounds generated in AOP for organophosphorus insecticides degradation. However, detection of neurotoxic AChE inhibitors, which can be formed in AOP of some organophosphates, requires AChE bioassays. Therefore, AChE toxicity test is more appropriate for monitoring the degradation processes of thio organophosphates, because more toxic oxo organophosphates might be formed and overlooked by Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition. In addition, during organophosphates removal by AOP, compounds with strong genotoxic potential may be formed, which cannot be detected by standard toxicity tests. For this reason, determination of

  14. The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Wang

    Full Text Available Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI+] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI+] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems.

  15. The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai; Redeker, Virginie; Madiona, Karine; Melki, Ronald; Kabani, Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI +] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI +] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems. PMID:26115123

  16. Why do forest products become less available? A pan-tropical comparison of drivers of forest-resource degradation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hermans, Kathleen; Gerstner, Katharina; Geijzendorffer, Ilse R.; Herold, Martin; Seppelt, Ralf; Wunder, Sven

    2016-01-01

    Forest products provide an important source of income and wellbeing for rural smallholder communities across the tropics. Although tropical forest products frequently become over-exploited, only few studies explicitly address the dynamics of degradation in response to socio-economic drivers. Our

  17. Stability-indicating HPLC determination of pramipexole dihydrochloride in bulk drug and pharmaceutical dosage form

    OpenAIRE

    Panditrao, Vedavati M; Sarkate, Aniket P; Sangshetti, Jaiprakash N; Wakte, Pravin S; Shinde, Devanand B

    2011-01-01

    A novel stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of pramipexole dihydrochloride in bulk drugs and in pharmaceutical dosage form in the presence of degradation products. An isocratic, reversed phase HPLC method was developed to separate the drug from the degradation products, using an Ace5-C18 (250×4.6 mm, 5 µm) advance chromatography column, and 10 mmol L-1 ammonium acetate and acetonitrile (75:25 v/v)...

  18. Characterization of intermediate products of solar photocatalytic degradation of ranitidine at pilot-scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radjenović, Jelena; Sirtori, Carla; Petrović, Mira; Barceló, Damià; Malato, Sixto

    2010-04-01

    In the present study the mechanisms of solar photodegradation of H(2)-receptor antagonist ranitidine (RNTD) were studied in a well-defined system of a pilot plant scale Compound Parabolic Collector (CPC) reactor. Two types of heterogeneous photocatalytic experiments were performed: catalysed by titanium-dioxide (TiO(2)) semiconductor and by Fenton reagent (Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2)), each one with distilled water and synthetic wastewater effluent matrix. Complete disappearance of the parent compounds and discreet mineralization were attained in all experiments. Furthermore, kinetic parameters, main intermediate products, release of heteroatoms and formation of carboxylic acids are discussed. The main intermediate products of photocatalytic degradation of RNTD have been structurally elucidated by tandem mass spectrometry (MS(2)) experiments performed at quadrupole-time of flight (QqToF) mass analyzer coupled to ultra-performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC). RNTD displayed high reactivity towards OH radicals, although a product of conduction band electrons reduction was also present in the experiment with TiO(2). In the absence of standards, quantification of intermediates was not possible and only qualitative profiles of their evolution could be determined. The proposed TiO(2) and photo-Fenton degradation routes of RNTD are reported for the first time. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Degradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics during ionizing radiation treatment and assessment of antibacterial activity, toxicity and biodegradability of the products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tegze, Anna; Sági, Gyuri; Kovács, Krisztina; Homlok, Renáta; Tóth, Tünde; Mohácsi-Farkas, Csilla; Wojnárovits, László; Takács, Erzsébet

    2018-06-01

    This work aimed at investigating the ionizing radiation induced degradation of two fluoroquinolone antibiotics: norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. At 0.1 mmol dm-3 concentration a low dose, 2 kGy was sufficient to degrade the initial molecules. However, despite of the high removal efficiency the degrees of both the mineralization and the oxidation were low, ∼10% and ∼25%, respectively. (The difference between the results obtained in norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin solutions was not statistically significant.) Broth microdilution tests carried out on Staphylococcus aureus evidenced removal of antibacterial activity in samples irradiated with 2 kGy. Acute toxicity determined on Vibrio fischeri bacteria showed increased toxicity at low doses indicating that the early degradation products were more toxic than the initial molecules. The results of biodegradation experiments performed in activated sludge have shown that the degradation products have become available to the metabolic processes of the microorganisms.

  20. Photolysis of the antidepressants amisulpride and desipramine in wastewaters: Identification of transformation products formed and their fate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gros, Meritxell; Williams, Mike; Llorca, Marta; Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara; Barceló, Damià; Kookana, Rai S.

    2015-01-01

    Attenuation of pharmaceuticals due to natural sunlight is expected to be an important removal pathway in wastewater treatment plants using treatment lagoon systems. In this work, the photolysis of two antidepressants, amisulpride and desipramine, has been investigated in both ultrapure water and wastewater under simulated solar irradiation. Results showed that for amisulpride short irradiation times (t 1/2 approximately 3 h in pure water and 4 h in wastewater) were adequate to degrade the parent compound while a longer exposure period was required for desipramine (t 1/2 of approximately 36 h in pure water), although its degradation is enhanced almost three times by indirect photolysis in wastewaters. A significant number of transformation products (TPs) were identified for both pharmaceuticals by high-resolution mass spectrometry. In general, TPs formed are not persistent although acute toxicity tests for desipramine and its TPs showed an increase of the mixture toxicity after solar irradiation, suggesting that some TPs may be more toxic than the parent compound. In wastewaters collected from treatment lagoons, only amisulpride and one of its major TPs, TP 357, were detected. This indicates that long solar exposure times may be necessary for an effective elimination of these substances in lagoon systems or that photolysis may not be the main removal pathway for these particular compounds. - Highlights: • Photolysis of both compounds resulted in several transformation products, some of which were previously unknown. • Short irradiation times may be adequate to degrade amisulpride whereas a longer exposure is required for desipramine. • Transformation of desipramine was enhanced by about three times due to indirect photolysis in wastewaters. • For desipramine, mixture acute toxicity increased after solar irradiation. • Photolysis is unlikely to be the main removal pathway for the two antidepressants during wastewater treatment

  1. Photolysis of the antidepressants amisulpride and desipramine in wastewaters: Identification of transformation products formed and their fate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gros, Meritxell [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Land and Water Flagship, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, 5064 Adelaide, SA (Australia); Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, 75007 Uppsala (Sweden); Williams, Mike, E-mail: Mike.Williams@csiro.au [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Land and Water Flagship, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, 5064 Adelaide, SA (Australia); Llorca, Marta; Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara [Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, C/Emili Grahit, 101 Girona (Spain); Barceló, Damià [Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, C/Emili Grahit, 101 Girona (Spain); Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Department of Environmental IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona (Spain); Kookana, Rai S. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Land and Water Flagship, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, 5064 Adelaide, SA (Australia)

    2015-10-15

    Attenuation of pharmaceuticals due to natural sunlight is expected to be an important removal pathway in wastewater treatment plants using treatment lagoon systems. In this work, the photolysis of two antidepressants, amisulpride and desipramine, has been investigated in both ultrapure water and wastewater under simulated solar irradiation. Results showed that for amisulpride short irradiation times (t{sub 1/2} approximately 3 h in pure water and 4 h in wastewater) were adequate to degrade the parent compound while a longer exposure period was required for desipramine (t{sub 1/2} of approximately 36 h in pure water), although its degradation is enhanced almost three times by indirect photolysis in wastewaters. A significant number of transformation products (TPs) were identified for both pharmaceuticals by high-resolution mass spectrometry. In general, TPs formed are not persistent although acute toxicity tests for desipramine and its TPs showed an increase of the mixture toxicity after solar irradiation, suggesting that some TPs may be more toxic than the parent compound. In wastewaters collected from treatment lagoons, only amisulpride and one of its major TPs, TP 357, were detected. This indicates that long solar exposure times may be necessary for an effective elimination of these substances in lagoon systems or that photolysis may not be the main removal pathway for these particular compounds. - Highlights: • Photolysis of both compounds resulted in several transformation products, some of which were previously unknown. • Short irradiation times may be adequate to degrade amisulpride whereas a longer exposure is required for desipramine. • Transformation of desipramine was enhanced by about three times due to indirect photolysis in wastewaters. • For desipramine, mixture acute toxicity increased after solar irradiation. • Photolysis is unlikely to be the main removal pathway for the two antidepressants during wastewater treatment.

  2. The degradation of lining of rotary furnaces in the production of zinc oxide

    OpenAIRE

    Natália Luptáková; Evgeniy Anisimov; Františka Pešlová

    2014-01-01

    This paper is closely connected with the complex problem of degradation relating to the refractories of rotary furnace linings in the production of zinc oxide. Zinc oxide can be produced by variety of ways, but the most common method of production which is used in Europe is indirect, i.e. pyrolytic combustion of zinc. This method is also called "French process" of manufacturing ZnO. But this mentioned method of preparation leads to the creation of the enormous amount of zinc slag including ch...

  3. Detection of the spectroscopic signatures of explosives and their degradation products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florian, Vivian; Cabanzo, Andrea; Baez, Bibiana; Correa, Sandra; Irrazabal, Maik; Briano, Julio G.; Castro, Miguel E.; Hernandez-Rivera, Samuel P.

    2005-06-01

    Detection and removal of antipersonnel and antitank landmines is a great challenge and a worldwide enviromental and humanitarian problem. Sensors tuned on the spectroscopic signature of the chemicals released from mines are a potential solution. Enviromental factors (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall precipitation, wind, sun irradiation, pressure, etc.) as well as soil characteristics (water content, compaction, porosity, chemical composition, particle size distribution, topography, vegetation, etc), have a direct impact on the fate and transport of the chemicals released from landmines. Chemicals such as TNT, DNT and their degradation products, are semi-volatile, and somewhat soluble in water. Also, they may adsorb strongly to soil particles, and are susceptible to degradation by microorganisms, light, or chemical agents. Here we show an experimental procedure to quantify the effect of the above variables on the spectroscopic signature. A number of soil tanks under controlled conditions are used to study the effect of temperature, water content, relative humidity and light radiation.

  4. Form gene clustering method about pan-ethnic-group products based on emotional semantic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dengkai; Ding, Jingjing; Gao, Minzhuo; Ma, Danping; Liu, Donghui

    2016-09-01

    The use of pan-ethnic-group products form knowledge primarily depends on a designer's subjective experience without user participation. The majority of studies primarily focus on the detection of the perceptual demands of consumers from the target product category. A pan-ethnic-group products form gene clustering method based on emotional semantic is constructed. Consumers' perceptual images of the pan-ethnic-group products are obtained by means of product form gene extraction and coding and computer aided product form clustering technology. A case of form gene clustering about the typical pan-ethnic-group products is investigated which indicates that the method is feasible. This paper opens up a new direction for the future development of product form design which improves the agility of product design process in the era of Industry 4.0.

  5. Influence of a heavy rainfall event on the leaching of [{sup 14}C]isoproturon and its degradation products in outdoor lysimeters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doerfler, Ulrike [GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Soil Ecology, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg (Germany)]. E-mail: doerfler@gsf.de; Cao Guoyin [Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing (China); Grundmann, Sabine [GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Soil Ecology, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg (Germany); Schroll, Reiner [GSF-National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Soil Ecology, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg (Germany)

    2006-11-15

    In four different agricultural soils the long-term leaching behaviour of [{sup 14}C]isoproturon was studied in outdoor lysimeters (2 m length, 1 m{sup 2} surface area). The herbicide was applied in spring 1997 and spring 2001. At the end of the first 4-year-investigation period between 0.13% and 0.31% of the applied radioactivity was leached. Isoproturon or known metabolites could not be detected in the leachate. However, shortly after the second application isoproturon and its degradation products 2-hydroxy-isoproturon and monodemethyl-isoproturon were leached via preferential flow in one of the lysimeters (Mollic gleysol) in concentrations of 4.5 {mu}g L{sup -1}, 3.1 {mu}g L{sup -1} and 0.9 {mu}g L{sup -1}, respectively, thus considerably exceeding the EU threshold limit of 0.1 {mu}g L{sup -1} for ground and drinking water. The results indicate that in soils where mass flow transfer dominates, leaching of isoproturon to groundwater is of low probability whereas in highly structured soils which have the tendency to form macropores, isoproturon can be transported via preferential flow to the groundwater. - In a heavy clay soil isoproturon and its degradation products can be leached to the groundwater via preferential flow.

  6. High Doses Gamma Radiolysis of PVC: Mechanisms of Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colombani, J.

    2006-01-01

    PVC radiolysis leads to the formation of various degradation products: radicals, gas, oxidized products or polyenes. In order to predict the formation of the degradation products with regard to irradiation and ageing parameters, it is important to improve the understanding of the radiolysis mechanisms of PVC. Thus, we used several analytical techniques (Electron Spin Resonance, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Size Exclusion Chromatography) to get information on PVC samples irradiated at high doses (up to 4MGy) under different conditions. Gamma irradiation induces the formation of various radicals into PVC. Older studies were generally focused on the effect of low dose and/or low temperature irradiations on PVC. We present here ESR signals of PVC irradiated at high doses and at room temperature. We show that peroxyl radicals are producted by radiolysis under aerobe conditions and that polyenyl radicals are formed under anaerobe conditions. PVC radiolysis induces gas production and especially hydrogen chloride. Production of hydrogen chloride is well known until 1 MGy. We have studied by FTIR, the evolution of the quantity of HCl produced until 4 MGy. We show that higher irradiation dose leads to the lower radiolytic yield of HCl (G(HCl)). Moreover, G(HCl) obtained in aerobe conditions is about fourfold as great as G(HCl) observed in anaerobe radiolysis. Propagation and termination reactions induce degradation products: polyene sequences and crosslinking reactions are observed under anaerobe conditions; oxidized products with addition of chain scissions are formed under aerobe conditions. Although the literature about PVC radiolysis is rich, the main reacting pathways are not well established. Moreover the high doses studies are almost non-existent. We show by FTIR that aerobe radiolysis induces formation of ketons and acids. NMR experiments confirme these results but also focuse on small acids formed (with 2, 3 or 4 carbons). The

  7. Indigenous production of biosurfactant and degradation of crude oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Rashedi

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The present study investigated the isolation and identification of biosurfactant producing bacteria from Iranian oil wells. The biosurfactant production of bacteria isolates was evaluated and confirmed using hemolysis and emulsification tests. The biodegradation of crude oil was studied using GC and HPLC analysis. A total of 45 strains have been isolated. These strains showed less than a 40 mN m-1 reduction in surface tension. The effects of different pH (4.2-9.2, salinity concentrations (1%-15%, and temperatures (25-50 in biosurfactant production of isolated strains were evaluated. One of the strains (Bacillus sp. NO.4 showed a high salt tolerance and a successful production of biosurfactant in a vast pH range. Its maximum biomass production (about 3.1 g L-1 dry weight was achieved after 60 hours of growth. The surface tension of the culture broth dropped rapidly after inoculation and reached its lowest value (36 mN m-1 during the exponential phase after about 36-48 hours of growth. The study of the GC graphs showed that higher aliphatic reduction occurred in fractions with C14 to C24 hydrocarbons. The depicted results of the HPLC graphs indicated a 100% degradation of chrysene and fluorine. In this study, we demonstrated the useful capacities of the isolates in removing oil pollutants and their application in MEOR in vitro.

  8. Developments in polymer degradation - 7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grassie, N.

    1987-01-01

    A selection of topics which are representative of the continually expanding area of polymer degradation is presented. The aspects emphasised include the products of degradation of specific polymers, degradation by high energy radiation and mechanical forces, fire retardant studies and the special role of small radicals in degradation processes. (author)

  9. Determination of degradation products and process related impurities of asenapine maleate in asenapine sublingual tablets by UPLC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Nitin; Sangeetha, D.; Kalyanraman, L.

    2017-11-01

    For determination of process related impurities and degradation products of asenapine maleate in asenapine sublingual Tablets, a reversed phase, stability indicating UPLC method was developed. Acetonitrile, methanol and potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer with tetra-n- butyl ammonium hydrogen sulphate as ion pair (pH 2.2; 0.01 M) at flow rate of 0.2 ml/min were used in gradient elution mode. Separation was achieved by using acquity BEH Shield RP18 column (1.7 μm, 2.1 mm×100 mm) at 35 ºC. UV detection was performed at 228 nm. Subsequently the liquid chromatography method was validated as per ICH. The drug product was exposed to the stress conditions of acid hydrolysis, base hydrolysis, water hydrolysis, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic. In oxidative stress and thermal stress significant degradation was observed. All the degradation products were well separated from analyte peak and its impurities. Stability indicating nature of the method was proved by demonstrating the peak purity of Asenapine peak in all the stressed samples. The mass balance was found >95% for all the stress conditions. Based on method validation, the method was found specific, linear, accurate, precise, rugged and robust.

  10. Quantifying South East Asia's forest degradation using latest generation optical and radar satellite remote sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broich, M.; Tulbure, M. G.; Wijaya, A.; Weisse, M.; Stolle, F.

    2017-12-01

    Deforestation and forest degradation form the 2nd largest source of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. While deforestation is being globally mapped with satellite image time series, degradation remains insufficiently quantified. Previous studies quantified degradation for small scale, local sites. A method suitable for accurate mapping across large areas has not yet been developed due to the variability of the low magnitude and short-lived degradation signal and the absence of data with suitable resolution properties. Here we use a combination of newly available streams of free optical and radar image time series acquired by NASA and ESA, and HPC-based data science algorithms to innovatively quantify degradation consistently across Southeast Asia (SEA). We used Sentinel1 c-band radar data and NASA's new Harmonized Landsat8 (L8) Sentinel2 (S2) product (HLS) for cloud free optical images. Our results show that dense time series of cloud penetrating Sentinel 1 c-band radar can provide degradation alarm flags, while the HLS product of cloud-free optical images can unambiguously confirm degradation alarms. The detectability of degradation differed across SEA. In the seasonal forest of continental SEA the reliability of our radar-based alarm flags increased as the variability in landscape moisture decreases in the dry season. We reliably confirmed alarms with optical image time series during the late dry season, where degradation in open canopy forests becomes detectable once the undergrowth vegetation has died down. Conversely, in insular SEA landscape moisture is low, the radar time series generated degradation alarms flags with moderate to high reliability throughout the year, further confirmed with the HLS product. Based on the HLS product we can now confirm degradation within time series provides better results than either one on its own. Our results provide significant information with application for carbon trading policy and land management.

  11. Insights into the degradation of (CF3)2CHOCH3 and its oxidative product (CF3)2CHOCHO & the formation and catalytic degradation of organic nitrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Feng-Yang; Jia, Zi-Man; Pan, Xiu-Mei

    2018-06-01

    In this work, a systematic investigation of the atmospheric oxidation mechanism of (CF3)2CXOCH3 and their oxidative products (CF3)2CXOCHO (X = H, F) initiated by OH radical or Cl atom is performed by density functional theory. This study reveals that the introduction of NO and O2 promotes the formation of organic nitrates, which are hygroscopic and are inclined to form secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and can affect the air quality. The rate constants of the individual reactions are found to be in agreement with the experimental results. One of the intriguing findings of this work is that the peroxynitrite of (CF3)2CHOCH2OONO formed from the subsequent reactions of (CF3)2CHOCH3 is more favorable to isomerize to organic nitrate (CF3)2CHOCH2ONO2 than to dissociate into alkoxy radical (CF3)2CHOCH2O and NO2 because of the lower energy barrier of isomerization. The second significant observation is that the organic nitrate can be degraded more favorably with the presence of NH3, CH3NH2, and CH3NHCH3 than its naked decomposition reaction (CF3)2CHOCH2ONO2→(CF3)2CHOCHO + HONO. The ammonium salt, a vital part of haze, is harmful to human health and can be formed in the existence of the NH3, CH3NH2, and CH3NHCH3. In addition, the toxic substance of peroxyalkyl nitrate (CF3)2CHOC(O)ONO2 which can reduce the visibility of the atmosphere is produced as the primary subsequent oxidation product of (CF3)2CHOCHO in a NO-rich environment. The main species detected experimentally are confirmed by this study. The computational results are crucial to risk assessment and pollution prevention of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

  12. Gamma radiation effect on gas production in anion exchange resins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Traboulsi, A. [CEA Marcoule, DEN/DTCD/SPDE/LCFI, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze Cedex (France); E.A. LISA – METICA, Aix Marseille Université, Pôle de l’Etoile, case 451, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20 (France); Labed, V., E-mail: veronique.labed@cea.fr [CEA Marcoule, DEN/DTCD/SPDE/LCFI, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze Cedex (France); Dauvois, V. [CEA Saclay, DEN/DANS/DPC/SECR/LSRM, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Dupuy, N.; Rebufa, C. [E.A. LISA – METICA, Aix Marseille Université, Pôle de l’Etoile, case 451, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20 (France)

    2013-10-01

    Radiation-induced decomposition of Amberlite IRA400 anion exchange resin in hydroxide form by gamma radiolysis has been studied at various doses in different atmospheres (anaerobic, anaerobic with liquid water, and aerobic). The effect of these parameters on the degradation of ion exchange resins is rarely investigated in the literature. We focused on the radiolysis gases produced by resin degradation. When the resin was irradiated under anaerobic conditions with liquid water, the liquid phase over the resin was also analyzed to identify any possible water-soluble products released by degradation of the resin. The main products released are trimethylamine (TMA), molecular hydrogen (H{sub 2g}) and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2g}). TMA and H{sub 2g} are produced in all the irradiation atmospheres. However, TMA was in gaseous form under anaerobic and aerobic conditions and in aqueous form in presence of liquid water. In the latter conditions, TMA{sub aq} was associated with aqueous dimethylamine (DMA{sub aq}), monomethylamine (MMA{sub aq}) and ammonia (NH{sub 4}{sup +}{sub aq}). CO{sub 2g} is formed in the presence of oxygen due to oxidation of organic compounds present in the system, in particular the degradation products such as TMA{sub g}.

  13. Methods for forming complex oxidation reaction products including superconducting articles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rapp, R.A.; Urquhart, A.W.; Nagelberg, A.S.; Newkirk, M.S.

    1992-01-01

    This patent describes a method for producing a superconducting complex oxidation reaction product of two or more metals in an oxidized state. It comprises positioning at least one parent metal source comprising one of the metals adjacent to a permeable mass comprising at least one metal-containing compound capable of reaction to form the complex oxidation reaction product in step below, the metal component of the at least one metal-containing compound comprising at least a second of the two or more metals, and orienting the parent metal source and the permeable mass relative to each other so that formation of the complex oxidation reaction product will occur in a direction towards and into the permeable mass; and heating the parent metal source in the presence of an oxidant to a temperature region above its melting point to form a body of molten parent metal to permit infiltration and reaction of the molten parent metal into the permeable mass and with the oxidant and the at least one metal-containing compound to form the complex oxidation reaction product, and progressively drawing the molten parent metal source through the complex oxidation reaction product towards the oxidant and towards and into the adjacent permeable mass so that fresh complex oxidation reaction product continues to form within the permeable mass; and recovering the resulting complex oxidation reaction product

  14. Restoration of Degraded Salt Affected Lands to Productive Forest Ecosystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Yash; Singh, Gurbachan; Singh, Bajrang; Cerdà, Artemi

    2017-04-01

    Soil system determines the fluxes of energy and matter in the Earth and is the source of goods, services and resources to the humankind (Keesstra et al., 2012; Brevik et al., 2015; Keesstra et al., 2016). To restore and rehabilitate the soil system is a key strategy to recover the services the soils offers (Celentano et al., 2016; Galati et al., 2016; Parras-Alcantara et al., 2016). Transformation of degraded sodic lands in biodiversity rich productive forest ecosystem is a challenging task before the researchers all over the world. The soils of the degraded sites remain almost unfavorable for the normal growth, development and multiplication of organisms; all our attempts tend to alleviate the soil constraints. Land degradation due to presence of salts in the soil is an alarming threat to agricultural productivity and sustainability, particularly in arid and semiarid regions of the world (Tanji, 1990; Qadir et al., 2006). According to the FAO Land and Nutrition Management Service (2008), over 6% of the world's lands are affected by salinity, which accounts for more than 800 million ha in 100 countries. This is due to natural causes, extensive utilization of land (Egamberdieva et al., 2008), poor drainage systems and limited availability of irrigation water which causes salinization in many irrigated soils (Town et al., 2008).In India, about 6.73 million ha are salt affected which spread in 194 districts out of 584 districts in India and represents 2.1% of the geographical area of the country (Mandal et al., 2009).Out of these, 2.8 million ha are sodic in nature and primarily occurring in the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains. These lands are degraded in structural, chemical, nutritional, hydrological and microbiological characteristics. The reclamation of salt affected soils with chemical amendments like gypsum and phospho-gypsum are in practice for the cultivation field crops under agricultural production. Forest development on such lands although takes considerable

  15. Sorption and degradation of wastewater-associated pharmaceuticals and personal care products in agricultural soils and sediment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ting; Wu, Bo; Sun, Na; Ye, Yong; Chen, Huaixia

    2013-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have drawn popular concerns recently as an emerging class of aquatic contaminants. In this study, adsorption and degradation of four selected PPCPs, metronidazole, tinidazole, caffeine and chloramphenicol, have been investigated in the laboratory using two agricultural soils in China and sediment from Changjiang River. Adsorption tests using a batch equilibrium method demonstrated that adsorption of all tested chemicals in soils could be well described with Freundlich equation, and their adsorption affinity on soil followed the order of chloramphenicol > caffeine > tinidazole > metronidazole. Generally, higher Kf value was associated with soils which had higher organic matter contents (except for caffeine acid in this study). Degradation of selected PPCPs in soils generally followed first-order exponential decay kinetics, and half-lives ranging from 0.97 to 10.21 d. Sterilization generally decreased the degradation rates, indicating that microbial activity played a significant role in the degradation in soils. The degradation rate constant decreased with increasing initial chemical concentrations in soil, implying that the microbial activity was inhibited with high chemical loading levels.

  16. Influence of dihydroxybenzenes on paracetamol and ciprofloxacin degradation and iron(III) reduction in Fenton processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa E Silva, Beatriz; de Lima Perini, João Angelo; Nogueira, Raquel F Pupo

    2017-03-01

    The degradation of paracetamol (PCT) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) was compared in relation to the generation of dihydroxylated products, Fe(III) reduction and reaction rate in the presence of dihydroxybenzene (DHB) compounds, or under irradiation with free iron (Fe 3+ ) or citrate complex (Fecit) in Fenton or photo-Fenton process. The formation of hydroquinone (HQ) was observed only during PCT degradation in the dark, which increased drastically the rate of PCT degradation, since HQ formed was able to reduce Fe 3+ and contributed to PCT degradation efficiency. When HQ was initially added, PCT and CIP degradation rate in the dark was much higher in comparison to the absence of HQ, due to the higher and faster formation of Fe 2+ at the beginning of reaction. In the absence of HQ, no CIP degradation was observed; however, when HQ was added after 30 min, the degradation rate increased drastically. Ten PCT hydroxylated intermediates were identified in the absence of HQ, which could contribute for Fe(III) reduction and consequently to the degradation in a similar way as HQ. During CIP degradation, only one product of hydroxyl radical attack on benzene ring and substitution of the fluorine atom was identified when HQ was added to the reaction medium.

  17. Degradation of platinum based anticancer drugs by methionine: An EXAFS study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Provost, K; Bouvet-Muller, D; Michalowicz, A [ICMPE, UMR 7182 CNRS-Universite Paris 12, 94320 Thiais (France); Crauste-Manciet, S [Laboratoire de Pharmacie Galenique, Universite Paris Descartes, 75006 Paris (France); Olivi, L; Vlaic, G, E-mail: provost@univ-paris12.f [EXAFS Beamline, ELETTRA, Sincrotone Trieste, 34012 Basovizza, Trieste (Italy)

    2009-11-15

    We characterized the structures in solution of carboplatin and oxaliplatin degradation products in presence of a large excess of methionine (Met). The reaction of carboplatin leads to the formation of cis-Pt(Met){sub 2} while, in the case of oxaliplatin, methionine displaces only the oxalate ligand to form Pt(diaminocyclohexane)(Met).

  18. High Glucose Promotes Aβ Production by Inhibiting APP Degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shuting; Song, Weihong

    2013-01-01

    Abnormal deposition of neuriticplaques is the uniqueneuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Amyloid β protein (Aβ), the major component of plaques, is generated from sequential cleavage of amyloidβ precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase and γ-secretase complex. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,have increased risk of AD development.However, the role of high blood glucose in APP processing and Aβ generation remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of high glucose on APP metabolism and Aβ generation in cultured human cells. We found that high glucose treatment significantly increased APP protein level in both neuronal-like and non-neuronal cells, and promoted Aβ generation. Furthermore, we found that high glucose-induced increase of APP level was not due to enhancement of APP gene transcription but resulted from inhibition of APP protein degradation. Taken together, our data indicated that hyperglycemia could promote AD pathogenesis by inhibiting APP degradation and enhancing Aβ production. More importantly, the elevation of APP level and Aβ generation by high glucose was caused by reduction of APP turnover rate.Thus,our study provides a molecular mechanism of increased risk of developing AD in patients withDMand suggests thatglycemic control might be potentially beneficial for reducing the incidence of AD in diabetic patients and delaying the AD progression. PMID:23894546

  19. How do polymers degrade?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyu, Suping

    2011-03-01

    Materials derived from agricultural products such as cellulose, starch, polylactide, etc. are more sustainable and environmentally benign than those derived from petroleum. However, applications of these polymers are limited by their processing properties, chemical and thermal stabilities. For example, polyethylene terephthalate fabrics last for many years under normal use conditions, but polylactide fabrics cannot due to chemical degradation. There are two primary mechanisms through which these polymers degrade: via hydrolysis and via oxidation. Both of these two mechanisms are related to combined factors such as monomer chemistry, chain configuration, chain mobility, crystallinity, and permeation to water and oxygen, and product geometry. In this talk, we will discuss how these materials degrade and how the degradation depends on these factors under application conditions. Both experimental studies and mathematical modeling will be presented.

  20. Studies on resin degradation products encountered during purification of plutonium by anion exchange

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramanujam, A.; Dhami, P.S.; Gopalakrishnan, V.; Dhumwad, R.K.

    1991-01-01

    Among the methods available for the purification of plutonium in Purex process, anion exchange method offers several advantages. However, on repeated use, the resin gets degraded due to thermal, radiolytic and chemical attacks resulting in chemical as well as physical damage. Frequently, plutonium product eluted from such resin contains significant quantities of white precipitates. A few anion exchange resins were leached with 8 M HNO 3 at 60-80degC and the resin degradation products (RDP) in the leach-extract were found to give similar precipitates with tetravalent metal ions like Pu(IV), Th(IV) etc. Tetra propyl ammonium hydroxide in 8 M HNO 3 (TPAN) also gave a white precipitate with plutonium similar to the one found in the elution streams. The results indicate that delinked quaternary ammonium functional groups might be responsible for the formation of precipitate. The characteristics of precipitates Th-RDP, Th-TPAN and that isolated from elution stream have been investigated. In a separate study a tentative formula for Th-RDP compound is proposed. The influence of RDP on the extraction of plutonium and other components in Purex process was studied and it was found that RDP complexes metal ions thus marginally affecting the kd values. A spectrophotometric method has been standardised to monitor the extent of degradation of anion exchange resins which is based on the ability of RDP to reduce the colour intensity of Th-thoron complex. This technique can be used to study the stability of the anion exchange resins. (author). 8 refs., 8 tabs., 5 figs.,

  1. Single Point Incremental Forming to increase material knowledge and production flexibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habraken, A. M.

    2016-08-01

    Nowadays, manufactured pieces can be divided into two groups: mass production and production of low volume number of parts. Within the second group (prototyping or small batch production), an emerging solution relies on Incremental Sheet Forming or ISF. ISF refers to processes where the plastic deformation occurs by repeated contact with a relatively small tool. More specifically, many publications over the past decade investigate Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) where the final shape is determined only by the tool movement. This manufacturing process is characterized by the forming of sheets by means of a CNC controlled generic tool stylus, with the sheets clamped by means of a non-workpiece-specific clamping system and in absence of a partial or a full die. The advantage is no tooling requirements and often enhanced formability, however it poses a challenge in term of process control and accuracy assurance. Note that the most commonly used materials in incremental forming are aluminum and steel alloys however other alloys are also used especially for medical industry applications, such as cobalt and chromium alloys, stainless steel and titanium alloys. Some scientists have applied incremental forming on PVC plates and other on sandwich panels composed of propylene with mild steel and aluminum metallic foams with aluminum sheet metal. Micro incremental forming of thin foils has also been developed. Starting from the scattering of the results of Finite Element (FE) simulations, when one tries to predict the tool force (see SPIF benchmark of 2014 Numisheet conference), we will see how SPIF and even micro SPIF (process applied on thin metallic sheet with a few grains within the thickness) allow investigating the material behavior. This lecture will focus on the identification of constitutive laws, on the SPIF forming mechanisms and formability as well as the failure mechanism. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain SPIF formability, they will be

  2. Single Point Incremental Forming to increase material knowledge and production flexibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habraken, A.M.

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays, manufactured pieces can be divided into two groups: mass production and production of low volume number of parts. Within the second group (prototyping or small batch production), an emerging solution relies on Incremental Sheet Forming or ISF. ISF refers to processes where the plastic deformation occurs by repeated contact with a relatively small tool. More specifically, many publications over the past decade investigate Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) where the final shape is determined only by the tool movement. This manufacturing process is characterized by the forming of sheets by means of a CNC controlled generic tool stylus, with the sheets clamped by means of a non-workpiece-specific clamping system and in absence of a partial or a full die. The advantage is no tooling requirements and often enhanced formability, however it poses a challenge in term of process control and accuracy assurance. Note that the most commonly used materials in incremental forming are aluminum and steel alloys however other alloys are also used especially for medical industry applications, such as cobalt and chromium alloys, stainless steel and titanium alloys. Some scientists have applied incremental forming on PVC plates and other on sandwich panels composed of propylene with mild steel and aluminum metallic foams with aluminum sheet metal. Micro incremental forming of thin foils has also been developed. Starting from the scattering of the results of Finite Element (FE) simulations, when one tries to predict the tool force (see SPIF benchmark of 2014 Numisheet conference), we will see how SPIF and even micro SPIF (process applied on thin metallic sheet with a few grains within the thickness) allow investigating the material behavior. This lecture will focus on the identification of constitutive laws, on the SPIF forming mechanisms and formability as well as the failure mechanism. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain SPIF formability, they will be

  3. Use of Chiral Alcohols for Elucidating the Mode and Kinetics of Degradation of Fluorotelomer Compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fluorotelomer polymers are the dominant product line of the fluorotelomer industry. Fluorotelomer polymers have been shown to degrade under environmental conditions to form numerous fluorotelomer and perfluorinated monomers that are of environmental and toxicological concern; how...

  4. Production and partial characterization of arabinoxylan-degrading enzymes by Penicillium brasilianum under solid-state fermentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Panagiotou, Gianni; Granouillet, P.; Olsson, Lisbeth

    2006-01-01

    The production of a battery of arabinoxylan-degrading enzymes by the fungus Penicillium brasilianum grown on brewer's spent grain (BSG) under solid-state fermentation was investigated. Initial moisture content, initial pH, temperature, and nitrogen source content were optimized to achieve maximum...

  5. Degradation of cementitious materials associated with salstone disposal units

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flach, G. P. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Smith, F. G. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2014-09-01

    The Saltstone facilities at the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) stabilize and dispose of low-level radioactive salt solution originating from liquid waste storage tanks at the site. The Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) receives treated salt solution and mixes the aqueous waste with dry cement, blast furnace slag, and fly ash to form a grout slurry which is mechanically pumped into concrete disposal cells that compose the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The solidified grout is termed “saltstone”. Cementitious materials play a prominent role in the design and long-term performance of the SDF. The saltstone grout exhibits low permeability and diffusivity, and thus represents a physical barrier to waste release. The waste form is also reducing, which creates a chemical barrier to waste release for certain key radionuclides, notably Tc-99. Similarly, the concrete shell of a saltstone disposal unit (SDU) represents an additional physical and chemical barrier to radionuclide release to the environment. Together the waste form and the SDU compose a robust containment structure at the time of facility closure. However, the physical and chemical state of cementitious materials will evolve over time through a variety of phenomena, leading to degraded barrier performance over Performance Assessment (PA) timescales of thousands to tens of thousands of years. Previous studies of cementitious material degradation in the context of low-level waste disposal have identified sulfate attack, carbonation influenced steel corrosion, and decalcification (primary constituent leaching) as the primary chemical degradation phenomena of most relevance to SRS exposure conditions. In this study, degradation time scales for each of these three degradation phenomena are estimated for saltstone and concrete associated with each SDU type under conservative, nominal, and best estimate assumptions.

  6. Study of the effect of the fibre mass UP2 degradation products on radionuclide mobilisation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duro, Lara; Grive, Mireia; Gaona, Xavier; Bruno, Jordi [Amphos 21 Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain); Andersson, Thomas; Boren, Hans; Dario, Maarten [Linkoeping Univ., Linkoeping (Sweden); Allard, Bert; Hagberg, Jessica [Oerebro Univ., Oerebro (Sweden); Kaellstroem, Klas [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden)

    2012-09-15

    This report presents a literature review and laboratory work of the degradation of the fibre UP2, as well as an assessment of the effects of its degradation products on Europium sorption onto cement, as an example of their effects on radionuclide migration. All laboratory work was performed by the Swedish groups (Linkoeping and Oerebro Universities), who also performed some of the literature review. The data interpretation was performed by the Spanish team (Amphos 21). SKB has combined the reports of these studies into this common document and has added minor editorial changes. All these changes have been accepted by the authors.

  7. Study of the effect of the fibre mass UP2 degradation products on radionuclide mobilisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duro, Lara; Grive, Mireia; Gaona, Xavier; Bruno, Jordi; Andersson, Thomas; Boren, Hans; Dario, Maarten; Allard, Bert; Hagberg, Jessica; Kaellstroem, Klas

    2012-09-01

    This report presents a literature review and laboratory work of the degradation of the fibre UP2, as well as an assessment of the effects of its degradation products on Europium sorption onto cement, as an example of their effects on radionuclide migration. All laboratory work was performed by the Swedish groups (Linkoeping and Oerebro Universities), who also performed some of the literature review. The data interpretation was performed by the Spanish team (Amphos 21). SKB has combined the reports of these studies into this common document and has added minor editorial changes. All these changes have been accepted by the authors

  8. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis of antioxidant degradation products migrating to drinking water from PE materials and PEX pipes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lützhøft, Hans-Christian Holten; Waul, Christopher Kevin; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

    2013-01-01

    degradation products may leach and enter drinking water. The aim of this investigation was to develop a method for measuring these degradation products with a performance meeting the drinking water quality criteria of 20 µg L−1. Using headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to a gas chromatograph......Polyethylene (PE) and cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes are frequently used in water supply systems. Such pipes contain added antioxidants with phenolic structures, e.g. Irgafos 168, Irganox 1010 and 1076, in order to improve durability. However, phenol, ketone and quinone antioxidant...

  9. Ecotoxicity of carbamazepine and its UV photolysis transformation products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Donner, E.; Kosjek, T.; Qualmann, Signe

    2013-01-01

    the treatment period, together with concurrent increases in acridine and acridone concentrations. Ecotoxicity was shown to increase in parallel with carbamazepine degradation indicating that the mixture of degradation products formed was more toxic than the parent compound, and all three ecotoxicity endpoints...

  10. The potential of intercropping food crops and energy crop to improve productivity of a degraded agriculture land in arid tropics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.K.D. Jaya

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Degraded agricultural lands in the arid tropics have low soil organic carbon (SOC and hence low productivity. Poor farmers that their livelihoods depend highly on these types of lands are suffering. Cropping strategies that are able to improve the soil productivity are needed. In the present study, some intercropping models of food crops with bio-energy crop of castor (Ricinus communis L. were tested to assess their potential to improve the degraded land productivity. The intercropping models were: (1 castor - hybrid maize, (2 castor – short season maize, (3 castor – mungbean, and (4 castor –short season maize – mungbean. The results show that yields of the component crops in monoculture were relatively the same as in intercropping, resulted in a high Land Equivalent Ratio (LER. The highest LER (3.07 was calculated from intercropping castor plants with short season maize crops followed by mungbean with intercropping productivity of IDR 15,097,600.00 ha-1. Intercropping has a great potential to improve degraded agriculture land productivity and castor is a promising plant to improve biodiversity and area coverage on the land.

  11. Photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of quinclorac in ultrapure and paddy field water: identification of transformation products and pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pareja, Lucía; Pérez-Parada, Andrés; Agüera, Ana; Cesio, Verónica; Heinzen, Horacio; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo R

    2012-05-01

    Quinclorac (QNC) is an effective but rather persistent herbicide commonly used in rice production. This herbicide presents a mean persistence in the environment so its residues are considered of environmental relevance. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate its environmental behavior and degradation. In the present work, direct photolysis and TiO(2) photocatalysis of the target compound in ultrapure and paddy field water were investigated. After 10h photolysis in ultrapure water, the concentration of QNC declined 26% and 54% at 250 and 700 W m(-2), respectively. However, the amount of quinclorac in paddy field water remained almost constant under the same irradiation conditions. QNC dissipated completely after 40 min of TiO(2) photocatalysis in ultrapure water, whereas 130 min were necessary to degrade 98% of the initial concentration in paddy field water. Possible QNC photolytic and photocatalytic degradation pathways are proposed after structure elucidation of the main transformation products, through liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and exact mass measurements. Pyridine ring hydroxylation at C-9 followed by ring opening and/or oxidative dechlorination were the key steps of QNC degradation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Direct detection of additives and degradation products from polymers by liquid extraction surface analysis employing chip-based nanospray mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paine, Martin R L; Barker, Philip J; Maclauglin, Shane A; Mitchell, Todd W; Blanksby, Stephen J

    2012-02-29

    Polymer-based surface coatings in outdoor applications experience accelerated degradation due to exposure to solar radiation, oxygen and atmospheric pollutants. These deleterious agents cause undesirable changes to the aesthetic and mechanical properties of the polymer, reducing its lifetime. The use of antioxidants such as hindered amine light stabilisers (HALS) retards these degradative processes; however, mechanisms for HALS action and polymer degradation are poorly understood. Detection of the HALS TINUVIN®123 (bis(1-octyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate) and the polymer degradation products directly from a polyester-based coil coating was achieved by liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) coupled to a triple quadrupole QTRAP® 5500 mass spectrometer. The detection of TINUVIN®123 and melamine was confirmed by the characteristic fragmentation pattern observed in LESA-MS/MS spectra that was identical to that reported for authentic samples. Analysis of an unstabilised coil coating by LESA-MS after exposure to 4 years of outdoor field testing revealed the presence of melamine (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine) as a polymer degradation product at elevated levels. Changes to the physical appearance of the coil coating, including powder-like deposits on the coating's surface, were observed to coincide with melamine deposits and are indicative of the phenomenon known as polymer 'blooming'. For the first time, in situ detection of analytes from a thermoset polymer coating was accomplished without any sample preparation, providing advantages over traditional extraction-analysis approaches and some contemporary ambient MS methods. Detection of HALS and polymer degradation products such as melamine provides insight into the mechanisms by which degradation occurs and suggests LESA-MS is a powerful new tool for polymer analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Gaseous products generated by radiation degradation of N,N-diethylhydroxylamine aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jinhua; Wang Shengxiu; Bao Borong; Li Zhen; Li Chun; Zheng Weifang; Zhang Shengdong

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, gaseous products generated by radiation degradation of N,N-diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA) in aqueous solution are studied. The results show that by 10-1000 kGy irradiation of the solution in DEHA concentration of 0.1-0.5 mol·L -1 , the gaseous products were mainly hydrogen, methane, ethane and ethene. The volume fraction of hydrogen did not change much with different concentrations of DEHA. The volume fraction of methane and ethane decreased, but that of ethene increased, with increasing DEHA concentration. The volume fraction of hydrogen, methane and ethane increased with the dose. The relationship of the volume fraction of ethene with the dose had something to do with the DEHA concentration. (authors)

  14. Production of sodalite waste forms by addition of glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, C.

    1995-01-01

    Spent nuclear fuel can be treated in a molten salt electrorefiner for conversion into metal and mineral waste forms for geologic disposal. Sodalite is one of the mineral waste forms under study. Fission products in the molten salt are ion-exchanged into zeolite A, which is converted to sodalite and consolidated. Sodalite can be formed directly from mixtures of salt and zeolite A at temperatures above 975 K; however, nepheline is usually produced as a secondary phase. Addition of small amounts of glass frit to the mixture reduced nepheline formation significantly. Loss of fission products was not observed for reaction below 1000 K. Hot-pressing of the sodalite powders yielded dense pellets (∼2.3 g/cm 3 ) without any loss of fission product species. Normalized release rates were below 1 g/m 2 ·day for pre-washed samples in 28-day leach tests based on standard MCC-1 tests but increased with the presence of free salt on the sodalite

  15. Spatial variation in biodiversity, soil degradation and productivity in agricultural landscapes in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hadgu, K.M.; Rossing, W.A.H.; Kooistra, L.; Bruggen, van A.H.C.

    2009-01-01

    There is a growing concern about food security and sustainability of agricultural production in developing countries. However, there are limited attempts to quantify agro-biodiversity losses and relate these losses to soil degradation and crop productivity, particularly in Tigray, Ethiopia. In this

  16. Continuous degradation of trichloroethylene by Xanthobacter sp. strain Py2 during growth on propene.

    OpenAIRE

    Reij, M W; Kieboom, J; de Bont, J A; Hartmans, S

    1995-01-01

    Propene-grown Xanthobacter sp. strain Py2 cells can degrade trichloroethylene (TCE), but the transformation capacity of such cells was limited and depended on both the TCE concentration and the biomass concentration. Toxic metabolites presumably accumulated extracellularly, because the fermentation of glucose by yeast cells was inhibited by TCE degradation products formed by strain Py2. The affinity of the propene monooxygenase for TCE was low, and this allowed strain Py2 to grow on propene i...

  17. Removal of nalidixic acid and its degradation products by an integrated MBR-ozonation system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollice, A; Laera, G; Cassano, D; Diomede, S; Pinto, A; Lopez, A; Mascolo, G

    2012-02-15

    Chemical-biological degradation of a widely spread antibacterial (nalidixic acid) was successfully obtained by an integrated membrane bioreactor (MBR)-ozonation process. The composition of the treated solution simulated the wastewater from the production of the target pharmaceutical, featuring high salinity and a relevant concentration of sodium acetate. Aim of treatment integration was to exploit the synergistic effects of chemical oxidation and bioprocesses, by adopting the latter to remove most of the COD and the ozonation biodegradable products. Integration was achieved by placing ozonation in the recirculation stream of the bioreactor effluent. The recirculation flow rate was three-fold the MBR feed, and the performance of the integrated system was compared to the standard polishing configuration (single ozonation step after the MBR). Results showed that the introduction of the ozonation step did not cause relevant drawbacks to both biological and filtration processes. nalidixic acid passed undegraded through the MBR and was completely removed in the ozonation step. Complete degradation of most of the detected ozonation products was better achieved with the integrated MBR-ozonation process than using the sequential treatment configuration, i.e. ozone polishing after MBR, given the same ozone dosage. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Characterization and degradation potential of diesel-degrading bacterial strains for application in bioremediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balseiro-Romero, María; Gkorezis, Panagiotis; Kidd, Petra S; Van Hamme, Jonathan; Weyens, Nele; Monterroso, Carmen; Vangronsveld, Jaco

    2017-10-03

    Bioremediation of polluted soils is a promising technique with low environmental impact, which uses soil organisms to degrade soil contaminants. In this study, 19 bacterial strains isolated from a diesel-contaminated soil were screened for their diesel-degrading potential, biosurfactant (BS) production, and biofilm formation abilities, all desirable characteristics when selecting strains for re-inoculation into hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Diesel-degradation rates were determined in vitro in minimal medium with diesel as the sole carbon source. The capacity to degrade diesel range organics (DROs) of strains SPG23 (Arthobacter sp.) and PF1 (Acinetobacter oleivorans) reached 17-26% of total DROs after 10 days, and 90% for strain GK2 (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus). The amount and rate of alkane degradation decreased significantly with increasing carbon number for strains SPG23 and PF1. Strain GK2, which produced BSs and biofilms, exhibited a greater extent, and faster rate of alkane degradation compared to SPG23 and PF1. Based on the outcomes of degradation experiments, in addition to BS production, biofilm formation capacities, and previous genome characterizations, strain GK2 is a promising candidate for microbial-assisted phytoremediation of diesel-contaminated soils. These results are of particular interest to select suitable strains for bioremediation, not only presenting high diesel-degradation rates, but also other characteristics which could improve rhizosphere colonization.

  19. Thermal degradation of hexachlorobenzene in the presence of calcium oxide at 340-400 °C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Keqing; Gao, Xingbao; Sun, Yifei; Zheng, Lei; Wang, Wei

    2013-11-01

    Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the milligram range was co-heated with calcium oxide (CaO) powder in sealed glass ampoules at 340-400 °C. The heated samples were characterized and analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, and thermal/optical carbon analysis. The degradation products of HCB were studied at different temperatures and heated times. The amorphous carbon was firstly quantitatively evaluated and was thought to be important fate of the C element of HCB. The yield of amorphous carbon in products increased with heating time, for samples treated for 8h at 340, 380 °C and 400 °C, the value were 17.5%, 34.8% and 50.2%, respectively. After identification of the dechlorination products, the HCB degradation on CaO at 340-400 °C was supposed to through dechlorination/polymerization pathway, which is induced by electron transfer, generate chloride ions and form high-molecular weight intermediates with significant levels of both hydrogen and chlorine, and finally form amorphous carbon. Higher temperature was beneficial for the dechlorination/polymerization efficiency. The results are helpful for clarifying the reaction mechanism for thermal degradation of chlorinated aromatics in alkaline matrices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Decades-Scale Degradation of Commercial, Side-Chain, Fluorotelomer-Based Polymers in Soils and Water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs) are a primary product of the jluorotelomer industry, yet the role of commercial FTPs in degrading to form perjluorocarboxylic acids (P FCAs), including perjluorooctanoic acid, and P FCA precursors, remains ill-defined. Here we report on a 376-d...

  1. Radiation-induced degradation of D-fructose in aerated condition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kito, Yukio; Kawakishi, Shunro; Namiki, Mitsuo

    1981-01-01

    Gamma-radiolysis of fructose in aqueous solution under aerated conditions formed various oxidized products, such as dicarbonyl hexoses, lower molecular aldoses and aldonic acids. Among these radiolytic products, D-arabinohexosulose (1, G = 2.2) and D-threo-2,5-hexodiulose (2, G = 1.5) were identified as major hexose derivatives, and D-threo-2,3-hexodiulose (3) and D-lyxo-hexos-5-ulose (4) as minor products. The radiolytic processes were found to be derived through fructose radicals, similarly to anaerobic radiolysis of fructose. The mechanism of radiolysis was proposed to be initiated by hydrogen abstraction with hydroxyl radical, followed by formation and degradation of fructose hydroperoxy radicals. (author)

  2. Degradation Of Cementitious Materials Associated With Saltstone Disposal Units

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flach, G. P; Smith, F. G. III

    2013-01-01

    The Saltstone facilities at the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) stabilize and dispose of low-level radioactive salt solution originating from liquid waste storage tanks at the site. The Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) receives treated salt solution and mixes the aqueous waste with dry cement, blast furnace slag, and fly ash to form a grout slurry which is mechanically pumped into concrete disposal cells that compose the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The solidified grout is termed ''saltstone''. Cementitious materials play a prominent role in the design and long-term performance of the SDF. The saltstone grout exhibits low permeability and diffusivity, and thus represents a physical barrier to waste release. The waste form is also reducing, which creates a chemical barrier to waste release for certain key radionuclides, notably Tc-99. Similarly, the concrete shell of an SDF disposal unit (SDU) represents an additional physical and chemical barrier to radionuclide release to the environment. Together the waste form and the SDU compose a robust containment structure at the time of facility closure. However, the physical and chemical state of cementitious materials will evolve over time through a variety of phenomena, leading to degraded barrier performance over Performance Assessment (PA) timescales of thousands to tens of thousands of years. Previous studies of cementitious material degradation in the context of low-level waste disposal have identified sulfate attack, carbonation influenced steel corrosion, and decalcification (primary constituent leaching) as the primary chemical degradation phenomena of most relevance to SRS exposure conditions. In this study, degradation time scales for each of these three degradation phenomena are estimated for saltstone and concrete associated with each SDU type under conservative, nominal, and best estimate assumptions. The nominal value (NV) is an intermediate result that is more probable than the conservative estimate

  3. Degradation Of Cementitious Materials Associated With Saltstone Disposal Units

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flach, G. P; Smith, F. G. III

    2013-03-19

    The Saltstone facilities at the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) stabilize and dispose of low-level radioactive salt solution originating from liquid waste storage tanks at the site. The Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) receives treated salt solution and mixes the aqueous waste with dry cement, blast furnace slag, and fly ash to form a grout slurry which is mechanically pumped into concrete disposal cells that compose the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The solidified grout is termed “saltstone”. Cementitious materials play a prominent role in the design and long-term performance of the SDF. The saltstone grout exhibits low permeability and diffusivity, and thus represents a physical barrier to waste release. The waste form is also reducing, which creates a chemical barrier to waste release for certain key radionuclides, notably Tc-99. Similarly, the concrete shell of an SDF disposal unit (SDU) represents an additional physical and chemical barrier to radionuclide release to the environment. Together the waste form and the SDU compose a robust containment structure at the time of facility closure. However, the physical and chemical state of cementitious materials will evolve over time through a variety of phenomena, leading to degraded barrier performance over Performance Assessment (PA) timescales of thousands to tens of thousands of years. Previous studies of cementitious material degradation in the context of low-level waste disposal have identified sulfate attack, carbonation influenced steel corrosion, and decalcification (primary constituent leaching) as the primary chemical degradation phenomena of most relevance to SRS exposure conditions. In this study, degradation time scales for each of these three degradation phenomena are estimated for saltstone and concrete associated with each SDU type under conservative, nominal, and best estimate assumptions. The nominal value (NV) is an intermediate result that is more probable than the conservative

  4. Theoretical and spectroscopic investigation of the oxidation and degradation of protocatechuic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hatzipanayioti, Despina; Karaliota, Alexandra; Kamariotaki, Mary; Aletras, Vasilios; Petropouleas, Panayiotis

    2006-01-01

    In this work, we report a combined experimental and theoretical study on molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of the most stable conformers of PCA. 1 H, 13 C NMR and 2D COSY NMR, ESR, IR and electronic spectroscopies were coupled with DFT theoretical calculations performed at the B3LYP/6-31G** level. The calculated geometrical parameters for the neutral protocatechuic acid PCA-H 3 , its anions, its oxidized forms and the peroxo-derivative [PCA-H-O 2 ] 2- are in line with the experimental data. The neutral catecholate is the most stable form of PCA-H 3 whilst the dianion [PCA-H] 2- presents higher energy. This anion is (experimentally) stable only under argon, reacting with dioxygen, in the presence of air. The semiquinone [PCA-H-sq(3)] - is very close in energy from [PCA-H-sq(4)] - form and an equilibrium between these two oxidized radical forms might be expected. The energetically advantageous pathway for preparation of the symmetrically delocalized [PCA-sq] 2- is to oxidize the [PCA] 3- . The occurrence of this radical dianion form was justified experimentally by ESR, IR, UV-vis and NMR spectra. The structural calculations for [PCA-H-O 2 ] 2- indicate that C 3 (and to a lesser extent C1) may undergo a nucleophilic attack from the 'co-ordinated' peroxo-group. The conditions for the non-enzymatic degradation of PCA have been established and some new products are observed: ionization of PCA-H 3 , the presence of O 2 and aprotic solvents provide the semiquinone-superoxo adduct which is then degraded to lactones, while in protic solvents, addition of H 2 O 2 and the presence of air, are essential, providing aliphatic degradation products

  5. Reactions of newly formed fission products in the gas phase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strickert, R.G.

    1976-01-01

    A dynamic gas-flow system was constructed which stopped fission products in the gas phase and rapidly separated (in less than 2 sec) volatile compounds from non-volatile ones. The filter assembly designed and used was shown to stop essentially all non-volatile fission products. Between 5 percent and 20 percent of tellurium fission-product isotopes reacted with several hydrocarbon gases to form volatile compounds, which passed through the filter. With carbon monoxide gas, volatile tellurium compound(s) (probably TeCO) were also formed with similar efficiencies. The upper limits for the yields of volatile compounds formed between CO and tin and antimony fission products were shown to be less than 0.3 percent, so tellurium nuclides, not their precursors, reacted with CO. It was found that CO reacted preferentially with independently produced tellurium atoms; the reaction efficiency of beta-produced atoms was only 27 +- 3 percent of that of the independently formed atoms. The selectivity, which was independent of the over-all reaction efficiency, was shown to be due to reaction of independently formed atoms in the gas phase. The gas phase reactions are believed to occur mainly at thermal energies because of the independence of the yield upon argon moderator mole-fraction (up to 80 percent). It was shown in some experiments that about one-half of the TeCO decomposed in passing through a filter and that an appreciable fraction (approximately 20 percent) of the tellurium atoms deposited on the filter reacted agin with CO. Other tellurium atoms on the filter surface (those formed by beta decay and those formed independently but not reacting in the gas phase) also reacted with CO, but probably somewhat less efficiently than atoms formed by TeCO decomposition. No evidence was found for formation of TeCO as a direct result of beta-decay

  6. Automobile sheet metal part production with incremental sheet forming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İsmail DURGUN

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, effect of global warming is increasing drastically so it leads to increased interest on energy efficiency and sustainable production methods. As a result of adverse conditions, national and international project platforms, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers, SMEs (Small and Mid-size Manufacturers perform many studies or improve existing methodologies in scope of advanced manufacturing techniques. In this study, advanced manufacturing and sustainable production method "Incremental Sheet Metal Forming (ISF" was used for sheet metal forming process. A vehicle fender was manufactured with or without die by using different toolpath strategies and die sets. At the end of the study, Results have been investigated under the influence of method and parameters used.Keywords: Template incremental sheet metal, Metal forming

  7. High modulus biodegradable polyurethanes for applications in cardiovascular stents: Evaluation of in-vitro degradation and cell viability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa eSagarito

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available We have recently reported the mechanical properties and hydrolytic degradation behaviour of a series of NovoSorb™ [1] biodegradable polyurethanes (PUs prepared by varying the hard segment (HS weight percentage from 60-100. In this study the in-vitro degradation behaviour of the PUs with and without extracellular matrix (ECM coating was investigated under accelerated hydrolytic degradation (phosphate buffer saline; PBS/70°C conditions to allow complete degradation. The mass loss at different time intervals and the effect of aqueous degradation products on the viability and growth of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC were examined.The results showed that for most PUs in the series the degradation medium turned acidic and the extent of this was dependent on the HS percentage. As the HS decreased, a drop in pH was observed, suggesting that the by-products of soft segment (SS degradation causing the solution to be acidic. Most of the samples were completely eroded by 18 weeks, except PU containing more than 70% HS which only showed partial degradation with no significant change in appearance. The cytotoxicity tests on HUVEC cells of the aqueous extracts obtained after 18 weeks incubation showed that toxicity was dependent on 3 factors: dose, percentage of HS and degradation time. HUVEC growth is similar to but not identical to that observed with tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS standard. The results from this in-vitro cytotoxicity study suggest that the mixture of degradation products formed during the accelerated degradation of this PU series are not toxic to cells under the experimental conditions used.

  8. Effect of protein degradability on milk production of dairy ewes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikolayunas-Sandrock, C; Armentano, L E; Thomas, D L; Berger, Y M

    2009-09-01

    The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of protein degradability of dairy sheep diets on milk yield and protein utilization across 2 levels of milk production. Three diets were formulated to provide similar energy concentrations and varying concentrations of rumen-degradable protein (RDP) and rumen-undegradable protein (RUP): 12% RDP and 4% RUP (12-4) included basal levels of RDP and RUP, 12% RDP and 6% RUP (12-6) included additional RUP, and 14% RDP and 4% RUP (14-4) included additional RDP. Diets were composed of alfalfa-timothy cubes, whole and ground corn, whole oats, dehulled soybean meal, and expeller soybean meal (SoyPlus, West Central, Ralston, IA). Estimates of RDP and RUP were based on the Small Ruminant Nutrition System model (2008) and feed and orts were analyzed for Cornell N fractions. Eighteen multiparous dairy ewes in midlactation were divided by milk yield (low and high) into 2 blocks of 9 ewes each and were randomly assigned within block (low and high) to 3 pens of 3 ewes each. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 3 x 3 Latin square within each block and applied to pens for 14-d periods. We hypothesized that pens consuming high-RUP diets (12-6) would produce more milk and milk protein than the basal diet (12-4) and pens consuming high-RDP diets (14-4) would not produce more milk than the basal diet (12-4). Ewes in the high-milk-yield square consumed more dry matter and produced more milk, milk fat, and milk protein than ewes in the low-milk-yield square. There was no effect of dietary treatment on dry matter intake. Across both levels of milk production, the 12-6 diet increased milk yield by 14%, increased milk fat yield by 14%, and increased milk protein yield by 13% compared with the 14-4 and 12-4 diets. Gross N efficiency (milk protein N/intake protein N) was 11 and 15% greater in the 12-6 and 12-4 diets, respectively, compared with the 14-4 diet. Milk urea N concentration was greater in the 12-6 diet and tended to be

  9. Bioconversion of lutein by Enterobacter hormaechei to form a new compound, 8-methyl-α-ionone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Guifang; Wang, Fangfang; Sun, Jianhong; Ye, Jianbin; Mao, Duobin; Ma, Ke; Yang, Xuepeng

    2017-07-01

    To investigate the final product of the bioconversion of lutein by a novel lutein-degrading bacterium, Enterobacter hormaechei A20, and the kinetics of the process. A new product, 8-methyl-α-ionone, was resolved by GC-MS. The compound was further identified by NMR. A conversion yield of 90% was achieved by E. hormaechei in 36 h with 10 g lutein l -1 . This is the first report of the bioconversion of lutein to form 8-methyl-α-ionone. A degradation pathway is proposed.

  10. Production of cellulose and hemicellulose-degrading enzymes by filamentous fungi cultivated on wet-oxidised wheat straw

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thygesen, A.; Thomsen, A.B.; Schmidt, A.S.

    2003-01-01

    The production of cellulose and hemicellulose-degrading enzymes by cultivation of Aspergillus niger ATCC 9029, Botrytis cinerea ATCC 28466, Penicillium brasilianum IBT 20888, Schizophyllum commune ATCC 38548, and Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 was studied. Wet-oxidised wheat straw suspension suppleme......The production of cellulose and hemicellulose-degrading enzymes by cultivation of Aspergillus niger ATCC 9029, Botrytis cinerea ATCC 28466, Penicillium brasilianum IBT 20888, Schizophyllum commune ATCC 38548, and Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 was studied. Wet-oxidised wheat straw suspension...... hydrolysis of filter cake from wet-oxidised wheat straw for 48 h with an enzyme loading of 5 FPU/g biomass resulted in glucose yields from cellulose of 58% (w/w) and 39% (w/w) using enzymes produced by R brasilianum and a commercial enzyme mixture, respectively. At higher enzyme loading (25 FPU/g biomass...

  11. Why do forest products become less available? A pan-tropical comparison of drivers of forest-resource degradation

    OpenAIRE

    Hermans, Kathleen; Gerstner, Katharina; Geijzendorffer, Ilse R.; Herold, Martin; Seppelt, Ralf; Wunder, Sven

    2016-01-01

    Forest products provide an important source of income and wellbeing for rural smallholder communities across the tropics. Although tropical forest products frequently become over-exploited, only few studies explicitly address the dynamics of degradation in response to socio-economic drivers. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing the factors driving changes in tropical forest products in the perception of rural smallholder communities. Using the poverty and environment network global datas...

  12. PWR degraded core analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gittus, J.H.

    1982-04-01

    A review is presented of the various phenomena involved in degraded core accidents and the ensuing transport of fission products from the fuel to the primary circuit and the containment. The dominant accident sequences found in the PWR risk studies published to date are briefly described. Then chapters deal with the following topics: the condition and behaviour of water reactor fuel during normal operation and at the commencement of degraded core accidents; the generation of hydrogen from the Zircaloy-steam and the steel-steam reactions; the way in which the core deforms and finally melts following loss of coolant; debris relocation analysis; containment integrity; fission product behaviour during a degraded core accident. (U.K.)

  13. Antifoam Degradation Products in Off Gas and Condensate of Sludge Batch 9 Simulant Nitric-Formic Flowsheet Testing for the Defense Waste Processing Facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2016-04-14

    Ten chemical processing cell (CPC) experiments were performed using simulant to evaluate Sludge Batch 9 for sludge-only and coupled processing using the nitric-formic flowsheet in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) cycles were performed on eight of the ten. The other two were SRAT cycles only. Samples of the condensate, sludge, and off gas were taken to monitor the chemistry of the CPC experiments. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has previously shown antifoam decomposes to form flammable organic products, (hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), trimethylsilanol (TMS), and propanal), that are present in the vapor phase and condensate of the CPC vessels. To minimize antifoam degradation product formation, a new antifoam addition strategy was implemented at SRNL and DWPF to add antifoam undiluted.

  14. Equilibrium Temperature Profiles within Fission Product Waste Forms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaminski, Michael D. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

    2016-10-01

    We studied waste form strategies for advanced fuel cycle schemes. Several options were considered for three waste streams with the following fission products: cesium and strontium, transition metals, and lanthanides. These three waste streams may be combined or disposed separately. The decay of several isotopes will generate heat that must be accommodated by the waste form, and this heat will affect the waste loadings. To help make an informed decision on the best option, we present computational data on the equilibrium temperature of glass waste forms containing a combination of these three streams.

  15. The characterisation of two different degradable polyethylene (PE) sacks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, G.

    2006-01-01

    The compostability of two different polyethylene (PE) products on the UK market under open-windrow composting conditions is explored within this paper. Chemical analysis of the PE bags has established their constituents in order to examine how the PE bags have an increased degradability depending on additives. Weight loss of the two different PE products within open-windrow composting conditions was recorded in order to establish the percentage weight loss as an indication of the degradability of the two products and their relative suitability for open-windrow composting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the PE products over the composting duration established the degradation processes for the PE products within the compost. These analyses concluded that one of the PE product mixes was more degradable than the other. However, neither product completed degraded within the timeframe of 12-14 weeks generally accepted for open-windrow composting in the UK

  16. Effects of degradation on third phase formation in the extraction of Th(NO3)4 by trialkyl phosphates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benadict Rakesh, K.; Suresh, A.; Vasudeva Rao, P.R.

    2014-01-01

    It is well known that solvents undergo chemical and radiolytic degradation during processing and in general the degradation products affect organic-aqueous phase separation, extraction and stripping behaviour, density, viscosity etc. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the effects of irradiation (100 MRad with 60 Co- γ-source) on third phase formation in the extraction of Th(IV) from nitric acid media by 1.1 M solutions of tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and tri-iso-amyl phosphate (TiAP) in n-dodecane (n-DD). Two types of irradiated solvents, namely Type 1 solvents containing only primary degradation products (formed by the degradation of TBP molecules) and Type 2 solvents containing primary as well as secondary degradation products (surfactant type molecules formed by the reaction between the degradation products of extractant and diluent) were prepared by dissolving required amount of irradiated extractant in unirradiated n-DD and irradiating 1.1 M solutions of extractant in n-DD, respectively. These solvents with and without washing with 5 M NaOH solution have been investigated for third phase formation. The variations of limiting organic concentration (LOC) for third phase formation as a function of equilibrium aqueous phase acidity are shown. LOC values for third phase formation by unirradiated solvents reported in our earlier work are also shown. These figures depict that LOC values for Type 1 solvents are lower than the corresponding unirradiated solvents and can be attributed to the decrease in the extractant concentration by degradation. Estimation of extractant in Type 1 solvents by nitric acid equilibration method after the removal of primary degradation products by washing with 5 M NaOH solution revealed that extractant concentrations have been reduced to 1.03 M and 1.05 M for TBP and TiAP, respectively. Estimation of extractant in Type 2 solvents revealed 1.07 M extractant concentration in TBP and TiAP solvents. However, data

  17. Degradation and metabolism of synthetic plastics and associated products by Pseudomonas sp.: capabilities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkes, R A; Aristilde, L

    2017-09-01

    Synthetic plastics, which are widely present in materials of everyday use, are ubiquitous and slowly-degrading polymers in environmental wastes. Of special interest are the capabilities of microorganisms to accelerate their degradation. Members of the metabolically diverse genus Pseudomonas are of particular interest due to their capabilities to degrade and metabolize synthetic plastics. Pseudomonas species isolated from environmental matrices have been identified to degrade polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene succinate, polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol at varying degrees of efficiency. Here, we present a review of the current knowledge on the factors that control the ability of Pseudomonas sp. to process these different plastic polymers and their by-products. These factors include cell surface attachment within biofilms, catalytic enzymes involved in oxidation or hydrolysis of the plastic polymer, metabolic pathways responsible for uptake and assimilation of plastic fragments and chemical factors that are advantageous or inhibitory to the biodegradation process. We also highlight future research directions required in order to harness fully the capabilities of Pseudomonas sp. in bioremediation strategies towards eliminating plastic wastes. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  18. Hotspots of human-induced biomass productivity decline and their social-ecological types toward supporting national policy and local studies on combating land degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, Quyet Manh; Le, Quang Bao; Vlek, Paul L. G.

    2014-10-01

    Identification and social-ecological characterization of areas that experience high levels of persistent productivity decline are essential for planning appropriate management measures. Although land degradation is mainly induced by human actions, the phenomenon is concurrently influenced by global climate changes that need to be taken into account in land degradation assessments. This study aims to delineate the geographic hotspots of human-induced land degradation in the country and classify the social-ecological characterizations of each specific degradation hotspot type. The research entailed a long-term time-series (1982-2006) of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index to specify the extents of areas with significant biomass decline or increase in Vietnam. Annual rainfall and temperature time-series were then used to separate areas of human-induced biomass productivity decline from those driven by climate dynamics. Next, spatial cluster analyses identified social-ecological types of degradation for guiding further investigations at regional and local scales. The results show that about 19% of the national land mass experienced persistent declines in biomass productivity over the last 25 years. Most of the degraded areas are found in the Southeast and Mekong River Delta (17,984 km2), Northwest Mountains (14,336 km2), and Central Highlands (13,504 km2). We identified six and five social-ecological types of degradation hotspots in agricultural and forested zones, respectively. Constraints in soil nutrient availability and nutrient retention capability are widely spreading in all degradation hotspot types. These hotspot types are different from each other in social and ecological conditions, suggesting that region-specific strategies are needed for the formulation of land degradation combating policy.

  19. Photolysis of nonylphenol ethoxylates: the determination of the degradation kinetics and the intermediate products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ling; Zhou, Hai-Yun; Deng, Qin-Ying

    2007-06-01

    The photolysis of nonylphenol ethoxylates with an average oligomers length of ten ethoxylate units (NPEO(10)) in aqueous solution under UV, as well as the influence of humic acid (HA) on the photolysis was studied. A 125W high-pressure mercury lamp was employed as the light source. The intermediate products from the photolysis were determined by LC-MS. The results indicated that NPEO(10) underwent direct photolysis upon exposed to UV. The degradation pathway was complex. Besides the generally proposed degradation pathway of ethylene oxide (EO) side chains shortening, the oxidation of alkyl chain and EO chain led to intermediates having both a carboxylated (as well as carbonylated) ethoxylate and alkyl chain of varying lengths. The hydrogenation of benzene ring was also detected. The kinetics data showed that the first order reaction kinetics could be well used to describe the kinetics of NPEO(10) degradation. In the presence of dissolved organic matter by HA addition, the performance of NPEO(10) photodegradation was reduced. The photolysis rate decreased with increased HA concentration.

  20. Precipitation of organic arsenic compounds and their degradation products during struvite formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Jin-Biao; Yuan, Shoujun [School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Institute of Water Treatment and Wastes Reutilization, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Wang, Wei, E-mail: dwhit@126.com [School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Institute of Water Treatment and Wastes Reutilization, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Hu, Zhen-Hu, E-mail: zhhu@hfut.edu.cn [School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Institute of Water Treatment and Wastes Reutilization, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Yu, Han-Qing [Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

    2016-11-05

    Highlights: • Organic and inorganic arsenic compounds precipitated during struvite formation. • Precipitation of organic arsenic compounds in struvite decreased with increasing pH. • Arsenate easily precipitate in struvite as compared to organic arsenic compounds. • Arsenic compounds in solution affected the shape of struvite crystallization products. - Abstract: Roxarsone (ROX) and arsanilic acid (ASA) have been extensively used as organoarsenic animal feed additives. Organic arsenic compounds and their degradation products, arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)), exist in the effluent from anaerobic reactors treating animal manure contaminated by ROX or ASA with ammonium (NH{sub 4}{sup +}-N) and phosphate (PO{sub 4}{sup 3−}-P) together. Therefore, arsenic species in the effluent might be involved in the struvite formation process. In this study, the involvement of organic arsenic compounds and their degradation products As(V) and As(III) in the struvite crystallization was investigated. The results demonstrated that arsenic compounds did not substantially affect the PO{sub 4}{sup 3−}-P recovery, but confirmed the precipitation of arsenic during struvite formation. The precipitation of arsenic compounds in struvite was considerably affected by a solution pH from 9.0 to 11.0. With an increase in pH, the content of ASA and ROX in the precipitation decreased, but the contents of As(III) and As(V) increased. In addition, the arsenic content of As(V) in the struvite was higher than that of As(III), ASA and ROX. The results indicated that the struvite could be contaminated when the solution contains arsenic species, but that could be minimized by controlling the solution pH and maintaining anaerobic conditions during struvite formation.

  1. Monooxygenase, a novel beta-cypermethrin degrading enzyme from Streptomyces sp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaohua Chen

    Full Text Available The widely used insecticide beta-cypermethrin has become a public concern because of its environmental contamination and toxic effects on mammals. In this study, a novel beta-cypermethrin degrading enzyme designated as CMO was purified to apparent homogeneity from a Streptomyces sp. isolate capable of utilizing beta-cypermethrin as a growth substrate. The native enzyme showed a monomeric structure with a molecular mass of 41 kDa and pI of 5.4. The enzyme exhibited the maximal activity at pH 7.5 and 30°C. It was fairly stable in the pH range from 6.5-8.5 and at temperatures below 10°C. The enzyme activity was significantly stimulated by Fe(2+, but strongly inhibited by Ag(+, Al(3+, and Cu(2+. The enzyme catalyzed the degradation of beta-cypermethrin to form five products via hydroxylation and diaryl cleavage. A novel beta-cypermethrin detoxification pathway was proposed based on analysis of these products. The purified enzyme was identified as a monooxygenase by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis (MALDI-TOF-MS and N-terminal protein sequencing. Given that all the characterized pyrethroid-degrading enzymes are the members of hydrolase family, CMO represents the first pyrethroid-degrading monooxygenase identified from environmental microorganisms. Taken together, our findings depict a novel pyrethroid degradation mechanism and indicate that the purified enzyme may be a promising candidate for detoxification of beta-cypermethrin and environmental protection.

  2. Degradation mechanisms of sulfonated poly-aromatic membranes in fuel cell; Mecanismes de degradation des membranes polyaromatiques sulfonees en pile a combustible

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perrot, C

    2006-11-15

    Fuel cell development requires an improvement in the electrode-membrane assembly durability which depends on both the polymer used and the fuel cell operating conditions. The origin of the degradation can be either electrochemical, chemical and/or mechanical. This study deals with the understanding of alternative membranes ageing mechanisms, i.e. non fluorinated membranes, such as sPEEK and sPI. For this kind of membranes, the first process is chemical. Understanding these mechanisms is the first essential step to develop more stable structures. An original approach is developed to overcome the analytical difficulties encountered with polymers. It consists in studying the degradation mechanism on model structures. Ageing are carried out in water, with H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in some cases (identified as a cause of membrane chemical ageing in the fuel cell system), and at different temperatures. The approach consists in separating the different products formed by chromatography. Then they are identified (NMR, IR, MS) and quantified. This method allows us to establish the ageing mechanism. We show that the ageing of a sPEEK structure mainly results from an attack by end chains which spreads to the whole. This mechanism is confirmed on ex-situ and in-situ aged membranes. These two kinds of ageing lead to an important decrease in polymerisation degree (determined by SEC). Formation of the same degradation products is observed. In fuel cells, a heterogeneous degradation is noticed. It takes place mainly on the cathode side. sPI are known for their high sensitivity to hydrolysis. Nevertheless, we highlight a limited degradation at 80 Celsius degrees due to the recombination of hydrolyzed species at this temperature. (author)

  3. Clad Degradation - FEPs Screening Arguments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    E. Siegmann

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to document the screening of the cladding degradation features, events, and processes (FEPs) for commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF). This report also addresses the effect of some FEPs on both the cladding and the CSNF, DSNF, and HLW waste forms where it was considered appropriate to address the effects on both materials together. This report summarizes the work of others to screen clad degradation FEPs in a manner consistent with, and used in, the Total System Performance Assessment-License Application (TSPA-LA). This document was prepared according to ''Technical Work Plan for Waste Form Degradation Modeling, Testing, and Analyses in Support of LA'' (BSC 2004a [DIRS 167796])

  4. Organic matter degradation in Chilean sediments - following nature's own degradation experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langerhuus, Alice Thoft; Niggemann, Jutta; Lomstein, Bente Aagaard

    ORGANIC MATTER DEGRADATION IN CHILEAN SEDIMENTS – FOLLOWING NATURE’S OWN DEGRADATION EXPERIMENT Degradation of sedimentary organic matter was studied at two stations from the shelf of the Chilean upwelling region. Sediment cores were taken at 1200 m and 800 m water depth and were 4.5 m and 7.5 m...... in length, respectively. The objective of this study was to assess the degradability of the organic matter from the sediment surface to the deep sediments. This was done by analysing amino acids (both L- and D-isomers) and amino sugars in the sediment cores, covering a timescale of 15.000 years. Diagenetic...... indicators (percentage of carbon and nitrogen present as amino acid carbon and nitrogen, the ratio between a protein precursor and its non-protein degradation product and the percentage of D-amino acids) revealed ongoing degradation in these sediments, indicating that microorganisms were still active in 15...

  5. In vitro degradability and total gas production of biodiesel chain byproducts used as a replacement for cane sugar feed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milenna Nunes Moreira

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the in vitro degradability of dry matter and the total gas production of oil seed press cake from biodiesel production (Gossypium hirsutum L., Helianthus annuus L., Ricinus communis, Moringa oleífera L. and Pinhão manso curcas L. at four different levels of replacement (0, 30, 50, and 70% for cane sugar (Saccharum officinarum RB. in ruminant feed. Inocula were prepared using the ruminal fluid of three Holstein cows, and data were collected after 48 hours of incubation. The byproducts of Moringa had the highest degradability, and castor presented the lowest values at all evaluated levels of replacement. Castor bean byproduct showed the highest total gas production, cotton showed the lowest production, and the byproduct of Moringa at the 70% level showed the best ruminal fermentation results. These results demonstrate that the use of oil seed press cake from biodiesel production (Helianthus annuus L. and Ricinus communis can replace cane sugar in ruminant feed.

  6. High-resolution Kendrick Mass Defect Analysis of Poly(ethylene oxide)-based Non-ionic Surfactants and Their Degradation Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouquet, Thierry; Shimada, Haruo; Maeno, Katsuyuki; Ito, Kanako; Ozeki, Yuka; Kitagawa, Shinya; Ohtani, Hajime; Sato, Hiroaki

    2017-09-01

    Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and the recently introduced high-resolution Kendrick mass defect (HRKMD) analysis are combined to thoroughly characterize non-ionic surfactants made of a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) core capped by esters of fatty acids. A PEO monostearate surfactant is first analyzed as a proof of principle of the HRKMD analysis conducted with a fraction of EO as the base unit (EO/X with X being an integer) in lieu of EO for a regular KMD analysis. Data visualization is greatly enhanced and the distributions detected in the MALDI mass spectrum are assigned to a pristine (H, OH)-PEO as well as mono- and di-esterified PEO chains with palmitate and stearate end-groups in HRKMD plots computed with EO/45. The MALDI-HRMS/HRKMD analysis is then successfully applied to the more complex case of ethoxylated hydrogenated castor oil (EHCO) found to contain a large number of hydrogenated ricinoleate moieties (up to 14) in its HRKMD plot computed with EO/43, departing from the expected triglyceride structure. The exhaustiveness of the MALDI-HRMS/HRKMD strategy is validated by comparing the so-obtained fingerprints with results from alternative techniques (electrospray ionization MS, size exclusion and liquid adsorption chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry). Finally, aged non-ionic surfactants formed upon hydrolytic degradation are analyzed by MALDI-HRMS/HRKMD to easily assign the degradation products and infer the associated degradation routes. In addition to the hydrolysis of the ester groups observed for EHCO, chain scissions and new polar end-groups are observed in the HRKMD plot of PEO monostearate arising from a competitive oxidative ageing.

  7. Methods of forming single source precursors, methods of forming polymeric single source precursors, and single source precursors and intermediate products formed by such methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Robert V.; Rodriguez, Rene G.; Pak, Joshua J.; Sun, Chivin; Margulieux, Kelsey R.; Holland, Andrew W.

    2012-12-04

    Methods of forming single source precursors (SSPs) include forming intermediate products having the empirical formula 1/2{L.sub.2N(.mu.-X).sub.2M'X.sub.2}.sub.2, and reacting MER with the intermediate products to form SSPs of the formula L.sub.2N(.mu.-ER).sub.2M'(ER).sub.2, wherein L is a Lewis base, M is a Group IA atom, N is a Group IB atom, M' is a Group IIIB atom, each E is a Group VIB atom, each X is a Group VIIA atom or a nitrate group, and each R group is an alkyl, aryl, vinyl, (per)fluoro alkyl, (per)fluoro aryl, silane, or carbamato group. Methods of forming polymeric or copolymeric SSPs include reacting at least one of HE.sup.1R.sup.1E.sup.1H and MER with one or more substances having the empirical formula L.sub.2N(.mu.-ER).sub.2M'(ER).sub.2 or L.sub.2N(.mu.-X).sub.2M'(X).sub.2 to form a polymeric or copolymeric SSP. New SSPs and intermediate products are formed by such methods.

  8. Yeast Extract Promotes Cell Growth and Induces Production of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Degrading Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Li

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Polyvinyl alcohol-degrading enzymes (PVAases have a great potential in bio-desizing processes for its low environmental impact and low energy consumption. In this study, the effect of yeast extract on PVAases production was investigated. A strategy of four-point yeast extract addition was developed and applied to maximize cell growth and PVAases production. As a result, the maximum dry cell weight achieved was 1.48 g/L and the corresponding PVAases activity was 2.99 U/mL, which are 46.5% and 176.8% higher than the control, respectively. Applying this strategy in a 7 L fermentor increased PVAases activity to 3.41 U/mL. Three amino acids (glycine, serine, and tyrosine in yeast extract play a central role in the production of PVAases. These results suggest that the new strategy of four-point yeast extract addition could benefit PVAases production.

  9. Reliability and corrosion induced degradation of electronic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tapas, V.K.; Varde, P.V.

    2014-01-01

    This paper describe the corrosion induced degradation of electronic system failures due to environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, ionic or organic contaminants, residuals; etc. which can accelerates as electrochemical reaction and causes corrosion of electronic components, Corrosive gases and water vapours from humid condition come into contact with the base metal results in buildup of various chemical reaction products. Ionic contamination responsible for electrochemical reaction, forms soluble complexes with metals, it can degrade the protective oxide film that forms on the positively biased metallization and/or lead to change in the local pH. Deterioration of metal components or electronic circuitry due to electrochemical migration needs to be controlled in order to reduce the corrosion. With explosive increase in demand and miniaturization in electronic system resulted in smaller components, closer spacing and thinner metallic path, it is expected that the corrosion and deterioration of electronic components may become cause or concern. This paper summarises the current understanding of chemistry behind possible causes of corrosion of electronic devices and its failure mechanism. (author)

  10. Degradation of materials under conditions of thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klimas, S.J.; Searle, H.; Stolberg, L.

    2010-01-01

    A capsule method has been developed and employed to measure the degradation rates of selected materials under some of the most challenging conditions relevant to the sulphur-iodine (SI) and the copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production. The materials tested so far include metals and engineering alloys, structural and functional polymers, elastomers, carbon-based materials, ceramics and glasses, and composites. A number of characterization methods have been used to detect and quantify the degradation of the diverse materials and, when feasible, establish the mode of attack. The paper details the results of this ongoing experimental investigation. The investigation currently focuses on the copper-chlorine hybrid cycle. The environment representative of the conditions in the electrolyser subsystem was approximated with an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid (13.6 mol/kg), copper(II) chloride (1.36 mol/kg) and copper(I) chloride (1.36 mol/kg) at 160°C and 2.5 MPa (absolute). The current (tentative) recommendations for the selection of the materials required for the construction of the electrolyser subsystem of the copper-chlorine hybrid cycle, and the associated rationale, are presented and discussed. (author)

  11. 21 CFR 330.3 - Imprinting of solid oral dosage form drug products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Imprinting of solid oral dosage form drug products... AS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE AND NOT MISBRANDED General Provisions § 330.3 Imprinting of solid oral dosage form drug products. A requirement to imprint an identification code on solid oral dosage form drug...

  12. [Sequential degradation of p-cresol by photochemical and biological methods].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karetnikova, E A; Chaĭkovskaia, O N; Sokolova, I V; Nikitina, L I

    2008-01-01

    Sequential photo- and biodegradation of p-cresol was studied using a mercury lamp, as well as KrCl and XeCl excilamps. Preirradiation of p-cresol at a concentration of 10(-4) M did not affect the rate of its subsequent biodegradation. An increase in the concentration of p-cresol to 10(-3) M and in the duration preliminary UV irradiation inhibited subsequent biodegradation. Biodegradation of p-cresol was accompanied by the formation of a product with a fluorescence maximum at 365 nm (lambdaex 280 nm), and photodegradation yielded a compound fluorescing at 400 nm (lambdaex 330 nm). Sequential UV and biodegradation led to the appearance of bands in the fluorescence spectra that were ascribed to p-cresol and its photolysis products. It was shown that sequential use of biological and photochemical degradation results in degradation of not only the initial toxicant but also the metabolites formed during its biodegradation.

  13. A Stability-Indicating HPLC-DAD Method for Determination of Stiripentol: Development, Validation, Kinetics, Structure Elucidation and Application to Commercial Dosage Form

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hany W. Darwish

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A rapid, simple, sensitive, and accurate isocratic reversed-phase stability-indicating high performance liquid chromatography method has been developed and validated for the determination of stiripentol and its degradation product in its bulk form and pharmaceutical dosage form. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Symmetry C18 column and quantification was achieved using photodiode array detector (DAD. The method was validated in accordance with the ICH requirements showing specificity, linearity (r2=0.9996, range of 1–25 μg/mL, precision (relative standard deviation lower than 2%, accuracy (mean recovery 100.08±1.73, limits of detection and quantitation (LOD = 0.024 and LOQ = 0.081 μg/mL, and robustness. Stiripentol was subjected to various stress conditions and it has shown marked stability under alkaline hydrolytic stress conditions, thermal, oxidative, and photolytic conditions. Stiripentol degraded only under acidic conditions, forming a single degradation product which was well resolved from the pure drug with significantly different retention time values. This degradation product was characterized by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy as well as ion trap mass spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the method would have a great value when applied in quality control and stability studies for stiripentol.

  14. Dropwise additive manufacturing of pharmaceutical products for solvent-based dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirshfield, Laura; Giridhar, Arun; Taylor, Lynne S; Harris, Michael T; Reklaitis, Gintaras V

    2014-02-01

    In recent years, the US Food and Drug Administration has encouraged pharmaceutical companies to develop more innovative and efficient manufacturing methods with improved online monitoring and control. Mini-manufacturing of medicine is one such method enabling the creation of individualized product forms for each patient. This work presents dropwise additive manufacturing of pharmaceutical products (DAMPP), an automated, controlled mini-manufacturing method that deposits active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) directly onto edible substrates using drop-on-demand (DoD) inkjet printing technology. The use of DoD technology allows for precise control over the material properties, drug solid state form, drop size, and drop dynamics and can be beneficial in the creation of high-potency drug forms, combination drugs with multiple APIs or individualized medicine products tailored to a specific patient. In this work, DAMPP was used to create dosage forms from solvent-based formulations consisting of API, polymer, and solvent carrier. The forms were then analyzed to determine the reproducibility of creating an on-target dosage form, the morphology of the API of the final form and the dissolution behavior of the drug over time. DAMPP is found to be a viable alternative to traditional mass-manufacturing methods for solvent-based oral dosage forms. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  15. 48 CFR 53.301-1427 - Standard Form 1427, Inventory Schedule A-Construction Sheet (Metals in Mill Product Form).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard Form 1427, Inventory Schedule A-Construction Sheet (Metals in Mill Product Form). 53.301-1427 Section 53.301-1427... Illustrations of Forms 53.301-1427 Standard Form 1427, Inventory Schedule A—Construction Sheet (Metals in Mill...

  16. Reducing Nutrient Losses with Directed Fertilization of Degraded Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menzies, E.; Walter, M. T.; Schneider, R.

    2016-12-01

    Degraded soils around the world are stunting agricultural productivity in places where people need it the most. In China, hundreds of years of agriculture and human activity have turned large swaths of productive grasslands into expanses of sandy soils where nothing can grow. Returning soils such as these to healthy productive landscapes is crucial to the livelihoods of rural families and to feeding the expanding population of China and the world at large. Buried wood chips can be used to improve the soils' water holding capacity but additional nutrient inputs are crucial to support plant growth and completely restore degraded soils in China and elsewhere. Improperly applied fertilizer can cause large fluxes of soluble nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to pollute groundwater, and reach surface water bodies causing harmful algal blooms or eutrophication. Similarly, fertilization can create increases in nutrient losses in the form of greenhouse gases (GHGs). It is imperative that nutrient additions to this system be done in a way that fosters restoration and a return to productivity, but minimizes nutrient losses to adjacent surface water bodies and the atmosphere. The primary objective of this study is to characterize soluble and gaseous N and P losses from degraded sandy soils with wood chip and fertilizer amendments in order to identify optimal fertilization methods, frequencies, and quantities for soil restoration. A laboratory soil column study is currently underway to begin examining these questions results of this study will be presented at the Fall Meeting.

  17. PEGylated single-walled carbon nanotubes activate neutrophils to increase production of hypochlorous acid, the oxidant capable of degrading nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vlasova, Irina I., E-mail: irina.vlasova@yahoo.com [Research Institute for Physico-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medico-Biological Agency, Moscow (Russian Federation); Vakhrusheva, Tatyana V. [Research Institute for Physico-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medico-Biological Agency, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sokolov, Alexey V.; Kostevich, Valeria A. [Research Institute for Physico-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medico-Biological Agency, Moscow (Russian Federation); Research Institute for Experimental Medicine, Russian Academy of Medical Science, Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation); Gusev, Alexandr A.; Gusev, Sergey A. [Research Institute for Physico-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medico-Biological Agency, Moscow (Russian Federation); Melnikova, Viktoriya I. [Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow (Russian Federation); Lobach, Anatolii S. [Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Science, Chernogolovka (Russian Federation)

    2012-10-01

    Perspectives for the use of carbon nanotubes in biomedical applications depend largely on their ability to degrade in the body into products that can be easily cleared out. Carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (c-SWCNTs) were shown to be degraded by oxidants generated by peroxidases in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In the present study we demonstrated that conjugation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to c-SWCNTs does not interfere with their degradation by peroxidase/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} system or by hypochlorite. Comparison of different heme-containing proteins for their ability to degrade PEG-SWCNTs has led us to conclude that the myeloperoxidase (MPO) product hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is the major oxidant that may be responsible for biodegradation of PEG-SWCNTs in vivo. MPO is secreted mainly by neutrophils upon activation. We hypothesize that SWCNTs may enhance neutrophil activation and therefore stimulate their own biodegradation due to MPO-generated HOCl. PEG-SWCNTs at concentrations similar to those commonly used in in vivo studies were found to activate isolated human neutrophils to produce HOCl. Both PEG-SWCNTs and c-SWCNTs enhanced HOCl generation from isolated neutrophils upon serum-opsonized zymosan stimulation. Both types of nanotubes were also found to activate neutrophils in whole blood samples. Intraperitoneal injection of a low dose of PEG-SWCNTs into mice induced an increase in percentage of circulating neutrophils and activation of neutrophils and macrophages in the peritoneal cavity, suggesting the evolution of an inflammatory response. Activated neutrophils can produce high local concentrations of HOCl, thereby creating the conditions favorable for degradation of the nanotubes. -- Highlights: ► Myeloperoxidase (MPO) product hypochlorous acid is able to degrade CNTs. ► PEGylated SWCNTs stimulate isolated neutrophils to produce hypochlorous acid. ► SWCNTs are capable of activating neutrophils in blood samples. ► Activation of

  18. Aerobic Microbial Degradation of Chlorochromate Compounds Polluting the Environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, O.A.A.

    2011-01-01

    Eight soil and sludge samples which have been polluted with petroleum wastes for more than 41 years were used for isolation of adapted indigenous microbial communities able to mineralize the chloro aromatic compounds [3-chlorobenzoic acid (3-CBA), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,6-dichlorophenol indole phenol (2,6-DCPP) and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB)] and use them as a sole carbon and energy sources. From these communities, the most promising bacterial strain MAM-24 which has the ability to degrade the four chosen aromatic compounds was isolated and identified by comparative sequence analysis for its 16S-rRNA coding genes and it was identified as Bacillus mucilaginosus HQ 013329. Degradation percentage was quantified by HPLC. Degradation products were identified by GC-MS analysis which revealed that the isolated strain and its mutant dechlorinated the four chloro aromatic compounds in the first step forming acetophenone which is considered as the corner stone of the intermediate compounds

  19. Preliminary assessment of nine waste-form products/processes for immobilizing transuranic wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crisler, L.R.

    1980-09-01

    Nine waste-form processes for reduction of the present and projected Transuranic (TRU) waste inventory to an immobilized product have been evaluated. Product formulations, selected properties, preparation methods, technology status, problem areas needing resolution and location of current research development being pursued in the United States are discussed for each process. No definitive utility ranking is attempted due to the early stage of product/process development for TRU waste containing products and the uncertainties in the state of current knowledge of TRU waste feed compositional and quantitative makeup. Of the nine waste form products/processes included in this discussion, bitumen and cements (encapsulation agents) demonstrate the degree of flexibility necessary to immobilize the wide composition range present in the TRU waste inventory. A demonstrated process called Slagging Pyrolysis Incineration converts a varied compositional feed (municipal wastes) to a ''basalt'' like product. This process/product appears to have potential for TRU waste immobilization. The remaining waste forms (borosilicate glass, high-silica glass, glass ceramics, ''SYNROC B'' and cermets) have potential for immobilizing a smaller fraction of the TRU waste inventory than the above discussed waste forms

  20. Modelling land degradation in IMAGE 2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hootsmans RM; Bouwman AF; Leemans R; Kreileman GJJ; MNV

    2001-01-01

    Food security may be threatened by loss of soil productivity as a result of human-induced land degradation. Water erosion is the most important cause of land degradation, and its effects are irreversible. This report describes the IMAGE land degradation model developed for describing current and

  1. Soil bacteria showing a potential of chlorpyrifos degradation and plant growth enhancement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shamsa Akbar

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Since 1960s, the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos has been widely used for the purpose of pest control. However, given its persistence and toxicity towards life forms, the elimination of chlorpyrifos from contaminated sites has become an urgent issue. For this process bioremediation is the method of choice. Results: Two bacterial strains, JCp4 and FCp1, exhibiting chlorpyrifos-degradation potential were isolated from pesticide contaminated agricultural fields. These isolates were able to degrade 84.4% and 78.6% of the initial concentration of chlorpyrifos (100 mg L-1 within a period of only 10 days. Based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, these strains were identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (JCp4 and Ochrobactrum sp. (FCp1. These strains exhibited the ability to degrade chlorpyrifos in sterilized as well as non-sterilized soils, and were able to degrade 93-100% of the input concentration (200 mg kg-1 within 42 days. The rate of degradation in inoculated soils ranged from 4.40 to 4.76 mg-1 kg-1 d-1 with rate constants varying between 0.047 and 0.069 d-1. These strains also displayed substantial plant growth promoting traits such as phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid production and ammonia production both in absence as well as in the presence of chlorpyrifos. However, presence of chlorpyrifos (100 and 200 mg L-1 was found to have a negative effect on indole acetic acid production and phosphate solubilization with percentage reduction values ranging between 2.65-10.6% and 4.5-17.6%, respectively. Plant growth experiment demonstrated that chlorpyrifos has a negative effect on plant growth and causes a decrease in parameters such as percentage germination, plant height and biomass. Inoculation of soil with chlorpyrifos-degrading strains was found to enhance plant growth significantly in terms of plant length and weight. Moreover, it was noted that these strains degraded chlorpyrifos at an increased rate (5

  2. Soil bacteria showing a potential of chlorpyrifos degradation and plant growth enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbar, Shamsa; Sultan, Sikander

    2016-01-01

    Since 1960s, the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos has been widely used for the purpose of pest control. However, given its persistence and toxicity towards life forms, the elimination of chlorpyrifos from contaminated sites has become an urgent issue. For this process bioremediation is the method of choice. Two bacterial strains, JCp4 and FCp1, exhibiting chlorpyrifos-degradation potential were isolated from pesticide contaminated agricultural fields. These isolates were able to degrade 84.4% and 78.6% of the initial concentration of chlorpyrifos (100mgL(-1)) within a period of only 10 days. Based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, these strains were identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (JCp4) and Ochrobactrum sp. (FCp1). These strains exhibited the ability to degrade chlorpyrifos in sterilized as well as non-sterilized soils, and were able to degrade 93-100% of the input concentration (200mgkg(-1)) within 42 days. The rate of degradation in inoculated soils ranged from 4.40 to 4.76mg(-1)kg(-1)d(-1) with rate constants varying between 0.047 and 0.069d(-1). These strains also displayed substantial plant growth promoting traits such as phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid production and ammonia production both in absence as well as in the presence of chlorpyrifos. However, presence of chlorpyrifos (100 and 200mgL(-1)) was found to have a negative effect on indole acetic acid production and phosphate solubilization with percentage reduction values ranging between 2.65-10.6% and 4.5-17.6%, respectively. Plant growth experiment demonstrated that chlorpyrifos has a negative effect on plant growth and causes a decrease in parameters such as percentage germination, plant height and biomass. Inoculation of soil with chlorpyrifos-degrading strains was found to enhance plant growth significantly in terms of plant length and weight. Moreover, it was noted that these strains degraded chlorpyrifos at an increased rate (5.69mg(-1)kg(-1)d(-1)) in planted soil. The

  3. Nitrogen-rich higher-molecular soil organic compounds patterned by lignin degradation products: Considerations on the nature of soil organic nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liebner, Falk; Bertoli, Luca; Pour, Georg; Klinger, Karl; Ragab, Tamer; Rosenau, Thomas

    2016-04-01

    The pathways leading to accumulation of covalently bonded nitrogen in higher-molecular soil organic matter (SOM) are still a controversial issue in soil science and geochemistry. Similarly, structural elucidation of the variety of the types of nitrogenous moieties present in SOM is still in its infancy even though recent NMR studies suggest amide-type nitrogen to form the majority of organically bonded nitrogen which is, however, frequently not in accordance with the results of wet-chemical analyses. Following the modified polyphenol theory of Flaig and Kononova but fully aware of the imperfection of a semi-abiotic simulation approach, this work communicates the results of a study that investigated some potential nitrogen accumulation pathways occurring in the re-condensation branch of the theory following the reactions between well-known low-molecular lignin and carbohydrate degradation products with nitrogenous nucleophiles occurring in soils under aerobic conditions. Different low-molecular degradation products of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, such as hydroquinone, methoxyhydroquinone, p-benzoquinone, 2,5-dihydroxy-[1,4]benzoquinone, glucose, xylose, and the respective polysaccharides, i.e. cellulose, xylan as well as various types of lignin were subjected to a joint treatment with oxygen and low-molecular N-nucleophiles, such as ammonia, amines, and amino acids in aqueous conditions, partly using respective 15N labeled compounds for further 15N CPMAS NMR studies. Product mixtures derived from mono- and polysaccharides have been comprehensively fractionated and analyzed by GC/MS after derivatization. Some of ammoxidized polyphenols and quinones have been analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Some products, such as those obtained from ammoxidation of methoxy hydroquinone using 15N labeled ammonia were fractionated following the IHSS protocol. Individual humin (H), humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) fractions were subjected to elemental analyses

  4. Degradation of Acetaminophen and Its Transformation Products in Aqueous Solutions by Using an Electrochemical Oxidation Cell with Stainless Steel Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Ángel López Zavala

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In this study, a novel electrochemical oxidation cell using stainless steel electrodes was found to be effective in oxidizing acetaminophen and its transformation products in short reaction times. Aqueous solutions of 10 mg/L-acetaminophen were prepared at pH 3, 5, 7, and 9. These solutions were electrochemically treated at direct current (DC densities of 5.7 mA/cm2, 7.6 mA/cm2, and 9.5 mA/cm2. The pharmaceutical and its intermediates/oxidation products were determined by using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC. The results showed that electrochemical oxidation processes occurred in the cell. Acetaminophen degradation rate constants increased proportionally with the increase of current intensity. High current densities accelerated the degradation of acetaminophen; however, this effect diminished remarkably at pH values greater than 5. At pH 3 and 9.5 mA/cm2, the fastest degradation of acetaminophen and its intermediates/oxidation products was achieved. To minimize the wear down of the electrodes, a current density ramp is recommended, first applying 9.5 mA/cm2 during 2.5 min or 7.6 mA/cm2 during 7.5 min and then continuing the electrochemical oxidation process at 5.7 mA/cm2. This strategy will hasten the acetaminophen oxidation, extend the electrode’s life, and shorten the reaction time needed to degrade the pharmaceutical and its intermediates/oxidation products. DC densities up to 9.5 mA/cm2 can be supplied by photovoltaic cells.

  5. Graphene-modified nickel foam electrode for cathodic degradation of nitrofuranzone: Kinetics, transformation products and toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya Ma

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Simple, efficient, and durable electrodes are highly demanded for practical electro­chemical process. In this study, a reduced graphene oxide modified nickel foam electrode (GR‑Ni foam was facilely prepared via one-step cyclic voltammetry electrodeposition of gra­phene oxide suspension onto the Ni foam. The electrochemical degradation of nitrofuran­zone (NFZ, a kind of typical antibiotics was studied on the GR-Ni foam cathode. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectra analysis confirmed that presence of GR loading accelerated the electron transfer from the cathode surface to NFZ. With the applied cathode potential of −1.25 V (vs. Ag/AgCl, the removal efficiency of NFZ (C0 = 20 mg L−1 at the GR-Ni foam electrode reached up to 99 % within 30 min, showing a higher reaction rate constant (0.1297 min−1 than 0.0870 min−1 at the Pd-Ni foam and 0.0186 min−1 at the Ni foam electrode. It was also found that the pH, dissolved oxygen and NFZ initial concentration have slight effect on NFZ degradation at the GR-Ni foam electrode. The reactions first occurred at nitro groups (-NO2, unsaturated C=N bonds and N-N bonds to generate furan ring-containing products, and then these products were transformed into linear diamine products. The direct reduction by electrons was mainly responsible for NFZ reduction at the GR-Ni foam electrode. Even after 18 cycles, the removal efficiency of NFZ still reached up to 98 % within 1 h. In addition, the cathodic degradation process could eliminate the antibacterial activity of NFZ. The GR-Ni foam electrode would have a great potential in electrochemical process for treating wastewater containing furan antibiotics.

  6. Degradation kinetics of organic chloramines and formation of disinfection by-products during chlorination of creatinine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tianyang; Xu, Bin; Wang, Anqi; Cui, Changzheng

    2018-03-01

    Organic chloramines can interfere with the measurement of effective combined chlorine in chlorinated water and are potential intermediate products of highly toxic disinfection by-products (DBPs). In order to know more about the degradation and transformation of organic chloramines, a typical organic chloramine precursor creatinine was selected for investigation and a corresponding individual organic chloramine chlorocreatinine was prepared in this study. The preparation condition of chlorocreatinine by chlorination was established as chlorine/creatinine = 1 M/M, reaction time = 2 h and pH = 7.0. Then the degradation kinetics of chlorocreatinine during further chlorination was studied, and a second-order rate constant of 1.16 (±0.14) M -1 s -1 was obtained at pH 7.0. Solution pH significantly influenced the degradation rate, and the elementary rate constants of chlorocreatinine with HOCl+H + , HOCl, OCl - and chlorocreatinine - with OCl - were calculated as 2.43 (±1.55) × 10 4  M -2  s -1 , 1.05 (±0.09) M -1 s -1 , 2.86 (±0.30) M -1 s -1 and 3.09 (±0.24) M -1 s -1 , respectively. Besides, it was found that chlorocreatinine could be further converted into several C-DBPs (chloroform and trichloroacetone) and N-DBPs (dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and trichloronitromethane (TCNM)) during chlorination. The total yield of DBPs increased obviously with increasing pH, especially for TCNM. In addition, the presence of humic acid in creatinine solution could increase the formation of DCAN obviously during chlorination. Based on the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis, the conversion pathways of chlorocreatinine were proposed. Several kinds of intermediate products were also identified as organic chloramines and some of them could even exist stably during the further chlorination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Radiation-induced degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bagyo, A.N.M.; Lindu, W.A.; Sadjirun, S.; Winarno, E.K.; Widayat, E.; Aryanti; Winarno, H.

    2001-01-01

    The degradation and decolouration of organic pollutants, i.e. dye stuffs and phenolic compounds, by gamma irradiation have been studied. First, samples from effluent of textile industry were taken to be irradiated at a certain condition. Irradiation was done after dissolving the samples five times with distilled water in laboratory scale, followed by upscaling those samples into 5 litre in volume. Irradiation was done at a dose of 0- 25 kGy, aerated and a dose rate of 5 kGy/h. The parameters examined were the change of absorption spectra. COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), the percentage of the degradation, the change of pH and degradation product using HPLC. It was demonstrated that the dilution of sample enhanced the degradation and decreased the COD values. The degradation product of textile wastewater is mainly oxalic acid. Second, the effects of radiation on aerated phenolic compounds mixture, i.e. resorcinol, o-cresol and m- cresol were done. Individual phenol was studied followed by mixture of the phenolic compounds. Irradiation was done in aerated condition with doses of 0-10 kGy, dose rate of 5 kGy/h and pH range from 3 to 12. The initial concentration of resorcinol, o-cresol and w-cresol were 50 ppm and 60 ppm for phenolic compounds mixture, respectively. Parameters examined were absorption spectrum, pH, and degradation products. The uv-vis absorption of the solution were observed before and after irradiation. HPLC was used to determine the products of degradation. Degradation of resorcinol, w-cresol and o-cresol could be achieved at dose of 6 kGy at pH 9, while o-cresol in acid condition (pH 3). The degree of degradation for resorcinol, w-cresol and o-cresol at above conditions were 90%, 88% and 45%, respectively. Degradation of phenolic compound mixture occurred at a dose of 7.5 kGy and pH 9', at this condition almost 99% of phenolic compounds degraded. Oxalic acid was the main degradation product. (author)

  8. The Sustainable Release of Vancomycin and Its Degradation Products From Nanostructured Collagen/Hydroxyapatite Composite Layers

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Suchý, Tomáš; Šupová, Monika; Klapková, E.; Horný, L.; Rýglová, Šárka; Žaloudková, Margit; Braun, Martin; Sucharda, Zbyněk; Ballay, R.; Veselý, J.; Chlup, H.; Denk, František

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 105, č. 3 (2016), 1288-1294 ISSN 0022-3549 R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TA04010330 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : anti-infectives * HPLC * coating * controlled release * degradation products * drug delivery systems * nanoparticles * pharmacokinetics * polymeric drug delivery systems Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials Impact factor: 2.713, year: 2016

  9. Purification of degraded TBP solvent using macroreticular anion exchange resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kartha, P.K.S.; Kutty, P.V.E.; Janaradanan, C.; Ramanujam, A.; Dhumwad, R.K.

    1989-01-01

    Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) diluted with a suitable diluent is commonly used for solvent extraction in Purex process for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from irradiated nuclear fuels. This solvent gets degraded due to various factors, the main degradation product being dibutyl phosphoric acid (HDBP). A solvent cleanup step is generally incorporated in the process for removing the degradation products from the used solvent. A liquid-liquid cleanup system using sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide solution is routinely used. Considering certain advantages, like the possibility of loading the resin almost to saturation capacity and the subsequent disposal of the spent resin by incineration and the feasibility of adopting it to the process, a liquid-solid system has been tried as an alternate method, employing various available macroreticular anion exchange resins in OH - form for the sorption of HDBP from TBP. After standardizing the various conditions for the satisfactory removal of HDBP from TBP using synthetic mixtures, resins were tested with process solvent in batch contacts. The parameters studied were (1) capacity of different resins for HDBP sorption (2) influence of acidity, uranium and HDBP on the sorption behaviour of the latter (3) removal of fission products from the solvent by the resin and (4) regeneration and recycling of the resin. (author). 2 figs., 13 tabs., 17 refs

  10. Synergetic effect of alkaline earth metal oxides and iron oxides on the degradation of hexachlorobenzene and its degradation pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Guijin; Liu, Yexuan; Huang, Linyan; Shi, Yali; Zhang, Aiqian; Zhang, Lixia; Liu, Wenbin; Gao, Lirong; Zheng, Minghui

    2013-01-01

    The degradation of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was carried out over physical mixtures of a series of alkaline earth metal oxides (MO: M=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) and iron oxides with different crystal types (Fe(x)O(y):Fe(2)O(3) or Fe(3)O(4)) at 300°C. These physical mixtures all showed a synergetic effect toward the degradation of HCB. A range of degradation products were identified by various methods, including tri- to penta-chlorobenzenes by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS), tri- to penta-chlorophenols, tetrachlorocatechol (TCC) and tetrachlorohydroquinone (TCHQ) by GC-MS after derivatization, and formic and acetic acids by ion chromatography. Two degradation pathways, hydrodechlorination and oxidative degradation, appear to occur competitively. However, more sequential chlorinated benzene and phenol congeners were formed over mixed MO/Fe(3)O(4) than over mixed MO/Fe(2)O(3) under the same conditions. The oxidative reaction dominated over mixed MO/Fe(2)O(3) and was promoted as the major reaction by the synergetic effect, while both the oxidative and hydrodechlorination reactions were important over mixed MO/Fe(3)O(4), and both pathways are remarkably promoted by the synergetic effect. The enhanced hydrodechlorination may be attributed to free electrons generated by the transformation of Fe(3)O(4) into Fe(2)O(3), and hydrogen provided by water adsorbed on the MO. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Enhancement of organic matter degradation and methane gas production of anaerobic granular sludge by degasification of dissolved hydrogen gas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satoh, Hisashi; Bandara, Wasala M K R T W; Sasakawa, Manabu; Nakahara, Yoshihito; Takahashi, Masahiro; Okabe, Satoshi

    2017-11-01

    A hollow fiber degassing membrane (DM) was applied to enhance organic matter degradation and methane gas production of anaerobic granular sludge process by reducing the dissolved hydrogen gas (D-H 2 ) concentration in the liquid phase. DM was installed in the bench-scale anaerobic granular sludge reactors and D-H 2 was removed through DM using a vacuum pump. Degasification improved the organic matter degradation efficiency to 79% while the efficiency was 62% without degasification at 12,000mgL -1 of the influent T-COD concentration. Measurement of D-H 2 concentrations in the liquid phase confirmed that D-H 2 was removed by degasification. Furthermore, the effect of acetate concentrations on the organic matter degradation efficiency was investigated. At acetate concentrations above 3gL -1 , organic matter degradation deteriorated. Degasification enhanced the propionate and acetate degradation. These results suggest that degasification reduced D-H 2 concentration and volatile fatty acids concentrations, prevented pH drop, and subsequent enhanced organic matter degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Application of MODIS Land Products to Assessment of Land Degradation of Alpine Rangeland in Northern India with Limited Ground-Based Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masahiro Tasumi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Land degradation of alpine rangeland in Dachigam National Park, Northern India, was evaluated in this study using MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS land products. The park has been used by a variety of livestock holders. With increasing numbers of livestock, the managers and users of the park are apprehensive about degradation of the grazing land. However, owing to weak infrastructure for scientific and statistical data collection and sociopolitical restrictions in the region, a lack of quality ground-based weather, vegetation, and livestock statistical data had prevented scientific assessment. Under these circumstances, the present study aimed to assess the rangeland environment and its degradation using MODIS vegetation, snow, and evapotranspiration products as primary input data for assessment. The result of the analysis indicated that soil water content and the timing of snowmelt play an important role in grass production in the area. Additionally, the possibility of land degradation in heavily-grazed rangeland was indicated via a multiple regression analysis at a decadal timescale, whereas weather conditions, such as rainfall and snow cover, primarily explained year-by-year differences in grass production. Although statistical uncertainties remain in the results derived in this study, the satellite-based data and the analyses will promote understanding of the rangeland environment and suggest the potential for unsustainable land management based on statistical probability. This study provides an important initial evaluation of alpine rangeland, for which ground-based information is limited.

  13. Enhanced production of dimethyl phthalate-degrading strain Bacillus sp. QD14 by optimizing fermentation medium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jixian Mo

    2015-05-01

    Conclusion: In this work, the key factors affected by the fermentation of DMP-degrading strain Bacillus sp. QD14 were optimized by PBD, SAM and BBD (RSM; the yield was increased by 57,11% in the conditions in our study. We propose that the conditions optimized in the study can be applied to the fermentation for commercialization production.

  14. Comparison of organic matter degradation in several feedstuffs in the rumen as determined with the nylon bag and gas production techniques

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cone, John W.; Van Gelder, Antonie H.; Bachmann, Herwig; Hindle, Vincent A.

    2002-01-01

    Organic matter (OM) degradation of 21 feedstuffs was investigated with rumen fluid using a rumen in situ technique and a gas production technique. Fitting the nylon bag data to an exponential model showed that there was a high variation in the rate of OM degradation ranging from 1.7% h-1 for

  15. Phytoremediation of azoxystrobin and its degradation products in soil by P. major L. under cold and salinity stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romeh, Ahmed Ali Ali

    2017-10-01

    Azoxystrobin is a broad-spectrum, systemic and soil-applied fungicide used for crop protection against the four major classes of pathogenic fungi. The use of azoxystrobin use has induced water pollution and ecotoxicological effects upon aquatic organisms, long half-life in soils, as well as heath issues. Such issues may be solved by phytoremediation. Here, we tested the uptake and translocation of azoxystrobin and its degradation products by Plantago major, under cold stress and salt stress. The result demonstrated that azoxystrobin significantly accumulated in P. major roots under salinity conditions more than that in the P. major roots under cold conditions and natural condition within two days of experimental period. In P. major roots and leaves, the chromatograms of HPLC for azoxystrobin and metabolites under natural condition (control) and stressed samples (cold stress and salt stress) show different patterns of metabolism pathways reflecting changes in the degradation products. Azoxystrobin carboxylic acid (AZ-acid) formed by methyl ester hydrolysis was an important route in the roots and the leaves. AZ-pyOH and AZ-benzoic were detected in P. major roots under cold and salt stress, while did not detected in P. major roots under natural condition. In the leaves, AZ-pyOH and AZ-benzoic were detected in all treatments between 4 and 12days of exposure. Shoots of the stressed plants had greater H 2 O 2 and proline contents than was observed in the control plants. The level of 100mM NaCl treatment induced significantly higher peroxidase (POD) activity than the non-treated control group. Leaf Chlorophyll contents in the plants at 80 and 100mM NaCl were significantly reduced than was observed in the control plants. I concluded that P. major had a high potential to contribute to remediation of saline-soil contaminated with azoxystrobin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Degradation of γ-HCH spiked soil using stabilized Pd/Fe0 bimetallic nanoparticles: Pathways, kinetics and effect of reaction conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Ritu; Misra, Virendra; Mudiam, Mohana Krishna Reddy; Chauhan, Lalit Kumar Singh; Singh, Rana Pratap

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► This study explores the potential of CMC-Pd/nFe 0 to degrade γ-HCH in spiked soil. ► Sorption–desorption characteristics and partitioning of γ-HCH is investigated. ► Three degradation pathways has been proposed and discussed. ► γ-HCH degradation mechanism and kinetics is elucidated. ► Activation energy reveals that γ-HCH degradation is a surface mediated reaction. - Abstract: This study investigates the degradation pathway of gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) in spiked soil using carboxymethyl cellulose stabilized Pd/Fe 0 bimetallic nanoparticles (CMC-Pd/nFe 0 ). GC–MS analysis of γ-HCH degradation products showed the formation of pentachlorocyclohexene, tri- and di-chlorobenzene as intermediate products while benzene was formed as the most stable end product. On the basis of identified intermediates and final products, degradation pathway of γ-HCH has been proposed. Batch studies showed complete γ-HCH degradation at a loading of 0.20 g/L CMC-Pd/nFe 0 within 6 h of incubation. The surface area normalized rate constant (k SA ) was found to be 7.6 × 10 −2 L min −1 m −2 . CMC-Pd/nFe 0 displayed ∼7-fold greater efficiency for γ-HCH degradation in comparison to Fe 0 nanoparticles (nFe 0 ), synthesized without CMC and Pd. Further studies showed that increase in CMC-Pd/nFe 0 loading and reaction temperature facilitates γ-HCH degradation, whereas a declining trend in degradation was noticed with the increase in pH, initial γ-HCH concentration and in the presence of cations. The data on activation energy (33.7 kJ/mol) suggests that γ-HCH degradation is a surface mediated reaction. The significance of the study with respect to remediation of γ-HCH contaminated soil using CMC-Pd/nFe 0 has been discussed.

  17. Evaluation of HDPE and LDPE degradation by fungus, implemented by statistical optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojha, Nupur; Pradhan, Neha; Singh, Surjit; Barla, Anil; Shrivastava, Anamika; Khatua, Pradip; Rai, Vivek; Bose, Sutapa

    2017-01-01

    Plastic in any form is a nuisance to the well-being of the environment. The ‘pestilence’ caused by it is mainly due to its non-degradable nature. With the industrial boom and the population explosion, the usage of plastic products has increased. A steady increase has been observed in the use of plastic products, and this has accelerated the pollution. Several attempts have been made to curb the problem at large by resorting to both chemical and biological methods. Chemical methods have only resulted in furthering the pollution by releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere; whereas; biological methods have been found to be eco-friendly however they are not cost effective. This paves the way for the current study where fungal isolates have been used to degrade polyethylene sheets (HDPE, LDPE). Two potential fungal strains, namely, Penicillium oxalicum NS4 (KU559906) and Penicillium chrysogenum NS10 (KU559907) had been isolated and identified to have plastic degrading abilities. Further, the growth medium for the strains was optimized with the help of RSM. The plastic sheets were subjected to treatment with microbial culture for 90 days. The extent of degradation was analyzed by, FE-SEM, AFM and FTIR. Morphological changes in the plastic sheet were determined.

  18. Evaluation of HDPE and LDPE degradation by fungus, implemented by statistical optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojha, Nupur; Pradhan, Neha; Singh, Surjit; Barla, Anil; Shrivastava, Anamika; Khatua, Pradip; Rai, Vivek; Bose, Sutapa

    2017-01-04

    Plastic in any form is a nuisance to the well-being of the environment. The 'pestilence' caused by it is mainly due to its non-degradable nature. With the industrial boom and the population explosion, the usage of plastic products has increased. A steady increase has been observed in the use of plastic products, and this has accelerated the pollution. Several attempts have been made to curb the problem at large by resorting to both chemical and biological methods. Chemical methods have only resulted in furthering the pollution by releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere; whereas; biological methods have been found to be eco-friendly however they are not cost effective. This paves the way for the current study where fungal isolates have been used to degrade polyethylene sheets (HDPE, LDPE). Two potential fungal strains, namely, Penicillium oxalicum NS4 (KU559906) and Penicillium chrysogenum NS10 (KU559907) had been isolated and identified to have plastic degrading abilities. Further, the growth medium for the strains was optimized with the help of RSM. The plastic sheets were subjected to treatment with microbial culture for 90 days. The extent of degradation was analyzed by, FE-SEM, AFM and FTIR. Morphological changes in the plastic sheet were determined.

  19. Degradation of automotive materials in palm biodiesel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fazal, M.A.; Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Masjuki, H.H.

    2012-01-01

    As compared to petroleum diesel, biodiesel is more corrosive for automotive materials. Studies on the characterization of corrosion products of fuel exposed automotive materials are scarce. Automotive fuel system and engine components are made from different ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The present study aims to investigate the corrosion products of different types of automotive materials such as copper, brass, aluminum and cast iron upon exposure to diesel and palm biodiesel. Changes in fuel properties due to exposure of different materials were also examined. Degradation of metal surface was characterized by digital camera, SEM/EDS and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fuel properties were examined by measuring TAN (total acid number), density and viscosity. Among the metal investigated, copper is found to be least resistant in biodiesel and formed comparatively more corrosion products than other metals. Upon exposure of metals in biodiesel, TAN number crosses the limit given by standard while density and viscosity remain within the acceptable range of limit. -- Highlights: ► Order of incompatible metals in palm biodiesel: copper > brass > aluminum > cast iron. ► The possible reactions for the degradation of copper and cast iron have been discussed. ► For metal exposed biodiesel, only TAN number crosses the limit while density and viscosity remain within the limit. ► Copper and copper based alloy (brass) increase TAN number comparatively more than other metals.

  20. Process-induced degradation of bioresorbable PDLGA in bone tissue scaffold production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, H; Clarke, S A; Cunningham, E; Buchanan, F

    2017-12-28

    Process-induced degradation of clinically relevant resorbable polymers was investigated for two thermal techniques, filament extrusion followed by fused deposition modelling (FDM). The aim was to develop a clear understanding of the relationship between temperature, processing time and resultant process-induced degradation. This acts to address the current knowledge gap in studies involving thermal processing of resorbable polymers. Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PDLGA) was chosen for its clinically relevant resorption properties. Furthermore, a comparative study of controlled thermal exposure was conducted through compression moulding PDLGA at a selected range of temperatures (150-225 °C) and times (0.5-20 min). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to characterise thermally induced degradation behaviour. DSC proved insensitive to degradation effects, whereas GPC demonstrated distinct reductions in molecular weight allowing for the quantification of degradation. A near-exponential pattern of degradation was identified. Through the application of statistical chain scission equations, a predictive plot of theoretical degradation was created. Thermal degradation was found to have a significant effect on the molecular weight with a reduction of up to 96% experienced in the controlled processing study. The proposed empirical model may assist prediction of changes in molecular weight, however, accuracy limitations are highlighted for twin-screw extrusion, accredited to high-shear mixing. The results from this study highlight the process sensitivity of PDLGA and proposes a methodology for quantification and prediction, which contributes to efforts in understanding the influence of manufacture on performance of degradable medical implants.

  1. Rates and products of degradation for MTBE and other oxygenate fuel additives in the subsurface environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tratnyek, P.G.; Church, C.D.; Pankow, J.F.

    1995-01-01

    The recent realization that oxygenated fuel additives such as MTBE are becoming widely distributed groundwater contaminants has created a sudden and pressing demand for data on the processes that control their environmental fate. Explaining and predicting the subsequent environmental fate of these compounds is going to require extrapolations over long time frames that will be very sensitive to the quality of input data on each compound. To provide such data, they have initiated a systematic study of the pathways and kinetics of fuel oxygenate degradation under subsurface conditions. Batch experiments in simplified model systems are being performed to isolate specific processes that may contribute to MTBE degradation. A variety of degradation pathways can be envisioned that lead to t-butyl alcohol (TBA) as the primary or secondary product. However, experiments to date with a facultative iron reducing bacteria showed no evidence for TBA formation. Continuing experiments include mixed cultures from a range of aquifer materials representative of NAWQA study sites

  2. Degradation of Trichloroethene with a Novel Ball Milled Fe–C Nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Jie; Wang, Wei [Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Rondinone, Adam J. [Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); He, Feng, E-mail: fenghe@zjut.edu.cn [College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032 (China); Liang, Liyuan [Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States)

    2015-12-30

    Highlights: • Novel, inexpensive iron–carbon (Fe–C) nanocomposite was obtained by milling. • Fe–C instantaneously sorbed >90% of trichloroethene and continuously degraded them. • The carbon reduced the generation of C{sub 3}−C{sub 6} intermediates and mainly produced C{sub 2}H{sub 4}. • Fe–C can attach to the DNAPL phase thus enhancing degradation efficiency. - Abstract: Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) is effective in reductively degrading dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), such as trichloroethene (TCE), in groundwater (i.e., dechlorination) although the NZVI technology itself still suffers from high material costs and inability to target hydrophobic contaminants in source zones. To address these problems, we developed a novel, inexpensive iron–carbon (Fe–C) nanocomposite material by simultaneously milling micron-size iron and activated carbon powder. Microscopic and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization of the composite material revealed that nanoparticles of Fe were dispersed in activated carbon and a new iron carbide phase was formed. Bench-scale studies showed that this material instantaneously sorbed >90% of TCE from aqueous solutions and subsequently decomposed TCE into non-chlorinated products. Compared to milled Fe, Fe–C nanocomposite dechlorinated TCE at a slightly slower rate and favored the production of ethene over other TCE degradation products such as C{sub 3}−C{sub 6} compounds. When placed in hexane-water mixture, the Fe–C nanocomposite materials are preferentially partitioned into the organic phase, indicating the ability of the composite materials to target DNAPL during remediation.

  3. Nanobiocatalytic Degradation of Acid Orange 7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastings, Jason

    The catalytic properties of various metal nanoparticles have led to their use in environmental remediation applications. However, these remediation strategies are limited by their ability to deliver catalytic nanoparticles and a suitable electron donor to large treatment zones. Clostridium pasteurianum BC1 cells, loaded with bio-Pd nanoparticles, were used to effectively catalyze the reductive degradation and removal of Acid Orange 7 (AO7), a model azo compound. Hydrogen produced fermentatively by the C. pasteurianum BC1 acted as the electron donor for the process. Pd-free bacterial cultures or control experiments conducted with heat-killed cells showed limited reduction of AO7. Experiments also showed that the in situ biological production of H2 by C. pasteurianum BC1 was essential for the degradation of AO7, which suggests a novel process where the in situ microbial production of hydrogen is directly coupled to the catalytic bio-Pd mediated reduction of AO7. The differences in initial degradation rate for experiments conducted using catalyst concentrations of 1ppm Pd and 5ppm Pd and an azo dye concentration of 100ppm AO7 was 0.39 /hr and 1.94 /hr respectively, demonstrating the importance of higher concentrations of active Pd(0). The degradation of AO7 was quick as demonstrated by complete reductive degradation of 50ppm AO7 in 2 hours in experiments conducted using a catalyst concentration of 5ppm Pd. Dye degradation products were analyzed via Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), UltraViolet-Visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) spectrometry. The presence of 1-amino 2-naphthol, one of the hypothesized degradation products, was confirmed using mass spectrometry.

  4. Modelling sulfamethoxazole degradation under different redox conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez-Vila, X.; Rodriguez-Escales, P.

    2015-12-01

    Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is a low adsorptive, polar, sulfonamide antibiotic, widely present in aquatic environments. Degradation of SMX in subsurface porous media is spatially and temporally variable, depending on various environmental factors such as in situ redox potential, availability of nutrients, local soil characteristics, and temperature. It has been reported that SMX is better degraded under anoxic conditions and by co-metabolism processes. In this work, we first develop a conceptual model of degradation of SMX under different redox conditions (denitrification and iron reducing conditions), and second, we construct a mathematical model that allows reproducing different experiments of SMX degradation reported in the literature. The conceptual model focuses on the molecular behavior and contemplates the formation of different metabolites. The model was validated using the experimental data from Barbieri et al. (2012) and Mohatt et al. (2011). It adequately reproduces the reversible degradation of SMX under the presence of nitrite as an intermediate product of denitrification. In those experiments degradation was mediated by the transient formation of a diazonium cation, which was considered responsible of the substitution of the amine radical by a nitro radical, forming the 4-nitro-SMX. The formation of this metabolite is a reversible process, so that once the concentration of nitrite was back to zero due to further advancement of denitrification, the concentration of SMX was fully recovered. The forward reaction, formation of 4-nitro SMX, was modeled considering a kinetic of second order, whereas the backward reaction, dissociation of 4-nitro-SMX back to the original compound, could be modeled with a first order degradation reaction. Regarding the iron conditions, SMX was degraded due to the oxidation of iron (Fe2+), which was previously oxidized from goethite due to the degradation of a pool of labile organic carbon. As the oxidation of iron occurred on the

  5. Biosurfactant and Degradative Enzymes Mediated Crude Oil Degradation by Bacterium Bacillus subtilis A1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parthipan, Punniyakotti; Preetham, Elumalai; Machuca, Laura L.; Rahman, Pattanathu K. S. M.; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Rajasekar, Aruliah

    2017-01-01

    In this work, the biodegradation of the crude oil by the potential biosurfactant producing Bacillus subtilis A1 was investigated. The isolate had the ability to synthesize degradative enzymes such as alkane hydroxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase at the time of biodegradation of hydrocarbon. The biosurfactant producing conditions were optimized as pH 7.0, temperature 40°C, 2% sucrose and 3% of yeast extract as best carbon and nitrogen sources for maximum production of biosurfactant (4.85 g l-1). Specifically, the low molecular weight compounds, i.e., C10–C14 were completely degraded, while C15–C19 were degraded up to 97% from the total hydrocarbon pools. Overall crude oil degradation efficiency of the strain A1 was about 87% within a short period of time (7 days). The accumulated biosurfactant from the biodegradation medium was characterized to be lipopeptide in nature. The strain A1 was found to be more robust than other reported biosurfactant producing bacteria in degradation efficiency of crude oil due to their enzyme production capability and therefore can be used to remove the hydrocarbon pollutants from contaminated environment. PMID:28232826

  6. Determination of fluorotelomer alcohols and their degradation products in biosolids-amended soils and plants using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hongna; Wen, Bei; Hu, Xiaoyu; Wu, Yali; Luo, Lei; Chen, Zien; Zhang, Shuzhen

    2015-07-24

    Degradation of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) was recognized as an additional source of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). Quantification of FTOHs and their degradation products can help shed light on the sources and fates of PFCAs in the environment. In this study, an analytical method was developed for the determination of 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs, and their degradation products of poly- and perfluorinated acids, including fluorotelomer saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids (FTCAs and FTUCAs), secondary polyfluorinated alcohols and PFCAs in biosolids-amended soils and plants using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The extract efficiencies of different methods including ethyl acetate and methanol (MeOH) for FTOHs and acetonitrile, MeOH, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), NaOH-MeOH and NaOH-MTBE for poly- and perfluorinated acids were tested. The results showed that 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs and their degradation products could be simultaneously and satisfactorily extracted by MeOH, cleaned up by Envi-Carb graphitized carbon and solid phase extraction, respectively, and determined by UPLC-MS/MS separately. NaOH in the extractant caused the conversion of 6:2 FTCA and 8:2 FTCA into the corresponding FTUCAs. The selected methods have matrix recoveries ranged from 52% to 102%, and detection limits of 0.01-0.46ng/g dry weight for FTOHs and their degradation products in soil and plant. The optimized method was applied successfully to quantify FTOHs and their degradation products in two biosolids-amended soils and plants. The total concentrations of FTOHs in the soils were 44.1±5.8 and 82.6±7.1ng/g, and in plants tissues 3.58±0.25 and 8.33±0.66ng/g. The total concentrations of poly- and perfluorinated acids in the soils were 168.0±13.2 and 349.6±11.2ng/g, and in plants tissues 78.0±6.4 and 75.5±5.3ng/g. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of HDPE and LDPE degradation by fungus, implemented by statistical optimization

    OpenAIRE

    Ojha, Nupur; Pradhan, Neha; Singh, Surjit; Barla, Anil; Shrivastava, Anamika; Khatua, Pradip; Rai, Vivek; Bose, Sutapa

    2017-01-01

    Plastic in any form is a nuisance to the well-being of the environment. The ?pestilence? caused by it is mainly due to its non-degradable nature. With the industrial boom and the population explosion, the usage of plastic products has increased. A steady increase has been observed in the use of plastic products, and this has accelerated the pollution. Several attempts have been made to curb the problem at large by resorting to both chemical and biological methods. Chemical methods have only r...

  8. Lysosomal degradation of membrane lipids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolter, Thomas; Sandhoff, Konrad

    2010-05-03

    The constitutive degradation of membrane components takes place in the acidic compartments of a cell, the endosomes and lysosomes. Sites of lipid degradation are intralysosomal membranes that are formed in endosomes, where the lipid composition is adjusted for degradation. Cholesterol is sorted out of the inner membranes, their content in bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate increases, and, most likely, sphingomyelin is degraded to ceramide. Together with endosomal and lysosomal lipid-binding proteins, the Niemann-Pick disease, type C2-protein, the GM2-activator, and the saposins sap-A, -B, -C, and -D, a suitable membrane lipid composition is required for degradation of complex lipids by hydrolytic enzymes. Copyright 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Identification of volatile butyl rubber thermal-oxidative degradation products by cryofocusing gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (cryo-GC/MS).

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, Jonell Nicole; White, Michael Irvin; Bernstein, Robert; Hochrein, James Michael

    2013-02-01

    Chemical structure and physical properties of materials, such as polymers, can be altered as aging progresses, which may result in a material that is ineffective for its envisioned intent. Butyl rubber formulations, starting material, and additives were aged under thermal-oxidative conditions for up to 413 total days at up to 124 ÀC. Samples included: two formulations developed at Kansas City Plant (KCP) (#6 and #10), one commercially available formulation (#21), Laxness bromobutyl 2030 starting material, and two additives (polyethylene AC-617 and Vanax MBM). The low-molecular weight volatile thermal-oxidative degradation products that collected in the headspace over the samples were preconcentrated, separated, and detected using cryofocusing gas chromatography mass spectrometry (cryo-GC/MS). The majority of identified degradation species were alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes. Observations for Butyl #10 aged in an oxygen-18 enriched atmosphere (18O2) were used to verify when the source of oxygen in the applicable degradation products was from the gaseous environment rather than the polymeric mixture. For comparison purposes, Butyl #10 was also aged under non-oxidative thermal conditions using an argon atmosphere.

  10. Contaminant degradation by irradiated semiconducting silver chloride particles: kinetics and modelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Tian; Garg, Shikha; Miller, Christopher J; Waite, T David

    2015-05-15

    The kinetics and mechanism of light-mediated formic acid (HCOO(-)) degradation in the presence of semiconducting silver chloride particles are investigated in this study. Our experimental results show that visible-light irradiation of AgCl(s) results in generation of holes and electrons with the photo-generated holes and its initial oxidation product carbonate radical, oxidizing HCOO(-) to form CO2. The HCOO(-) degradation rate increases with increase in silver concentration due to increase in rate of photo-generation of holes while the increase in chloride concentration decreases the degradation rate of HCOO(-) as a result of the scavenging of holes by Cl(-), thereby resulting in decreased holes and carbonate radical concentration. The results obtained indicate that a variety of other solution conditions including dioxygen concentration, bicarbonate concentration and pH influence the availability of holes and hence the HCOO(-) degradation rate in a manner consistent with our understanding of key processes. Based on our experimental results, we have developed a kinetic model capable of predicting AgCl(s)-mediated HCOO(-) photo-degradation over a wide range of conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Microbial Enzymatic Degradation of Biodegradable Plastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roohi; Bano, Kulsoom; Kuddus, Mohammed; Zaheer, Mohammed R; Zia, Qamar; Khan, Mohammed F; Ashraf, Ghulam Md; Gupta, Anamika; Aliev, Gjumrakch

    2017-01-01

    The renewable feedstock derived biodegradable plastics are important in various industries such as packaging, agricultural, paper coating, garbage bags and biomedical implants. The increasing water and waste pollution due to the available decomposition methods of plastic degradation have led to the emergence of biodegradable plastics and biological degradation with microbial (bacteria and fungi) extracellular enzymes. The microbes utilize biodegradable polymers as the substrate under starvation and in unavailability of microbial nutrients. Microbial enzymatic degradation is suitable from bioremediation point of view as no waste accumulation occurs. It is important to understand the microbial interaction and mechanism involved in the enzymatic degradation of biodegradable plastics under the influence of several environmental factors such as applied pH, thermo-stability, substrate molecular weight and/or complexity. To study the surface erosion of polymer film is another approach for hydrolytic degradation characteristion. The degradation of biopolymer is associated with the production of low molecular weight monomer and generation of carbon dioxide, methane and water molecule. This review reported the degradation study of various existing biodegradable plastics along with the potent degrading microbes (bacteria and fungi). Patents available on plastic biodegradation with biotechnological significance is also summarized in this paper. This paper assesses that new disposal technique should be adopted for the degradation of polymers and further research is required for the economical production of biodegradable plastics along with their enzymatic degradation. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  12. Effects of fungal degradation on the CuO oxidation products of lignin: A controlled laboratory study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedges, John I.; Blanchette, Robert A.; Weliky, Karen; Devol, Allan H.

    1988-11-01

    Duplicate samples of birch wood were degraded for 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks by the white-rot fungus, Phlebia tremellosus, and for 12 weeks by 6 other white-rot and brown-rot fungi. P. tremellosus caused progressive weight losses and increased the H/C and O/C of the remnant wood by preferentially degrading the lignin component of the middle lamellae. This fungus increased the absolute (weight loss-corrected) yield of the vanillic acid CuO reaction product above its initial level and exponentially decreased the absolute yields of all other lignin-derived phenols. Total yields of syringyl phenols were decreased 1.5 times as fast as total vanillyl phenol yields. Within both phenol families, aldehyde precursors were degraded faster than precursors of the corresponding ketones, which were obtained in constant proportion to the total phenol yield. Although two other white-rot fungi caused similar lignin compositional trends, a fourth white-rot species, Coriolus versicolor, simultaneously eroded all cell wall components and did not concentrate polysaccharides in the remnant wood. Wood degraded by the three brown-rot fungi exhibited porous cell walls with greatly reduced integrity. The brown-rot fungi also preferentially attacked syringyl structural units, but degraded all phenol precursors at a much slower rate than the white-rotters and did not produce excess vanillic acid. Degradation by P. tremellosus linearly increased the vanillic acid/vanillin ratio, (Ad/Al)v, of the remnant birch wood throughout the 12 week degradation study and exponentially decreased the absolute yields of total vanillyl phenols, total syringyl phenols and the syringyl/vanillyl phenol ratio, S/V. At the highest (Ad/Al)v of 0.50 (12 week samples), total yields of syringyl and vanillyl phenols were decreased by 65% and 80%, respectively, with a resulting reduction of 40% in the original S/V. Many of the diagenetically related compositional trends that have been previously reported for lignins in natural

  13. Gas production due to alpha particle degradation of polyethylene and polyvinylchloride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reed, D.T.; Hoh, J.; Emery, J.; Okajima, S.; Krause, T.

    1998-07-01

    Alpha particle degradation experiments were performed on polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic samples typical of Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) transuranic (TRU) waste. This was done to evaluate the effects of sealing TRU waste during shipment. Experiments were conducted at three temperatures using low dose rates. Predominant products from both plastics were hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and various organic species, with the addition of hydrochloric acid from PVC. In all experiments, the total pressure decreased. Irradiation at 30 and 60 C and at various dose rates caused small changes for both plastics, but at 100 C coupled thermal-radiolytic effects included discoloration of the material as well as large differences in the gas phase composition

  14. Dual action of vitamin C versus degradation and supplementation

    OpenAIRE

    Katarzyna Kaliś

    2015-01-01

    The article discusses vitamin C from the point of view of its supplementation with food and in the form of oral supplements. The dual action of vitamin C is connected with the presence of oxygen, which may reduce the amount of the vitamin in food products, influence thermal resistance, cause degradation and show an antioxidation effect. Vitamin C stimulates the immune cells and collagen synthesis. It may protect the LDL fraction against oxidation, and therefore it is interesting for cosmetolo...

  15. Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Andersen, M.R.; Giese, M.; De Vries, R.P.; Nielsen, J.

    2012-01-01

    Background The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For

  16. Purex diluent degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tallent, O.K.; Mailen, J.C.; Pannell, K.D.

    1984-02-01

    The chemical degradation of normal paraffin hydrocarbon (NPH) diluents both in the pure state and mixed with 30% tributyl phosphate (TBP) was investigated in a series of experiments. The results show that degradation of NPH in the TBP-NPH-HNO 3 system is consistent with the active chemical agent being a radical-like nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) molecule, not HNO 3 as such. Spectrophotometric, gas chromatographic, mass spectrographic, and titrimetric methods were used to identify the degradation products, which included alkane nitro and nitrate compounds, alcohols, unsaturated alcohols, nitro alcohols, nitro alkenes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. The degradation rate was found to increase with increases in the HNO 3 concentration and the temperature. The rate was decreased by argon sparging to remove NO 2 and by the addition of butanol, which probably acts as a NO 2 scavenger. 13 references, 11 figures

  17. Development of a validated liquid chromatographic method for quantification of sorafenib tosylate in the presence of stress-induced degradation products and in biological matrix employing analytical quality by design approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Teenu; Khurana, Rajneet Kaur; Jain, Atul; Katare, O P; Singh, Bhupinder

    2018-05-01

    significant change in the retention time of SFN and degradation products, formed under different stress conditions, ratified selectivity and specificity of the systematically developed method. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Quantitative accelerated degradation testing: Practical approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohammadian, S. Hossein; Ait-Kadi, Daoud; Routhier, Francois

    2010-01-01

    The concept of accelerated testing by tracking degradation of samples over test time needs to be developed for reliability estimation. This paper aims at proposing practical approaches to conduct accelerated degradation testing on new and available used samples. For this purpose, product failure is related to a suitable physical property. Then, its failure time is defined as the expected time in which its property reaches the critical level. Degradation model of field samples returned from service due to a degrading failure mode has been estimated based on the least square method, and available gap between manufacturer criterion and user's claim (to report a failure) has also been discussed. For a product under some stresses, a general formula has been proposed by the superposition principle in order to estimate its degradation for independent and dependent failure modes. If used samples are available, and acceleration factor of the related test is unknown, partial aging method has been presented to considerably shorten the test time.

  19. A validated stability-indicating UPLC method for desloratadine and its impurities in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Dantu Durga; Satyanarayana, N V; Malleswara Reddy, A; Sait, Shakil S; Chakole, Dinesh; Mukkanti, K

    2010-02-05

    A novel stability-indicating gradient reverse phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-UPLC) method was developed for the determination of purity of desloratadine in presence of its impurities and forced degradation products. The method was developed using Waters Aquity BEH C18 column with mobile phase containing a gradient mixture of solvents A and B. The eluted compounds were monitored at 280nm. The run time was 8min within which desloratadine and its five impurities were well separated. Desloratadine was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. Desloratadine was found to degrade significantly in oxidative and thermal stress conditions and stable in acid, base, hydrolytic and photolytic degradation conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from main peak and its impurities, thus proved the stability-indicating power of the method. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and robustness. This method was also suitable for the assay determination of desloratadine in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

  20. Effect of Sodium Carboxymethyl Celluloses on Water-catalyzed Self-degradation of 200-degree C-heated Alkali-Activated Cement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugama T.; Pyatina, T.

    2012-05-01

    We investigated the usefulness of sodium carboxymethyl celluloses (CMC) in promoting self-degradation of 200°C-heated sodium silicate-activated slag/Class C fly ash cementitious material after contact with water. CMC emitted two major volatile compounds, CO2 and acetic acid, creating a porous structure in cement. CMC also reacted with NaOH from sodium silicate to form three water-insensitive solid reaction products, disodium glycolate salt, sodium glucosidic salt, and sodium bicarbonate. Other water-sensitive solid reaction products, such as sodium polysilicate and sodium carbonate, were derived from hydrolysates of sodium silicate. Dissolution of these products upon contact with water generated heat that promoted cement’s self-degradation. Thus, CMC of high molecular weight rendered two important features to the water-catalyzed self-degradation of heated cement: One was the high heat energy generated in exothermic reactions in cement; the other was the introduction of extensive porosity into cement.

  1. Isolation and characterization of a tomato non-specific lipid transfer protein involved in polygalacturonase-mediated pectin degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomassen, Monic M M; Barrett, Diane M; van der Valk, Henry C P M; Woltering, Ernst J

    2007-01-01

    An important aspect of the ripening process of tomato fruit is softening. Softening is accompanied by hydrolysis of the pectin in the cell wall by pectinases, causing loss of cell adhesion in the middle lamella. One of the most significant pectin-degrading enzymes is polygalacturonase (PG). Previous reports have shown that PG in tomato may exist in different forms (PG1, PG2a, PG2b, and PGx) commonly referred to as PG isoenzymes. The gene product PG2 is differentially glycosylated and is thought to associate with other proteins to form PG1 and PGx. This association is thought to modulate its pectin-degrading activity in planta. An 8 kDa protein that is part of the tomato PG1 multiprotein complex has been isolated, purified, and functionally characterized. This protein, designated 'activator' (ACT), belongs to the class of non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs). ACT is capable of 'converting' the gene product PG2 into a more active and heat-stable form, which increases PG-mediated pectin degradation in vitro and stimulates PG-mediated tissue breakdown in planta. This finding suggests a new, not previously identified, function for nsLTPs in the modification of hydrolytic enzyme activity. It is proposed that ACT plays a role in the modulation of PG activity during tomato fruit softening.

  2. Aflatoxin B1 Degradation by a Pseudomonas Strain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lancine Sangare

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, one of the most potent naturally occurring mutagens and carcinogens, causes significant threats to the food industry and animal production. In this study, 25 bacteria isolates were collected from grain kernels and soils displaying AFB1 reduction activity. Based on its degradation effectiveness, isolate N17-1 was selected for further characterization and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa N17-1 could degrade AFB1, AFB2 and AFM1 by 82.8%, 46.8% and 31.9% after incubation in Nutrient Broth (NB medium at 37 °C for 72 h, respectively. The culture supernatant of isolate N17-1 degraded AFB1 effectively, whereas the viable cells and intra cell extracts were far less effective. Factors influencing AFB1 degradation by the culture supernatant were investigated. Maximum degradation was observed at 55 °C. Ions Mn2+ and Cu2+ were activators for AFB1 degradation, however, ions Mg2+, Li+, Zn2+, Se2+, Fe3+ were strong inhibitors. Treatments with proteinase K and proteinase K plus SDS significantly reduced the degradation activity of the culture supernatant. No degradation products were observed based on preliminary LC-QTOF/MS analysis, indicating AFB1 was metabolized to degradation products with chemical properties different from that of AFB1. The results indicated that the degradation of AFB1 by P. aeruginosa N17-1 was enzymatic and could have a great potential in industrial applications. This is the first report indicating that the isolate of P. aeruginosa possesses the ability to degrade aflatoxin.

  3. Urea plus nitrate pretreatment of rice and wheat straws enhances degradation and reduces methane production in in vitro ruminal culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiumin; Wang, Min; Wang, Rong; Ma, Zhiyuan; Long, Donglei; Mao, Hongxiang; Wen, Jiangnan; Bernard, Lukuyu A; Beauchemin, Karen A; Tan, Zhiliang

    2018-04-10

    Urea pretreatment of straw damages fiber structure, while nitrate supplementation of ruminal diets inhibits enteric methane production. The study examined the combined effects of these treatments on ruminal substrate biodegradation and methane production using an in vitro incubation system. Rice and wheat straws were pretreated with urea (40 g kg -1 straw dry matter, DM) and urea + ammonium nitrate (34 + 6 g kg -1 dry matter (DM), respectively), and each straw (control, urea, urea+nitrate) was used in batch culture incubations in three replications (runs). Urea pretreatment increased (P content (+17%) and in vitro DM degradation of rice straw, in comparison with control. Urea+nitrate pretreatment of rice and wheat straws had higher (P content, in vitro DM degradation and propionate molar proportion, and lower (P ruminal biodegradation, facilitate propionate production and reduce methane production from lignified straws. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Enhanced ozonation degradation of di-n-butyl phthalate by zero-valent zinc in aqueous solution: Performance and mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, Gang [School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710050 (China); State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Wang, Sheng-Jun [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Beijing General Municipal Engineering Design and Research Institute, Beijing 100082 (China); Ma, Jun, E-mail: majun@hit.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Huang, Ting-Lin [School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710050 (China); Liu, Zheng-Qian, E-mail: liuzhengqian@gmail.com [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Zhao, Lei [School of Civil Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Su, Jun-Feng [State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (MARC), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2014-01-30

    Highlights: • ZVZ showed an obvious enhanced effect on DBP degradation in ozonation. • The recycling use of ZVZ resulted in the enhancement of DBP degradation. • The formed ZnO and reactive intermediates were responsible for the enhanced effect. • The enhanced effect on DBP degradation by ZVZ was also effective in actual waters. -- Abstract: Enhanced ozonation degradation of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) by zero-valent zinc (ZVZ) has been investigated using a semi-continuous reactor in aqueous solution. The results indicated that the combination of ozone (O{sub 3}) and ZVZ showed an obvious synergetic effect, i.e. an improvement of 54.8% on DBP degradation was obtained by the O{sub 3}/ZVZ process after 10 min reaction compared to the cumulative effect of O{sub 3} alone and O{sub 2}/ZVZ. The degradation efficiency of DBP increased gradually with the increase of ZVZ dosage, enhanced as solution pH increasing from 2.0 to 10.0, and more amount of DBP was degraded with the initial concentration of DBP arising from 0.5 to 2.0 mg L{sup −1}. Recycling use of ZVZ resulted in the enhancement of DBP degradation, because the newly formed zinc oxide took part in the reaction. The mechanism investigation demonstrated that the enhancement effect was attributed to the introduction of ZVZ, which could promote the utilization of O{sub 3}, enhance the formation of superoxide radical by reducing O{sub 2} via one-electron transfer, accelerate the production of hydrogen peroxide and the generation of hydroxyl radical. Additionally, the newly formed zinc oxide on ZVZ surface also contributed to the enhancement of DBP degradation in the recycling use of ZVZ. Most importantly, the O{sub 3}/ZVZ process was also effective in enhanced ozonation degradation of DBP under the background of actual waters.

  5. Degradation mechanisms of sulfonated poly-aromatic membranes in fuel cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perrot, C.

    2006-11-01

    Fuel cell development requires an improvement in the electrode-membrane assembly durability which depends on both the polymer used and the fuel cell operating conditions. The origin of the degradation can be either electrochemical, chemical and/or mechanical. This study deals with the understanding of alternative membranes ageing mechanisms, i.e. non fluorinated membranes, such as sPEEK and sPI. For this kind of membranes, the first process is chemical. Understanding these mechanisms is the first essential step to develop more stable structures. An original approach is developed to overcome the analytical difficulties encountered with polymers. It consists in studying the degradation mechanism on model structures. Ageing are carried out in water, with H 2 O 2 in some cases (identified as a cause of membrane chemical ageing in the fuel cell system), and at different temperatures. The approach consists in separating the different products formed by chromatography. Then they are identified (NMR, IR, MS) and quantified. This method allows us to establish the ageing mechanism. We show that the ageing of a sPEEK structure mainly results from an attack by end chains which spreads to the whole. This mechanism is confirmed on ex-situ and in-situ aged membranes. These two kinds of ageing lead to an important decrease in polymerisation degree (determined by SEC). Formation of the same degradation products is observed. In fuel cells, a heterogeneous degradation is noticed. It takes place mainly on the cathode side. sPI are known for their high sensitivity to hydrolysis. Nevertheless, we highlight a limited degradation at 80 Celsius degrees due to the recombination of hydrolyzed species at this temperature. (author)

  6. Nanoparticles from Degradation of Biodegradable Plastic Mulch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flury, Markus; Sintim, Henry; Bary, Andy; English, Marie; Schaefer, Sean

    2017-04-01

    Plastic mulch films are commonly used in crop production. They provide multiple benefits, including control of weeds and insects, increase of soil and air temperature, reduction of evaporation, and prevention of soil erosion. The use of plastic mulch film in agriculture has great potential to increase food production and security. Plastic mulch films must be retrieved and disposed after usage. Biodegradable plastic mulch films, who can be tilled into the soil after usage offer great benefits as alternative to conventional polyethylene plastic. However, it has to be shown that the degradation of these mulches is complete and no micro- and nanoparticles are released during degradation. We conducted a field experiment with biodegradable mulches and tested mulch degradation. Mulch was removed from the field after the growing season and composted to facilitate degradation. We found that micro- and nanoparticles were released during degradation of the mulch films in compost. This raises concerns about degradation in soils as well.

  7. Carbohydrate degradation mechanisms and compounds from pretreated biomass

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Helena

    The formation of inhibitors during pretreatment of lignocellulosic feedstocks is a persistent problem, and notably the compounds that retard enzymatic cellulose conversion represent an obstacle for achieving optimal enzymatic productivity and high glucose yields. Compounds with many chemical...... pretreated wheat straw after enzymatic treatment. It was found that formation of the oligophenolic degradation compounds were common across biomass sources as sugar cane bagasse and oil palm empty fruit bunches. These findings were in line with that the oligophenolic compounds arise from reactions involving...... functionalities are formed during biomass pretreatment, which gives possibilities for various chemical reactions to take place and hence formation of many new potential inhibitor compounds. This somehow overlooked contemplation formed the basis for the main hypothesis investigated in this work: Hypothesis 1...

  8. The effect of partial replacement of corn silage on rumen degradability, milk production and composition in lactating primiparous dairy cows

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hakan Biricik

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of corn silage with long alfalfa hay and/or coarse chopped wheat straw on neutral detergent fibre (NDF rumen degradability, milk yield and composition in late lactating dairy cows fed diets with 50% forage on dry matter basis. Twelve late lactating Holstein primiparous cows including four cows equipped with a rumen cannula, averaging 210 ± 20 d in milk and weighing 575 ± 50 kg were randomly assigned in a 4x4 Latin square design. During each of four 21-d periods, cows were fed 4 total mixed diets that were varied in the forage sources: 1 50% corn silage (CS, 2 35% corn silage + 15% wheat straw (CSW, 3 35% corn silage + 15% alfalfa hay (CSA, 4 25% corn silage + 10% wheat straw + 15% alfalfa hay (CSWA. The production of milk averaged 18.55, 20.41 and 20.06 kg/d for unadjusted milk production, 4% fat corrected milk and solid corrected milk, respectively, and was not affected by treatments. Likewise, milk composition or production of milk components was not affected by diets and averaged 4.69% fat, 3.66% protein, 4.51% lactose, 866 g/d fat, 665 g/d protein, 824 g/d lactose. Treatments had no effect on in situ NDF soluble, degradable and potential degradability of all diets, whereas the effective degradability (ED of NDF was greater for cows fed CS diet than for cows fed CSW, CSA and CSWA diets (P<0.05. These values suggested that the partial replacement of corn silage with alfalfa hay and/or wheat straw has no unfavourable effect on the productive parameters.

  9. Review of the microbiological, chemical and radiolytic degradation of organic material likely to be present in intermediate level and low level radioactive wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenfield, B.F.; Rosevear, A.; Williams, S.J.

    1990-11-01

    A review has been made of the microbiological, chemical and radiolytic degradation of the solid organic materials likely to be present in intermediate-level and low-level radioactive wastes. Possible interactions between the three routes for degradation are also discussed. Attention is focussed on the generation of water-soluble degradation products which may form complexes with radioelements. The effects of complexation on radioelement solubility and sorption are considered. Recommendations are made for areas of further research. (author)

  10. Cometabolic Degradation of Dibenzofuran and Dibenzothiophene by a Naphthalene-Degrading Comamonas sp. JB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Xiangyu; Xu, Jing; Ning, Shuxiang; Li, Nan; Tan, Liang; Shi, Shengnan

    2017-12-01

    Comamonas sp. JB was used to investigate the cometabolic degradation of dibenzofuran (DBF) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) with naphthalene as the primary substrate. Dehydrogenase and ATPase activity of the growing system with the presence of DBF and DBT were decreased when compared to only naphthalene in the growing system, indicating that the presence of DBF and DBT inhibited the metabolic activity of strain JB. The pathways and enzymes involved in the cometabolic degradation were tested. Examination of metabolites elucidated that strain JB cometabolically degraded DBF to 1,2-dihydroxydibenzofuran, subsequently to 2-hydroxy-4-(3'-oxo-3'H-benzofuran-2'-yliden)but-2-enoic acid, and finally to catechol. Meanwhile, strain JB cometabolically degraded DBT to 1,2-dihydroxydibenzothiophene and subsequently to the ring cleavage product. A series of naphthalene-degrading enzymes including naphthalene dioxygenase, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase, salicylate hydroxylase, and catechol 2,3-oxygenase have been detected, confirming that naphthalene was the real inducer of expression the degradation enzymes and metabolic pathways were controlled by naphthalene-degrading enzymes.

  11. Development of methodology to evaluate microbially influenced degradation of cement-solidified low-level radioactive waste forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, R.D.; Hamilton, M.A.; Veeh, R.H.; McConnell, J.W.

    1994-01-01

    Because of its apparent structural integrity, cement has been widely used in the United States as a binder to solidify Class B and C low-level radioactive waste (LLW). However, the resulting cement preparations are susceptible to failure due to the actions of stress and environment. An environmentally mediated process that could affect cement stability is the action of naturally occurring microorganisms. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), recognizing this eventuality, stated that the effects of microbial action on waste form integrity must be addressed. This paper provides present results from an ongoing program that addresses the effects of microbially influenced degradation (MID) on cement-solidified LLW. Data are provided on the development of an evaluation method using acid-producing bacteria. Results are from work with one type of these bacteria, the sulfur-oxidizing Thiobacillus. This work involved the use of a system in which laboratory- and vendor-manufactured, simulated waste forms were exposed on an intermittent basis to media containing thiobacilli. Testing demonstrated that MID has the potential to severely compromise the structural integrity of ion-exchange resin and evaporator-bottoms waste that is solidified with cement. In addition, it was found that a significant percentage of calcium and other elements were leached from the treated waste forms. Also, the surface pH of the treated specimens decreased to below 2. These conditions apparently contributed to the physical deterioration of simulated waste forms after 60 days of exposure to the thiobacilli

  12. Megalanthine, a bioactive sesquiterpenoid from Heliotropium megalanthum, its degradation products and their bioactivities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macías, Francisco A; Simonet, Ana M; D'Abrosca, Brigida; Maya, Claudia C; Reina, Matías; González-Coloma, Azucena; Cabrera, Raimundo; Giménez, Cristina; Villarroel, Luis

    2009-01-01

    The new bioactive sesquiterpenoid (3R,6E)-2,6,10-trimethyl-3-(3-p-hydroxyphenylpropanoyloxy)-dodeca-6,11-diene-2,10-diol, named megalanthine, was isolated from the resinous exudates of Heliotropium megalanthum. The degradation products of this compound were identified. Several plant-defensive properties (insecticidal, antifungal, and phytotoxic) were evaluated after obtaining positive results in a preliminary etiolated wheat coleoptile bioassay. This bioassay showed the need to have both the phenolic and sesquiterpene moieties of the natural product present to achieve a biological effect. This result was confirmed in phytotoxicity bioassays. Megalanthine was ruled out as a significant plant-plant defense agent because of its lack of stability. The positive results recorded in the antifungal and antifeedant tests suggest, however, that this chemical is relevant in several ecological interactions involving H. megalanthum.

  13. Degradation of Synthetic Dyes by Laccases – A Mini-Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Legerská Barbora

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Laccases provide a promising future as a tool to be used in the field of biodegradation of synthetic dyes with different chemical structures. These enzymes are able to oxidize a wide range of phenolic substrates without the presence of additional co-factors. Laccases have been confirmed for their potential of synthetic dye degradation from wastewater and degradation products of these enzymatic reactions become less toxic than selected dyes. This study discusses the potential of laccase enzymes as agents for laccase-catalyzed degradation in terms of biodegradation efficiency of synthetic dyes, specifically: azo dyes, triphenylmethane, indigo and anthraquinone dyes. Review also summarizes the laccase-catalyzed degradation mechanisms of the selected synthetic dyes, as well as the degradation products and the toxicity of the dyes and their degradation products.

  14. Stability of Anthocyanins and Their Degradation Products from Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine under Gastrointestinal pH and Temperature Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ping; Yuan, Chunlong; Wang, Hua; Han, Fuliang; Liu, Yangjie; Wang, Lin; Liu, Yang

    2018-02-07

    This study investigated the stability of wine anthocyanins under simulated gastrointestinal pH and temperature conditions, and further studied the evolution of anthocyanin degradation products through simulated digestive conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between anthocyanins' structure and their digestive stability. Results showed that a total of 22 anthocyanins were identified in wine and most of these anthocyanins remained stable under simulated gastric digestion process. However, a dramatic concentration decrease happened to these anthocyanins during simulated intestinal digestion. The stability of anthocyanins in digestive process appeared to be related to their structure. The methoxy group in the B-ring enhanced the stability of anthocyanins, whereas hydroxyl group resulted in a reduction of their stability. Acylation decreased the stability of malvidin 3- O -glucoside. Pyruvic acid conjugation enhanced the structural stability of pyranoanthocyanins, whereas acetaldehyde attachment weakened their stability. A commercial malvidin 3- O -glucoside standard was used to investigate anthocyanin degradation products under simulated digestion process, and syringic acid, protocatechuic acid and vanillic acid were confirmed to be the degradation products via anthocyanin chalcone conversion path. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and p -coumaric acid in wine experienced a significant concentration decrease during digestion process. However, wine model solution revealed that phenolic acids remained stable under gastrointestinal conditions, except gallic acid.

  15. Stability of Anthocyanins and Their Degradation Products from Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine under Gastrointestinal pH and Temperature Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Yang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the stability of wine anthocyanins under simulated gastrointestinal pH and temperature conditions, and further studied the evolution of anthocyanin degradation products through simulated digestive conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between anthocyanins’ structure and their digestive stability. Results showed that a total of 22 anthocyanins were identified in wine and most of these anthocyanins remained stable under simulated gastric digestion process. However, a dramatic concentration decrease happened to these anthocyanins during simulated intestinal digestion. The stability of anthocyanins in digestive process appeared to be related to their structure. The methoxy group in the B-ring enhanced the stability of anthocyanins, whereas hydroxyl group resulted in a reduction of their stability. Acylation decreased the stability of malvidin 3-O-glucoside. Pyruvic acid conjugation enhanced the structural stability of pyranoanthocyanins, whereas acetaldehyde attachment weakened their stability. A commercial malvidin 3-O-glucoside standard was used to investigate anthocyanin degradation products under simulated digestion process, and syringic acid, protocatechuic acid and vanillic acid were confirmed to be the degradation products via anthocyanin chalcone conversion path. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and p-coumaric acid in wine experienced a significant concentration decrease during digestion process. However, wine model solution revealed that phenolic acids remained stable under gastrointestinal conditions, except gallic acid.

  16. Land Husbandry: Biochar application to reduce land degradation and erosion on cassava production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuniwati, E. D.

    2017-12-01

    This field experiment was carried out to examine the effect of increasing crop yield on land degradation and erosion in cassava-based cropping systems. The experiment was also aimed at showing that with proper crop management, the planting of cassava does not result in land degradation, and therefore, a sustainable production system can be obtained. The experiment was done in a farmer's fields in Batu, about 15 km south east of Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The soils are Alfisols with a surface slope of about 8%. There were 8 experimental treatments with two replications. The experiment results show that biochar applications reduce of soil erosion rate of the cassava field were not necessarily higher than those of maize in terms of crop yield and crop management. At low-to-medium yield, also observed the nutrient uptake of cassava was lower than that of maize. At high yield, only the K uptake of cassava was higher than that of maize, whereas the N and P uptake was more or less similar. Soil erosion on the cassava field was significantly higher than that on the maize field; however, this only occurred when there was no suitable crop management. Simple crop managements, such as ridging, biochar application, or manure application could significantly reduce soil erosion. The results also revealed that proper management could prevent land degradation and increase crop yield. In turn, the increase in crop yield could decrease soil erosion and plant nutrient depletion.

  17. Production Equipment and Processes for Bulk Formed Micro Components

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paldan, Nikolas Aulin; Arentoft, Mogens; Eriksen, Rasmus Solmer

    2007-01-01

    Manufacturing techniques for production of small precise metallic parts has gained interest during recent years, an interest led by an industrial demand for components for integrated products like mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mp3-players and in the future for spare parts...... has been developed and used to form a number of industrial micro parts in aluminium and silver, with ongoing work on forming of titanium. Manufacture of billets by cropping has been examined using a simple test rig and an automatic cropping device has been designed, manufactured and tested....... for the human body. Micro components have also found several applications within the medical, audiological and dental industry, applications that impose increased demands for biocompatible and corrosion-resistant materials and cleanness. So far these micro components have mainly been manufactured by traditional...

  18. Photocatalytic Active Coatings for Lignin Degradation in a Continuous Packed Bed Reactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin Awungacha Lekelefac

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis of immobilized catalyst on porous glass support material via the sol-gel route is reported. TiO2-P25-SiO2 + Pt, TiO2-P25-SiO2, TiOSO4_30.6 wt%, and ZnO + TiO2-P25-SiO2 catalysts were synthesized and a comparative study is done regarding morphology of coatings, degradation rates, reaction rates, dissolved carbon (DC, formation of peaks, and fluorescence of products formed from the photocatalytic degradation of lignin sulfonate obtained from a local paper plant. Through simultaneous reaction-extraction pathways applying dialysis filtration and highly porous polystyrene divinylbenzene adsorbent resin (HR-P for solid phase extraction (SPE, an attempt has been made to isolate smaller molecules produced from photocatalytic degradation. Moreover relatively high lignin sulfonate (0.5 g/L concentrations are used in the reactions. UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed a faster reduction in the concentration values for the aliphatic moiety compared to the aromatic moiety. Peaks were observed by both fluorescence spectroscopy and HPLC suggesting the production of new substances and fluorophores.

  19. Thermally induced degradation of sulfur-containing aliphatic glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. italica) and model systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanschen, Franziska S; Platz, Stefanie; Mewis, Inga; Schreiner, Monika; Rohn, Sascha; Kroh, Lothar W

    2012-03-07

    Processing reduces the glucosinolate (GSL) content of plant food, among other aspects due to thermally induced degradation. Since there is little information about the thermal stability of GSL and formation of corresponding breakdown products, the thermally induced degradation of sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL was studied in broccoli sprouts and with isolated GSL in dry medium at different temperatures as well as in aqueous medium at different pH values. Desulfo-GSL have been analyzed with HPLC-DAD, while breakdown products were estimated using GC-FID. Whereas in the broccoli sprouts structural differences of the GSL with regard to thermal stability exist, the various isolated sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL degraded nearly equally and were in general more stable. In broccoli sprouts, methylsulfanylalkyl GSL were more susceptible to degradation at high temperatures, whereas methylsulfinylalkyl GSL were revealed to be more affected in aqueous medium under alkaline conditions. Besides small amounts of isothiocyanates, the main thermally induced breakdown products of sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL were nitriles. Although they were most rapidly formed at comparatively high temperatures under dry heat conditions, their highest concentrations were found after cooking in acidic medium, conditions being typical for domestic processing.

  20. The study analysis of degradation product of Tributyl Phosphate by Gamma radiation and influence in extraction process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damunir; Didiek Herhady, R; Busron-Masduki; Ashar-Waskito; Armanu

    1996-01-01

    The analysis study of degradation product of TBP by gamma radiation using Co-60 Irradiator Irvasena was done. The investigation stressed on analysis and the relation of degradation product of TBP and extraction process. TBP-dodecane 30 % irradiated by radiation doses 1.172x10 3 rad, 1.155x10 5 rad, 1.125x10 7 and 1.155x10 9 rad. The analysis of degradation product of TBP mainly of MBP and DBP were determined in the mixture media of 5 ml isopropyl alcohol, 5 ml ethylene glycol, 5 ml acetone and 15 ml alcohol with potentiometric titration using NaOH 0.1 N in the alcohol solution, at potential condition of 500 mV and potential derivative 500 mV. The experiment shows that the gamma radiation doses 1.125x10 7 rad result 0.125 ± 0.049 mg MBP/ml solvent and 1.556 ± 0.084 mg DBP/ml solvent and radiation doses 1.115x10 9 rad result 26.135 ± 0.114 mg MBP/ml solvent and 62.454 ± 1.107 mg DBP/ml solvent, MBP dan DBP un detectable for radiation doses 1.172x10 3 rad and 1.055x10 5 rad. The result of MBP and DBP analysis compare to Tachehiko Ishihara and Erich Zimmer, using potentiometric titration method for MBP and DBP analysis was reliable addition and none addition. The TBP-dodecane solvent was irradiation by radiation doses 10 7 rad or greater than, is suggested to treat the solvent by regeneration so that doesn't disturbance extraction

  1. [Control on products of NDMA degradation by UV/O3].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Bing-bing; Chen, Zhong-lin; Qi, Fei; Yang, Lei; Huang, Lu-xi

    2008-12-01

    Comparison experiments of two advanced oxidation processes, UV/O3 and UV/H2O2, were carried out to evaluate their degradation effect of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and controlling effect of dimethylamine (DMA) formation. The results showed that UV/H2O2 could enhance NDMA degradation, but could not control on the formation of DMA. UV/O3 was not only effective for NDMA degradation, but also was good at controlling on DMA formation. Furthermore, factors affecting the formation of DMA during degradation of NDMA by UV/O3 were studied. The formation of DMA decreased with O3 dosage increasing and DMA was 0.98 mg x L(-1) with 7.7 mg x L(-1) NDMA and 6.64 mg x L(-1) O3 dose. Solution pH had obvious effect on controlling of DMA formation during degradation of NDMA by UV/O3 . The formation of DMA lightly increased with pH increasing from acid to neutral but dramatically decreased in basic aqueous solution. The formation of DMA was only 0.3 mg x L(-1) when the initial concentration of NDMA was 7.7 mg x L(-1) under pH = 11.0 condition. UV/O3 had better controlling of DMA formation with lesser initial concentration of NDMA.

  2. Degradation of multiwall carbon nanotubes by bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Liwen; Petersen, Elijah J.; Habteselassie, Mussie Y.; Mao, Liang; Huang, Qingguo

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the environmental transformation of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is important to their life cycle assessment and potential environmental impacts. We report that a bacterial community is capable of degrading 14 C-labeled MWCNTs into 14 CO 2 in the presence of an external carbon source via co-metabolism. Multiple intermediate products were detected, and genotypic characterization revealed three possible microbial degraders: Burkholderia kururiensis, Delftia acidovorans, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This result suggests that microbe/MWCNTs interaction may impact the long-term fate of MWCNTs. Highlights: •Mineralization of MWCNTs by a bacterial community was observed. •The mineralization required an external carbon source. •Multiple intermediate products were identified in the MWCNT degrading culture. •Three bacterial species were found likely responsible for MWCNT degradation. -- The 14 C-labeled multiwall carbon nanotubes can be degraded to 14 CO 2 and other byproducts by a bacteria community under natural conditions

  3. In vitro study on the degradation of lithium-doped hydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering scaffold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yaping; Yang, Xu; Gu, Zhipeng; Qin, Huanhuan [College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Li, Li [Department of Oncology, The 452 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610021 (China); Liu, Jingwang [College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Yu, Xixun, E-mail: yuxixun@163.com [College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China)

    2016-09-01

    Li-doped hydroxyapatite (LiHA) which is prepared through introducing low dose of Li into hydroxyapatite (HA) has been increasingly studied as a bone tissue-engineered scaffold. The degradation properties play a crucial role in the success of long-term implantation of a bone tissue-engineered construct. Herein, the in vitro degradation behaviors of LiHA scaffolds via two approaches were investigated in this study: solution-mediated degradation and osteoblast-mediated degradation. In solution-mediated degradation, after being immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for some time, some characteristics of these scaffolds (such as release of ionized lithium and phosphate, pH change, mechanical properties, cytocompatibility and SEM surface characterization) were systematically tested. A similar procedure was also employed to research the degradation behaviors of LiHA scaffolds in osteoblast-mediated degradation. The results suggested that the degradation in SBF and degradation in culture medium with cell existed distinguishing mechanisms. LiHA scaffolds were degraded via a hydrolytic mechanism when they were soaked in SBF. Upon degradation, an apatite precipitation (layer) was formed on the surfaces of scaffolds. While a biological mechanism was presented for the degradation of scaffolds in cell-mediated degradation. Compared with pure HA, LiHA scaffolds had a better effect on the growth of osteoblast cells, meanwhile, the release amount of PO{sub 4}{sup 3−} in a degradation medium indicated that osteoblasts could accelerate the degradation of LiHA due to the more physiological activities of osteoblast. According to the results from compressive strength test, doping Li into HA could enhance the strength of HA. Moreover, the results from MTT assay and SEM observation showed that the degradation products of LiHA scaffolds were beneficial to the proliferation of osteoblasts. The results of this research can provide the theoretical basis for the clinical application of Li

  4. Degradation of thiram in soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raghu, K.; Murthy, N.B.K.; Kumarsamy, R.

    1975-01-01

    Determination of the residual 35 S labelled tetramethylthiuram disulfide showed that the fungicide persisted longer in sterilized than in unsterilized soil, while the chloroform extractable radioactivity decreased, the water extractable radioactivity increased with increase in time. However, in sterilized soil the water extractable radioactivity remained more or less constant. Degradation of the fungicide was further demonstrated by the release of C 35 S 2 from soil treated with labelled thiram. Dimethylamine was found to be one of the degradation products. A bacterium isolated from thiram-enriched soil could degrade the fungicide in shake culture. The degradation pathways of thiram in sterilized and unsterilized soils are discussed. (author)

  5. Microbial electricity generation enhances decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209 degradation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonggang Yang

    Full Text Available Due to environmental persistence and biotoxicity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, it is urgent to develop potential technologies to remediate PBDEs. Introducing electrodes for microbial electricity generation to stimulate the anaerobic degradation of organic pollutants is highly promising for bioremediation. However, it is still not clear whether the degradation of PBDEs could be promoted by this strategy. In this study, we hypothesized that the degradation of PBDEs (e.g., BDE-209 would be enhanced under microbial electricity generation condition. The functional compositions and structures of microbial communities in closed-circuit microbial fuel cell (c-MFC and open-circuit microbial fuel cell (o-MFC systems for BDE-209 degradation were detected by a comprehensive functional gene array, GeoChip 4.0, and linked with PBDE degradations. The results indicated that distinctly different microbial community structures were formed between c-MFCs and o-MFCs, and that lower concentrations of BDE-209 and the resulting lower brominated PBDE products were detected in c-MFCs after 70-day performance. The diversity and abundance of a variety of functional genes in c-MFCs were significantly higher than those in o-MFCs. Most genes involved in chlorinated solvent reductive dechlorination, hydroxylation, methoxylation and aromatic hydrocarbon degradation were highly enriched in c-MFCs and significantly positively correlated with the removal of PBDEs. Various other microbial functional genes for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycling, as well as energy transformation process, were also significantly increased in c-MFCs. Together, these results suggest that PBDE degradation could be enhanced by introducing the electrodes for microbial electricity generation and by specifically stimulating microbial functional genes.

  6. Aggregate stability and soil degradation in the tropics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mbagwu, J.S.C.

    2004-01-01

    Aggregate stability is a measure of the structural stability of soils. Factors that influence aggregate stability are important in evaluating the ease with which soils erode by water and/or wind, the potential of soils to crust and/or seal, soil permeability, quasi-steady state infiltration rates and seedling emergence and in predicting the capacity of soils to sustain long-term crop production. Aggregate stability of soils can be measured by the wet-sieving or raindrop techniques. A reduction in soil aggregate stability implies an increase in soil degradation. Hence aggregate stability and soil degradation are interwoven. The measures used can either be preventive or remedial. Preventive practices minimize the chances of soil degradation occurring or the magnitude or severity of the damage when the degradation manifests. These include in Nigeria, (i) manuring and mulching, (ii) planted fallows and cover crops, (iii) sustainable farming systems, (iv) adequate rotations, (v) home gardens or compound farms, (vi) alley cropping and related agro forestry systems, and (vii) chemical fertilizers which are mainly remedial measures. Because of alterations in soil properties that affect particular land uses, soils may degrade for one crop (maize rather sorghum). As long as some land use is possible soil degradation is not always an absolute concept. Decline in agricultural productivity should be evaluated in terms of inputs such as fertilizer use, water management and tillage methods. We can alleviate some types of soil degradation by use of micronutrients, inorganic fertilizers and organic residues. Soil that responds to management practices cannot be said to be degraded. Since crop growth depends on weather, degraded soils may be more sensitive to harsh weather (e.g. drought, temperature) than undegraded soils. A soil is degraded if its productivity falls below the economic threshold even under favourable weather conditions or with judicious inputs. All human

  7. Enhanced degradation of 4-nitrophenol by microwave assisted Fe/EDTA process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Bo; Li Song; Zhao Yongjun; Wu Wenfei; Zhang Xuxiang; Gu Xueyuan; Li Ruihua; Yang Shaogui

    2010-01-01

    A microwave assisted zero-valent iron oxidation process was studied in order to investigate the synergetic effects of MW irradiation on Fe/EDTA system (Fe/EDTA/MW) treated 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) from aqueous solution. The results indicated that the thermal effect of microwave improved the removal effect of 4-NP and TOC through raising the temperature of the system, as well as the non-thermal effect generated by the interaction between the microwave and the Fe resulting in an increase in the hydrophobic character of Fe surface. During the degradation of 4-NP in Fe/EDTA/MW system, the optimum value for MW power, Fe, EDTA dosage was 400 W, 2 g and 0.4 mM, respectively. The possible pathway for degrading the 4-NP was proposed based on GC/MS and HPLC analysis of the degradation intermediates. The concentration change course of the main bio-refractory by-products, the aminophenol formed in the degradation of 4-NP suggested a more efficient degradation and mineralization in Fe/EDTA/MW system. Finally, BOD 5 /COD Cr of the solution increased from 0.237 to 0.635 after reaction for 18 min, indicating that the biodegradability of wastewater was greatly improved by Fe/EDTA/MW system and would benefit to further treatment by biochemical methods.

  8. Effect of two non-synonymous ecto-5'-nucleotidase variants on the genetic architecture of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) and its degradation products in Japanese Black beef.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uemoto, Yoshinobu; Ohtake, Tsuyoshi; Sasago, Nanae; Takeda, Masayuki; Abe, Tsuyoshi; Sakuma, Hironori; Kojima, Takatoshi; Sasaki, Shinji

    2017-11-13

    Umami is a Japanese term for the fifth basic taste and is an important sensory property of beef palatability. Inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) contributes to umami taste in beef. Thus, the overall change in concentration of IMP and its degradation products can potentially affect the beef palatability. In this study, we investigated the genetic architecture of IMP and its degradation products in Japanese Black beef. First, we performed genome-wide association study (GWAS), candidate gene analysis, and functional analysis to detect the causal variants that affect IMP, inosine, and hypoxanthine. Second, we evaluated the allele frequencies in the different breeds, the contribution of genetic variance, and the effect on other economical traits using the detected variants. A total of 574 Japanese Black cattle were genotyped using the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip and were then used for GWAS. The results of GWAS showed that the genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on BTA9 were detected for IMP, inosine, and hypoxanthine. The ecto-5'-nucleotidase (NT5E) gene, which encodes the enzyme NT5E for the extracellular degradation of IMP to inosine, was located near the significant region on BTA9. The results of candidate gene analysis and functional analysis showed that two non-synonymous SNPs (c.1318C > T and c.1475 T > A) in NT5E affected the amount of IMP and its degradation products in beef by regulating the enzymatic activity of NT5E. The Q haplotype showed a positive effect on IMP and a negative effect on the enzymatic activity of NT5E in IMP degradation. The two SNPs were under perfect linkage disequilibrium in five different breeds, and different haplotype frequencies were seen among breeds. The two SNPs contribute to about half of the total genetic variance in IMP, and the results of genetic relationship between IMP and its degradation products showed that NT5E affected the overall concentration balance of IMP and its degradation products

  9. Degradation Characteristics of Wood Using Supercritical Alcohols

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeeban Poudel

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the characteristics of wood degradation using supercritical alcohols have been studied. Supercritical ethanol and supercritical methanol were used as solvents. The kinetics of wood degradation were analyzed using the nonisothermal weight loss technique with heating rates of 3.1, 9.8, and 14.5 °C/min for ethanol and 5.2, 11.3, and 16.3 °C/min for methanol. Three different kinetic analysis methods were implemented to obtain the apparent activation energy and the overall reaction order for wood degradation using supercritical alcohols. These were used to compare with previous data for supercritical methanol. From this work, the activation energies of wood degradation in supercritical ethanol were obtained as 78.0–86.0, 40.1–48.1, and 114 kJ/mol for the different kinetic analysis methods used in this work. The activation energies of wood degradation in supercritical ethanol were obtained as 78.0–86.0, 40.1–48.1, and 114 kJ/mol. This paper also includes the analysis of the liquid products obtained from this work. The characteristic analysis of liquid products on increasing reaction temperature and time has been performed by GC-MS. The liquid products were categorized according to carbon numbers and aromatic/aliphatic components. It was found that higher conversion in supercritical ethanol occurs at a lower temperature than that of supercritical methanol. The product analysis shows that the majority of products fall in the 2 to 15 carbon number range.

  10. Reaction kinetics and oxidation products formation in the degradation of ciprofloxacin and ibuprofen by ferrate(VI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhengwei; Jiang, Jia-Qian

    2015-01-01

    The treatment of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and ibuprofen (IBU) in test solutions by ferrate(VI) was investigated in this study. A series of jar test was performed in bench-scale at pH 6-9 and ferrate(VI) dose of 1-5 mg L(-1). Results demonstrated that ferrate(VI) removed CIP from test solutions efficiently, with above 70% of reduction under study conditions. In contrary, the removal rates of IBU were very low, less than 25% in all conditions. Raising ferrate(VI) dose improved the treatment performance, while the influence of solution pH was not significant at pH 6-9 compared with that of ferrate(VI) dose. In addition, kinetic studies of ferrate(VI) with both compounds were carried out at pH 8 and pH 9 (20 °C). Ferrate(VI) had a much higher reactivity with CIP than IBU at pH 8 and pH 9, with CIP's apparent second-order rate constants of 113.7±6.3 M(-1) s(-1) and 64.1±1.0 M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The rate constants of ferrate(VI) with IBU were less than 0.2 M(-1) s(-1) at pH 8 and pH 9. Furthermore, seven oxidation products (OPs) were formed during CIP degradation by ferrate(VI). The attack on the piperazinyl ring of the CIP by ferrate(VI) appeared to lead to the cleavage or hydroxylation of the rings, and the attack on the quinolone moiety by ferrate(VI) might lead to the cleavage of the double bond at the six-member heterocyclic ring. No OPs of IBU were detected during ferrate(VI) oxidation due to very small part of IBU was degraded by ferrate(VI). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Recovering of images degraded by atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Guang; Feng, Huajun; Xu, Zhihai; Li, Qi; Chen, Yueting

    2017-08-01

    Remote sensing images are seriously degraded by multiple scattering and bad weather. Through the analysis of the radiative transfer procedure in atmosphere, an image atmospheric degradation model considering the influence of atmospheric absorption multiple scattering and non-uniform distribution is proposed in this paper. Based on the proposed model, a novel recovering method is presented to eliminate atmospheric degradation. Mean-shift image segmentation and block-wise deconvolution are used to reduce time cost, retaining a good result. The recovering results indicate that the proposed method can significantly remove atmospheric degradation and effectively improve contrast compared with other removal methods. The results also illustrate that our method is suitable for various degraded remote sensing, including images with large field of view (FOV), images taken in side-glance situations, image degraded by atmospheric non-uniform distribution and images with various forms of clouds.

  12. Monitor Soil Degradation or Triage for Soil Security? An Australian Challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Koch

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The Australian National Soil Research, Development and Extension Strategy identifies soil security as a foundation for the current and future productivity and profitability of Australian agriculture. Current agricultural production is attenuated by soil degradation. Future production is highly dependent on the condition of Australian soils. Soil degradation in Australia is dominated in its areal extent by soil erosion. We reiterate the use of soil erosion as a reliable indicator of soil condition/quality and a practical measure of soil degradation. We describe three key phases of soil degradation since European settlement, and show a clear link between inappropriate agricultural practices and the resultant soil degradation. We demonstrate that modern agricultural practices have had a marked effect on reducing erosion. Current advances in agricultural soil management could lead to further stabilization and slowing of soil degradation in addition to improving productivity. However, policy complacency towards soil degradation, combined with future climate projections of increased rainfall intensity but decreased volumes, warmer temperatures and increased time in drought may once again accelerate soil degradation and susceptibility to erosion and thus limit the ability of agriculture to advance without further improving soil management practices. Monitoring soil degradation may indicate land degradation, but we contend that monitoring will not lead to soil security. We propose the adoption of a triaging approach to soil degradation using the soil security framework, to prioritise treatment plans that engage science and agriculture to develop practices that simultaneously increase productivity and improve soil condition. This will provide a public policy platform for efficient allocation of public and private resources to secure Australia’s soil resource.

  13. Identification of transformation products of antiviral drugs formed during biological wastewater treatment and their occurrence in the urban water cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funke, Jan; Prasse, Carsten; Ternes, Thomas A

    2016-07-01

    The fate of five antiviral drugs (abacavir, emtricitabine, ganciclovir, lamivudine and zidovudine) was investigated in biological wastewater treatment. Investigations of degradation kinetics were accompanied by the elucidation of formed transformation products (TPs) using activated sludge lab experiments and subsequent LC-HRMS analysis. Degradation rate constants ranged between 0.46 L d(-1) gSS(-1) (zidovudine) and 55.8 L d(-1) gSS(-1) (abacavir). Despite these differences of the degradation kinetics, the same main biotransformation reaction was observed for all five compounds: oxidation of the terminal hydroxyl-moiety to the corresponding carboxylic acid (formation of carboxy-TPs). In addition, the oxidation of thioether moieties to sulfoxides was observed for emtricitabine and lamivudine. Antiviral drugs were detected in influents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with concentrations up to 980 ng L(-1) (emtricitabine), while in WWTP effluents mainly the TPs were found with concentration levels up to 1320 ng L(-1) (carboxy-abacavir). Except of zidovudine none of the original antiviral drugs were detected in German rivers and streams, whereas the concentrations of the TPs ranged from 16 ng L(-1) for carboxy-lamivudine up to 750 ng L(-1) for carboxy-acyclovir. These concentrations indicate an appreciable portion from WWTP effluents present in rivers and streams, as well as the high environmental persistence of the carboxy-TPs. As a result three of the carboxylic TPs were detected in finished drinking water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Vascular Canals in Permanent Hyaline Cartilage: Development, Corrosion of Nonmineralized Cartilage Matrix, and Removal of Matrix Degradation Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabner, Simone; Häusler, Gabriele; Böck, Peter

    2017-06-01

    Core areas in voluminous pieces of permanent cartilage are metabolically supplied via vascular canals (VCs). We studied cartilage corrosion and removal of matrix degradation products during the development of VCs in nose and rib cartilage of piglets. Conventional staining methods were used for glycosaminoglycans, immunohistochemistry was performed to demonstrate collagens types I and II, laminin, Ki-67, von Willebrand factor, VEGF, macrophage marker MAC387, S-100 protein, MMPs -2,-9,-13,-14, and their inhibitors TIMP1 and TIMP2. VCs derived from connective tissue buds that bulged into cartilage matrix ("perichondrial papillae", PPs). Matrix was corroded at the tips of PPs or resulting VCs. Connective tissue stromata in PPs and VCs comprised an axial afferent blood vessel, peripherally located wide capillaries, fibroblasts, newly synthesized matrix, and residues of corroded cartilage matrix (collagen type II, acidic proteoglycans). Multinucleated chondroclasts were absent, and monocytes/macrophages were not seen outside the blood vessels. Vanishing acidity characterized areas of extracellular matrix degradation ("preresorptive layers"), from where the dismantled matrix components diffused out. Leached-out material stained in an identical manner to intact cartilage matrix. It was detected in the stroma and inside capillaries and associated downstream veins. We conclude that the delicate VCs are excavated by endothelial sprouts and fibroblasts, whilst chondroclasts are specialized to remove high volumes of mineralized cartilage. VCs leading into permanent cartilage can be formed by corrosion or inclusion, but most VCs comprise segments that have developed in either of these ways. Anat Rec, 300:1067-1082, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniou, Eleftheria; Fodelianakis, Stilianos; Korkakaki, Emmanouela; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

    2015-01-01

    Biosurfactants (BSs) are "green" amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm BS producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on BS production, was examined. Two types of BS - lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results indicate that BS production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil (CO) implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of BSs that enables biodegradation of the CO. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of CO has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers) with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents.

  16. Design of multimodal degradable hydrogels for controlled therapeutic delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharkar, Prathamesh Madhav

    thiol exchange reaction facilitated rapid and responsive protein release in the presence of GSH. A photolabile o-nitrobenzyl ether group (o-NB) was subsequently incorporated within the PEG-based, gel-forming monomers to demonstrate cargo release triggered by exogenous stimuli for patient-specific therapies. Upon the application of cytocompatible doses of light, the photolabile o-NB linkage underwent irreversible cleavage yielding ketone and carboxylic acid-based cleavage products. Hydrogel degradation kinetics was characterized in response to externally applied cytocompatible light or GSH in aqueous microenvironments. By incorporating a photodegradable o-nitrobenzyl ether group, a thiol-sensitive succinimide thioether linkage, and ester linkages within the hydrogels, we demonstrated unique control over degradation via surface erosion or bulk degradation mechanisms, respectively, with degradation rate constants ranging from 10-1 min-1 to 10-4 min-1. As a proof of concept, the controlled release of nanobeads from the hydrogel was demonstrated in a preprogrammed and stimuli-responsive fashion. The multimodal degradable hydrogels were then investigated for the local controlled release of small molecular weight proteins, which are of interest for regulating various cellular functions and fates in vivo. Low molecular weight heparin, a highly sulfated polysaccharide was incorporated within the hydrogel network by Michael-type reaction due to its affinity with biologics such as growth factors and immunomodulatory proteins. Incorporation of reduction-sensitive linkages resulted in 2.3 fold differences in the release profile of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in the presence of GSH compared to non-reducing microenvironment. Bioactivity of released FGF-2 was comparable to pristine FGF-2, indicating the ability of the hydrogel to retain bioactivity of cargo molecules during encapsulation and release. Further, preliminary in vivo studies demonstrated control over hydrogel

  17. Lifetime design strategy for binary geothermal plants considering degradation of geothermal resource productivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budisulistyo, Denny; Wong, Choon Seng; Krumdieck, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A new lifetime strategy for binary plants considering thermal resource degradations. • The net present value and energy return on investment are selected as indicators. • The results indicate that the design based on point 2 has the best revenue. • Improving plant performance by parameters adjustments and adaptable designs. - Abstract: This work proposes a lifetime design strategy for binary geothermal plants which takes into account heat resource degradation. A model of the resource temperature and mass flow rate decline over a 30 year plant life is developed from a survey of data. The standard approach to optimise a basic subcritical cycle of n-pentane working fluid and select component sizes is used for the resource characteristics in years 1, 7, 15 and 30. The performances of the four plants designed for the different resource conditions are then simulated over the plant life to obtain the best lifetime design. The net present value and energy return on investment are selected as the measures of merit. The production history of a real geothermal well in the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand, is used as a case study for the lifetime design strategy. The results indicate that the operational parameters (such as mass flow rate of n-pentane, inlet turbine pressure and air mass flow rate) and plant performance (net power output) decrease over the whole plant life. The best lifetime plant design was at year 7 with partly degraded conditions. This condition has the highest net present value at USD 6,894,615 and energy return on investment at 4.15. Detailed thermo-economic analysis was carried out with the aim of improving the plant performance to overcome the resource degradation in two ways: operational parameters adjustments and adaptable designs. The results shows that mass flow rates of n-pentane and air cooling should be adjusted to maintain the performance over the plant life. The plant design can also be adapted by installing a recuperator

  18. Degradation of cellulose in the presence of ash; Nedbrytningsmoenster foer cellulosa i naervaro av aska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wikman, Karin; Berg, Magnus [AaF-Energi och Miljoe AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Svensson, Malin; Ecke, Holger [Luleaa Univ. of Tech. (Sweden)

    2003-04-01

    This project evaluates the risks and possibilities that come up in mixtures of ash and cellulose. The focus is on alkaline degradation of cellulose and the impact on metal leaching. The literature survey shows that a combination of ash and cellulose affects both the mobility of metals and the degradation of cellulose in many ways. A combination of ash and cellulose could have positive effects on the degradation of cellulose since ash makes the pH rise in the material. Normally the pH decreases in a waste deposit with time, which results in a reduced biological degradation of the cellulose since the methanogenic organisms are sensitive for low pH values. However, even if the pH increases when cellulose is mixed with ash the methanogenic organisms could be inhibit by toxic metals. The highest degradation rate for cellulose is at natural pH values because of an effective biological degradation. If alkaline conditions appear when cellulose is mixed with ash or in contact with the leaching water the cellulose is going to be degraded by a slower process: non-biological degradation (peeling-off reactions). The main degradation product from peeling-off reactions of cellulose is isosaccharinic acid (ISA). ISA forms complex with metals, which results in increased mobilization and leaching of metals. From biological degradation the degradation products are mainly CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O under aerobic conditions and CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} under anaerobic conditions. In combinations of ash and cellulose is it possible that the formed carbon dioxide cause carbonation and fixation of metals in the ash. As mentioned, ash could result in an increment of the pH value in cellulose materials, but if the starting point is pure ash a mixture with cellulose could make the pH value decrease, in extreme cases down to 4-5, because of biological degradation. Therefore it is possible that the metal mobilization in ash will increase if the ash is mixed with cellulose. Increased leaching of

  19. Assessing the joint impact of DNAPL source-zone behavior and degradation products on the probabilistic characterization of human health risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henri, Christopher V.; Fernàndez-Garcia, Daniel; de Barros, Felipe P. J.

    2016-02-01

    The release of industrial contaminants into the subsurface has led to a rapid degradation of groundwater resources. Contamination caused by Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) is particularly severe owing to their limited solubility, slow dissolution and in many cases high toxicity. A greater insight into how the DNAPL source zone behavior and the contaminant release towards the aquifer impact human health risk is crucial for an appropriate risk management. Risk analysis is further complicated by the uncertainty in aquifer properties and contaminant conditions. This study focuses on the impact of the DNAPL release mode on the human health risk propagation along the aquifer under uncertain conditions. Contaminant concentrations released from the source zone are described using a screening approach with a set of parameters representing several scenarios of DNAPL architecture. The uncertainty in the hydraulic properties is systematically accounted for by high-resolution Monte Carlo simulations. We simulate the release and the transport of the chlorinated solvent perchloroethylene and its carcinogenic degradation products in randomly heterogeneous porous media. The human health risk posed by the chemical mixture of these contaminants is characterized by the low-order statistics and the probability density function of common risk metrics. We show that the zone of high risk (hot spot) is independent of the DNAPL mass release mode, and that the risk amplitude is mostly controlled by heterogeneities and by the source zone architecture. The risk is lower and less uncertain when the source zone is formed mostly by ganglia than by pools. We also illustrate how the source zone efficiency (intensity of the water flux crossing the source zone) affects the risk posed by an exposure to the chemical mixture. Results display that high source zone efficiencies are counter-intuitively beneficial, decreasing the risk because of a reduction in the time available for the production

  20. Degradation Behavior of Thermal Stabilized Polyacrylonitrile Fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LEI Shuai

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In the temperature range of 300-800℃, 40%-50% of the mass lost during the processing of polyacrylonitrile based carbon fiber (PANCF. Understanding the degradation behavior will be valuable in understanding the formation mechanism of pseudo-graphite structure, and providing theoretic basis for producing high performance carbon fiber and increasing the carbonization yield. The simulation of the degradation progress was carried out on the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA, the results show that there are two degradation steps for PAN fiber stabilized in air, and controlled by cyclization coefficient and oxygen content. The cyclization coefficient and oxygen content are effective to the density of carbon fiber by influencing the degradation behavior, which cause defects in the fiber. The higher cyclization coefficient leads to form less structural defects and higher density of the fiber; on the contrary, the higher oxygen content leads to form more structural defects and lower density of the fiber.

  1. TEM characterization of corrosion products formed on a SS-15ZR alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, J. S.; Abraham, D. P.

    2000-01-01

    The corrosion products formed on a stainless steel-15Zr (SS-15Zr) alloy have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Examination of alloy particles that were immersed in 90 C deionized water for two years revealed that different corrosion products were formed on the stainless steel and intermetallic phases. Two corrosion products were identified on an austenite particle: trevorite (NiFe 2 O 4 ) in the layer close to the metal and maghemite (Fe 2 O 3 ) in the outer layer. The corrosion layer formed on the intermetallic was uniform, adherent, and amorphous. The EDS analysis indicated that the layer was enriched in zirconium when compared with the intermetallic composition. High-resolution TEM images of the intermetallic-corrosion layer interface show an interlocking metal-oxide interface which may explain the relatively strong adherence of the corrosion layer to the intermetallic surface. These results will be used to evaluate corrosion mechanisms and predict long-term corrosion behavior of the alloy waste form

  2. Heterologous Expression of Plant Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes for Effective Production of Cellulosic Biofuels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Sang-Kyu; Parisutham, Vinuselvi; Jeong, Seong Hun; Lee, Sung Kuk

    2012-01-01

    A major technical challenge in the cost-effective production of cellulosic biofuel is the need to lower the cost of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCDE), which is required for the production of sugars from biomass. Several competitive, low-cost technologies have been developed to produce PCDE in different host organisms such as Escherichia coli, Zymomonas mobilis, and plant. Selection of an ideal host organism is very important, because each host organism has its own unique features. Synthetic biology-aided tools enable heterologous expression of PCDE in recombinant E. coli or Z. mobilis and allow successful consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) in these microorganisms. In-planta expression provides an opportunity to simplify the process of enzyme production and plant biomass processing and leads to self-deconstruction of plant cell walls. Although the future of currently available technologies is difficult to predict, a complete and viable platform will most likely be available through the integration of the existing approaches with the development of breakthrough technologies. PMID:22911272

  3. Enhanced Agarose and Xylan Degradation for Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Co-Culture of Marine Bacterium, Saccharophagus degradans and Its Contaminant, Bacillus cereus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shailesh S. Sawant

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Over reliance on energy or petroleum products has raised concerns both in regards to the depletion of their associated natural resources as well as their increasing costs. Bioplastics derived from microbes are emerging as promising alternatives to fossil fuel derived petroleum plastics. The development of a simple and eco-friendly strategy for bioplastic production with high productivity and yield, which is produced in a cost effective manner utilising abundantly available renewable carbon sources, would have the potential to result in an inexhaustible global energy source. Here we report the biosynthesis of bioplastic polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs in pure cultures of marine bacterium, Saccharophagus degradans 2-40 (Sde 2-40, its contaminant, Bacillus cereus, and a co-culture of these bacteria (Sde 2-40 and B. cereus degrading plant and algae derived complex polysaccharides. Sde 2-40 degraded the complex polysaccharides agarose and xylan as sole carbon sources for biosynthesis of PHAs. The ability of Sde 2-40 to degrade agarose increased after co-culturing with B. cereus. The association of Sde 2-40 with B. cereus resulted in increased cell growth and higher PHA production (34.5% of dry cell weight from xylan as a carbon source in comparison to Sde 2-40 alone (22.7% of dry cell weight. The present study offers an innovative prototype for production of PHA through consolidated bioprocessing of complex carbon sources by pure and co-culture of microorganisms.

  4. Degradation pathway of malachite green in a novel dual-tank photoelectrochemical catalytic reactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diao, Zenghui; Li, Mingyu; Zeng, Fanyin; Song, Lin; Qiu, Rongliang

    2013-09-15

    A novel dual-tank photoelectrochemical catalytic reactor was designed to investigate the degradation pathway of malachite green. A thermally formed TiO₂/Ti thin film electrode was used as photoanode, graphite was used as cathode, and a saturated calomel electrode was employed as the reference electrode in the reactor. In the reactor, the anode and cathode tanks were connected by a cation exchange membrane. Results showed that the decolorization ratio of malachite green in the anode and cathode was 98.5 and 96.5% after 120 min, respectively. Malachite green in the two anode and cathode tanks was oxidized, achieving the bipolar double effect. Malachite green in both the anode and cathode tanks exhibited similar catalytic degradation pathways. The double bond of the malachite green molecule was attacked by strong oxidative hydroxyl radicals, after which the organic compound was degraded by the two pathways into 4,4-bis(dimethylamino) benzophenone, 4-(dimethylamino) benzophenone, 4-(dimethylamino) phenol, and other intermediate products. Eventually, malachite green was degraded into oxalic acid as a small molecular organic acid, which was degraded by processes such as demethylation, deamination, nitration, substitution, addition, and other reactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Bacteria-mediated bisphenol A degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weiwei; Yin, Kun; Chen, Lingxin

    2013-07-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important monomer in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, food cans, and other daily used chemicals. Daily and worldwide usage of BPA and BPA-contained products led to its ubiquitous distribution in water, sediment/soil, and atmosphere. Moreover, BPA has been identified as an environmental endocrine disruptor for its estrogenic and genotoxic activity. Thus, BPA contamination in the environment is an increasingly worldwide concern, and methods to efficiently remove BPA from the environment are urgently recommended. Although many factors affect the fate of BPA in the environment, BPA degradation is mainly depended on the metabolism of bacteria. Many BPA-degrading bacteria have been identified from water, sediment/soil, and wastewater treatment plants. Metabolic pathways of BPA degradation in specific bacterial strains were proposed, based on the metabolic intermediates detected during the degradation process. In this review, the BPA-degrading bacteria were summarized, and the (proposed) BPA degradation pathway mediated by bacteria were referred.

  6. A comparative study between three stability indicating spectrophotometric methods for the determination of diatrizoate sodium in presence of its cytotoxic degradation product based on two-wavelength selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riad, Safaa M.; El-Rahman, Mohamed K. Abd; Fawaz, Esraa M.; Shehata, Mostafa A.

    2015-06-01

    Three sensitive, selective, and precise stability indicating spectrophotometric methods for the determination of the X-ray contrast agent, diatrizoate sodium (DTA) in the presence of its acidic degradation product (highly cytotoxic 3,5-diamino metabolite) and in pharmaceutical formulation, were developed and validated. The first method is ratio difference, the second one is the bivariate method, and the third one is the dual wavelength method. The calibration curves for the three proposed methods are linear over a concentration range of 2-24 μg/mL. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory prepared mixtures. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of DTA in pharmaceutical dosage forms without interference from other dosage form additives. The results were statistically compared with the official US pharmacopeial method. No significant difference for either accuracy or precision was observed.

  7. Diesel degradation and biosurfactant production by Gram-positive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2009-11-02

    Nov 2, 2009 ... Full Length Research Paper ... Diesel degradation rates and microbial cell number, increased with an increase in glucose ... that are less or non-toxic and represents one of the ... organic compounds (Larkin et al., 2005).

  8. Determining of Degradation and Digestion Coefficients of Canola meal Using of In situ and Gas production Techniques

    OpenAIRE

    Younes Tahmazi; Akbar Taghizadeh; Yousef Mehmannavaz; Mehdi Moghaddam

    2015-01-01

    This study was carried out to the determination of nutritive value of canola meal using naylon bag and cumulative gas production techniques in Gizel sheep. Tow fistulated Gizel sheep with average BW 45±2 kg used in a complete randomized design. The cumulative gas production was measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36 and 48 h and ruminal DM and CP disappearance were measured up to 96 h. Coefficients of soluble CP degradation of canola meal (A), canola meal treated with 0.5% urea (B) and canola...

  9. Gamma Radiolytic Degradation of Heptachlor in Methanol and Monitoring of Degradation by HPLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riaz, M.; Butt, S.B.

    2014-01-01

    Removal of known insecticide Heptachlor (HPTC) in methanol solution by gamma-rays under varied experimental conditions has been optimized. Air saturated solution of HPTC was irradiated at x-rays dose from 1 to 10 kGys. The extent of radiolytic degradation was monitored by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV detector. At dose of 10 kGys gamma 98 % of HPTC was degraded. The degradation of HPTC occurs by CH/sub 3/O and CH/sub 2/OH radicals generated by methanol radiolysis. It is concluded that gamma-rays can remove Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) form environmental matrices. It can decrease the harmful properties of these POPs by their transformation into less resistant fragments to biological / natural elimination in the aquatic atmosphere. (author)

  10. Degradation of Diclofenac by sonosynthesis of pyrite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khabbaz, M; Entezari, M H

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this work is to evaluate the ability of synthesized pyrite nanoparticles (NPs) on the degradation of Diclofenac (DCF) as a model pharmaceutical pollutant. Pyrite NPs were synthesized by sonication with 20 kHz apparatus under optimum conditions. The effects of pyrite loading (0.02-0.20 g/L), DCF concentration (10-50 mg/L) and initial pH (2-10) on the degradation were investigated. The results revealed that the NPs have a great activity in the degradation of DCF with 25 mg/L concentration. A first-order kinetic model was found to match the experimental data. Complete degradation (100%) of DCF was achieved by pyrite within 3 min and 20 min in acidic and natural pH, respectively. To gain an understanding of the degradation mechanism and the role of pyrite, a UV-Vis spectrophotometer was employed to follow the DCF concentration. In addition, the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and the amounts of ammonium and chloride ions verified complete degradation of DCF in both pH values. The results demonstrated that Fe 2+ ions were generated by the pyrite surface and the hydroxyl radical (OH) was formed by Fe 2+ ions through the Fenton reaction. Based on using radical scavengers in the degradation process, OH was mainly responsible for the fast degradation of DCF. COD measurements confirmed that DCF finally degraded to further oxidized forms (NH 4 + , Cl - ). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Degradation of disperse dye from textile effluent by free and immobilized Cucurbita pepo peroxidase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boucherit, N.; Abouseoud, M.; Adour, L.

    2012-06-01

    Disperse dyes constitute the largest group of dyes used in local textile industry. This work evaluates the potential of the Cucurbita peroxidase(C-peroxidase) extracted from courgette in the decolourization of disperse dye in free and immobilized form. The optimal conditions for immobilization of C-peroxidase in Ca-alginate were identified. The immobilization was optimized at 2%(w/v) of sodium alginate and 0.2 M of calcium chloride. After optimization of treatment parameters, the results indicate that at pH 2, dye concentration: 80 mg/L(for FCP) and 180 mg/L(for ICP), H2O2 dose: 0,02M (for FCP) and 0,12M(for ICP), the decolourization by free and immobilized C-peroxidase were 72.02% and 69.71 % respectively. The degradation pathway and the metabolic products formed after the degradation were also predicted using UV-vis spectroscopy analysis.

  12. Tooling solutions for sheet metal forming and punching of lean duplex stainless steel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wadman, Boel; Madsen, Erik; Bay, Niels

    2012-01-01

    .4509 and lean duplex EN1.4162 in a production designed for austenitic stainless steels, such as EN1.4301 and 1.4401. The result is a guideline that summarizes how stainless material properties may affect tool degradation, and suggests tool solutions for reduced production disturbances and tool maintenance cost.......For producers of advanced stainless components the choice of stainless material influences not only the product properties, but also the tooling solution for sheet metal stamping. This work describes how forming and punching tools will be affected when introducing the stainless alloys ferritic EN1...

  13. Abiotic Degradation and Toxicological Impacts of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Surface Waters: Roles of Mineral Sediments and Solar Radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubasinghege, G. R. S.; Rijal, H.; Maldonado-Torres, S.; Gurung, R.; Rogelj, S.; Piyasena, M.

    2017-12-01

    The growing medical and personal needs of human populations have escalated release of pharmaceuticals and personal care products into surface waters. This work investigates abiotic degradation pathways of a particular PPCP, ibuprofen, in the presence of a major mineral component of sedimentation (kaolinite clay), as well as the health effects of the primary compound and its degradation products. Results from these studies showed that the rate and extent of ibuprofen degradation is greatly influenced by the presence of sedimentation particles and solar radiation. In the absence of solar radiation, the dominant reaction mechanism was observed to be the adsorption of ibuprofen onto sedimentation particle surface where surface silanol groups play a key role. In contrast, under solar radiation and in the presence of clay particles, ibuprofen breaks down to several fractions. The decay rates were at least 6-fold higher for irradiated samples compared to those of dark conditions. Toxicity of primary ibuprofen and its secondary residues were tested on three microorganisms: Bacillus megaterium, Pseudoaltermonas atlantica; and algae from the Chlorella genus. The results from the biological assays show that primary PPCP is more toxic than the mixture of secondary products. Overall, however, biological assays carried out using only 4-acetylbenzoic acid, the most abundant secondary product, show a higher toxic effect on algae compared to its parent compound.

  14. Restoration of degraded arid farmland at Project Wadi Attir: Impact of conservation on biological productivity and soil organic matter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mor-Mussery, Amir; Helman, David; Ben Eli, Michael; Leu, Stefan

    2017-04-01

    The Israeli Negev Desert, as most Mediterranean drylands, is profoundly degraded. We have been documenting degradation and successful rehabilitation approaches in recent research, aiming at maximizing environmental and economic benefits while restoring healthy dryland soils and perennial vegetation to act as carbon sinks. These methods have been implemented for rehabilitation of Project Wadi Attir's. 50 hectares of heavily degraded farmland suffering from intensive soil erosion (expressed in dense gullies net and massive overland flow). Project Wadi Attir is a groundbreaking initiative of the Bedouin community in the Negev, for establishing a model sustainable agricultural operation. The project was initiated by the US-based Sustainability Laboratory and the Hura Municipal Council. The project is designed to demonstrate implementation of holistic sustainability principles developed by The Lab. The project's ecosystem restoration component involves site development, erosion control, soil conservation and improvement, planting of native and agroforestry trees, together with conservation and protection of biodiversity hotspots and avoiding grazing have, within three years, revealed the high biodiversity and productivity potential of this arid/semi-arid landscape. A number of shrublands and loess plots were subject to strict conservation, avoiding tilling and grazing. Soil fertility, productivity and biodiversity of these conserved plots inside the farm boundaries was compared to similar unprotected plots outside the farm fences by sampling in the field and by using satellite imaging. Our findings indicate a gradual improvement of SOM content specifically in the conserved shrubland area. Water infiltration, herbaceous biomass productivity and ants' activity of the protected plots also significantly increased within 3 years compared to the unprotected control areas. Starting from similar soil organic matter content in 2013 (3.3%) in the rocky slopes, in 2016 1% higher

  15. Self-bioremediation of cork-processing wastewaters by (chloro)phenol-degrading bacteria immobilised onto residual cork particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Castillo, I; Hernández, P; Lafuente, A; Rodríguez-Llorente, I D; Caviedes, M A; Pajuelo, E

    2012-04-15

    Cork manufacturing is a traditional industry in Southern Europe, being the main application of this natural product in wine stoppers and insulation. Cork processing begins at boiling the raw material. As a consequence, great volumes of dark wastewaters, with elevated concentrations of chlorophenols, are generated, which must be depurated through costly physicochemical procedures before discarding them into public water courses. This work explores the potential of bacteria, isolated from cork-boiling waters storage ponds, in bioremediation of the same effluent. The bacterial population present in cork-processing wastewaters was analysed by DGGE; low bacterial biodiversity was found. Aerobic bacteria were isolated and investigated for their tolerance against phenol and two chlorophenols. The most tolerant strains were identified by sequencing 16S rDNA. The phenol-degrading capacity was investigated by determining enzyme activities of the phenol-degrading pathway. Moreover, the capacity to form biofilms was analysed in a microtitre plate assay. Finally, the capacity to form biofilms onto the surface of residual small cork particles was evaluated by acridine staining followed by epifluorescence microscopy and by SEM. A low-cost bioremediation system, using phenol-degrading bacteria immobilised onto residual cork particles (a by-product of the industry) is proposed for the remediation of this industrial effluent (self-bioremediation). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Bacterial enzymes involved in lignin degradation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Gonzalo, Gonzalo; Colpa, Dana I; Habib, Mohamed H M; Fraaije, Marco W

    2016-01-01

    Lignin forms a large part of plant biomass. It is a highly heterogeneous polymer of 4-hydroxyphenylpropanoid units and is embedded within polysaccharide polymers forming lignocellulose. Lignin provides strength and rigidity to plants and is rather resilient towards degradation. To improve the

  17. Irradiation Degradation of Adsorbents for Minor Actinides Recovery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, S.; Sano, Y.; Kofuji, H.; Takeuchi, M.; Koizumi, T.

    2015-01-01

    Extraction chromatography is one of the promising technologies for minor actinides (MA: Am and Cm) recovery from high-level liquid waste. The degradation behaviour of the organic species in the adsorbents under radiation exposure is important to discuss the safety and durability of the adsorbent in the extraction chromatography process. In this study, gamma-ray irradiation experiments on TODGA/SiO 2 -P adsorbent were carried out to investigate the degradation products from radiolysis of the adsorbent. The degraded organic species eluted from the adsorbent and those remaining inside the adsorbent were thoroughly identified by GC/MS, FT-IR and NMR analyses. The species suspected as hydrolysis products of TODGA were mainly detected from the analyses. Since some radicals such as.H or.OH are generated by the gamma-ray irradiation on water molecules, it was discussed that the radicals products from radiolysis of HNO 3 solution are related to the degradation reaction of the extractants. (authors)

  18. Lignocellulose degradation and enzyme production by Irpex lacteus CD2 during solid-state fermentation of corn stover.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Chunyan; Ma, Fuying; Zhang, Xiaoyu

    2009-11-01

    The white rot fungus Irpex lacteus CD2 was incubated on corn stover under solid-state fermentation conditions for different durations, from 5 days up to 120 days. Lignocellulose component loss, enzyme production and Fe3+-reducing activity were studied. The average weight loss ranged from 1.7% to 60.5% during the period of 5-120 days. In contrast to lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose were degraded during the initial time period. After 15 days, 63.0% of hemicellulose was degraded. Cellulose was degraded the most during the first 10 days, and 17.2% was degraded after 10 days. Lignin was significantly degraded and modified, with acid insoluble lignin loss being nearly 80% after 60 days. That weight loss, which was lower than the total component loss, indicated that not all of the lost lignocellulose was converted to carbon dioxide and water, which was indicated by the increase in soluble reducing sugars and acid soluble lignin. Filter paper activity, which corresponds to total cellulase activity, peaked at day 5 and remained at a high level from 40 to 60 days. High hemicellulase activity appeared after 30 days. No ligninases activity was detected during the incipient stage of lignin removal and only low lignin peroxidase activity was detected after 25 days. Apparently, neither of the enzymatic peaks coincided well with the highest amount of component loss. Fe3+-reducing activity could be detected during all the decay periods, which might play an important role in lignin biodegradation by I. lacteus CD2.

  19. Forms, Crosstalks, and the Role of Phospholipid Biosynthesis in Autophagy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leanne Pereira

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Autophagy is a highly conserved cellular process occurring during periods of stress to ensure a cell's survival by recycling cytosolic constituents and making products that can be used in energy generation and other essential processes. Three major forms of autophagy exist according to the specific mechanism through which cytoplasmic material is transported to a lysosome. Chaperone-mediated autophagy is a highly selective form of autophagy that delivers specific proteins for lysosomal degradation. Microautophagy is a less selective form of autophagy that occurs through lysosomal membrane invaginations, forming tubes and directly engulfing cytoplasm. Finally, macroautophagy involves formation of new membrane bilayers (autophagosomes that engulf cytosolic material and deliver it to lysosomes. This review provides new insights on the crosstalks between different forms of autophagy and the significance of bilayer-forming phospholipid synthesis in autophagosomal membrane formation.

  20. Degradation of the insecticide ethyl parathion in different environmental matrices by gamma radiation from Cobalt-60

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luchini, Luiz Carlos

    1995-01-01

    This work studies the use of gamma radiation from cobalt-60 to induce parathion degradation in different matrices, as well as, quantified GC-NPD and identified by GC-MS, the radiolysis resulting products. Results show that the insecticide was completely degraded in aqueous solution after treatment with 1.0 kGy dosis in a dosis rate of 3.12 kGy h -1 . In methanol, parathion was completely degraded only with 30 kGy at 3.12 kGy h -1 . The metabolites detected after radiolysis were the same formed by biological degradation, i.e, p-nitrophenol, p-aminophenol, paraoxon and aminoparathion. The gamma radiation also degraded paraoxon which is the most toxic metabolite of parathion. It was verified that, not only the total radiation, but also the dosis rate supplied to the aqueous solution had a significant effect on the insecticide degradation, and the formation of metabolites occurred in a selective way respecting the dosis and dosis rate. Otherwise, the gamma radiation did almost not degraded the parathion adsorbed in solid matrices as rice, moist and dry soil, even using dosis of 5,30 and 50 kGy, respectively. The parathion yield and the dosis of gamma radiation needed for 50% reduction of the insecticide initial concentration in aqueous solution were also calculated and presented. Thus, it was verified that irradiation of parathion besides to be an important instrument for environmental decontamination of this pesticide in aqueous matrix, it allows the production of parathion metabolites for ecotoxicological studies. (author)

  1. Accumulated polymer degradation products as effector molecules in cytotoxicity of polymeric nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Raman Preet; Ramarao, Poduri

    2013-11-01

    Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) are a promising platform for drug, gene, and vaccine delivery. Although generally regarded as safe, the toxicity of PNPs is not well documented. The present study investigated in vitro toxicity of poly-ε-caprolactone, poly(DL-lactic acid), poly(lactide-cocaprolactone), and poly(lactide-co-glycide) NPs and possible mechanism of toxicity. The concentration-dependent effect of PNPs on cell viability was determined in a macrophage (RAW 264.7), hepatocyte (Hep G2), lung epithelial (A549), kidney epithelial (A498), and neuronal (Neuro 2A) cell lines. PNPs show toxicity at high concentrations in all cell lines. PNPs were efficiently internalized by RAW 264.7 cells and stimulated reactive oxygen species and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. However, reactive nitrogen species and interleukin-6 production as well as lysosomal and mitochondrial stability remained unaffected. The intracellular degradation of PNPs was determined by monitoring changes in osmolality of culture medium and a novel fluorescence recovery after quenching assay. Cell death showed a good correlation with osmolality of culture medium suggesting the role of increased osmolality in cell death.

  2. Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eleftheria eAntoniou

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Biosurfactants (BS are green amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm biosurfactant producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on biosurfactant production, was examined. Two types of BS - lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR. Results indicate that biosurfactant production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of biosurfactants that enables biodegradation of the crude oil. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of crude oil has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents.

  3. Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniou, Eleftheria; Fodelianakis, Stilianos; Korkakaki, Emmanouela; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

    2015-01-01

    Biosurfactants (BSs) are “green” amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm BS producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on BS production, was examined. Two types of BS – lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results indicate that BS production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil (CO) implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of BSs that enables biodegradation of the CO. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of CO has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers) with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents. PMID:25904907

  4. Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by a halotolerant strain of Penicillium chrysogenum: antibiotic production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira-Guedes, Sumaya; Mendes, Benilde; Leitão, Ana Lúcia

    2012-01-01

    The extensive use of pesticides in agriculture has prompted intensive research on chemical and biological methods in order to protect contamination of water and soil resources. In this paper the degradation of the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by a Penicillium chrysogenum strain previously isolated from a salt mine was studied in batch cultures. Co-degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid with additives such as sugar and intermediates of pesticide metabolism was also investigated. Penicillium chrysogenum in solid medium was able to grow at concentrations up to 1000 mg/L of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with sucrose. Meanwhile, supplementation of the solid medium with glucose and lactose led to fungal growth at concentrations up to 500 mg/L of herbicide. Batch cultures of 2,4-D at 100 mg/L were developed under aerobic conditions with the addition of glucose, lactose and sucrose, showing sucrose as the best additional carbon source. The 2,4-D removal was quantified by liquid chromatography. The fungus was able to use 2,4-D as the sole carbon and energy source under 0%, 2% and 5.9% NaCl. The greatest 2,4-D degradation efficiency was found using alpha-ketoglutarate and ascorbic acid as co-substrates under 2% NaCl at pH 7. Penicillin production was evaluated in submerged cultures by bioassay, and higher amounts of beta-lactam antibiotic were produced when the herbicide was alone. Taking into account the ability of P. chrysogenum CLONA2 to degrade aromatic compounds, this strain could be an interesting tool for 2,4-D herbicide remediation in saline environments.

  5. Ensiling Characteristics and the In situ Nutrient Degradability of a By-product Feed-based Silage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Y I; Oh, Y K; Park, K K; Kwak, W S

    2014-02-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the ensiling characteristics and the in situ degradability of a by-product feed (BF)-based silage. Before ensilation, the BF-based mixture was composed of 50% spent mushroom substrate, 21% recycled poultry bedding, 15% ryegrass straw, 10.8% rice bran, 2% molasses, 0.6% bentonite, and 0.6% microbial inoculant on a wet basis and ensiled for up to 4 weeks. The BF-based silage contained on average 39.3% moisture, 13.4% crude protein (CP), and 52.2% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 49% total digestible nutrient, and 37.8% physically effective NDF1.18 on a dry matter (DM) basis. Ensiling the BF-based silage for up to 4 weeks affected (p<0.01) the chemical composition to a small extent, increased (p<0.05) the lactic acid and NH3-N content, and decreased (p<0.05) both the total bacterial and lactic acid bacterial counts from 10(9) to 10(8) cfu/g when compared to that before ensiling. These parameters indicated that the silage was fermented and stored well during the 4-week ensiling period. Compared with rice or ryegrass straws, the BF-based silage had a higher (p<0.05) water-soluble and filterable fraction, a lower insoluble degradable DM and CP fraction (p<0.05), a lower digestible NDF (p<0.05) fraction, a higher (p<0.05) DM and CP disappearance and degradability rate, and a lower (p<0.05) NDF disappearance and degradability rate. These results indicated that cheap, good-quality BF-based roughage could be produced by ensiling SMS, RPB, rice bran, and a minimal amount of straw.

  6. Advanced Oxidation Degradation of Diclofenac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooper, William J.; Song Weihua

    2012-01-01

    Advanced oxidation/reduction processes (AO/RPs), utilize free radical reactions to directly degrade chemical contaminants as an alternative to traditional water treatment. This study reports the absolute rate constants for reaction of diclofenac sodium and the model compound (2, 6-dichloraniline) with the two major AO/RP radicals; the hydroxyl radical (•OH) and hydrated electron (e - aq ). The bimolecular reaction rate constants (M -1 s -1 ) for diclofenac for •OH was (9.29 ± 0.11) x 10 9 , and, for e- aq was (1.53 ± 0.03) x10 9 . Preliminary degradation mechanisms are suggested based on product analysis using 60 Co γ-irradiation and LC-MS for reaction by-product identification. The toxicity of products was evaluated using the Vibrio fischeri luminescent bacteria method. (author)

  7. Production of a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme from cheese whey by the phyllosphere yeast Pseudozyma antarctica GB-4(1)W.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Takashi; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Suzuki, Ken; Koitabashi, Motoo; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Kuze Kitamoto, Hiroko

    2014-08-01

    Cheese whey is a by-product of cheese production and has high concentrations of lactose (about 5%) and other nutrients. Pseudozyma antarctica produces a unique cutinase-like enzyme, named PaE, that efficiently degrades biodegradable plastics. A previous study showed that a combination of 1% oil and 0.5% lactose increased cutinase-like enzyme production by another species of yeast. In this study, to produce PaE from cheese whey, we investigated the effects of soybean oil on PaE production (expressed as biodegradable plastic-degrading activity) by P. antarctica growing on lactose or cheese whey. In flask cultures, the final PaE activity was only 0.03 U/ml when soybean oil was used as the sole carbon source, but increased to 1.79 U/ml when a limited amount of soybean oil (under 0.5%) was combined with a relatively high concentration of lactose (6%). Using a 5-L jar fermentor with lactose fed-batch cultivation and periodic soybean oil addition, about 14.6 U/ml of PaE was obtained after 5 days of cultivation. When the lactose was replaced with cheese whey, PaE production was 10.8 U/ml after 3 days of cultivation. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of semiarid grassland degradation in North China from multiple perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, D.; Wang, G.; Xue, B. L.; Xu, X.

    2017-12-01

    There has been increasing interest in grassland ecosystem degradation resulting from intensive human activity and climate change, especially in arid and semiarid regions. Species composition, grassland desertification, and aboveground biomass (AGB) are used as indicators of grassland degradation in this study. We comprehensively analyzed variations in these three indicators in semiarid grassland in North China, on multiple time scales, based on MODIS products and field sampling datasets. Since 1984, species composition has become simpler and species indicative of grassland degradation, such as Potentilla acaulis and Artemisia frigida, have become dominant. These changes indicate that serious grassland degradation has occurred since 1984. Grassland degradation was also analyzed on shorter time scales. Analyses of interannual variations during 2005-2015 showed that desertification decreased and average AGB in the growth season increased over the study area, indicating that grassland was recovering. Analyses of spatial variations showed that the position of slightly desertified grassland shifted and formed a band in the west, where the lowest AGB in the growth season was recorded but tendency ratio of AGB increased from 2005 to 2015. Climatic factors had critical effects on grassland degradation, as identified by the three indicators on different time scales. The simpler species composition resulted from the increase in average temperature and decrease in average precipitation over the past 30 years. For nearly a decade, an increase in precipitation and decreases in temperature and potential evapotranspiration reduced desertification and increased AGB in the growth season overall. Consequently, there has distinct difference in grassland degradation between analysis results on above two time scales, indicating multiple perspectives should be considered to accurately assess the state and characteristics of grassland degradation.

  9. African land degradation in a world of global atmospheric change: fertilization conceals degradation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Lulseged Tamene, Paul L. G. Vlek, Quang Bao

    2009-04-01

    Land degradation is one of the most widespread environmental problems worldwide. The sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is one of the most seriously affected regions with huge implications on food security and economic development. To plan plausible management measures, understanding the magnitude of the problem and identification of hotspot areas are necessary. Analysis of remote sensing and climate data observed from space for the period 1982 - 2003 showed significant improvement in vegetation productivity across 30% of SSA with decline on 5% of the subcontinent. Global change in atmospheric chemistry is likely responsible for the observed increasing trend in vegetation productivity. Such widespread greening observed from space could mask anthropogenic land degradation processes such as land conversion, selective logging, and soil nutrient mining. To assess this possible masking effect, a re-analysis of the vegetation productivity dynamics, taking into account atmospheric fertilization, was conducted. This was performed by analyzing the long-term trend in vegetation productivity of pristine lands (areas with minimum human- and climate- related impacts) identified across different biomes in SSA. The baseline slope values of biomass accrual calculated for those pristine lands were estimated and used to re-calculate the long-term trend of green biomass with and without the impact of atmospheric fertilization. This ultimately enabled to delineate the areas that would have experienced significant loss in vegetation productivity had the atmospheric chemistry not changed. The result suggests that seven times more than the area of actual productivity decline in SSA is affected by land degradation processes that are concealed by atmospheric fertilization. With this rate of surreptitious loss of vital land attributes and with the current rate of population growth (3%), the SSA subcontinent may soon lack the land resources necessary to foster economic development. Spatially

  10. Determination of the hydrothermal degradation products of D-(U-14C) glucose and D-(U-14C) fructose by TLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonn, G.; Bobleter, O.

    1983-01-01

    Hydrothermal degradation was examined using D-(U- 14 C) glucose and D-(U- 14 C) fructose. By thin layer chromatography with methylene chloride, tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetic acid - 60:20:20 as a mobile phase; it was possible to separate and identify the carbohydrates and their reaction products, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, methylglyoxal, glycolaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural. Up to 99% of the initial activity was determined by scintillation counting of the TL-chromatograms. A reaction scheme for the hydrothermal degradation of glucose and fructose was obtained from these results. (author)

  11. REGULATION OF CHLOROPHY LL DEGRADATION IN PLANT TISSUES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syvash O. O.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the review was to analyze the basic biochemical processes leading to the chlorophyll degradation and ways to control this process in plant product storage. First of all, this is a complex of enzymatic reactions starting with the hydrolysis of chlorophyll with the formation of acyclic diterpene phytol and water-soluble chlorophyllide. An alternative primary reaction is the removal of magnesium from the chlorophyll tetrapyrrole ring to form pheophytin with the participation of Mg2+-dechelatase and/or low-molecular Mg2+-dechelating substances. The chlorophyll breakdown can also be caused by free radicals formed in the peroxidase-catalyzed reaction of Н2О2 with phenolic compounds or fatty acids. The unstable product of chlorophyll peroxidation, C132 –hydroxychlorophyll a decomposes to colorless low-molecular compounds. Expression of the genes of chlorophyll catabolism enzymes is controlled by phytohormones. Methods for controlling the pigment decomposition during storage of plant products are associated with the use of activators and inhibitors of chlorophyll decomposition. The best known inductor of the synthesis of catabolic enzymes is ethylene, widely used to accelerate fruit ripening. Gibberellins, cytokinins and nitric oxide, on the contrary, slow down the loss of chlorophyll.

  12. Structure of fungal oxyluciferin, the product of the bioluminescence reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purtov, K V; Osipova, Z M; Petushkov, V N; Rodionova, N S; Tsarkova, A S; Kotlobay, A A; Chepurnykh, T V; Gorokhovatsky, A Yu; Yampolsky, I V; Gitelson, J I

    2017-11-01

    The structure of fungal oxyluciferin was determined, the enzymatic bioluminescence reaction under substrate saturation conditions with discrete monitoring of formed products was conducted, and the structures of the end products of the reaction were established. On the basis of these studies, the scheme of oxyluciferin degradation to the end products was developed. The structure of fungal oxyluciferin was confirmed by counter synthesis.

  13. Genes involved in degradation of para-nitrophenol are differentially arranged in form of non-contiguous gene clusters in Burkholderia sp. strain SJ98.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surendra Vikram

    Full Text Available Biodegradation of para-Nitrophenol (PNP proceeds via two distinct pathways, having 1,2,3-benzenetriol (BT and hydroquinone (HQ as their respective terminal aromatic intermediates. Genes involved in these pathways have already been studied in different PNP degrading bacteria. Burkholderia sp. strain SJ98 degrades PNP via both the pathways. Earlier, we have sequenced and analyzed a ~41 kb fragment from the genomic library of strain SJ98. This DNA fragment was found to harbor all the lower pathway genes; however, genes responsible for the initial transformation of PNP could not be identified within this fragment. Now, we have sequenced and annotated the whole genome of strain SJ98 and found two ORFs (viz., pnpA and pnpB showing maximum identity at amino acid level with p-nitrophenol 4-monooxygenase (PnpM and p-benzoquinone reductase (BqR. Unlike the other PNP gene clusters reported earlier in different bacteria, these two ORFs in SJ98 genome are physically separated from the other genes of PNP degradation pathway. In order to ascertain the identity of ORFs pnpA and pnpB, we have performed in-vitro assays using recombinant proteins heterologously expressed and purified to homogeneity. Purified PnpA was found to be a functional PnpM and transformed PNP into benzoquinone (BQ, while PnpB was found to be a functional BqR which catalyzed the transformation of BQ into hydroquinone (HQ. Noticeably, PnpM from strain SJ98 could also transform a number of PNP analogues. Based on the above observations, we propose that the genes for PNP degradation in strain SJ98 are arranged differentially in form of non-contiguous gene clusters. This is the first report for such arrangement for gene clusters involved in PNP degradation. Therefore, we propose that PNP degradation in strain SJ98 could be an important model system for further studies on differential evolution of PNP degradation functions.

  14. Enhanced degradation of 4-nitrophenol by microwave assisted Fe/EDTA process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Bo, E-mail: yongboliu@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Li Song, E-mail: ls8214@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhao Yongjun, E-mail: zyjun2007@126.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Wu Wenfei, E-mail: feibanana6@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhang Xuxiang, E-mail: zhangxx@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Gu Xueyuan, E-mail: xygu@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Li Ruihua, E-mail: liruihua@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Yang Shaogui, E-mail: ysg420@sina.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

    2010-04-15

    A microwave assisted zero-valent iron oxidation process was studied in order to investigate the synergetic effects of MW irradiation on Fe/EDTA system (Fe/EDTA/MW) treated 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) from aqueous solution. The results indicated that the thermal effect of microwave improved the removal effect of 4-NP and TOC through raising the temperature of the system, as well as the non-thermal effect generated by the interaction between the microwave and the Fe resulting in an increase in the hydrophobic character of Fe surface. During the degradation of 4-NP in Fe/EDTA/MW system, the optimum value for MW power, Fe, EDTA dosage was 400 W, 2 g and 0.4 mM, respectively. The possible pathway for degrading the 4-NP was proposed based on GC/MS and HPLC analysis of the degradation intermediates. The concentration change course of the main bio-refractory by-products, the aminophenol formed in the degradation of 4-NP suggested a more efficient degradation and mineralization in Fe/EDTA/MW system. Finally, BOD{sub 5}/COD{sub Cr} of the solution increased from 0.237 to 0.635 after reaction for 18 min, indicating that the biodegradability of wastewater was greatly improved by Fe/EDTA/MW system and would benefit to further treatment by biochemical methods.

  15. Improvements in or relating to the production of metal-containing material in particulate form

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woodhead, J.L.; Scott, K.T.B.; Ball, P.W.

    1977-01-01

    The process described refers mainly to production of the material in the form of very small spheres. It comprises forming a metal compound-containing gel precipitate by mixing a solution or sol of the metal compound with a soluble organic polymer and contacting the mixture with a precipitating reagent to precipitate the metal as an insoluble compound bound with the polymer. The precipitate is then subjected in the liquid phase to a breaking down and dispersing process to produce an intermediate product suitable for spray drying, and the intermediate product is spray dried to form the particulate product. The breaking down and dispersing process may be performed by means of a colloid mill or vibratory stirrer. Examples of application of the process are described. (U.K.)

  16. Degradation of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol and hydrogen production simultaneously by TiO2 nanotubes/graphene composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slamet, Raudina

    2017-11-01

    Industrial waters in coal pyrolysis process, synthetic chemicals and oil and gas process contain phenol derivatives that are dangerous to the environment and needs to be removed, one of them is 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol. Degradation of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol and hydrogen production simultaneously have been investigated using TiNT/Graphene composite at various graphene loading and initial concentration of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol. Optimal graphene loading of 0.6 wt% was obtained in the simultaneous system with 89% elimination of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol and 986 µmol of hydrogen production. Test results showed that addition of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol would subsequently increased 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol conversion and enhanced hydrogen production linearly. 2.7 times greater hydrogen production was found in addition of 50 ppm 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol.

  17. Radio Frequency Underwater Discharge Operation and Its Application to Congo Red Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji Liangliang; Zou Shuai; Shen Mingrong; Xin Yu

    2012-01-01

    Radio frequency (RF) underwater discharge operation was performed for different liquid conductivities driven by different frequencies ranging from 13.56 MHz to 60 MHz, and its application to organic degradation was investigated. The RF underwater discharge was observed to be generated within the bubble at electrode surface formed by RF and plasma heating. It was shown that the sizes of the bubbles and plasmas increased as the driving frequency and the input power went up. The breakdown voltage decreased rapidly with the increase of the water conductivity and driving frequency. Comparative experiments of the UV-VIS absorbance spectra of Congo Red solution before and after discharge suggested effective degradation of the organic dye due to the active species generated during the discharge, such as ·OH, ·O, ·H, etc. revealed by optical emission spectroscopy. The results show that higher exciting frequency and lower conductivity of the solution are more effective for organic degradation. With the combination of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) data, one possible degradation process was proposed and the main conceivable components and structures of the products were also presented.

  18. Degradation of low-density polyethylene in the presence of water and deuterium oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sedgwick, R.D.; Al-Sultan, Y.Y.; Abushihada, A.M.

    1981-01-01

    The degradation of low-density polyethylene in the presence of water as the degradative agent was studied at a temperature of 450 0 C and a pressure greater than 160 atm. The experimental work was conducted in an autoclave of 333-mL capacity. The results indicate the presence of paraffins, olefines, dienes, and aromatics in the degradation products. The occurrence of aromatics in the products demonstrates the importance of this degradation procedure for obtaining these valuable materials. The present work (Part 1) is believed to be the first publication to discuss the production of aromatics from polyethylenes degradation

  19. Matrix production and organization by endothelial colony forming cells in mechanically strained engineered tissue constructs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicky de Jonge

    Full Text Available AIMS: Tissue engineering is an innovative method to restore cardiovascular tissue function by implanting either an in vitro cultured tissue or a degradable, mechanically functional scaffold that gradually transforms into a living neo-tissue by recruiting tissue forming cells at the site of implantation. Circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs are capable of differentiating into endothelial cells as well as a mesenchymal ECM-producing phenotype, undergoing Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal-transition (EndoMT. We investigated the potential of ECFCs to produce and organize ECM under the influence of static and cyclic mechanical strain, as well as stimulation with transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1. METHODS AND RESULTS: A fibrin-based 3D tissue model was used to simulate neo-tissue formation. Extracellular matrix organization was monitored using confocal laser-scanning microscopy. ECFCs produced collagen and also elastin, but did not form an organized matrix, except when cultured with TGFβ1 under static strain. Here, collagen was aligned more parallel to the strain direction, similar to Human Vena Saphena Cell-seeded controls. Priming ECFC with TGFβ1 before exposing them to strain led to more homogenous matrix production. CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical and mechanical cues can induce extracellular matrix formation by ECFCs in tissue models that mimic early tissue formation. Our findings suggest that priming with bioactives may be required to optimize neo-tissue development with ECFCs and has important consequences for the timing of stimuli applied to scaffold designs for both in vitro and in situ cardiovascular tissue engineering. The results obtained with ECFCs differ from those obtained with other cell sources, such as vena saphena-derived myofibroblasts, underlining the need for experimental models like ours to test novel cell sources for cardiovascular tissue engineering.

  20. Biodegradation Ability and Catabolic Genes of Petroleum-Degrading Sphingomonas koreensis Strain ASU-06 Isolated from Egyptian Oily Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abd El-Latif Hesham

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs are serious pollutants and health hazards. In this study, 15 PAHs-degrading bacteria were isolated from Egyptian oily soil. Among them, one Gram-negative strain (ASU-06 was selected and biodegradation ability and initial catabolic genes of petroleum compounds were investigated. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain ASU-06 to published sequences in GenBank database as well as phylogenetic analysis identified ASU-06 as Sphingomonas koreensis. Strain ASU-06 degraded 100, 99, 98, and 92.7% of 100 mg/L naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene within 15 days, respectively. When these PAHs present in a mixed form, the enhancement phenomenon appeared, particularly in the degradation of pyrene, whereas the degradation rate was 98.6% within the period. This is the first report showing the degradation of different PAHs by this species. PCR experiments with specific primers for catabolic genes alkB, alkB1, nahAc, C12O, and C23O suggested that ASU-06 might possess genes for aliphatic and PAHs degradation, while PAH-RHDαGP gene was not detected. Production of biosurfactants and increasing cell-surface hydrophobicity were investigated. GC/MS analysis of intermediate metabolites of studied PAHs concluded that this strain utilized these compounds via two main pathways, and phthalate was the major constant product that appeared in each day of the degradation period.

  1. Thermal degradation characteristics and products obtained after pyrolysis of specific polymers found in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Evangelia C.Vouvoudi; Aristea T.Rousi; Dimitris S.Achilias

    2017-01-01

    Modern societies strongly support the recycling practices over simple waste accumulation due to environmental harm caused.In the framework of sustainable recycling of plastics from WEEE,pyrolysis is proposed here as a means of obtaining secondary value-added products.The aim of this study was to investigate the thermal degradation and the products obtained after pyrolysis of specific polymers found in the plastic part of WEEE,using thermogravimetric analysis and a pyrolizer equipped with a GC/MS.Polymers studied include ABS,HIPS,PC and a blend having a composition similar to that appearing in WEEE.It was found that,PC shows greater heat endurance compared to the other polymers,whereas ABS depolymerizes in three-steps.The existence of several polymers in the blend results in synergistic effects which decrease the onset and final temperature of degradation.Moreover,the fragmentation occurred in the pyrolyzer,at certain temperatures,resulted in a great variety of compounds,depending on the polymer type,such as monomers,aromatic products,phenolic compounds and hydrocarbons.The main conclusion from this investigation is that pyrolysis could be an effective method for the sustainable recycling of the plastic part of WEEE resulting in a mixture of chemicals with varying composition but being excellent to be used as fuel retrieved from secondary recycling sources.

  2. ANALYSIS OF THE FLUX OF AN ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING DICARBOXIMIDE AND ITS DEGRADATION PRODUCTS FROM THE SOIL TO THE LOWER TROPOSPHERE

    Science.gov (United States)

    A method for measuring the atmospheric flux of the antiandrogenic dicarboxirnide, vinclozolin, and its degradation products was investigated. A nitric oxide laboratory chamber was modified to measure the flux of semi-volatile compounds. Pesticide application systems and soil in...

  3. Evaluation of effectiveness of bacterial product which can degrade pesticide-dimethoate on the scale of true practice test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pham Thi Le Ha; Tran Thi Thuy; Le Hai; Nguyen Duy Hang; Vo Thi Thu Ha; Nguyen Tuong Ly Lan; Le Tat Mua; Tran Kim Duyen; Mai Hoang Lam

    2004-01-01

    Dimethoate, an organophosphate pesticide has been widely used in Dalat, Lamdong. It is much toxic to birds, human being and other mammals. Its widespread use has caused environmental concern on the basic of frequent detection of dimethoate in soil and water. Microorganisms are key agents in the degradation of waste, oil and a vast array of organic pesticide in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In previous study, bacteria products which can degrade. Dimethoate were produced. The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of bacterial product which can degrade Pesticide-Dimethoate on the scale of true practice test. The results indicated that application bacteria product to soil grown with Cauliflower and Chinese Cabbage sprayed with organic phosphorus pesticides (Dimethoate and Chloropyrifos), the pesticide residues in soil, water and vegetables were as follow: The residues of Dimethoate and Chloropyrifos in soil grown with Cauliflower, Chinese cabbages are different. They concentrated mostly in the surface litter and top soil layers with the depth from 0 to 20 cm. From the depth of 20 cm to 100 cm, the pesticide residues were ignorable. Residue of Chloropyrifos in soil was small as well. Dimethoate residues in soil grown with Cauliflower were higher than that of Chinese cabbages. On the basis of the environmental criteria of Ministry for Science, Technology and Environment (6/95), Dimethoate residues in soil grown with cauliflowers were in excess of the maximum limit. In the case of using bacteria product to soil, pesticide residues in soil were decreased. The results also indicated that Chloropyrifos residues in water (water obtained at the depth of 75 cm and 100 cm by days) were small. Residue of Dimethoate in water small. Residue of Dimethoate in water obtained from the Cauliflower bed were higher than of Chinese cabbages one. Using bacteria product to soil, pesticide residues in water decreased. On the basis of the environmental criteria of

  4. Assessing Land Degradation/Recovery in the African Sahel from Long-Term Earth Observation Based Primary Productivity and Precipitation Relationships

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fensholt, Rasmus; Rasmussen, Kjeld; Kaspersen, Per Skougaard

    2013-01-01

    degradation. Consequently, RUE may be regarded as means of normalizing ANPP for the impact of annual precipitation, and as an indicator of non-precipitation related land degradation. Large scale and long term identification and monitoring of land degradation in drylands, such as the Sahel, can only......The ‘rain use efficiency’ (RUE) may be defined as the ratio of above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) to annual precipitation, and it is claimed to be a conservative property of the vegetation cover in drylands, if the vegetation cover is not subject to non-precipitation related land...... useless as a means of normalizing for the impact of annual precipitation on ANPP. By replacing ΣNDVI by a ‘small NDVI integral’, covering only the rainy season and counting only the increase of NDVI relative to some reference level, this problem is solved. Using this approach, RUE is calculated...

  5. Leaching characteristics of the metal waste form from the electrometallurgical treatment process: Product consistency testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, S. G.; Keiser, D. D.; Frank, S. M.; DiSanto, T.; Noy, M.

    1999-01-01

    Argonne National Laboratory is developing an electrometallurgical treatment for spent fuel from the experimental breeder reactor II. A product of this treatment process is a metal waste form that incorporates the stainless steel cladding hulls, zirconium from the fuel and the fission products that are noble to the process, i.e., Tc, Ru, Nb, Pd, Rh, Ag. The nominal composition of this waste form is stainless steel/15 wt% zirconium/1--4 wt% noble metal fission products/1--2 wt % U. Leaching results are presented from several tests and sample types: (1) 2 week monolithic immersion tests on actual metal waste forms produced from irradiated cladding hulls, (2) long term (>2 years) pulsed flow tests on samples containing technetium and uranium and (3) crushed sample immersion tests on cold simulated metal waste form samples. The test results will be compared and their relevance for waste form product consistency testing discussed

  6. Role of RNase MRP in viral RNA degradation and RNA recombination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaag, Hannah M; Lu, Qiasheng; Schmitt, Mark E; Nagy, Peter D

    2011-01-01

    RNA degradation, together with RNA synthesis, controls the steady-state level of viral RNAs in infected cells. The endoribonucleolytic cleavage of viral RNA is important not only for viral RNA degradation but for RNA recombination as well, due to the participation of some RNA degradation products in the RNA recombination process. To identify host endoribonucleases involved in degradation of Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model host, we tested eight known endoribonucleases. Here we report that downregulation of SNM1, encoding a component of the RNase MRP, and a temperature-sensitive mutation in the NME1 gene, coding for the RNA component of RNase MRP, lead to reduced production of the endoribonucleolytically cleaved TBSV RNA in yeast. We also show that the highly purified yeast RNase MRP cleaves the TBSV RNA in vitro, resulting in TBSV RNA degradation products similar in size to those observed in yeast cells. Knocking down the NME1 homolog in Nicotiana benthamiana also led to decreased production of the cleaved TBSV RNA, suggesting that in plants, RNase MRP is involved in TBSV RNA degradation. Altogether, this work suggests a role for the host endoribonuclease RNase MRP in viral RNA degradation and recombination.

  7. Beta-lactam degradation catalysed by Cd2+ ion in methanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, J H; Navarro, P G; Garcia, A A; de las Parras, P J

    1999-08-01

    Kinetic schemes are established for degradation catalysed by Cd2+ ions in methanolic medium for penicillin G, penicillin V and cephalothin, a cephalosporin. Methanolysis of penicillin V and cephalothin occurs with the formation of a single substrate-metal ion intermediate complex, SM, while degradation of penicillin G occurs with the initial formation of two complexes with different stoichiometry, SM and S2M. In each case. degradation is of first order with respect to SM with rate constant values equal to 0.079 min(-1), 0.120 min(-1) and 0.166 min(-1) at 20, 25 and 30 degrees C, respectively, for penicillin G; 0.061 min(-1) at 20 degrees C for penicillin V; and 2.0 x 10(-3) min(-1) at 20 degrees C for cephalothin. Activation energy for the decomposition process of the SM intermediate for penicillin G was calculated to be about 5.5 x 10(4) J/mol. Equilibrium constant values between SM compound and S2M at 20 degrees C (77.1 l/mol), 25 degrees C (45.3 l/mol) and at 30 degrees C (25.7 l/mol) were also calculated as well as the normal enthalpy of this equilibrium. With respect to the reaction products there is evidence that Cd2+ becomes part of their structure, forming complexes between Cd2+ and the product resulting from antibiotic methanolysis (L). Some characteristics of these complexes are discussed.

  8. Biodegradation of the Organophosphate Trichlorfon and Its Major Degradation Products by a Novel Aspergillus sydowii PA F-2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jiang; Dong, Qiaofeng; Yu, Chenlei; Zhao, Ruixue; Wang, Jing; Chen, Lanzhou

    2016-06-01

    Trichlorfon (TCF) is an important organophosphate pesticide in agriculture. However, limited information is known about the biodegradation behaviors and kinetics of this pesticide. In this study, a newly isolated fungus (PA F-2) from pesticide-polluted soils was identified as Aspergillus sydowii on the basis of the sequencing of internal transcribed spacer rDNA. This fungus degraded TCF as sole carbon, sole phosphorus, and sole carbon-phosphorus sources in a mineral salt medium (MSM). Optimal TCF degradation conditions were determined through response surface methodology, and results also revealed that 75.31% of 100 mg/L TCF was metabolized within 7 days. The degradation of TCF was accelerated, and the mycelial dry weight of PA F-2 was remarkably increased in MSM supplemented with exogenous sucrose and yeast extract. Five TCF metabolic products were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. TCF could be initially hydrolyzed to dichlorvos and then be degraded through the cleavage of the P-C bond to produce dimethyl hydrogen phosphate and chloral hydrate. These two compounds were subsequently deoxidized to produce dimethyl phosphite and trichloroethanal. These results demonstrate the biodegradation pathways of TCF and promote the potential use of PA F-2 to bioremediate TCF-contaminated environments.

  9. Removal of organics and degradation products from industrial wastewater by a membrane bioreactor integrated with ozone or UV/H₂O₂ treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laera, G; Cassano, D; Lopez, A; Pinto, A; Pollice, A; Ricco, G; Mascolo, G

    2012-01-17

    The treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater resulting from the production of an antibacterial drug (nalidixic acid) was investigated employing a membrane bioreactor (MBR) integrated with either ozonation or UV/H(2)O(2) process. This was achieved by placing chemical oxidation in the recirculation stream of the MBR. A conventional configuration with chemical oxidation as polishing for the MBR effluent was also tested as a reference. The synergistic effect of MBR when integrated with chemical oxidation was assessed by monitoring (i) the main wastewater characteristics, (ii) the concentration of nalidixic acid, (iii) the 48 organics identified in the raw wastewater and (iv) the 55 degradation products identified during wastewater treatment. Results showed that MBR integration with ozonation or UV/H(2)O(2) did not cause relevant drawbacks to both biological and filtration processes, with COD removal rates in the range 85-95%. Nalidixic acid passed undegraded through the MBR and was completely removed in the chemical oxidation step. Although the polishing configuration appeared to give better performances than the integrated system in removing 15 out of 48 secondary organics while similar removals were obtained for 19 other compounds. The benefit of the integrated system was however evident for the removal of the degradation products. Indeed, the integrated system allowed higher removals for 34 out of 55 degradation products while for only 4 compounds the polishing configuration gave better performance. Overall, results showed the effectiveness of the integrated treatment with both ozone and UV/H(2)O(2).

  10. Degradation of the tricyclic antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine under environmental conditions, identification of its main aquatic biotic and abiotic transformation products by LC-MSn and their effects on environmental bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trautwein, Christoph; Kümmerer, Klaus

    2012-03-15

    The search for environmental transformation products of organic pollutants (like drugs) is a difficult task and usually only few compounds are detected. This might be due to effective degradation but could also be a result of analytical deficits dealing with complex matrices. Especially transformation products of very low concentrations in sludge were difficult to identify so far. Additionally, the use of standard separation techniques might lead to the loss of isomeric compounds, which possess identical spectroscopic and spectrometric properties. To date no complete study investigating the environmental fate of any tricyclic antipsychotic drug has been reported. Therefore, this study investigated the popular neuroleptic drug chlorpromazine and its potential transformation by all main environmental pathways: aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation as well as abiotic photolytic degradation by sunlight. Analysis of test samples by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to multiple stage mass-spectrometry (HPLC-MS(n)) allowed the detection of numerous compounds. Further, the use of a special software allowed distinguishing between transformation products of small intensities and background "noise" caused by sludge or matrix. Three aerobic tests of different bacterial density (the Closed Bottle test, OECD 301D; the Manometric Respiratory test, OECD 301F; the modified Zahn-Wellens test, 302B; one anaerobic test (a modified anaerobic degradation test according to ISO 11734) as well as a photodegradation test were performed in the present study. According to the individual test guidelines, chlorpromazine had to be classified as not biodegradable in all of the biodegradation tests. However, a special chromatographic column and gradient along with mass spectrometric fragmentation experiments of higher order uncovered the presence of a total of 61 abiotic and biotic transformation products which where formed during the course of the tests. The structures of three

  11. Stability-indicating UPLC method for determining related substances and degradants in dronedarone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pydimarry, Surya Prakash Rao; Cholleti, Vijay Kumar; Vangala, Ranga Reddy

    2014-08-01

    A simple, sensitive and reproducible method was developed on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection for the quantitative determination of dronedarone hydrochloride (DRO) in drug substance and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The method is applicable for the quantification of related substances and assays of drug substances. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Acquity UPLC BEH C8 100 mm, 2.1 mm and 1.7 µm columns, using gradient elution within a short run time of 10.0 min. The eluted compounds were monitored at 288 nm, the flow rate was 0.5 mL/min and the column oven temperature was maintained at 40°C. The resolution of DRO and 11 impurities (potentials and by-products) was greater than 2.0 for all pairs of components. The high correlation coefficient value (>0.9995) indicates the clear correlations between the concentrations of investigated compound and their peak areas within the test ranges. The repeatability and intermediate precision, expressed by the relative standard deviation, were less than 2.5%. The accuracy and validity of the method were further ascertained by performing recovery studies via a spike method. The accuracy of the method, expressed as relative error, was satisfactory. No interference was observed from concomitant substances normally added to the tablets. DRO was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. DRO was found to degrade significantly in acid and base stress conditions and to remain stable in thermal, photolytic degradation, oxidative and hydrolytic conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from primary peak and its impurities, proving that the method is stability indicating. The developed method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines with respect to specificity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, linearity, accuracy, precision, solution stability and robustness

  12. Stimulation of diesel degradation and biosurfactant production by aminoglycosides in a novel oil-degrading bacterium Pseudomonas luteola PRO23

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atanasković Iva M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Bioremediation is promising technology for dealing with oil hydrocarbons contamination. In this research growth kinetics and oil biodegradation efficiency of Pseudomonas luteola PRO23, isolated from crude oil-contaminated soil samples, were investigated under different concentrations (5, 10 and 20 g/L of light and heavy crude oil. More efficient biodegradation and more rapid adaptation and cell growth were obtained in conditions with light oil. The 5 to 10 g/L upgrade of light oil concentration stimulated the microbial growth and the biodegradation efficiency. Further upgrade of light oil concentration and the upgrade of heavy oil concentration both inhibited the microbial growth, as well as biodegradation process. Aminoglycosides stimulated biosurfactant production in P. luteola in the range of sub-inhibitory concentrations (0.3125, 0.625 μg/mL. Aminoglycosides also induced biofilm formation. The production of biosurfactants was the most intense during lag phase and continues until stationary phase. Aminoglycosides also induced changes in P. luteola growth kinetics. In the presence of aminoglycosides this strain degraded 82% of diesel for 96 h. These results indicated that Pseudomonas luteola PRO23 potentially can be used in bioremediation of crude oil-contaminated environments and that aminoglycosides could stimulate this process. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31080

  13. Human-Induced Vegetation Degradation in a Semi-Arid Rangeland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Hasan

    Current assessments of anthropogenic land degradation and its impact on vegetation at regional scales are prone to large uncertainties due to the lack of an objective, transferable, spatially and temporally explicit measure of land degradation. These uncertainties have resulted in contradictory estimates of degradation extent and severity and the role of human activities. The uncertainties limit the ability to assess the effects on the biophysical environment and effectiveness of past, current, and future policies of land use. The overall objective of the dissertation is to assess degradation in a semi-arid region at a regional scale where the process of anthropogenic land degradation is evident. Net primary productivity (NPP) is used as the primary indicator to measure degradation. It is hypothesized that land degradation resulting from human factors on the landscape irreversibly reduces NPP below the potential set by environmental conditions. It is also hypothesized that resulting reductions in NPP are distinguishable from natural, spatial and temporal, variability in NPP. The specific goals of the dissertation are to (1) identify the extent and severity of degradation using productivity as the primary surrogate, (2) compare the degradation of productivity to other known mechanisms of degradation, and (3) relate the expression of degradation to components of vegetation and varying environmental conditions. This dissertation employed the Local NPP Scaling (LNS) approach to identify patterns of anthropogenic degradation of NPP in the Burdekin Dry Tropics (BDT) region of Queensland (14 million hectares), Australia from 2000 to 2013. The method started with land classification based on the environmental factors presumed to control NPP to group pixels having similar potential NPP. Then, satellite remotely sensing data were used to compare actual NPP with its potential. The difference, in units of mass of carbon fixed in NPP per unit area per monitoring interval and

  14. EXPOSURE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN TO CHLORPYRIFOS AND ITS DEGRADATION PRODUCT 3,5,6-TRICHLORO-2-PYRIDINOL IN THEIR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    As part of the Children's Total Exposure to Persistent Pesticides and Other Persistent Organic Pollutants (CTEPP) study, we investigated the exposures of preschool children to chlorpyrifos and its degradation product 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) in their everyday environment...

  15. Three-year study of fast-growing trees in degraded soils amended with composts: Effects on soil fertility and productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madejón, Paula; Alaejos, Joaquin; García-Álbala, José; Fernández, Manuel; Madejón, Engracia

    2016-03-15

    Currently, worries about the effects of intensive plantations on long-term nutrient supply and a loss of productivity have risen. In this study two composts were added to degraded soils where this type of intensive crops were growing, to avoid the soil fertility decrease and try to increase biomass production. For the experiment, two degraded soils in terms of low organic carbon content and low pH were selected in South-West Spain: La Rábida (RA) and Villablanca (VI) sites. Both study sites were divided into 24 plots. In RA, half of the plots were planted with Populus x canadensis "I-214"; the other half was planted with Eucalyptus globulus. At the VI site, half of the plots were planted with Paulownia fortunei, and the other plots were planted with Eucalyptus globulus. For each tree and site, three treatments were established (two organic composts and a control without compost), with four replications per treatment. The organic amendments were "alperujo" compost, AC, a solid by-product from the extraction of olive oil, and BC, biosolid compost. During the three years of experimentation, samples of soils and plants were analyzed for studying chemical and biochemical properties of soil, plant growth and plant nutritional status and biomass production. The composts increased total organic carbon, water-soluble carbon, nutrients and pH of soil only in the most acidic soil. Soil biochemical quality was calculated with the geometric mean of the enzymatic activities (Dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, Phosphatase and Urease activities) determined in soils. The results showed a beneficial improvement in comparison with soils without compost. However, the best results were found in the growth and biomass production of the studied trees, especially in Eucalyptus. Nutritional levels of leaves of the trees were, in general, in the normal established range for each species, although no clear effect of the composts was observed. The results of this study justify the addition of

  16. Characterization and Degradation of Pectic Polysaccharides in Cocoa Pulp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meersman, Esther; Struyf, Nore; Kyomugasho, Clare; Jamsazzadeh Kermani, Zahra; Santiago, Jihan Santanina; Baert, Eline; Hemdane, Sami; Vrancken, Gino; Verstrepen, Kevin J; Courtin, Christophe M; Hendrickx, Marc; Steensels, Jan

    2017-11-08

    Microbial fermentation of the viscous pulp surrounding cocoa beans is a crucial step in chocolate production. During this process, the pulp is degraded, after which the beans are dried and shipped to factories for further processing. Despite its central role in chocolate production, pulp degradation, which is assumed to be a result of pectin breakdown, has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive physicochemical analysis of cocoa pulp, focusing on pectic polysaccharides, and the factors influencing its degradation. Detailed analysis reveals that pectin in cocoa pulp largely consists of weakly bound substances, and that both temperature and enzyme activity play a role in its degradation. Furthermore, this study shows that pulp degradation by an indigenous yeast fully relies on the presence of a single gene (PGU1), encoding for an endopolygalacturonase. Apart from their basic scientific value, these new insights could propel the selection of microbial starter cultures for more efficient pulp degradation.

  17. Radiolytic degradation of gallic acid and its derivatives in aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melo, R.; Leal, J.P.; Takacs, E.; Wojnarovits, L.

    2009-01-01

    Polyphenols, like gallic acid (GA) released in the environment in larger amount, by inducing some unwanted oxidations, may constitute environmental hazard: their concentration in wastewater should be controlled. Radiolytic degradation of GA was investigated by pulse radiolysis and final product techniques in dilute aqueous solution. Subsidiary measurements were made with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid (TMBA) and 3,4,5-trihydroxy methylbenzoate (MGA). The hydroxyl radical and hydrogen atom intermediates of water radiolysis react with the solute molecules yielding cyclohexadienyl radicals. The radicals formed in GA and MGA solutions in acid/base catalyzed water elimination decay to phenoxyl radicals. This reaction is not observed in TMBA solution. The hydrated electron intermediate of water decomposition adds to the carbonyl oxygen, the anion thus formed protonates on the ring forming cyclohexadienyl radical or on the carbonyl group forming carbonyl centred radical. The GA intermediates formed during reaction with primary water radicals in presence of oxygen transform to non-aromatic molecules, e.g., to aliphatic carboxylic acids.

  18. Radiolytic degradation of gallic acid and its derivatives in aqueous solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melo, R. [Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear, UCQR, Estrada Nacional No. 10, Apartado 21, 2686-953, Sacavem (Portugal); Leal, J.P. [Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear, UCQR, Estrada Nacional No. 10, Apartado 21, 2686-953, Sacavem (Portugal); Centro Quimica e Bioquimica, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa (Portugal); Takacs, E., E-mail: takacs@iki.kfki.hu [Institute of Isotopes, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 77, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Wojnarovits, L. [Institute of Isotopes, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 77, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)

    2009-12-30

    Polyphenols, like gallic acid (GA) released in the environment in larger amount, by inducing some unwanted oxidations, may constitute environmental hazard: their concentration in wastewater should be controlled. Radiolytic degradation of GA was investigated by pulse radiolysis and final product techniques in dilute aqueous solution. Subsidiary measurements were made with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid (TMBA) and 3,4,5-trihydroxy methylbenzoate (MGA). The hydroxyl radical and hydrogen atom intermediates of water radiolysis react with the solute molecules yielding cyclohexadienyl radicals. The radicals formed in GA and MGA solutions in acid/base catalyzed water elimination decay to phenoxyl radicals. This reaction is not observed in TMBA solution. The hydrated electron intermediate of water decomposition adds to the carbonyl oxygen, the anion thus formed protonates on the ring forming cyclohexadienyl radical or on the carbonyl group forming carbonyl centred radical. The GA intermediates formed during reaction with primary water radicals in presence of oxygen transform to non-aromatic molecules, e.g., to aliphatic carboxylic acids.

  19. Graded substitution of grains with bakery by-products modulates ruminal fermentation, nutrient degradation, and microbial community composition in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humer, E; Aditya, S; Kaltenegger, A; Klevenhusen, F; Petri, R M; Zebeli, Q

    2018-04-01

    A new segment of feed industry based on bakery by-products (BBP) has emerged. Yet, information is lacking regarding the effects of inclusion of BBP in ruminant diets on ruminal fermentation and microbiota. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the gradual replacement of grains by BBP on ruminal fermentation, nutrient degradation, and microbial community composition using the rumen-simulation technique. All diets consisted of hay and concentrate mixture with a ratio of 42:58 (dry matter basis), but differed in the concentrate composition with either 45% cereal grains or BBP, whereby 15, 30, or 45% of BBP were used in place of cereal grains. The inclusion of increasing levels of BBP in the diet linearly enhanced ruminal degradation of starch from 84% (control) to 96% (45% BBP), while decreasing degradation of crude protein and fiber. The formation of methane was lowered in the 45% BBP diet compared with all other diets. Whereas the ammonia concentration was similar in the control and 15% BBP, a significant decrease was found in 30% BBP (-23%) and 45% BBP (-33%). Also, BBP feeding shifted fermentation profile toward propionate at the expense of acetate. Moreover, isobutyrate linearly decreased with increasing BBP inclusion. Bacterial 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq (Microsynth AG, Balach, Switzerland) sequencing revealed a decreased microbial diversity for the 45% BBP diet. Furthermore, the replacement of cereal grains with BBP went along with an increased abundance of the genera Prevotella, Roseburia, and Megasphaera, while decreasing Butyrivibrio and several OTU belonging to Ruminococcaceae. In conclusion, the inclusion of BBP at up to 30% of the dry matter had no detrimental effects on pH, fiber degradability, and microbial diversity, and enhanced propionate production. However, a higher replacement level (45%) impaired ruminal fermentation traits and fiber degradation and is not recommended. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association

  20. UV and solar photo-degradation of naproxen: TiO_2 catalyst effect, reaction kinetics, products identification and toxicity assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jallouli, Nabil; Elghniji, Kais; Hentati, Olfa; Ribeiro, Ana R.; Silva, Adrián M.T.; Ksibi, Mohamed

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Degradation kinetics and mineralization rate of naproxen (NPX) were studied. • Direct photolysis and TiO_2/UV approaches were evaluated. • The formation of by-products was followed by UHPLC-DAD-MS. • Ecological risk assessment of NPX-treated solutions was assessed using E. andrei. - Abstract: Direct photolysis and TiO_2-photocatalytic degradation of naproxen (NPX) in aqueous solution were studied using a UV lamp and solar irradiation. The degradation of NPX was found to be in accordance with pseudo-first order kinetics, the photocatalytic process being more efficient than photolysis. The NPX removal by photolysis (pH_i_n_i_t_i_a_l 6.5) was 83% after 3 h, with 11% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction, whereas the TiO_2-UV process led to higher removals of both NPX (98%) and COD (25%). The apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant (k_a_p_p) for NPX degradation by photolysis ranged from 0.0050 min"−"1 at pH 3.5 to 0.0095 min"−"1 at pH 6.5, while it was estimated to be 0.0063 min"−"1 under acidic conditions in photocatalysis, increasing by 4-fold at pH 6.5. Ultra High Performance Liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with a triple quadrupole detector and also a hybrid mass spectrometer which combines the linear ion trap triple quadrupole (LTQ) and OrbiTrap mass analyser, were used to identify NPX degradation products. The main intermediates detected were 1-(6-methoxynaphtalene-2-yl) ethylhydroperoxide, 2-ethyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, 1-(6-methoxynaphtalen-2-yl) ethanol, 1-(6-methoxynaphtalen-2-yl) ethanone and malic acid. Solar photocatalysis of NPX showed COD removals of 33% and 65% after 3 and 4 h of treatment, respectively, and some reduction of acute toxicity, evaluated by the exposure of Eisenia andrei to OECD soils spiked with NPX-treated solutions.